All right. Welcome to episode number 19 of the
Dan Time podcast. You're back. I'm back. I'm
your host, Dan McCardell. Thanks for listening
to the show. If you're here for the first time,
you're not familiar with it. I'll get into it
in a few minutes. Um, but this week I've got
a very special guest. This is someone, um, if
some of you are a fan of Jim Powell and the couple
of times that you've gotten some exposure to
him. Let me tell you, you're gonna love today's
guest. I have been waiting multiple weeks for
this occasion. This is someone that I guess I'd
say I got a few people in the back pocket and
when it feels right and the time is right, it's
time to just roll them out here. We got my brother
Rob for a bonus episode. That was a blast. I
have a great time doing these because these are
people that I have some history with. They're
funny first of all to be on this show you do
not have to be a stand -up comedian Which I have
had and I'm really proud of those guys But you
got to have a sense of humor. I think that's
a good filter For this show so if you can laugh
a little bit you don't have to tell the jokes,
but if you can Not laugh at my jokes, but you
know what I'm saying you are a good fit for the
show I'm gonna stop talking and this is not your
typical well -produced intro. This is just me
freewheeling here. Folks, today's guest, my very
good friend, Emily Haines -Cook. I have not talked
to Emily. Another great thing about this show,
I might have a guest on, that it's been a number
of years since we've spoken. So when we're going
live here, like with Danny Rubio, a couple other
people, Dan Weinrib, it was the first time that
we actually talked in a number of years. So that's...
extra fun. Without further ado, with that being
said, Emily, it really is just fantastic to be
talking to you. How are you doing today? I mean,
Dan, I'm great. I mean, just talking to you is
just a pleasure. Well, thanks for carving out
some time. Everybody's busy. We talked about
this a little bit, kind of off and on. Folks,
Emily and I have a history that goes back, I
can't believe it. I think it's about 15 years.
There's either oh, yeah, it's shocking that it's
that long ago because it doesn't feel that way
2008 2009 in the service industry For any of
my listeners who have a history in the service
industry or you're in it now You're gonna love
this conversation. We're not gonna spend the
whole time talking about it, but It's just something
that it leaves its mark on you and you leave
it your mark on that place in history, too Emily
She's responsible. This is another reason why
I wanted her to be on the show Emily you are
responsible for pulling me out of the darkness
That world that lifestyle those that shift work
and in to the fluorescent light of the office
environment Oh, man, I'm sorry. I did that to
you Dan I remember being so excited. I mean,
I don't know if that's the best way to describe
it. I was really looking forward to The change
and getting some good structure, but I will never
forget that first day the first week And it's
nine o 'clock. You're not quite used to me nine
o 'clock kind of late now, but I just right sitting
there thinking. Oh This is what the rest of this
is what the rest of the world does. Yeah all
the time Yeah So thank you for for getting me
on track. I was I was drifting Well, weren't
we all Dan? Weren't we all? We're just riding
the wave. What are your thoughts when you think
back to those days we worked at? Some of you
guys may have one of these near where you live
firebirds wood -fired grill Fantastic food. I
still know people that work there What are your
memories? And what's your takeaway when you look
back on that time period? Yeah, so Firebirds,
you know, I don't think it's called would fire
girl anymore. I think they've like rebranded
and it's something different now, but still carries
the firebird name. But, uh, yeah. So I worked
there for seven years. That's the longest job
I've ever had still to date. Seven years of employment
at firebirds. But I mean, that was a good chunk
of my adulthood. I guess you could say my young
adulthood. And, uh, I mean, it was a whirlwind.
Yeah. It was a lot of fun. I met really great
people. I mean, it was probably, to be honest,
like one of the, well, okay, not to be honest,
but it was a great time in my life. But I was
almost about to say the funnest time in my life.
But I think now having kids is probably my most
fun, but I guess my most selfish fun. Yeah, yeah,
it's it was appropriate for the time yes for
sure and can you imagine if someone Back then
had come to you and said listen. I know you're
not gonna believe me, but in about ten years
You're gonna have children and all this is gonna
die down You're gonna have very organized days
and bad bedtimes and you're gonna love it You
would have believed it Dan. I don't know maybe
I I was kind of looking for that in the back
of my mind. Yes, you were. Well, I think about
this a lot actually, but you were always kind
of looking for your lifestyle now. You would
always talk about wanting to be a dad and all
of that. I think you were there for the party,
but you're always looking for a little bit of
what you got now. Yeah, it's hard for me to remember
that. Or expressing that to people because when
it wasn't quite in place yet, I guess I'm like
well What you're not not so much. What else is
there to do? It was like How much fun can I have
other than doing that? Yeah being out Late at
night the after party the ant where's the after
party? Where's where's the after party? Where's
some live music? You know, but I mean I was pretty
I was as responsible as I could be back then
Yeah, I got I came to firebirds at the time.
I was working for the Birmingham News and I liked
the direction. It was going around oh six when
I started But when the market crashed they started
laying off or offering to buy out the contracts
of the older employees And I wasn't getting the
assignments that I wanted. And I thought, well,
I got to make some money because it really wasn't
a very lucrative job. I mean, it kind of puts
you around some interesting people, but I had
been in the service industry and I thought maybe
now's a good time to, I was trying to find a
restaurant that was, I guess none of them are
recession proof, but where their clientele was
a little higher end. So I just, that's how Firebirds
came to be. But I really had no idea that I would
make the lasting friendships that I made I know
we made some good ones there. I wish I talked
to more people still But I still have a few that
are like just integrated into my life I'm embarrassed
to ask because people listening it really has
been that long. I have kept track of I Think
the birth of your first child. I was aware of
a second. Is there a third? There is a third
Dan the third came as you know it shook the ground
of which I walked on It was a shock, but yeah,
there's a third. I have a boy named Bailey he
is now three So yeah, I've got three three kids
and How about that? It's busy. You got two girls
and a boy in that order I've got two boys and
a girl in that order. I didn't know you had a
third Yeah, we have, uh, our daughter, Vivian.
Oh my goodness. Okay. So yeah, you know what
it's like then. Yes. I feel like these other
parents, when I feel like when you meet a parent
that has three as well, let's not even talk about
the ones that have the fourth, cause that's just
insane. But the ones that have the third, you
immediately are like, okay, you know, you know
what I'm going through. Yeah, there's a special
club that you just enter into. Yeah. Especially
if a couple of them are close in age. Right.
So we've got Warren. You've seen Warren probably
when he was maybe a year and a half the last
time. So he's six. He's got a little distance
on the next, our little boy Wyatt, he's the middle
boy. So he's two and a half and then about 12
and a half months difference between him and
Vivian. Oh, wow. You know, it's wonderful when
all the dust settles, everyone's in their beds,
the house is quiet. And it's nice when you first
wake up on the weekend mornings. And it's nice
when you're traveling and you look in the backseat,
the rear view, everybody's sleeping. Yeah. And
then there's a lot of other times where they're
being good for about 13 minutes before something
happens, somebody runs into something or makes
somebody upset. Right. But I wouldn't trade it
for anything. Right. How do you? I was going
to ask, so I've got a few questions. Like, how
has being a mom, or what has being a mom taught
you about patience with having a few kids? And
you know, kind of like, you got things that you're
interested in, and you have to push those off
to the side. Right. For a week or a year. I think...
Yeah, the biggest thing I've learned about patience
is that I have none, Dan. I am very... Yeah,
I mean, I know I have to have some, but I'm terrible
at it. But I've always known that. I've always
gotten, like, super irritated with the slow walkers.
Or even sometimes the slow talkers. Like, I have
a sister who is just... you've met her. She's
just one that floats through the wind in life.
I've always been a little bit irritated when
it comes to that kind of stuff. I have had to
learn some more patience, but I just hope I get
better every day is all I can say about that.
I think that's a great way to put it. Every day
is a learning experience being a parent. Yeah,
for sure. You've learned about your children
and their phases. I mean, I'm sure you, let me
first go, I've gotten too deep into the episode
here without letting everybody know one of the
qualifiers. So to be on Dan Time, your name does
not have to be Dan. You need to have, if you
don't know me already, that's your ticket to
the show. So Emily, she already knows me, so
she's in. Um, but she actually has an extra story.
One of your daughter's names is Danny. Yeah.
D -A -N -I, which was named, uh, in my honor
from, no, I'm kidding. Yeah, that's what Danny
Rubio thinks too. Um, I'll actually, it's actually
a better, a better story than what, what you
think, Dan. So Danny, my daughter, my middle
child. um she we came up with the name danny
because I myself was named danny for a couple
days after my birth and then last minute decision
was changed to emily before leaving the hospital
i never knew that yeah so um my mom had and dad
had decided on danny and then the Social Security
woman, you know, that comes in, gets the name
legalized and all that before you leave, came
in, asked about the name. They said Danny and
my sister was in the room. And the story goes
she had a meltdown about the name and wanted
to name me after a porcelain doll that she had
named Emily. And so, My mom said, okay, that's
how I came about Emily yes, what a Unique and
just a beautiful story. I mean I was I was halfway
in and I'm thinking Here you are. You've got
the best female name in the palm of your hand
That's ever been created. I mean listen I do
this show not out of vanity for myself, but It's
really celebrating the name, because the debate
is settled. It's fact. Dan is the best male name,
and Danny or Danielle, and the whole family of
the Dan names, they're untouchable. So for your
parents to... I mean, they made the right call.
Yeah, well, they made the wrong final decision.
When I hear the end of the story... Have to excuse
it because there's it's just a beautiful ending
and if there's any off -ramp That should be taken
when it really shouldn't have been taken this
is the only one yeah, I don't think a wrench
was thrown into my destiny I Alright all seriousness
here. I Can't picture you being anything other
than Emily. You can't you want to hear something
weird? Is it strange that I feel internally feel
more Like a Danny than I do an Emily and I've
always felt that way Wow Yeah That is I've just
I'm almost speechless because I never knew this
story and now I'm taking it in I could see that
I could see that I Don't know if it was just
being told the story when I was younger and I
don't know. I've never really liked then I mean
I'm fine with it now but as a child I never really
liked my name I always thought it sounded like
a grandma and like an old I would say you know
tell somebody my name when I was young they're
like oh that's such an old timey name and I never
took that as a compliment I always was like oh
I don't like I don't like that and so and I don't
know if that's what did it I was like I should
have been a Danny but yeah I've always kind of
had more of a connection with that name than
with my own So that's why I named my child that
now your first daughter who I met that's yes,
Lynn Lenny Lenny. Yeah Lenny So my husband's
mother was Lynn and so we wanted to use her name
and then we played around with like a bunch of
Lynn names like Brooklyn, you know all the those
kinds of names, but uh We eventually just settled
on Lenny and everybody That she meets ask her.
What's that short for? She gets irritated. She's
like nothing. It's just Lenny And now so when
you're expecting your second child you find out
it's a girl You just you immediately know. Okay,
the time is now the time is upon us No, I didn't
No, so every the only exception has been Lenny
that we actually knew the name prior to going
into the hospital. That was the only planned
name we had. The other two, it was like down
to the wire. And we were still like, I just,
I don't have any clue. But yeah, we just, what
we kind of did was we both made a list on our
phones of names and then in the hospital went
one by one through the names and said yes or
no, marked them off until we narrowed it down.
And yeah, that was for Danny. That's how it came
about. I love it. Dani Liv is her name. And the
whole plan was, was that we were kind of going
to name her Dani Liv and called her, call her
Liv because we had Lenny and then we had, we're
going to have Liv. Yeah. Yeah. So we, we did
that. We, you know, that's, we made like little,
she was going to be going to daycare and we had
her little like name tags made with it that said
Liv Cook on everything. And then she got home
and we just called her Dani. it just it felt
more right and so uh we majorly confused her
the beginning of her life because everybody at
school was calling her live everybody at home
was calling her danny and then you know 2020
happened her daycare shut down a new daycare
opened and we just signed her up as danny live
but now she is um i told her she started kindergarten
this year i said okay so Some people in your
life call you Liv, some people in your life call
you Danny, and some people in your life call
you Danny Liv. You can now decide. And um, would
you like to know her decision? Yes. She is Danny.
It's perfect. Yes. So she has now made the decision
that she will be called Danny. Look, I was kind
of kidding earlier about the Dan name and the
Daniel family. of names. Kind of kidding. Kind
of. But I really do like, I mean I like Danielle,
but I love just D -A -N -I. Yeah, that's it.
It's beautifully written, it's beautifully spoken
and pronounced, and it probably fits her like
a glove. Oh my goodness, 100%. She is a golden
child, little angel babe. Wow folks if you're
listening to the show and you yourself are expecting
a child or You're a dude and your girlfriend
your wife Is pregnant this is a fun time get?
Get your notes on your phone or on a piece of
paper scratch out your favorite names if you're
a guy Nine out of ten of them or ten out of ten
will be scrapped. You'll have no shot But come
up with names and just for fun guys, especially
Throw out the names that have zero chance just
for fun. I mean I tried all of them Harry Larry
What's another one I mean Ralph I even I got
Bruce pretty close and my husband wanted Bruce
badly really Yeah, it wasn't really a joke either.
It was you know, I'm just like Tried with it
and I got a couple Bruce Natalie said okay. I'll
put it into the the area of consideration Right.
She doesn't listen to the show that I'm aware
of so she's Which is probably a good thing So
I got the same phone that I've had for quite
a while real quick Girl names now Vivian was
always gonna be Vivian But before we knew that
Warren was gonna be a boy. Here's some of the
names that we had on the list. Ray, R -A -Y -E.
Raven, Angelica, Elise, Rayah, R -A -Y -A. I
do kind of like those Ray names, Rayah, Ray,
Ember, Ariel, Oakland. I'm seeing this again
for the first time, Oakland. I remember I liked
that. But it is what it is. We ended up with
the... It was going to be three W names. It ended
up being Warren Wyatt and Vivian. So Vivian broke
the theme. Yeah, same. We were going to do all
L's when he lived. And then we had Bailey as
Leon. I like it. I like it too. Leon Redbone.
I don't know who that is, but. He's a songwriter.
Well, he's got a great name. I just I like names
that my criteria is is it different Yes, or kind
of move it along and then is it easy to pronounce
and pretty easy to spell? Yes, and if the answer
is yes there then Move it to the top tier. I
don't like super crazy names that You know your
child for the all of their at least school age
Life is gonna be How do you spell that? How do
you say that? Right, yeah. Okay, we could spend...
There's some good ones out there now, let me
tell you. Yeah. We could spend a whole episode
on baby names. All right. Emily, what do you...
I've kind of broken parenthood or fatherhood
down if you're involved, and I'm sure Taylor
shares a lot of these duties with you. It's just
how it is. The the days of of dad sitting and
the lazy boy watching the game for three hours
And not doing anything not cutting the grass
those days are over. Yeah, not on my watch then
I Don't know who gets away with that that some
guys do But I don't and I don't know that I would
want to be like that. I wouldn't know that same
with with Taylor he's He's a great dad and he
is very involved and he wouldn't have it any
other way. If you're, again, guys that are listening
to the show, if you're getting freaked out a
little bit, you got a baby on the way, you're
going to be just fine. Don't have to just be
spectacular in every moment. You got to be pretty
good at mixing bottles, twisting caps and lids
off and on and off and on and rinsing and washing
and making sure when you go places that you've
got the stuffy and you've got the blanky and
you've got the bag with the other stuff that
they need and the extra of this and the that
and the that and the that. That's all it is.
That is all it is. And you gotta stick to a schedule.
If you get Emily, I really don't want I feel
like I'm talking too much on this episode but
would you agree that if you get things like Bath
time is within about 15 minutes always the same
time Yeah, meal time is kind of always done this
way and then we go to bed and then we do it tomorrow
If you can't schedules are important pull off
all that stuff. I think moms or dads you could
be just fine Yeah Yeah, you make it work and
uh, yeah Just get in the groove and your schedule
and there you go. There's your life for you know
for a while and then it then it all changes and
then you Have a new schedule and then right when
you get used to that one, then it all changes
again When you have your first child like when
Lenny was a baby Uh -huh. How much fun did you
have just? Oh my goodness, you probably went
to every playground in a 15 mile radius To get
the stroller out She's loving it. That's one
of the best things you can do, folks. Wherever
you live, the climate allows for it. If you get
yourself out of that house, you'll be able to
tolerate. Well, first of all, when a baby's screaming
or a toddler's fussing and you're outside, you
don't have that noise bouncing off the walls.
So that's... Yeah, it doesn't come shooting right
back at you so harshly. How much fun was it?
Get back to the question here. uh when it was
just Lenny and just you and Lenny and uh you
do stuff with her can you close your eyes and
remember some of those days yeah for sure we
went driving around um just on Wednesday um so
two days ago we went driving around our old neighborhood
and it was very um brought back a lot of memories
that was of just you know back when it was just
the three of us we drove by the old um playground
we used to go to but yeah having a first child
is very there's like a romance to it it was just
great memories there i mean not that i'm not
having good memories now but you know you add
more in and things get chaotic and i don't think
you can soak in as much of the the pleasures
of it all i mean of course i try to but um yeah
things get chaotic and uh but yeah it's life
is great and i don't know i've not had this much
fun ever in life than having my kids. They're
great. I just love hearing that. Yeah. It brings
its own set of challenges, but if you have someone
to draw on, another family member or friend that
they've got their 14 and 17 year olds, and you
remember when those kids were five and six and
seven or younger, you kind of got those connections,
those people to remind you, hey, listen, everybody
tells you. goes by way too fast. You hear that?
But you do kind of see, all right, this period
of time, whatever the frustrations are, it's
not going to be going on in five years to be
dealing with other challenges. Right. And of
course it goes by fast because like, you know
how it is right now, you just wake up and you,
and you're racing against the clock every day.
I mean, that's, that's the truth of it all. I
mean, there's never enough time in the day just
to get the simple things done. How do you deal
with? Some of those days where you can't get
to everything and it's just you got to call it
a night You just have to and you're sitting there
and you're turning the lights off and You're
like I gotta love the dishwasher, but I just
I have to go to bed I gotta fold those clothes,
but I just that's gonna be have to be tomorrow
Drives me completely. Yeah, it's I know you just
have to let it happen. You can't you know as
much as you can Those those dishes can sit life
doesn't have to be Completely organized at all
times. It's impossible when there's the three
littles running around. Yeah How do you do that
times to let loose, you know Mm -hmm when it's
time for a date night do you still occasionally
go see like live music or something that's You
know that you used to do or right? I've honestly
have moved on from a lot of this stuff. I do
like to go to a show though every once in a while.
Yeah. Yeah. So Taylor really loves going and
seeing live music. It's has always been his thing.
And you know, we don't get out much. We, and
I know that like we need to do it more, but we
just don't, we don't have, um, you know, family
around or anything like that, that, you know,
can just like, Come over and babysit whenever
so we we do get out, but it's very very rare
But yeah when we do we try to go See some music
if there's some plan or just go out to dinner
Do stuff but I was mentioning to you earlier.
I mean, I can't hang like I used to can't used
to I cannot but um, Emily are you ever? You ever
sit in there you're in the booth with taylor
having a great dinner great conversation and
then the and then you just your mind starts drifting
a little bit and all you can think about is your
bed and brushing the teeth and getting ready
to just call it a night again. Do you ever just,
are you having a good time out and you're just
thinking, well, this has been fun and this is
still fun, but man, I'm just almost done. Yes.
Well, yeah, I mean, you live, we're, specifically
the life that you and I are in right now with
the ages of our children, we're in a constant
state of tired. So yeah, of course, but you gotta,
you gotta just, you know, force through that
feeling just like you do every day and just keep
going. But yeah, no, I think it's important to
get those, you know, times away. And of course,
like we always will be out to dinner and stuff
and You know, we're talking about the kids the
whole time. But I mean, what else is there to
talk about? That's our life and you know, that's
our obsession and But yeah, it's important to
get away and remind yourself who you are and
All of that stuff, but Yeah, you know having
a family do I don't know if you can relate to
this when you have the little kids and you start
thinking I need to First of all, I need to be
the best version of myself that I can be in front
of them But I also start thinking about taking
care of yourself. Do kids remind you of how short
our time on this earth is and that, hey, let's
just enjoy it? It's not going to be like this
forever. These kids are going to be 20, 25 years
old, 35 years old doing their own thing. We're
going to be old and hoping that the phone rings
and it's them. Do you think along those lines
where it just puts you a little bit in touch?
I don't want to say with mortality, but of let
me just soak this in. Yeah, for sure. I mean,
that's always the goal to to be present and,
you know, be aware of the time we all have together.
But, you know, sometimes you get caught up in
the in the chaos of it all, too. And forget that.
I try to we try to do things specifically that
you know makes us more present and stuff at my
house like Be like no TV today for the kids like
no, let's sit around. Let's enjoy each other
and Play a game and be present with each other
So we'll do that. We we consciously put activities
together and stuff like that to where You know,
we're with each other. We do a lot of outings
and stuff like that not as much as we should
but we'll take them out in nature somewhere and
you know just all get in a creek somewhere and
just be with each other and that's the best like
when those times happen yeah I'm super aware
of like this is so this all in because this is
going to be over soon um you know those people
that say this always gets to me they say one
day your child's going to ask you to pick them
up and hold them and that's going to be the last
time they do And that's so, like, hard -hitting.
Because that is the truth. One day, it's going
to be the last time, and you're not even going
to know it, Dan. I feel like I'm getting close
with Warren. I held him a lot. I'll never forget
walking out of a breakfast spot one time out
of town, and I was carrying him, and he was probably
four. It was a couple years ago. And he doesn't
need to be held I understand but I'm tall, you
know, I'm a little taller I'm just I can handle
it and I just figure if I can hold my child I
don't care if they're seven years old and they
and they're asked me to pick them up I'm gonna
do it and this lady was It may been our server
and she said oh you put that boy down. He's too
big You don't have to do that. No, I didn't say
anything. I just kind of smiled and kept walking
but I see people walking into preschool. They're
not carrying their Two and a half three year
old like I am but it's maybe not as practical
But my kids love it and they're not gonna need
it or want it and he's getting kind of close
Yeah, he's getting a little lanky and it's just
when you get up under the arms And you pull them
up. There's just a lot of torso where it used
to be He used to be a little little biscuit or
whatever you want to say Just dangling legs and
just it's just a lot and so he doesn't just yeah
lift off the ground the way he used to and But
he still likes it I think maybe another year
Yeah, he keep at it. Don't ever put him down
Why it was that how dare her I know I just I
just smiled and kept walking. Of course she did.
Yeah, there's no need. No. I do these on kind
of following up on what you said there, where
you're out with your children and you're just
in touch with, hey, this moment, this day, this
activity, it's kind of like a home movie reel.
I'll look out the window sometimes the kids playing
in the side yard or we're driving somewhere look
in the rearview mirror and I Kind of tell myself
This is this is a home movie But it's just one
that you're not gonna be able to watch again
And I got to keep doing whatever I'm doing so
like I'll see them playing out in the yard and
I can go out there and play With them or I might
be busy since they're playing I'm washing clothes
or something. So it's like It's nice that they're
out of the house, but I'll like, I'll look out
there and look at that moment for a few seconds
and I'll just take it in. Cause you're not going
to get to watch that again. There'll be a day
when you're older and if you live in the same
house, you look out the window, those kids won't
be there anymore because they won't be children
and they'll be off and you just have the memories.
So what, I mean, what a topic for us to just
sit and explore. Um, I had no idea we were going
to do this. It's really, it's really, really
touching. Okay, and I hope that people listening
who've experienced this or if you're getting
ready to again if you are an expectant mom or
dad You can do this without help Emily can attest
to it I can attest to it if you got family that's
nowhere close You you can pull it off. You just
right you kind of Whatever those hobbies are
of yours that you do every weekend kind of start
stepping down from that a little bit. Get a little
unattached to some of those things, because it's
not going to be much of an option. No. What do
you do, Emily, when you just need some M time,
some Emily time? I've really gotten into vintage
lately, like vintage items. So, um, for a minute
there, I had a little vintage booth, um, that
I was, you know, had a little booth at a store
that, uh, you know, we go out and hunt for some
treasures and, you know, resell them and all
that. But, um, I'm not doing the booth anymore,
but I still, I still like to go to the estate
sales or to the sort of store and just find a
lot of, um, what's the word I'm looking for.
when you're oh you're looking seeking the past
i don't know um what's up yeah relics that's
not the word like um i can't think of the term
i'm thinking of i bet people are screaming right
now like but anyways um exactly what it is yeah
they know what it is but uh nostalgia yeah yeah
so I really like that kind of stuff like something
you find just a little something and then be
like oh my gosh my grandmother had this or like
this was something that I haven't seen since
I was like held in the early 90s or late 80s
or whatever and it really it gets me every time
um Taylor was asking me earlier today he was
like is there ever is there anything in your
life that um you can just have the memory of
and you get like a warmth sensation and I was
like yeah when I find like vintage items that
happens to me so um so yeah if I never get time
that I just need to myself I'm usually going
and doing that kind of stuff because I can spend
so much time like especially at these estate
sales like if it's an older person and I mean
there's just so much more to it than just like
let me find something cool that I like to purchase.
It's like, this has a story behind it. This was
part of this person's life. I don't know. I can
spend hours just like going through somebody's
stuff. Is that weird? I can see that. Yeah. I
just like, I don't know. You can like really
put a story together about, you know, a life.
Like build a, you know, in your mind. Like this
is, this part of this person's life and... probably
had this kind of importance to them and You know
what I would find interesting if I had the time
is going through like old like really really
old correspondence from Just the turn of the
19th to 20th century where people just had they
had to write letters They wrote a lot of them
and it wasn't all like romantic letters. It was
just Information because you couldn't text each
other call each other and, like, try to put a
little narrative together about somebody. I think
that we've got some of that in our own family.
I just haven't gotten my hands on it. Oh, my
gosh. I think my grandmother's got some letters
that my dad still has. And my mom's, she's told
me on her side about when my grandfather was
in World War II on my mom's side, it was like
four years between seeing each other, he and
my grandmother. And so there were letters back
and forth I think she still has. That, yeah,
that would be a goal line. You came across that.
That is, yeah, I loved going through stuff like
that. Especially if it's something in the family.
I haven't had a book on, you know, I don't think
we kept much of my grandmother's stuff. And I
don't think at the time when my grandmother passed,
I can remember, you know, my mom and my aunt's
going through her stuff and figuring out what
they were going to keep and what they weren't.
But I wasn't into it yet, you know, so. I think
a lot of things probably got past me that would
have been very interesting to click on and find
the story behind. Do you or Taylor still have
an older relative, whether it's like a great
aunt or great uncle, is there still somebody
hanging around? Not, I don't mean that in a bad
way, it's not dignified, but, you know, someone
that's 92, 89, pushing 100. I don't really have
anybody left. All my grandparents are gone. Anybody
that you can still pick their brain and go like,
how are you doing, Aunt Suzie, Aunt Margie? It's
so good to see you. You don't have anyone you
can sit and just delicately talk to. No. Yeah,
my grandmother, my dad's mom passed, I don't
know, like five years ago, maybe more than that.
I'm not sure, but she was 98. But that was the
last one we had for our family. But yeah, no.
But she had some stories. Well, Emily, I've got
a few questions here. I want to get into them.
And they're just like random Dan time garbage
time questions. OK, first of all, I forget every
single episode that I have, which have not been
many, with people who really know me from that
time period. I'm finally going to ask the question.
We are about 54 minutes, I think, 50 -something
minutes into the call. So all you loyal, dedicated
Dantime listeners, here it is, episode 19. You've
made it this far, this deep into this episode.
Emily, I'm gonna give you a chance to reveal
it or what you think about it. What did Dantime
originally mean? What did Dan tell oh, well just
having some quality time with the animal I Mean
that includes an after party that includes the
pre party That includes just the random Days
off that we had and we would get lunch and just
chat What was that place? across from It was
on 20th Street Rinelli's Yes, I think this is
after this is after fibers. This is sorority
time period That was a good lunch That was a
great lunch. But yeah, I think Jim said the same
thing. There is a different interpretation and
I've asked someone who may have even Bestowed
it on me. I don't know to come on the show. They're
not haven't yet appeared. I would even call it
a a Negative connotation or whatever, but there's
a different perspective on Dan time. We'll just
table it. We'll just table it for um, keep the
mystery going. Okay. I'm not sure now. I'm intrigued
to find out. Who is a band or an artist that
you liked when you were a teenager? This could
be middle school or high school that you still
listen to today every so often. Oh, man. If you
clear them all out. Oh, no, I still am tried
and true to my my musical tastes. I mean, the
Beatles Beatles are have always been my favorite.
But one that was, I guess, played a big role
in my high school years that I still just love
is Weezer. Mm. I remember now. Yes. Well, I remember
having some Weezer conversations. Yeah. In sorority
days. Love Weezer. They're just good happy music,
you know? They are. It's like a... I can't believe
I'm about to have this comparison, but like a
Bob Marley. I don't know. I get the same feels.
The same happy feels from Weezer. You think about
Weezer They're really in a class by themselves.
Oh for sure. They're from a time period You know,
there were some other people other bands on the
charts around that time, but There's not it's
not like Nirvana Pearl Jam Yeah, I kind of put
them in their own own category Yeah And they
I think they're still together. Oh For sure.
Yeah, it's all not too long ago 2019 Love it.
They came and played a free a free concert at
UAB UAB our shared alma mater. Yes, go Blazers
go Blazers You and Taylor you and Taylor ever
get out to Bartow Arena do you are you interested
in the basketball games or the football games
or Equestrian hmm, you know, I love sports so
I Don't know. We don't Taylor loves sports If
he goes to a sporting event, I'm typically not
there, I guess. Maybe I am, I don't know. No,
I don't go to the Bartow Arena for basketball.
Well, you're still a proud Blazer. Yeah. I'm
still cheering. I'm still rooting for my team.
Emily, have you in the past or do you now? And
this is actually a you and Taylor question maybe
because they make they make pairs of these things
Have you ever put on a snuggie This is a great
question Not only have I not ever put on a snuggie
But I've always wanted to put on a snuggie I
Think about this then I think about this often.
I cannot believe I went through the whole snuggie
phase and I never got to try it out. There are
some things... Are they still around? Oh yeah
they're still around. Are they still big like
they were? They haven't gone away. Okay. And
it seems like it's been at least 10 years they've
been on the market so maybe it's good to wait
because if you got one now or the next couple
years they've surely been improved upon. Okay.
All the Amazon complaints have been addressed.
because any product, someone's always got some
sort of horrible experience. I would love to
actually go on Snuggie, whether it's Amazon or
wherever you get it, and just scroll down to
the reviews and filter for one star. That's another
question. Do you ever just delight yourself with
reading negative reviews just for the humor?
I get lost in a negative review. Spiral yeah,
I love them the way people can spend their time
and devote To posting a complaint is just beyond
me, but I love it. I love those people that do
it One of my favorites is Roadside motels, you
know if you're planning a trip to see a relative
and they live in like Gadsden or well anywhere
And you just Google one of the just motels in
this little town Have a ball because any one
of those Any one of those they're surely gonna
have ratings because people they all right you
always have an experience at a motel I've had
some bad ones. I've never written about it. But
if you've stayed in a Motel that's far far below
even a Hampton There's a story to tell mm -hmm
Yeah, those would be some good ones Some good
reads are those motels? Emily do you have a favorite
comedian of all time or maybe? Even a favorite
comedian who's just sadly no longer with us.
Oh, man. There's so many I Feel like there's
far better comedians but Chris Farley, I've always
said, I got asked this question from one of my
friends one time. He said, who would you want
to party with celebrity wise, dead or alive?
And my answer, I thought about it. I told him,
I said, I can't just give you an answer right
away. I'm going to have to really think about
this. And it was Chris Farley. That's what I
was thinking. Yeah, I love him. But I think there's
far funnier comedians. For the life of me, I
can't think of one right now that. Chris Farley
was. Just really untouchable. Yeah, and it's
a shame that he not not so much that he's gone
too soon it is, but especially that. I don't
think that he. Wanted to be that character. Forever
and ever, I think you know if if he had. Been
around longer. He would have gotten into some
other roles probably would have mostly been remembered
for You know that three stooges style comedy
right man. He was he was He's got some great
lines that are in Tommy boy in black sheep That
I'm not gonna say but would bring you to tears,
but they're Really touching some more where he
like all of a sudden pulls on your heartstrings
Yeah, he had a way with that for sure Yeah. Zach
Galifianakis might be funnier to me though, like
more humorous. Oh yeah. And you know, your brother
kind of reminds me of Zach Galifianakis. Oh,
I love it. He does. And we were, when you were
texting me earlier about Travis not wanting to
do the podcast, I was saying like, Oh man, everything
that he says is gold. And I think I heard, I
listened to a podcast with Zach Galifianakis
and he, or no, no, no, it was Comedians in Cars.
Do you watch that ever? Oh, I love it. Oh, I
love it. So like, I mean, I've watched all of
them like a million times over. Is that the Seinfeld
one? Yes. Love it. But he says in his episode
of Comedians in Cars, he says that he has The
problem of people thinking he's trying to be
funny when he's trying to be serious And he was
he tells the story of him at his Like giving
a speech at his sister's wedding and getting
emotional and people laughing. Oh, I've seen
that one. Yes But I feel like that could happen
to your brother. He's just funny. Like just his
being is funny I'm gonna tell you Travis is always
at the ready Mm -hmm to just deliver He's not
like a one -liner, but It is a blast getting
around him There is nobody that makes me laugh
harder than my brother Travis Yeah, he's really
good. You know I've had Robert on the show Robert
and I crack up. I think Robert would agree with
that as well He's just yeah, I've got a knack
for it, and he's got away Travis listens to these
episodes. He's maybe sometimes three or four
behind. That's okay. He'll catch up. He will
you know one day in June he'll say hey, I Just
listened to the Emily Emily Haynes cook episode
Mm -hmm here, you know He'll react to it Do anything
I think he's probably set with his decision,
but he should come on your podcast he's He's
great. So Jimmy's podcast episode was great too,
and I really want to listen to Jimmy's podcast
I didn't know he had one and so I listened to
your podcast episode. Okay. Yeah, let me go ahead
and plug gimme 10. It's gi mm ie the number 10
podcast They're great. They are it's all stripped
down. They don't edit it. They don't care sometimes
I wish I could just take a dose of that medicine
because I I do try to make this sound as good
as I can, but they just let it rip. They hit
record and they start talking. There's no intro
music. There's no outro music. And they use,
every episode used to be exactly 10 minutes,
just about. Sometimes they play around with it.
I think the second one is 30, 30 something minutes,
but they're great. And I'm glad they're back
and everybody should check them out. They are
not trying to be. They're not trying to wow you
with the production factor But if you give it
a shot and you listen these two guys You're gonna
say I want to hang out with these dudes it's
JT and Jimmy Jim Powell Yeah, I like the concept
just a quick ten minutes and what really sold
me on it was when he said that You know, he's
like it's a quick ten minutes on random topics.
There's an episode about Halloween candy and
it's a two -parter Because I mean I've had my
share of conversations Different sorry if you
hear my dog in the background Friends and family
about Halloween candy and they can get lengthy.
I may put it a teaser in here I just talked to
Jim yesterday Think they're doing a two -part
two episodes on Pizza and it may be like a select
little group of pizza. I don't know if it's restaurants
or Your groceries freezer. I don't know but it's
gonna be great Nice Tell me about that that dog
of yours. I wasn't gonna ask but now that I know
he's he's on the episode So we got to talk about
him. Well, it's a she Yeah, it's a she she's
um Queen and should be treated like one. Um,
her name is Mavis and she is uh She is just the
light of my life Dan She's a second mother to
my children You let her babysit No, but she could
I'll tell you that much can't you pick up talented
enough Could you pick up Bailey Just by the back
of his shirt or just carry him around? Yeah,
she does that. What kind of dog is she? She's
part chow. She's mutt, but she looks the most
like a chow, but I think her mom was a pit bull,
but she doesn't look anything like a pit bull.
But she's part chow and she's great. I'll tell
a quick story about a I say she's part mother
to my children, she really is. Every night, bath
time, she's there. She trusts nobody else other
than herself to watch over these children when
they're in the bath. And when Danny was first
born, you know, you bring him home and they say,
you know, only sponge baths for however many
days, weeks it is. um so we were in that time
frame and you know sometimes a sponge bath isn't
just gonna do it so I said to Taylor I said you
know why don't we do this I'm I'll get in the
bath and you hand her to me and I'll put her
in my lap and I'll bathe her that way just get
her good clean he's like okay let's do it so
I get in the bath bath water fills up I'm like
okay I'm ready hand her to me Taylor hands me
baby Danny I grab her and I put her in my lap
to start bathing her. And from a distance, I
look over, full charge speed, Mavis runs and
jumps into the bath to try to save. I guess she
thought I was going to drown her. But this is
no joke, this really happened. it could have
ended up really bad because she could have landed
on top of her or scratched her you know how their
skin's so like soft at that point when they're
brand new scarred her for life but luckily none
of that happened but she was trying to save that
baby her maternal instincts kicked in yes she
really is she's the most maternal dog see i mean
if the kids are around do not approach She probably
believes that Danny is her child and that you're
just doing a pretty outstanding job of watching
after her child Yeah, I'm a great nanny to her
children Yeah, this thing she can't she can't
change the diapers. So I mean you're helping
her out a lot. Yeah I'm not getting paid Got
a drop in real quick. We won't say a whole lot
but a Little ode to Caesar. I don't know how
long he's been How long he's been I don't I don't
I don't know the story on Caesar and but I miss
him I liked him. I don't know how much he liked
me, but What a great guy He was I mean if you
can call him a guy remember the story on Caesar
Do you remember Dan? I'm struggling here. The
condition he had? So he was like a pioneer, a
cultural pioneer. He had a condition, I don't
even know the term, but he had a condition where
I had to put him on prescription food. Do you
remember this? Oh, okay. This all developed while
we were at Firebird. So I was like, something
is wrong with my cat, my cats. I keep having
to take him back to the vet. He's like, I would,
I would go home and he would be wailing in pain,
but in his litter box. And so I took him to the
vet and they were like, yeah, he's got basically
a small penis. It was entirely too small. entirely
too small and so I had to put him on prescription
food because his urine would crystallize and
cause him pain trying to come out and so he was
on a very expensive prescription food to fix
this problem but he would still have flare -ups
well one day it was it was severe I came home
and it was the screams were just awful And it
was, of course, on a weekend. The vets were closed.
It was nighttime. And he was starting to act
lethargic. I was like, OK, something is very
wrong. He's going to die. So me and Taylor took
him to the emergency vet. And they brought us
in. And they said, OK, we're really glad you
brought him in because, I mean, a couple of hours
and his bladder would have exploded. But I was
like, okay, well this keeps happening. I'm having
to play these vet bills. Is there a way we can
fix this? And the suggestion from this vet was
to go ahead and transition him. To give him a
sex change? Yes. And me and Taylor proceeded
to giggle like little school girls in the office.
of this, this veterinarian. And she was just
not happy with this. Just could not find the
humor in it. And we would, we would compose ourselves,
take breaths, wipe away the tears that we were
having, try not to look at each other, start
having the conversation again, and would just
explode with laughter the minute she started
speaking. And this, this continued on for at
least 30 minutes. She was getting very aggravated,
but. Emily we didn't get the procedure. He said
he's in his darkest hour and you're cackling
and Get a hold of yourself. What what in the
well Sometimes sometimes humor is comforting
in times where I knew and I know that it was
Difficult for you. And maybe that was just Mm
-hmm how you handled it. I mean, it's a very
unique situation and you don't want to be in
pain, but No, I had no idea that this was an
option for animals And so that was just um, that
was the end of that that was the end of that
we didn't get the procedure done because it was
like $12 ,000 or something ridiculous but um
You know, we kept him on a good healthy prescription
diet and He lived out the rest of his years and
I don't really know that The way he, he left
us is a little bit of a mystery. I don't know
what happened. Um, cause he was just to the,
to the end, he was just as spry as could be,
you know, had all the energy was still acting
like a young kitten and just as old sees herself.
And then just one day, I think he had a heart
attack is what I think it was. Well, you know,
Yeah. My cat Trudy is 10. I got her the, she
was given to me the first year, first six months
that I lived here. Yeah. So she just turned 10.
It's a lot of things. She's got a minute. Yeah.
And we have a couple kittens that we adopted,
I would say September -ish. I don't even remember
when it was, but yeah. I like cats and cats are
- I love cats. It's uh - I love cats. I would
have a million if I could. Trudy has not - I
have a new one. Oh, you do? Yeah, his name is
Ernie. Ernie. How do you select these names?
Um, well Ernie has thumbs. Have you heard of
these cats? No. Polydactyl. Oh, okay. He has
a opposable thumb? Yeah, opposable thumbs. Well,
no, not a non -opposable. Oh, yeah. Right? Yeah.
he just has thumbs but apparently they're they're
called polydactyl but um they're also called
Hemingway cats because get this Ernest Hemingway
would only have these types of cats how weird
is that and that how rare are they I think from
what I've read and the story gets kind of weirder
is that if in the US If you have a polydactyl
cat It's a crazy percentage. It's like a 90 %
chance. They are direct descendants of a cat
that was owned by Ernest Hemingway He populated
I'm not joking he populated the united states
with these cats and i have one and so his name
is ernie i gotta look them up now yeah i'll send
you a picture of old earnest yeah we've got three
kids three cats i mentioned at the top of the
episode or actually before we got started i'm
just gonna drop it here you know if if you like
to have a beer you like to have um glass wines
vodka whatever and you have kids, you have babies
and toddlers, you gotta ask yourself, why am
I trying to have a drink here? Am I gonna be
able to relax? I mean, maybe if you wanna stay
up late, which I don't, so I haven't drank in
about five, six weeks. And I wasn't drinking
much, but I just thought, what's the point? So
I just stopped. I'm just the next time that I
can probably when we go out to dinner The next
time Natalie and I go out for something, but
I have just put it to the side All right, it's
not It's no big deal really All right, that could
change any day now, but I want to throw that
out there people if you're trying to work in
a Jack and Coke and you're at home and there's
just fussing and screaming all those lovely sounds
that go on in the house at 8 o 'clock at night
and You don't you're not gonna be able to enjoy
it right Now again, if you wait until the babies
go to bed and you and you have a cocktail at
9 15 on a Wednesday night Then have at it. I
go to bed at 9 15 if I can How what time do you
usually? Oh, man, Dan. Do I usually go to bed?
Do you go ahead and just stay up? I stay up.
I push through. But that's just always how I've
been. But yeah, I've like I was up to one last
night. There for me, there's there's a cutoff.
I know I can get away with it sometimes if I
want to stay up till midnight. But if I stay
up till two, that's that's a danger zone. Yeah.
No, two is where you start the next day. There's
guilt. I'm just like I replay it over in my head
that I cannot believe I just I stayed up till
2 o 'clock in the morning But now one is one's
pushing it Every night 12 o 'clock probably between
11 and 12. I go to bed Yeah, that's reasonable
Yeah, I guess I don't know everybody I talked
to they're like what when I say that but I have
to I have to get that's when I get the The time
that I need for myself is after the kids are
in bed and these people who wake up at five in
the morning You get the hour in before their
kids wake up or the two hours or whatever it
is. I don't see how they're doing that. It's
just I Can't do that That's that's partly me
You are that person aren't you Saturday morning?
I can't wait Taylor is and when it's yeah, he
only wants to do it on the weekend I like wake
up that early the only time and still Wyatt our
second child is the last one to sleep and the
first one up so he'll keep you up and he will
He's looking for an after party. He's like where's
where's the after party? Yeah, why is everyone
he knows that the house is quiet the lights are
off But yeah, so Saturday morning hits. It's
six something. I don't get up at five anymore,
but yeah, I just try to Tiptoe out of the room
and not make like I gotta feed the cat So that
makes a little bit of racket and then like get
the coffee going if I can get the cats fed the
coffee made I'm good Okay. Well Emily. This has
been great. I I am actually gonna have a this
is for anybody listening If you've listened to
every episode and you hear me say at the end
Oh, let's have you back on for a second episode
You think I'm probably just saying that well
in a couple weeks, you're going to see The return
of a previous guest. So get ready for that and
Emily. I just wanted to I wanted to use that
as an example. I'd love to have you back so we
can explore some other Parenthood topic or anything
else? Would you come back on? Absolutely anytime
And had fun doing it and it was good catching
up It was great. Yeah Where do you guys like
to vacation when you get a chance to get everyone?
In the wagon with the the luggage thing on the
top and yeah the children's music playing You
know we Taylor travels for a living so Does lots
of traveling not for a living but I mean yes
for a living but he's not gone all the time But
when he does his work travel if we're able to
we always tag along We like we really like or
i'm speaking for myself. I guess I really like
going to new places and seeing You know, yeah
trying out new things is my favorite is just
to go somewhere that i've never been to And just
see what's around so um, but taylor loves the
beach. So We go to the beach every year probably
multiple times a year, but um, but yeah But I
always like to go the new route and see see what's
out there. We did a trip And I mean, I've been
here before, but it's just been a long time.
We did a trip to Chattanooga during the spring,
and that was a great trip. I've got family in
Chattanooga. I love it. Oh, I like it. It's so
pretty there. It's just wonderful. It's so scenic.
Yes. And there's historical sites. I love that.
It's a great downtown area. I'm a big Chattanooga
fan. Yeah. Another little dart on the map. Danville,
Illinois. There's a lot of Danvilles, but I did
an episode a few weeks back with the general
manager for the Danville Dans. Oh, nice. There's
a summer league baseball team up there. It's
about two and a half hours south of Chicago.
Just happy to put in another mention. of that
town. I'm gonna try to get up there in the summer.
That'd be fun. Look it up. Check them out on
Instagram. Find their community page or whatever.
All right. Well, this has been awesome. Emily,
anything else you want to plug, promote? I don't
think so. I don't know. Just, you're doing a
great job, Dan. Thanks, Emily. I really... I'm
thankful for our friendship, which again goes
back so many years. We can skip a few years.
We can come back to the fold and nothing's changed.
A lifetime friend is that's another thing, folks.
And I'm going to put it in the remember section
here. Remember, even if it's been a few years,
reach out to an old friend. They'd love to hear
from you. There's nothing in life. Like good
friendships. You can make all the money in the
world Actually your family My dad likes to say
nobody loves you like your family. That's very
true, but build your network It's never too late
to but you don't want to be 40, you know my age
44 45 and you just don't have anybody of importance
or or meaning but And if you're waiting tables
and your restaurant just happens to serve a fresh
squeezed lemonade and you're going to that table
and there's a little child there and it might
be a little tart, you know, it might be a little
strong. Make sure you lean in when you hand that
little kid's cup to that child and say, all right,
take your little sip. Make sure it's not too
strong. Oh, man. Never forget. I wish you guys
were there. It happened. I thought nothing of
it. But Emily was within earshot, or she saw
it. And the legend lives on. Yes. We'll never
die. Have some fun with the people you work with.
Have some fun with the experience that you're
in right now. And make some friends. It's a fun
thing to do. Because you never you might have
a podcast in another eight nine ten Seventeen
years if there's still a thing and you could
do a show just like this one Okay, Emily Well,
thanks Dan. You guys have a great weekend Emily
you and your family Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
Happy New Year And we'll see you. We'll see you
guys the day and time listeners next Sunday on
the Dan Time podcast. Have a great week. All
right. If you love that episode, if you're enjoying
the Dan Time podcast, be sure to download and
subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can
reach me at dantimepod at gmail .com. If you
really want to connect with Dan Time through
the week, visit any of the social media pages.
I'm on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. You can't
miss me. And if nothing else, as I've said before,
just talk about the show. If you're having a
good time with it, tell your friends about it,
send a text about it. I appreciate you as a listener.
Hope you have a great week. I'll see you next
Sunday.