the room is the instrument

We should have used a lake. Brandon has detected a pattern. Collin heard an organ. We discuss carrot cakes.

  • Haiku

    • In the sky so high,

    • Heart races, fear meets delight—

    • Zip line through the light.

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A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE

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SUMMARY KEYWORDS

people, sit, play, dino, flannel, bass pro shop, weird, talk, experience, sounds, buy, cold, piano, guests, walk, happening, big, pig, put, oregon

SPEAKERS

Brandon, Collin Funkhouser

Collin Funkhouser  00:04

Welcome to Oh, brother, a podcast. Two brothers. Trying to figure it all out. Your hosts, Brandon. And Paula. On this week's show of the room is the instrument

Brandon  00:17

of life. Boy,

00:20

oh boy. Oh, is that was it?

Brandon  00:23

It is.

Collin Funkhouser  00:24

Yeah. Hey, I like this energy we're bringing in Yes. Hey.

Brandon  00:36

That was pretty good. How are you?

Collin Funkhouser  00:39

I am I am. Well, I am. I'm more on the road to recovery. I don't feel like I sound as nasally or as congested. But maybe that's just me and my, my, my bias against me. Reviving? Yeah, yep, admonishing myself, to be honest. But I did. I went and had somebody say, oh, so I was, I was going around. I was just saying hi to businesses and stuff. It's like do and just go hey, what's going on? And how are things? Blah, blah. And I went into this to tee up one of those cryo freezing therapy places, right? Have you seen these?

Brandon  01:23

Where you like I've heard the name. But I, I have no. Like actual contextual knowledge of what happens. There. Yes. Right. So like, I know that it exists,

01:37

but I don't know. Why. Yes. I

Collin Funkhouser  01:44

same, I have no idea what what happened in one of these. I just heard like, cryo, facials, or cryo treatments. But I ended up going and just saying hi to these people. I figured, you know, it'd be interesting. So I did and I'm, as I'm talking to them to go, oh, we have this thing for we, we use this for our facials. Also, we can use these for like sinus pressure.

Brandon  02:16

And I was like, really? Tell me more. I mean,

02:20

more, because I has, has a little PESA sinus pressure.

Brandon  02:23

Like that's probably why they mentioned it, they could tell here they see the pain

Collin Funkhouser  02:27

in my face. And they're like,

02:29

so I

Collin Funkhouser  02:32

did. I did try this. I did. I went I finished up the visit. I went back, I did other stuff that I was like, you know, I should probably just go see what this is like it was it was it was only like, because it was a new new client or whatever, they were giving a special like, discount on it. I was like, Okay, I don't have a whole lot to lose. And if it does end up helping me like, I'll be very, you know, excited to be as, as it would, as it would you know, pretend so I did do this. I sat down in the chair, the chair is heated, they recline you back. They said a heated pad around your shoulders and your neck. And then they pull this because they're gonna freeze you to

Brandon  03:14

death and then yes, bounce it out. Yes, this okay.

Collin Funkhouser  03:18

And the lady doing this was like, you know, I do this. She's I started this because I had I forget what she said she had, but she knows but I I still haven't gotten used to the treatments because I hate the cold. And I was like, Oh, well that's a fun thing to say to somebody has ever done what a selling

Brandon  03:36

point for. Wow.

Collin Funkhouser  03:39

Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. And so she wheeled over this cart. And it had what I believe to have been like, I don't know, like liquid nitrogen or something. And it's something like really really? Yeah, you know, something similar? Yeah. Yes. Very cold in this tank. And she had this punched a bunch of buttons and then she had the saw handheld

04:07

gun thing that when she would press it

Collin Funkhouser  04:10

it would shoot out this blast of air and it was so cold that you could see the you know people you could see it right so it must have been no it wasn't a nitrogen what would it have been her anyway and then she started wanting this over my face so she she gets about six to eight inches away from my face and she's just starts wandering this over and it's like a directed blast of cold air hitting you in the face. And she just goes over the sinuses and goes all the face that's it on the scalp. And then she comes back to it and then it gets it's real cold like she did say like some people don't like it very, very long. So raise your hand if you if you want me to stop And then also, every time that she said she was trying to ask me questions and talk to me while I was doing this, which was fun. But every time she would do that, she was also wanting this thing over. And it takes your breath away to the point like you can't, you can't talk. It's so cold. And I also believe because the gas that it's using sucks the oxygen away from you. So, possibly, yeah, she's asked this question, and I'd be like

05:26

Oh, terrible. And

Collin Funkhouser  05:30

there was like a little massage thing with it, we'll do it. So she did that. And then she said, Now, here's some tissues for your car ride home, because as you start to warm up and open up, you'll get

Brandon  05:40

a bunch of release. And, and I did, I did,

Collin Funkhouser  05:44

it was it worked quite well. So I can I can endorse this as a thing, if that's if you want to go get your face frozen. It's quite, quite interesting. It felt very weird. You know, like, whenever you got really stuffed up sinuses and a lot of pressure, and then it starts to like, this is really gross, but you know, like, break loose, you can kind of feel you'll feel that. Now imagine that but like, amplified because it was really cold. And now because it's warming up, it's now going through that process a little bit more of an escalated pace.

06:18

So it was

Brandon  06:21

do you think it has something to do with the like, contraction and expansion, right? Because as you you think like the cells in your sinuses, like as they're getting colder, like,

06:29

shrinking? Right, so and

Brandon  06:32

then they will start warming up to expand and like start releasing stuff. Yeah, I

Collin Funkhouser  06:37

think yeah, she didn't actually, you know, it didn't get cold enough to actually, you know, freeze,

Brandon  06:42

freeze, but like, but they you know, like, whenever things get cold, they contract. And then when the heat they expand, I don't know if that is fact in like, faces. Or if that's just like, for my just describing mental fatigue. I mean that yeah, be it but yeah, same thing

Collin Funkhouser  07:01

for most people. But no, because one of the treatments for inflamed sinuses and sinus pain is like, alternating hot and cold, not just doing all hot compresses or it's it is alternating them, it's in sequences. So this kind of takes this to an extreme where you're going to really you're gonna keep it cold and the treatment was like 25 minutes long, so it was like a prolonged thing. And then you step out and everything is going to be warmer than what you just experienced, you know, it's kind of this and then you get this slow warm up over time. And so it was so it felt it felt really weird and but also good. So it was my interesting medical adventure this this weekend, so I can say that I got to try cryo therapy before. Before Megan did and she's not she's not jealous this time. Actually, it turns out Yeah, I

Brandon  07:56

was gonna say this it sounds like the exact kind of thing she would not want to go do because cryo and Megan don't really mix together. Well at all actually. This is a terrible

Collin Funkhouser  08:09

as a matter of fact, her only question to me was Do they have a sauna?

Brandon  08:13

Yes, do we see opposite of cryo therapy do they?

Collin Funkhouser  08:19

But it turns out they do so because a lot of people go and do like cryo treatment and then go sit in a sauna or certain sauna and do a cryo chamber like again doing this alternating kind of thing so

Brandon  08:29

I am this is just how the Finnish people sauna Yes Right.

08:35

This is like the sit in the sauna jump in the lake thing right that's basically what

Collin Funkhouser  08:43

this is exactly what this is.

Brandon  08:47

Just see where they go to finish people are looking at cryotherapy going bro

08:52

yeah just a Tuesday

Brandon  08:54

come on

08:55

let's go like jumping have a lake they can go jump in like what is this? Yeah. Is

Brandon  09:01

the lake and you go the sauna like sauna like right that's

Collin Funkhouser  09:11

so I mean until until we can get I mean our winter has been very odd so far it's been very very warm and rainy up yeah, thanks very so no frozen lake. Yes

Brandon  09:26

Was it mostly it's like damp right very damp cold Yes. Not like cold cold but like just cold enough to be like annoying it with the dampness. Right. And I think I think that's why literally everyone I know is having sinus congestion CURRENTLY Right? Like, seasons is still going strong, right? Like Mine is mostly gone, but it's like still there just like just a little bit to be annoying, right? Like every person at school like

09:52

oh, yeah,

Collin Funkhouser  09:53

I've heard a lot of mystery. I don't know. Do you guys have the like stomach bug going around your School, I've actually had several staff members who have had to take time away to deal with to take care of their kids because they random a random stomach bug going around their schools.

Brandon  10:11

Not in the sixth grade anyway. Okay. I don't know about other places. This week. I've been very, like insular. So I don't know. I haven't been out and about. Exactly. Or secretary was not feeling well, this week. I don't know if that's related or not, but she was gone some days. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. It was play practice week for Christmas program. Winter program, technically. Right. Okay. It was just a winter

10:39

program. So they were there was a lot of that. So I did, like, we didn't get a lot of

Brandon  10:47

like, actual schooling accomplished. Because we had to take all this, they had to go rehearse and stuff. So I don't really know I would do not get out and about and go do you think? So? Because I usually keep all the band kids just in the classroom? Because fifth and sixth grade is that they have band. Right. And so if you're in band in fifth and sixth grade, you're not in the music class. You don't have a choir, choral music. Yes. Right. And so when they practice for the choral program,

11:24

ah, they

Brandon  11:25

the band kids have nowhere to go. Right. So the

11:28

two options are, have them go sit in the auditorium in the bleachers, while everyone else is practicing.

Brandon  11:38

Or vacant, stay in my classroom. Right?

11:42

One of those is a lot

Brandon  11:46

more manageable than the other.

11:49

Like, yeah,

Collin Funkhouser  11:51

what makes a tiny bit more sense?

Brandon  11:54

Yeah. Because one, they have to, like sit silently and not speak and other one, they can just like, do activities and just be so we went with that one, you know, for sanitary reasons. And that was nice. So that was basically my week, ready for the winter program, which was Thursday, which is why I couldn't do Thursday. Thursday night,

12:24

how was it? It was pretty good, actually. Right? It was,

12:30

it was pretty good. And

Brandon  12:31

they did a good job. There was several, like, unintentionally hilarious moments, like, one of their speaking parts, like when one of my students was like, paired up with like, a third grader, for like a speaking moment. And the height difference is approximately three feet. And so the whole like, yeah, it was like, I'm sitting down to try to sing into this.

12:59

Oh, it was

Brandon  13:07

like, some stuff, right. And I was telling the kids write a little insight into my brain. Okay. So the premise of the program is that there is an NS and in okay, there's an in, in the unspecified, North Country. Oh, oh, right. And they're gearing up for the winter season. Yes. And the dub, they're getting the end ready. And guests have come. But it's not winter yet. Old Man Winter has not arrived to bring any snow to the north country in. So how, what are we going to do? Because the end specializes in snow based activities. He did and so all these poor kids are up on stage like full heap until the winter gear. Oh, onto the stage lights and it's like, oh

Collin Funkhouser  14:12

our Oh, that sounds terrible.

Brandon  14:18

Here's what some of the kids come back with like, oh, that's got to be horrible for you. Or look, I like hat and scarf and coat on above the stage of the lights like Oh, no.

14:30

Oh, no. Yeah.

Brandon  14:33

How long was the program? I was like 30 minutes. Right and not very long. Okay. But then like yesterday, we you know, we have worries and we're fretting and there's tribulations and then you know, the guests are arriving. But then the last guest to arrive is Old Man Winter and the snow begins to fall and the winter season of the inn is saved. Hurray. Right. But I was because again, so the basic premise of the outline here, because my brain is the way it is, are sitting there watching this, right? And I'm looking at all of the people in the cast, as in staff, right? The owners, and there's just a bunch of random people with like brooms and stuff, right? There's like a whole bunch of them. And then as the guests come, I'm noticing that there's more staff than guests. Oh, and I'm going like, well, this is just fiscally irresponsible. How? of more people on staff,

15:41

right? What are the economics this fine?

Brandon  15:44

What are the economics? I decided, in my brain? My head canon is now officially since this is opening weekend. These are only the first guests. And so we're assuming there will be more coming. Right? Yeah. After like curtain closes on the play. But like, in a magical land, right. The season will now continue and there will more guests shall arrive because the snow is now here, right? So more will come. So like it's a it's fine. But just like the beginning, it's like, oh, oh, no, there's like 12 staff and like nine guests was going on?

16:23

Yeah. Oh, no.

Brandon  16:25

I thought that was funny. That's not an important part of the play. But I

Collin Funkhouser  16:29

thought oh, are you sure sounds like it's pretty important to

Brandon  16:35

me, maybe that's why they're so worried about keeping the stain open. Right. Like they need

Collin Funkhouser  16:42

to kind of do what they can they're overstaffed. Maybe Maybe it'll pick up maybe that's what it says. That's

Brandon  16:48

how I'm thinking like, once old man, winter has come? Right. Yeah. Hopefully more guests will come. You know, because we're never told how big the inn is within maybe more rooms than we think. Right? So there'll be, it'll be fine. I'm sure. It'll be fine. It'd be fine. But these are the very helpful thoughts. I was thinking while watching this. children's play about snow. So that's what I thought, oh, man, those people must be dying of heat exhaustion right now because they're been fully bundled winter gear on a stage. With all the stage let's face it.

Collin Funkhouser  17:26

That sounds not fun at all.

Brandon  17:28

It does sound quite unpleasant. But you know, it was short program so they you know, they could they could get the jackets off again. Sure. free to roam about. Hopefully get some water. Hydrate a little bit, right. It gets

Collin Funkhouser  17:47

in front of a fan. Fan? Yeah.

Brandon  17:52

Where's the actual snow? I need some? I need some relief here. I take an ice hat on inside. It's terrible. Yeah.

18:02

Did they just do?

Collin Funkhouser  18:02

Did they have one performance? They had a couple of different performance.

Brandon  18:06

I was just one because it's just the third through sixth grade. So they just have a one to one I'd

18:10

only event. Oh, my see.

Brandon  18:15

Yeah, yeah. So they have they split it up. So like the, this one is all changed, but nothing is doing the same all the time. So that's the this one is like third through sixth. And then in the springtime, there will be like a

18:31

K to program. Right? For smaller children's. So all right, you can split it up. That's the one that's like

Brandon  18:45

that one sounds terrifying. I'm glad I don't have to go to that is well documented? I am afraid of first graders right? Too many first graders are terrifying side runaway. So I don't

19:02

walk the other direction.

19:07

So yeah, that's been mostly my week. Attempting to navigate, play practice. And then try to figure out like, oh, I have

Brandon  19:18

no time left before Christmas break. What? How far are we getting in school? What's gonna happen? No. I don't know. I take a very, like, laissez faire approach to this. Right? I don't really. I'm not super interested in just making sure that we end a unit before Christmas break. Okay, I don't care. Like we're gonna go to wherever we are. And that'll be it. And then when we come back, we'll just sort of pick up and just keep going and it'll be fine. And I don't know, I don't care that much. Right. It is nice to find like a moderately good stopping point. But yeah, whatever. I don't want that. It's fine, we can do whatever. But this little sort of annoying to be like, Huh?

20:06

How far are we gonna be? Where?

Collin Funkhouser  20:09

What do I have to do before this? So

Brandon  20:11

there's just sort of like, figuring out like, what's actually happening, right? Again, I don't care too much, because I'm not going to be like, Oh my gosh, I have to have this unit done before breaking their bed. It's fine. It doesn't matter. But it's still kind of like, okay, yeah, this may days, or not these things coming up. Where am I at? Because I do have some things that are like, multiple days. Like the, like, we especially in like, my afternoon class, right? Like we we work on them for like, multiple days in a row. Yeah, like assignments or presentations or something like that. So I gotta see, like, Okay, where are we? Where are we gonna be with those things? Like, we got to make sure we finish all multi day assignment.

Collin Funkhouser  20:57

Because that that would be a bad time to stop. Right just to be in the middle. It'd be a very bad

Brandon  21:03

time to start, like, start working on a presentation for two days. Leave for like two and a half weeks. Come back again. Oh, what?

21:10

What's why

Brandon  21:11

am i What's that? Yeah, what is was going on? That would be bad. But you know, we'll get it figured out. Okay. Oh, and then all these other mystery things like, When are my grades actually do? Becky's like rounding up missing things from people like, okay, come here. Give me the Where have you been not coming in to see me with your missing assignments? Like, trying to round it scrape up those things? Right. Like, I just have a couple. Right? They're actually pretty good this year about that. I only have a few that are missing things. So I just need to round them. But I also have a few that have been missing things for a long time. And he's avoiding? Oh,

21:57

no, like,

Brandon  21:59

you need to come in like, Okay, leave like what? I mean, I don't care. I'll put a zero in there are already zero in there, actually. So that's fine. But know that it doesn't have to be good.

22:17

Trying to round these things up. Is the main focus currently just trying to get everything in a manageable state. Right. That's happening. So it's a bit two bit weird. It's a bit of an odd place. But we're managing I think.

Collin Funkhouser  22:43

Yeah, well, and I think I think really, it's just important to know, or go get your hands around, right? Because they're kind of like where we are where we think of what's the sequence of things. What do we have coming up soon, that pulse check really helps set the tone for not that you're trying to meet the deadlines, like you said, but just like, okay, like, where are you? Where are we right now?

Brandon  23:07

Yeah, right. Like, where? What's happening? And then I have like, we did just finish up a project, right, we have the new project, like our monthly tasks, right, our little monthly side quests, right? They're going pretty well. Yeah, we finished up one of those. started our new one, right? I'm trying to make this I made sure this one was like, pretty low key, like, you know,

23:36

Decembrie, but like,

Brandon  23:39

not a ton of things involved. We're not building anything this month, because we just need to pick up things and get organized in our life. Yes. But we have that going so that we can give them something to work on. Like, in the interim time. Like I say, you know, that way we can kind of have multiple things going so that we can, you know, these people can work on this. These people can work on that because they're done. They can do other things. Sure. So it's just a balancing act. It's like ah, like we're managing right it's fine. It's fine. Everything's fine. Yeah. This unit was just hard because we had like, we already had Thanksgiving break like break up the middle of it and then we had a week of like, choir performance. It sounds like I have to give a quiz somewhere in here.

24:36

When is this gonna happen?

Brandon  24:39

So Tuesday's the answer? Spoilers.

24:43

Surprise. Yeah. Well, we

Brandon  24:45

did. Again, this is always the fun part too, right. We talked about it all week. I told you anything Game of the Week. Here is the plan. And then the next day I told them, here's the plan for the next rest. Right? I said like Wednesday, we're gonna do like a bunch of review stuff. Okay. And then Thursday was washed because that was like the performance day so they weren't practicing in the morning. So no science Thursday, Friday. We'll be doing stuff and giving study guides. Right. That way. We can have Monday, another review day, Bill overstuff, you know, review, study the guide, if you will. Yes. And then

25:29

quiz Tuesday, right? It's still, it's always still like three people. They're like, ah, we have a quiz. You

Collin Funkhouser  25:37

never said did? We? Did

25:39

we? Did we talk?

Brandon  25:41

I said it every single day. What are you talking

25:45

about?

25:46

Ah geez. Every time, every time.

Brandon  25:56

Like, here's the plan for your week in excruciating detail about how things are gonna go.

26:04

And I, there will be a quiz.

Collin Funkhouser  26:09

She always tries to always do,

Brandon  26:11

we always have there's a pattern to how this work. And the fact that you haven't picked up on this pattern by now. is mildly distressing. Alright, I'm not gonna lie like it's the semester is over. And you haven't figured out that we have like unit and then review study guide review quiz that that fact that you have done this step? Many times. Right. Like, completely bamboozles. You when it happens? Is is upsetting?

26:47

Well, yeah, that's

Brandon  26:51

upsetting, but she's like, come on what really? Like?

26:54

I thought, no, okay, fine. I

26:58

guess it's fine. But maybe

Brandon  26:59

he would have picked up on something by now.

27:06

Oh, well, hopefully

Collin Funkhouser  27:09

next semester, next semester, for the way and that's what that is. Right. We'll

Brandon  27:13

see. We'll see. We'll see how it goes. It's maybe it's hard to deal with sixth graders right now, where we're learning to be people. So it's hard to struggle. You know, it's hard.

27:30

Well we, this week has been very

Collin Funkhouser  27:37

busy for us since we left. Yeah, it sounds like it's been

27:42

this season.

Collin Funkhouser  27:45

Yeah, it is. It's the season. And then just like, there's just stuff to do also to have like, end of the year. So like, since we've last spoken.

27:56

I did that I am like, just

Collin Funkhouser  28:00

all these end of the year meetings and like networking events and or in person interviews or cash. We did a like the library had a Christmas card making thing that we wanted to go to we had a birthday party, my highlight. Okay, my highlight was getting to go see. Handel's Messiah performed live with an organ backing. Yes, yeah. So, okay. Yeah. Okay, so, and they do the whole thing. It's the whole production.

Brandon  28:33

Oh, my. Okay, so this was a big one. Yeah,

Collin Funkhouser  28:36

it is. So what they do is it is hosted here in town, and they, they pull, it's kind of neat. It's by its sponsors this the foundation of the arts or something like that. I forget what the actual title is. But they get a grant to put this together. And it's kind of this ongoing every year they have, they pick one of the larger churches that has the big seating for the choir and a pit for the orchestra and has a organ organ very, very important. The key, the key ingredient here, a key ingredient, and, and then they pull from, like, churches in choirs from all over the area, like people come like their people come in from two to three hours away to come be a part of this. So they build a choir these we have a symphony here locally, so they provide the music. And then the organist goes down, it goes crazy. And they

Brandon  29:34

play all of the movements, all of the pieces and then obviously end

Collin Funkhouser  29:40

with the Hallelujah chorus. But boy, howdy, let me tell you when they get them, they get a little I forget her name. It's just the little lady pumping away on the Oregon really, really fills you with the Christmas cheer here and that Oregon we like blah. It's great.

Brandon  29:57

Oh yeah, that was amazing. Uh

30:03

yeah, that's, uh, unfortunately, right? Because of, like, just logistical reasons.

Brandon  30:15

Like you don't get to hear good Oregon very often, right? Like, it's very, kinda kind of sad, right? Because that's a thing that's sweet. Like, we have like a really big one. Right? And then a person that actually knows how to play the organ, which is the other key ingredient here, because it's very hard is an extremely difficult thing to do. Yes. Right. It's not just like, oh, piano, okay. Like, that's, it's not, right. It's, there's a lot more moving parts, and buttons and pedals and all kinds of stuff, right, you can get the whole thing. So it's good to hear good, good organ, right? And it's different. It is different like this others a, like a. So you can like, so there's a difference between like, hearing the recorded organ and being in the room with an organ. Also, right? Because you could hear it like, there's lots of Christmas recordings that have Oregon. Right. And it's cool. And it sounds awesome. It sounds nice. But when you're in the room with an organ, because the organ is designed for the room, to be the instrument, right? And you like literally get punched in the face with Oregon. Right? Like you got, like, it's, that thing will move so much air that you can like, feel it.

31:44

Yeah, at one point, it's weird.

Brandon  31:46

And I can't really I don't really have good words to describe this feeling. But like, you can feel the air around you moving. And that's the that's the Oregon experience, man. It's like

32:02

yeah, at one point,

Collin Funkhouser  32:03

I turned to Lily. And I was I was like,

32:08

he was like, yeah, like, that's the market.

Collin Funkhouser  32:12

Because yeah, he just you don't get to experience that again. It's it's out of fashion. It's not a cool thing. They're hard to upkeep. They're quite costly. Having somebody who can play them well is very difficult as well. So you just want to

Brandon  32:25

put it like it is the room. Right?

Collin Funkhouser  32:28

Yeah. You don't walk into a room? I don't. Okay. Yeah, you don't walk into a room and go, oh, where's the organ? It's very obvious where it is. Right? Yeah, it's like, clarity. So to have it, yeah, to be in person with with one for or a piece that was written not for it. But but you using it. And it was of the time when they were

Brandon  32:52

sometimes for it to write like not to not inaccurate, but yeah, like, yes. It's not like,

Collin Funkhouser  32:57

this is an Oregon piece. But also like the Oregon kind of makes the piece I'll say, I'll do it that way. You know, it's this. It's very, very fun. So I was very thankful that we had time to go do that. It was it was a almost two hours long. So it's quite, it's a lengthy one by it.

Brandon  33:19

As well worth it.

Collin Funkhouser  33:20

Well worth it for that. So yeah, we did that. And then we will Oh, we did a we did our staff lunches this this week. So that was fun getting all of our staff together and say hi, and you know, braderie stuff. And I'm always like,

33:38

ah, like, how

Collin Funkhouser  33:39

do I really play host and like, you know, because they never see each other. Right? It's like, Oh, that's true. Yeah, I only see your name and a written text ever on my on an app. I never see you actually face to face or know what you look like. So like, Oh, that's right. Like you all you've all been working here for, you know, 678 months, but you don't know anybody. So

34:01

here they are welcome.

34:06

Yeah, that is a kind of a weird,

Brandon  34:07

right. And he talks about that for a little bit how odd it is. Because you do have like all the staff members, but like they don't work together. Yeah. Right. So it's

34:18

it's a little bit strange. Do they

Brandon  34:20

appreciate getting to see each other? Like, did they do you think they enjoyed this? Yeah, it was to be like, ah, more people. Yes, Cyril, this was the staff. Yes.

Collin Funkhouser  34:32

And I do think that some of them greatly appreciated that aspect. Others were just interested in the free food and whatever, and that's fine, but like it's fine too. But like I do, I do feel like especially some very specific ones who are more, more quiet and shy. appreciated getting to see everybody because it is it is hard because we try and harp on a lot of things like look, you're one visit that you do on a Tuesday. He is part of a collective of 33 other visits, right that are going to go on and you're only doing a few of them. And so it's hard for people to kind of wrap their brains around that kind of scale, and what exactly is happening. And so I think that was important to have, like, look, all of these people are working on the same stuff that you are, and you should like them, because they're, they do their best to help you and you need to do your best to help them right. And kind of, I guess the other thing that it does is, we hope, at least kind of humanized, these other people so that they aren't just a little faceless name and the name on the old clipboard, right? Like, yes, they can actually go Oh, right, when you know, so and so asked for help that one time, and I, you know, that's, that's who this is. And, you know, blah, blah, blah. So, I don't know, I think they enjoyed it. And it was kind of neat to see. People make organic connections, you know, even though, like, oh, because they like someone was asking like, for? Are they asking all of a sudden I kind of tuned into a little conversation was happening. And they were like, so when you get you're talking about getting septum piercings, or whatever, right? Oh, yeah. And I was like, they, because one of them had one and one of them wanted to get one. And we're like, Okay, well, that's look, hey, look at that liquid we helped facilitate or

Brandon  36:31

nowadays, a person who has experienced that, bam, got it?

36:40

Yes, so that was, that was good.

Collin Funkhouser  36:43

Getting to see everybody together. And it's still a weird dynamic. And I'm still not adept at managing that. And I have to remind myself that like, while while it is important that we obviously have, like, a workplace culture that is healthy, and inclusive of everybody and welcoming to them and supportive

37:05

of everybody. Their, their happiness, like I, it's kind of weird to say, but like, I am not, at, at I'm

Collin Funkhouser  37:18

responsible for their happiness at the end of the day. But, but I am at the same token, which is me like, like, if, if they are as long as they are happy working for us, that's one thing that they are trying to gain happiness, gain identity from working for us. That is beyond my scope and control. Okay, yeah. As a business, right? Like, yeah, like, I obviously need to make sure that they aren't happy. I'm not saying that's not our job, but I am saying that if they are trying to gain happiness through us, that's above my paygrade. Right of like,

37:51

nurturing that aspect of it. Okay, yeah, that makes sense. That's it. Yeah, that is kind of a weird. situation, right? And thing to try to deal with? Like, yeah, that is, yes,

Brandon  38:05

I can see why that would cause you distress. Right?

Collin Funkhouser  38:07

And so because I don't like again, like we, we do, we want to make sure that they do feel warm and welcome and everything. There are there are people and we have encountered people who have basically been like, I was hoping this would fill a void in my life. Yeah. And it's like, ah, like, that's, that's pressure that like, it's not like, that's not what we're here for.

Brandon  38:33

Like, yeah,

Collin Funkhouser  38:34

I can't do anything about how you how you are, you're the personal things you're trying to get out of this job. Kind of thing, right? I'm probably not explaining this. Well, it's just a thought that I had the other day.

Brandon  38:49

No, I mean, that makes sense. If you're looking for like, custom jobs, you have, like, you work really closely with other people. Right? And you have like, the work camaraderie. Right. And that kind of thing. Right? If you're looking for that, that's a difficult thing to have in a in your situation. Right? Like, yes, if you're looking for like an outlet to have that if you want like work friends and you want like, that

39:11

kind of work environment, like

Brandon  39:14

a little difficult when you never see each other. Right. Like, so I can I can see kind of where they might be thinking about that. Yeah. Yeah.

39:23

Yeah. So

Collin Funkhouser  39:25

that was just a reminder of like, look, we can do all that we can and continue to communicate with people and see, you know, are they getting what they need out of this? Or is there are they needing something that we just can't provide? At the end of the day and knowing that like, okay, like that's, we can't be all things to all people. But it was a good it was a good time to all get together and just talk

39:50

and then see kind of how

Collin Funkhouser  39:53

you know, we all have some things in common. We all take care of some of the same pets. So it was like a ha look, look. Look at all of you, you can talk about we've talked about this past look, talk talk about

40:06

an immediate connection.

Brandon  40:07

That's true. You gotta have some you got to find you have to start from a place of commonality.

40:16

Right? Like, that's, that's how you,

Brandon  40:22

like, that's so building this. Okay, so let me organize my thoughts here, just real quick, like a try when you're trying to like build new relationships with people, right? It, it definitely helps when you start with a common base. Right? So like, like septum piercing people, right? They, that is a shared interest. Right? And so if they talk about that thing, right, then, just as conversations do happen, right, it could transpire that they find more common interests, and then grow closer together. Like, as like friends, right? You know what I mean? So like, if you start a conversation about like, you know, princess,

41:07

the cat, right?

Brandon  41:11

And you both know, princess, the cat or whatever, then then then that's like the conversation base. And then you can, as your kind of conversation moves around, you might find that there's other commonalities. involved, right? This is what listeners pro tip. Okay, this is why when you going on, like, first dates and stuff, right? Good idea. Movie first, then dinner. Boom. Okay. That's okay. So you meet you talk a little bit live movie, you watch a movie together, go to dinner, you can talk about the movie. And then your conversation can grow from there, but you have a starting place because it's real awkward if he's go sit with somebody.

41:59

And you're like, so

Brandon  42:02

about this fork, right? Like, that's not really a good place to stay.

Collin Funkhouser  42:06

There are four canoes yes, they

Brandon  42:08

might be right. And maybe a cutlery collector. Harder to say than I anticipated.

Collin Funkhouser  42:14

It's okay. You want a great job?

Brandon  42:18

Right? So this pro tip

42:19

for all you young listeners out there, right?

Brandon  42:25

That's, that's perfect. You want to do activity doesn't mean movie, right? But activity?

42:30

And then like, go eat? Right?

Brandon  42:33

Because then when you're eating, it's like more quiet than you can sit. Right? And then they go that's that's my pro strap.

42:40

For today. There you go. Welcome. was free. Yes.

Collin Funkhouser  42:43

Yeah, well, I think just Yeah, with with anything. Of Yeah, finding, finding that commonality. And I think that's where people can get, they may get frustrated or turned off by like, oh, like, is that all we're going to talk about? Like, we're just gonna talk about the weather right now we're just going to talk about this thing. It's like, well, no, but we do need to start somewhere. Like, I do need to start getting a sense for like, who you are, where your thoughts on things, how you process things, you know, and then we can branch into other things. And that that's part of learning about who, who somebody is right. And so that you can go okay, well, we've covered we've covered basics, the next step, okay. Okay, now we can talk about more things. Okay, now we can talk about more things. And then along that way, you're becoming more comfortable with this person, as a person, right? And this goes for the dating relationship advice or like, just trying to build a new friendship or advice. Yeah, coworker, right, like exactly going, well, I now can have more interactions with this person. And sometimes, especially with co workers, like, Okay, we have peeked at what we're going to talk about.

43:48

And that's fine for a lot of instances.

Collin Funkhouser  43:51

But at least you've had, you have some connection points with that person. And it is, it is important. And it is also hard to find those because it can feel like when you just walk up to somebody, it's like, Oh, my goodness, of the possible topics I could talk about right now. Like,

44:07

where do I start? Well, start start simple. Right? You work your way up. Yes, true. Right.

Brandon  44:16

You could talk about your shared love of the oh brother podcast, right? Oh, me. conversation started. Everyone needs. Everyone had a big

Collin Funkhouser  44:26

one everyone needs?

44:29

Ah, yeah. Because I,

Collin Funkhouser  44:35

this happens whenever I go to like business networking events, right. It's like the what are the is the questions that people always get annoyed about, like, oh, they always ask me what I do is I will protect your data networking event, like what do you expect them to ask? You

Brandon  44:48

mean? That's the point, right? If you go to a business networking event, and you get annoyed with somebody asking you what your job is.

44:57

I feel like mistakes have been made. Right,

Brandon  45:00

like, what were your expectations? Exactly?

Collin Funkhouser  45:08

Right. And I know, it can seem trite or superficial to come up and say, so what do you do? Right?

45:16

But at the same

Collin Funkhouser  45:17

time, that person is there for that reason, like they're there to network. So they kind of want to be talked about what they do. And, and it's a great in of like, well, look, you ran a business networking event, I assume you have something to do with our business, or something. Like, let's talk about that, again, finding that, that point of commonality and then branching.

45:38

Yes, that's true.

Brandon  45:40

And you because you never know, right? It might be like, Oh, hey, I, you know, no doubt about that. Or I used sometimes I used to do that thing. Or, Oh, I tell me more, because I don't know about this. Right? You gotta Yeah, you gotta start somewhere. Right? It is hard, because conversation starters there, they are all lame, right?

45:59

As,

Brandon  46:02

as a teacher, as experienced back to school meetings on several occasions, they can be quite horrid. Like they are sometimes when, like, when they plan them out, right? Like, I don't really know, what goes through the minds of people that plan these things, right. I like, you know, that they're, these are the things they're trying to accomplish. Right? You can tell what they're doing. But like, some of the things they pick, like,

46:33

Oh, my God, why? Like,

Brandon  46:36

we always have to do the thing where you like, stand against the wall.

46:40

Right? And then, and then you. Like, they'll just ask series

Brandon  46:45

of like, random questions, and you had to like step forward, if it applies to you, right? Like, oh, those kind of things, like who loves you know, I don't know, cookies, whatever. I don't know that I'm gonna but they're things like that, right? And so you do that. And then there's always something where they like, give you a number. And you have to go sit with the people have the same number, right? And then there's some sort of, sometimes it's like a task. Sometimes it's like, a game that you had to play. Right? Those are varying degrees of weird, right? Sometimes they're icebreaker games. Those

47:27

are not good. This year, it was one about like, Okay, I don't remember what the game was called. But it was it was basically like,

Brandon  47:40

there were it was like a dice game. Okay, where you would throw the dice. And then like, the number you did a thing, except for plot twist the dice were actually pig

47:55

was? Yeah,

Brandon  47:57

I don't know.

47:59

I don't know either. I thought they were like little, little toy pigs, and you would throw the pig dice. And

Brandon  48:14

when they landed in certain configurations, you got X number of points. And then, you know, the winner of the pig dice game. Got to keep the pig dice. There you go. That was our icebreaker thing.

48:31

Like that.

Collin Funkhouser  48:35

is certainly a thing to do. Yes.

Brandon  48:37

Yeah. Yeah. It might be called past the pig. That could be what's that? Google pig dice game?

48:43

So that that's deleting

Brandon  48:46

that from my search history immediately. Yeah, I was gonna send me that all the time. But it could have been called past the pig. Right? I intentionally did not win this game because I was not taking this home with me. Right? That would be horrible. School to do. Yeah, no. But yeah. So this is the this is the plan, right? You want to like you have now that they have a shared experience, right? Of Yeah. hating the pig dice game? I don't know. But you like. Sure. That you you can like because, like our you know, the school is similar to this right? Like, I don't ever talk to the first grade teachers.

49:30

Sure. Ever. Right. Like I don't see them.

Brandon  49:34

They're nowhere they're located nowhere near me. I don't have any reason to interact with them at all to like, I work in the same building with them. And I've worked with some of them for like years, but like I don't really like no. We don't like to hang out and like talk stuff, right? Like, just because of the geographical distance, right? It's like a It's a problem. So that's why they do these things, right? They're lame and silly, and I don't love them and like, can we just can you just give me some cookies and put me at a table? Somebody? That's fine with me. I'm good with that. But like, I don't wanna play bass pig. Yeah, I want to play the pig dice game. Need to kill? Yeah, it's a similar problem, even though we work in the same building, right? Like, when I see them. Like, if I do see them, it's because I'm on my way somewhere. And I have just happened to pass by them. And like, I

50:32

don't, they're busy. I'm busy. I

Brandon  50:34

can't be like, Yo, what's up? Like, you know what, I mean, I can't have this conversation right there because there's no time during the day,

50:39

just children that must be

Brandon  50:43

shepherded, right, herded in a certain direction.

Collin Funkhouser  50:49

work to be done.

Brandon  50:51

And so often to be found, right? Most importantly

Collin Funkhouser  50:59

those are those times when we do have those moments, it's, you know, oh, gosh, I gotta ask about, you know, whatever or make make small talk. Small talk is important. Like it has it's an attempt right at connecting with with somebody, I guess, right. And it can lead to other things and, and at least a better understanding of that person.

51:21

So that getting to getting to see that happen at the

Collin Funkhouser  51:26

tables. This this week was was fun. And I was I was like, oh, yeah, look, good job. Good job, everybody.

51:32

I tell goodness. So yeah, and then I went to a

Collin Funkhouser  51:44

breakfast at hosted by for again, it was again, this business networking thing was hosted by Bass Pro Shops.

Brandon  51:54

Yeah, yeah. There we go. Yes. So they stated Hello, former employer.

Collin Funkhouser  52:01

And, you know, one thing that I will say about what I think about in the terms of like, business and stuff, like Bass Pro Shop at least has like a wow experience for customers who are just trying to buy a flannel, right, like, just think about this up, like, they just come in, they want to flail, they want a rod and they want to boots or maybe like I don't know, like a shoulder strap or something. It's like

Brandon  52:25

there's like a goat there's like a mountain goat on track like

Collin Funkhouser  52:29

you're walking under and then at least in the Springfield story you know the ceiling you're it's the underside of a lake so you see the little feet of the ducks in the boat and the ripples and the fish that are going around stuff. It's like it is a crazy experience. When you really think about in the context of like you could go shop at Kohl's for flannel or

Brandon  52:51

buy a flannel and see ducks at the same

52:54

yeah and walk by an out alive alligator and be like Yeah, yeah, so it just out remember you just takes the whole like, like customer experience a whole nother level and of course this this breakfast was like naturally like they did the same thing there and you walk in they have

Collin Funkhouser  53:15

old timey carolers singing as you walk in that's just what they're doing. Like they're just sitting up on the side they've got this huge like banquet hall set down with like, all sorts of food and everything like that. And this it was it was it was pretty over the top I was like this is just a breakfast I feel like we didn't need to go this hard like breakfast with Johnny Morris of course talking about and and so they they did did a talk it was for like a chamber commerce there. And so they were doing a talk and then fast the bat lady in charge of like, what is it marketing and relations or whatever caught up to talk about Bass Pro? And

53:54

here's,

Collin Funkhouser  53:55

here's the stat that she led with. And oh boy, okay, let's go and I just wanted Okay, remember, Bass Pro Shop sells hunting gear and equipment, right? fly rods. Fishing stuff. Hunting. Okay, great. They

Brandon  54:12

sell outdoorsy thing

Collin Funkhouser  54:13

outdoorsy stuff. Yeah, she leads with well, this Christmas season. We are excited that we will have by the by December 31. We will have captured over 2 million photos with Santa across the country.

54:33

And I went and I went I went what? Like an outdoor store.

Collin Funkhouser  54:39

Right? That's their lead in with like the impact that they're making other community of like we weren't and then that's just people who scheduled a skate. Time to take a photo with Santa. 2 million people will have gotten a photo with Santa because they went into a Bass Pro Shop. Bass

Brandon  54:56

Pro Shop. That means over 2 million people have been You know, Bass Pro Shop?

Collin Funkhouser  55:03

Yes. Right? Because that's just photos. That's I'm talking about, like the family members that were there and like, yeah, all of this stuff. I just, I just kind of sat back in my seat and was like,

55:14

like, Are you kidding me like that's,

Collin Funkhouser  55:16

and she didn't talk about any sort of sales or anything like that. That's not what she was doing. She's She's the marketing, obviously, you know, so this is the kind of numbers that she digs with. But I'm like, from selling fishing gear to now like they're touting 2 million photos. I was like, that's quite a change and accompany over the years.

Brandon  55:33

Yeah, but I mean, like, if you think about it, right. Also, that's, that's 2 million children that have had a positive experience. Yeah, the Bass Pro Shop. Yeah. Hmm. You see, yeah, that is 2 million future or current Bass Pro Shop customers. And so if they came with a parent, if they just came with one parent, that's 4 million bodies. Yeah. In the Bass Pro Shop. They came with two parents. Yeah, it's 6 million people. Had grandpa also okay. Right. Right. This expedition explodes ex

Collin Funkhouser  56:16

Exec. And so then then then you're really like, right, like, this is sure it's this goodwill thing and whatever. But like, this is really we're serious number crunchers. Okay, this is a big business, right? They bought Cabela's. They bought their competitor, or like, whatever, anyway,

Brandon  56:34

yeah, they just like straight up bottom, like anyway, yeah.

56:37

It's a big time business. They're launching 10 new stores next year. They're they have serious number crunchers. Right, they sat down and they said, right, our profits allow us to do this kind of thing. Or maybe this goes underneath the marketing budget. And so we can pay for this kind of thing. And it still makes sense for us to do this, right? This is this this goodwill, that it gives people the fuzzy feelings, positive experience, bringing people into stores. However, they have it phrase like number cruncher sat down and looked at this and what Yes, 2 million photos with Santa is good for business. And when so could it not be I know, that's where it fits so well with like a lot of other they're like, they're very family centric. And they're very, you know, like, it fits with their brand as well. So it's just like yet another thing of like, when you when you think about things that you do in your life, there are things that are going to have this like, I can see a direct tie in here or here. There are other things that are going to be more either positive in your life that might not have that direct or immediate tie in, but are still really beneficial for you. And so she was she was talking about this and then she was talking about their Oh, they have a conservation fund now and last year they granted out $8.6 million are grants it for conservation efforts across North America. And they paid for a $350,000 bridge apparently in Springfield and they bought a fellow fellows lake was like, man, we really wish we had more people coming to see us and use us that sure it'd be great if we have some boats. And so Bass Pro bought them like not just like boats, but also like the dock

Collin Funkhouser  58:23

that the boats go on and all that stuff. Accessories, accessories, yeah. Including the dock. Right, exactly. Yeah.

Brandon  58:32

They reveal that Marina up there because it needs a little bit. Yeah,

Collin Funkhouser  58:35

that's that's why they helped help spruce up the, the Marina some things like that and gave them some more boats and whatever. So it was just a, like, sitting and listening to the presentation being like, that's kind of you know, that's cool, big, you know, big, helping people and big stuff to get done. And, you know, it's still weird. Like, it's still a weird, it's a it's a what? That, like, it's such a weird approach to selling a flannel. Like I keep coming back to that. Like, it's not true. Like it's like, not like, obviously it's such a weird approach because nobody else really does it the way they do. It's like, no, that's what we do to sell a flannel. Let me tell you about a four story waterfall. Okay, no, no track with me track with me.

Brandon  59:21

That's true. Well, this experience like you know, I you know, tangentially related to this on. You know, you have you seen a lot more just like in the media and like social media stuff.

59:33

Like, the classic Bass Pro hat. Oh,

Brandon  59:38

it's like quite prolific. Right? Yeah. Like people just buy that thing. It's like the cheapest thing in the whole store. Right? Is that and like, it's just a hat with a patch on it? Yeah. But like, again, it's right there. It's a positive thing about law, right? You're just like creating more thing you see, it's like Yubico Do

1:00:00

you see it all over the place? Right. It's interesting, right?

Collin Funkhouser  1:00:04

Yeah. How it really changed from a US a store to a cultural thing. Yeah.

1:00:13

That's that's that. That's the difference that was really made there. Yeah, it's kind of a wild. Yeah. It is wild to sit there thinking of like, again, like, we're in this. They have this hole. We're in this whole other side building over by the main store. And it's like, this massive, like convention hall building. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, right there Education Center over there behind wonders of wildlife. And

1:00:40

like, the room we were in, I was just like, wow, ha, again, how many flannels did it take to pay for this? Because this is Gracie

1:00:49

law. Wow. A lot. So again,

Collin Funkhouser  1:00:55

it was a it was a fun experience. And then they had Santa. They're singing

1:01:01

blues songs. And that was quite interesting.

Collin Funkhouser  1:01:08

But, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And I sat down next to somebody. And, of course, you know what I said, Well, what do you what do you do and he was, uh, he retired from the Springfield Police Department, like five years ago. And then they came back and asked him to come back. So now he's back as a police officer. And so that was a fascinating conversation when I was like, wow, tell me about the police force in Springfield over the last 30 years because that's what I need to know that right now.

1:01:39

You didn't lead with so what are your thoughts on CZ Streeter? Right. Tell me what to

Collin Funkhouser  1:01:46

ask about Susie Streeter. Come

Brandon  1:01:48

on, we're gonna have we're gonna have do an episode about this. This is important. We're gonna have to

Collin Funkhouser  1:01:54

give, that'll be what we haven't done. Maybe we'll put this on the list. We need to put top conspiracy theories

Brandon  1:02:00

that go, go live, or live. So

1:02:02

this

Brandon  1:02:04

goes into Springfield, the history. Sorry, this is spring.

1:02:10

I'll add a link to your retrospective. We should pencil that in for next August. Okay. So, because that's, that would be the

Brandon  1:02:18

anniversary time, I think. Right. Say summertime. Yeah.

Collin Funkhouser  1:02:25

That it was June, right. June was a June. Okay. Yeah. That's when it began when they filed that anyway. Yeah.

Brandon  1:02:32

All right. We're getting ahead of ourselves. So stay tuned for June and let's stay tuned for June.

Collin Funkhouser  1:02:37

Ah, most ambitious plan we've ever had of

Brandon  1:02:41

how to make this work. So, yes, no, I was just like, Yeah, tell me about that and stuff, things and how does it work? And what's been, you know, what's

Collin Funkhouser  1:02:52

been the biggest change and I was also trying to not be too negative of like, I didn't want to start talking about terrible things, which is, you know, it's also true. So hard, because I was like, oh, man, what's the biggest changes you've had that he was like, oh, you know, you know, when I first started, when I first started,

1:03:11

if somebody had a gun on them, it was really weird. And we'd call in, like, extra support. And now, just everybody we talked to has one on them. And it's just become really commonplace. And it's not even that big of a deal. Now, when we like pull somebody over and they have one, it's just like, okay, like, that's just part of this is awkward. Right? And then he started talking about like, mental mental health issues. And I was like, Well, anyway, Christmas is here. I

1:03:43

just want to eat my, my eggs. Nevermind

Collin Funkhouser  1:03:51

No, I let him finish. But I was like, Okay, wow. Like, yeah, that was I should have talked to something different.

1:03:57

It's true. Yeah. We're gonna be next next time. I'll

Collin Funkhouser  1:04:03

I'll remember, though. But, yeah, so yeah, we rented the rented off with some more. To, ya know, no, no, that was pretty much it. We thought we had a, we thought we were invited to something yesterday, and cuz somebody had mentioned it a couple months ago, like, oh, yeah, we're doing this coffee and connections thing.

Brandon  1:04:26

So we like had on our calendar, who showed up to the place. There's nobody there.

1:04:33

And we, we cannot find where this went wrong. Like, you're gonna die or like, Where? Where did we hear this? Did we just make this up whole cloth? Because it's been on our calendar for like months. And so we talked to the people at the building and they were like, no, no, no, we've never heard.

Collin Funkhouser  1:04:54

We're both like so certain that like several months ago, somebody was like, oh, and coming up. For this weekend in December, you know that this weekend, we're gonna be doing a coffee and connections at such and such place. See you there for a great time. And we were like, Okay, great. We both have this like memory of or like knowing about it.

1:05:12

But apparently, this was a fugue state

Collin Funkhouser  1:05:15

that we were in at the time. And it

Brandon  1:05:17

could have just been like a somebody's like, Yeah, we're gonna do this. And then we're like, actually, you know, plans just they're like, We don't have time for that. Like,

Collin Funkhouser  1:05:27

that's what I think what I'm thinking is happening. And they announced it one time, and then they got into the putting it together, or they just never made official official announcement on a calendar on Facebook or their website. And so that just quietly disappeared. But there were us.

Brandon  1:05:43

Yes. onto that thing.

1:05:48

Ready to go. Well, you know, I

Brandon  1:05:56

you know, whatever. Did you just give them coffee anyway? They're

Collin Funkhouser  1:05:58

like, No, I just had coffee at home.

1:06:05

Perfect. That's weird. We did survive.

Brandon  1:06:10

Okay, I'm glad about it. It wasn't like, uh, no one was planning to like, kidnap you or anything like

Collin Funkhouser  1:06:16

that? No, right. You know, we didn't show up and like someone tried to put a you know, a cage over us or something. Yeah, no, no, nothing like that. It was just, you know, we,

Brandon  1:06:23

we showed up and we're like, oh, well, anyway, back to what you walk in. And there's like a big box with a stick in a strange card in the middle. Coffee like, yeah, oh, let me just go.

Collin Funkhouser  1:06:40

I need to happen. Works every time.

1:06:48

Oh yeah. We're recovering still and me and getting ready for more. More fun coming up. That's for sure. I'm trying to sleep while I can. Yeah, it's important. Oh, real quick, real quick.

Collin Funkhouser  1:07:09

I know, a kind of wrapping up here, but others other random things that I have found in our town. We're like perusing Facebook and we see this post. And I'm, I'm going to say this name. And I want Oh, no. Okay. Okay. Okay, ready? Like, okay, no, I am.

1:07:30

I am scrolling. And I see that there's Oh, there's a community Christmas concert coming up. Wonderful. Free admission. Two o'clock. That's a lot. And who is the Christmas concert being being put on by? Well, I'm glad to ask if I see the name. Dino. Does this ring a bell for you? Dino Dino.

1:07:59

No, I get off Flintstones. A bit. Right. I get Oh, man. So

Collin Funkhouser  1:08:08

what? Maybe? So there is a guy in Branson, who's a piano player named Dino. And he? He was always here and let's put this let me put his picture in the Okay. Well, he's a he's a he's a pianist. And he always puts on big like big shows. He has big Christmas concert. He always wore those big robes and white piano and stuff very, a classically trained guy that I put on these big productions in Branson.

1:08:42

Ah, okay. The picture?

Brandon  1:08:46

Ah, it's really I didn't have a name to go with this. Okay, seeing this. Yes. Okay. I've seen this person on a billboard before.

Collin Funkhouser  1:08:56

Oh, my God, I see God. It's called people. That's called brand marketing. So it works.

Brandon  1:09:03

Yeah, true. Right. Like

1:09:06

so like, all of a sudden make it Megan was like reading the name. And I was like, Do you know? She was like, you've heard of this guy. And I was like, dude, like, yeah, he plucks piano and breaks it and she's like, Oh, that explains a lot.

Brandon  1:09:21

Apparently extraordinarily Greek. Right. That's if you look at his last name here. This is I'm

Collin Funkhouser  1:09:26

not even going to try. I'd like to try

1:09:29

there. Nope.

Collin Funkhouser  1:09:32

Nope. So no, no. Anyway, so yeah, obviously like, just like, kind of obscure guy who's making a name for himself and has made him for sell for over 30 years, whatever. And Branson is now like, coming to our little town for a little free Christmas concert.

1:09:49

A little weird. Oh, interesting. He's he's been this

Collin Funkhouser  1:09:54

terrible nickname,

1:09:56

but this really fits okay. Oh no.

1:09:59

Okay okay, okay his

1:10:04

technique has been

Collin Funkhouser  1:10:05

described as fluid and brilliant and has even returned been termed the Christian Liberace because of his flair costumes pianos and jewelry

1:10:23

I don't know

Brandon  1:10:26

how to feel about that particular like it's a lot of shots fired Liberace just for no reason right? Like I feel like that's Listen,

1:10:35

I don't know oh my gosh okay.

Brandon  1:10:45

Is okay. Now here is a follow up question that I

1:10:49

am not. I'm

Brandon  1:10:52

okay. I have some questions here that wow, that's good. Good job making that link broken guys. That's helpful.

1:11:01

What is Dino affiliated with this

Brandon  1:11:08

Dino's Cake Company in this he upset? Or is this? Okay, so that same guy? Okay. Yeah, I was trying to figure out if there

1:11:19

is no good like actual

Brandon  1:11:26

like the website is not right. But yeah, like apparently he's also affiliated with Dino's 24 karat cakes. Yep, which the website link is bad here as well. So like I don't know. Weird Yes. Yeah.

Collin Funkhouser  1:11:42

Yes, he's not only does he play the piano in this like flamboyant style,

1:11:46

but also also he has a cake shop. That is

Collin Funkhouser  1:11:50

apparently as I'm reading here a major supplier to Neiman Marcus.

1:11:55

What's yes

1:11:57

Neiman Marcus sells Dino case.

Brandon  1:12:01

Okay, hold on ah

1:12:12

how's this for a rabbit

1:12:15

that is my brain is

Brandon  1:12:18

shutting down right now how in the world does pianist turn confectioner have

1:12:30

sales

Collin Funkhouser  1:12:31

with me? Buy it right now you can buy dinos. 24 karat carrot cake from Neiman marcus.com right now.

1:12:40

I don't know it's amazing. What? More

Collin Funkhouser  1:12:53

Oh, no, no, no, this one is sold out. I'm so sorry.

Brandon  1:12:56

Oh, no. Oh.

1:13:00

Oh, no, Whatever

Brandon  1:13:01

will I do not being able to buy

1:13:06

Okay, so weird. It's $85

Brandon  1:13:13

I mean, is that just because it's being sold at Neiman Marcus because it the brands and dinos cake and coffee, formerly known as Dino's 24 Carrot Cake Company.

1:13:26

Now it's Dino's cake and coffee.

Brandon  1:13:30

The prices well from this website that appears to not be good.

1:13:35

They don't appear to be at $5 at all.

Collin Funkhouser  1:13:40

Could just be human Marcus markup maybe that's just the 24 characters.

Brandon  1:13:44

Oh, that's me. That's like this special?

1:13:46

Yes. The specialty one. Bear YES. Okay, this is

Brandon  1:13:54

this is I am so confused right now.

1:13:57

i Right. Right. So,

1:13:59

but it's

Collin Funkhouser  1:14:01

but look it's a value add while you're playing the piano you can eat a carrot cake. It totally makes sense. I know it doesn't go together for

Brandon  1:14:09

nevermind. Fine.

1:14:11

So yeah, this is welcome. Welcome to What happened

Collin Funkhouser  1:14:15

to my brain yesterday. Whatever we'd learned about those cops. Oh,

Brandon  1:14:18

my goodness this is wow. Wow. Wow. That's That's crazy.

Collin Funkhouser  1:14:29

I call that investigative journalism and reporting right there. Also, I really beard. Really

Brandon  1:14:40

is really weird, right? This is yeah, this is a strange connection that I was not I I'm having trouble processing this live here. I don't know.

Collin Funkhouser  1:14:54

Well, maybe more thoughts. I yeah, probably had time to come down from this one. I

Brandon  1:15:00

feel like like I don't know. Yeah. That's very confusing. Wow.

1:15:07

Okay

Collin Funkhouser  1:15:12

maybe maybe to help you come down from the second radio Haiku,

Brandon  1:15:17

please do

Collin Funkhouser  1:15:20

so. Last time I told a story of the adventure that it went on. And so I wrote haiku about the Heights OH in the sky so high heart races fear meets the light. zipline through the light

Brandon  1:15:45

override

Collin Funkhouser  1:15:46

sound a little unsure about the last time it got a strong one because it's like ziplining through but it has to rhyme so like I had lights and delights anyway.

Brandon  1:15:54

Yeah, so doesn't have to write it doesn't have to write as well and liked it. Okay, that's fair.

1:16:01

Hoping All right.

1:16:05

Dope. That is as a good one. It's that one

Collin Funkhouser  1:16:08

Yep. Racist meat delight as it was fighting supplying so now you get to write a haiku about Dino

Brandon  1:16:19

Oh, boy. Okay, I'll see brown

Collin Funkhouser  1:16:36

love you