EP 26: Happy One Year Anniversary!

We made it to one year! We're so happy to have been making episodes for one year already. In this episode, we reflect on how we got this podcast started, which episodes were our favourite and even difficult to partake in. When we started this podcast, we thought it would just be for fun, but the result of all of these episodes has been truly rewarding for us and has made our friendship connect on a level we never thought of. So enjoy this episode and make sure to listen to our other episodes! We'll be back for season two in 2022!

Transcript

Anniversary Episode

Hey, y'all welcome to United AF. As friends podcast, a show where we try to unravel the complexities of our multicultural friendship and existing because millennials in today's world every other week, we'll get us together for a deep dive into how our friendship has survived and have some laughs while doing it.

We're your hosts, Amanda Justine and Taylor. 

[00:00:23] Amanda: Hey guys. Welcome back to another episode. This is the anniversary episode. Our very last one for the season. 

[00:00:32] Justine: Yay.

[00:00:34] Amanda: been doing this podcast for a year now. 

[00:00:36] Justine: Yes. 

I can't time. Freaking flies. 

[00:00:43] Amanda: Yeah, here we blinked seriously. So figure it. So talk a little bit about the podcast and the journey, and we'll see where this takes us. So I figured we could start with just a little bit of background. Why and how did the idea of a podcast even come about? I honestly don't remember. I only remember Justine asking us the, you want to do a podcast?

I'm like, yeah, we'll try it. Sure. But that's 

[00:01:12] Taylor: it. That's all I got. What could go wrong 

[00:01:15] Amanda: there?

[00:01:16] Justine: What could go wrong with just randomly starting out a podcast. Okay. So I'll take this question. But I had an idea. For a story. and I haven't written yet. A story. And forever. To be honest, I used to write A lot. Short stories and I wrote even like a 14 chapter. Type of thing. 

But anyway, I had an idea just to write about. Us and how our lives were in our middle-class town of Belleville, New Jersey, and how. Our friendship was and specifically our cultures and how it affects us in different situations. And I knew that I would need to talk to each of us to learn about. Different Events in our lives, such as like we talked. about with the college decisions and all of that stuff. So I knew that I would need to, again, talk to. You guys record it. And then, put. It into this whole Story. That I wanted to do. And so I was like, 

If I want to do that, then why don't we just make a podcast and share that with the rest of the world? Because it can just be it can be very. Extensive. And when you're putting it into, a book or something, it has to be cut down. A lot. when we've got 30 lives, unless. 

I'm going to be making. I'm sorry, 30 years. Not 30 lives. Unless I'm putting 30 chapters in. I dunno. So yeah, and then. What stemmed also from the podcasting was that when the lockdowns started and we were doing what weekly calls with each other. Since we were being very consistent with that. 

I felt confident. Enough to. Ask you guys. If you wanted to be a part. Of it just because. we were being. Very consistent. If. we weren't being. consistent with the phone calls or the video calls. I wouldn't have asked that, but because we were consistent in the weekly calls, I'm like, okay, this can work out. So that was the. Premise of the podcast. 

[00:03:16] Taylor: does that answer your, does that suffice? 

[00:03:19] Amanda: Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Now, because, I do remember those weekly calls and we were very consistent with it, but that was like a lifeline during COVID. 

[00:03:28] Taylor: Let me tell you. Yeah. And there was a lot of alcohol involved, I think, next season we should bring that back. 

[00:03:35] Justine: Oh, 

What was the episode? that he did the politics part two or something like that, that we're just, we did have alcohol in there. 

[00:03:44] Amanda: I completely forgot. We did that. 

[00:03:45] Justine: Oh, okay. 

There was alcohol involved. 

[00:03:48] Taylor: There was. Or 

[00:03:49] Amanda: was there was Oh no, no, no. That was the. Independence day one. 

[00:03:56] Justine: Oh, 

[00:03:57] Taylor: Yes. 

[00:03:58] Amanda: okay. Yeah, because you were at Taylor's house and we were like, we had drank, we would eat. And I drank before. I was like, wait, I don't remember this. 

[00:04:08] Justine: Yeah. 

[00:04:08] Amanda: So what was the planning like? I do remember 

[00:04:12] Taylor: we 

[00:04:13] Amanda: started planning pretty early for this mainly because we didn't know where we were doing when we first started. And I don't, how, when did we start planning? It was like 

[00:04:24] Justine: I feel

like 

[00:04:25] Taylor: said yes. And then no, cause we S oh yeah no, it was August.

I thought it was like July, but July was when you were talking it up 

right. It wasn't. Yeah. 

[00:04:35] Justine: Yeah. And that was like, because even though I had the idea to do this, it was very, we need to refine it and figure out what exactly are we going to be talking about? And. The description. If you remember doing that of United AAF, you know,

[00:04:51] Taylor: that's, that's so low. We crowdfunded that too. Not like 

[00:04:55] Justine: the title we, 

Yes. Yeah. 

Yeah.

because obviously if you guys are going to be part of it, we need to have something that is of interest for everyone. So that was part of the planning as well. 

[00:05:07] Amanda: I remember we did things like looking up what type of microphones to use, what platforms to post on. 

[00:05:16] Taylor: That was your homework. It was like we each had something different 

[00:05:19] Amanda: to do at homework. 

[00:05:22] Taylor: Oh man. Mine was social media strategy is that I. I completely I fell off at the past three months.

Completely owning all of that 

[00:05:34] Justine: Ooh, 

[00:05:34] Taylor: completely. I apologize. That is 

[00:05:37] Amanda: life 

[00:05:38] Justine: well, I mean, We still keep pushing back or pre-planning. We've been pushing back what the, for the past month. So. Just life gets busy. It's crazy when life gets, cause obviously during COVID. Everyone's at home and the work is a bit different. But now since things are ramping up again and lock downs have been easing, I don't know how it is over in Jersey, but like here it's been easing and obviously I'm going to be working full time. 

Too. It's it's crazy how to try to fit in these things. When you can. 

[00:06:13] Amanda: yeah. 

[00:06:14] Justine: And sometimes I'm sorry. And sometimes I'm

[00:06:16] Amanda: No. 

[00:06:16] Justine: like our, our episodes supposed to go out Wednesday and I'm so happy that I'm five hours ahead. Because sometimes I'm editing on Wednesday. And making sure that I have I could be editing at 5:00 PM here, but it's still 12:00 PM your time. And so it's it's great because I could still be editing and still be ready in time. But then that kills the social media, because then I don't have social media clips that are supposed to be sent out earlier. And that way you can use it 

[00:06:45] Amanda: yeah. 

[00:06:48] Taylor: What this has shown me is us doing this podcast has been a parallel to a lot of what adult friendships become 

that life gets in the way of the little things. Even just being able to call somebody like. We had, we agreed on certain things. When we were in, when we planned out doing this podcast, we said, okay, we're going to meet every week.

And then we're going to meet every week just for planning. And then we're going to record every other week. But then we got to the point where okay, this does not work because we're getting nothing done in our personal lives, on the weekends because we sit and we talk for three hours. We like the episodes are an hour and a half long, but we sit and I think the longest time we've done one episode, we talked for five hours and that's why they were splitting into two episodes 

because go off on these long Trek tangent, we ha we've had to learn how to reign ourselves in and it's and life. 

[00:07:48] Amanda: What did he tell you about that? We haven't learned that 

[00:07:53] Taylor: I'm going to tell you that we did because we recorded that last one. Not too long ago. We actually started the episode recording at 10 45. And we finished at 12, which is only an hour and 45 minutes long, which is pretty 

decent in comparison to what our average had been like three hours long. And that was also because we had to, because we were using a different platform and it would cut out after a while. And those were all the little kinks that we had to learn about this whole process and that, okay. We switched over to a completely different recording platform because it took so much time and that it could only recall originally it could only record 15 increments.

So what we were doing or else we'd lose it and then we have to stop and then wait for it to come in. And there were all these technical difficulties. So we have learned how to roll with the punches and fix stuff. So like Justine, Justina's our awesome Mixmaster engineer. Like 

she knows. You're welcome.

You're welcome. You've done an excellent job. I'm not gonna lie. You make, when we listened back to the episodes, everything is very smooth. You take the time to do sound checks with us beforehand. You're like, okay, you're too loud. Can you turn down your settings? Or let me do this. that's part of it. It's a really good parallel for adult friendships and that haven't, you have to figure out what works for you. I know like you go from that point where you're younger, you don't have responsibilities, so you can be in each other's lives all the time. Then you grow up and you're like, hold on. I gotta prioritize. What's happening. X, Y, and Z. And then, oh, this doesn't work. Can you work with it? And the fact that we are so able to work with each other very well, we're very aware of this podcast is not our priority sometimes because work comes. 

And family comes in just taking a mental health day, comes in life. And I've enjoyed doing this with both of you so 

[00:09:58] Justine: Yeah. And to piggyback off you, Taylor I look forward to talking to you guys because we do a little bit of catch up beforehand. And then we'd go into the whole thing. But, since we are in in a different country, you guys have you're working throughout the day. And then you have your regular life in the evening. 

and like you said, there's it's really hard to see each other. So this is the time for me to see you guys, even though it's virtually, but again, catch up and talk to My friends and that's what I'm like. I miss you when normally 

I wouldn't say that because, I don't really miss people, but Hey, I'm missing people now. 

[00:10:40] Taylor: And like the sad part is Amanda and I live essentially down the street from each other. I know, three minute drive from my house to Amanda's. Oh 

[00:10:51] Justine: just because I'm not there. If I'm there, you'd be shooting each other more often.

[00:10:56] Amanda: no, that's a 

[00:10:56] Taylor: lie we haven't even got a brunch since 

may. Not even, I think before may. 

[00:11:02] Justine: since I left.

[00:11:04] Taylor: yeah, so like the last time we saw each other was when you were 

here and you just have back up and like before that life has happened, because it's something with the summer. It happens every year.

We're great. We're great. During fall and spring and winter, we can do that consistently. We're like, okay, we're gonna got brunch. And then there's Comic-Con and then we'll see you again at brunch and Amanda, we want to go out to eat. What are you doing? We're great at that. But something happens in like may, from may to mid September.

We just stopped seeing each other. 

[00:11:43] Amanda: I have an idea on my side, at least that the warmer weather just means family comes out. And so that's always a lot of cookouts, a lot of cookouts every weekend. There's a damn cookout or there was, COVID kind of slowed that down. 

[00:12:05] Amanda: What's your favorite episode that we've done and why? 

[00:12:08] Justine: I know when we were talking about it, I think. Race was one of my favorite episodes. It was just really nice to. Share. The information and really talk about how we felt about it. So I really enjoyed that. And I think even the siblings episode was a really nice episode too, because I think it's just the, in general, most. I would say all of our episodes is really learning about each other and I love. That we're learning about each other on such a different level than what we have been throughout our friendship. 

So that's why I've enjoyed, the race episode. And then the siblings, we've got to bring in our siblings and talk about that. And share stories that I didn't know about. My brother didn't know about, or it was just fun getting to know how your siblings felt about you as well. 

[00:12:58] Taylor: I think I've loved all of our episodes where we had guests on like our moms, John Akila and Erica and siblings outside of those, in the episodes that were just, 

[00:13:11] Amanda: I don't know, 

[00:13:13] Taylor: I we talked so much, 

[00:13:17] Amanda: but I, I 

[00:13:19] Taylor: kinda think I, I really like our personality quiz though. That's that 

[00:13:23] Amanda: one?

[00:13:23] Justine: I was gonna say, I loved guessing at that that was so much fun. Guessing each other's personality type and getting it wrong or right. Because we either really know each other really well, or we're hiding a few things. 

So that was so much fun. Which one was your favorite? Amanda? 

[00:13:44] Amanda: I'm going to go at the beauty standard one. 

[00:13:46] Justine: Ooh.

[00:13:47] Amanda: I just liked how, our cultures view it so differently. And if nothing else that could have easily expose people to the fact that, you're beautiful to someone don't ever think you're ugly, 

Don't hate on yourself like that. I really like that. Absolutely. Just because I felt like I could reach so many people 

hashtag 

[00:14:06] Taylor: body positivity. 

[00:14:09] Amanda: I want to talk about the response from our listeners. What was their favorite episode? What was the episode that I guess you could say was one of the most downloaded, most viewed 

listened? 

[00:14:19] Taylor: The first episode was probably 

[00:14:21] Amanda: that first one, but 

[00:14:23] Justine: Yeah, no, that's still number one. Okay. And still number two is actually my birthday. 

[00:14:31] Taylor: I just need his 

[00:14:32] Justine: Yeah. And 

what did, and then the second part of it was what did we miss? And that was more of what were we deprived of as kids we felt. That we should have experienced. Yeah. 

[00:14:45] Amanda: Okay. 

Okay. 

[00:14:47] Justine: Taylor have you asked? Cause do you, since your mom is an avid listener, she's.

Also subscriber. Did you, have you asked her, like, which one did she really enjoy? 

[00:14:57] Taylor: No, but I can go ask her right now. Give me two seconds. Okay. 

[00:15:02] Justine: Well, Folks love to, even though I didn't say that was my favorite, but I think that was a really nice episode. Yeah, I would say that's probably another favorite Just because it was , it was such a different conversation. That I was expecting. So it was just really nice. I enjoyed that 

[00:15:21] Amanda: yeah, the grown folk love and the mental health. Those were the two that I found most difficult to relate to though, 

which probably means, I need to dig in deeper. I feel like 

[00:15:32] Justine: Okay, then y again, I know that you shared that at the, on the episodes, but why did you feel like those were the hardest ones to relate to. 

[00:15:43] Amanda: just because, I've, in terms of mental health, that's not something I ever thought of. I didn't really know how to relate to it or how to answer it. Any of those, most of those questions. And then for grown folks, same thing. I don't relationships like romantic relationships. So when it veered towards the romantic side, I was like, I 

got nothing guys, but I miss.

[00:16:04] Justine: but that's also, we're talking about Amanda's like favorite episodes as well and why she didn't connect to like the grown folks and the mental health. 

[00:16:12] Amanda: mental

health. ones. 

Yeah, 

Those were the two that I found difficult to connect to. 

[00:16:15] Justine: But that that's. 

What I also liked about the grown folks have is that we didn't really talk. I felt like it wasn't too much on the 

[00:16:24] Amanda: Yeah. It was on all types of relationships.

but again, because I'm not that in touch with that side of my feelings, it was just like, Ugh, this is hard. 

[00:16:36] Justine: So since those conversations, have you done anything to. Be more open to it or yeah. Have you done anything since those episodes? 

[00:16:50] Amanda: not really in terms of the grown folk love, like just. Different forms of love that are out there. I don't feel like I need to change in that sense. No one's complaining for the mental health one. I do feel like I want to talk to someone like an actual professional it's mainly for like work-life balance stuff. It's just, I can't find the time to find it and go through my shirt and stuff. 

[00:17:23] Justine: Okay.

[00:17:23] Amanda: But you know what? That brings up an interesting question. Was there ever an episode that you guys felt was difficult to happen? Okay. 

[00:17:29] Justine: I would say it wasn't necessarily. Difficult, but 

I guess a little bit. It was, our mother's day episode. Since my mom did pass away. Last year and to talk about that more openly. I didn't, I've only talked about it through. Grief support groups and one-on-one counseling where, it's okay to break down and cry. And even though. I'm much more comfortable with being vulnerable with you guys. I still don't want to. Be vulnerable to the rest of the world. And so it was like a little bit of a battle with that and still having some, I guess, a pent up feelings about it, or some sort of regrets or, 

Just all of these feelings around my mother passing. 

[00:18:24] Taylor: I don't think I had an issue with any episode, really? 

No I can't say that I have, but I haven't had an, I feel like I've, I feel like I've done too much 

[00:18:35] Amanda: talking, 

[00:18:38] Taylor: Not that I, I don't have an issue with talking, but I, when I listen back, I try and curb I'm like, I should have shut up at some point. So I've started to curb myself. 

[00:18:51] Justine: Okay. 

[00:18:51] Taylor: But. okay. Going back. 

[00:18:53] Amanda: No, go

[00:18:53] Justine: back, you. were like, I'm better with words. 

[00:18:58] Amanda: I 

[00:18:58] Taylor: am. it's a catch 22. I don't want to overstay my welcome when it comes to questions, but I can also stop my stuff at the same time. So actively trying to stop and going back, I forgot the tip. We also had Tiffany on our thing, so 

I missed her. I enjoyed her episode. 

[00:19:19] Justine: Yeah. 

[00:19:19] Taylor: I asked my mom. Yeah. Okay. So her favorite episode was actually a women's inequality day. 

[00:19:26] Justine: Oh, 

[00:19:27] Taylor: And she was like, because I told her how you described it as she goes, you guys did a really good job with that one. And I think because it's one of our most recent episodes we've gotten in such a groove that now we're. We're not just, it's not like we were doing surface material, but we're really getting 

into our like thought process and like delving into these concepts and trying to pull forth what the real overarching meeting is to it for us. 

That's her favorite us more so than the 

[00:20:01] Amanda: episode she was in. 

[00:20:08] Amanda: So what do you hope people have learned our listeners have learned or enjoyed from the podcast? 

[00:20:16] Taylor: I hope they just enjoyed listening to it and they continue to listen. Shout out to our consistent commentors and likers online, Kristin and Ariel and Rodney, and. my sister and stuff like that, like all of them have been very consistent in Philly and your cousin to Justine 

who always loves our stuff on Instagram.

He is so awesome. But yeah, we really appreciate you to those of you that we see across the world in different countries and stuff. And you were consistently there. Welcome. Thank you. We hope we were putting out content 

[00:20:55] Amanda: that you enjoy. 

[00:20:56] Justine: I just hope that they are enjoying the conversations that we are talking about and that they feel comfortable. To talk about the same type of conversation or yeah. To have the same type of conversation with other people as well. And, seeing it. 

Seeing those issues from a different perspective. So I think that's what I would like. People or I hope that's what people are. Learning and enjoying from listening to the podcast. 

[00:21:25] Amanda: Yeah, same, I hope that people enjoy the thing. And to us that they laugh with us when we have our laughing fits and then they're not annoyed. 

[00:21:35] Justine: Yes. 

[00:21:35] Amanda: I hope that, this opens up people's minds that, cause there are quite a few people out there in the world who have never been exposed to someone different than them, like their different culture, different from the way they look, just different in general.

And I'm not, this would want them to. Go out there and meet someone new. Because I feel like that is part of, what's going to make this world better, by us all co-mingling and just getting to learn about each other. It can only help us can't hurt us. 

[00:22:09] Taylor: Oh, you really do want world 

[00:22:11] Amanda: peace 

[00:22:13] Justine: As much as you hate people, you want world 

peace.

[00:22:16] Amanda: just because honestly I've started watching the news more and it's so damn depressing guys. 

[00:22:22] Justine: Oh, 

I have, I've stopped watching the news recently because it's just You're re all you talk about is Kabul and and how the us is pulling out and all of that stuff. And British troops, et cetera. It's there are other things that are happening on around the world, too, that you can report, but you choose not to. So it's just I can't, it's like. 

They just choose one subject to talk about. 

[00:22:44] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:22:47] Justine: exactly. 

[00:22:49] Amanda: So what do you feel like you've learned from this podcast? Well,

[00:22:53] Taylor: I've learned tons about two of you. That I was very, 

there were definitely things. I was like, 

[00:23:01] Amanda: huh? 

[00:23:03] Taylor: I guess I was wrong this whole time, 

[00:23:06] Amanda: but 

[00:23:07] Justine: you have one specific one that you remember? 

[00:23:09] Taylor: Justine, I didn't know. I knew you before your parents 

[00:23:12] Amanda: got divorced.

[00:23:14] Justine: Yeah, fourth, you knew me in fourth grade.

[00:23:17] Taylor: Yes. 

I thought your parents were already divorced 

in fourth grade. 

[00:23:21] Justine: yeah. Because my dad was just never around. 

[00:23:23] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:23:26] Taylor: And because. 

I've known you for 21 years now, which is crazy to 

[00:23:32] Amanda: say 

[00:23:32] Justine: is crazy. 

[00:23:34] Taylor: everyone has always assumed I knew your background story. So they would ask me questions. And I'm like, you need to ask Justine there was one point Ricky, he even brought it up about you to me at work.

And it was something was going on and you were in a mood, but it was something that had happened. It was like something that he noticed about you for a weeks or two weeks notice. And there was something you had said to him. And he had asked me a question about, and he asked me about your dad and your mom.

It was like your relationship with your dad. And I was like, I have no idea. You need to ask her. 

And I was like, yeah, I can't even tell you what the situation was. But he was really concerned about you. 

[00:24:16] Justine: Oh 

[00:24:17] Taylor: Yeah, and Rick was always 

[00:24:18] Amanda: a good guy 

[00:24:19] Justine: yeah. He could have, yeah, you should have said something. 

About it. I mean that 

[00:24:23] Amanda: But it's,

[00:24:24] Taylor: it's a, it's not a sub subject. You bring up to someone unless you know them like that. 

[00:24:28] Justine: Yeah, I know, but if you, to me, if you've been acknowledging a shift in a mood, for a good week or two, and that's very concerning. And at this point, how many years have I worked at the bakery where we, granted, we didn't, probably talk about very intimate things, but I feel if it's, if you've been acknowledging and mood, maybe there's just a way to start that conversation and then it eventually goes there, not everybody knows how to do that. But I think that would have been nice of him to do that. 

To say, 

[00:25:02] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:25:02] Justine: you know, 

I've noticed this. I just want to make sure you're okay. Is everything okay? Type of thing. And then if, yeah, if I don't want to open up about it, then that sucks. But if I do then that's great too. 

Yeah.

Oh, but I appreciate that. He noticed. something was off. 

[00:25:21] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:25:22] Justine: I can't hide my emotions on my face. 

We know, that 

[00:25:28] Taylor: Yeah. I will end and Amanda I've learned unless they, what I have to think about yours, Amanda. Cause it was something in like one of the last couple of episodes. I was like, I'm shocked. Didn't know that about you, 

but it, but Yeah. no, I feel like I've, this podcast has been serving its purpose for me.

And that I've learned new stuff about you guys that I thought I knew and I was completely.

[00:25:55] Justine: I like learning about. Each other and learning about. It on a different level too. Cause I think I've said this before. you not we're on the surface level. It's what are, w how's your day going? Yada.

But we. I don't know. many friendships that, like an analogy is right. It's just the tip of the iceberg and then everything else underneath.

You're learning about. How our cultures affected the way that we decided to make decisions? Or view things for example, in the beauty episode, Amanda, you were saying like, you don't like pale skin. You think that it looks very sickly. Because as growing up as. a a Puerto Rican, like pale skin. 

Is you need to have a tan, right? But not super dark, but not, you don't want to be very pale.

That's how it is. 

[00:26:46] Amanda: much. 

I say same as you guys, learning more about each other. But for myself, I remember when we first started this, what was it that I said, 

[00:26:59] Taylor: oh, there you are. You're going to talk. Oh, see what I do remember was Amanda's we can have these conversations, but I don't think I'm going to have a lot to say that.

I remember 

[00:27:08] Amanda: that. Yes. But also you like words are not my friends. Yeah, because they just don't come naturally to me, but I feel like I've gotten much better at expressing what I'm trying to like, 

[00:27:20] Samson Q2U Microphone Computer audio: say 

[00:27:20] Amanda: here. That's 

awesome. 

[00:27:24] Justine: you also see that outside of the podcasts or is it just between us?

[00:27:28] Amanda: No, definitely outside 

[00:27:29] Taylor: also like at work that's awesome. Snaps 

[00:27:33] Justine: I 

[00:27:34] Taylor: to hand 

[00:27:34] Justine: making an impact. 

Even if it's on just your life, Amanda. 

[00:27:44] Taylor: Hey, that's more than we've. That is our good deed for the day. 

[00:27:47] Amanda: Oh 

[00:27:49] Justine: No, but even for me I want to have these types of conversations with other people. I don't want it to just be you and. I And or us three. And it's just, like if I can have that sort of connection with somebody, that would be great because I would like to learn about culture and all of that stuff. And how does that. 

Relate to who you've become. 

And I'm lucky that my flatmate. Likes to have those types of conversations. is sometimes we'll go into that. too, but I do look. Or I do want to have these types of conversations with other people too. 

[00:28:30] Amanda: So has doing this change, doing it in any way or, just like how you approach certain things outside of the three of us 

[00:28:40] Justine: I feel like I'm a bit more curious. And I mean I've yeah, my curiosity has increased. Which I mean is the same thing as what I just said, like two seconds ago. 

But again, yeah, I do want to Have these types of conversations with other people, if I can find the people to do that with but it would be nice. Yeah. I dunno. what else. 

Taylor. 

[00:29:07] Taylor: I dunno, I think I'm more aware that I have been starting to do this with other people. And in that it's doing, this has been how I've made a lot of my friendships and growing up and that I've always active as the other, normally in the room. I look for the other, and not like I'm looking for the other black person I'm looking for.

I'm looking for the other person who is the minority overall. 

I'm going to ask questions because nobody is normally, and it's like an, also a good way to make friends also, because you're both feeling vulnerable in that moment. 

And I'm always fascinated by people. I've always been fascinated by other people's cultures, because with the way that cultures are portrayed, I all, like it took me a long time to understand that I did have a culture, not because I know like with the whole, being black and American, all of that, they're like, oh, you don't have cultural history.

Everything is different than what yours look like. So I always want to know like people with very longstanding history, these countries that have been around in their current iteration for thousands of years that have these really long 

histories. And I'm like, okay, I have to ask questions. I need to know what you do.

What's up with your religion. And it has really framed my, a lot of my friendships 

[00:30:23] Amanda: looking back. 

[00:30:24] Justine: What about you? Amanda. 

[00:30:25] Amanda: I would say, 

Besides the being able to express myself a little bit better want to say it's made me a bit more aware. I don't know if a where's the right word, maybe more conscious. I don't know, but when I see things posted on social media, I used to just read it through and be like, oh, whatever. Okay. Whatever, not realizing like the subtext behind it could be considered, sexist, racist all the other isms out there 

[00:30:52] Taylor: And agendas behind everything. 

[00:30:55] Amanda: I feel 

like I'm more open to not, I dunno, a more open-minded either just I feel like I'm just more aware of what's happening around me.

I'm not really on my own little bubble anymore. I don't. I try to, How to word this see, this is where it comes. The whole words. Aren't my friends thing. 

[00:31:17] Taylor: But you're 

working harder to being a citizen of the world. 

[00:31:22] Amanda: Yes. There you go. See, 

Taylor gets 

[00:31:25] Justine: yeah. 

[00:31:26] Amanda: and is great with words.

[00:31:28] Justine: how would 

[00:31:28] Taylor: okay. 

[00:31:29] Justine: a citizen of the world? 

[00:31:31] Taylor: Someone who is like she said, I'm not in my own bubble anymore. 

I'm not only paying attention to the things that affect me.

She's now more focused into, okay. Yeah. They said X, Y, Z, but this affects a, B and D also. So Amanda can, is now more aware of, instead of her place in this, in our town, Amanda is now seeing herself in relation to the. 

[00:32:03] Justine: okay. Got 

[00:32:04] Amanda: Yes. I would say it started with the whole BLM thing, because in the past I would have just been like, oh, that's sad. Okay. That sucks. And that would have been it. now, I was posting a lot more. I was getting conversations with certain family members of my family. I participated in a protest. Never did that before, because I was aware that it's not just the black lives, it's, other minorities as well, but it's going to start with them because there have been the most depressed I want to say. 

So once we can change that, then there's hope for everyone else 

[00:32:37] Taylor: snaps up to that one too. Yes ma'am 

[00:32:41] Amanda: I'd say that's more or less how it's changed me a bit. Yeah. 

[00:32:46] Justine: Well, Did we expect. The podcast to change. 

[00:32:51] Amanda: I mean, no, to be perfectly 

honest, I just thought this was going to be like, oh, okay. Let's just have a conversation, No big deal, whatever. 

[00:33:00] Justine: Yeah.

[00:33:02] Amanda: yeah, it 

was, 

[00:33:03] Justine: hustle. 

[00:33:05] Amanda: yeah, 

[00:33:06] Taylor: it got pretty deep 

[00:33:09] Amanda: for some of these conversations. 

[00:33:23] Justine: I'm not going to put that. 

in. 

[00:33:26] Amanda: since you've said one of those 

[00:33:27] Justine: I know I've been good. I've been really good. 

[00:33:31] Taylor: right now, we're back in 2007, Justine's trying to see how far she can spit hands on the side of the road. 

[00:33:40] Justine: I 

[00:33:40] Amanda: that's the memory 

[00:33:41] Justine: at, I used to do that also in the train station. see how far I could spent. Yeah. 

[00:33:48] Taylor: Let's do two seconds to get again, veer off of where it needs to be. But Justine, you are such a conundrum, I think was the word 

[00:33:59] Amanda: because you are 

[00:34:01] Taylor: so like put together a trendy and like you said, you were high maintenance, but then when you sit and you hang out with her, Justine's idea of what do I need to do to pass the time I'm going to stand here and see how far 

it goes.

Oh my God. That went further than last 

[00:34:17] Samson Q2U Microphone Computer audio: time. 

[00:34:18] Justine: I mean, that was so, okay. So Listen. I was a tomboy. Like in elementary, 

Yeah. I'm telling the whole world. Yeah. So this is why, I'm a. Very well-rounded person. 

Like I said, I'm the whole package, Right.

[00:34:33] Amanda: out. 

[00:34:35] Justine: I was a. Tomboy in elementary school and I was like really athletic and, I would be the first person to be picked on the team because, especially Dodge ball man, like 

Dodge ball. I was so good at that. So, yeah, I don't really remember how the spinning got into my life. Maybe with my, my uh, 

I don't. remember it, like maybe my cousins got me into that and like seeing how far I could spit but I dunno for some reason Yeah. that really stuck for some reason And seeing how far I could spit And they it was like good spit to you just 

get it all. It's not like the simple ladder. It's just I dunno. 

Just, 

[00:35:14] Taylor: bullet 

[00:35:14] Justine: yes, There you go. 

[00:35:17] Amanda: really 

far. 

[00:35:21] Justine: Oh, God. yeah, I re honestly, I don't know why. But yeah, and then, had a little bit of a girly phase, where I didn't really spit as much. But even just hanging out people wouldn't really anticipate me making sex jokes.

[00:35:35] Taylor: she said, 

[00:35:37] Justine: Or, cheesy jokes like that, even though I love those types of jokes. But yeah, 

[00:35:41] Amanda: or 

[00:35:41] Taylor: my 

favorite, my vagina has a first name. 

[00:35:45] Justine: Oh, 

yes. Oh, my God.

I. wish 

[00:35:56] Taylor: where did you come 

[00:35:57] Amanda: up with that? 

[00:35:59] Justine: Oh man. My eye and I don't even remember. the names that my vagina had. 

[00:36:04] Taylor: You were singing the Oscar Meyer 

[00:36:07] Justine: I know, but like 

[00:36:08] Taylor: with my vagina has the first name and it was O S C a R. The first time you did that, I was like, is wrong? 

[00:36:18] Justine: See, that's what I'm just like and don't have anything else to do. But I guess what's. Made me more PG. Is because I worked. In HR. And I couldn't really obviously, say those things and it's like, all right what am I going to do with my time now? So it's more of just Christmas songs and in the summer, and just 

You're singing those types of songs whenever I'm bored. And saying Shataki mushrooms and yeah. Just not cursing and saying, that's what she said under my breath, so that nobody hears it. But yeah. 

[00:36:54] Amanda: okay. 

[00:36:56] Justine: Good times. 

I was something. 

[00:36:59] Amanda: you still 

[00:37:00] Taylor: are, you are still a catch, right? 

[00:37:02] Justine: Yes, I am the whole damn Package. 

[00:37:04] Amanda: There you go. 

[00:37:06] Justine: unwrapped me. 

[00:37:11] Amanda: That 

[00:37:12] Taylor: insert. That's what she said right 

there. Right there. Okay. Sorry, Amanda. We've got, I tip us off on a tangent. Yeah. 

[00:37:21] Amanda: that was good. That's funny. 

[00:37:23] Justine: I'm 

[00:37:24] Amanda: I totally forgot about that. though. 

How song that she used to say 

[00:37:29] Taylor: it 

[00:37:30] Amanda: was the most absurd 

[00:37:32] Justine: Hi. 

[00:37:32] Taylor: in the middle of your day. 

[00:37:34] Justine: Yes, no, I would just sing random Songs throughout the day. And I would make a shit ton of parodies as well. And I definitely made a parody of. Katy Perry's hot and cold, but I don't remember that song, but I definitely just sang randomly throughout the day. 

[00:37:52] Taylor: You did

[00:37:54] Justine: Okay. Yeah, cause I guess I was bored or I just wanted to entertain people. 

But I. 

[00:38:00] Amanda: you achieved 

[00:38:01] Taylor: it? Yes. Yes, it was. I remember Leah. She 

[00:38:05] Amanda: it. 

[00:38:06] Justine: There's actually my brother recorded me when we were in Costco. And I sang about ham chicken and Turkey. 

It was literally. ham Chicken and Turkey. ham, chicken and Turkey. Yay. Yay. Yay. And then that was. 

it. 

[00:38:31] Amanda: Oh my 

[00:38:31] Justine: Silly 

[00:38:32] Amanda: yeah. 

[00:38:41] Amanda: Well, listen, hope you enjoyed this episode. I hope you enjoyed all of our episodes and you got to learn a little bit about us, a little bit about different cultures, a little bit about, growing up in Jersey 

[00:38:56] Taylor: a little bit about yourselves, also taking yourself down memory lane. 

[00:39:01] Amanda: I want to Thank you all for listening. you. guys are amazing. I think our guests speakers y'all are amazing for joining us, making us, 

better. Thank you so much.

[00:39:12] Justine: I was going to repeat her. Thank you. 

[00:39:19] Amanda: Thank you. Thank you. We're gonna be taking a small hiatus just to recharge. We'll be back in a couple of months with some brand new content. Nice and fresh. make sure to stay in touch with us. We're going to have some stuff during a little hiatus, a little social media, we'll be sure. So you 

[00:39:40] Taylor: don't forget us. Yes. I will actually post stuff 

[00:39:46] Amanda: and I will come back with us when we're back online. 

Yeah. 

[00:39:50] Taylor: Don't forget. You can always relisten to the episodes.

If you.

miss us. 

[00:39:53] Justine: yes, 

[00:39:54] Amanda: never that far 

[00:39:55] Justine: to the episodes, especially our favorite episodes and some other episodes that more, it didn't make our favorite lists, but are still good to listen to 

[00:40:07] Amanda: Hello. 

[00:40:07] Justine: them.

[00:40:08] Taylor: We might even have content that we just released during the break. Cause we did record a whole episode that never made it because once we got to the end of it, we said, guys, we don't really like it. 

[00:40:20] Justine: And we also had an argument or a debate between what is a super hero 

[00:40:28] Amanda: Oh yes. Oh my God. There's quite a few things that never made it out 

there. 

So 

[00:40:35] Justine: not necessarily relevant. 

[00:40:38] Amanda: But we had fun recording it. 

[00:40:40] Justine: Yes.

[00:40:41] Taylor: We did. But if we are so inclined, we might just share that with you. We'll get back to you on it, 

[00:40:49] Amanda: Thanks for listening to United AAF. As friends with us. 

[00:40:56] Justine: If you enjoyed today's episode. please like comment and share our conversation with your friends and family on our social media pages.

[00:41:03] Taylor: We'll see you all back here in season two. 

Woo. Woo. Number two, we gotta 

[00:41:10] Amanda: make it back. Hopefully. 

[00:41:15] Justine: just having songs at the end of these outros, but 

so.

[00:41:18] Amanda: Right. find the 

[00:41:21] Justine: See cause you guys made fun of me for having the song for every single outro and then, 

[00:41:27] Taylor: I never made fun of 

you. I went with it. Excuse me. Did you, what about the thank you that never ended. 

[00:41:37] Justine: But that was a message to our guests that wasn't like, at the end of an episode. 

[00:41:43] Amanda: Oh, 

[00:41:43] Taylor: okay. My bed, 

[00:41:45] Justine: but that 

[00:41:46] Amanda: we can do. 

[00:41:46] Justine: though. I. love that. Thank You No,