Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston Proper. You are live from the path.

Having a small psychopath. Think I have the intelligence of a bean. What? There's not a story behind it. Otherwise, I'd tell it, man. Moving along. Okay. That's fair. That's fair. Alright. Hey. You're listening live from the path. Here's what I got going on the show tonight. I'm not sure, really. Mike's got some Pope style advice. Mike, you got a preview on your Pope style? I've been in

the process the last week or two of retooling my parenting style. And frankly, it's retooled my thought process towards Jesus. And so I got some Pope style advice in that arena. Okay. All right. Cool. Got Pope style advice on that. Also, got some advice on general advice on dear life from the past. People got troubles in the world, and they're desperately seeking answers from late night Internet radio. And that's where we can help. We can we can step in and do that. So we'll see what the troubles of the day are. And Dan, did you did you come up with your Pope style? I don't remember. Oh, shoot. So Dan Yeah. Dan teases a rare Dan

Pope style advice and then has forgotten it. That was a week ago. Okay. No. I think that's fair. I think that's fair. Alright. Alright. And just in case you're not familiar, Pope style advice, basically, someone has, some nefarious man at your local bar or supermarket has, told a bunch of people that you were the Pope. And, so, they come to your lawn and they they stand outside and they refuse to leave until you give them some sort of advice, some sort of,

good tidings or, advice that applies both to your life and to theirs, and, they won't leave your lawn until they get some proof of your pope's dullness. And so that's that's the the nature of Pope's Dalibat. So that's what we got going on the show this week. Before we get any further and and ruin the show, I I want to give give a big shout out to our sponsors, both Bob with the Eisenhower team. Go to eisenhowerteam.com. Now may or may not be the time to buy or sell a house. Bob knows those types of things. So you should give him a call or send him an email. That's eisenhowerteam dot com. If you've seen the show at all, you'll know that Bob is a great friend of the show, someone who I use when I've been looking at some houses and stuff. It's always a great experience. So make sure you hit up Bob. Also, Westfield Veterinary Hospital. Go to westfieldvethospital.com

for all your animal care needs. That's where I take my dogs. And they've always been very gracious and very kind and help us to find the right balance between treating our pets the way they deserve to be treated and making sure that we can handle it pocketbook style. Because if you bankrupt the bankrupt treating the dog, I can't feed the kids and I got a hold of the problems. So the the vet hospitals were really good about that. Westfieldvethospital.com. You make me feel guilty every time you talk about that. And yet no action happens, Dan. Nothing.

My dog is getting older and older. Do anything. For years now, nothing has happened. Her her legs work less and less. The growths keep growing. Ew. There's not a lot of talk within thirty seconds of the advertisement. I'm just saying, she needs to go there. I mean, seriously, people who generally pay. And Dan's like, I don't I don't do anything they ask me to.

I don't support those businesses that you're trying to advertise for. When I do, I'll go there. A rigging endorsement, Dan. If I ever find myself in this market,

they seem like the right people. Alright. So last week, we put up a one of the things we talked about was the Illuminati at the Oh, yeah. At the Super Bowl. Yeah. Tell me this has gone well on the net. So so here's what I did is I I cut a I cut a clip. I you you the basic nature of the conversation was is there was some there was some talk on the net about,

Illuminati and, devil type business in the super time, Super Bowl halftime show. And and, to sum it all up, we said that's that's silly. And it make makes God look very small. And frankly,

it makes people that follow Jesus look very stupid. And I I could not believe it. But, like, almost directly after that, we had a rather engaging conversation, outside of the Life in the Path audience, with someone who who very much thought that this thing was real and that we were dead foolish for having having been misled and misguided. So, anyway, we we put this clip out there, and, I I just didn't have the time to monitor the thing. So I just disabled comments because I thought I don't wanna chase these people around who wanna say, hey. I saw a triangle, and it was pointing left and was looking at a duck, and the duck is Satan. Blah blah blah blah. I I don't care.

So I I disabled the comments. But sure enough, I took a look, and some we got we got some views on it, and someone gave us the thumbs down. Oh. They said they say, hey, man. I listen to those guys who said that Satan wasn't at the Super Bowl, and thumbs down. I disagree with this.

And so, anyway, badge of honor, boys. You've you've made the the devil at the Super Bowl time. Now here's the deal. However, me and Mike made an ill ill fated attempt to live tweak the grays. Holy cats. It was I've never seen our comedy go so bad. It was it was very we're very sorry to interrupt this innate and mindless banter, but we're gonna fast forward into the show to a more fruit fruitful conversation about parenting already in progress. Alright. We just we need to change something up.

So we're talking to Dave Herrick. Dave Herrick says, here, listen to this dude. He's pretty solid. And so I I you know, the wife and I have been listening to this thing this week, and and he he said a couple three things that have seemed to really stick with me. And really, just so you got kind of a base of what he's talking about, he's almost kind of pushing away from just a rule based parenting.

Like, there are rules involved, there's boundaries involved, but it's a lot more about connecting with your child and letting them make mistakes to the point where they are growing into who they are. Like, your job on this earth as a parent is not to control the child that God gave you.

You're to allow it to be what God designed it to be, while keeping it safe and letting it learn some lessons in the process and, not hammering so hard on some mistakes that they've made. And so anyway, a couple of things that he said during one of these things that just started to really hit me. And the first thing that he was talking about is he said, when Jesus came, he didn't come to make the new Old Testament. And I thought, well, what that mean? And and and I think, if I was if I was grabbing it right when he was saying it, he was talking about how,

if when you read most of the Old Testament, most peep people's picture of God, especially in in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, are a lot of just a ton of rules. Just here, don't do this, don't don't do this, don't allow these people in here, if this guy does this, you're gonna have to kill him, blah blah blah, you know, like, just rule after rule after rule. And and if you listen to Jesus talk, he doesn't really he doesn't really start laying out a bunch of rules. He lays out a bunch of concepts, a bunch of end results. You know, when he says, like, for example, when he's talking on the Sermon on the Mount, he says, Blessed are those who are merciful, so they shall for they shall receive mercy, right? What he doesn't do is set up all the rules to keep you merciful. He just says, This is the end game. This is what we're after. This is this is what the kingdom looks like, right? And, and I thought, you know,

for one, I'm not parenting that way, right? That's how God's parenting me. I'm not parenting my kids this way. I really like the sentiment. And, and I think what is the other thing that he was talking about? He was talking about they were talking about a rules versus relationship thing that we talk about with God all the time, right? Like, we like to point it at

people who are, you know, quote religious and say, you know, the issue with most of those that style of living is that you're on a rule based thing. We like to point at other people and say, You're not following God's rules. You're not following God's rules. You're bad. You did this, whatever. And

the gal that was talking, she said, Here's the thing, like, when you're reaching for a rule, that's when you know that you're not in relationship. And I thought, does that really ring true, right? So I started to think about some examples of just with my kids, because that's kind of what they were talking about. And I thought, you know, I don't have a rule about playing with forks right by electrical sockets. And I thought, why don't I have a rule like that? That'd be a perfect rule to make, right? You're not allowed to play with forks by electrical sockets. And the truth of the matter is, is like, I I kind of keep an eye on them. They kind of ask me. They kind of I kind of know if they got a fork. I kind of know if they're buying electrical socket, right? Like, the rule was unnecessary because the relationship was there. I'm there to keep an eye on them. They're they ask me if they're gonna do something shady or something that they haven't done before. And and so the relationship kept the rule from being made. And so it kinda hit me that, like, on the whole

and this is where the kind of pulp style advice comes in, is like on the whole, if you find yourself reaching for rules, it's probably best to make sure that you should probably be reaching the other way back towards a relationship of some kind, right? Like, we're generally especially when we're when we're talking about other people's sin or the way that other people act because we wouldn't want to look at ourselves, you know? That's bad. But like, when you're starting to point at other people and say, They're not following God's rules. I've read the Bible. I know I have. These are the rules that they're that they're not following, and this is bad. Right?

The rules they're reaching for and that the ones you're reaching for is is generally because of a lack of relationship. And that is generally where I find the problem to be. And for some reason, like both of those things, have really hit me. Like I said, not only how I,

deal with my kids, but like how I perceive Jesus. Right? Like when he says, you know, he didn't come to write the New Old Testament, I'm like, Why does that mean so much to me? Like, I'm still kind of trying to I just don't know why that means so much to me, but that is not what he did. And and like he and when the when he was given the Sermon on the Mount, which is kind of what I I put a tune to the 10 Commandments. I look at 10 Commandments in the Old Testament, like, here's the basis of the rules of God's people. And then, Matthew five, when he's talking about the Sermon on the Mount, he's talking about this is the way that people in the kingdom of God live. I kind of compare those two. And, and like when he was and then they're two completely different setups, right? Like the Matthew five is is he explains what it looks like to be in the kingdom of God and not necessarily the rules that are in place to be here, right? Like, I don't have to set up rules for you to be

to ensure your joy. I just have to say, Look, here's where the joy is. Why don't you just come follow me? It'll it'll be here either way. So anyway, that's my pope style advice is if you find yourself reaching for rules, with your parenting or even just with your general relationship with other people, if you find yourself reaching for rules, double check the relationship because I think that's probably where the problem is. Really I really I love that. I love that. We're we're kinda on the other end. We just finished up parenting, really. I mean, my youngest just turned 18 a few weeks ago. And as as I look back, I think that's really how the approach we took. We we had hardly any rules. I mean, we didn't we weren't we weren't, like, without order, you know, in in the home. But it was always concept and big big picture, you know. We're we're we're Jesus followers. They I never told them, hey, I'm a preacher, so you're gonna act this way. That this there was never been a conversation.

Or all these different rules of what what you're supposed to look like and how you're supposed to the word you're supposed to say, blah blah blah. It was always the the bigger picture of things. Hey. Let let's let's let's strive to start walking toward Jesus. And it was modeled and it was talked about and it was just just our our that whole family just did it together, you know, in relationship. And I and I and I love that. And and and you're right. You you have your eyes on them at all times. You you know, you have the rules in the back of your head. You know, you have the boundaries and and they know how they had boundaries and everything. But there there are times you step in and say, hey. You're about to hurt yourself, and and I'm gonna keep you from doing that. By the way, if you do that, it'll hurt yourself. And then later on, might do it. You give them give them space, and then they do hurt themselves and they go, ouch. You know? And you're like, well, yeah, next time don't do that. Okay. Yeah. And what and I think you find that that that that concept really plays itself out when when your kids get a little bit older, when they hit their teenage years and whatever, like, they're the same kid they were when they were five. You talk to your blue in the face, they're not gonna listen to you until something until it happens, right? Now, you're the boundary enforcer

when it comes to, like, their overall safety, right? Like, if it's just not a good idea and you have to step in and prevent them, you know, that is kind of why God put you on his earth is to make sure they don't cross a line too far. But, like, you know, if it is if it's 10 degrees outside and the kid wants to go out in shorts, well, let him go. He'll come back in in two minutes and put pants on. Right? It ain't gonna do you any good to sit there and bark at him and make them put pants on and respect your authority of the pants. Right? Just let them go out there in shorts. He'll be back. Unless he's booba. And if all you have are rules and they hit those teenage years, if they don't have the good foundation, their whole goal is to break every one of those rules. Yeah. I mean, know, that's that's the rebellion thing. I'm on my own. You can't tell me what to do. But if they have the concept, they'll they they stick with it. Well, I mean, yeah, you know, like, where you've where you've totally kind of boxed someone in on a rules only platform, you basically are preparing for an existence that they will never live in. Right? Yeah. That like it's, it's to say we don't want you to to experience life or to be pointed to a life, in which if you understand these concepts, can react in any situation. All we're saying is that we're gonna limit the situations in which you are in, and it doesn't teach you how to function at all. And so you can be presented with with a nuance of a circumstance that you've never seen and without someone there to slap your hand about it, like, you freak out. And to be honest, like, that that's where a lot of the arguments and stuff the church argues about petty stuff, they tend to do it in public. And and, like, a lot of the arguments that people that are following Jesus are having amongst each other are rule based hand slapping

that that ignore the concept of where Jesus is ultimately pointing us to. Like, we wanna we wanna argue where where lines are, where boxes are checked, where rules exist. And, like, if we were simply following the heart of Jesus and doing the work of his kingdom, that those become irrelevant things.

And it was actually, we were trying to talk about this recently. It's the it's one of the things where, you make a distinction between what's appropriate, with with between art and pornography. Right? Like, where is is there a line somewhere? And and the truth is that, like, Jesus simply doesn't give one. He doesn't say, you know, if it's, if you got, three quarters of the top of the left buttock, that's gonna be just just alright. But if it's lit a certain way and there's a guy within 10 feet, porn. Like, it just it doesn't work that way. There is a

there's there's a way to enjoy or otherwise take in beauty that God has created, and not have to say, you know, there's there's specifically a place in which this is this is not right. The truth is, though, is that oftentimes when we're trying to find those arbitrary lines, we make weird boxes that don't actually represent the heart of God. If you are pursuing God and following him, you'll you'll make good choices. There's things that I can't handle, things that other people might be able to. And so I know that because I'm following God and He didn't have to say, Ben, this is the box you can check. It's just like some art stuff. I just,

it's not for me. It's not for me because I can't take it in the right way and I have to let it sit. And that's just the nature of it. And so that's one of those things where we want to see boxes checked and lines drawn. And the whole nature of the Sermon on the Mount is He's saying I'm not going do that. I'm not telling you lines. That's what the Old Testament was. These were boxes to check, lines to draw. And you got your identity as to whether those boxes were checked or the lines were crossed. And your identity is not in those things. It's in me. And so you you follow me. You pursue me. And then we we're not talking about boxes anymore. Because there's no I mean, he's a man that cannot be contained by boxes. If your identity is his identity and all you have to do is follow, you seem far less taken up in, what can I not do? Because, like, you simply don't have a desire to kinda tease that line and say, well, Jesus, can I get away with this? It's just it's it's not part of our conversation anymore. And frankly, it makes life a lot simpler. It's kinda funny. I I preached Sunday on on divorce, marriage, and and remarriage. Yep. And you could tell who the the box checkers were. Yeah. After the service, you know, they kept them having the conversation. Well, I don't know if you're right here, you know, or you're not right there or it's like,

you know, where's the heart of God in this whole thing? Yeah. No boxes. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean and and those are those types of issues where, like, we want we want boxes because we're like, I I wanna be able to make a decision and say, it's it's black or white. Check the box. This is wrong. This is this is right. This is morally good. This is morally bad. And generally, it's not just because we wanna affirm ourselves as morally good. We wanna affirm someone else as morally bad. Like, we want someone else to be on the wrong side of the equation. A way to say, that guy stinks. He's not acting the way he's supposed to. I'm vindicated. I'm righteous in this circumstance. And

Jesus frankly just elevates above all of it and says this is that's not the point. It's not the point. It's not about your righteousness. It's it's not. I'm I'm I'm asking you to follow me and things will be fine. It's where you want to have your own arguments that are underneath the things that I like that are broadly pointing to my end game. That's when we have a problem. And that's when we spend a lot of time bickering and fighting and trying to be justified and and and improve our moral rightness to people. And that's It's relevant to Jesus' conversation. That'll actually be a very awkward conversation, I think, is when you have to walk up to to Jesus, you know, when you get there and and and he he asks you about it and you say, Well, you you know, your Bible wasn't really clear on that. And he says, Yeah, but my voice was.

And that pretty much means that you were listening to him. And like, I've followed Jesus long enough to know that when I ask him, he will answer me. And he will tell me what it is that I need to know. Even if it's that I don't need to know, you know what I'm saying? But like, I followed him long enough to know that when I'm paying attention to him and asking him to intercede my life, he will certainly do that. And so, like, any, I don't know. Any doubt or any questions that I'm struggling with, it's it's kinda on me. I feel like that I'm that I'm not listening and I'm not paying attention because I I can search that Bible all day long for some really gray areas, and I can come out to exactly the answer that I wanted it to be.

But, like, if I want really what God wants, I I have to ask him and trust that he's gonna answer me. And, like, I I've I've not had him not do that yet. I think alright over there, boo. You fall asleep? No. I'm just listening, actually. Okay. Good. Good. That's it, Mike? Pope style, get off my lawn? That's it. Well, I wasn't going to say it rude like that because I'm trying to keep relationships with the people at On the Lawn. So, like, look, you guys can stick around if you want. I'm going to have to ask you to leave pretty soon. So I'm going give you a choice. Either you can leave now or, you can hang around and and, I'm gonna lock the bathroom door and you can leave later when you gotta go. So At least take an offering first. No. We don't take offering Gotta

pay for that new grass. Yeah. Toyo, Pope's advice. Do the right thing. Love all people. Alright. Alright. You're listening to Live From The Path. I think that's hard. I think I think it's a hard concept because we, we've staked a lot of moral ground on checking boxes. A lot of way to say who's in, who's out, who does the thing, who doesn't do the thing because we want someone to check a box across a line and say, you crossed the line, you're wrong. And the truth is is like, it's not that it's not that there aren't ways to discern that. It's not like you don't know what like, Jesus is pretty clear, this is this is not what I have for you. This is not what I've designed for you.

But, like, we've we've staked a lot of firm ground as if those are the points of distinction as opposed to whether Jesus is the point of distinction, and we've probably wasted a lot of breath doing that. And that's it's unfortunate, but, like, I understand it. Like, it's a it's a desire to say if if I knew my boundaries God then I could play within them. I know I could be safe. It's a desire to say I I just want to be safe within these boundaries and then I don't have to I don't have to worry about it anymore. And that's because we've given up our our our sense of what is good and what is righteous and what is moral,

to a point in time as opposed to saying, you know, it's just it's just the way to live. It's a way to it's it's a way to live. It's a way to treat people. It's a way to follow. It's a way to obey. And and we wanna be able to to look at guideposts and say, was more there. I made the right decision there. I did the right thing. It's a way to disengage a little bit. Yeah. I can live my life. Just give me my list. I'll stay away from the list. I don't have to engage in Jesus a whole lot. Yeah. You know? Well, and it's one of the things that we talked about. Like, there's something within me that says I would really like to, I feel like I'd like to go out in the middle of Montana and build a small cabin and live with my family for, like, sixty years and farm crap. I don't know. But, like, it's not in the cards. It's not in the cards for me as someone who loves Jesus and loves people. Like, it is simply not something that I can do. And, like, what this following Jesus thing as opposed to checking boxes, although, like, they will like, you'll stay within the bounds as you pursue him,

it caused you to live your life on a high wire. It caused you to say that, like, you are constantly moving. There's not a point in time where you stop and say, I've made it. I've reached the thing. I've not I've done the right thing and not the wrong thing. Right? It is a consistent walk in which you are following, pursuing to stay on the road that that that God has you on.

Sometimes we just we would like the safety of not having to do that to be able to just call our day and say things are done. I did the right thing and now I don't have to walk this anymore. That's simply not the nature of our existence. We will continue to exist regardless.

The question, are we engaged in the actual operation of our life or do we just kind of bow out and call the balls and strikes until it fades away? Put that on a bumper sticker. Alright. You're listening to Life in the Path.

Yeah. Alright. Alright. Mike, what you what you do you have some other advice and stuff over there? I got some Dear Life From The Path. Okay. Yeah. Hook me up. You wanna live on it? Yeah. Hit me with it. Here we go. Dear Life From The Path. I recently found out my ex boyfriend married the girl he cheated on me with, and they have had a baby. I didn't think it would affect me because it has been nine years since our breakup, but I feel devastated and sad all over again. I constantly wonder why he was blessed with the happy ending I was wishing for. I ask myself why I haven't met anyone worthwhile. I am scared to go through the hurt and pain again, so I put on a smiling face for everyone. I want to forget this miserable relationship and be happy. What can I do to move on with my new life? New Jersey

or old Jersey. So the concept was is that she was dating this guy Nine years ago. Nine years ago. She cheated he cheated on on her with another girl. They've had a baby after nine years. They're married. I assume this this happens recently. Right? I suppose. That that the baby's showing up, and she wants to know how I can move on from the circumstance. Why is it still bothering her? So that's a long time. Nine years is a long time.

How old was that nine years ago? It was like eight. I can see there being like a twin. You're like, oh, man. But hopefully by then you've kind of moved on. So she needs to kind of let go. She's never let go of the relationship. I don't think she's probably ever heard that advice before, Dan. She's been working at it for nine years. Maybe she needs someone to sing Get right. Let it go. So alright. So let's let's walk through the options that people would otherwise consider, right? Is the right way to get over that to to find somebody else? No. Why not, Moova? The relationship that she wants to get into isn't what's gonna make her happy. If she's not happy in the situation that she's already presented with in in in herself, she's not gonna be happy with another person. It's not like that's the completion that happens when you get in that relationship that that's what makes you happy. You need to be happy separately

and in in hopefully, in a relationship with God. But you need to be happy separately before you're ever gonna be happy together. The relationship she's looking for isn't gonna give her satisfaction. That's true. If you can't stay afloat in your own black hole, you're just gonna suck other people in there. Really. Exactly. You're doing that stuff. You're like a vortex of happy. Hey, we're both not in a ship right now. Do you wanna just hang on to each other and both pull each other down? Sure. Double the weight drowns faster. You know what I'm saying? I don't even know what that means. Sounded real good.

I mean, it sounded real good. I'm going go secular and I'm going to go China. Okay. All right. So all right. So if finding someone else is the answer, I mean, what is she she's devastated by this deal. She's letting she's hanging on to it. I I think you should go talk to him. She she ain't Go talk to them. What are you gonna say to this guy? Hey. I'm devastated. Okay. I'm happily married.

I'm sorry. Then run away with your head in your hands. Hey, do you remember we were back in the nineties and we were in a relationship? And we talked about back then? I mean, I think we can you can readily acknowledge it's obvious this man has handled things poorly, right? Like, he's not he's not fulfilled his responsibility in the relationship when it started. However, he's moved on. Yeah. The nature of the nature of life is that he's moved on. He's married. He's got a kid. It kind of seals the deal on whether you're getting back with this man.

And so so maybe it's it's it's the understanding is that, like, you are mourning something that you feel like you've lost, but in in all honesty, you never had it. Right? Okay. This is gonna seem like a like a a crude example relative to the Why? Well, you have to tell a crude not not crass. Like crude as in, it's not a what it it doesn't seem like on the same level. Okay? But, like, it happens with my kids quite a bit. They'll be like, hey, man. Hey, can we have a can we have a cookie? And I'm like, no. No. You're not having a cookie tonight. And then they one of them will cry. They're like, woo hoo. You know, I we thought we wanted a cookie. And I'll say, why are you crying? I said, well, because we're not gonna get a cookie. And I said, babe, you were never gonna get a cookie. Like, you're mourning a cookie that was never yours. You didn't lose a cookie.

You invented one and then are mourning that it's gone. Your kids are gonna hate you. Why would you say something? Yeah. Your kids aren't gonna like you after that one. And the truth the truth is is, you're mourning something that was never yours. You're mourning a truth that was never actually real. Right? And so, like, if you're looking at this relationship with this guy and saying, look what what I've I've lost, it really wasn't there. The thing that you've lost didn't exist. The man cheated on you with another woman. It might have been real to her, but not to him. Well, that's the thing. It's not real though. It's not real. Right. Right. Yeah. And that's that's the point. And like, nobody likes that. Right? But the truth is is like what you're holding on to

is harmful to you, but like what you feel like you've lost, to be honest with you, you didn't lose because you didn't really have it. Mhmm. Because this man was not as committed to you as you were to him. And that's the truth. And so, like, at some point, it's you have to stop mourning the fact that it's gone because you've assigned too much value to it to begin with. You haven't lost a cookie. You never had a cookie. Yeah. How'd your kids take that when you said you never had the cookie? They wept all the letter.

They said, you spoke truth, dad, and I hate you for it. Teach me a concept. Sorry. I hate your rules.

Hate your dog rules. Check the cookie box, dad. Hey. Listen. This this guy I mean, he he's bad news from the beginning. He's not gonna offer you the closure that you're seeking. And what he actually does have to offer is even worse. I mean, he's already kind of proved his moral character to begin with back when you had a relationship with him. And the problem is the stakes are even higher now that he's married.

And there's a chance that you going back to him might end up destroying something for other people. So just move I mean, get over it. The the guy is not what you thought he was, and you just need to be aware of that. Don't go back to him. It's just gonna be toxic for you, for everyone else involved. Okay. Or you could meet him at his house and say, look, I'm devastated. Cry like I sit right there. No, yeah. No, that was you're right, Mike. That seems like You guys don't understand the human spirit at all. Seems like a good option. There we go. Sec Secular's advice is, one way to move forward would be to keep busy so you won't brood. Wow. Make an effort to meet new people. Start playing Clash of Clans. Because the saying no risk, no reward is true.

If you have saved inner mementos of your relationship with your ex boyfriend, box them up and put them away Or get rid of them entirely because this chapter of your life is finished. Okay. Option one is a bad option. Box them up and put them away.

Get rid of them. That's the right option. Or go give back to them. Anything to see them one more time. Here's your lock of hair. Mike, you should not go back in any instance. So wait, so what was our advice to her? What what should she do? Well, what was your think we advice talked about I to thought we talked I think we talked about what not to do, but what what should she do? She needs to forgive him.

And and she's only hurting herself. Which he can't do in a non face to face encounter. -Sure. -You can. You can just move on. I've created a caricature you had Let go. Macaroni noodles. I took a picture of the shrine I have of you. The remainder of secular advice is, I can't guarantee this will bring you another romance, but it will be a step in the right direction. She's not ready for another romance.

Yeah. She's gotta fix herself first. It's the hardest thing in the world, but you need to forgive that man and move on. There's nothing to forgive except for his hands He's wronged her, and she needs to forgive it. He was kind and loving. And just just meeting him one more time, I think, will do. He was kind and loving to the wrong person. Alright. Okay. Here we go. Dear life from the path, I am 26 and recently started a new job that I consider a leap forward in my career. It's been only two weeks and my boss has already told me she thinks I am trying too hard and compensating for my age.

Honestly, I was just excited to come in to work and do my best. This is my work ethic. Have union job, Dan? Alright, Dan. What? I have swallowed her criticism due to this union. You're working too hard. It doesn't say that. I have swallowed her criticism and now lying low, but my confidence is shot. I am now questioning if I made the right decision joining this company. I could try to be quiet for a few weeks, but internally, it is torture. I thought I was hired for my leadership skills and experience, but apparently, I am intimidating.

I've tried to brush the criticism off and put it in perspective, but I'm really hurt that traits I've been praised for before are being picked over now. How do I put these feelings aside and continue to work? And what should be my approach? How much should I modify who I am? You you know what's weird about people? Is they always ask a question in in the form of an answer. How do I put these things aside and move forward? Well, you put these things aside and move forward.

Thank you. Yeah. Would suggest you I'm worth every bit of the penny that you paid me. I would suggest you modify yourself to the point that they continue paying you. I think I think they need a new job. They're not a good match for this job. They need to move on. That says quit. Yeah. Quit. Your kingdom be done. That's right. Don't change your kingdom for nothing. So here here's the deal. I I would say, like, will either either shut up or quit. Like, e either first of all, feel like he's over he's overshot himself. This woman. I thought the woman was the boss. This is a woman too? I'm a 26 year old wait a minute. I am a 20 no, it doesn't say whether it's a man or woman. It's a man. I assumed it was a lady. I think it's a man. He thinks very highly of himself when he shouldn't. What kind of stereotypical jerk am I? I thought it was a lady. I don't know sure why. That is rough times. So I think it's a dude. And I think he he's like, I've been praised for these skills. Now, I've never had a boss say, hey, you're trying too hard. Unless

unless he didn't hear the feedback right. We're like, he's overdoing it. Like, it's not that his effort is wrong. It's that he is trying to project something more than what he is. Right? He's he's putting on a bit of a facade,

and that is too much. He's 26. He was not hired for his experience. He's 26. Okay. He's telling lies. Well, that seems kind of what I'm saying. Okay. Good.

I I'm saying, like, here's the deal. I don't have any legitimate advice. I just like to pick the men apart. Yeah. So here's here's like, in that situation, in in legitimately, here's what I would tell someone is, like, I think you should strongly consider the fact that they're correct and you're not. Being that they run the com like, they're the management of the company and you are not. Yeah. What benefit is it to them to, like, break you down and and Yeah. I mean, they're paying you money and they want you to do work. Like I mean, it could be that they're seriously threatened, but I mean, there's you're like the guy that walks into Abercrombie and Fitch and immediately thinks that everyone there is threatened by your presence. Yeah. That's me. Yeah. Well That's what I'm talking about. There could be some truth there. But like, I mean, seriously, if they hired you to be like the customer service representative and you're trying to help out with the accounting, yeah, you're you're overstepping your bounds, brother. Get back into your desk. You know what I'm saying? I think it's one of those situations. Yeah. I mean, quit. Go where you're appreciated, which is probably nowhere because you believe that you're underappreciated. Or,

people may actually be trying to help you and and point you in the right direction, and you should have some humility and stick with it. And here's actually why, the more I think about it, the more I think that's the case. He gave his frame in weeks. I could only put up with this for weeks Before I bust back out. Been a couple weeks. I'm a phoenix. No one contains me. That's what I'm saying. Like, that's a pretty short time frame to say, hey. Did I did I check this out for long enough to make sure things are right? Maybe they'll appreciate your passionate leadership at the Taco Bell anytime. I I think he I think he went into a place that's pretty complacent and, lazy,

and he's got work ethics. You're the one that set it up as a union gig, Dan. It doesn't say that in there. I I'm just I observe life. That's all I do. I I don't know if it's a union or not, but they're lazy and complacent. And and this guy wants to work. So let go go somewhere where they like to work. Yeah. I feel like it's probably more the customer service guy trying to do the accountant's job. That's what I feel like this dude's doing. Go ahead, boo. You know corporate life. How'd you become the way you are? Nice. Thank you for that call out. That was wonderful. Honestly, I think you're wrong, Mike. I think that this guy isn't overstepping his bounds. I think that he might just have a manager that's threatened by him trying to do a good job.

Would say I say this from this perspective because I don't like not doing the best job that I can. It drives me nuts. Absolutely. And I'm not saying that the best job that I can is the best that has ever been done. No, I'm not saying that from a prideful standpoint. I'm just saying if I'm gonna take pride in my work, you know, I wanna do a good job. And if this guy has a level of doing a good job, and then if the feedback was actually what he was told where you're overcompensating for age or,

you know, you're trying too hard kind of deal like that, If I'm told that by a manager, my response is, well, this is what you hired me for and this is how I'm gonna do it. I feel like it's probably not what they hired you for. That's why that's where the overcompensation What's work hard? They hired you to do customer service and he's trying to cook the books. It doesn't say that he overstepped his boundaries by doing a different job. He says that Yeah, he didn't say that. He's presenting the story. Yeah. As if he's been wronged. Gonna tell it like he's I don't the best guy ever. So you guys are taking that that that he's overcompensating, and he is actually over stating what he's doing. I here's the deal. So, like, I've been in corporate America for thirteen

years. Okay? Decade plus. Right? I've never met someone who has found a top like, a high performer doing their work and discouraged them because of their top performers. That's right. I have. Never. We're getting too much of a value out of you. I pay next dollars. You're worth twice as much. Tone it down. I do not have a decade plus of customer service experience, but I've seen that. Maybe maybe you you I have seen that from I've seen that from from leadership where they're intimidated by someone who's working. That's And it was not me. So this is not me saying that I was wronged in this way. I'm not saying that it doesn't exist. I'm just saying like it's not it's not my experience. I'm gonna go with booba. It it's usually an indication of a poor leadership skill to begin with that someone can't recognize talent and put talent to work for them. But, yeah, the problem is you're in a situation where you're matched up with someone who,

quite frankly, just long term will not be able to lead you. You probably have either just divergent work ethic or else they just don't have the leadership ability to continue following you. So, yeah,

I'd start looking for another job. By the way, gentlemen, I would agree with the Check Your Pride deal. This guy needs to stop talking about himself that much, but I think that that could be Here's the deal. It's like, based on how he's described himself, you've ignored that completely and decided that he's a virtuous character. I believe him. Yeah. I don't. I don't believe him. Okay. I think he's a prideful doofus. I would've been Yeah. Okay. I guess it's been weeks and I'm under the to burn our appreciation. You have to buy these cars. I've never felt so But I'm obviously telling the complete truth about my own worth and everything else is up sympathize with the guy writing in saying how great he is. That's ridiculous. He's obviously weaving a web. I've never felt so much tension in this room. I'm not saying Here's the deal. I'm not saying My boss are smiling. Don't think there's really any tension here. No, I'm bad, baby. My relationship with you guys is not riding on this stuff. I still care about all of you, So I'm not saying what the two of you guys are implying can't be true. I'm just saying, based upon his explanation, I don't think it's true in this circumstance. Okay. Yeah. And no cookie for you, booba. Here we That's fine. I don't need any more cookies. Your cookie. Here's what Yeah. It should never be my cookie. My children love me. Here's what Secular says. Sometimes when starting a new job, it is wise to remain quiet till one gets the lay of the land and understands how the company functions before jumping in. My advice is to continue to lie low. If things don't improve, schedule another conference with your boss. Tell her you thought you had been hired for your leadership skills and experience. But if you are coming across to others as abrasive, you need to know so, so you can change it. Let her guide you. If it doesn't work after that, recognize that not all job placements are a good fit and start looking for something that is.

Yeah. I got no side commentary there. No, I think it's alright. Alright. My gasp advice out of a bowl full of jello and get about the same response. Here we go. Dear life from the path. We

No. I'm not done yet. I'm I'm thinking about something else. Was trying to get rid of it. We entertain frequently because in our large group of long time friends, we are the only ones who do. In this way, we assure to some degree that the friendships survive. Folks sometimes volunteer to bring something, but often they don't. Even when they do, they put it together while I'm in the middle of my own preparations. They interrupt me by asking for a serving dish and sometimes want to use the oven while I'm using it. This is not my idea of helping. Otherwise, they are very dear people. But with the passage of time, I am losing my affection for them. If we don't entertain, no one will, and the friendships won't survive. Live from the past, do you have any suggestions, or is it too late?

Suggestions. No. No. The the ship has sailed. Yeah. Sever ties and cut ship. Fuck you, man. Don't let those folks back in. Yeah. They asked to use the oven. You gotta be kidding me. They would actually talk to you. If all of your friendships are based off of random dinners, there there there's a lot more at stake than just someone trying to ask you your job. Where'd you find this group of bison coming over?

Borrowing a serving tray. You said, what? Kidding me. But Harold, if we stop serving dinner, all of our friendships will die. What? That is the You know what I would do? I'd give it a test run. I'd say, look, we're not doing a dinner next year. Well, we're moving to Connecticut.

Put up with this garbage. I joined perk club. Me and let me use your butter dish. I'm out. Whose oven will I use? How will I cook these sweet potatoes? I got an idea. I'm just throwing it out there with these friends of yours. Hey, man. If you're gonna bring something over, give me a heads up so I know you need to use the oven and so I can plan appropriately. Or better yet, cook it at home. Bring it with you. Love, friend. Yeah. Buy some at McDonald's and bring it over here. I don't care. You can't I only got one of them. Like, I mean, here's the deal. What's the worst that can happen if you say that? Right? You're already afraid that you've lost the friendship because of this incident. The worst they can do is be like, this is outrageous.

We should use your oven without permission if we want to. We're leaving. Like, the worst that can happen is the thing that you're already proposing. Yeah. Here's the deal. If they were that good of friends, like, I mean, if if if one of y'all came over to my house and we're having a dinner and you show up with, like, a half cooked casserole and say, hey, look, man. Can I put this in the oven? I'd say, I only have one of it. And you knew I was making dinner. What the heck? You know I'm saying? Like, the conversation would have been had and over with. Like, I have one oven. Plan accordingly. And I be like, root I can't for one get two things in here. Cook the casserole at your place, put it in a hot plate, bring it over. I mean, like, conversation, if you were that close of friends, it happened already. You're you're stuck on some kind of weird formality or don't know them well enough, to be honest with It seems like the relationship is tenuous at best. If we don't hold the dinner, everyone everyone leaves. I think we need to address the concept of the person that's writing the letter too because they said that they grow tired of these relationships because the person is asking to use their oven. Now, I get that that could be a little bit annoying if you're trying to throw a dinner and someone keeps going, hey, my sweet potatoes need your oven.

But if you're growing tired of the relationships because of that, it doesn't sound like you had a very strong relationship annoying. I mean, I'm with her on that. Annoying, absolutely. But, like, your relationship is hinged upon whether or not at dinner they're gonna ask to use your oven ridiculous. It's it's only habitual because she refuses to say something. Hey, Ingrid. You can't keep doing this. Cook your potatoes at home. Cook your potatoes at home. Yes. I feel like, you know, if it's 20 times in, you can't be outraged, you cause this. Yeah, but If I'm gonna keep this superficial relationship going, I need you to start cooking your own food at your own house. Well, here's I mean, there's a certain amount of annoying behavior that, like, it starts to make you wonder if they're actually your friend. Know what I'm saying? Like, now maybe the oven thing might be a moot point, but let's say you got you you invite people over to your house for a once a month dinner. And every time they come over, they they they snag a roll of toilet paper, take it with them. Like, take it right off the roll and haul out. Thieves. Yeah. You know, you have thieves for They're like, hey, we're out at home. I'm gonna take this toilet paper. Okay.

So let's have a six month straight. Right? And you're like, seriously, do do you even like me? Like, do you see me as some kind of fool or a shuckster that you're stealing? You're depleting my toilet paper supply one roll at a time. Why would I say, Mike, why do you keep stealing my two ply? Well, but that's what I'm saying. You would say that, but, like, the fact that someone would do that to you would make you think, look, I don't know what your endgame here is. You're getting a free food and a free roll of toilet paper. I feel like you don't like me. I would no. I would say I would say, you don't know how much this two ply helps in my financial picture. You need to love on them and buy them a whole package and put them in their car the next time you You come bless me with royalty paper that I can't afford on my own. So so for this for this example, you'd say install another oven. Prepare for your bum bum buddies and just get another oven. Absolutely. Say, hey, man. I'm having trouble paying the power bill, so I cook at your place, but I I'm too embarrassed to say it. So I just act like I was low on time. I'd be like, I'm glad to be gracious to you.

A Love on people, Mike. You're a jerk, Mike. No. No. You're a big meaty, dude. Buy them a 24 pack of toilet paper. Yeah. I can't afford that. Here's deal. Guy that's I'm already 10 rolls down. I'm pretty much buying a 34 pack of You're investing. A guy that's stealing toilet paper needs your love. He needs something. Here we go. More toilet paper. Segular says, it may be too late because a pattern has been established. No. Hold on. The

fish is reeling in. The pattern has been established, and you're complaining to the wrong person. If you preferred that your kitchen not be invaded, you should have communicated that to the invaders who were getting in your way at the time it happened. Do these people socialize with you at all unless it's at your parties? Even if these, quote, friends are unwilling or unable to entertain on the scale that you do, they long ago should have made some attempt to reciprocate your hospitality, and they appear to have made little or no effort. You might feel less taken advantage of if you widen your circle of acquaintances to include some couples with a stronger grasp of the social graces. Yeah. Secular is saying, look, get rid of these guys.

They're Moabites. Cut them out. Ruth was a Moabite. I didn't really know what that meant. I just I just said it. They need you, Jesus. That means keep them. Do that's do Let them use your oven. Okay.

You ready? You got time for one more? Yep. Okay. Here we go. Oh, wait a minute. Is there a oh, here. Hold on. Dear Life from the Path, is there a polite way to ask a colleague to stop bringing her kids to work? Our offices are right next to each other, and the dividing wall doesn't reach the ceiling. I have to hear them yelling at each other, their two and four, crying and whining and their mother's attempts at discipline, etcetera. This isn't occasional. It happens often. Should I ask her politely to stop bringing them to work, or should I ask management to shift my office away from hers? Distracted. Okay.

Here's the thing. This is actually more appropriately ties to the question I was asking about the oven. People don't bring their two and four year old to work just because they like it. You know what I'm saying? Like, there has got to be an underlying circumstance as to why this two and four year old is at work. I don't know of anybody who's like, you know what would make my day better? A couple toddlers hanging around my place harassing me all the time while I'm trying to get work done. Seems very unlikely. Alright. So I I would first start from a position of grace to say, have no idea why this circumstance exists. But to the extent that it really bothers me because I couldn't stand it, perhaps she's in the same boat and does not want to be there. So I would start there and see if may I I can't tell whether this woman's a legitimate friend or just kind of a a coworker ish type. A catty beast. Yeah. Could be a catty beast. I would attempt to find out through,

normal people means and say, hey. I noticed you have your kids around quite a bit. What's up? I couldn't take having my kids here and see what she says.

And maybe perhaps get to know her story just a little bit. Yeah. Can't imagine a company allowing that anyway. I mean, there's gotta be a handbook somewhere like, oh, don't bring your toddlers to work three times a week. I mean, I don't I don't know. Specific rule then. Well, you know. Here's the deal. Do you guys remember that story I told you a couple weeks ago? I can't remember if we told it on air or but, I I was driving to work and I passed a guy who had, like, a a kid. He was walking around downtown and had a kid, like, fireman style Yeah. You're little boy. Yep. Okay. So, anyway, like, I saw that guy. I'm like, something's up. Something's up. It's not a normal thing to go about. Something has to be going on. So I stopped and talked to him. Right? So, like, this seems like a like a very same circumstance.

He's like, it may not be that that's normally what's to be done, but the man was in a pickle. And, like, it's what had to be done given his circumstance. I'm just saying, like, to look at that and and and see someone that is in that position with the two kids over while they're working, and your reaction is, this is really harming me, even though it may be. Like, there has to be something going on in that circumstance that you should be a little bit gracious about and try to figure out what it is. Like and if it turns out that she's just, like, cheap or she doesn't have any legit issues and just likes to have her kids around her, then, yeah, then I think I would move forward with this has to stop. It's causing me not to be able to work well. But beyond that, like, I would assume there's something underlying this problem. You know, what you're facing right now can probably be dealt with with just a pair of headphones. What she might be facing is worlds different from from this. So, yeah, tread lightly. Just realize it's easier for you to solve your issue than for her to solve hers. And here's the deal. No one looks glorious attempting to parent your children right next to somebody for eight hours a day. I mean, I've that cookie episode would come out directly.

Someone would turn me in. Actually, I find if you get if you if you really push the relationship with the children and not so much the rules that they will behave themselves as desired. I feel like you guys are taking this all wrong and I would just hire two toddlers myself to be equally as annoying to run around in my neighborhood. Tell me how that's gonna go. Look. I'd like to buy two children.

Good to have for us. Hey. Can I buy two kids? You have any really unruly ones that really tear crap up? Take that, Brenda. Hey, Brenda. Meet my new kids. Hey, look. And then they have toys on. And fake guns and all this different stuff. They're like, hey, that person, I don't like that person. Go take care of them. And they'd run over to Brenda's office and take care of the situation. How would you even approach Cause a toddler fight. Yeah. I I don't know. Here's the real Buva answer. Okay. I hear this come from right out of Buva's mouth. It probably did. Rather than risk a confrontation with your co worker Go to HR. This is something you should discuss either with your supervisor or your employer. While I emphasize with the woman's difficulty in finding someone to supervise her youngsters, if their presence in the workplace is disruptive, your needs should be accommodated.

That is not straight out of my mouth, man. Would never say something You should talk your manager or supervisor. You should talk to HR about that. We should get right through this thing. Call your call your 1800 helpline. By the way, are those approved workplace slacks? I will be accommodated. Dress above the room. No jeans.

Your IT badge has to sit on your desk, not on your pants. Okay. So, secular advice was pretty much, look, take it to HR. Don't try to have any human interaction with this woman. She's obviously just a robot or a mobster, and you have no reason to have any legit conversation with her, find out what her deal is. Just take it right to the corporate shrill who will come down and hint at her for a while and ask her why she's done this. Here's the deal. Go to human resources. Other people's shoes are simply, like, are generally not comfortable.

And and it may be true that they chose them, but it doesn't make it comfortable. You know I'm saying? Like, whatever circumstances exist in these people's life and, like, there's some really hardcore, doofus y, awful characters that I've worked with in my day. Right? But, like and and some of the choices they made in their life caused their circumstances to be that poor and caused them to be annoying and difficult to deal with. It still can't be easy being that guy. He's annoying as all get out and has to live with himself. So, like, I I can have sympathy even with the man that bothers me because he has to deal with his own personality all the time. And so, like, I just have a little grace for people. Like, I think your needs will be good.

See I hate that. You're I hate it. I hate it. You will be covered in his I will have to deal with this guy because he has to deal with himself and that must be much worse. Here's it. Like, think of them like the most spiteful hateful man and you're like, I cannot stand the way this guy looks at life. I cannot stand the way that he deals with other people. But the truth is is like that's not coming from a healthy position. He may even doing it on purpose and he may even enjoy it when he does it. But the root of all that stuff is a very unhealthy life, generally without joy and grace. And so, yeah, I have sympathy for that man. And if nobody loves him, it's gonna have to be me, and I hate that. But it's gonna have to be me. So there you go. Okay.

Call HR. Knock it off, Brenda. Like, this is ridiculous. I'm overqualified for this job. People think that I'm too assertive. I want you to get them kids out here. Management says that I'm showing off and overcompensating for my age. I can wash the windows too. I can't do that. Human resources ironic. And how does supervisors not even know about it?

Yeah. I'm sure they do. Two toddlers running around. It's not even a daycare. They probably works in a daycare. They probably just thought they'd throw two kids in, so no difference. Brenda keeps bringing in her two and four year old. You work at a daycare, Linda. Calm down. They're everywhere. Their names are Linda and Brenda? I expected to be close.

I reached into my my brain to find something there, and it turned into word association. Hey, Linda. What is like Brenda? I'm gonna call Belinda. Brenda's ghosted Linda. Brenda and Linda. That's why they're best friends, and the two and four year olds are ruining their relationship. Hatfield McCoy. Brenda keeps trying to cook food at Linda's house. It's awful. Okay? I only got one of them.

You dummy. Stop stealing my toilet paper, Linda. Potatoes gonna cook on the sidewalk. There's a radiator. You got you you wanna do one more? You gotta take a break? What would you No. We we got one more. Okay. Here we go. Last one. Dear life from the path. I have a family friend whose son has been engaged twice to two different ladies. The first engagement was broken off by him and the second by his fiance. Each time, his family threw him an engagement party, which he wanted, and I was invited to both. Each time, as is customary, I bought a gift for them. There we we go. Neither one was returned after the engagement was broken. The first party was a pleasure to attend. The second one I found slightly awkward, but I wanted to be supportive of my friend. I brought a gift the second time because I didn't want to be impolite. If my friend's son becomes engaged the third time and has an engagement party to which I invited, am I obligated to bring a gift? This is not even this is hypothetical. He's not engaged the third time. He's currently not engaged the He third

just wants to be sure. Way to make your generosity as black and white as humanly possible. Now am I morally obligated to bring this person to present? That's ridiculous. I'm a cheap Charlie. And I don't wanna bring roller skates. If your generosity is pitted against this, like, law abiding that you need to do when it comes to is it first, second, or third? Numerically, am I obligated to buy a present? That's ridiculous. If you care about the person, you have the money to buy the present, buy the flipping present.

But based on your attitude in this question, I'm not so sure that this is even gonna be an issue. You're not gonna get a third invite. Oh, yeah. This this this relationship's Although that that guy kept the he kept the present. So I would I mean, it's a little shifty. It's a little awkward. The whole situation. Yeah. I would say round two, when you keep all the gifts at your second engagement party, I mean, there's got to be some form of guilt in your place. Like, hey, I got three coffee pots, all from fake marriages. What is an engagement party? I got gifts at my wedding. I didn't have an engagement party. You threw a party that you're engaged, man, and then people show No. Well, that's stupid. Didn't

never said it a good decision. I'm just explaining what it is, man. You're making me mad, booba. That's fair. Why do you live this Here's the deal. If I was engaged two different times to two different ladies that got broke off You disgust me. And I threw two engagement parties, I got stuff from both engagement parties, and I did not return any of it. I would throw the third engagement party, and then make sure that no one brought anything. Because I would say, alright, you guys have already blessed me twice. I don't need to be brought any more stuff. I already have enough Because you still think coffee pots. Don't bring me anything else. Just come on out to the party and hang out. I don't want your gifts. I just want you to hang out with me. Celebrate my union. What kind of gifts do you get for an engagement party? Yeah. Mean, in our in our culture today, so many people are already, like, living together. I don't even know what to get for weddings anymore because, like, they don't need a toaster. They've had one for five years. I mean Valid point. Blenders. I I I really don't know. What? Hey, listen. Engagement party is not a real thing. They're making it up. It's just a fake I've never heard of it. Did you have one, Ben? No. I didn't I didn't know such things as Eric. I've had two. No? I'm gonna have one now. No one in this room has had one, except for Boova. Like I said, I've had two. They've I always figured you need a ten year anniversary party, though. Because that's when everything's worn out and you need everything anew. Hey, man. I'm ten years this year. There you go. Guys for a new toaster. Do you need a new toaster? New toaster. No, man. It's holding up like a beast. What about blender? Because I can do that. No. We got a real bad It's it's all gonna end in about six months. Alright. You let me know some small kitchen kitchen appliance that I can purchase for you to it. Half cooked casserole. The towels are all ratted out. Your oven to cook this at these Actually, you know what I could do? Silverbirth bent. I had a I had a toaster oven that we used before we had kids. We used to make stuff in the toaster oven, and it said caution hot at the top. And I wrote wife next to it,

and I had points for a year and a half. Oh. Con Eighteen months of compliments. Caution hot wife. And I thought, booyah. I cook stuff in the toaster oven for no reason just so I can remind her that I made sweet coconut on the toaster oven. Toaster oven. And then she threw it out, and I thought, hey, I can't write on the oven. Hey, man. What's a toaster oven? What? Seriously? What's a toaster oven?

You're a Luddite. It's like a little oven. Yeah. It's the marriage of the two greatest things ever. A toaster Like I know what a toaster is and I know what a What's a toaster? Think it chops food? I mean, the name is kinda implied. It's it's you're

the we're the most worthless single man I've ever met. No. Seriously. What is it? Like, seriously, is it a small oven that, like, sits on your counter? Like a little cookie oven we have downstairs. It it's just larger than a bread box, but barely. What is a bread box? I was gonna say that's not gonna work. Our bread's eaten. Gentlemen, I've been completely serious right now. Like, I have never even heard of a toaster oven. What is this thing? It's so is it a small oven that sits on your

So it basically think of it. It works like a toaster works. Right? It it heats up coils except they're at the bottom, and it's about the size of a of a thing that you could fit like a like a Totino's pizza in. Oh, okay. It's like a could put toast. It's like a toaster. Hey, man. It's a little baby egg. Stop defining the word with the word. What's a bread box? I've never even heard of a bread box. What's that? It's like a What's the standard size of bread box? Yeah. Yeah. Why do you need a box for your bread? Keep the So it doesn't get stale. Keeps the dogs out. What? And the rats.

Jeez, dad. Why? You have it on your counter. Yeah. It's okay. This is it was people used to bake bread at home. They didn't Right. It didn't come with cellophane on it. Yeah. So why do we need them now? Well, it's falling out of favor, definitely. And and bread has cellophane on it. We got one for a wedding present. The point in toaster ovens if you have a toaster in an oven? It's a two for one, and it takes up way less space. And Why heat a whole oven? Toaster in the oven. Why do I no. You're taking more time to heat up. If you're just throwing in a little mini pizza or something. A little pot pie. Eric, I want you to ask yourself when the last time I did something mini was. Like, I don't think I've ever eaten a mini Okay, hold on. I'm gonna ask you a series of logical questions. Okay, fair enough. And then you're and then we're gonna get to the end of this thing. Okay, cool beans. Does it take longer to heat up a whole house or one room? One room. That's why you buy a toaster oven. Okay. That's fair. Done. Thank you. Thank you. Now, I know what a toaster oven and a breadbox is. No, you don't. Are there any other small appliances I don't know about that I need to know? Breadbox is not an appliance. It's just a box. Well, okay. It's literally just a box? How about a milk box for bread? Uh-huh. A milk I'm Yeah. Is it a box for milk, Dan? Had a milk box. Yes. Outside, the milk may have a drop of moss. A milk crate. What? There's like a little metal thing with little little

Not everybody was alive. I don't remember time before the Internet. Yeah, Dan. I used to deliver newspapers. A lot of times people wanted their their newspaper in their milk box. They were pretty specific about that? Yeah. Yeah. So, well, they'd have to catch you doing it. They didn't have cell phones. Put it in the milk box, Dan. They'd leave a note. Oh, boy. I don't know how people do stuff back in the day. Alright. This is getting ridiculous. It's a little metal box. Alright. Toast rub. You want secular's advice here? Yeah. Let's have it. Okay. Secular advice. I forgot the question. So she says, no. I think by now you have given enough. And considering how your friend's son's luck has been after these engagement parties, I can't imagine his family inviting the same people a third time and expecting them to give him anything more than their good wishes. Hey, man. I seriously, you he he thought a big life change was coming. Celebrate it with him every time.

I mean, I wouldn't intend an engagement party, but if it was some kind of other party or something like a birthday, I'd go three years in a row. If ever me, I I would I would return this stuff. If I had if I was the one engaged and it broke off, I'd be like, hey. Thanks, guys, but it didn't work out. Yeah. But people always buy you crap that you didn't they didn't want anyway. That's what a wedding gift is. There's no receipts for that stuff. They don't they don't ever expect that toaster oven back. Yeah. Here's these towels backs that say Chuck and Linda forever. Yeah.

Nobody wants two Hamilton Beach blenders at their place, you know I'm saying? Awkward embroidery. They were three for $29 at the Kohl's. I took one. I put one in my daughter's room, and I gave you the third one. Alright. Yeah. No. I think that's alright. That seems alright. You're listening to live from the path on livefromthebath.org.

Maybe maybe your Internet is catching and doesn't work right, and you're not catching it. But if you are, thanks for sticking around the show. You can also catch broadcast on ninety nine point three KTIA every Saturday night at 07:00. I believe we're sandwiched right between two other shows Yeah. Which is pretty standard for terrestrial radio. You're the best out man of the