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Episode 29: What Scares Us in Estate Planning
14 Plays2 months ago
Get ready for a chilling episode just in time for Halloween! This week we're talking about all the things that scare us in estate planning and every day life. From online Wills and the haunting aftermath we see as a result, the consequences of treating online misinformation as gospel, and the terrifying reality of signing your documents incorrectly rendering them invalid, we'll discuss just why these things are so scary.
Don't go anywhere—Sam and Sara will also be sharing their list of the creepiest, most "unsettling" things you encounter in every day life. Join us to learn how you can avoid these frightful estate planning mishaps!
Join us every Wednesday for new episodes!
Where you can find Burch Law:
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- hello@burch-law.com
- (972) 385-0558
Visit burch-law.com/podcast to reach out!
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Transcript
Introduction to Podcast and Legal Focus
00:00:04
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of One of Us Knows What They're Talking About. Another one is you. I'm Lori Burch, your host. Join us as we discuss and unpack wills, trust, estate planning, and probate law in a way that's actually informative, interesting, and well, hopefully entertaining. Because if you don't have a will, the state of Texas has one for you. Let's dive in.
Sam's Car Accident Experience
00:00:40
Speaker
So, Sam, you were in a car accident today. Yeah, I was. Have you ever been in a car accident before? um the only The only other one that I've been in that I was a driver was when I was 18 and I got sued for it. Oh, that's right. You got sued?
00:01:02
Speaker
Yeah, so I was coming out of my college, it was my first year of college, um and I was at community college, and I was gonna turn left, but for some reason, the light just wouldn't turn green, and so people were just yielding and going, and me being the dumb 18-year-old that had my license for six months, being, okay, I'll do the same thing too, and I didn't look to my right, and I t-boned somebody,
00:01:28
Speaker
And then they sued me for a million dollars each.
00:01:34
Speaker
And that's why you had to come work for us is to pay off your debt. Yeah. But today was not your fault. No, it wasn't. But that's a thing that will probably be charged or like it would be a charge.
00:01:50
Speaker
um The insurance company will say that it's my fault because I rear aimed at them and I don't have a dash cam. It's more like a side. Sam, working for a law firm has to be some benefit to you.
00:02:06
Speaker
yeah Yeah. let me know was I bullshit. So you actually, so you were in your lane though. You had your established position and this person veered into your lane. So they, they essentially like cut me off. So I was in my lane. They were next to me. They swerved in front of me. They were fully in front of me when I hit them.
00:02:32
Speaker
um i honked because they were like an inch or two away from hitting me when they did that because there was me and then a car like right here so they were squeezing in between them um and i honked and i don't know if that scared her or she was trying to break check me or my theory is she thinks she was in a turning lane because that was red to turn left and i was in the the third most lane from the lifts. So it was going straight into those two turning lanes. um And she just stopped. And then I, because she cut in front of me, I just didn't have enough time to fully stop without hitting her. So, yay. That's where we're at. Poor Steve. He doesn't deserve that. Steve is her car. Yeah.
00:03:26
Speaker
Well, I think you need to stick to your guns and be careful what you say to your insurance and on her insurance. And she swerved into your lane is what I just heard. yeah She did. Yeah. And you need to go have and x-ray down on your neck.
00:03:50
Speaker
I mean, it's not feeling too bad now at least, but Sam, you don't know. I mean, Sam, you are but a child right now. Quit trying to harmony. Yeah, no. I, yes. So anyway, Sarah, have you ever been in a car accident?
00:04:10
Speaker
um See, I thought I hadn't. And then I remembered when I was like 16, I think, yeah, I was um in my old car.
00:04:23
Speaker
It was kind of a similar situation, actually. We were and we were both in the two turning lanes from what I remember. And she veered into my like I was in the outermost turning lane and she was in the inner and she veered into me into my lane. But I think I was at fault because I didn't I didn't stop in time, it even though that that literally wouldn't have been humanly possible. Yeah. Hmm.
Car Accidents and Personal Stories
00:04:50
Speaker
Cynthia, how about you?
00:04:53
Speaker
Do you have the time for me to tell you about all the car accidents I've been in with my mother driving? Oh, wow. So no, let's not. So me, myself causing them, absolutely not. um My mother on the other hand. A lot. So yes, I've been in some. Can we take a moment for that one piece of here, Sarah, that was just like showing off.
00:05:21
Speaker
Well, Sarah, do you have you do you have a hair appointment scheduled? No, I don't have any money in my bank account right now. You know, negative like $50. Oh, so here's what I don't. Here's what I don't understand. I know what you all make. I know the crazy bonuses you guys have been getting.
Budgeting and Financial Management Discussion
00:05:50
Speaker
And I know that we had a special seminar about how to budget. What I don't know is how you spend your money and what your debts are. I can tell you from the last couple of months for me, you tire because the other one blew out. That was last month moving.
00:06:11
Speaker
ah extra moving costs for the movers. am Um, and then now this whole thing happening. So, okay. Did either of you take to heart the budgeting and debt payoff presentation I had for you? I'm focusing on the smallest at first, which is my teeth. I have like three payments left, but I'm doing an extra 50 a month on it to take off like three or four months. So, Hey,
00:06:44
Speaker
Yay. Okay. All right. Very good. So, um, all of this is frightening, which is a good segue into being the time of year that it is and being the topic of our episode today is, is almost Halloween, depending on when you're listening or watching.
The Importance of Having a Will
00:07:09
Speaker
But, you know, it's a scary time. And we want to talk about scary things. Do you have a fan? I do have a fan. That's why it's just so much. So she needs, you know. Yeah. Are so I'm obviously well, I don't want to say obviously I'm not at the office in this moment. But I've never I have office in that building in various spaces for almost 20 years, actually over 20 years.
00:07:40
Speaker
And I love it. I love the location. I love a lot of things about it, but I've never understood the temperature situation. It's really hot in here today for some reason. I i think it's really hot in there. here's Here's what I think. I think they, because we actually had a cold s snap,
00:08:01
Speaker
They switched everything to heater mode. And because it's over 90 frickin' degrees outside in October, but global warming's not real, um they don't have that changed over. Yeah. Yeah, we finally, um finally turned up the heat in Marcel's low temperature age because we were just so cold last week.
00:08:31
Speaker
Yeah. So things that scare us. And you know, what's interesting about this topic is that a lot has been made about the official tagline of birch law. And there, you know, there's a villain origin story around it it actually came from my mom and it has taken on a life of its own. But it 100% is a scare tactic. Is is it not?
00:08:58
Speaker
And that is, but here's the thing about birch law scare tactics is they're all backed up by reality. We're not just scaring you for the sake of scaring you, but our entire mantra, our mission is a scare tactic. And that is, if you don't have a will, the state of Texas and texas has been for you, right?
00:09:26
Speaker
So that's the scariest thing. And so when we're talking about scary things this time of year, um there's a lot of things that scare us when it comes to that. I know personally over the many years, um of course, the easy one is just being scared by people who have no plan.
00:09:46
Speaker
That's the easy one. But um all of you are going to carry the weight of this, because I feel I cannot get over the fan in your character. I'm so sorry. It's just flowing in the wind. Just by touching the sun. I don't have flowy hair. Maybe she's born with it.
00:10:09
Speaker
So what else is scary when it comes to what we do every day is living? Come on, y'all. Oh, easy. Whenever people tell us that they googled it and we should be able to do what Google said. Yeah.
00:10:23
Speaker
outside sightings are scary to me. Wait, wait, Sam, don't jump ahead. Was there was there? Yeah, I thought you were trying to get us to do a like a rapid fire. So I will like so i just sam went and then Sarah was going to say something and then we could come back around like to explain things if need be. So do we want to do rapid fire and then go?
00:10:48
Speaker
But like related to EP, y'all can have your list later. ah Estate planning. els pres So are we doing rapid fire then? So my fear is when people don't have anything. Cynthia, what's yours? um Whenever they tell me that Google said they could do something, but really they can't. Okay, Sam, what's yours? Off-site signings. All right, Sarah, what's yours? Online wills.
00:11:18
Speaker
online wells Okay, so for me, um the not having anything if you don't have a real estate of Texas has one for you. The scary part about that
Dangers of DIY Legal Advice
00:11:27
Speaker
is you're letting the default laws of Texas decide everything. Who's going to raise your kids? Who's going to inherit your assets, your property?
00:11:38
Speaker
um the time and money it takes for all of that to be sorted out and in fact with blended families because some of you had to have starter marriages out there Or starter relationships. I don't know. I don't judge much Uh
00:11:56
Speaker
But in Texas, assets actually go to children from outside the marriage instead of just directly to the current spouse. What's more that we've unpacked under that? So, Cynthia, give more texture to yours, the Googling.
00:12:13
Speaker
The Googling one, well, people will just sit there and say, oh, how do I do this? And then Google, and now the primary search thing that pops up is Google AI, and it just takes information from everywhere, and it'll hodgepodge some stuff that don't pertain to their state. Yeah, and I mean, hey, we're a younger, hipper type of firm than the majority of the state planning firms, let me tell you, because I just quit a webinar.
00:12:44
Speaker
from a bunch of old stodgy estate planning firms. I'm like, I can't i can't relate. I can't do it. um So we love AI. We love advanced technology. We have always, as far as law firms, been on the cutting edge of this. um In fact, we don't have paper files. We've been scanning and putting that for decades. I can say decades. Wow, that's crazy. Anyway.
00:13:13
Speaker
So we think it's super cool. There's a lot of great advantages to it. But the problem is, is that it, things are very, very specific and circumstantial to you. So trying to Google your way through how assets are distributed or who take care of your kids or this or that is a big, a big mistake. Sam, you elaborate more your biggest fear when it comes to your job. Yeah. It's been fired.
00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah. but but oh yeah do you Does that even cross your mind that it's like, um I live in an at-will state. I could be fired at any time. This now. ah No, um I'm hoping that I'm good enough in my job and you guys like me enough that you keep me. You know what Sam?
00:14:06
Speaker
sam You are good enough at your job.
00:14:12
Speaker
ah try just enough to keep your job out. Anyway, you, um so our listeners slash viewers are not going to understand what we mean by offsite signings. So I need you to take that, rewind it back and talk more about it. And because, and what am I, I have fear that Sam is not going to paint the picture enough because it is the number one issue we battle against that Sarah I know is going to talk about in her biggest fear when it comes to her job.
00:14:43
Speaker
besides being fired is that in order for any will, trust, power of attorney to work, it has to be signed correctly. Like I just the other day was presenting to this group about ah planning once their kids become 18. And there is this website that I'm not going to mention it because I really, like I really respect what they're trying to do, but it's one of these online and estate planning websites, but it's specifically for kids that turn 18 and it rhymes with
00:15:24
Speaker
Bomba Bear. Okay. And, you know, we we've been doing this for years, if not decades. Isn't that crazy to kind of say decades? You Sam. You went to obscure? What was it? Bomba Bear, Jabba, Jair, Jair. Anyway, i not a sponsor, and no definition.
00:15:51
Speaker
Good job, anyway, if you would like to sponsor us, thank you. That would be welcome, although too much sugar. I know. And you're trying to like head jump. You are trying to promote yourself as being healthy, but that's a ton of sugar. It's like a treat. Otherwise, totally on board. So anyway, and so I just talked to this group about the online stuff. And when I went to the site to make sure that I could speak.
00:16:19
Speaker
um intelligently about what they're saying, they're like, get this done in 20 minutes. And I really take offense to that idea because you can fill stuff out, but for it to work, it has to be signed correctly. And there are different requirements for different documents in different states. So to tee Sam up,
00:16:50
Speaker
Occasionally, because we are very popular, we have people all over the state of Texas, which if you haven't heard is a really large state. They'd like to think they're the biggest state. what they are They are not the biggest state, but it's fine. It's a really large state. So not always is it convenient for clients all over the state of Texas to come to us because normally we personally oversee the signing. And so we give very detailed instructions on how to make sure things are signed correctly. So when Sam says offsite signing, she means these are our clients that we send detailed instructions on how to get it signed properly. So Sam, your biggest fear is when that happens, elaborate.
00:17:38
Speaker
Yes. So we, like you said, there are clients, we send them the documents, we send the instructions and then they bring it back and like pages won't be initial. Dates won't be filled out. The witnesses will be related to them or mentioned in their documents. And we say at the top,
00:17:56
Speaker
ah said No, no. um We've had it to where one client like signed their will on one day, but their trust on another day and then everything else on another, like a third day. Hold on, Sam, their will was signed witnessed but then there's ah a document that goes with it that's a self-proving affidavit that was on a different day yeah that was even different from the trust in it was a plot mess it was a lot it was a lot fine it's fine this is fine
00:18:30
Speaker
but um and then so it's it like stuff like that or um there's no notary stamp or like just like stuff like that it's never done correctly or if it is it's like every one in a hundred that's done correctly. So that's what like that's our biggest beef and I'm not I don't want to steal any of Sarah's thunder because boy does Sarah have thunder. If Sarah has anything it is. that i right You got so heated.
00:19:01
Speaker
But, so we'll get to that. I don't want to stay, I don't want to take you away from that. But um for us, when it's our own clients even, like we have pretty detailed, but I would say also straightforward instructions.
00:19:18
Speaker
Sam, what would you guesstimate is the percentage of people, our clients, that And this should be a lower than the average. So it's okay if it's a lower one, but I don't really know. What would you guesstimate is the average of people that sign it incorrectly where we have to say, hey, you need to redo it this way? Like 80 to 90%. No, that can't it can't be that many times. It can't be that high. It feels like it's that many. Even if it's just like one stray initial or like a date, like there's usually something.
00:19:54
Speaker
That makes me really sad. At the same time, the point is that by going to us, if you are not able to sign it in our office to make sure that everything is signed correctly, that we still make sure that you send it to us so we can tell you before it's too late, which is what Sarah is going to talk about.
00:20:13
Speaker
Hopefully. um We're going to make sure like, Hey, you miss this signature. You miss this. You didn't do this. You didn't do that. But it is really
Common Legal Document Mistakes
00:20:21
Speaker
shocking. And you know, let me be, let me be a little bit more like you, Sam, where I have a strength of harmony, which is probably my blessing release box. Let's pretend that I do. I do. I don't, I, I'm going, I really am going on more than 20 years of doing this personally.
00:20:43
Speaker
I do not understand why it's confusing other than I have often referred to this as the tourist phenomenon. And it's when people are in a foreign place to them, they lose all common sense. And I call it the tourist phenomenon because I, you know, part of my life history is I lived in a very tourist city, DC. And The fact that people wouldn't know when to cross the street or when the Metro doors open, that means you're supposed to get off the Metro. You're not supposed to hang out? on
00:21:26
Speaker
um you I also, I think I've told the story before, but I knew someone who's now a professional speaker who used to work for Disney and she said for the reels that the number one question at Disney is what time is the two o'clock parade?
00:21:47
Speaker
And I think the point is when you get legal documents, they, for us, even for Sarah, who doesn't touch anything quiet related, she's much more comfortable seeing them. But for other people, it just throws, it throws them off. Like I don't know any, the only explanation is either this or that people are really, really ignorant.
00:22:14
Speaker
And I refuse to believe that in general we're really ignorant. I think they're ignorant people, but I don't think generally that we are. So I refuse to buy into that. So it's got to be this, this tourist phenomenon of being in a foreign land and legal documents are certain certainly a foreign land for a lot of people. But Again, not trying to steal your thunder, Sarah. But with the online stuff, I would love to like pound my chest and be like, Oh, I'm a super smart lawyer. And it's all about how things are drafted and the language and this and that. And that is true. But most of the stuff isn't even signed correctly. And we've seen all sorts of things where
00:23:00
Speaker
in a witness block, we'll have a notary stamp, or we'll have a, like within the same document, and this is our stuff this has happened with, because I know this is this is trauma for Sam, where page 11 is blank, but page 12 has the signature and notary and witnesses. And it's like, it the page before, did you think that was just a joke? Like what?
00:23:30
Speaker
What is going on? A few years back before we. Scary. We just streamlined some stuff. Well, no, that's ah what I mean. Like I felt like it was scary sending documents offsite for signing. But back then we would tab everything. We would put little tabbies in the initial. We would put little tabbies. Yeah, exactly. We would put little tabbies where they're supposed to sign. We would do that like every single place.
00:24:00
Speaker
And it's still like we would get that anxiety of, okay, what are we getting back? Yeah. and that's like But the important part is for us is we really, and Sam like personally stays really on top of our clients to make sure they send it back to us so with so that hopefully we can review it and tell them how to fix it before it's too late. Because with other things like online stuff, it's always too late, which is a good segue to you, Sarah. So Sarah, you said your number one fear with your job besides being fired. Correct.
00:24:35
Speaker
is online wills, elaborate. um Where do I even start? So I think what's scariest to me is that people think, like, yeah, I can just go online and get these legal documents, easy. And it's just, ah like, I don't know what makes people think that they they even know the first, like,
00:25:02
Speaker
I don't know the first thing about Wills trust and estate planning. I'm not going to go online and think like, yeah, easy. Something like this is just, I don't know. It's, it's.
00:25:14
Speaker
the rage is building up inside of me. um But we already covered, we already covered like the biggest thing is people don't get assigned properly. And they think that what they have is good and it's going to work. And at the end of the day, it's just crap. But it gives them like this false sense of belief that, you know, I'm, I've got my future ah kids covered and all my assets are going to go to where I wish and I did forget to, you know, get this notarized, but like, that's probably not a big deal, right? Like, it's just all these things come into play that I. I don't think like we educate a lot on how bad DIY wills are, but I don't think it really hits people. People are like, oh, whatever. ah That would never happen to me. But it's just like. The same time you're not. You're not a lawyer, you're not seeing a lawyer. What?
00:26:10
Speaker
It's just a big why, why for me? That's, that's what's scary is people just think, yeah, no big deal. It'll be fine. I mean, as I mean, technically, very technically as only lawyer in this current conversation, um,
00:26:26
Speaker
Often I find myself explaining this stuff to people and they're just like, well, that's so ridiculous. It's this way or why is it that way? And, you know, I always say, like, I know I don't know why, but it is how it is. But I mean, at the same time.
00:26:44
Speaker
If somebody dies, do you think your house should just go magically to the person who says it should go to? I mean, do you not think that there should be some safeguards in place or who should legitimately get that and that there are some guidelines and laws? I mean, we live in a society, right? And there has to be like rules governing the way that our lives intersect with each other and I don't know. Maybe it's a uniquely American thing where we just think that we, or maybe it's a uniquely Texas thing where it's like, nobody should tell me what to do or how to do this. But at the same time, to some degree, I mean, you have to, because then, you know, someone drops dead and I can just walk in and say, well, that house should really be mine.
00:27:35
Speaker
Or their money should really be mine. So a lot of people, I mean, we've gotten so many calls before any of you existed, actually, we'd get calls that ah would be like, uh,
00:27:51
Speaker
I don't I don't really have anything. I don't really need to have a will or anything like that. And or I just want I want the simplest. Well, I want a simple will. And I know a lot of people talk about simple will. And I there is nothing called a simple will.
00:28:09
Speaker
you You can look it up all you want. there's not like a fit like If we go to any drafting software that's available exclusively to a estate planning attorneys, there's nothing called a simple will. That is just your code for I want the cheapest thing you've got.
00:28:27
Speaker
And I get that. I appreciate that. And one thing I can guarantee that a qualified law firm like Birch Law is going to do for you is that we are going to find the least expensive of route for you to accomplish your wishes for real. But the law is never simple.
00:28:49
Speaker
You may think it's simple. And then we talk to somebody and it's like, yeah, I have a child from previous marriage and my mother-in-law lives with us and she gave us all the money for this house. And if we die, we need to make sure that part of that goes back. But but it's really simple. It's just simple. I want the simplest thing you got.
00:29:07
Speaker
And if your goal or if your fear, as it may be, is to leave a mess, then you really do need to just suck it up and get over your fears and get a solid plan in place and do it the right way.
00:29:29
Speaker
That's how it goes, right? Okay. So, uh, what other, I know we've got a rapid fire, Sam Sarah segment, but were there any other big time fears or scary things that we wanted to discuss? Better state planning related.
00:29:51
Speaker
Sure.
00:29:54
Speaker
I mean, because we could keep going on this all day, but just other fears in general, like if you want to have a good existential crisis, you can talk about misinformation. That's really scary.
00:30:06
Speaker
I mean, so not only is it Halloween time, it's also election time. And I struggle with um the advent of social media, because a lot of people just want to point the finger at that and say that that's the problem. I mean, ultimately, it's people's human nature, the problem. These are just other ways to manifest it. But the way it works is with your own echo chamber and everything like that. and And for me, as someone who tries to consume as much knowledge and news and what is considered objective media as possible, it sometimes surprises me that other people like it, that's not common knowledge for other people. And I mean, that's okay because we have to be able to relate to one another. But
00:31:06
Speaker
For anybody who's a student of history, I mean, one of the best ways to subvert a society or a government is through propaganda and misinformation. And I certainly think in this day and age with social media, while social media can be used for good, because it's just social media is is morally neutral, politically neutral. It's how we choose to implement it. That's my opinion.
00:31:36
Speaker
is are we do we understand what propaganda is or do we use it to look for truth or knowledge? And how much do people care about that in the first place? I don't know. Like, since you've taken us to a very philosophical point, I don't know if you want to go that deep with it, but here we are.
00:31:58
Speaker
I mean, yeah, why not? I feel like that's really scary whenever you have a large group of people getting fired up over things that are wholly inaccurate. They can be proven one way or another, but it's people not wanting to see what the consequences are. Like earlier today, Sarah posted that somebody got upset at one of our ads and it was just plain simple. If you don't have a will, the state of Texas has one for you. But I feel like people like they're like... I mean, technically I posted that, but it's fine. Sarah can get the credit.
00:32:34
Speaker
Well, who, who scheduled it? I don't know. Like that was just, okay, so it was an ad. It was an award-winning ad. Well, it was an ad for an award-winning law firm. Us. Okay. But still, I feel that that's one thing that whenever people just decide that they don't truly want to know how things work, they just feel like they know a better way for it to work.
00:33:02
Speaker
That's whenever things get really scary. And that's whenever people can get seriously, like, screwed out of stuff, frustrated, they can do some things that impact. Well, I think that's one of the ways to deal with that's one way to deal with fear, though, is just to deny reality. And then you don't have to recognize what the reality of what you're being confronted with.
00:33:30
Speaker
Right. So, I mean, not to make it too relevant to us, but, you know, I don't know that everybody wants to hear the truth of what happens. And whenever I'm speaking to, well, the XYZ happens, I always wonder, like, are people believing me? And, you know, recently, so, I mean, I did start this practice, even though we technically celebrate it, May 5th, 2005, I started it earlier than that.
00:33:59
Speaker
Um, but I mean cinco de mayo who would deny that and of 2005 as their anniversary But I I mean I have and then I have some backwards. So I have been doing this for over 20 years And so things have really really changed and I I can't remember What? Um, it was probably a cole a continuing legal education class that we have to take every year Which by the way your online legal course, uh online legal preparation documents don't have to do cole um was talking about how, depending on how long you've had your practice, so certainly me, in the beginning people came to us searching for information and now what we're dealing with is people who think they have the information and they're just trying to discern are we going to help
00:34:49
Speaker
confirm their information bias or guide them or be able to relinquish the trust to us because, I mean, back in the day, Sam is someone who does intake. I used to tell people when I'd schedule appointments, because yes, I used to do this myself.
00:35:06
Speaker
I would tell them, bring your address book because we'll need addresses with phone numbers of people. Like that's just not a thing anymore. But I used to say that and they would come to me and they would accept as the subject matter expert what I would say. Now we're getting people who said, I Googled this thing called a family trust or a real estate trust or a ladybird trust. I mean, all this shit that frankly doesn't mean anything to you as a lay person,
00:35:37
Speaker
And something I try to get across to the team is our goal, because I still think a lot of the technological advances are important and useful to us is you can't have people tell you what you want, what they want, the specific legal thing they want. That is our job. Maybe one day AI will be able to do that for them, but it can't yet.
00:36:01
Speaker
You have to tell us what sort of result you want, and then we will figure out the legal mechanics to get you to that result. What are you wanting to achieve? Don't tell us you googled something or you know this thing worked. We need to be able to do that because there is, to Cynthia's point, this proliferation of misinformation.
Educating Clients and Fighting Misinformation
00:36:25
Speaker
And the idea that fact checking is something that is considered negative is just like shocking. Like that, like that's jarring to me that anybody would think that oh we're going to be fact checked is a negative or somehow has a bias to it. I mean, there there are things that are opinions, but there are also things that are objective truth.
00:36:53
Speaker
And the objective truth is that if you don't have a will, the state of Texas has before you.
00:37:01
Speaker
Right? Yeah. you Yeah.
00:37:07
Speaker
I mean, there is objective truth, right? Do we still have that? There is objective truth. Well, but the other piece of all of this is people will keep searching until they find something that echoes what they're thinking or echoes what they're saying. And they're like, see, I was right. And that's what they go with. They don't truly, they just want to be right, even if it's the most fascinating other. Well, and that's the thing, Sarah. Yeah, Sarah, in your world of marketing,
00:37:38
Speaker
I mean, it's set up these algorithms and echo chambers, which is why we always find it funny when we'll do the specific LGBTQ advertising, and we'll get trolls that comment on that. And it's like, bro, the reason why you're seeing this. The call is from inside the house. The call is from inside the house.
00:38:03
Speaker
I don't know how to break this to you. And then like there was that one guy that like I really got into it with. And he was like, this is how bad your marketing is. And I'm like, oh, bro, this is how bad your secret life on Grindr is. You called him Sweetie. I wonder how he's doing. I did call him Sweetie only because he was using a lot of emojis, but still also trying to be like very masculine.
00:38:33
Speaker
hetero king of the world. um But yes, so anyway, that's where we find where we find ourselves. Scary things, scary things. So I think this is a good opportunity to segue, although a lot of these things on the list, I know this is rapid fire, that's what you've come to know and love Sarah and Sam for. But I feel like, I'll let them go through the rapid fire, but I feel like we're gonna have to take that, rewind it back and talk about some of these. But Sam and Sarah take over about things that scare you.
00:39:07
Speaker
Okay. Are you good with me going first, Sarah, or do you want to go first? Oh, I have to pull it off. Go ahead. Okay. the first one is um passing 18-railers or getting stuck like in between them when you're driving. You're fine. When your pet stares at a random corner in your room, um really just want to know what they're seeing. Global pouring.
00:39:36
Speaker
Wait, say that again. like Global warming. Forgot you put that on there. ah Spider in your toilet. I. OK, I just I can't do it anymore. I wanted to really circle back to these me. It's not a spider. It's a snake. Yeah. Oh. Oh, yeah. I can deal with a snake. I cannot deal with a spider. I can deal with it like eat only because you have a snake.
00:40:04
Speaker
Snakes are Satan spawn. I mean, that's like Genesis. No, they're OK. You know what? They get a bad rap. um We both there's listen. Also, snakes, as long as you leave them alone, they're not going to come for you. It's your own fault if you get a it. It's your own. I mean, some snakes, some snakes. All right. So apparently we're just going to derail there. So I have to go back to the 18 Wheeler.
00:40:28
Speaker
Did you have the sphere before um Final Destination or did Final Destination plant the seed in your head? I feel like probably Final Destination, but that's it, It's just terrifying because you realize that her they're beside you and then also in front and behind you, scary. See, okay, I have a different point of view on this.
00:40:50
Speaker
because my dad was once an 18-wheeler driver and he said, okay, but you have to make sure that they can see you. If you can see their mirrors and they can see you, don't panic, because if you panic, you're gonna cause the accident. Okay, my experience is they may see you, they just don't give a fuck.
00:41:09
Speaker
They don't care. That's very true. They don't care. But but you can't panic. What is going to prevent what's going to prevent because you cheated death before of it like snapping and like all the things like coming at you?
00:41:24
Speaker
Why are you driving around? They really dangerous ones. So before you finish your rapid fire, which obviously is the opposite of rapid fire, the pets staring in a corner. are Are we talking about where they like stare in a corner like a la Blair Witch Project?
00:41:43
Speaker
Yeah, yes. Like, yeah, that's scary. Like, yeah, very in my very first apartment, when I first started working here, the one that was like five minutes away, there was a specific spot in the bathroom that he would always stare at, like in a newer way. And it was the most terrifying thing. Do you ever think it's like a fourth dimension or they see ghosts? 100% I think they see ghosts. Yeah. Yeah. or they know are coast Yeah, they know what folks are there or or what I know are in your wall. Okay. All right, next. um were Okay, honking at someone and being afraid of getting shot afterwards. Okay, this was one that you weren't sure you were going to use. But I mean, yeah, I mean, let's go for a second. So it is and we are in Texas. And this is one I personally struggle with. Because
00:42:39
Speaker
I don't wanna be a downer. There's just been really horrible stories that have happened. So I am with you, dear listeners, if someone really pisses you off and you want to flip them off or something like that, but try try to keep your cool. We'll leave it at that.
00:43:02
Speaker
All right, next one. Biggest fear, no one laughing at a joke I said. It's just quiet. ah So Sarah, did you offer this one? Oh, yes. Do you make jokes? Man, she got you there. Is it? I mean, you're a very valuable member of our team. But not for your humor. All right.
00:43:35
Speaker
Is that like, dear, so our esteemed colleague and one of my besties, Jamie Dugan, like all she really wants in life, despite the fact that she's incredibly attractive, she doesn't care about that and is not even aware of this, by the way, is that she wants people to think she's funny. Are you someone Sarah who wants people to think that you're funny?
00:43:58
Speaker
I just, I just, if no one laughs and it's just silent, man, I gotta go like dig a hole for myself. Do you make jokes? Stop. She does make jokes. You're making her feel bad. I'm gonna pay more attention. I'm digging a hole right now. All right. and What but do I tell you as your elder? What do I tell all of you when you find yourself digging a hole? Stop digging.
00:44:30
Speaker
Thank you, Sam. You were the new Jordan. You don't say that to me often, so. She said it to me like a week ago. What's the next one? Two things, also known as megalophobia. Like me and Sam, I'm afraid of staring at If you've ever been downtown with me, you'll notice that I won't look up. She won't. It's really scary to me. But but is it not? Is it me. a fear of heights as well? No. No, it's more like looking up and like seeing how tall everything is. Does it make you claustrophobic?
00:45:11
Speaker
No, I don't think I'm possible. But then also like I've been on a couple of cruises and like when you're right next to the ship and like I realize how big it is, I have a like a tiny paddock attack. Have you ever been to Washington DC? Okay, another ah just another reason to go there. Buildings can't be higher than like 10 or 12 feet is nothing oh or 10 or 12 stories. I'm sorry. not ten or twelve oh 10 or 12 stories. I think he's bigger than that. is that Well, because they can there they can't be taller than the monuments. Oh, interesting. There's no tall buildings in Washington. I'm going to go move there. Oh, good. It gets very cold. But you know we've got global warming, so that'll take care of that. Yeah. Yeah. Next. Expiration dates brought to you by Sam.
00:46:05
Speaker
Okay. Elaborate on that. Yeah. Like anytime there's an expiration date, even if somebody goes, you know, this is fine for like an another week. I will hold on. I need to, I need to add something. Even if the expiration date says it's not until next week, she will say it, it makes me nervy. Yeah. If I will not eat it. If I get the ick.
00:46:27
Speaker
And she just has to look at the date and be like, it's within 10 days. Nope, it's all good. That's only happened a couple of times. But if it's after the expiration date, unless it's something canned and it and even then it's like, if it's like a couple of months after the can date, like it, I and don't know, I get like the egg and I can't eat it. She's been through like a used by date.
00:46:52
Speaker
And then there's also like, if you've opened it by that date, because there's some things that we can get that will last like two years, but if you've opened it, then you need to have that within the next week. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. I don't know where the route of that is, but I need to, as someone who is a pool owner, I need to understand this next one, uh, filters down at the bottom of the polls. This was a Sarah one.
00:47:18
Speaker
What do you mean? I think so, like, you know, the it's more so in ah like public pools, like they have the really big greats down at the bottom of pools drain. Yeah. And that always scared me as a kid. And I think that's because I watched a movie where the suction was so strong, somebody got sucked down. And so every time, like ever since then, even as an adult, if I'm in a pool, I will swim around the the great.
00:47:45
Speaker
I can't. I have a question. What about when you're walking on sidewalks and there are greats? Because my mom will not walk over anything unless it's actual sidewalk. Oh, yeah. Most of the time that makes them scared. I'm going to drop some make them in. It depends on my shoes. Oh, that's fair.
00:48:05
Speaker
Interesting. So I feel like everybody has some story that didn't actually happen, but where they heard of a kid that got their toes stuck in a dream. Oh, yeah. We need to see if that actually has ever happened.
00:48:24
Speaker
But anyway. Okay, so I'm not worried about that next. The Killer Clown era in 2016. That was especially terrifying as a pizza delivery driver. Can you elaborate on this? What about your pizza delivery era? Do you not know about the clowns in 2016? 2016, no. I think I remember it. There was like this whole thing that was probably around Halloween, right? Where people would just dress up as clowns and just stand around and like chase people. With knives and yeah. yeah Like real knives or yeah plastic knives? Yeah.
00:49:02
Speaker
Like, it was terrifying. I never saw one in person, thankfully, but because it wasn't real. But where did this allegedly happen? Everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah. Oh, Sam. Was it like college towns? Was it? Probably college towns. But it was like a whole thing that happened like nationwide. Like, I'm not kidding. Yeah, no, it was a real thing. It was like a legitimate thing. So not to take your ridiculousness and make it something real, but Do any of you remember the Googling snipers?
00:49:36
Speaker
no Like it was, it was shortly after 9-11, shortly after all the ants. So yes you know now fear is everywhere. But it used to be that fear was confined to these major places. And so I lived in DC during 9-11, during anthrax scares and all of that. And it just, it changes a person. But right after that were the DC snipers.
00:50:02
Speaker
where in Northern Virginia, where I lived, Maryland and D.C., just randomly, people are getting shot at Home Depot. People are getting shot in their gas. And at school, there was a child like getting dropped off at school that got shot. Like this was a big thing.
00:50:22
Speaker
And it became like if you were stopping to get gas either like it was even at work, they sent us a memo about how to like walk zigzag like don't walk in a straight line. sign Yeah. And I remember they were they were putting tarps over some gas stations to block the view. And then there were a couple of times when like we'd gas up our car and we'd like run around the car while it was gassing up.
00:50:48
Speaker
Oh my god. So like that was crazy. That wasn't killer clowns because that's ridiculous and made up. But I suggest you look up the DC snipers because actually it's a very interesting, crazy story. um But that was a real fear. Sorry, judgy, but true. What's next? I really want to understand how these two things go together.
00:51:11
Speaker
um I did a link in the chat, the Wikipedia about the 2016 cloud sightings. It started as a marketing stunt in. Where is it in Wisconsin, but then it ended up spreading and people were. Doing their thing as co-cons, I guess. OK, why don't you look up DC staffers and not on Wikipedia?
00:51:35
Speaker
Uh, the next one is geese and scorpion. I just kind of cut by these together because they both terrify me. Okay. Um, but one, I feel, theyre okay. I feel different about them, but I get it. Like scorpions, I know aren't really a thing, at least here that I know of. In East Texas, we have tiny scorpions. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Scorpions exist.
00:51:57
Speaker
No, I know they exist, but I don't think they're like well populated in Dallas. Have you ever been to the desert? I said Dallas. No, she's talking about location where we are. like My parents apparently had one in their house a couple years ago, and I was like, no. yeah I'm never coming there again. I am from the Mojave Desert, and scorpions are real, and they're scary. I don't understand the relation to geese.
00:52:27
Speaker
Third, they just both terrify me. And then like geese, they just suck as animals. Like they chase you. If they feel threatened, they're gonna honk at you. no it's um they're ho like just they you There's literally like videos of like geese station themselves outside of people's workplace and like attacking people as they try to go, oh, I love geese. Where is this happening?
00:52:53
Speaker
It's just like I would try to find the video if like to see if I can find it. Sure. Is it on Wikipedia? Probably. Yeah. OK. It's a dot org site, so it's official. Oh, so it's an organization. Yes. OK.
00:53:11
Speaker
um I will tell you. Hold on, Lori USA Today um oh and other popular actual news sites have stories on geese attacks. Geese are not nice. ABC News USA Today. Is this like the orcas taking down yachts? Kind of, I think so. I think that's so hilarious.
00:53:35
Speaker
like This is going to sound really bad. But whenever the geese is chasing or a goose is chasing after a small child, that's really dangerous, but really funny. But it's really dangerous. Like I would so I would try to save that child. I will tell you, we recently went to one of those places in Texas where you can like feed the animals from your car. And I have a completely different opinion about emus now.
00:54:04
Speaker
ah ter They run so fast. They are aggressive. And they are fearless. And they just need to calm down. Yeah, if you go to the news sites, apparently geese are specific terrors on um golf courses. They're very territorial. So if you like come within a certain, they're like, Oh, no, you want to go? And then They go. I should have put emus on this list. They're terrified. They can't run up to like 30 miles an hour. No, I. On those two tiny legs. Yeah, I feel very different. Those are some big legs. They are aggressive. OK, what's next? Accidentally liking someone's posts that you don't follow and or went to school with. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, I am the most careful. That's why I don't really look up people that I went to school with.
00:55:02
Speaker
Yeah, but I mean, you got to be careful with that stuff. um I recently like was trying to block someone and then accidentally hits and you have to unfriend. like I got unfriended and then I blocked, but I accidentally pushed send friend request. Oh, no. Oh, my God. I just have to move to a foreign country now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. um um I'm I'm curious about this next one.
00:55:30
Speaker
Um, I'd like to point out some of these were from a Reddit thread. Um, cause I think this one's hilarious. Being him, you hit humiliated in a rat battle. I think that's the last time you were in a rat battle yesterday. With who? You couldn't even talk yesterday. You're a little croaky. Yeah, I was a little good.
00:56:00
Speaker
Who was? We didn't have our 3 p.m. fight on the parking lot. We just wrecked. We should start having red medals. I think I would pay money to see you to rap and then quickly demand my money back. Yeah, I mean, this is hypothetical for me because any rap battle I would win. Yeah, you can't even be part of it because you I feel like you're just I can't. This is this is a not so hidden skill of Laurie L. Birch Esquire.
00:56:30
Speaker
great a squat
00:56:34
Speaker
mean? What is Esquire? What is that for? What does that mean? Sarah? Squire? I don't know. I um let me ask you this. Have you heard? Have you heard of an Esquire? I have heard. but I don't know what it means. ge You don't know what it means at all. So if I say Laurie Albert Esquire, what do you think it sounds fancy?
00:57:02
Speaker
What do you think it means in context? If I said that Jamie Dugan Esquire is also a thing. Oh, stop. Now you're giving it away. Attorney. Oh, yes. But hold on. I'd like to. That's really all it means. Sarah, this is going to be another time when you're going to have to put a screenshot. Sam just sent in the chat. My name is Sam. I go ham. I didn't put that. Oh, wait.
00:57:33
Speaker
Oh, Sarah put that. Are you trying to burn Sam? Oh, that's a burn. I thought you were trying to do a little thing. No, I'm trying to say that's law. That's her name is Sam. Also, she didn't fully use punctuation. And that's the common. I would not be a capital. Yeah, no, the common that I should have really thrown me off. Nothing else is capitalized or punctuated.
00:58:00
Speaker
yeah my life is happy My name is Sam. i go I go ham. No, green and eggs and ham junk. That's kind of disappointing. It's usually what people go for. Well, that's OK. That's next. Oh, so there are many things that scare us, but not as much as people who don't have a plan or do online wills or don't get it done soon and geese.
00:58:28
Speaker
Thanks for listening. And just to cover all our bases about what you just heard, I'm sorry and you're welcome. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode and tell your friends about us. We do webinars and live events.
00:58:44
Speaker
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Conclusion and Social Media Engagement
00:58:50
Speaker
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00:59:14
Speaker
much better. Yeah I thought that had a lot of energy.