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Episode 24: Why Everyone Needs a Will: Yes, Even You!
17 Plays3 months ago
Join Lorie Burch and the Burch Law Team (Cyntia, Sara, and Sam) this week as we bust a big myth: You don’t need to be rich to need a Will or estate plan. Surprised? We’ll explain why it’s crucial for everyone, no matter how much or little you have, to get their affairs in order and why ignoring it could leave a mess for your loved ones.
Stick around for the wrap-up with Sam and Sara where they'll share their own list of must-have items you never knew you needed.
Join us every Wednesday for new episodes!
Check out the blog: Why Would You Need a Will with Little to No Assets?
Where you can find Burch Law:
- IG @BurchLawTX
- FB @BurchLaw
- YT @LorieBurchLaw
- hello@burch-law.com
- (972) 385-0558
Visit burch-law.com/podcast to reach out!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:03
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
Why a Will is Essential
00:00:22
Speaker
entertaining. Because if you don't have a will, the state of Texas has one for you. Let's dive in.
00:00:39
Speaker
So today we are going to talk about things that you think you don't need, but that you do need. Yeah. Yeah. Right. In the legal and non legal world, I suppose. I was actually thinking about this today. This isn't a legal example just yet. Don't worry. We'll get there.
The Surprisingly Useful Auto Shut-off Feature
00:01:00
Speaker
Everybody calm down. But a feature that came in our Telluride,
00:01:08
Speaker
A lot of cars now, they have that setting. Oh, what's it called? It's the A with like the arrow, like the circle around it. The auto shut off. Right. Yeah. um Which a lot of I shouldn't say a lot of people based off of somebody close to me who's somewhat out of a curmudgeon hates that. And it's like, I don't know what the big deal is, but anyway, there's this auto button that if it's in that setting, that you can take your foot off the gas. And it's just a feature that came with the Telluride. So if you're ah in stop and go traffic, or more specifically, if you're at a stoplight, you can, if this button is on, you can just take your foot off the gas, it's idling, all of that, and then it turns green and you just put your foot
00:01:53
Speaker
on the gas and go and I thought that was such a silly thing but do you know that that feature is really cool that every time that I get in the telluride I push that button and when you get to the there's something like about being able to take your foot off the brake when you're at a stoplight and then okay it's time to go now it's it's almost like it's the next level getting us closer even though we're already there but it's not common of a self-driving car
00:02:23
Speaker
So something that you don't think that you need But you actually do or could benefit from so let's first talk about some of the legal stuff So there is a blog that I wrote Titled why would you need a will with little to no assets?
Who Needs a Will?
00:02:42
Speaker
It's actually a ah ah common question that we get now This is a huge spectrum of people here because one thing that we've noticed is that a lot of law firms that are out there that focus on estate planning and probate such as ourselves, they're really actually geared more towards the very high net worth clients. And that's all fine and good. I mean, they need their special treatment, but one of the special lanes that we have found ourselves in is that we provide the time, attention, customization,
00:03:15
Speaker
and thoroughness of said law firms, but we provide that to the masses. So some people who will say they don't have anything, and it's actually one of the reasons, incidentally, that I don't like that our practice area is called estate planning because I will always be approached by people who will say, well, I don't have an estate, I don't need estate planning, or I don't need estate planning, I just need a will. That news for you, if you have a car or a bank account,
00:03:46
Speaker
a home, something, you have an estate in the sense that something needs to happen, some sort of planning needs to happen, so that if something happens to you, those things will be controlled and or transferred in a easier manner, right? I would dare say that Sam and Sarah prior to finding themselves at the doorstep of Birch Law probably put them themselves in that category. Well, I don't have anything. I don't have an estate. I don't need to do anything. And so actually I'm going to ask them to put them on the
Estate Planning for Everyone
00:04:19
Speaker
spot in a minute or two and ask them how their perception has changed. And besides Cynthia bugging you, what was the impetus to you getting things in place?
00:04:32
Speaker
And I think we need to talk about, you know, the difference between powers of attorney and wills and everything like that. But one of the topic that I'm sticking to right now. Is that yes, I get it. Like a state sounds a very sophisticated monocle type hat kind of life, but no, I mean, really your car would be part of your estate, your bank account, no matter how much is in it, to pay because it's, we're getting close to payday Sam. So it's not looking as good as it does after the 26th, right? 26 27th. That's about when the direct deposit hits. Yeah. So we always know, we always know when the direct deposit hits because instead of,
00:05:11
Speaker
eating ramen, Sam comes in with chipotle. It's not ramen. Yeah, valid. Zero lies detected.
00:05:23
Speaker
um So I just wanted to but you know start with that as a way of background because some people when they're like, I don't have anything, why would I need to do it? And it's like, well, look, you know life insurance policy, home, car, bank account, you know the vast majority of people have something like that. So yes, you do need to do it. So refer to all previous podcasts and all forthcoming podcasts.
00:05:47
Speaker
blogs, communication videos, what have you to learn more about that. But let's talk about reasons. Let's say you actually really don't have an anything. Why would you need to have some sort of plan? Whether it's a will or, or whatever is determined to be the best for you.
00:06:04
Speaker
um
The Role of an Executor
00:06:05
Speaker
So one is a state representation. And what that means is that with a will, it appoints a executor, a person who can speak for you. So if there is um a wrong, I'm sorry, I'm laughing because I'm thinking of the Texas hammer. um If there is a wrongful death claim or medical malpractice or something like that, you're dead, you can't bring the lawsuit yourself.
00:06:36
Speaker
I shouldn't tell the Texas hammer. That'd be a good title for a blog or something, but there has to be a representative of you, a deceased person. So an executor is someone who can handle those things. And this can be anything from filing taxes or communicating with the IRS.
00:06:55
Speaker
or with social security, like none of these places are gonna talk to anybody unless you have some authority to talk for someone who's passed away. ah This could be handling debts of the estate. Now you could say, well, who cares about the debts? Well, you don't have to care. I mean, frankly, that's something that we hear from time to time. And and it's one reason why we're never trying to get 100% of people to get this planning done. Because there are some people who just legitimately don't care about the mess they're leaving behind to their family.
00:07:23
Speaker
Well, part of that mess, though, if you do care, can be credit card bills and all of that. Well, I'll tell you what. It doesn't mean that your family or loved ones are responsible for paying them. But who do you think those creditors are going to be contacting upon your death? There's going to be phone calls. There's going to be letters. They're going to be reaching out.
00:07:42
Speaker
So we've had certain instances where there's so many creditors that are tracking down family members that they're just sick of it, that they actually probated a will just to tell them to bug off, which you can do as the executor. you They'll talk to you and all of that. So that's something. Another thing, and this could probably be its own topic, is unclaimed property.
Finding Unclaimed Property
00:08:09
Speaker
If you are listening to this,
00:08:11
Speaker
You need to go to whatever state you've ever lived in, so every state you've ever lived in, and look up unclaimed property. You would be shocked, now sadly, when I did this most recently, which was a while ago, there was nothing for me. I see Sam doing it right now. It is shocking how much unclaimed property there can be. It can be if um someone quit a job and there was um Some unpaid paycheck or there can we actually found something for my stepfather who passed away? There was some unclaimed property I'm trying to remember what it was. I think it was a utility or something where we had a
00:08:52
Speaker
moved and closed it, canceled it, and then they just didn't just send us a reimbursement check. So it is really random. Some of the things that can be out there. Now, another way unclaimed property can happen is if there is a bank account that you didn't know about that a deceased person had at some point, it will, they'll close it and it will cheat Sarah to the state. To the state.
00:09:21
Speaker
So it'll go into a depository in the state, the unclaimed property. It'll cheat.
00:09:31
Speaker
I can't even come up with something to define that. Yeah, don't worry. Yeah, please don't. I'd rather you not. Most people can't. It's fine. So those are all those are all reasons. so So look for that. Did you find anything, Sam?
00:09:45
Speaker
I thought I found something from UNT, but it says that the year reported was 1996. So I don't think, I don't think that's you unless they accidentally put my birth year, but maybe I have $72 that UNT owes me.
00:10:02
Speaker
from the corner store. You never or know. See in the corner store. Yeah. It's like their little corner, like their little like convenience store. Okay. The union. You're going to say it's a little corner store. I was like, Sarah, how would you define a corner store? That's what it's called. That's like the actual name of it. No. How would you define it? It's a store on the corner. Right. There you go. See? Yeah.
00:10:31
Speaker
What is nothing if not predictable. Okay. So another reason you might need a state representation and this is very similar. These all kind of go hand in hand, but it's also being able to handle or close any online accounts, subscriptions, utilities, other services. ah We talked in a previous episode about the resources like after-death resources that you can have like usernames passwords digital assets that sort of thing so having someone who will have the authority to be able to speak for you to cancel magazine subscriptions i use as an example because i i mean i've been doing this a while
00:11:13
Speaker
And I think it was just recently that someone talked about how that became an issue for them. It's like, I never thought about that because there was a time when magazine subscriptions were a really big deal. Now magazines will just sign you up on their own and send it to you for free. And you have to tell them to stop.
00:11:34
Speaker
Sarah, have you ever had a magazine subscription? Um, I feel like when I was little, I was big on the Nickelodeon magazines. I look forward to this every month. Okay. Uh, Sam, how about you? I, wait a minute. You have a subscription to the daily commercial record. I am certain. Yeah, totally. Um, I would always, um, I would always sign up for the Barnes and Nobles card, um, because I didn't know how to say no. And then that subscription went on for like forever.
00:12:06
Speaker
OK, I think they so my parents still get them. Yeah, just never leave. What about you, Cynthia? Like actual subscriptions, I'm pretty diligent and like unsubscribing from anything. But have you ever wanted to have a subscription and had one? Like to coffee.
00:12:32
Speaker
We're talking about magazines. I know, that's what I'm saying. Like not to know, why would I want that? Because then it just becomes better in your house. It's like getting flowers. You're just giving me something I have to clean up later. A few years ago, and by a few years ago, it's probably like 10 years ago, my mom got me a subscription to TV Guide.
00:12:51
Speaker
And it was actually pretty cool because they had like a lot of interesting articles. So I will have, you know, by the way, you TV guide snobs is that I would read them and I read how oh There was a version of Supergirl that starred Deborah Winger, who is an actress. I'm sure none of you have heard of her, but she's a pretty famous actress, Deborah Winger. And I remember reading that. And because I have this crazy, crazy memory, fast forward months from them, and I'm playing trivial pursuit.
00:13:28
Speaker
And the final question to win had to do with who was like the original star of Supergirl. And I'm like, oh, that's Deborah Winger. And the looks that I got winning Trivial Pursuit with that knowledge. And I'm like, I know, it's insane. TV Guide subscription.
00:13:50
Speaker
The subscription that we have now, which is very exciting to me, because this goes back to my childhood, but my sister did this for my daughter, Adley, about a year or so ago, but it's to the Highlights magazine.
00:14:03
Speaker
And so that is very exciting when the highlights magazine comes and Adley is bizarrely good. Well, bizarrely good at a lot of things. And when I say bizarrely, like I'm not proud of this, it's she's scary, frankly, but she, the ones where you can find the picture, like you find the little thing in the picture. Yeah.
00:14:25
Speaker
She's really good at doing those things. I should get a Where's Waldo book for her. But anyway, she's good at that. My only beef I've got with highlights, which um there's probably a whole web page dedicated to beef people have with highlights, I'm certain of it. ah But the beef I have with highlights is I don't know at what point they got rid of Goofus and Gallant.
00:14:49
Speaker
Because Goofus and Gallant was the best feature. I see Cynthia Googling was the Google and something else. Best feature. And it probably it's probably not as it's probably not too PC, which I'm actually someone who does think that being politically correct in general is a good thing.
00:15:13
Speaker
but it was like two different examples and it would show Goofus like not opening a door for someone and then Gallant would open a door for someone. So it was stuff like that. And I always thought that Gallant was just the biggest douche. And I remember like, what a goody two shoes Gallant is. Like, yeah, Goofus can be a little bit of a jerk, but at least he's keeping it real.
00:15:44
Speaker
There's one from 1955, where it's about fooling over. um And the first picture is Goofus on his knees crying. And it says, when Goofus fools and skins his hands and knees, he cries like a baby. The second one is Gallant giving up. And it's, Gallant gets up smiling, even if blood is seeping from his knees. Like you, Sam.
00:16:10
Speaker
Whoa, so, all right. Well, one, so I have two things. Thank you for proving my point. But two, um I hope you know, Sam, that I was not born alive or, or conscious during the 1950s. Like my recollection of Gibbison Gallant comes from the 80s. Crazy.
00:16:32
Speaker
And so I think that they toned it down a little bit from the 50s, because that's pretty hardcore. And I will probably have a lot of boys from the 1950s that we need to talk to, um because that is what they've been told is the appropriate way for boys to react to sort of legitimate pain. Seeping front of his knees. Like, is that real? I think it is.
00:17:02
Speaker
ah Cynthia did you have something? Yes, so I just remembered that there actually is something I got a subscription for but it wasn't because I actually wanted the product it's because I wanted if you signed up for a subscription to the New Yorker you got this red tote bag with a pigeon on it and the pigeon had like a little little bubble and I wanted that tote bag and so Luke signed up for it for me for like a month.
00:17:29
Speaker
Nice. So I can get a description to the New Yorker to get a bougie tote bag is probably the most serious story that you could ever ever hear. It's like it was like little I'll send you all a picture but it's like a small like little tote and it has a pigeon on it and it says New Yorker. So back to Goofus and Gallant.
00:17:52
Speaker
I found another one that's okay. Okay. I wish I had no little brother first. I'm glad I had the little brother. you know Yeah. Oh yeah. Wow. See, so that's my point is, I mean, I realized, and and actually Goofus would have like, like messy hair.
00:18:15
Speaker
and why a shoe untied and his shirt untucked. And Gallant had like, you know, really slick hair and like a button shirt tucked in probably with a belt and loafers and stuff like that. And I just felt like, you know, I think reality is somewhere in between Goofus and Gallant. Like are those are those are only two options in life to how we react to things.
00:18:43
Speaker
erly
00:18:46
Speaker
So what I really want to know is at what point did highlight say, you know what? Goofus and Gallant has run its course. And we don't know how to operate in this heightened awareness of sensibilities.
00:19:04
Speaker
to convey Goofus and Gallant. But you know it would ah you know, we actually probably come up with some good modern day Goofus and Gallant in light of things that are going on. I will say this final thing possibly on Goofus and Gallant. i did I did do a post about Goofus and Gallant with ah estate planning. Sarah, you should try and find that. I think that was in like, it's one of like 31 days of truth or something like that. I did something.
00:19:35
Speaker
You should pull up that document right now and find it because I did something about how Goofus doesn't give a shit about his family and doesn't have a mistake plan. Gallant has made sure to go to a qualified law firm, something like that.
00:19:52
Speaker
So anyway, all right, so other reasons, they're all similar, ah but other reasons why you would need to have a will even if you don't feel like you have anything. And kind of as a adjunct to the unclaimed property and other things that we're talking about is you may need to have, well, not you, because you're dead, but your family may need to have an estate account open. And this can be for things like reimbursement checks for any sort of prepaid insurance, premiums, rent checks, any other payments that will be owed to you. What happens is when you pass away, a company is going to issue a check and it'll either be in your name or your estate name. Either way,
00:20:40
Speaker
The way you're going to deposit that is you're going to have to open an estate account. That's the thing. Look it up or don't because don't Google just talk to us. um You have to open an a estate account. And the only way you can do that is if an executor has been appointed because they're the ones who have the authority to open an estate account to receive the monies that could be coming.
00:21:01
Speaker
Okay.
Naming Guardians for Children
00:21:02
Speaker
And then I think the last really big thing, especially for us here at birch law, cause we deal with so many, um, parents with young children is that regardless of whether you have any money or funds or anything like that, you need to have something where you designate a guardian who is going to take care of your kids. Because if you don't, what happens if you don't Sarah,
00:21:32
Speaker
I'm going to ask the person in church law who has who never interacts with clients whatsoever. They become wards of the state and then possibly foster care and that's it. Yeah. See, look at that. Everybody looked at what they've learned. So yes. So you need to make sure that if you don't want them to go through the court system, you have a judge deciding who's going to take care of them. The other thing,
00:21:58
Speaker
is that let's go back to money and assets. No matter how little you have or think you have, most parents I know, myself included, do not think 18-year-olds are the best to be in control of any money or finances no matter how small they are. So this is another thing that you can make sure that you set up. You may want what little you may perceive that you have to go to take care of your children, but you may not want them to be the ones making decisions on how it's used. And so that's another purpose of having an estate plan in place. But as a transition to a transition, I'm curious. Of course, I'm always curious what Cynthia has to say, um but she's really more adulty than these other two. Um,
00:22:44
Speaker
Was I correct when I said moments ago or a few minutes ago or however long ago, Sam and Sarah, that before you arrived at the doorstep of Birch Law, that you would have never thought that you would need to have any sort of plan in place. Am I right in that? yeah Correct. Okay. So I've done a fair share of picking on Sarah, so let's go to Sarah. No, just kidding. We'll go to Sam. Sam,
00:23:12
Speaker
Hey, how has that changed you as a person in your situation? A childless cat lady? Yeah. That describes everyone but you on this call. It's true. And you you're only half of us. You have I do have three cats. Two stepkids, two wild kids, one dogs. Y'all do have a dog. I forget about him. Oh, Chandler. We have beef.
00:23:42
Speaker
You have beef with a dog? Hey, did you not see how he scratched my legs last time? yeah And then I had to be in the corner. I was like in the corner of the couch, like it legs up because he kept trying to like, he would like come at me.
00:23:58
Speaker
And you're going to like post-nord me. It was a little. He does. He either is obsessed with me or does not like me. I don't want to. I like. i well I have a question. How do the French get along with people from New Zealand? New Zealand? No, I like no idea. Is that a problem? Because because he yeah he is a Frenchie. Yeah. I mean, maybe they hate each other and he just knows, you know.
00:24:21
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. can He can sense it. gen right but I can sense that he's a French and I'm mad about it. Well, you know, they actually originate from, nevermind, we're not going to go there. Okay, good. it's So Sam, how have you changed? Well, I've learned a lot. So <unk>ve I've gained more knowledge and seen through clients like experience how bad like probate can be, um, without a will or trust or any just planning at all. Um, and her, how heartbreaking it can be and how frustrating it can be. Um, and I don't want that for my family. So, Oh, okay. Thank you. So Sarah, what's changed for you and the perception of, I don't have anything. Why do I need anything?
00:25:12
Speaker
Um, I think because I mean, similar, like I just learned what, what happens without it. And, um, even though I don't have much, it's like, well, I have a dog. I have not a lot of money in the bank account. I think I have more debt than I do savings, but you know, both of those need to be taken care of somehow. Um, and medical decisions and things like that. yeah like Oh,
00:25:38
Speaker
i think i think i need to have somebody take over if I can't things like that. So you mean me repeatedly asking like what your parents just duke it out like that didn't have that wasn't a factor.
00:25:50
Speaker
yeah they Yeah, they were rock, paper, scissors. I don't know. so because Because once you turn 18, nobody, not a spouse, not a parent, listen to me, people. Nobody has automatic rights to make medical decisions, have access to medical records, be able to step in and pay bills, handle money improperly. Nobody has the right to do that, even to oversee funeral, burial, cremation. Now, what I don't want to be flooded with because of all the you know interest we get from the podcast and people flood us with comments. What I don't want to be flooded with is people where they give me exceptions for something happened. um There's a lot of different things that could happen, but the point of what we're trying to convey is that by having a plate in place, being intentional about it, there will be no gray areas. There will be no questions. There will not be relying on the good graces of a doctor, medical facility, bank,
00:26:47
Speaker
funeral director what what
Benefits of an Estate Plan
00:26:49
Speaker
have you that's going to make exceptions or not know the rules well the latter is more likely uh not know the rules so that you skate by or that you had a very unusual situation that has never been replicated in the history of time so Trust me when I say that one of us knows what they're talking about, and the other one is you, that the best thing that you can do, regardless of how little or how much you have, is to make sure that you go to a qualified, experienced law firm that can guide you in these decisions, and no matter how much time and money you spend doing that, is absolutely 100% going to save time and money in the end. Right? Right. Yeah. Right. So that's why you need to have things that you may not perceive.
00:27:35
Speaker
that you needed to have. And with that, I think it's time that we hear from Sam and Sarah. I don't know if Cynthia has a guest appearance here, but Sam and Sarah. Other things perhaps that you may not know that you want or need. I'm going to start with some cereal stuff, like some stuff that actually matters for your life. No offense, Sam, Sarah.
00:28:02
Speaker
Oh, I thought you meant cereal, like, I'm on a Count Chocula kick right now. Ooh. I read it. Yeah. What? Never had Count Chocula? No. It's fun. I was a crave girly when I was young. What? Crave. What? A cereal crate. It's an American cereal. Is it with a C or a K? K. It's okay.
00:28:31
Speaker
Doesn't it have like chocolate in the middle or something? Yeah, I would eat it dry. I wouldn't milk with it. Just like pop them? Yeah, it was too soggy. and I mean, yeah, I don't like soggy cereal. Okay, but for real, though, people, you need to have several things in your home that you think you're not going to need because oh look, I have this electric one. No, don't do that. Okay. You need a can opener.
00:28:56
Speaker
that is non-electric because we're going to do and the power goes out and you would like to eat something that is non-perishable. Come on, um something else. bad Is your cabin or not battery operated? I only have a a manual one because in the past a battery operated one. Yeah, but then I have to replace the battery and it's just easier for me to keep one that is mechanical.
00:29:24
Speaker
I like having things that I can fix or that I can like not have to rely on another thing to use. So another tip, um this is something that's actually not something you can really control unless you're actively seeking this out. Rent a place or get a place that has gas ah connected because if the power goes out, you still have hot water. If the power goes out, you can still cook your food.
00:29:53
Speaker
Are you saying you should have a place in addition to the place you already live? No, this is just like, you know, whenever you're looking in general. That's why I said you can't control it. Yeah, but yeah i say you yeah I know I refuse to get a propane tank, um especially after like hearing Laurie's horrible story. Like I refuse we are charcoal only household. Like I always have been since I was little because We just, I don't know, I like it more. But ever since that, I'm like, yeah, we're definitely never messing with that business. I think my worst fear in life is carbon monoxide poisoning. So I will do not get gas. You do realize that they make real things if you don't like it. But like,
00:30:38
Speaker
Still, it's my worst fear. So it's fair. We've unlocked some Sarah Lord. This is rare. ah This is unknown to us. Yeah, this is brand new information. I think it's my biggest fear. ah Just like an oxide poisoning. Yeah, that's a valid fear, I think. Usually you're in a pretty small apartment, right? So right.
00:31:05
Speaker
But do you have anything that's gas in your apartment? No, so like I don't worry about it right now. OK, I'm just saying that's why Cass scares me. Did your parents have a growing up or is it just like a hearing through stories? ah No, they had it grown up. Now that I think about it, but. As an adult.
00:31:28
Speaker
Over the past few years, I've just had some experiences where like storms happen or like a tree falls. So like the power lines go out. I'm like, I'm good. I can still do eat stuff. And that's when you can catch on to there is to get a generator. Especially if you know, we, and we opted and instead of the generator. Cause I also don't want to have to rely on gasoline. Mm-hmm.
00:31:55
Speaker
um That's why we got the solar panels with the battery backups. Yeah, nice. So I mean, because you may have heard that the Texas power grid is somewhat. Unbelievable. Somewhat. It's a little. It's a little. Cynthia, did you have anything else to offer with this? um No, I just wanted to go on some rants that I feel are very important.
00:32:20
Speaker
That's good. All right. ah Sarah, Sam, what do you have to offer about things that you may not know that you need, but you might actually. You want me to start? Yeah. OK, so a teeny tiny board game with working pieces so you can finally challenge your local squirrels to a game.
00:32:38
Speaker
Can I ask a question? Yeah, that was from Buzzfeed. I feel like I should point that out. but i just That was my question. It would be from Buzzfeed. That was my question. My question was, what the hell are you talking about? Where can you come up with this? Well, that one I found from Buzzfeed and it made me giggle so much when I was looking at it. What is the theme of this podcast again? this is It comes from your own experience, Sam. Well,
00:33:08
Speaker
I want to play a teeny tiny game with my local squirrels. I would do that. The UNT squirrels were really friendly. They were. They're not going to know. Was it lucky that you would see now and then? Is it the albino squirrel? Lucky? I don't remember his name. I believe it's albino. I'm sorry. It's albino sometimes. Where you're from. there There's a squirrel on the UNT campus. It depends on whether it's in a burrito or not.
00:33:36
Speaker
ah Um, yeah we're, um, if you saw lucky, the squirrel who was an alpino squirrel, um, it was considered like you'd pass your exam or like, whatever. Cause it was a little, it's like a little omen, like a good omen. Yeah. Okay. Math is more to do with whether you studied or not. Oh yeah. 100%. Yeah. It's a cute little myth. Right. So.
00:34:06
Speaker
Are there any non Buzzfeed answers, not a sponsor? there I think the rest are. Yeah. Yeah. The other one was just that first one was just the Buzzfeed one. This one I think would be really fun is I think all lawyers, doctors, et cetera, should carry an eight ball around so that when clients and patients ask questions, they can just shake the ball. And I think that would just be a lot more fun. Did you steal this from me? Well, it was inspiration.
00:34:36
Speaker
But is imagineing going to the imagine going to the doctor and you just ask them like, hey, what's this lump? And they just shake the eight ball. Sarah, what would you do if your doctor said that whenever you go? I, well, I think it, I don't know. Okay, cool. Moving on. So this is well thought out, I can tell. I think it would be fun, but not if it happened to me. Really? um like No, no, it would be fun because this is based off of your experiences.
00:35:06
Speaker
OK, anyways, rock. No, no, not next one. No, we're not there. OK. bye
00:35:17
Speaker
So Sarah stole us eight ball idea for me because I am I this will happen. I'm going to have a customized eight ball. For birch law. And it's more internal than client facing.
00:35:35
Speaker
but the questions that get asked from people who are employed by Burch Law, there's a certain set of standard answers that I'd rather them try to work through. What are some of those? What's the number one response I give you when you ask me a question? What is your heart telling you? What does your heart tell you? What does your heart tell you? Yeah. Yeah, Sarah, what the hell? I do like the eight ball idea. Just going to say, what was the next one? Hit rock.
00:36:06
Speaker
So here's what I don't understand about this. I am, I am barely old enough to remember this. And I actually think I only know about this from like VH1. Does VH1 still exist? I don't know. Question. Anyway, so what the heck made you all think of pet rocks? And what is your argument that it's something you don't think you need, but you actually do?
00:36:33
Speaker
Is it Sarah's inability to keep plants alive? I had a pet rock as a kid, if that makes any... I think it... Sam said that makes sense for me. That's rocks. Yeah, it does. Sometimes you just need a little friend, you know? Yeah. Sometimes it's a rock.
00:36:53
Speaker
It's kind of sad. Speaking of what, 20? That's why I have Sam. I'm the one. I'm the one. I'm the one. Yeah. Wait a minute, Sam's your pet rock? No, she's sometimes you just need a little friend. And I'm like, yeah, that's why I'm missing the best way possible. We have Sam. Yeah. If I, think hang out here is stay over I feed her and we hang out. So just feed me. I'm good. Like I'll be there all day. Unless it's payday, then she doesn't need you. Um, I've still come over and get paid. She'll still come over. Are you, are you saying that Sam is something you don't think you need, but you actually need?
00:37:32
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Oh, when I can sometimes be a little friend. I just need like a person there to like ah potato To bounce off with me like ideas or if I'm doing something and I just need somebody to talk at while I do an action or like, you know, like one time Sam was really helpful and she helped me clean out a closet. Sam is very indiscriminate when it comes to your things. And she's like, have you used it in the past six months? I'm like, well, no, she's like, we'll get rid of it. And she, she won't make it very efficient. I will. I don't think you understand. She is really good. What's that lady's name Marie Kondo or something?
00:38:09
Speaker
yeahar stuff is no yeah your own stuff No, but if it's your stuff, I don't have any attachment to it. It was really great. Does it spark joy?
00:38:21
Speaker
I think that's the barometer. Yeah, that's for Marie Kondo. For Sam is like, do you actually use it? And she'll look at you and you go, no. And she's like, okay, great. Throw it away and she'll toss it. So you thank her for it later.
00:38:35
Speaker
when my mom when we were moving my mom out of her house trying to downsize, which I say trying to because we have not succeeded. ah But she is she has so she has so much stuff. And there came to a point where there were two things that she would say when we would like ask her. And it would either be, I've been looking for that, or will I really do need it?
00:39:03
Speaker
And like we had this box and she was long since retired, right? And we had this like box of highlighters that I could never possibly in an entire lifetime get through all these highlighters. Well, I really do use them. So anyway, we also found like six different hand mixers.
00:39:28
Speaker
including ones that like were in the box, never opened or anything. So we got rid of them. And so my mom loves to tell me now to the stakes. This was like 10 plus years ago, um, that she had to buy a mixer.
00:39:42
Speaker
I mean, but my favorite was I've been looking for that and I'm like, really? Have you now? Good. So always have a mixer. Uh, what's next the next one? Um,
00:39:57
Speaker
googly eyes of all sizes to put on things. Okay, that's just to have fun in life. One time a story though. Okay, I'm getting to it. So one time. Oh, sorry. One time me and Emily were in Target non sponsored. And we took a bunch of googly. Emily and I went to Target.
00:40:22
Speaker
and put googly eyes on all of like inanimate objects. And somehow we didn't get caught. But it's just fun. It makes the objects come to life. And I think we need to have. ah What? So yeah these were items that you had not purchased. No. That were still like merchandise on shelves.
00:40:48
Speaker
OK. Oh, great. They're just sticky. They peel right off. It's not like we're super gluing them. So I want to I want to challenge you and Emily to next time. Take it a step further and don't do inanimate objects to. Right.
00:41:09
Speaker
And with that, said we do have we do have googly eyes on our Keurig.
00:41:16
Speaker
as you can put as you should i would I would also do it to items I own that are in my home that are not, white fit right you know, and in a store that are still on the shelves. So this is something that you, people don't think they need, but you're saying you need. Okay. In the interest of time, what's next? Uh, decorative bath towels that you can't use.
00:41:45
Speaker
Explain. I mean, you don't have to explain what that is. We all know what they are, but tell us why you actually need them. Is that all you got? So they, they go with your house and they look pretty, but you kind of touch them. it It's like having fancy soaps that your guests can't use. so Okay. For the record, whenever y'all come to my house, please use my, like please use the ghost bath towel, like the hand towels and just use them. Just please.
00:42:14
Speaker
What about people have a ridiculous amount of pillows on their bed or couch? That would drive me nuts, but I get it. Like having to move those every day would be so annoying. Okay. I, I'm going to say that I think you all could have done a lot better with this topic. So I think it's actually a really great topic. Um, but what's the last thing that you have here?
00:42:42
Speaker
I put live, laugh, love signs because for a while I started going on the topic of things you don't need. And then I remembered what the topic is. And then, so more of the story is we all should live, laugh, love more. So maybe you do need a live, laugh, love sign. Great mistake. Sarah. Nobody needs that. I have a question for you, Lori. How many candle snuffers do you need in the household? Candles.
00:43:11
Speaker
She doesn't listen to this, right? his I mean, there's always a possibility. okay um one episode So the the fact that candle stuffers exist is just amusing in and of itself. But um I was raised, ladies and gentlemen, and others, um where one does not blow out a candle.
00:43:37
Speaker
that You do not. That is for the proletariat. That is for plebeians. That is as for the rubes of society. One uses a candle snuffer and that is the appropriate way, the only way to put that out. And growing up, um how many candle stuffers do you need is in direct correlation to how many candles you have going. Because you need to have a candle snuffer.
00:44:06
Speaker
Adjacent to pretty much every candle that's lit. Wow. Well, I can't I just have my one candle snuffer that I do and just Walk around the same reason you can't have one pair of scissors You need to have or as I was brought up to call them skizzers. You must have a pair of skizzers at the ready Are you proud of me, mom? that's ah i yeah i but I have inside scissors, I have craft scissors, kitchen scissors. but Do you have refrigerator scissors? Because does my mom have refrigerator scissors? You bet your but she has refrigerators. Scissors that just live in the refrigerator attached to the refrigerator. What's the purpose of them? No, they're in the refrigerator because when you get when you get like six packs and stuff and you've got You have a plastic you can cut the plastic
00:45:01
Speaker
Um, so great. So I think, um, again, I'm slightly disappointed. I think you could have come up with better stuff. Uh, cause I think there's a lot of things in life that we don't think that we need, but we do. And, or we can make use of, but you know, we did something. So I think those are good topics and, um, and thank you.
00:45:22
Speaker
Thanks for listening. And just to cover all our bases about what you just heard, I'm sorry and you're welcome. Make
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00:45:31
Speaker
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00:45:38
Speaker
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00:46:08
Speaker
much better. Yeah I thought that had a lot of energy.