Besties Maxine and Millie are chomping at the bit to get to their big cruise! But first, they have a few importing things to discuss, such as: Should your highschooler have a job? Why do we assume every kid needs to go to college? Who influenced the friends the most growing up? And what could basketball, a porpoise, and the FBI have in common? You’ll have to listen to find out!
Please join us. Because a midlife crisis is more fun with friends!
[00:31] Getting ready to cruise!
[04:33] Kybella versus chin liposuction
[06:18] Younger son’s going to be a murse!
[08:13 Why kidneys are amazing
[10:59] Should high school kids have jobs?
[19:19] Not every kid wants to go to college – and that’s ok
[23:38] Maxine and Millie reveal the craziest shit that’s ever happened to them at work
[30:48] Grab bag
If you like hanging out with us, please subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast. It would mean a whole lot to us!
Music: Feather Duster by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com
Transcript
you know, I'm a delight, I'm a fucking delight.
Millie:Welcome to Reinventing This Shit Show, a podcast for moms who are just trying to make it through the day. I'm Millie.
Maxine:And I'm Maxine. We're friends,
Millie:We're moms. We're
Maxine:having a midlife crisis. Won't you join us? Are we recording?
Millie:We are recording. Yeah,
Maxine:Hey. Hey. Hey,
Millie:listener.
Maxine:What's going on? Hey, uh, for our catch up, you know what I really want to talk about? The fact that we are just a few days away from our cruise. I know, I'm so fucking excited.
Millie:Well, you're about to see your son, who you haven't seen for how long?
Maxine:four months.
Millie:Four months.
Maxine:Yeah, it's been a very, very long
Millie:That's too long. And he's been on another continent. Which makes it
Maxine:I told, did I, I don't think I messaged you this, but I was emotional anyway last week because I was sick, did I? That I saw, I looked at the Life360 and there he was, on our continent, a continent.
Millie:actually getting a little teary just thinking about it. I'm
Maxine:I was so happy to see that.
Millie:see
Maxine:Um, but yeah, so obviously we're excited to see him. I'm really excited to see him sing and perform.
Millie:I haven't seen him since he was in Into the Woods. His like, senior year of
Maxine:Yeah. Mmm, Junior.
Millie:Junior? Yeah. Well,
Maxine:No, you saw him in Mamma Mia. Or did you not, no?
Millie:not.
Maxine:Yeah, I just, and they, they're gonna do five shows while we're on the boat, and they're five different shows, yeah,
Millie:And we're not dressing up in 80s prom
Maxine:no, they do that prom, I, but I still think we should dress up, like we should wear something
Millie:looking at Amazon today. I've got to buy some whole new clothes 20 pounds heavier and nothing is going to fit. And it is now Friday and we're leaving on Wednesday. So we are fucked. We're screwed.
Maxine:I, uh, I had that same little feeling, like, ooh, what the fuck are we bringing on this trip? So, yeah, there may need to be some shopping. Oh, man, I have to go shopping. I know you do, and I fucking love
Millie:it. Do you? Yeah. Do you want to go?
Maxine:well, pump, pump the brakes because I love it, but I get mad when I go. Because I don't like how anything looks and I hate going to all the stores
Millie:the stores. Well, then you don't actually like shopping. What is it you like about shopping?
Maxine:Okay, so I like online shopping
Millie:Well, yeah, but then you're gonna try
Maxine:then you and then you have to return it so that part too
Millie:Even though it's gotten a lot easier,
Maxine:I know but I I still love fashion as much as I did when I was a teenager Like I am one of those people that will oh, yeah, like I will There are, you know, certain brands and stuff that I love that I'm watching all the time. New stuff, yeah, absolutely. Still
Millie:god, we've known each other like 15 years. I didn't know that
Maxine:Yeah, I'm, I'm a big Fashionista, as it were.
Millie:Explains why you don't like your daughter leaving the house looking like a
Maxine:I don't. Well, that's what, oh man. Kids these days.
Millie:these days, we've said it before.
Maxine:Well, so packing. How's that going? You gotta buy some shit to pack.
Millie:I mean, oh, and packing, you know, I,
Maxine:Yeah. It's
Millie:I haven't, I don't know if the listeners have figured this out yet, but I am, a 100 percent basket case. All the time. So my anxiety, manifests physically, but also in my need to control everything. So when I pack, it is a
Maxine:nightmare. Yeah. I
Millie:I really, I did very well when we went to Chicago last week. I grabbed my contacts and my prescriptions and was like, alright. Like
Maxine:if
Millie:those are the, those
Maxine:the things That's all you really need. Yeah. And
Millie:And then, of course, I packed other things, but I was like, I'm not going crazy. I'm just not, if I don't have it, I buy
Maxine:buy it. Did
Millie:It did
Maxine:didn't. Okay. So do that again. Because think about it. We're going to be in tropical places for seven days. What the fuck do you really need? Swimming suit, a cover up, maybe some, some, well, but,
Millie:we're going to be in Mexico. Can we get that while we're there?
Maxine:hear it's cheaper, but like some sundresses. Okay.
Millie:Yeah, I probably have a couple
Maxine:That's what I mean, like, we're not, we're not, you know,
Millie:It's the nice stuff that I'm worried about. The, the dinners or the whatever that we need
Maxine:just, just have a couple of decent dresses that you don't hate and call it good, you're done.
Millie:That's, that's a tall order, okay. January, January's gonna be my new body,
Maxine:Oh, yeah, is that it,
Millie:Well I was, I was, um, Googling Kybella today.
Maxine:The fuck is
Millie:It's, um, it's like a, it's like liposuction, but they inject you and it kills all the fat under your
Maxine:Are you kidding me right now with this shit?
Millie:No, not at all. But then I read that it doesn't work as well as actual liposuction, so I'll probably be having chin liposuction at some point.
Maxine:Really a great idea to you know, inject and squeeze
Millie:and No, it's, you know. It's happening. It's happening. So you're fine. I know. You're au naturel,
Maxine:I do not approve
Millie:Don't care.
Maxine:my stamp of not approval
Millie:Well, I will be sure to take that into consideration when I make the appointment. No, I won't. No, I won't. No. Okay. Anyway, so yeah. So, okay. So Cruz coming, right? Packing.
Maxine:we're pulling our kids out of school for six days right before the end of the semester. I think that's a great parenting choice on our
Millie:We did it last
Maxine:I know you did, but my senior is flipping balls because he has so much work he has to do. I feel so
Millie:nice? Are the teachers being nice about
Maxine:Kind of, but he's just going to have, you know, a lot that he has to do because right when they get back, he has finals and he actually has finals, like he's got some tough
Millie:is the room situation? Is he staying with sister?
Maxine:sister and him are in a room and then we're in a room and then, you know, the oldest has his living quarters there anyway, so.
Millie:Well, so I think middle boy can take some time and I mean there's internet on the
Maxine:Yeah, but I, I said don't do that because you're not going to and you want to have fun and you want to hang out with your brother when you can and You know, he's really excited about seeing him so, and
Millie:seen his brother in forever and you know what? Whatever. He's already signed on to a college. Who fucking cares?
Maxine:and that's, you know, he's just trying to get a little bit more scholarship because he's such an angel. I know, but, he is going to be a murse, that's so cute. But um,
Millie:is going to be covered in women. Like,
Maxine:he doesn't see it
Millie:sexier than a Merce.
Maxine:I know, he doesn't get it now because he's still, you
Millie:Well, it's good that that's not why he's doing it. He's doing it because he's legitimately a good human
Maxine:Well, and it's just, it's absolutely the right fit. I know, that's why I tell him all the time, it's just that what he's doing is so noble, and it's so hard, my God, I mean, you know firsthand how tough it is to be a
Millie:nurse. Yeah, it's funny because the people that I know that are listening to this don't even know that I almost went to nursing school. I didn't tell anybody. I didn't tell anybody I did all the, all the prerequisites
Maxine:I remember you doing it.
Millie:Yeah, well, you knew, but most, most people didn't know because I just didn't want the pressure. yeah. And then I was an alternate and I really thought I was going to get in and then I didn't and I could have done it the next year and I just didn't. And I think again, my back, you know, you've got to be able to lift 50 pounds or whatever and be on your feet all day
Maxine:And that's a big
Millie:I can't do it. So, but you know what? More power to him. He's
Maxine:No, I think it's cool. I mean, I think it's the right fit for him. Something we always thought something in that field or that area, something medical, not a doctor, but like a therapist or something like that.
Millie:Oh, I could totally see him as like a physical therapist too. That would be another
Maxine:that's his, like, he really thought he was going to do physical therapy for a long time and then
Millie:his sports background and
Maxine:exactly. Sports medicine kind of stuff. So
Millie:I mean, probably he will go into nursing because it's, that's his calling. That's what it'll do. But it's good to know there's other things that are, if he needs any help with anatomy and physiology, let me know.
Maxine:He loves that shit.
Millie:I loved it too. I'm telling you, like, it is the dumbest thing, but like, we got to the kidneys and I was like, The kidneys are the most fascinating thing I've ever seen! They are, actually. Like, wait till he gets to kidneys and ask him what he thinks about kidneys, because they are fucking amazing. You will never treat your kidneys the same way again after you read about how amazing they are.
Maxine:amazing they are.
Millie:They are
Maxine:I don't think, I think that I could go my lifetime never understanding the ins and outs of the kidney and I would be okay.
Millie:I thought I would too. Kidneys are not like a sexy organ.
Maxine:Well because there's so many other sexy
Millie:Well, like the heart, right? Like people are like, you know, heart surgeons. Heart surgeons are like, you know, or brain surgeons. You know, like you think about those things as being like, Oh, so cool.
Maxine:No.
Millie:But when you learn about how they maintain the balance in your body, I know I'm such a fucking nerd, but it's just, it's magical. It really is. Did you know the heart can exist outside a human body for, like, legitimately forever as long as it's in the right solution of chemicals?
Maxine:Like it can keep beating?
Millie:I don't remember if it beats or not. I think it does beat. Yeah, because it's, it doesn't beat because of messages from your brain. It messes, it beats because of chemicals that are influencing it. If there's any nurses listening to this, please come at me because I'm sure I just fucked that all up.
Maxine:all up. I also think it's the wine that you're drinking, so I'm going to check that label.
Millie:It's not pot wine. Is that a thing? Pot wine?
Maxine:Probably. Pot beer? I
Millie:I was going to say we could invent
Maxine:I know there's pot beer.
Millie:Oh. Huh. Anyway, okay.
Maxine:So circle back. We're really excited about the cruise. We're packing. Yay. Next week's going to be a baller
Millie:week. We are just going to relax, which the last few weeks of our lives have not exactly been relaxing.
Maxine:been relaxing. Years. It's
Millie:is going to be
Maxine:to
Millie:Relaxation. I refuse to stress about anything. Although my husband did convince me to go diving with him, which is gonna cause
Maxine:It's pretty shallow. I mean, and I've done this before.
Millie:It's pretty shallow. I mean, and I've done this before and I almost got, I mean, I didn't almost get certified. My oldest, we went, did I tell you about that? We, we did it until we were supposed to go real low in the pool and like start taking our mask off and stuff. And I looked at her and she was in pure terror, which if you know her, which you do, that's not her. So when I saw that look in her eyes, I was
Maxine:Alright, we're
Millie:Nope. Not happening. But, you know, so I have, I do have some experience. It's not, you know, I'm not that scared about it. I'll be fine. It'll be fun.
Maxine:It'll be pretty. It'll definitely be pretty. Um, okay, so let's get to our main, our main squeeze today. What are we
Millie:talking about? J
Maxine:about, yeah, we are. And this is, um, again, a hot top in my household because I have teenagers who, want to work and like to work and they want money and stuff and I, I don't know, I don't know how you feel about this. You're kind of getting to this point now with your oldest, but traditionally I don't like for my kids to work and I don't know if that's bad, that's good, whatever people are going to say. Like I give a fuck anyway. But, um. I'm not a fan of my kids working because I, I have always said to them, you're a student, that's
Millie:your job. Yep.
Maxine:And your activities, that's your job. You know, whatever your craft is, whatever. And I feel like jobs just add unnecessary stress, sort of, because there's not, I know people can learn skills from working at a job. I know that kids can learn all kinds of things about life. But, I just feel like it's not worthwhile enough to do in lieu of the activities and the school stuff that they need to be doing. Yeah,
Millie:Yeah, I feel the
Maxine:same way.
Millie:keep telling the older one, school's your job. Um, horses, that's her activity, but you know, and I would let her do it anyway, but if you think about like college admissions, they've got to have some sort of activity. So that is
Maxine:And that's what I always say to them. That's what I say to them, like, getting a scholarship and getting into college or, not necessarily getting a scholarship, but if you can, but most importantly getting into college or whatever it is that you're going to do. That's your
Millie:Which, getting into college is harder and
Maxine:It is, and I, there's not really a place for job on a college application. They, they don't really care about that, at least in the experience that I've had with my two oldest getting into college. That's not something anybody gives a shit
Millie:I don't even think that was a thing when I applied. Now, when I applied, things were easier, but to me, I feel like jobs in high school Um, sort of came out of that time when people would quit high school because they needed to work. And then, well, it was like, if you're not working, you're lazy, you know, and then it was just sort of a holdover. I feel like it was a bit of a holdover when I was working in high school. Part of it was, you know, save some money for college, but let's. Just get real. How much money
Maxine:money? What? 250?
Millie:Right, like you might be able to buy a few books with your summer
Maxine:No. Or, you know, beer money, I guess, for the first
Millie:semester, It's I just
Maxine:Well, and I know some kids work to like pay for gas money and stuff for their cars, which
Millie:for their
Maxine:I, I see, but if getting a job means you can't play on the lacrosse team at school, I don't think it's more beneficial. I really
Millie:team at school. I don't think
Maxine:they want a
Millie:beneficial. I really don't. Don't think not having a job is hurting my kids' work ethic? No. the older one has signed up now to volunteer at the, um, I'm not gonna say the name of it, but, um, at the, the hip hippotherapy, um, place locally. so she's super excited. She hasn't finished all the process yet. She's getting there, so she's gonna go out and muck stalls and do whatever and all of that stuff. And that's, that's work.
Maxine:That's hard work.
Millie:She's not getting
Maxine:is, is work.
Millie:But I think it's teaching her the same values that, you know, bagging groceries taught me, you know. Although, honestly, I don't think my job taught me values. I think I was good at my job because I already had those values.
Maxine:when did you do
Millie:I think I was four, fifteen last year. No, no. Uh, I don't know how old I was. Sixteen, fifteen, sixteen? high school? Yeah, it was the hot job in town. I lived in not a giant town, it wasn't tiny, but um, the IGA grocery store there, yeah, um, their whole thing was that they, you bagged the groceries, you walked them out, you know, it was a customer service thing. I was super introverted. I hated every minute of the talking part. I'm really good at bagging groceries. Very good at that. Um, and I had, you know, I, I had a boyfriend that I met there. Um, we dated briefly, but it was a fun time. You know, it was fun. We had a good time and I
Maxine:I I think, okay, so both of the kids at home have had summer jobs, and I'm, I'm okay with summer jobs, um, especially the, the boy worked at the, at the hospital this summer, so it was like an internship, but he
Millie:got paid for it. But that's a useful,
Maxine:Fuck yeah, I love that. If you could somehow get a job like that, that's, that's useful. I mean, and it showed him, you know, kind of the career path that he
Millie:him an idea of, do I really like this?
Maxine:And then he had money to, you know, spend through this year so far, just kind of, you know, if he wants to go out with his friends or whatever, he has fun money to do those things. And for the girl, the same thing. She worked over the summer. at a, you know, a retail, a beach shop and um, has money to buy all these ridiculous shirts from places that she's never been.
Millie:So it
Maxine:like, it worked out, you know, but I, I don't like for them to work during the year. She will still sometimes It's work on the weekends, like one day a week, but I, I just feel like school and activities should be the priority and volunteering,
Millie:It's really helpful if you're trying
Maxine:it's, it's really helpful if you're trying to get into college. I wish that it wasn't so difficult to get into college, but you got to play the game, you know, whatever, however it is right or wrong, whatever, that's how it is. And volunteering is super
Millie:Super important. Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I, big one just popped her head in. I was going to ask her. What do I say?
Maxine:No,
Millie:Whatever. Yeah. And I always, you know, school is your job. You know, school
Maxine:comes first, Has she said, like, I want a job? Yeah. Okay. We
Millie:We always joke about getting them a job at the ice cream
Maxine:cream place down the street. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah,
Millie:it's a really cute like little beach kind of ice cream shop where would make like some sort of Nickelodeon kids show. there. You know what I
Maxine:I
Millie:right? Yeah, like that's the exact vibe of that place. But they're too busy. They're too busy. And you know what? They have their whole
Maxine:I mentioned this. I know, I just, I know that there are really important skills learned in a job environment, but I think those same skills can be learned volunteering
Millie:and in whatever activity. Especially the volunteering. Yeah.
Maxine:Yeah. And that's good too because, I don't know, I think there's so many positives to volunteering in general. Just, you know. But you brought up something really interesting. You were introverted working this job. Why did you pick that job? Is it
Millie:just because it was the cool job? It was the cool job. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and it was, you know, it was good for me. I had to figure out how to have a conversation with strangers over and over and over and over and I did it.
Maxine:And why did you get a job? Was it just to, cause you
Millie:my dad, my dad just said, you will get a job. I don't know. I don't really remember. I think it was
Maxine:a summer job, Okay.
Millie:um, started out with and then. I don't know if I worked during the year or not. I can't remember. Yes, I definitely did because I remember, like, the Thanksgiving rush of, like, people bringing two and three carts full of food to the checkout lane and me having to bag them. Um, yeah, so, yeah.
Maxine:Did your sister work?
Millie:Yes, I'm trying to think back. I think she helped coach gymnastics because that was her thing. She was a gymnast and I believe she worked at the
Maxine:the gymnastic studio. Okay. So, because I, I didn't really have a job, but I did babysitting like early on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like everybody did that when they were a teenager. But my brother didn't work. Either that I can remember. We did a lot of volunteering.
Millie:Which I honestly think might be better, Unless you need those kids to
Maxine:the funds. And that's it, too. Like you said, we're not, I'm not, like, if that's what works for your family, absolutely. You know, you do you. I'm not being judgy about if people, you know, encourage their kids to work jobs. I just,
Millie:And some
Maxine:kids aren't going to college. Yeah, well, and that's and and maybe they're learning some skills that are going to get them into whatever field that
Millie:Everyone has a different path, and especially lately, I think we're realizing how pushing every kid to college is a bad choice. Because not every kid belongs in
Maxine:No, and not every kid knows what the fuck they're going to do. And that's, that's been the hardest thing for me to like. be okay with. I like, and actually I'm going to talk about this in a little bit, but my undergrad is in
Millie:criminology.
Maxine:but I went to school as a music major. So, but I changed my major halfway through and who the fuck knows what their path other than my oldest son,
Millie:knew. I was your oldest son. The same. Eleven years old. I'm going to be an actor. Yeah. but you're not. No, but I was. I mean, I followed that until
Maxine:You became a mom.
Millie:Well, it was earlier than that, but It's a long story, um, no, but that is, and I still, I still look back and, you know, think, God, what if I'd followed that path now, looking back, I probably wasn't quite talented enough to actually follow that path, which is fine. I'm fine with that. but I knew, so it is really hard for me to look at my kids and be like, what do you want to be like my 14 year old, do you want to work for Pixar? Like you're going to be an artist, right? She's like, no, no, no. Like,
Maxine:know.
Millie:so fucking
Maxine:Yeah. Yeah. Seriously, she is so good.
Millie:but no, I think she may wind up training horses. I don't know what she's gonna do, but.
Maxine:But that's the thing, like, and my, my middle kid could, you know, we know he's set
Millie:for
Maxine:school. He could change his mind in a year or two, you know, like, this idea that our 18 year olds know exactly what they're going to do with their lives, you know, probably not the wisest thing for us to think because
Millie:it's a bit unrealistic. But
Maxine:Yeah.
Millie:you're 30? Like
Maxine:I know. know.
Millie:an interesting thought because yeah, if you don't know what you're going to do, why are we spending all this money on college?
Maxine:and you know, in some, some countries do the whole gap year thing, where you take that year off first before you go to college, but, He
Millie:oh, before he went yeah,
Maxine:well, I just,
Millie:I mean,
Maxine:And this is a whole other thing, our education system, Jesus Christ, but yeah, I think we have to be, we have to normalize, like you said, that every path is, is a good one. You know, whatever it is, whatever, it's completely individualized to each
Millie:kid Yeah, we've been pushing every kid to college for too
Maxine:well, I mean, in high school, like They, um, at the school that my two youngest ones go to, there's the Success Center, which is like the, you know, next steps, what you go there for resources for your next steps when you graduate. It's college. they say that they have other things and if your path is different, yeah, that they have, but I sure don't see a whole lot of that coming home and in their information and stuff. It's really
Millie:college focused. Interesting. So,
Maxine:I would say, at least in our community, I don't, and it's, you know, it varies school by school, I'm sure, but, I don't see a lot of emphasis on things that are different
Millie:than college.
Maxine:But, but, you know, whatever. In our house, yeah, like I was saying, I, I don't, I'm not a huge fan of jobs, cause, cause they need to
Millie:good grades. I might not have the fucking time. No, they just don't. I.
Maxine:I, volunteering was such a huge part of my life as a teenager and into my twenties, and I, there's so many positive things that I got from that, that I really, really wanted my kids to have exposure to too. So that has always superseded any sort of employment or whatever. And then with my oldest, he was, he had a job, but he was singing for a church. I mean, like, you know, and in a community
Millie:choir,
Maxine:was getting paid. To do that, yeah. So, it was a job, sort of,
Millie:not really. Yeah. I bottom line is, it's different for every family, and for yours and mine, jobs are just not going to be a priority. No.
Maxine:They're not. But, um, so let's Since we're talking about jobs, how about we talk about jobs that we've had and what we've done,
Millie:we've
Maxine:and fun stuff. I
Millie:don't, Because I need some more wine. You go first.
Maxine:I told
Millie:you that I wanted
Maxine:to talk about like, okay, let's think about the weirdest shit we've ever done or the craziest shit that we've ever done and I don't know that I have like, because I was trying to think, okay, In your workplace, what crazy has happened to you or was your workplace crazy in general? And so I guess for me that would be what it is like, you know, my undergrad criminology and the first few years of my career were spent in correctional facilities and so No, and I I don't want to get all like sad sacky about it, but it it was a little traumatizing for me and so I kind of Moved away from that and not wanting to think about it and shit like that, but So I worked in a residential facility, but then I, for two years, I worked in
Millie:in a holding facility. Like, what is a Holding facility Is
Maxine:facility is, yeah, before somebody goes to get sentenced and to, right. right. So, and I worked in a juvenile
Millie:juvenile facility. Okay. That is, yeah.
Maxine:sad, a lot of it was sad, but also scary, so the, the thing that sticks out to me, the craziest
Millie:moment that's exactly was
Maxine:we,
Millie:going to definitely top mine.
Maxine:we had a, and I don't
Millie:talk about this very much.
Maxine:The fact that I'm talking about it right now, but, um, I, we had a, um, A gentleman there who was later convicted of murdering his social worker and I used, he had one hour of outdoor time where he wasn't in his cell and I, when it was my shift, I used to play basketball with him, um, handcuffed and shackled, playing basketball with this
Millie:this murderer. and But that is so kind, that is so you, to treat this
Maxine:like a human being. It was so terrifying. and it wasn't great because he definitely, was sort of fixated on me a little bit. But, uh, it wasn't like a Hannibal Lecter or Jodie Foster sort of thing, but it was still a little creepy. But like you said, I You know, he was a 17 year old kid. Like
Millie:kid. Oh, that's right. We're talking about a child. I forgot about that
Maxine:at the end of the day, even though he was a murderer, he was a 17 year old kid who, you know, just a series of horrible things, blah, blah, blah. But that would definitely be the craziest moment of my life. career probably was the time that I spent with him one on one, and we're in this gym and he's handcuffed and shackled and we're, shooting hoops and I'm petrified but I know that everybody's watching just in case there's anything, you know, because cameras and other, officers like right outside the doors and stuff. And sometimes other officers would come in and play with us too, but, um, yeah, I remember him. Yeah. Being, and like I said, I didn't last very long in this. It's a very dark world to be working in all the time
Millie:be.
Maxine:and just the, you know, I taught like anger management and life skills and just the, the recidivism, like seeing these kids come back over and over and over again, you know, it was, it was rough. So, that was the craziest, I've had lots of crazy moments as
Millie:a Oh,
Maxine:just crazy, silly, hysterically funny, crazy parents, crazy kids, hilarious things said to me, body fluids, anything you can think of, being
Millie:We were
Maxine:exposed to, look at me in my eyeballs. Every bodily fluid that you can
Millie:I am looking at you and your eyeballs. Wow. Holy shit
Maxine:everywhere. Okay, why don't you share?
Millie:Okay, well I'm gonna lighten it up a little I have I have two crazy stories and one is super short cuz I I don't really know most of the details, the first one, I was working for a company, I don't even remember what they did, anyway, uh, there was a woman, uh, a co worker who worked in the executive side of the building, so I didn't really talked to her a ton, but I knew her, uh, we would see each other in like the copy room or something or whatever. Came to work one day, she's gone. I was like, where'd she go? They go, Oh, well, apparently she's on the FBI's most wanted list. So they, she disappeared. We don't know where she is, but the FBI
Maxine:was here
Millie:looking through all her shit. Are you kidding me? No, not at all. Yeah. FBI
Maxine:For
Millie:has been spot for like, um,
Maxine:theft and stuff. Oh, well, she
Millie:Yeah. So the name I knew her by was certainly not her actual name. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was someone else's name that she had stolen. So that was one.
Maxine:I love That Ha,
Millie:Cause
Maxine:ha, ha,
Millie:correctional, um, and the second one is happened at the IGA. Uh, we were forbidden for having, taking tips, we weren't allowed to take tips, you know. So I told this guy, wanted to tip me, I said, no, thank you very, you know, it's my pleasure, whatever. And he said, Oh, well, let me at least just give you this. And he hands me an audio
Maxine:tape, a cassette tape. Oh Jesus. And
Millie:I'm, I'm a recording
Maxine:artist,
Millie:whatever, I don't know what it was. I get it. Oh my God, I wish I knew where this was. It was a cassette tape of Christian songs
Maxine:that he had written. Oh shit.
Millie:And he was a
Maxine:a terrible
Millie:I'm
Maxine:Oh my god. Let me sing it for you. Oh
Millie:I don't remember the whole thing but it started out There is a porpoise for our marriage We'll have a whale of a time With our school of little fishes
Maxine:And And I'm telling you, you will never forget those lyrics, will you? You're going to be singing
Millie:been 20
Maxine:years from now. I mean, it's been 20 something
Millie:some years. 30
Maxine:no, yeah, 30. Yeah.
Millie:my god, I don't know what happened to that tape, but I wish I had it.
Maxine:Oh yeah. That's way better than the dollar he was gonna give you.
Millie:Yeah.
Maxine:just gave you sure. A song that has last lasted a
Millie:Yeah, yeah. So that's my crazy story.
Maxine:Oh, I love that guy. Was he like an old guy? No, no,
Millie:think so. Yeah, He was like, I mean, at the time I remember thinking he was definitely older than me, but no, he was not an old guy. So maybe in his 30s,
Maxine:Oh my God.
Millie:40s,
Maxine:And he just pressed this tape into your hot little hand? Yeah.
Millie:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I did as instructed, like if they insist, you can take, you know, you cannot, you have to say no, but if they insist, you, you
Maxine:you can't be rude, you gotta
Millie:you know?
Maxine:ha ha ha ha. ha. God, don't you wish you, no, no. Lifetime of musical
Millie:yeah, the dollar or the two dollars he might have handed me is nothing compared
Maxine:given me is nothing compared.
Millie:There is a porpoise for our Marriage.
Maxine:And what? We'll have a whale of a tame? Fuck yeah, that is,
Millie:is gold yeah. I'm surprised he hasn't like
Maxine:Yeah, popped up in the Grammys. Oh, I love him. Now, are you ready to
Millie:Oh, should we grab the bag? Are we ready? Oh man, we are getting tight on this. We're doing good. Okay, here, you grab the bag. I grabbed, I
Maxine:Well, I just wiped my nose. That was with this hand though. So I'll use the other one.
Millie:alright.
Maxine:Ooh, you got these fancy fucking cards in
Millie:know. The kids picked them out. I haven't read any of them,
Maxine:Alright, who had the most influence on you growing up? So, as a child, who influenced you the most?
Millie:Madonna.
Maxine:Obviously, obviously, I was going to say George Michael, but same, same thing.
Millie:Um,
Maxine:on you. I'm sure
Millie:sure it was my parents. I mean, I don't know who else it would
Maxine:else it would have been, honestly. I mean, I would say friend groups, but friend groups changed, you know, like I didn't have, I didn't have any friends that I was friends with from kindergarten to high
Millie:high school, senior year. Okay, I will say, so let's put parents aside because that's pretty obvious.
Maxine:There were two teachers. Oh, that's a good
Millie:I had two teachers that definitely, definitely influenced me. One was my choir teacher, Mr. Wenz. Um, our choir program was like pretty top notch. We won state all the time. And even though it can kind of be considered a nerdy, thing to do in a school that was really well known for sports, a lot of the football players and all that stuff, they were in the choir. Like it was a
Maxine:is my exact high school experience. Exactly.
Millie:we're friends.
Maxine:exactly.
Millie:And a lot of people really, really disliked him because he was a hard ass. Um, he expected a lot and if you didn't deliver, you were out. he was People, people would say he was a jerk or whatever. I, I loved him because he held us to a super high standard. We
Maxine:knew what he expected. I was going to say you, you He probably had really clear expectations, really
Millie:expectations. And if you met those expectations, he was a friendly, wonderful guy. Like just had, he just gave me a really, really good high school choir experience. which is where I felt home. I felt home at choir, in choir and theater. The second teacher was my theater teacher, Brian Putnam,
Maxine:used
Millie:Putty.
Maxine:That's cute.
Millie:Yep. He's, um, moved on from education now. he's probably retired actually. I don't know. I need to check on his Facebook, but, um, he is just an incredible human being. He gave all of us weirdos a place to land, a place where we felt safe. He treated us like adults. he expected a lot from us, but he was super supportive and. He just gave us like a little home, which I don't know. I mean, I don't know I guess I can't say he influenced my life and like, oh, well, I
Maxine:influenced my life in, like, oh, I modeled
Millie:Top of mind. Yeah. He was just a really good, and still is, Obby, I'm sure, a really good human being who just took a lot of misfits and gave us
Maxine:human being who just took a lot of misfits and gave his best. to make this like serious impact on these kids lives where they remember you for all the right things or they remember you for all the wrong shit, you know, like you did damage to them or you created this safe space for them. You made them believe that they
Millie:could achieve anything
Maxine:like teachers know, but teachers really have that power over kids and they need to use it for good and not for bad. I'm with you, like, I had teachers like that, that, I had an English teacher that, as stated in a previous podcast, I had a little bit of behavior trouble in middle school and she loved me and loved all those things about me and I, I mean I, English was my jam anyway but I, Just super succeeded because of her, because she thought I was so great. Um, really all of my English teachers were like that. And then my choir teacher, my high school choir teacher, same thing. She was a hard ass. Rika Harith. She's still out there, uh, in the Midwest. Incredible teacher. A lot of people didn't like her. But, man, she helped us to hide standards and
Millie:and we achieved so much because of her. Exactly. Yeah. I mean, why do you think the high school football team, half of
Maxine:of them weren't? We had that too. That is so interesting because I have talked about my high school experience being like that where, choir and theater wasn't really seen as like the dorky stuff and that there was a lot of crossover between sports and, and arts
Millie:Sadly, our marching band was not given the same amount of respect, but they were good. Yeah, they won, they won all sorts of titles and stuff. But yeah, they weren't, they weren't treated quite as well, but And it's so funny with teachers, like it doesn't take a lot. it doesn't your, your, your room doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to spend a ton of money. You don't have to, you just. You need to connect with your students
Maxine:Absolutely. Mm hmm.
Millie:the standards that you hold for people, they will live up to and that's what they did. And I mean, I remember some of my, my worst memories are times that I
Maxine:disappointed one
Millie:one of them and they called me out. And I just was like, I mean, I have this one stupid memory. I was assistant directing a show, a straight show. And he left, it was a comedy, left the room and he said, I want you to, you know, work on this scene. And he came back and he was like, what did you do? I was like, you didn't, there's nothing here.
Maxine:but you didn't do anything. And you felt like
Millie:And I felt, and I'm telling you, it's been 30 years. And I remember that moment of being like, Oh my, like I fucked up And it wasn't because I meant to fuck up. I just
Maxine:I just did. You just did.
Millie:And yeah. Yeah.
Maxine:So, I mean, you know, it's. But he probably
Millie:didn't hold me right. Oh
Maxine:day. But I know. Yeah. No, that's a good teacher. I love to hear shit
Millie:great teacher. And then he got moved into
Maxine:agree.
Millie:and then he got burned out and
Maxine:Yeah, that'll happen. I'm, I'm real familiar with administrative burnout.
Millie:I'm sure you are.
Maxine:So, all right, cool. Thank you to our influential teachers. You guys are all the best.
Millie:they were listening, but I don't think that a podcast for 40 something moms is probably their jam.
Maxine:not.
Millie:we'll send this episode to them later.
Maxine:Yeah. All right, guys. Well, thanks for hanging out with us again.
Millie:And
Maxine:And remember.
Millie:Bye. Bye.
Maxine:with friends.