[Transcript starts at 0:40]
Hello, hello, hello. My podcast people, and thank you for joining me for your day. Another episode of my favorite podcast. If you're tuning in, listening, watching on the day that it drops, it is Monday, July 14th. Welcome to mid-July, Jesus, and welcome back from Switzerland to me and Lex. What, uh. Trip, if y'all don't know, uh, Lex and I went to Gestad.
I'm honestly not sure if you pronounce the j. Some people there were saying it some weren't. Um, we went to Switzerland for eight days to watch a professional beach volleyball tournament, and it was fucking awesome. Uh, our friend Kim, Kim Hildreth, she was in the qualifiers for the tournament. Um, and it was a bit of a bucket list trip for both Lux and myself.
Um, so with a little bit of peer pressure from Kim, we, uh, we yolo it. Um. And that's what I'm talk about today. Not yellowing it, but just the trip in general. So, you know, I, I kind of wanna say that this is like a niche episode, but it's niche in that if you like me and you want to hear about the trip, this is what we're gonna do.
This episode. Um, there's no like business lessons or anything like that. I just wanna recap the trip. I, I have a lot to say about it. Um, some life reflections and such. And so that is what I'm talking about today. If that's not your cup of tea, your cup of Joe, whatever the phrase is, uh. Kapa, that's what they say.
Some more places. It's not. If that's not your Kapa, that's fine. Go to the next episode. Um, but talking about Switzerland recapping the trip. First off, folks, Switzerland is not close. It is not close to here. Uh, we had a connecting flight book going both directions. Um, we flew to Dulles in DC and that was like an, it is like a, I don't know, five and a half hour flight there.
And then an eight and a half hour flight from Dulles to Zurich. Um, we went to a great lounge in Dulles and we got to go on the people movers. If you are a, uh, DC person, and you know what, the people movers and I actually used chat TPT to learn about them and forgot what it was. It took a picture and it uploaded it because they're, they're like outside.
There's these big al click transformers, honestly. Um, but I took a picture and I was like, what is that? Actually Lex pointed 'em out and she was like, look at that. And so I took a picture and it was talked about the, the people movers, and then we actually got to ride them just. Because of, that's how you had to get between the two, or it was one of the ways to get between the terminals.
Um, so we did that on the way back. It was a 10 hour flight because we connected to, uh, Chicago, where fucking airport hate that airport. Um, and then we had like a four hour and a half hour, like four hour flight home from there. So we used points, um, I used points from. My Chase Sapphire Reserve card, got premium economy going there and learned that yes, I do in fact need to wear my compression socks.
So I put them on. Um, I have flown for years. I used travel ton for work with rock tape and everything, and I, I got into wearing them. Then. Um, I used, what is it? Comrade is the, the, um, company, um. And yeah, it's, you're sitting there like, it's not, we couldn't do the full recline. They actually didn't have any more tickets in them when you wanna buy them, that was like literally $4,000 more per person.
And I was like, are you crazy? Um, but we got premier economy. So like there, it's, if you've ever gone and flown first class on, uh, domestic fight, it's the same as that. Like, it doesn't lean all the way back. It's only two seats per row. They're wider. They give you food. Um, and it was good. It was good, but I definitely didn't wear my, my compression socks.
Um, I, I used points that I've had accruing since like 2015. I had a patient that was like, get this credit card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, get it and put everything on it. And that's what I did. And then I was like, oh, I have like a lot of points, so use some of them. Um, if you don't have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card and you like to travel, maybe look into it.
Um, or maybe not. 'cause the fee is going up to seven $50 a year. There are worse things, but also Wow, that's a little aggressive. Um, but I do have a referral code. We'll drop it in the show notes 'cause why not? Um, but the lesson that I wanna share here, 'cause you all, you know, like I always got a lesson with something, but the lesson I wanna share here is that your trip starts the minute you leave your house.
The minute. So yes, get a better Lyft. And we don't use Uber using Lyft. Uh, go for lounge access. Absolutely be like three hour layover. And this way you don't have to like rush. I don't, to me, tight layovers are, are the worst. 'cause if anything goes wrong, you're fucked. And you know, people aren't gonna let you up the plane first.
So have a longer layover if you have to have a layover, like, I always prefer direct, but listen, we're going all the way, you know, across the ocean. So I'll allow it with the, with the, uh, with the layover. Um, pay for the better seats if you can afford it. Have more leg room. Yes, it makes a difference with these longer flights, it's like really uncomfortable to sit.
I mean, if you can then don't, but if you can then do it. Like I'm thinking about when I had no money and went to New Zealand and like just sat in a little tiny seat and like it was fine and did my stuff, but it would be better if I didn't have to do that. But I had no money. So if you can afford to do it, do it.
Have better, you know, better seats, it's, it's worth it. Um, the time hour, the time hour, the time difference between here and there is nine hours. They are nine hours ahead of us. Uh, so as for the jet lag. Going there. I think I just kind of stayed on Pacific time and also just like accepted like I'm there now.
Like I did talk with Chachi PT and was like, what's the best sleeping and like, should we sleep on this plane or not to like have the least, you know, amount of jet lag. But part of it's just like acceptance. And then I set my watch. As soon as I get on the plane, I'm like, this is the time that it is now.
Like I said, it's the place I'm gonna be. I've always done that. Um. But it wasn't too bad. Um, I typically ended up, found myself staying up till like 1:00 AM It's just like, again, with the time difference there. And then I would get tired every day around 5:00 PM but just push through. I definitely had more Red Bull on this trip than I have in the past, like 10 years, but I'm feeling pretty good.
So today as I'm recording this, I actually got back, we got back yesterday at 6:00 PM Um, I'm recording some Wednesday 'cause I wanted to, I usually record earlier than that, uh, like earlier in the week, but. I wanted to wait until we came back so that I wouldn't have to wait another week to recap it. 'cause I knew I would have a lot to say.
So, um, I'm feeling pretty good. Honestly. I do believe that Pacific Time zone is my time zone. I've always believed that energetically we all have a time zone that fits us best, that resonates the best. And for me it is Pacific Time zone. It always has been. I used to travel out here for soccer and such, and I was just like, I feel better here.
So we got back last night at 6:00 PM uh. Walked, moose, hung out, went to bed around nine 30, which is very early for me. Um, but I was tired because we had been up for like a million hours. Uh, and then I got up this morning at like six 30, which is early for me, but my normal is like seven 30, so not super off.
Um, I'm really happy about that. We flew my brother and, uh, using points again using, we flew my brother and his girlfriend out to stay at our place for half the trip, which was really nice. I didn't want Rupert to be home alone for that long. Like I just, it's just too long. Um. And honestly my only fear with him being home alone is a fire.
Uh, it's not like that he gets lonely 'cause we bring people in and he doesn't wanna talk to them. He doesn't wanna see them. But like, if anything fire ever happens, that's always been my biggest fear. Like he's, he's stuck in here and I have cameras and I'm always looking and if, oh God forbid, heaven forbid something's supposed to happen, I would call the neighbors.
Um, but. Brought Justin in so he wouldn't be home by himself for that many days. And, uh, we had moose stay with the dogs sitter for half of it. And then when Justin came, uh, the mo the dropped, the dogs sitter dropped Moosey off and Rupert stayed underneath that chair back there for like, the whole time he was in the, the dresser actually when I got home.
Um, but it's okay. He was happy to see us. Both of 'em are happy to see us. Um, Ru's been asking for all the attention today and I will gladly, gladly give it to him. Um, but Guad itself. Beautiful. Huge ass green mountains and hills. And it was actually unseasonably hot when we were there and I wasn't mad about it, y'all know, gimme some heat.
Um, we did though get a heavy ass hailstorm the first day and I was like, excuse me, is this like the whole trip? 'cause I can't be doing this. Uh, and then it was a torrential downpour the second day. Uh, but, and there was no doubt, there's no volleyball, no, excuse me, there was volleyball. No volleyball the first day.
So we were just there and we had that hail the second day we got caught in that storm. We just kind of like hid under this overhang. We, you know, l and I had brought um, rain jackets and stuff 'cause we knew it was supposed to rain. We just kinda accepted it and it was okay. It ended up being fine. It didn't really rain for the best of the time we were there.
Um, everyone that's in the volleyball circuit and volleyball world says that Shad is the best stop on the tour. And I can see why, right? It is run so well. Such a tight ship. The crowd is amazing. They just wanna see good volleyball, right? There's like dances for the little songs they play in between.
Everyone's cheering and, and happy and not like drunk and annoying, and they don't like to try to sell anything. Like the United States feels like every sporting event you go to, you're just expecting to pay a zillion dollars for like food and like all this shit. They're hawking. That is not what it was like there.
I actually wanted to buy a sweatshirt and couldn't, 'cause they didn't sell it. It was apparently only for the volunteers. Um, they had like a sweatshirt there, but I was like, I don't even want that. But it, that was like such a, like buying things was such like an offshoot. It wasn't that by no means like the centerpiece for the event.
And it was very different and I. Loved it. I was like, can I give you my money? And they were like, no. And I was like, okay. Like we did have to pay for the tournament, which I don't mind. I'm like, yes, let me pay to get into this thing. It was like 200 bucks. Two 50 bucks for the week. Um, we sat in the front row because bleachers, you know, it was like 4,000 people, but bleachers.
Um, we sat in the front row for the, the last day. Like it was amazing. Absolutely. It's just done so, so, so, so well. So, yes, it is, it is expensive there in Inad, but not a tremendous sticker shock, uh, coming from LA and you know, before that lived, I lived in New York City, so it was like about the same, especially the food, although the chicken, 'cause we cooked at home, at the place we rented and so we bought chicken.
I. It was the easiest and it was like $13. And I was like, why is this so expensive? But also I'm not gonna like go shop around. But wow. Um, the house that we got was actually really nice. Kim found it. There was room for eight of us, so it was me, Lex, Kim, Kim's husband, Kibby, those are the, Kim is the, the volleyball player.
And then Kim's beach partner, Teagan. And then for the first like two nights, we also had Julia Skolls and Lexi Denberg staying, which were with us. Well, if you watch Volley Beach volleyball, then you know them and you're like, maybe you're like, wow. And I was like, wow. Um. It's like wild. 'cause like we watched them play and I, Lexi Berg was kind of like newer on the scene, but I really liked like her as a player.
And I was like, oh. And now like we are in a house and our friends like, that's fucking amazing to me. I started playing beach volleyball in 2020 and now I'm staying in a house with professional beach volleyball players. Like it's pretty fucking cool. So spent all the days just watching beach volleyball and it was.
Amazing. Like, that's why I went there. I went there to go and watch volleyball and watch the international players. Um, the public transportation is just so good there. And we stayed like, what? Like literally the place that we were staying at was like two and a half minutes from the, uh, the station. The station where you could get the train or the bus.
It was like one stop on the train, a few stops on the bus, just super convenient like, you know. Five, 10 minutes. Um, we did walk to the venue a few times and it was like a 45 minute walk, but it was gorgeous. Like there just couldn't get lost at straight shop at this beautiful backdrop. And hopefully you saw my stories, I shared it there.
Um, but like I said, it was unseasonably hot, so yes, it was very warm. Tried to get in the shade, but also they had a river behind, uh, the side courts and it was like an ice bath. It was like very cold, but it was so refreshing and you know, it's warm if I'm getting in it and I'm definitely gonna miss that.
I'm definitely gonna miss that cold ass river. Um, I called it my Swedish, my Swedish, wow. My, uh, Swiss Health, just like healing my legs. But it was great. We didn't go hiking. Um, and honestly we just didn't have the time to go hiking and I have no regrets about it. Like hiking is fine, but like when you take the train there, you actually like go through the hills and mountains and stuff.
And I was like, this is fine for me. Like, yes, the hike would've been nice or like the gondola up, but I was also like. He's fine. Um, I went there to watch volleyball and we fucking watched volleyball. So next time if we go, you know, maybe, but I have zero regrets around that. Um, we also got to meet me and Brandy.
If you watch beach volleyball, then you know they're Team Canada. And thanks to their physio, Nicole, she's fucking awesome. And they're so nice. All of them are so nice. Canadians, of course. Um, which, you know, I told you this episode wasn't about business, but there's definitely a lesson in there, a little marketing lesson.
It was like, am I bigger fans of them now? Yes. 'cause they're so fucking nice. I think with Julia Kos, like, genuinely nice, not like saccharine, like genuinely nice. Uh, you know, I'm not gonna lie, before, before meeting her Julia Kos, I was kind of like, I, I don't know. I thought she would be different. Thought she might be mean.
Um, she's so. Yeah. Nice. And so thoughtful and so kind. And they, they all took the time. They remembered conversations and it's just like, yes, catch me cheering for you. Absolutely. Like they responded on Instagram. They're just like genuine, just like genuinely remember things and just giving their time.
Right. Brandy from Canada actually gave us two of her tops. So for each match they get s sports bra tops that they wear. It says their name on them. And Nicole had asked Brandy, 'cause Nicole was also the shit had asked Brandy if, like, she'd be willing to give us one, just as like kind of a, you know, like a souvenir from the tournament, from the trip.
And then Mel, uh, 'cause we had met them. Then Brandy was like, do they want two? Like, that's so fucking kind. So kind, so thoughtful. We posted about it. She like, you know, wrote, it's just like, it's such an accessible sport in that way in terms of like meeting the athletes that it's, it's just, it's just unbelievable, right?
It's just. Unbelievable. Uh, but like I said, all the days, the whole, the whole days every day was volleyball and the evening, then we just went and chilled at the house, which was actually really nice to do, and got to hang out with Kim and her husband Kibby and, and talk to them and, and Tegan and just get to know her better and.
It was just a nice reminder of like, this is what life is about. Right? The people that you meet and, and listening to them and hearing them and spending time with them. And we made dinner, we ate outside, we had some wine. We listened to the train go by, the birds were chirping. It was like nine 30 at night.
It doesn't get dark till like 10 'cause it's so far north from Latitude. And you know, we could hear the river in the background and like. It, it was so refreshing and rejuvenating, and I'm not gonna lie, it felt really good to be outside of the States for the 4th of July and not to worry about just like fucking fireworks and just dumb shit.
And it just felt different over there in general, like just different vibes and, and part of it is like it was sitting and reflecting is. It felt like capitalism was not so in your face and shoved on your throat. Like, don't get me wrong, Shaad is a, it's like if you go to Abbott Kinney here, it's like a very rich, very, I say it's affluent as is like wealthy, but they have like the know bougie ass stores.
But like no one is like trying you to come in there. It's just like, it's just there. But you know, you don't have like big ass pickup trucks, you know, just going down the street and like zillion dollar houses being put up all around like. The, you know, being in the United States, it's just like, I'm looking out the window right now.
There's just like two, there's gonna be three units that go up there, and each of those houses is probably gonna be $2 million. There's townhouse is gonna be $2 million. Like everyone has a humongous pickup for no fucking reason here. There's the militarization of everything here. Like all the fucking people in the park right now.
Like, you know, like, it's just like also immediately you all the fucking guns, like it just felt different being there. It was really nice. Yes, I know the grass is always greener. I don't know a hundred percent what's going on over there and how people feel about their own lives, but it just felt different and part of this difference was confirmed.
Uh, as I posted a thread when we came one, I talked to people that, that were from there, but I posted a thread when we came back just about, I'm like, fuck, the United States is ghetto. And the responses were like, yes, I agree. People that live here. And I'm just like, fuck. Like there's something to be said about the force slow down, which I know we have here too, like in, in, in places.
But. You know where we stayed. We stayed outside of STO in a place called Sanin, and the stores like closed at six or five, I fucking early. They're completely closed on Sunday. Um, and you just plan for it, right? Like, I've always started this. I lived, I grew up in, not grew up. I lived in New York City for, for nine years.
And at some point, you know, in the beginning it's kind of nice, but then at some point you're like, why is that open at 3:00 AM Like, what the fuck are you doing? Like go to bed. And like this convenience, there's something to be said, like, we don't need that much convenience and if you wanna have it, okay.
But like, it was nice to be on other side of it. Um, we actually had to have some of Kim's food 'cause we didn't plan well enough. Um, one day we wanted to stay for the games and then we didn't have, I was like, oh, we have this, we don't have like anything to go with this because I bought food, but not enough.
And so we had to have some of Kim Kim was like, yeah, take some of them hours. We made it. I think there's definitely a lesson there in like neighbors and community and things like that. Um, the one thing that I liked but also was like, eh, was the bells. So we stayed near this church. Um, so I went to Georgetown and at Georgetown there is a bell that goes off.
So you know the time, right? It goes off every quarter of an hour, and then top of the hour it rings a little bit different, so you know what hour it is, which I actually really liked. Um, they had that. But here or at Saan. Sunday, on Sunday at 7:00 AM excuse me, at 8:00 AM the bells ring for 15 minutes. And I was like, are you fucking kidding me?
I was gonna get up at eight 30 'cause we didn't have to go to the games. The matches didn't start till uh, 10. And uh, I was like, okay, we'll get there. We'll walk and. Actually, no, excuse me. I was gonna get up at eight and the bells are ringing. We're gonna leave at eight 30. We wanna walk. It takes about like half an hour to 45 minutes.
Like it depends on how slow you're walking, how many pictures you're taking. I wanted to get to the games like an hour early, so that's when you got the front row. Uh, 15 minutes though, that's aggressive. 15 minutes is aggressive. So definitely would be better if they did that at noon. But, uh. They didn't.
So the one downside, to me, that's the only downside. I guess the other downside was that people weren't very nice. I'm not gonna lie, Shaad, uh, people weren't very friendly. It's an uppity town. Um, not that, that's like a reason to not be nice, but like. Very buttoned up. No one was smiling, no small, definitely no small talk, but like, no smiling, no eye contact.
It was like very weird. Um, I still made it a point to smile though. Uh, and I got a few smiles back, but it was just like, that's just not the default. Um, and I can't say if it was the locals or the tourists 'cause it's like, it's a touristy place as well. Um, but either way I went there for the scenery and the studio knew was great.
Um, the volleyball, the volleyball was great. And the volleyball fans right, they were actually great and really friendly. Definitely the best parts, right in scenery, the volleyball and the volleyball fans. And we made a handful of friends, um, which is really cool. Just talk to them and hear where they're from.
And one friend, Dantas, he was from, uh, he's from Lithuania. Made another friend Maria, uh, she smiled and I was like, why is she smiling at me? Did she know me? I thought it was, I thought it was Kim's coach for a second. I was like, related to Kim's coach. And I was like, wait, that's not her. Uh, but it's 'cause I had curly hair actually.
And she was like, wanting to cut. She had really beautiful hair and she was like, I wanna cut it, but like, I'm nervous. And I was like, well, it'll grow back. I, but, uh, Maria actually from Germany and then, uh, Jorge, he was originally from Venezuela. He lives in Switzerland now. Just like getting to talk to people and hear their backgrounds and things like that.
It was. It was dope. My hearing, get to hear their accents. It was just really, really, really, really cool.
So I personally didn't go there for the food. Um, but I will say that while I don't have a ton of food issues or anything like that, GI issues, there was definitely a difference. Right. I didn't feel like shit after eating anything, but definitely after eating the pre-made things, um, they had this high protein drink there, 40 grams of protein, my friends 40 grams.
It's like chocolate milk, 40 grams of protein. I had it every morning. It was just really easy. Uh, and I legit looked them up to figure out how to get them here 'cause they only had dollars 70 or maybe like, you know this a little bit more within, uh, US dollars, but it's fucking unheard of. And like the in the ingredients was like milk and milk protein, and.
Uh, like lower Sweden cocoa or something. I don't know. So if any of you listening to this have a co-op or coop, I'm not even sure how they pronounce the. The name of the store, but it's like a chain. Uh, but if you listen to this, you know what I'm talking about and you gotta hook up, let me know 'cause I wanna get that stuff here.
Um, but to get around it was all trains and buses. You know, I lived in the city for nine years, so I'm no stranger to trains. I lived in Long Island, get LARR in. Um, but the trains there were convening the trains in Inad and in, in. Switzerland were convenient and they were clean and they were on time and they were announced every, you know, excuse me.
They announced everything in every language, which I was like, wow. Train. It would start, I think it would do it in Swiss German first, then French, then Italian. I was like, oh, and then English, and I was like, this is incredible. Um, though I will say. Despite them speaking in English, we did fuck up twice, but they weren't announcing the thing that we fucked up.
They, one of them we got in the first class car and was like, I didn't know this was first class car. There's like literally not much difference. Uh, so we got kicked outta that, um, which is fine. And then once we were on the train and apparently the cart like two cars were reserved for this like group of school children.
But there was like, I was like, how would we have known this? And there was like this little thing that's over the seats, like there's like a little digital thing that says the seat number, but then it said, it said other words in it, but I know the words was so school, I thought it was. The German word, I dunno what it was.
Um, so we got up, stood in the cramped hallway and then we, it was only like two stops away from when we were, this is when we were going, uh, the last day gonna Zurich. Uh, so we spent the last day in Zurich. Uh, and it rained for a lot of it, but peach preach a while. People definitely much nicer and friendlier.
I will say that, um, we booked a hotel also on points, uh, in the airport, which is like something I used to do when I was teaching. It's just so convenient. 'cause when you have to get up the next day to go to the airport, it's just like. The best. Um, so if you ever have that as an option, do it. Convenience, baby in that regard.
Convenience, having a store open at 3:00 AM you don't need that though. Um, but Lex planned out like an entire walking trip for Zurich, namely based around chocolate. Uh, and I was happy, it was great. I had my joiner. I don't really care about chocolate, but it was good to spend the day with her and doing things she wanted to do, even though if it was raining.
Um, but the icing on the cake was. We hung out with Insta homie Claudia Liebman. Uh, she made up with us. Um, she took my last round of the intensive and we've kept in touch via social and she lived there and, you know, Lex set it up somehow that we met up and spent literally like the entire day with Claudia.
And it was super helpful having. A local person as a tour guide. 'cause we had places we want to go to. But then like as we're walking, you know, Claudia's like, here's this and this. And one of the things we didn't have on the tour that was my favorite part was this big ass clock. There's like these two churches that are there and the clock face is 28 feet.
I looked it up later. 28 American units. Um, it's like, I don't know, I don't remember the meters. But it was huge. So that was one of my favorite parts. And we also put a lock on the like lock love bridge, which was really nice. Um, we had Rockette, which is a type of melted cheese, a type of cheese. And then the process I think also was like eating it like that where it's melted, um, is also like Rockette, I think.
Um, but it didn't make my stomach hurt at all. No problems. We got lots of chocolate, had cappuccinos. We talked about the US politics. It was just a really good. Really good day. The sun came out. Uh, it was great. Right at the end we went back to the hotel and we had burgers and fries in bed while we watched the queer ultimatum.
That show was a fucking disaster therapy for everyone. Therapy all around. Um, but it was just a really nice, like way to end the day. And it was a relaxed and, and just chill and there's no stress. And, uh, the hotel room had automatic blackout shades. Not blind, not the, I guess I should say automatic blackout blind.
So it had like the shades that we, or the curtains, excuse me, that like every hotel has, but then it has a button and these like legit metal shades go up and down, or metal blinds go up and down the air. The, the Airbnb had a, you all know I'm a VRBO person, uh, but Kim booked the Airbnb. What can I say? Uh, but.
The Airbnb had him as well. And it's just like a thing because it, because it's so north and the latitude, it gets dark very late, right? So it stays light very late and then it gets light early. And so in order to sleep, like I wear an eye mask anyway, but it's just really cool. That's like a standard thing, right?
Like the rental had the blackout blinds, the hotel did, it just, everything was felt nice there. I just like. Nice. The airport was nice. The train stations was nice. The blinds being able to, I carry these drinks around. I like the, the place we were staying in the hotel airport, uh, excuse me, the airport hotel.
I guess it was like in this big like kind of courtyard thing. There was some other businesses and and such. And I was like, can I get a drink? Is it okay? Can I get to buy a drink and carry it to my room? And he was like, of course I don't fucking care. Uh, but it was like no lid or nothing. He was like walking through the courtyard and it was fine.
It was fine. It, it's not a big deal at all. And I'm just like, this is just nice. And also my favorite part, folks, no tipping. It's great. I don't wanna have to fucking tip. I, I will. I have no problem tipping, but we tip it on everything. I'm like, I just make things more expensive so that people get paid fair wages.
Like I fucking hate tipping culture. I hate it. I hate it. I will gladly pay at a minimum 20%. I will always pay that, but I hate it. I hate that. It's always the fucking thing. Like pay people, pay your workers. It's very weird to me that we have that, but there was no tipping. The price is the price and that was great.
Um, I did do a lot of, bit, a little bit, a loud bit. Wow. A little bit of work while we were there. Um, I didn't mind at all. I, this is why I have the online business for time flexibility, time for freedom is a, is a farce, but time, flexibility, very real. Um, there's always something to be done, but I used to do it on your own schedule and I'm not a do it super early type of person.
Um. I did the things that I could do early that I wanted to do early, um, that I legit couldn't do while I was there, like, you know, podcast episodes and things like that. But the other stuff. I just did it there. I took a legacy call that day that I got there and took it at 8:00 PM I wrote my mafia email.
I wrote my maestro musing email. I wrote my Tuesday email, uh, on the flight back home. Like I just, I'm fine with doing work like that. I think that it's all about knowing yourself and how you operate, and to me it's more stressful to try and get it done. Early and scheduled a million days out. Um, there's also something to be said for me about keeping things time.
Like I didn't do this episode beforehand because I wanted to be able to record about this stuff, and I couldn't do that beforehand. This trip hadn't happened, right? So all about knowing yourself and, and how you best operate. Um, but on the way home, we flew into Chicago, and I'm not gonna lie, I got there and I was like, fuck man.
You know, I see this ghetto. It's ghetto. I left the country before I have traveled. Um, but things were different this time and I was different this time and, and coming back this time I was just like, damn fucking ghetto. Like, it just feels like everything here is about money and there's not enough fucking seats.
Chicago sucks. Like there's not enough seats there. And I'm like, these shit intentions, you gotta fucking walk around and buy stuff. And like the, they have their space for seats on the other side. But instead they have these like chairs that you're supposed to pay $5 to get this shitty massage. And I was like, no, I'm fucking sitting in this chair.
It is done that you don't have. Have a regular fucking chair. Like you know how many people are in a flight. You know how many flights are coming in, you know how many you need and you don't have nearly enough. That shit grinds my gears, right? Like the flights are overbooked. Why? 'cause of money. There's like a zillion people there.
There's people stressed out and people wearing American hat shirts and hats, American hat, American flag shirts and hats and just like weird messages. I was like, God damnit, just God damnit all. Don't get me wrong, I feel very fortunate to live where I live, especially when I relates to the South Bay. And I really don't leave, I don't leave the South Bay bubble for that reason.
But you know, and I'm not here to have this be like a fuck the USA episode. Um. That's the point. It's not how I feel, but I was just like, damn. Like you see things, it puts things in perspective. Like leaving, puts things in perspective. Um, my Guy J Code, he did a really good post on the 4th of July. We'll link it here.
Thank you Courtney. Thank you Joe. Um, just that we can do better. Right. That's what his 4th of July post was about. Like we as a country. Can do better, right? Coming back from a different country shines a light on the bullshit that is, you know, American exceptionalism and the stories that we've been fed and led to believe, and we can do better.
Nice things exist and we have the money and the ability to do those things and have those things like we can do better, better exists, and we can do better. Even simple, the fucking blackout blinds, the dollar 70 protein drink that was 40 grams of protein and tastes good and doesn't make you feel like shit.
The public transportation that you actually wanna take, right, that you're safe on. That is clean, right? That's on time. We can do that. And we can add to, because it's friendly. I will say it was friendlier here in the United States. Like we can add that friendliness to all these, we can do it, right. So again, this is not, this was not at all intended to be like a fuck the United States episode.
Just, I'd be remiss if I didn't share my feelings around that because that was, that's the big thing that I'm feeling now, being back of just like so grateful to be here and also. We can do better, you know? Um, I, I do know that it's expensive. It is expensive to travel, and so I wanna make sure that I also acknowledge that.
Um, but another takeaway for me is that if you have a trip that you are thinking about and that you wanna take, take it something you wanna be doing, go do it. Like the time just goes by. So far I can't believe that. Like I'm back from the trip, like Lex and I've been planning this thing not for, it was a very last minute planning, but, you know, I moved around my, my press publish.
Um. That, that podcasting program I run, I had to move around, but I asked them first. I'm like, I'm thinking about this trip and you know, would it be okay if we skipped a week and then moved the call? And they were like, you have to go. We will not let you. We will not, not like, we will not let you actually come to the call.
You have to go. Um, but I'm already fucking back like this. The time goes by so fast folks. So fast. So if there's something you wanna do, there's a trip you wanna take. Take it and just the things that come along with that trip, the rest, the reenergizing, the perspective. It gives you the hope that hopefully it gives you, 'cause it did gimme a lot of hope going there.
Alright, good. People are around the world. Go do it. Alright. Alright. Look at the clock. A little bit longer of an episode. Uh, so thank you for tuning in a bit. I, I just had a lot to say about Shadow, was just like, I'm gonna recap this, this, this trip. 'cause it, it meant a lot and it was really, really fucking fun.
Um, but next week we'd love to have you back. Uh, we're gonna be talking about a project I've been working on and probably tie that into. Pivoting your business and the, the steps to take. And do you start a new Instagram? Do you start a new website? Do you get new? What, what, what are my thoughts around that?
My suggestions? I'm gonna talk about that next week. So if you're on my email list, uh, you've already heard about my product that I've been working on. Um, if you read the entirety of my June recap, if you didn't, well that's okay. You'll hear about it next week. Um, either way. More about that next week. All right.
Gonna wrap it up here. As always, endlessly, endlessly appreciative for every single one of you. Until next time, friends Maestro. Ow.
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Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card if you like to travel
Jcode’s post – The US can do better
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