Collin’s shoulders hurt, inexplicably. Brandon does NOT have a window update, thanks for asking. We recommend you use a glossary. Collin took a trip to a zoo and Brandon retells of his trip to Canada.

Very unfun
Program practice week
NO window update
6th graders don’t know how to make paper airplanes
Use a glossary
KC Zoo
Uncanny valley of chimps in the ozarks
Brandon’s trip to Canada
No sea turtles allowed
Gravy is an option!
Brandon received…an Ukrainian cookbook
https://www.ohbrotherpodcast.com/episodes/ukraine-week?rq=Ukraine

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A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE

PROVIDED BY OTTER.AI

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

paper airplane, people, zoo, big, walk, tram, happening, kids, part, nice, fun, gravy, true, drove, area, spent, canada, sea turtles, fine, kansas city

SPEAKERS

Collin, Brandon

Collin 00:04

Welcome to Oh, brother, a podcast of three brothers, trying to figure it all out with your host, Brandon, Colin, and Aaron. On this week's show, uncanny valley chip. Sorry for running a bit late. I had the mentor of looking at the my other podcast to realize that somebody's name was misspelled in the title. And I was super embarrassed and had to get the change really quickly.

Brandon 00:34

That's fair, that's fair, right, you

Collin 00:36

get what I did was I did a copy paste. But I accidentally hit the V again, and so their name ended in a V. As quickly find that I was like, that's not how you spell her name. Oh, that's right. Oops, glad I found that.

Brandon 01:04

You know, it's fine. Probably

Collin 01:10

is fine. I have officially. So I don't know if you remember. But the old host, my old host on that one completely kicked bucket. couplet,

Brandon 01:21

I believe, is the official phrase, foot

Collin 01:23

couplets. And I had, so I had to switch hosts. Well, one thing about that is I had a bespoke embedded player from the old host on every single episode, webpage. And so yeah, I had not gone back and change those out. And this is now coming up on three months. And so I was still paying for the other host and was like, Okay, I need to need to do this, did it work. So I went through and had to copy it to delete the old code, go find the new one from the new house, copy that code, paste it in, then go back and forth, and back and forth. And it took me 45 seconds per episode to do that. And I had 290 episodes on there. So every, every 10 to 15 episodes, cuz sometimes I forget, I would stand up. And I would do like, you know, like, 20 Jumping jacks, or like, I was just like, I was hitting. I really was like, I cannot be sitting for this long. And I busted through and like, three and a half hours later, it was done. Just straight through. It's not fun. I don't recommend please, nobody do

Brandon 02:41

that. But does it? It doesn't sound particularly fun. That does it? No.

Collin 02:47

No, I was very, very unfun. No. Recommend, don't recommend. No. No. And of course, after you do, like, again, how many sets of 10 episodes am I doing with 290 29 and by the time you're up to 29 sets and you've been doing 15 to 20 Jumping Jacks each time. shoulders hurt a bit

Brandon 03:21

you know? Which, which is not, you know,

Collin 03:31

makes you feel real bad when you're like, Oh, I did. It felt like just doing a couple jumping jacks so they didn't do you know, 301 go. It was over the course of three hours. I did this. I was like that. I don't think that was that was good. I think I did the wrong thing.

Brandon 03:54

Become broken now. Oh, yeah,

Collin 03:55

I know. I really did. Like that was that was wrong. Well,

Brandon 04:02

no, but it's done now. Hurray. Hurray, I'm very

Collin 04:10

exciting. Yes, it is. Is and I'm, I'm so close to inbox zero with my, with my emails. I'm so close that I draw. It's so frustrating.

Brandon 04:25

I've never had zero because I like have a bunch of junk mail that I like. I'll look at it. Oh, no, I don't want that. And then I'll forget to delete it. And this guy, man, whatever.

Collin 04:38

Well, and I use my email a lot for things like

Brandon 04:43

reminders

Collin 04:46

of like to do's like I have couple emails in here of like, oh, I have to save that one that I got from this company. And that's gonna be my reminder to go do something or whatever. So that I can I can Keep track of where that information is.

Brandon 05:02

By Oh, yeah.

Collin 05:05

Then sometimes they don't do it and

Brandon 05:07

it's not a good theory, you know, but yeah,

Collin 05:14

exactly. Theoretically.

Brandon 05:19

Oh my gosh. Oh, did you just die? What was

Collin 05:25

just this cough that's come kind of out of nowhere it's been exacerbated now that the weather's like, you know what I does need to be nine degrees again. That's what I need. In Hokkaido. Everybody was like, No, it's so dry. My throat like anyway, so I've been trying to I did a meet and greet with a client today. I tried so hard not to cough the entire time. And by the end, I was like, whispering to her because I was at the door trying not to just go into a massive coughing I'm so sorry. It's my throat. I'm not sick. It's just

Brandon 06:00

it's to my throat this type of true. Bear five. Yeah. That's

Collin 06:10

that's been that blast off of a thing today. Oh, yeah. And feeling.

Brandon 06:15

I don't know,

Collin 06:16

energized, tired, whatever, with everything going on. But

Brandon 06:21

what's new with you? I don't even know it's program practice week. So program. Last week. I don't get to have consecutive class days. I ruined my life. And I'm grumpy about it. What program is

Collin 06:37

being practiced this week? It's the

Brandon 06:39

choir. Christmas, winter holiday program extravaganza thing? I guess. I don't know.

Collin 06:53

Is it ever? It's not a set theme or anything. It's just I

Brandon 06:57

mean, I don't remember what the theme is. Various one I imagined it has some sort of title. I don't know. She goes very, a lot. Okay, the stuffs three a lot. And I don't really know I don't go to the practices. Right? Because we have a sixth grade split between, like we have band kids and grandkids are not in choir. So during choir practice time, I just keep all the band kids in my classroom and we do activities and stuff. Because the alternative would be have sixth grade band members sit in an auditorium for like an hour and a half to two hours. Quietly by Yeah, no, that's not happening. Yes. So we understand. So I don't know what a the songs are and stuff. So it's a surprise when I see it tomorrow, so that'll be we have to do that tomorrow. So tomorrow is gonna be fun field exciting day of that. Ranger and children in the auditorium and all that kind of fun, exciting stuff. So yeah, we're gonna see if I survive that. Nice. But as your window updates coming along, it's still not done. Okay. My window is still incomplete. It was so cold in my classroom today. I just wore my coat all day when I was sitting at my desk.

Collin 08:36

Oh, no. Gold over there.

Brandon 08:40

I had it just worked my jacket. I didn't know where I didn't have I planned for this. Right. So today. I had did not have recess duty. Right? Not that it was warm enough to go outside to resist anyway. But in the event that it was I had Wednesdays I have work room. So I just anybody who's missing stuff just comes to my room and they can work on it during that time. Right? Like a catch up time stuff. So Wednesday is my working day. So I specifically plan it's like I'm not going to take my big coat, but I'm going to take this smaller one. It's one of those like flannel jacadi things a dad got me right. Oh, yeah, you know, yeah, but it's like one of the insulated like big insulated like, flannel jackets was like a flannel shirt but like, quilted almost right anyway, I was like I'm wearing this today. Just so I can wear it inside that's amazing. So even though my classroom heater is working and whatever, sitting at my desk, like grading or like doing lessons like planning like during my plan time, and like during that work room time when I'm just sitting there watching them, right like, if they have questions they can ask me but like I just have to basically sit there and be like, are you working? Yes. Okay, like and lunch when I see my desk eating my lunch, or my coat because Oh, yeah. Oh, no. Oh, man. So when the update there is none.

Collin 10:16

I mean, there is a window right but here's a window is not what we were hoping for.

Brandon 10:23

Yeah, no still the same old window with the unfinished Windows This is great. I love it. It's so wonderful. Nice. Yeah. Nice. Well, we Yeah, no go ahead. Oh, as I say the other bizarre there's another strange thing that has happened. I don't really know how this occurred. But my home base has taken to hiding random objects in my classroom and seeing if the other classes can find them. And it's really hilarious because they couldn't today and they were going insane. Oh, no. It's like it's like the most rare they I don't know if somebody brought it. I think it was in a bag that's fun in their backpack. It was a it's Woody's cowboy hat. Yeah, I don't ask me why. But that's what it is. You remember like the one that was with the like? I don't know. It's like a small one. Right? It's like a smaller version of one, right? It's a smaller Woody's cowboy hat. And they're, they've just decided that that is what we shall hide all about the classroom. We're going to put it in really random spots. And see if people notice it. Yeah, I don't again, I don't know how this happened. Exactly. But they decided this what they're going to do. And I was like, okay, that's fine. That's kind of funny. So here we go. That's very odd. It is very hard. This is why this is how securities work. Very strange little kind of funny. Why watching other kids go crazy. And not be able to find things. It's really fun. So that was that's been my other entertainment this week is that strange thing that's occurred. So

Collin 12:45

what other things have they decided to hide?

Brandon 12:47

Well, it's mostly been that they've been fixated. But somebody they were joking about, like the elf on the shelf thing, right? So somebody brought in like an elf, not like a it's like a it was just like a stuffed toy elf. It wasn't like one of those really creepy Elf on the Shelf things right. But they they were like, You should hide this too. And I did not hide it because I there's a kid who like he teases about, like, I'm gonna break all the rules. I'm the bad guy, right like that. You know? He does. He's not really he's like a really good kid. But that's like the joke. Right? Yeah. And so I put it. Somebody stuck the elf on his desk yesterday. Just to be like, they're watching you, buddy. He didn't like that. Well, he I mean, he like, jokingly, he was like, you know, it was all playing right? He was like, no, no, no, no, I can't they can't see me break the rules, blah, blah. So today, I stuck it on the ceiling right? Above his desk today. Just

Collin 13:49

Oh, that's perfect.

Brandon 13:50

Yes. Because he was like, if I if I if I see that on my desk tomorrow, I'm gonna throw it away. I was like, Okay, sure. And so I stuck the ceiling right above his desk. I basically made it like it was peeking out of the drop ceiling, right. Yeah, halfway in the drop ceiling. So it was like right above his desk looking at him all day. So that was that was the other thing we were doing. Is that because it's weird to have your time this week, because we can't have all this class because we got all this dead time where we just have choir practice for forever, so I don't get to have class. Oh yeah. This is why random things are happening in my life. It's very strange. It's very strange time in sixth grade. Very weird. I don't know.

Collin 14:40

Sounds like it sounds like an unknown time for everybody. But they seem to be taking it well.

Brandon 14:49

I mean, yes. I mean, at least it's mildly entertaining, I guess. So. Although, tomorrow morning after Get in the right mindset because they sort of need the hammer brought down on them tomorrow morning. Because Oh, yeah, it's that time of year where sixth graders have just decided, You know what? Being nice people is just not for me right now. So they've just been being horrendous to each other. And I'm over it. And the math teacher is definitely over it. She is like, had it with have some talking time tomorrow, where we're gonna be like, Yo, listen, because I already had one group that had to talk to like the assistant principal. Right? They're being dumb. And then this is a principal made a general speech at lunch about kindness. And I didn't help. So they've been getting this message for a while now. And nothing is happening. So time give them more serious tomorrow. That's

Collin 16:09

it just to like one another,

Brandon 16:12

or? Yeah, mostly? Yeah. Mostly, we just can't we just like can't say anything nice to each other, ever. Like everything we say has to be like an insult somebody. Wow. And why? I don't know why this is. It's one of those like, the internet has lied to them and told them this is what humor is. Right? Oh, I think that's part of it. Right? Because this part of this like Tiktok has lied to them to be like, Haha, this is these are jokes. Yeah. Oh, and they're really just hurtful or just mean. Yeah. Right. And I and I understand that this is how, like, when you are young, this is how you talk to your friends, right? You talk to them, like this is normal behavior, right? However, going to the lengths that some of them are going right. This can very easily be misconstrued as not, right. And if you talk to somebody who's like, not your like, best friend who just like not doing the joke, this is going to be very hurtful. So we have talked about appropriate appropriateness and kindness and not being a sticking jerk all the time. Wow. That's tomorrow. Gotta give him the right mindset for this. Decide how shouty I'm going to be at them. Right, like, shake my level here. Like huh, which Mr. Funkhouser character are we going to be for this? Like? Which one? What are we gonna go with here? What's going to be the mood? Like? What? Uh oh, I see. So, I decide on the tone for this, see how to teach us how shouty we're going to be. So that'd be fun. See how that goes. Oh, yeah. That's a really hard one. It is. I'm looking forward to this right now. Because it's not like, it's definitely easier to have this conversation whenever there's like been an incident. Right, like a big one. Sure. It's a little more difficult to have this conversation like generally, sometimes. Right? Sure. We kind of hard but yeah,

Collin 18:34

of of what you're going to do about it and try and catch it early, I guess. But at the same time, you know, it's you don't want to jump the gun too much. Yeah. Yeah.

Brandon 18:47

Yeah. Like, this is definitely conversation we've had to have before like, not this year, like other years, right, like, some years, you have to have these kind of conversations more than others, you know, and this year is one of the ones where it's more right, like just because of their attitudes, I guess. I don't really know. But it's really weird. Like, all of a sudden like it wasn't too bad until like the last like month and it's sort of just gone downhill in a hurry. And I don't really know why I don't really know about any inciting incidents, right? Like I don't really know. What changed Exactly. Interesting. Excited now. It's like almost they collectively decided nope, jerk mode time. Let's just do that. That's like, no,

Collin 19:46

that's not what we want at all. Yeah, I don't know. It's tough because like, as As a parent, those are interesting. I'm sure those are not, you know, obviously not fun conversations to have

Brandon 20:09

with like,

Collin 20:13

student behavior. And now like, what do you do with that information? Coming from the you have to do brain and have to communicate that now with a parent, I'm sure at some point of like, this is what's going on, right?

Brandon 20:29

Yeah, sometimes, right? A lot of times, whenever it gets to the levels, where we're doing a lot of like, one on one intervening, that's when it's moving to like, principals or assistant principals. And so they will start communications and then sometimes the parents will contact me like after they've talked to the principal or the principal's like, call him like, listen up, your kids been terrible, like? Sure. So that's where it's hard to have, like, when, when is it? When do I contacted parents versus? Like, when is it administration going to be complex? You know what I mean? Like, that's the one that I have trouble with, like, who? Who is making that communication? You know, at the beginning, like, right, where does it happen? Like, how far does that go? Like, what's going on? That's the hard one. That's when I have trouble with like, you know, because I am, I'm not really, you know, I don't I'm not the best at just like, cold calling your parents like, hey, so your kids jerk. Let's talk right, like, it's a little. It's a little tough, right? Yeah.

Collin 21:37

Nobody wants to have that conversation. Yeah. Like, that's not fun for anybody. But it is one of those things. And it's hard

Brandon 21:43

to because some parents are like, You call me for that. Leave me alone, right? Like, some parents it like, you know, you get you kind of feel them out at that first parent teacher conference, because you're like, hey, you know, yeah, you're this is what your kid's been doing it in my class so far. And they go, yeah, that's just how they are. And then they don't say anything. Like, okay, that's how we're gonna go. Okay, right. Well, I can see you're gonna be unhelpful, so Oh, don't call you ever. Like, I had one parent. I was like, It interrupts all the time and is constantly trying to talk over everyone in my class. And they're like, Yeah, he does that. Alright, well, thanks, anyway. Oh, my gosh, right.

Collin 22:29

Yeah, right. You're left going, okay. Now, why? Because you can't and

Brandon 22:34

it's that, you know, some parents like joke I had some parents were joking. Like, oh, my gosh, yeah, I know. I do that too. And we talk about it sometimes, you know, that's fine. That's, uh, that's, you know, that's understand that's, that's fine. You know, that makes sense. You handle it like that. It's okay. You know, everyone's gonna handle that differently. But the ones that are just like, yeah, no. And then there's always a like, all right, I guess. We'll just okay. I'm just gonna be doing this. And I won't call you because you're clearly not interested in this. You're not. Oh, it's happening. Yeah. This isn't being helpful. This particular isn't so

Collin 23:18

ever rude. Yeah. Yeah, we Yeah. And that's in finding out that information for the parent. Yes. Tough, which we're going to do. We were informed today, by our youngest that one of the children in first grade was, during one of their times just came over and like, dumped some water on his head for no reason. And so it was like, Well, I have questions about what happened here. And this was like a common time that they have. So it wasn't with the first grade teachers, it wasn't with the second grade, or the kindergarten teachers with a different third party teacher, whoever was just kind of playing together and observing. It was like, Well, I've got to do some fact finding here. And obviously, I can't come at this being like, accusatory in any way, shape, or form. But I do want to know what happened. And it was very frustrating because they didn't see it. And so then it was like, Well, I don't know what to do with this information now. Other than just like, a don't go near that other kid. And if something happens, you know, tell a teacher, and I feel like that's very unhelpful. Situation Sani?

Brandon 24:33

No, it is very helpful because the reverse has happened me before where I compare with message me about something and I'm like, Alright, first of all, your child has never discussed this with anybody. Right? So I have no idea what you're talking about, right? Like they were like, my kids had this happen today. Like, Oh, that's interesting. They neglected to tell me the other teachers, the people that were We're able to help. Yeah, it nearby like that. You know, that would be cool. If that would, you know, happen, right? Like, that would be nice because once it goes home and I'm hearing this from your mom, like, there's not really a whole lot I can do about it right like, well, they haven't nine hours ago when I'm a little behind here. You know what, like,

Collin 25:26

yeah, and we I want to make sure that we get like, a proper understanding of what happened and get everybody on the same page of like, this is not cool, right and equip with a little bit more information and knowledge on everybody's part. And then just kind of make sure we're moving forward. Like that's my big goal. And, and just see, because otherwise, nothing's going to change. So just kind of speaking up at first is really the important part. But it doesn't it's one of those aspects of like, well, I can't do anything more beyond that. So we're just going to have to,

Brandon 26:07

to wait and see. Yeah, so that's, that's another little wrinkle that happens. Sometimes it makes the situations difficult to deal with, right? It's like, Yeah, I'm in there. And now you so that's fun. So we'll see how tomorrow goes. See what happened? The oh, oh. Okay, here we go. We're gonna switch topics is something slightly more lighthearted. That's fine. Something else I learned today? All right now. There are many things that you will hear decried in the news media about kids don't know how to do XYZ. Right? Can you think of a lot of things? Recursive? Right? Use an analog clock. Okay, we've talked about both of the things on the show for a little bit. One of those things is not useful at all. And who cares? The other one is kind of important. Kind of interesting, but you know, cursive is whatever. Today, I learned that this year sixth graders have absolutely no idea how to make paper airplanes. What? Yeah. Not expecting that. This is not a thing that has ever come up before. Most of the kids know relatively how to do something. Right? We did because we had off time today part of our time filler. It was paper airplane contests. Of course, a perennial favorite. Yes. Because we can spend some time making it and then we could spend more time going out to the hallway and flinging a paper airplane down the hallway. Who doesn't want to do that? Does lot. I had a seemingly abnormally large number of children in my classroom today say things like I have never made a paper airplane before. Today. I went how this is my official old man moment, right? Just turned 38 just realized I graduated high school 20 years ago. Yeah, when you say it like that. And apparently, the art of making paper airplanes died in my childhood. Right? Who knew?

Collin 28:29

Who knew?

Brandon 28:32

But because every once awhile, there's like one, you know, that are like, Oh, I don't really know, or I don't really remember. And so they like, they always try to look up some kind of like crazy. airplane design, right? Which is fine. That's, you know, the whole point, you know, use your iPads look up. There's like, only 500 different ways to make paper airplane. Right. But normally, it's like, Oh, I know how to make the basic one. Or, I've made this before, but I don't really remember. So I'm gonna look up the directions real quick. That's understandable. Right? But apparently that paper airplane making skill. Just gone. Gone. No more. Not a thing that happens anymore. Oh, no, not me. Alright. Okay. Because I do this all the time. I think I've done this last like four years. And maybe three anyway. And, like last year, I don't remember this being problem. No, it's very odd. Wonder if God caught me off guard was very surprised. Like, what do you mean? When you're wondering where that comes from? I have no idea. Right? I mean, I guess it's like, when you think about it, this isn't a skill that you like, need. No, I mean, like, this never comes up as like, important. You're not going to be on like survivor and be like, Oh my gosh. My paper airplane making skills are finally done. I mean, that's fair. That's, you know him, but like it's odd that it's never come up before. Sure. I thought that was really weird. This is very, very strange indeed. I don't know what to make of this. I'm so confused right now. Yeah, and that's,

Collin 30:27

that's one of those things were kind of like, you know, analog clock and writing in cursive. And I know, a big one for many entrance exams into kindergarten in first grade is, like, idea, a concept of, of money and coin identification, like a big one. Right? That was, and that's why we're both of my kids did not do well, on their, on their entrance exams to get into the school, and I quickly wrote that off like, well, that's ridiculous. Because I literally don't ever have physical money on me. So I think they're going to be falling. I mean, yeah. But you do take a minute, I think it is important that each one of those steps to step back and go, Okay, what, what's being lost? Right? And what is it being accounted for somewhere else? So, you know, when when someone says, oh, I don't know how to make a paper airplane? Or I don't make paper airplanes, or I don't have that, like? Is there some sort of problem solving creativity? That little trial and error kind of process that's not being accounted for somewhere else that is that is teachable through the making of a paper airplane? I think in many aspects, there's Yes. You know, things like, I think if something like Minecraft like that, is that kind of thing is very popular with kids. And and that's nothing but exploration, creativity, problem solving, all sorts of stuff built in that it's just different in from a different medium.

Brandon 32:11

Yeah, I really think of anything most the time when you are making paper airplanes, like you're usually following directions anyway. Right? That's how you learn how to make them. Oh, yeah. And then just like the writing, I suppose there could be some level of fine motor skill, right? Because you have to fold quite precisely. Butter. That's, that's probably not such a big deal. Right. Like,

Collin 32:38

honestly, at this is a is a big deal by any stretch of the imagination. That's definitely not what I'm getting at. I think it is just, it's interesting for me to think about at each stage of those things of going is is something off like I think there is something not being captured, not saying that you can't progress through a proper adolescence and into adulthood, having not made a paper airplane, like it's not that kind of thing. But it's going What does what is this thing teaching was expose them to, in general, which is sometimes you go out in that absolutely nothing, this is just completely pointless.

Brandon 33:18

But that's interesting. That's true. But I think, you know, the old paper airplane does, you do have that small element of like, because they are like, you make one. And then you can relatively quickly make another one, right, you can mass produce them very quickly, right? Yes, you can go through the process of refinement and doing small variations on themes, right? Because you can have one paper airplane, and then you can like, fly it and go, it does not fly very good. What if I did this instead?

Collin 33:57

Yes. Knowing about aeronautics, or anything along those lines? Yeah. Or just be like,

Brandon 34:03

what happens if I fold this wing different? And then it's like fleeing again. And see, it's like a very immediate way of doing that process. Right? Thinking about that, that engineering kind of idea of going, Oh, that was bad. But you make another one real quick. And then in you know, a minute you have another one that is slightly different. Right? You do the thing where you like, fold up the edges or you fold up your final crease further down so that your wings are wider or you do some other thing I don't know. Yeah, really

Collin 34:49

make that really maybe a really long super

Brandon 34:52

narrow nose right? Yeah, right. You can change that shorten you want versus when so that you have the well so that you have the means, like, you can do that thing where you make the wings kind of start further down the body. Yeah, right. So you can, you can have like the classic one that you see a lot where it's like, starts it tapers directly from the point and starts going backwards from there, you know, or you can have like a basically a nose cone of varying length and start your fold at different spots, right, so it looks more like some sort of fixed wing aircraft, I don't know, like, the SR 71 or something. And, and do it that way. You know, so you can it you can do those, like small variations relatively quickly, and kind of think about that process. So that would be the only thing that I would think of, like, kind of that like learning through play, like, Well, why didn't it go very far? Yeah, do this again. And we just like, fling some more paper airplanes and see what happens. Right. So that would be the only the only thought that I would have that. Maybe. But you can also get that in other places as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I learned today. Alright, all that. There we go.

Collin 36:17

So what was it? What was it like teaching them how to make a paper airplane? Or what was that process? Like, oh, I

Brandon 36:22

didn't teach them anything. I said, you have 10 minutes to make a paper airplane. Oh, go. I love it. And so they did they were looking up things or trying to remember things or seeing how it went right. After I surveyed and realized that people were unsure about how paid making paper airplanes went, I said, Okay, now you have 10 minutes. You want? Sure? Like, can we look it up was like, Well, yeah, that's what you have the thing for. So do it and then use this. Yeah. So I mean, that's a skill, I guess, looking up something and following directions.

Collin 37:05

Yeah, ah, I have said time and time again, that knowing how to effectively get new information is way more important, most of it most of the time in life than being able to recall it immediately from the top of your head. I mean, one of the simple things that we would do is, when I was tutoring, it would be just introducing people to like, the the back of a book, right? Like, oh, let me show you to the index. And what that is like that, that would blow a lot of students minds, because they're like, was this my

Brandon 37:47

natural? Yeah, this year, I took a lot more time and talking about like, this is the glossary. This because that's very useful for like my class in general, because we do have some times and in social studies were like, We need to know what these words are. Yeah. Right. Like, we don't always so like, there might when we do read from the book, right? I haven't do the end of chapter questions sometimes, right? Just because it's there. And it's something for us to do. It's a way to build background knowledge, right? So sometimes we do definitions, sometimes we don't, depending on what they are like, okay, these words are not really that important. And we'll get the meaning later, you know, and sometimes like, no, these ones in this chapter are just like the first chapter, right? Like the first one or the unit like, these are the key words that we're going to see a lot of, we're going to use them a lot, and we're going to focus on them a lot, write these down. So like, telling me about this is the glossary. This is how the glossary works. I have a big sign that says glossary page 720 on my cabinet where the books are. That's perfect. So that they can be like, Oh, yes.

Collin 38:59

Well, I just noticed it whenever I was tutoring college students, and it'd be like, define bla bla, bla, bla, bla, on an on a study sheet or something. And they would be like, page one page at a time through the chapter, be flipping to find the word. And then on the next one would be like, define this new term. And they just start back at the beginning of the chapter and flip slowly through it. I was like, Let me hold on just just to flip all the way to the back to this place. This is all alphabetical go.

Brandon 39:35

Yeah, that's much better, right? Yeah. Much more useful, right. I didn't fall into that trap of being like, I swear it was on one of these two pages. And then I like refuse to use it.

Collin 39:45

Oh, yeah. So I could

Brandon 39:48

have found out already and I'd be like, no, no, it was right here. I remember reading you

Collin 39:52

said the left hand side upper,

Brandon 39:55

like skimming the page like over and over again. Close to a photo I think it always turns out it was on the next page. Dang it.

Collin 40:03

Haha. Like well, anyway

Brandon 40:09

yeah, I do that too sometimes. But isn't that what have you been up to this week that was my week basically preparing for programs, not knowing how paper airplanes work and being jerks. What have you been able to hopefully better than that?

Collin 40:31

Well, I mean Monday.

Brandon 40:34

We we

Collin 40:36

we only had. So I had spent basically almost all of last week and through the weekend in Springfield doing visits.

Brandon 40:49

I don't, did I

Collin 40:50

I didn't I didn't tell you. On Friday, I myself had 13 visits in spray. That was just me. And I had four other staff members working and doing other stuff around both the both locations. And Saturday, I had the same number. And then Sunday, I just had a few in the morning. So I was able to come back quickly that afternoon. And so I hadn't seen I didn't have for five days, I was gone for about five days. And so Monday, we just had one dog being dropped off at our house or daycare, and I went, we are having no dog dropped out of our house to take care. We're canceling that apologizing profusely. And then we're gonna go spend a day doing something else as a family. So we canceled that am drove into Kansas City for the day, and literally woke up ate breakfast, and we're still eating breakfast headed into Kansas City at like seven in the morning. And we were like, What are we going to do? And

Brandon 42:05

generally, that is something you decide before you leave. But you know, sometimes it's important to just go right head in

Collin 42:11

general direction. We knew we needed to stop at a target, maybe somewhere in the day. But that was literally it that was only like, hard to find. We're doing this kind of thing. And we ended up I was like just trying to figure out what to do. And then I was like, we're going to the zoo. way kids haven't been to the zoo. I've don't think I've been to the Kansas City zoo and like eons if ever, and so.

Brandon 42:46

I don't know if I've ever been like, I don't think he's you know,

Collin 42:50

I really don't think I have so I was like Google Maps boop, boop, beep. Let's go to the zoo. Showed up 10 minutes after it opened the open at 930 every day of the week, and we were off to the races like we just marched up, bought our tickets and started walking. And you know, the kids having never been to the zoo were like, what, what are we doing here? And I was like, well, listen, we're gonna do a lot of walking. We're also going to stare at and not see any animals. Uh, most of the time was a little cold

Brandon 43:29

Monday, what it was. So some of them were probably like, nope, not going out here. But

Collin 43:37

but, I mean, the zoo can't see the zoo. I forget how old it is. I mean, it's mid 1800s, late 1800s. One of the buildings there is the original building. And it was at one time when they first opened the entire zoo was the building. And I didn't know that. That's cool. Yes, it's pretty cool. And now they've turned that into their tropical portion of the zoo. And so nice. Yeah, it's pretty neat. And so it just feels it feels weird. This isn't a review of the Kansas City zoo it was perfectly fine it was a zipper it is accepting it as much as it is a review but the one thing that I was like when I found out I was like we are buying this was their all access wristband

Brandon 44:24

to their like tram system. Okay. Oh, sweet stereo.

Collin 44:31

Yes. This is like with one wristband like you could piecemeal it was like, now I can ride the train anywhere I want. Oh, I can write their tram anywhere I want to go. I can ride the carousel as many times as I want. I can ride the sky Safari as many times as I want if the boat was operational because it's not in the middle of winter. I could vote as many times it would probably be sick though. They do a boat. They do a boat tour of their Safari other African safari from a boat. Yeah, ask where you can be like in a boat pointing over to the shore being like look, onyx and Gazelle and zebra and wildebeest, and there's a rhino from a boat. They're just like on the shoreline.

Brandon 45:16

So that's pretty sweet, right? Like that. That's the way to go was like,

Collin 45:20

first off like we're definitely riding the train because it just circumvents the whole it's not circumvent circumnavigates the entire park. So you can kind of fancy a little bit here and there as you go along and it makes one stop whenever I was like this, that's like that alone is worth it to ride the little miniature train. Of course it is. But then you're telling

Brandon 45:39

add, no, it was going it's absolutely worth it. Let's get on this train.

Collin 45:44

As soon as he saw there was a train. He was like we're riding the train. And I was like, I know your brain. Why

Brandon 45:50

do we think we're walking this way?

Collin 45:53

They have. They do have a neat part when you're in the Australian part where you open a double sided gate and then you're just in there among free roam kangaroos

Brandon 46:02

say that's cool. And then like the little ones a

Collin 46:05

little like Wallaby ones? Well, we didn't know we didn't have the wasn't for your own wallabies. But we did see the wallabies, but this was like red kangaroos. Oh, wow. The big ones, the big ones. And they're just like free roam around you now they were all sunning themselves on a hill. But had they so choosen they could have just walked alongside us and like we could have had them kind of

Brandon 46:23

that. Yeah, that's what whenever I was at this one of the little we went to like a little zoo in Australia. And that's what they had like the little like the little Wallaby one. So the ones are like a foot and a half tall. Right? Yeah. I just turned around. It was just sitting on a rock with me and yellow. I was

Collin 46:39

okay. That's all we got. You know, we did a little walk to her through that. They have a little sheep barn demo area. Shaping is big in Australia. Oh, yes. So they have a little demo area with cheap and a little thing and walk through there. Got to see a lion up close and an orangutan and close them out to see the penguin exhibit was a lot of fun. Because then we got to see them diving and swimming around and going super fast with the kids just absolutely loved. Got to touch the stingrays, which was a huge, huge hit, like and he was like, Who's touching stingrays. And I definitely had my hand up first before

Brandon 47:25

I got to meet the kids. Oh my gosh, she

Collin 47:27

was like, and if you actually touch one, you can get a sticker. And I was like it's all on? I did. I did have to keep reminding Noah to not use both hands. Where he was just like, full on like just water. He had short sleeve shirts, and the sleeves were soaked. That's all I'm saying. Okay, that's all any anymore. And he would have just literally been swimming in the sea with the series, which is fine. But we did that. And then and then one of the things of like, oh, you can go to the African Safari. But it was like a really, really long walk. Or you could ride a tram was like well, I have purchased the whole access to motor transportation.

Brandon 48:26

So here we go. Tram. Tram we

Collin 48:29

go. And I'm so glad we had that because I don't obviously we could have walked it would have been fine. It would have just really lengthened the amount of time we would have spent out there. And nobody wants to walk like this many many. It's a long way to have to cross a river, a literal river over a massive bridge to get to this aspect of the park. Oh, oh my way separated away from everything. So the train was very nice. And then when we got there, it was like well, we can we could walk around and see stuff but it was like no air tram. Right now we just got off the boring landlocked tram and went to go fly through the skies. And it was it was literally one of those ski lifts that you sit that just constantly moves. Oh yeah, literally never stops. And it just takes you like, I don't know 80 feet above the ground. And you just go at a little nice, steady pace. And you have a little umbrella above you and you look down below and you can see Oh look there the gazelle and wildebeest and zebra they all just literally below you as you're flying out over them. Then you can look out across and you can see him running and they're over here and there's a lake over here and it would have been more exciting how the drafts been out. But I learned that drafts obviously as many in was from Africa. Very obvious reasons aren't very cold tolerant. Surprise eyes, and giraffes are some of the least cold tolerant of them all. And it has to be like 70 degrees before they can go out. So they have

Brandon 50:17

a lot of surface area that will get cold right that bloods gonna go a long way from their heart. So they're like, oh, no,

Collin 50:24

oh no. So, but you would fly right over, you fly right over that area of them. So you could see them like galloping and galavanting beneath you, as you fly over their head. It was really cool to go to you that way fun. And you get off on that end, then they have chimpanzees, just on a hillside. And here's the thing, here's the thing that kept like, kind of broke my brain is, this is an old school kind of Zoo, where they were just like, I'm going to put a fence around this landscape. And I'm not going to change the landscape. So the the chimpanzee exhibit, they just have the massive concrete wall around an oak hickory forest. Well, you know, and then you look out, and you see a gang of chimpanzees marching through the forest. And your brain is like, my brain literally was panicking. Because if I was in the woods and saw this coming towards me, oh, yeah, I run away, I would die. Like I get so scared. And it was just this class of like, a chimp. And there's an oak tree. I like wish and then they were climbing to oak trees. And that was really trippy to just to see a barren oak tree and a chimp just shoot straight up at sitting up in the high trees and like squirrels jumping around.

Brandon 51:51

Was like, that is kind of odd, like a very uncanny valley of like, This is wrong. And odd to

Collin 51:58

look at. Right? Yes, this is exactly the the uncanny valley nature of it, all of it. It was very, extremely familiar, but just totally not all the same soup. Kind of same thing when we went to go see the the hippos they were just kind of in a tub, tub, but like in an area with like, oak tree oak leaves sitting on the water surface, and then like playing with the Oakleys like oh, this is weird. Very odd. Then they have the big the African safari cats section. And this part is the part that I suddenly felt very like

Brandon 52:42

are in like,

Collin 52:45

because you you walk over a plank, again, plank, and then through a little covered bridge. And then it comes to a part where, I don't know 40 years ago, they were like, we're going to make this like a African safari rock outcropping. Mate made out of that plastic

Brandon 53:03

material. Oh, oh, okay. Okay, you're

Collin 53:07

walking through and it's very claustrophobic because they didn't make this for the hundreds of 1000s people that attend the zoo. And they've never updated this and so it just felt suddenly very oily and extremely close. And then around like every big rock outcropping would be a window and there'd be a massive cat or whatever in there. And then you kind of wind your way around feeling like you're lost or like in a part of town that you're not supposed to be in because one window would be boarded over with like, you know, coming soon written underneath or whatever and like and then yeah, it's all cracking and not well up tapped and then they're like Oh, and there's a lion

Brandon 53:46

Oh no, no that part because you want cracking window and lion in the same as what you want

Collin 53:54

to window wasn't cracking but like that faux rock whatever it is. Oh yeah that they used to make it look like that. It was very like I don't think we should be here like this seems sketchy. Like this is the not updated part of the park I can tell

Brandon 54:20

you I don't want not updated in Lions together either. Right? No.

Collin 54:24

And then like we kind of retreat

Brandon 54:27

darkness I know those lions are doing so we've retreated or capable

Collin 54:32

of back across the covered bridge more towards like civilized part of the area. said goodbye to the chimps and and then took the tram SkyTrain back across and they definitely have big signs everywhere. That was like dropped items will not be retrieved today. Like an all in bolt. Basically like, yeah, I understand you dropped your cell phone. We'll get to it.

Brandon 54:57

There's a line down there. isn't really much what they say.

Collin 55:04

But it was it was neat. I hadn't been on one of those things since we went skiing as a family years ago. And I was pretty nervous. I was out a long time ago. Yes, yeah, I was very nervous about getting on these cars, you know, you they don't stop, right, you just have to, yeah, sit down, sit on it, walking, like, put your feet down and walk off to the side and stuff. And it's a little bit easier when you're not in ski boots or skis to do this maneuver. But still, it's like it's a little nerve racking because it's like, it just goes boom, it takes you like straight up across the high wire. And but that was that was our favorite part. We had to end on that and then come back home. And that was a lot of fun. So highly recommend. It's pretty awesome. All Access tram passes

Brandon 55:58

are the key to know they

Collin 56:00

really are of like, did we see all of the park? Do we go to every single possible exhibit? No, we could have. We could. We could. And we were there for we were already there for over six hours. Right. And we didn't see everything. So next time we go, we're gonna have to focus on the tropics and a little bit places to the southern southern border of the park. Because you missed the first night. Yeah, we missed that. Because we like we spent so much time in in Australia. And then we did the Arctic into the penguins. And then we had lunch and then was like, okay, like we probably need to. So we took the tram around in Africa. And that's where we spent the rest of our time then we came home because we were It was tiring. And it was it wasn't a pleasant day to be outside his 50s. But it was a lot of wind. So it was yeah, it felt really cold.

Brandon 56:55

So I

Collin 56:57

highly recommend that. And that was the other part is it's winter. So they're a lot slower. Which is one aspect nice because I couldn't imagine being in that park was just throngs and throngs of people. Because, again, it's a very old Zoo. So within it's never didn't expand enough to really keep a lot of those traffic flows. Good. Wow. Yeah, a lot of people. So it'd be very overwhelming to be there in like, the peak season. But, you know, so not about people there, we have most of the parts of ourselves. But that means that a lot of the animals weren't out. So we, you know, we had a lot of those signs of like, where am I? It'd be a little sign hanging in the middle of the big viewing windows, like, where am i due to whether I am the same

Brandon 57:42

size? Spraying? Yeah, that's true.

Collin 57:46

So that that kind of wasn't, but

Brandon 57:47

that'd be a good thing about, you know, going back to like, a lot of times the tropical stuff is it's inside anyway. So right, it's a more accessible year round, because it's already in a building. So

Collin 58:01

So yes, had we planned this out a bit more, other than like, literally, just driving in the morning to figure out what we're gonna do? We would have, we would have gone to the tropics and done the indoor building stuff more than all the outdoor viewing spaces. Sure. Because then I was like, Oh, well, maybe they'll have because some of them did have indoor inside viewing areas.

Brandon 58:23

Oh, yeah. But for things like, you know, I like I

Collin 58:28

remember. And I think it's still this way, like the Springfield Dickerson that you can go see the inside, giraffe area and elephant area. When they're inside. Like, you walk, you can walk through that part.

Brandon 58:45

In the barn thing, it's like a big it looks like a big shed, but it's like a huge building.

Collin 58:49

Right? Yes. But that was part of your path. Like you could choose. Yeah, through that.

Brandon 58:53

I think there's another part where they go though, that's not the you know, walk through. Back the backstage area, right, or whatever. It's called, like the Yes, yeah. But then the in the barn. There's that shed thing where they're in there sometimes.

Collin 59:10

So yeah, so this doesn't have that. Smelling? Horribly. Yeah. And that was the other thing. The kids kept asking, what's that smell? And I was like, oh, yeah, by the way. zoos. Here's so here are the three things you need to know about zoos. We're gonna walk a lot. We're not gonna see all the animals. It's because we're like poop the entire time. Let's go have fun. It was really cool. But because of the size of this zoo,

Brandon 59:40

a lot of their

Collin 59:43

barns are kind of off property. And they walk the animals down paths in between places to get them to their outdoor fuel. Oh, that's weird. Yeah. So you have to like herd the giraffes through this kind of winding path. Have to get here and same thing with like the camels like they're off there backstage staging area you didn't have access to so yeah, walk through this gated areas to get to the outdoor viewing area. So a lot of that stuff was just behind the scenes. It's yeah, it makes interesting

Brandon 1:00:23

was imagining Hertie drafts. I can't imagine that going well, right. Like, who would not want to hurt it? Right. Like a draft could destroy to kill a lion? Like hurting that? No, no good.

Collin 1:00:35

Well, yeah, or like or, or they have

Brandon 1:00:39

a Huracan behind the draft.

Collin 1:00:40

They have to hurt the rhinos to get to their viewing area. Yeah.

Brandon 1:00:45

Rhinos can't see anything. And they're grumpy. So about that live either. Make a terrible Zookeeper. block this right. No, no.

Collin 1:00:59

You? Where's where's my where's my take?

Brandon 1:01:04

Yeah. All right. Like, there's a lizard name. Do we get in there? Like a fish tank? Yeah, I can go. Next, you tell me kind of walk the bear down this pattern? No, no, I don't. Okay, pretty fun day, though.

Collin 1:01:29

No, it was a lot of fun. We all really enjoyed it. It was very nice. It was very good. The kids were super excited. They had had an opportunity to possibly go to the zoo with their entire school.

Brandon 1:01:41

And I'm, I'm glad we didn't do that. Because

Collin 1:01:51

I can't imagine trying to do what we did with 50 other people.

Brandon 1:01:56

Oh, yeah. Yeah. From their first time at the zoo, right? It's a little more.

Collin 1:02:01

Yeah, well, it just like we could move at our own pace, and skip huge swaths. And yeah, it's true, and just like, dark out, and go do stuff. You know, again, I'm, I'm sure for the kids, it would have been nice to have been there with their friends to experience some of that, but just like pacing wise, and like time spent at the zoo, that meant we could just be like, you know, we're gonna chill in this building in play on the swing, set, sir, play on the climbing gym or go down the slide a lot. And then we're gonna go, you know, skip past some of these other animals that we've kind of seen things like them, and to get to a different part. So

Brandon 1:02:39

yeah, that's true. Because then, the biggest the problem with that large group is everybody wants to see something different. And so you get into like, a crawl where you don't get anywhere, right? Because everyone's like, I want to see this. Like for people like I want to see this thing and you have to wait for them. Either. The next thing for different people like I want to see this and they go Alright, gotta wait for this to so you can't there's not a lot of skipping happening. Unless you get a very clear like, this is our route. No crying about it. Right. There's no, yes. Yep. Tough. Daily winks. Right, like,

Collin 1:03:21

we're moving forward and onward.

Brandon 1:03:24

Exactly. So

Collin 1:03:28

we'll definitely be going back now. You know, Megan, having growing grown up in in St. Louis is like, Oh, well, we need to go see the St. Louis Zoo.

Brandon 1:03:38

Because it's better than well. Also. Isn't there like a super mega huge Zoo? And like Omaha? Just like right there. Yeah. Is that right? Am I making this up? This is correct, right. Like in Nebraska in Omaha, Nebraska. Is there a big zoo there? Yeah,

Collin 1:04:01

this big zoo in the Omaha's Henry. Missouri. Yeah, there's

Brandon 1:04:06

a big zoo there. Yeah, that's like a real big one, too. And that one, I think is supposed to be like really good. So that one's not like, too far. It's not that much further north in Kansas City. So

Collin 1:04:15

no, no, it's not Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Omaha Zoo. Yeah, yeah. They've got they also have the big like, yeah, geodesic dome for the environment. And they gotta ocean underwater aquarium tunnel in a lot of

Brandon 1:04:34

that stuff. Yeah. You do that one to add that to the list? Boom.

Collin 1:04:42

And now that we have our road tripping vehicle set, Oh, true. And we're ready. I mean

Brandon 1:04:55

Okay, so it's, it's

Collin 1:04:57

quite a bit further than Kansas City.

Brandon 1:04:59

It's how much further north is it?

Collin 1:05:01

Well kansas city zoo is an hour and 23 minutes away from us. Omaha is four hours.

Brandon 1:05:08

Omaha is that much further away? Yeah, I'm gonna get how I always feel like it's closer. Anytime I drove up that way it's like Kansas City and then all of a sudden there's Omaha

Collin 1:05:17

well there's not a there's not

Brandon 1:05:18

a whole lot on ice true nine in the middle. That's true. I 29 sort of dies after Kansas City in between kids yet nothing else

Collin 1:05:25

into Platt you get through you coast through Platte City and then you

Brandon 1:05:29

wake up in in Omaha. That's true. After Omaha. There's basically nothing until Fargo. So they're Sioux Falls. Yeah. Yeah, not a lot in Sioux Falls. No Sioux Falls listeners but wow. Wow. In Yeah.

Collin 1:05:51

Yeah. Yeah. There's really really is it's yeah, there's nothing. Then there's Omaha four hours later and then four hours cost if I'd be like eight hours later, there's

Brandon 1:06:01

Fargo? Yeah, Fargo was very far away. I forget how so far. It's it's horrid. That's the worst. Drove that the first time I drove that, like, when we were in North Dakota. I mean, my friends drove to Canada for a camping trip after we graduate high school, right? Yes. And as one does, literally, we're driving. We drove in an in North Dakota, we drove just like straddling the yellow line in the middle of the road for like 35 minutes. Because there was no other cars on the interstate. Zero. Right, we just drove right on that way. The wider yellow line, whatever the dashed line between her two lanes drove right on it. One tire needs lane, because there was no other cars. It was the most ridiculous thing ever. Like with no people here. What on earth is happening? Yeah, he's so weird. That's bad. I saw more people in New Mexico than I saw in North Dakota on the highway. Like, middle of nowhere, Arizona. There was cars on the road. Not in North Dakota. Nothing. There was nothing. Crazy. How did that trip come about? It was one of those things that we were like, Hey, we should do this. And then we all went okay. Okay, that makes sense. And then we did. We just sort of decided that we were going to so we just arbitrarily pick. Winnipeg, Canada, kind of, because it was a direct route. You could drive there directly on i 29. And there was campgrounds north of town. And we found out the last day we were leaving it there. We were actually like not very far away from like a really big lake with like, lots of stuff to do. Like, Oh, dang, it.

Collin 1:08:27

Could have done that. Instead, you spent your time in a bathroom drying out from the rain. Yes, that's true.

Brandon 1:08:34

Once again, we're Canada. Summer weather lied to us. Because the forecast was like, Oh, it'll be like, you know, 60 to 70 degrees and it'll be fine. We got up there. And it was 40 degrees, and it rained for three days. So the birds Hill providential Park bathroom is very lovely. It's the cleanest campground bathroom I've ever seen in my entire life. They have an excellent hand dryer that is capable of drying out your sleeping bag. Just in case you're dangerous. They

Collin 1:09:09

probably thought through that. First rodeo

Brandon 1:09:15

Yeah, that was one of the things like what let's just do it. And then we did. We explored Winnipeg. Very nice. Okay, it's a camping. And just like random stuff. We toured the Royal Canadian Mint. Yeah. Really? Yes. We learned a boot to the process of making Canadian coins. Okay. Yeah.

Collin 1:09:41

I'm sure very different than everyone else's process.

Brandon 1:09:45

It was always a process. It was actually pretty sweet. I like to read. The coolest part was they have the ID the they have. So Canada is have the $2 coins during the $2 coin club, right? Yes. And so Oh, they have a machine that makes it to yellow coins is really cool, because it's actually two different disks of metal that are put together. Outside disk. Yeah, is the silver one, right? The gold Yeah, the gold in the middle. So the outside disk is silver. And then there's in so it looks like a doughnut. Right? The blank is a doughnut. So it's an outside the disc, and then there's a hole in the middle. And in that around the hole on the inside, there's a groove cut into the side of it. Alright, so that when they put in the gold part in the middle, the gold part in the middle is slightly thicker. Oh, then the silver blank. So when they press it, it actually presses into the inside of the thing, sealing it altogether, when they press the die to mint the coin. Wow, it's a two stage process, you're actually pushing these two, like mechanically pushing these two pieces of metal together and stamping the coin at the same time. That machine is really sweet. I like that. Looking at the dyes and stuff, and there's really nerdy and awesome. So that was really cool to watch him do that. Oh, yeah. Cable There you go. Yeah, that was fun. And I also learned that there's nothing in North Dakota. That's what

Collin 1:11:35

shouldn't have been all that surprising. But it's okay. Yeah, you know,

Brandon 1:11:38

it's all right. This is also the trip where I saw the best sign I've ever seen in my entire life. When we were crossing the border into Canada, right, first of all, at least 20 years ago. Canadian border people, nicest people in the universe, right? They're so great. Except for they really confused like, we were driving my friend's car. And they like, we didn't think about this forgot there. Because they're like, Whose car is this? Like, is this your car? Because I was driving? I was like, No. And he was like, he freaked out. And he's like, Whose car is this? Like it is? It's like, Well, why is he driving? Because we've been driving for 14 hours. Yeah, we're tired. And he was like, oh, okay, that makes sense. Nevermind. They have this big old sign in the building. There's like this big list of like, things that is not permitted across the border. Right. And at the top of this list is sea turtles.

Collin 1:12:48

First, North Dakota. Yeah, right.

Brandon 1:12:52

All the way through North Dakota. context is key here. People 1000s of miles from the seed, like new sea turtles.

Collin 1:13:01

Were really concerned about that southern border.

Brandon 1:13:06

Ring. Oh my gosh. It's so good. Yeah. What on earth is happening? Like,

Collin 1:13:15

why is it Oh, no. We forgot our plants and oil to turn around.

Brandon 1:13:28

is the best thing I've ever seen. Okay, you know, sea turtles are allowed in Canada. But it makes you again,

Collin 1:13:34

it's one of those things that could you learn like it's there for a reason,

Brandon 1:13:40

right? Why? Who is bringing sea turtles into Canada

Collin 1:13:43

I needed in North Dakota. I need more of a story here people, right. Like I really need

Brandon 1:13:51

context. There's some context here that we're missing. And I want it because it sounds really intriguing. Like what is going on? Right? Like,

Collin 1:14:00

I need to know this. Like, there's I need to know the story of the great sea turtle smuggling ring.

1:14:07

Yes. Of the 30s or whatever. Like there is I've I that need that in my life. Oh, yeah. Especially after just the monotonous drive through North Dakota. Scene as I'm doing. What

Collin 1:14:25

am I what we're all seeing? We're all seeing the same thing, right. We

Brandon 1:14:30

looking at this and what is going on? I don't know what. That was great. That was a highlight of that trip for sure. No sea turtles allowed. And then coming back across the border, the American border people. Super nice. Super Girl. Obviously, we were there in Canada. To do nefarious activities, as he was like, he was like, what? He wasn't doing like camping. And he was like, prove it. My friends like what? You smell us right now. Like, look, look.

Collin 1:15:15

Don't but yeah, do

Brandon 1:15:18

it. It was like how do I know you tell the truth? Like, I don't know, it could be all the really dirty candy stuff in the trunk of a car. Could be a giveaway to San likely that that's yeah, you're gonna smell those sleeping bags and tell me that we have

Collin 1:15:37

me don't because they're kind of a biochem quite well yeah, that's

Brandon 1:15:39

true I regret that choice but if you did, yeah, go smell the trunk. And you'll just be like, ah, Okay, nevermind. That is like

Collin 1:15:58

when i i spent time in Montreal for some courses and some extra training. And I I was in Montreal during the apparently it's just their annual like riots at banks on that they do. Oh, yeah, I remember Yeah, are fine. And I was like, literally leaving like the day. That's the French part of Canada for the French do that sometimes.

Brandon 1:16:24

You know what? Let's have it goodness, right. It'll be

Collin 1:16:28

pretty much what that was. And they were like, I was leaving that day. It was like all for like, college age students and all this stuff. It was like, Yep, I'm leaving. Yeah. I was worried that, you know, they were it was all over the news of like, people coming in from all across the globe to like, take part in these and all this stuff. And I was like, yeah, here I am just trying to get out. Let's just

Brandon 1:16:55

leave this running this computer current program on fish. Okay. i

Collin 1:16:58

Yeah. All

Brandon 1:17:02

I want that was some poutine. Right. That's all I want. Poutine. That's fine. That is the great discovery. Right? When you travel internationally. We can do more episodes on this later, when, but I just want to bring this up right now. Because we're on the subject here. When you travel internationally, you learned very exciting things. The first time I went to Canada, I had this like mind altering experience where I ordered something with french fries. And the waiter looked at me and he said, ketchup, mayonnaise or gravy. And I was like, What? What? That's an option, right? Yeah. Okay, my life was forever changed by having gravy as the French fried condiment for the first time. This is by far just a superior choice. in all regards, right, like, why? Cool ketchup? What get out no gravy, right?

Collin 1:18:13

Like you're relegated to second choice.

Brandon 1:18:16

Yeah, I mean, I don't even usually. I just used to eat french fries, just like with no condiments, like dry, right? Because I don't like ketchup very much. But he was like, ketchup, mayonnaise or gravy. I was like, first mayonnaise caught me off guard more than the gravy a little bit because I was like, What? What? But like no. Yes, he was like, I was like yes gravy. Yes. Yes.

Collin 1:18:43

I would like that bring that over actually. Much much like you're right like that's that's a possibility. Like I can do that. Here. That's the thing is like as we learned of of options for preparing an egg include sandwich.

Brandon 1:18:59

Yes. You

Collin 1:19:04

You're left with with your world open to many many new

Brandon 1:19:09

possibilities. Yes, it's man a magnificent listeners if you have not eaten gravy on French fries. You need to do this immediately. Right? It makes so much sense right? You have mashed potatoes and gravy. French fries and gravy. That's where it's at. Right? That is the but now I'm sure any listeners we have in like the south here in the United States I like bro you just put gravy on everything. Every snap, but it's not like the Canadian gravy is not like a white gravy. Right? Because in the south a lot of times it's like a wider gravy with like the chicken in the stuff when you just have in front of me know what I mean? Like, yeah, it's a very weird like brown gravy. It's very delicious. So the Canadian gravy, whatever that is. Look up what that is and then quit that. That Do you want your french fries? Yes. Oh, last thing. Sidenote, I remembered, I've been waiting to tell you this for like three weeks now. Oh, okay. Yeah, I have received something in the mail a few months or three months ago, I forgot I ordered this. Because I ordered it in like April. And then like, it took forever. There was some printing things. It's a book, right. So there was some printing issues, and they had to finish doing stuff. And they got pushed back and pushed back. Well, I showed up in like, maybe a month and a half ago. I got my brother from the Peace Corps as a fundraiser. Pretty rad. I bought a Ukrainian cookbook. What? Yeah, yeah, sure it did. So maybe over Christmas break time, we might have crane week updates, because we may be making traditional Ukrainian dishes. I think. I think I'm probably kind of excited about this.

Collin 1:21:09

I definitely think that when we are at dad's house, there needs to be some taste testing.

Brandon 1:21:15

I don't know. I haven't moved. I've made anything yet. I just have the book. Right. And I haven't had like a lot of time for us, but I have it in my possession. So it that just a small update for you. Okay, from all the way back in Ukraine week. Oh, great episode, by the way. That's it. I have procured a Ukrainian cookbook. It's like, members of the Peace Corps. Like got the recipes from people that they were staying with when they were in Ukraine, like, however many years ago, right. Oh, that's cool. And so they're like, random, like Ukrainian families recipes. So it looks great. The pictures look amazing. So yeah. I'm lamb. So that ad does update there. So more updates on that, potentially in the future.

Collin 1:22:08

I like this a lot. I this is not have nothing to do with that. For the kids. And then this beer they are the kids had a big Thanksgiving feast at their school and their school is small enough that everybody's invited. And the whole school like prepares a meal for everybody. And there's a bunch of people who cook and whatever. And I got, I got signed up to be part of that. And I was in the kitchen, helping put stuff together. And I got to talk with some amazing people who are from Ukraine. About nice being here. And as I have mentioned before, where I live has an extremely high population of people from Ukraine already, like prior to everything happening. Like it's just yeah, it's one of the highest densely populated areas for people from that part of the world. And so it was very interesting to talk with her about like, why here? What gift here gives them? She said? She said, Well, she said, What two things today? Obviously, one, there's the community aspect of like, everybody in Ukraine actually, like knows of this area already as a place to come because they're already here.

Brandon 1:23:28

So yeah. It's my cousin's cousin brothers that, you know, like,

Collin 1:23:34

to, they all want land. They all want true thinking. And well, yeah, they come from a farming culture, their culture site. So they're like, they're not talking about like, needing 50 acres, 100 acres, this lady, she was just like, we were looking for five, we knew we could get everything we needed on like five acres. And we can find that here in Australia. And then there is a place for that. Yeah. And so there's just like, five acre five acre fire apparently, and they just have their own little like, and, and it really, really is like oyster community of like, it's hard to get into those. Because they stay very much to themselves. They all shop at the same places go to the same churches, very rarely talk to outsiders. They're very close knit in that in that aspect. But they're very self reliant. And very, you know, I'll grow this, you'll grow that and we'll trade and do that kind of stuff. So because that system of support is already here. That's one reason why people continue to Yeah, it's because they have that. Yeah. It's it helps them took a softer landing, right? Yes, exactly. Which I thought was very cool. But anyway, I just do that. I'll throw that in there. And then we'll do our cookbook. Yeah, update at some point in the future. Hopefully soon, but we'll see. Okay, I'm loving this

Brandon 1:25:05

yeah I need to get my on that boisterous be right so

1:25:08

see? Yes

Collin 1:25:12

we will. We'll leave it there. Leave it all right. Look we learned so much today we didn't need much to know until Until next time

1:25:21

hi yes love you love you bye