K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about the good things that happened in 2020 for us – for me personally and for us as a family – but I did not – I so wanted to make a listicle of the 20 best things that happened in 2020.  But I did not. (laughs)

C: I object to listicles on several grounds.

K: Share the grounds because I don’t think we’ve talked about this with the Musick Notes

C: I don’t think we have.

K: Because we’ve never done a listicle on the podcast, even

C: No, we haven’t.

M: Even when a listicle would be completely appropriate. Like, right now, today. The best 20 things that happened in 2020 for us individually or us personally or us as a family. Or as a business. This is – like, if there’s ever an episode to do a listicle – oh baby this one’s it.

C: See, this is where the “if” comes in handy because there is

K: (laughs)

C: Never an episode to do a listicle.

K: And why not? Listicles are fun. The people love listicles. Give them what they want.

C: Number 1) I can never

K: (laughs)

C: Hear the word “listicle”

K: (laughs)

C: Without thinking “list” plus “testicle”

K: Really?

C: Yeah. Like, list plus – listicle and testicle are just the same to me.

K: Okay.

C: I know it’s supposed to be list plus article, but I just can’t separate listicle from testicle.

K: Yeah. Okay.

C: So, that’s number 1.

K: And so… you know… Chad has a thing: doesn’t like his own testicles.

C: I don’t like the word.

K: Yeah. Doesn’t like anything associated with testes. And, hey, it’s cool. You can have those feelings. I, personally, love his testes, and I don’t care if that’s tmi. But I do. They’re gorgeous. They really are. Sorry, I just had to share that with the Musick Notes if they’re like wondering about the condition of yours. Gorgeous.

C: Number 2

K: (laughs)

C: Discussing listicles (laughs) makes you talk about

(laughter)

C: The things you just did. It’s so wrong.

K: They do not. They do not. If you mention the word testicles, I immediately think of yours because they’re my favorite testicles I’ve ever seen.

C: I just think there’s no reason for the word. It’s a list. Perhaps it’s an article containing a list. But it is nevertheless a list.

K: Okay. So, you think inventing a new word for a list

C: I think inventing a new word to explain why I have to click 50 different links to read your entire article so you can show me 50 ads… I think that – that’s a crime.

K: But we wouldn’t even be doing that. You don’t like lists, either.

C: No, I don’t.

K: So, I feel like you’re perpetrating a fraud, and we don’t do that to the Musick Notes.

C: I was saying why I don’t like listicles.

K: Okay. So, why don’t you like lists? Because let’s – let’s dig into this. Let’s get into this. And I’m gonna put at the top of my list of cool things to happen in 2020 getting to know you better.

C: Okay, now, is this a countdown list or a count up list, or the things unordered?

K: Is that why you don’t like lists? Because there’s so many

C: That’s another

K: Types of them. Because you know

C: Exactly.

K: I am a sorter.

C: I know you are.

K: I am like a super sorter. I sort everything.

C: Yes.

K: Like, my brain is just boxes within boxes. Like, some people have… mind palace. Mine is just boxes. I have boxes within boxes within boxes – how I keep organized all my stuff. And I just know which box to rummage through for my memory. For whatever memory I’m trying to access.

C: So, that’s an assortment. Right.

K: Yes. It is an assortment – assorted – it is a sorted assortment.

C: Mm. Sort of.

K: No. Completely.

C: Completely?

K: No, it’s not sort of sorted. It’s completely sorted.

C: Okay.

K: But it’s not sordid. Mmm. I take it back.

C: (laughs)

K: Your box is pretty sordid.

C: Yeah.

K: Yeah. So, the Musick Notes know that I’m heavily – heavily – into objectifying you.

C: Yes.

K: And that, over the years, you’ve just come to accept that… you know. You’re going to be objectified. And one of the more glorious things to… so, wait, I don’t feel like we fully got an answer on why you don’t like lists. So, this – just so y’all know, from… early on in our friendship, I’ve been trying to convince Chad to convert to being a person who loves lists.

C: I think that lists always have one of two things with them: they either include things they don’t, or they leave off things they should have.

K: Mm.

C: But then I go, okay, but I said two things, but actually it could be both of those things at once. So, oops, my list already has a mistake. Just two items. Well, actually, or three items, and I can’t get a list right.

K: Mm. So, I admit that, for us, I know why you don’t like lists from me. Because, as soon as you’re done with it, I’m like “here’s another list. You did an awesome job, so here’s your reward: more stuff to do.”

C: Right?

K: And you’re just so good, and you are quite efficient at doing stuff. Which I really enjoy, so when you efficiently finish your list, I’m like, “cracking. Here’s some more stuff that I need to be finished in an efficient manner with close attention to detail.” And I’m like a kid in a candy store. And you’ve explained to me why that’s oppressive. Still don’t agree. Like, I’m letting you excel is my version. (laughs)

C: Wow. Okay.

K: I’m giving you the opportunity to embrace your excellence and stand in your awesomeness.

C: To be a spreadsheet for you.

K: (laughs) Oh, yeah baby.

C: I’m here to be your Excel. (laughs)

K: Oh yeah, baby. I love when you starfish it on the bed. You look so cute. It really is – when you starfish, it really is cute. So, star fishing – I think everybody knows what that is – we’re not talking about, like, the star fishing of the bottom. We’re talking about when you lay on the bed with your arms and legs spread out.

C: Wow, okay, yeah.

K: Hey

(laughter)

K: I don’t want people to think I’m talking like that because that’s too far.

C: That is too far.

K: But you taking up the entire bed because I’ve gotten up to get a glass of water – I find cute.

C: Okay, so this discussion goes on one of my – goes on my list of good things that have happened in 2020.

K: Okay.

C: Because it amuses me.

K: Okay.

C: I am amused.

K: You are amused?

C: Yes. We are amused.

K: Awesome. Are you going to say the thing?

C: No. That’s the thing. This – this discussion.

K: Oh, this discussion. Okay. Because you’re finding it amusing.

C: Yes.

K: Cracking. Got it. Slow on the uptake, today.

C: (laughs)

K: And, you know, it just follows the theme of – you know, going into 2021. I still will not be encouraging things I do not find funny.

C: Right.

K: And I will still be encouraging the Musick Notes to hold the line. And… stand firm with me because we want to protect you from things that aren’t funny that you think are. (laughs)

C: Okay.

K: Because you’re so brilliant at being funny.

C: Uh-huh. You’re like, “I heard a joke today”

K: Yes. But that is not… the right Johnny Cash song.

C: Okay. I know it’s not Walk the Line.

K: Yes. So, like, why did you

C: I was just expressing my feelings of hurt at not being laughed at.

K: Oh, wow, but this is supposed to be positive things we like in 2020. But if we’re gonna go there, I don’t like the fact you didn’t reference the proper Johnny Cash song because you don’t know any lyrics from it. So, you’re fronting that you’re a Johnny Cash fan, and you are not.

C: “I walk the line” is – that’s part of the lyrics.

K: You don’t know – name 3 Johnny Cash songs. And you should be able to name 1. You should be able to name my favorite Johnny Cash song.

C: See, now there’s pressure, and I can’t do it.

K: (laughs) For the record, you usually perform well under pressure.

C: Yeah.

K: That was not a sexual innuendo. Your job is high pressured, and you perform well.

C: But my job is to avoid there being high pressure situations.

K: Which puts you in situations because you’re in charge of, like, 60 million dollars.

C: I’m not in charge of it. I work for a company that has that revenue.

K: But if you make a mistake, it can cost the company millions. How is that not a high pressure

C: I think most people work

K: I think that’s way more high pressure than just admitting to the Musick Notes that – I admit when I’m – win the bad wife trophy. Why aren’t you admitting that you win the bad husband trophy because you don’t know my favorite Johnny Cash song?

C: I do win that trophy. And that trophy’s going on the mantle.

K: Yeah. It should. Right next to my bad wife trophy.

C: Okay, so what’s the – what’s your favorite?

K: A Boy Named Sue.

C: Okay. Yeah. I have heard you listen to that.

K: And you know it.

C: But I didn’t know it was Johnny Cash.

K: (laughs) J’Accuse Chad Musick! J’Accuse.

C: (laughs)

K: You are not a Johnny Cash fan.

C: No, I’m not.

K: If you do not know A Boy Named Sue.

C: No.

K: Is Johnny Cash. And I am sitting here, amazed, because I – okay, list of good things that happened on 2020. This goes under getting to know Chad better.

C: Right?

K: Because you have been able to pull this fraud for years. And now, it’s coming to light. And I’m just going to put it under getting to know you better. Not under fraud.

C: Thank you. Because you never asked.

K: You – correct. I did not ask.

C: So, it’s like the movies.

K: I always just assume you like what I like.

C: For the first couple of years that we knew each other, you thought that I liked movies a lot.

K: Yeah.

C: Because any time you’d mention a movie, I could tell you all about it.

K: And the number one activity that we did was go to the movies.

C: And then one day you asked me, “have you seen these movies?” And you like had a bunch of different movies, and I was like, “I have seen none of those.” You were like, “then how do you know so much about the movies?”

K: So, it wasn’t a bunch of movies. It was one movie that we were talking – that we were in the middle of a discussion about

C: Yeah.

K: That you were talking about like you knew, and you said something that was way off.

C: (laughs)

K: That nobody who had saw the movie would say.

C: Mhm.

K: So, just in case the Musick Notes are wondering yes, Chad has seen the Wiz. And he knows it’s the bomb. If you haven’t seen the Wiz – they did the Wiz live on NBC or ABC or CBS – I don’t know. They did it live in the United States. The live version of the Wiz was cool. That was alright. But you’ve got to see the Michael Jackson, Diana Ross – and I know Michael Jackson is a problematic person for some people – but if… this was pre-all of – this was pre-Never Never Land. And I just think Nipsey Russel

C: Yeah.

K: Deserved way more credit for

C: Being the tin man.

K: For his work in the tin man because he provided some of the most memorable moments in the movie for me. And my two favorite songs are – and I think they deserved an Oscar for costume design. Because, if you look at Evilene’s workshop – No Bad News

C: Yeah.

K: That is… an amazing – and I don’t know if there’s best choreography, an Oscar for that, but they deserve an Oscar for that. Because in those costumes, they danced their asses off. I was just…

C: Yeah. Yeah.

K: I’m amazed every time I look at it. But I tell Chad often that I’m an – that I’m in an Evilene mood. That I’m always Evilene. Don’t you bring me no bad news.

C: And sometimes you’ll put on the video.

K: Yes. Like “this is my mood today.” And, so, if you follow us (laughs) on Twitter, you’ve seen me do “mood – Evilene No Bad News.” And there are days that I feel like the tin ma – I think we both feel like the tin man. Slide some oil to me.

C: Yeah. I’m feeling particularly creaky today, so if somebody could just oil up my joints.

K: Yeah.

C: Not the skin. I can do that myself. The joints themselves.

K: And you have to like – the best, best disco scene in the world is the Emerald City opening scene of… in the Oz.

C: I would go so far as to say that might be the only good disco scene in the world.

K: No. There’s more.

C: There’s more? Okay.

K: Yeah, but it’s – it’s epic. So, basically, check out the Wiz. If you haven’t already. You’ll thank me for it. Check out the movie. Go ahead and check out the live version. They didn’t capture a lot of the magic that was in the original movie. The Wiz.

C: Yeah.

K: Yeah.

C: That’s the name of it.

K: Yeah. I think I’ve said it enough. And they’re not sponsoring us. And the Wiz. Where you at?

C: (laughs)

K: Like, sponsors. Sponsor us, man. I will do deep dive on the Wiz any day you ant. Anybody affiliated with the Wiz.

C: You will. You told me about that, like, “have you seen this movie?” I said, “no, I haven’t seen it.” We went to a movie store right then because this is how old we were that we had to go to a store to get the movie.

K: Yes.

(laughter)

K: We did. On DVD.

C: Yes.

K: So, there were several movies that were on that list. One was – like, I was shocked that you’d never seen the Wiz. And then… I forget the other – oh, I was shocked that you had never seen Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

C: Yeah.

K: That was shocking to me. I think everybody should see Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Because that will explain why the filibuster is so important. But it’s not all about the filibuster. But it has the best filibustering seen… ever. The most impassion – great Jimmy Stewart performance. And Harvey.

C: Yeah.

K: So, to – my favorite Jimmy Stewart movie is Harvey. My second favorite is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. And then there was To Sir, With Love. You hadn’t seen To Sir, With Love.

C: I hadn’t seen any of the Sidney Poitier movies. I’ve seen quite – quite a number of them now.

K: Yeah because I’m a huge Sidney Poitier fan. So, you watched Lilies – Lilies of the Desert

C: Of the Valley.

K: Of the Valley. Lilies of the Valley with me. Which is like the coolest movie, and just… embodies, like… young, sexy Sidney Poitier. It’s all just young, sexy Sidney Poitier.

C: (laughs)

K: And if you want to drink it in and get your eyes full, it will be a good thing for you in 2020. Because he is sexy, and then his first ever movie – the Caller

C: The Thin Line.

K: That’s when, like, someone calls in

C: Yeah, that’s called the thin

K: Yeah. Content note: it references self-harm. So, Sidney Poitier is something that’s always good that happens to me every year.

C: Yes.

K: Love Sidney. Love, love Sidney. I also enjoy Denzel. And… if you haven’t seen Tennant, here’s the thing: watch it in reverse, and I found it to be way more – a better movie – than watching it from beginning to end. And I make the eek face because I often find a lot of movies are better if I watch them from the end.

C: So, here’s the thing: if you do that, then you have to switch the title around, too.

K: You have to switch the what?

C: The title. You have to read the title backwards.

K: (laughs) And the way I accomplish it – I accomplish this – is I watch the last ten minutes

C: Yeah.

K: And then I watch the ten minutes that preceded, and the ten minutes that preceded it – and, so, it’s a movie that plays with time. And it makes way more sense, for me – I wish they had started it with the end. I wish they had… because… it… it – I don’t know. Yeah.

C: There’s some movies like that. Like, if you watch Benjamin Button backward, he gets older throughout the movie.

K: Never seen Benjamin Button.

C: Neither have I. But I know the basic premise.

K: Yeah. So, back to us because we kinda digressed

C: Okay.

K: Which is what we do.

C: Yes.

K: I love the fact that we’re able to digress. Another really cool thing that happened for me in 2020 is… the amount of work that I’ve been able to do on my PHD.

C: Mm. Yeah.

K: Because, so – for those of you – I don’t think I’ve explained how many pages a psych PHD is on average. But it’s usually 500 pages and upwards for a psychology PHD. Because the structure of the PHD: we have four chapters. Chapter 1

C: You’ve got five chapters.

K: Five chapters. Yeah. Foohh. Yeah. I just haven’t been thinking about that fifth chapter, but

C: Yeah.

K: Okay. So, chapter 1 is… why we should even do this. Just a summary and brief glance and priming people’s minds as to why we should do this. Why it matters. It’s – and it covers, like – it covers everything that we then discuss in greater detail – in fine detail – in chapter 2. And then there’s chapter 3, which justifies and proves that the method that we’re using and – is the appropriate method for what we intend to study. And that the population we intend to study is the appropriate population. And we have to say how we’re going to get the population. How did we come up with the population? It’s just all about our method. All about the methodology of sampling, the methodology of – I’m using a quantitative method – and I’m studying a really complex relations among factors.

I’m doing mediation – simple mediation, simple moderation. So, simple mediation includes partial and full mediation. And then there’s moderation, and then I’m doing serial mediation and serial multiple mediation and… moderated moderation. And if y’all care, you can google it, but I don’t think you do. So, I’m not going to explain all of that. And I have to justify each one of those. And how I’m going to test each one of those, and why I would test each one of those. And how is that a good idea for anyone? And the serial multiple mediation is the one that’s most confusing for everyone: why do you test for that?

C: Mhm.

K: And so… I know why. I have the literature to do it, but writing it takes forever. And then, after chapter 3, chapter 4 is writing up my results. And then chapter 5 is… specific, I think, to my university, and it’s… how does this fit the student practitioner agent for social change model? Because my university says that, if it does not promote social change, it cannot be approved as a dissertation. Which I have on lock.

C: Yeah. Yeah.

K: But it still takes a long time. It’s taken me… a year – let’s see, September… October, November, December – it’s taken me a year and three months to write my chapter 2.

C: Yeah. That’s right.

K: Because it also includes my literature review, and I have one humdinger of a literature review. And my chair has been like, “these sections are long.” But I don’t know how to cut them. So, that’s for a later day. And… drumroll. Da da da da da. I didn’t do an actual drumroll even though I wanted to

C: But you did say da da da da da da.

K: Yeah, so that counts. Chad has edited every (laughs) word that I’ve written. All of those pages. And, right now, I think I’m at over 300 pages.

C: That sounds about right.

K: For just chapter 2 alone. So… I’m gonna take some of those words and put them in chapter 1 to help keep it close – so, I’m happy that I get to live with my editor.

C: Oh, okay. I did not see that coming. That is a good thing. Yes.

K: Okay, why didn’t you see that coming?

C: Because you said the thing you were happy about is how much you were able to write. And then you were like, “because I live with my editor.” I was like, oh, snap. (clicks tongue) Didn’t see it coming.

K: Why didn’t you see it coming?

C: I don’t know.

K: But it’s

C: But one thing I am happy for is my perpe – my ability to be perpetually surprised.

K: Mm. Yep. So, being happy that I’m living with my editor is that we’re able to work out an editing schedule that allows me to continually write.

C: Yes.

K: So, I’m writing it – I give you section by section to edit, and I give you a date to edit it by to send to my chair. But then I can move on to the next section because weaving them together is an entirely different process. And… having – it allows me to send it to my chair section by section, which allows me to not have to talk on the phone. Because I do not enjoy talking on the phone. It’s extremely painful for me. Which ties into another thing – two things – that I’m happy for in 2020.

One is that I don’t have to talk on the phone. And… the other is that… my chair does not require me to talk on the phone. So… yeah. Happy about those things. So, are you happy about living with the person you’re editing for?

C: Yes. I am.

K: That’s not a heavy, baited question.

(laughter)

K: That’s not a question with only one right answer.

C: She’s trying to discover whether I’m secretly editing for anyone else.

K: Yes. And you are.

C: And I am.

K: Because you do.

C: I do.

K: Because you’re like that. All generous with your time and stuff.

C: Yeah. But – so… Covid sucks. Quarantining sucks.

K: Does quarantine really suck?

C: In general. I think there are specific people for whom

K: How has quarantining changed your life? And we’re avoiding negativity.

C: So, I wanted to preface it because quarantine has changed my life in that the company that I work for has gone completely remote.

K: Yeah.

C: For all but like 5 or 6 people whose work requires physically doing things in…

K: Physical spaces.

C: Physical spaces. Like

K: Specific physical spaces.

C: Yes. And so, it means that – I’ve always been remote because I’m in Japan, and most of the people are not. They’re in Australia. But it means that everybody’s on an equal footing, and so… whereas before, I was having a really good time working remotely.

K: Yeah.

C: I’d go to a meeting, and it’d be like 3 or 4 or 5 people at a table, and then they’d have a screen set up for me.

K: Mhm.

C: But now, one of the people who works at the office goes and sets up like 5 or 6 screens, and we all

K: (laughs)

C: We don’t do it that way, but

K: Yeah. I know that you don’t. I’m like, “why is he doing this?” (laughs)

C: Because the idea was just silly to me. We connect directly.

K: But a lot of people will believe it. Because, like, the Ellen show – their audience is screens.

C: Mhm. Yeah. I’ve seen different universities do that: where they have a screen set up for each student. And that doesn’t make sense to me, but… you know, to each their own. But I have been happy to get to know… my coworkers in different ways because, as everybody is remote, people are not hesitant to reach out remotely. Like, they might’ve asked somebody sitting next to them or sitting nearby a question that… probably should’ve been asked to me.

K: Mm.

C: But now, there’s nobody sitting next to them, so if they’re gonna reach out, they’ll reach out to me.

K: Mm. I think that’s cool. For me, one of the – we’ve talked about the miracle of CBD oil for you

C: Yes. Yes.

K: So, that was absolutely one of the good things.

C: I forgot that was this year. That seems like forever ago.

K: Because it happened pretty early in the year?

C: I think based on the number of times that I’ve reordered; it’s been about 4 months.

K: Okay.

C: Between 4 and 6 months. I don’t remember exactly.

K: It’s been such a drastic change. It’s been life changing for the positive. So, that’s absolutely a good thing. That, at least for me in my life. But also, your ability – so, pre-CBD oil, it was – you were afraid that you weren’t going to be able to work, so knowing t hat you can work because you love working. And you’re a workaholic. And also seeing you be at a company that so honors and respects you. All of the other companies in the time t hat we’ve been together that you’ve worked for have treated you like garbage even though they’ve all given lip service to respecting you and given lip service to your talents.  Which

C: I, yeah

K: Are apparent because one company that treated you bad that you gave them advice, did not follow your advice. And you said, “if you don’t follow my advice, your company may fail”, and then the company failed.

C: In the specific way that Is aid.

K: Yeah, in the exact way that you said. Having nothing to do with the state of the world and everything to do with mismanage – business mismanagement.

C: But I think part of what the company – part of what my employer does is say, “there’s no more work for you for this week.”

K: Yeah.

C: Like… there’s something that’s supposed to be upgraded, and the IT people were planning to upgrade it during the break. And I said, “well, to upgrade this actually require my involvement, so just let me know what day.”

K: Mhm.

C: And they said, “nope. That’s off the list of things we’re going to upgrade during the break.”

K: Yeah.

C: “We will schedule a day after you’re off of vacation and do it at that time.”

K: Yup.

C: So, I think that part of the way I’m compatible with them is that they do cut me off when I’m just like, “give me more work, I’ll do it.”

K: Yeah.

C: Because my workaholism is not a… positive thing. Liking to work, I think for me, is a positive thing.

K: Yeah.

C: But there are times when I feel like, if there’s more work, I ought to do it right then. And it’s much healthier for me to not.

K: Yeah.

C: It’s much healthier for me to pace myself, and so they’re very helpful with that.

K: Well, and I think, too, they wouldn’t let the IT team work during their break. So, everybody has a different break period

C: Yes, that’s right.

K: For the company.

C: Yeah.

K: And you set yours because they can’t afford for the entire company to be on break at the same time for weeks on end.

C: And the IT team is a husband-and-wife pair, so that works out nicely.

K: Yeah. And, so, you chose to take 2 weeks off at the end of the year. I don’t think any company can afford all of their employees to take two weeks off.

C: Yeah.

K: Except for, like, you know, sole proprietorships where, like, the owner does everything. So, like, for me

C: Yeah, for you. Yeah.

K: I’m taking 2 weeks off. Which is another bright spot of 2020 for me. The decision to take 2 weeks off.

C: Mhm.

K: And focus on… Cinnabar Moth and focus on family and focus on PHD. It’s making me feel so positive because I will own that I have not been practicing good selfcare. And I’ve been working 15-hour days regularly.

C: Yeah.

K: Because I have something in my – because I have a bit of OCD. And the way my OCD works is, if I think something needs to be done, I must do it. And I’m not able to self-regulate in terms of not doing it. So, I work really hard to overcome it. I have techniques that I use. But I’m not always successful, so taking the break will allow me to do all of the things that will allow me to get back to a schedule that has good work-life balance. So, I’m happy for that. That’s another thing in 2020 that I’m happy for is the two weeks off to get caught up and get ahead on some things, so that I’m not – I don’t like working in real time.

C: Yeah.

K: Like, I don’t like recording the same week that the podcast goes out. I like recording it a couple weeks in advance, but the last couple of episodes have been recorded the same week, including this episode, but… I think next week is the last episode that will be recorded the same week. And then we’ll have that week ahead again thing.

C: I think so.

K: So, all of the episodes are recorded the week before they go out, generally, but not the week before they go out on Patreon.

C: Right.

K: Because, on Patreon – for those of you that – beautiful Musick Notes that celebrate us and support us on Patreon, we greatly appreciate it. They get – one of the perks is they get the episode a week early.

C: Right.

K: And, so, we actually need to be three weeks ahead on episodes (laughs)

C: Mhm.

K: And I find that our life is so stable, and because we’re not a lifestyle podcast

C: And we’re not news.

K: Yeah, so that doesn’t really impact it. And it is what I’ve been thinking about lately.

C: Yes, it is.

K: And so that’s why Chad wants me to include the word “lately” so as to not to defraud anyone.

C: Well, and if you say, “here’s what I’ve been thinking about”, well you’ve made an implicit choice there. Because you couldn’t fit all you’ve been thinking about in one episode.

K: Yeah, no, I couldn’t. I think about a lot of stuff.

C: So, it is a selection of topics.

K: Oh, and sorry if my drinking – Kisstopher – for some reason, I’ve been drinking at the microphone. Like, putting my – like, I’m grabbing my cup and drinking it really close to the mic. I don’t know why I’m doing that.

C: I don’t know. I’ll listen, and if it’s horrible I’ll make it quieter.

K: Because I’ like really enjoying my water

C: Uh-huh.

K: And I think, in my mind, I think “oh, I’m going to share this with everybody.” But (laughs) nobody knows what the heck I’m doing. But I’m enjoying the heck out of this water. This water is so tasty right now.

C: Delicious.

K: Yes. I love water. I do. I almost drink water exclusively.

C: Yes.

K: But, as y’all know, I’ back on the Starbucks. But I think only for a few more weeks. I don’t think much longer because it tears up my stomach.

C: Yeah.

K: The caffeine does. But I’ve been enjoying the Starbucks, and interestingly enough, when I don’t get Starbucks, I have to get a chocolate milkshake.

C: Mm.

K: So, like, I’m on chocolate beverages.

C: Mhm.

K: But cold chocolate beverages. And, so, that’s another thing I’ve been enjoying in 2020. I’ve been enjoying chocolate beverages.

C: Nice.

K: And enjoying the fact that – that you go to Starbucks for me. I think that’ really sweet.

C: The Starbucks is really sweet. Because they

K: (laughs)

C: Add the sugar to it.

K: Yes, they do. (laughs) What’s some more things that you’re thankful for or happy about or positive things that happened in 2020 for you?

C: I think, for me, I just kind of – and I think because the CBD. So, for those of you who may not remember for some reason… I’m taking CBD to reduce the number of seizures I have. Which is working…

K: Which is cannabis oil without the THC in it.

C: I’ve been – that’s been working really, really well for me. And… so, it’s kind of… starting to repair, I guess, my sense of time and memory.

K: Mhm.

C: Which is nice. I wasn’t sure I liked it at first.

K: (laughs) Because you’re a grudge holder.

C: Yeah.

K: (laughs)

C: But I think I’m getting a handle on that.

K: Yeah.

C: And being like, okay, I’m going to remember what happened from one day to the next. Not necessarily one moment to the next because my memory’s still a little bit slipper.

K: Yeah.

C: But from one day to the next, I don’t know what happened. And I think just some opportunities I’ve had for personal… learning and advancement that I’ve talked about before

K: Yeah.

C: Like I earned a… data certification, and I’m working on another one. And my book being published is really exciting. It’s not published yet, but it’s coming out early next week.

K: Yup.

C: That’s been really exciting to get back reviews on it. And see that people get what I’m trying to do – even people who don’t know me.

K: Yeah, but we’re talking about that in the take two.

C: Yeah. And… I think just having a close relationship with our son. From him being here for quarantine.

K: Mhm.

C: So, he’s gone back home now. But home is still nearby.

K: Yeah. It’s like 10 minutes away from us.

C: On foot. It can be quicker than that. In a vehicle

K: It actually takes them longer in a car to get here than it would take to walk.

K: Because of traffic, yeah.

K: Yeah. Walking is – so, walking it’s about a 15-minute walk, it’s a 10-minute bike ride, and it’s a 20-minute car ride.

C: Yeah.

K: Because of traffic. Because we live in a heavy traffic neighborhood no matter what time of day it is.

C: With traffic lights and overpasses. So, that’s why the walking can be so quick. Because I don’t – when I walk, I don’t have to wait for lights more than… once.

K: Yeah because we had this one light that really takes a long time. If you miss it, it really – it adds like 3 minutes. It’s a three-minute light. It’s one of the longest lights in our city.

C: I did not know that. But it makes sense.

K: Yeah.

C: But the

K: Well because they changed the length of the lights because it was one of the number one spots in one of the top – I won’t say number 1. One of the top 5 for… pedestrian to vehicle car accidents.

C: Mm.

K: But the way that they made Japanese cars, they’re made to – for things to bounce off them when they’re hit. So, when pedestrians are being hit by the cars, they were bouncing off of them, but there were more… turn accidents and pedestrian to vehicle accidents. So, they lengthened the streets light.

C: Interesting. I did not know that.

K: Yeah.

C: I have all kinds of thoughts about that process in general because, like,

K: (laughs)

C: At one – one semester at Berkeley, I studied traffic lights.

K: Yeah, you did.

C: So, I do have thoughts about them.

K: Do you want to share your thoughts about them?

C: I was thinking about that, and I don’t think I do.

K: Okay.

C: One thing this year has given me is the freedom to not share thoughts.

K: Yeah, so I think it would be a cool Twitter thread.

C: Yeah. That would be.

K: Yeah. Because people love your Twitter threads. They find them interesting.

C: Some of them do, yes.

K: Yeah. So, I’m not sure if it’s still a 3-minute traffic light. I know that it was several years ago. I don’t know if they’ve changed it this year or not. Because they often change the times of various traffic lights throughout Nagoya based on

C: Traffic density and patterns and all of

K: Yeah. And it’s also part of the Kyoto Protocol, which turned into the Paris Accord in trying to reduce… greenhouse emissions. And so… the – it’s really complicated. It’s definitely a Chad thread on Twitter.

C: Yeah. I think so. Definitely.

K: So, another thing that I find like really great about 2020 was the time Rasta spent living here before

C: Yeah.

K: He moved back home. I miss the dickens out of him. I’m happy that he’s coming back to work from here next week because I’m missing his face every day.

C: Mhm.

K: I really, really enjoy him. And getting to see – I really enjoy the abili – the effect that that had of healing wounds from his teenage years between the two of you that hadn’t quite healed yet based off of some… pre-pubescent and pubescent behavior. Just basic immaturity that had really hurt you.

C: Yeah.

K: I think that… we were able to finally come back from that

C: Yeah, I think so.

K: And move on from that. I think I had the benefit of doing that because we work together.

C: Mm. Yeah.

K: So, I was already in close proximity – well, not always. I would see him

C: Frequently.

K: Yeah, on the days that I worked, I would see him throughout the workday, and there were opportunities for close proximity.

C: Yeah.

K: So, missing him is – is not a positive, but the fact that we’re set up, and that we have the ability to set the house up so that three people can work in it at the same time still providing my clients confidentiality is something that I’m really grateful for. Which is not something we planned for when buying the house.

C: No, it’s not. So, you’re driven into one corner of the apartment, and then we’re in kind of the other end, so that there’s… numerous doors and

K: Let’s be honest. I’m not – I’m taking up the biggest space of the house.

C: (laughs)

K: I’m not working out of my office. You are.

C: Yes.

K: You took over my office because I never use it.

C: Yes.

K: And just… a cool office slash lounge. It’s our reading nook.

C: Right.

K: So, if you look on out Instagram – like scroll way down to the bottom – and you see a picture of us in our reading nook with both of us reading, that’s an actual thing that happens. Because that’s our actual reading nook. And now it’s your office, and you put your desks and stuff, and we use like dinner trays for desks for computers.

C: It’s all very slidable and not at all ergonomic.

K: Yeah.

C: It’s got decent ergonomics on one – on the one I type at.

K: Yeah. So, we have two rooms at the – that end of the house that are meant to be bedrooms, but we use our living room as our bedroom. And, so, I see clients from our dining room.

C: Yeah.

K: Because that puts two doors in between

C: It does. And it gives me the benefit of having the… the view northward.

K: No. The reason we do it this way is so that you have access to the bathroom.

C: Well, yes, that – that’s the big one.

K: Because (laughs) in between clients, I can open the door and use the restroom, but y’all can’t be going back and forth to the restroom while I’m in session. That just won’t work.

C: Right.

K: Because I think that’s super rude, like, you know – we’re having a deep, emotional conversation, and they hear flush.

C: Mhm.

K: And I have to be like, “I’m not on the toilet.” And that whole thing. And I don’t know if… their – what they say would be sound protected because I don’t use any noise maker or sound blocking device here.

C: Yeah, the way that you did at your physical office.

K: Yeah. And so… that whole setup – because that would just be obnoxious in the house. It would echo.

C: Yeah. So, I can sometimes – it’s an optical illusion. So, if I look out the window, which looks north, it faces Mount Otake. Which is the second largest volcano in Japan after Mount Fuji.

K: Which freaks me out.

C: And it’s up in Nagano prefecture, so it’s like a hundred and something miles away from here.

K: Yeah. But if it erupted, we would be affected.

C: We would be affected, but we would not be like in the path of any flow, and it doesn’t have a lava eruptions, it has

K: Catacysmic

C: Smoke and ash.

K: Yeah.

C: And – but some days, I can look north and see it clearly, and other days I can look north, and it’s not there. Even on clear, blue days.

K: Yeah.

C: Because, if there’s any kind of haze in the air, it just obscures it. So, for me, it’s a fun optical illusion like, “will the mountain be there today?”

K: (laughs) Instead of “where’s Waldo” where’s mount – I forget the name of it

C: Mount Otake.

K: Yeah. I can never remember it because I don’t… go and look at it.

C: Yeah.

K: Because every time I go and look at it, I’m always watching the trains go between the houses.

C: Mm. Yeah.

K: I really enjoy that because we can see… the JR and meitetsu train line going through the houses on the – the track. And I know where that train’s going, so it’s cool watching them come and go. It looks like – it looks like a toy city because it’s far enough away.

C: It does.

K: It’s like watching a toy train set for me.

C: Yeah, it reminds me of the – the scenery that my grandfather – my mom’s dad – would set up during Christmas. He had some, like, houses with lights and a train and stuff.

K: Oh, nice.

C: Yeah.

K: When I was younger, I went to the model train museum. And by younger, I mean 19. (laughs)

C: Yeah. That’s younger.

K: Yeah. And I really, actually, enjoyed it. It was – well, I’ve always enjoyed all types of museums. I love going to museums. But it was really fun going to see all the different train setups and looking at them. They had – all had – like the best way to view the train setup.

C: Right. Right.

K: and I was interested by the different ways of viewing it.

C: Yeah. You could see the “at-track-tion.”

K: Yeah, I could see what the “at-track-tion” to the thing was. To the whole set. On that happy and beautiful note, I want to say from our hearts to your hearts that anyone that this year has just been unbearable for and unkind to… this episode was not to make fun of that or light of that. This episode was to bring some lightness and… some brightness to a world that can seem pretty dim.

C: Yeah.

K: And say, “hey. At least, for us, we’re able to see some good things.” And we understand how privileged that is. And we understand how fortunate we are. And we want to share our good fortune in talking about the positive, and… hoping that it’s lightened someone’s day.

C: Yeah. I hope so.

K: Yeah. So, follow us on over to the take two. We’re gonna talk about when a good review lands bad. (laughs)

C: When good reviews go bad. Next.

K: (laughs) Yes.

C: On Take Two.

K: So, thank you for listening and sharing your time with us. We really appreciate it. We love all of our Musick Notes. And if you’re new to the Musick Note family, welcome. And if you’ve been on this ride with us for a while, we still love you as always. And we’ll talk to you next week. Or follow us on over to the take two.

C: Yes.

K: Bye.

C: Bye-bye.