Nichole Richardson on Finding the Right Fit, Not Being Put in a "Box", and Military Service

Nichole Richardson and I met through a networking group, and she hosted several wine tastings with me "back in the day." She has a vast wealth of experiences... from her time in the military, to working for a golf cart retailer, to now working mostly from home. She's faced adversity and will NOT be put in a box.

We discuss some cringe-worthy moments with co-workers that led her to finding a good fit in her current company. Nichole describes some of the unique and difficult choices she faced being a woman in the Navy. And we chat about her upcoming Halloween wedding and what it means to her.

I'm struck by the expectations placed on her...both external and internal. And the pressure she felt from the things she "should" do. Have you ever felt like that? That you're drawn to the "shoulds" in the day-to-day choices you make based out of obligation? What if you were free to choose out of joy... Every Time? I believe that is possible, but it takes courage. Sometimes more courage than we can muster. And there may be times when the only choice is safety in the moment.

Nichole demonstrates resilience and hope... and courage to choose what is in alignment for herself, her children, and her fiance. (And, she's really good at defining and describing what wine and beer she enjoys!) I hope you find courage and choose joy for yourself, and that you enjoy today's episode.

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Penny Fitzgerald: Nicole Richardson and I met through a networking group, and she hosted several wine tastings with me back in the day. She has a vast wealth of experiences, from her time in the military, to working for a golf cart retailer, to now working mostly from home. She's faced adversity and will not be put in a box.

[00:00:55] We discussed some cringeworthy moments with co workers that led her to finding a good fit in her current company. Nicole described some of the unique and difficult choices she faced being a woman in the Navy. And we chat about her upcoming Halloween wedding and what it means to her. I'm struck by the expectations placed on her, both external and internal, and the pressure she felt from the things she should do.

[00:01:17] Have you ever felt like that, that you're drawn to the shoulds in the day to day choices you make based out of obligation? What if you were free to choose out of joy every time? I believe that's possible, but it takes courage. Sometimes more courage than we can muster. And there may be times when the only choice is safety in the moment.

[00:01:35] Nicole demonstrates resilience and hope and courage to choose what's in alignment for herself, her children, and her fiance, and she's really good at defining and describing what wine and beer she enjoys. I hope you find courage and joy for yourself and that you enjoy today's episode. Here is Nicole Richardson. 

[00:01:54] Hello. 

[00:01:56] Nichole Richardson: Hi, how are you?

[00:01:57] Mom, work from home. Mom day. Oh, well, no, this is just how I look every day because I work from home. So we're just doesn't get any better. Well, 

[00:02:09] Penny Fitzgerald: that's, um, that's something I wanted to ask you about because I don't even know what you're doing now.

[00:02:14] I mean, in depth anyway. 

[00:02:17] Nichole Richardson: Oh, yeah. I, I actually do data entry for a, uh, It's really a credit reporting agency.

[00:02:28] So we do background searches on people and it's usually for major corporations and businesses. So, if you go work for a business and you're like, we want a background search kind of thing. And I work with one of our major clients, um, out of Australia. So, I work with a lot of international clients instead.

[00:02:52] So, it's anybody that's trying to apply to this particular place in Australia and it's things from all All over the world. So I deal with a lot of, uh, the UK. So it's just, it's just entering in the data right now. And okay. Don't talk to anybody. 

[00:03:11] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh, because if you're working with international clients, you'd kind of have to be on a different timetable, right?

[00:03:16] I mean, 

[00:03:17] Nichole Richardson: Oh, very much. Yes. And so I'm. I'm having to be very mindful of all those different things. Mm-Hmm. . So, um, I mean, on occasion it's sending emails. Only on a rare occasion am I talking to somebody from the uk, but that's like a five hour difference, right? So that's not bad. Um, I don't talk to anybody of Australia because that's 12 hour difference.

[00:03:40] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, that'd be exactly 

[00:03:41] Nichole Richardson: opposite, not . Yeah. I haven't, I haven't done that one just yet, but we we're about to land like a really. Major company that, um, does. With their own 33, 000 background searches, and we already do a lot as is so my boss said, yeah, we're going to have to hire, you know, um, some more people and I'm going to want you to manage that team.

[00:04:11] And it is based out of Australia where their company is going to be. So there'll be traveling in my future. Nice. So things are going well. 

[00:04:20] Penny Fitzgerald: That's very good. Yeah. Yeah. Australia is on my list and, um. Yeah. Future retreat. Yeah. Nice. Yes. Wine country. Lots of, lots of yummy wines. Yes. Very 

[00:04:32] Nichole Richardson: much so. Yeah. That's a lot of, well, they got some mixed climate, but it's pretty dry.

[00:04:37] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. Well, yeah, it's big. It's big. So it kind of depends on where you are in the. continent, but wow. So, so you are, um, are you in the sales process too, or just, um, just, 

[00:04:51] Nichole Richardson: I mean, I could, in a sense, so like my boss told me that if you ever come across anybody, absolutely, um, just, like I said, it's usually for, um, big companies.

[00:05:05] Okay. So, but he said, if I ever led somebody towards him, I would get a share of that and keep getting a share as long as it's their client. So yes, but I'm not the sales part. That's not my, that is not my focus. Not 

[00:05:19] Penny Fitzgerald: in your, uh, in your list of, 

[00:05:22] Nichole Richardson: I'm fine with that. That, that is okay. We have a person on our team that that's her main focus and she's really good at what she does.

[00:05:29] So, wow. She lives in Ohio though. 

[00:05:35] Penny Fitzgerald: Still a long ways away. Yeah. Yeah. So how did you, how'd you get into what you're doing? How did you find it or what interests you about it? 

[00:05:45] Nichole Richardson: Uh, that was by chance. So I think you knew that I worked for the golf cart place 

[00:05:52] Penny Fitzgerald: prior and, 

[00:05:53] Nichole Richardson: um, Very thankful for it. It got me to where I needed to be.

[00:05:59] And I, so I was working at that, but a lot of, um, customer service and not so happy customers. Yeah. And, uh, Uh, I just, I couldn't, I couldn't do it anymore. I mean, it was just, it was just too much. I'm like, I don't want to know the privilege that Venice feels that they have, but I mean, some, I actually had a customer say, I don't care about what your timeframe is.

[00:06:31] I don't care about this and this about you. And I don't care about this. All I want is my golf cart when I want it. And I want it now. I was like, it's a golf cart. Are you serious? So, um, my opinion, I don't care how much money you make. And unless you're Jesus walking through that door, I don't know what privilege you think you're going to have.

[00:06:57] Cause I'm like, even at Jesus, I'm going to be like, I will still treat you like everybody else. But it's always my thing. I'm like, unless you're Jesus walking through that door, I don't know why you think you're that special. 

[00:07:08] Penny Fitzgerald: So. Yeah. I mean, there's only so much. I mean, I, I know you, and I know you would do whatever you could to help anybody.

[00:07:16] Nichole Richardson: Yes. 

[00:07:17] Penny Fitzgerald: But, okay, so if you No, not 

[00:07:19] Nichole Richardson: when you're asking. 

[00:07:20] Penny Fitzgerald: Well, yeah, if you're, if you're that desperate, is that, is, would that be desperate for your golf cart? I mean, could you rent one for a while? No, they just, they just 

[00:07:30] Nichole Richardson: want, oh yeah, that was the other fun part too, is she's like, well, you're going to give me a golf cart to use.

[00:07:37] I said, I don't have to give you anything. Oh 

[00:07:40] Penny Fitzgerald: my goodness. 

[00:07:41] Nichole Richardson: So, um, yes, that's, I dealt with that on a daily basis. I've had people come in yelling at me and I'm like, I am only following the rules. I want my golf cart. I'm like, I don't care if you don't have your golf cart to take your dog for the evening ride.

[00:07:58] And they're like, well, what am I supposed to do? Because my, my mother wants her ride too. I'm like, stick them in the car and put the windows down. I don't know. 

[00:08:07] Penny Fitzgerald: I'm sure there are other ways to solve the problem. 

[00:08:10] Nichole Richardson: No, these people, when they went with their golf carts, it is a big deal. And then there were some people that are like, that's my only means of getting around.

[00:08:19] And I'm like, you shouldn't be driving anything 

[00:08:23] Penny Fitzgerald: at 

[00:08:24] Nichole Richardson: all.

[00:08:27] There's some of that in Florida. Yeah. 

[00:08:31] Penny Fitzgerald: So 

[00:08:32] Nichole Richardson: it was, um, so then I was at. A like a little pool party with some friends and many people had heard of my needing to leave and the stress that I was under. I'm like, seriously, I would love to work from home. That's my goal. Anybody hears of anything, just let me know.

[00:08:52] So one of my friends, her husband. Uh, told me he goes, well, I work for this one company because I believe they've been actually looking for somebody for a bit, but I do the web design and he goes, I don't know what they pay. I don't really know exactly what it is you do, but here's the number. He's a good guy.

[00:09:12] Just give him a call. So I gave him a call and, and, uh, he goes, yeah, sure. Just come on in for an interview. And I actually took an extended lunch break. In my, in my golf cart shirt. And I went to, I'm like, you're just down the road. I will be there if that's okay with you. And he, and, uh, he said, sure, come on in.

[00:09:35] And, uh, so I talked with him. He's like, well, what has you wanted to leave where you're at? And I'm like, um, and he goes, you know what? No, nevermind. I get it. Okay. I understand. Oh my gosh. I just need to go. I can't do it anymore. It's a lot for me. I don't care for this customer service part of this aspect and, uh, I said, I want to work from home.

[00:09:58] He goes, well, that's good because eventually we're going to work from home and you won't have to talk to anybody like at all. Everything you're doing is just pure on the computer. And so that's just kind of how it started to go and he treats everybody equally. He is a great boss 

[00:10:17] Penny Fitzgerald: when my 

[00:10:18] Nichole Richardson: coworkers have been there for 14.

[00:10:21] Years or so. And they said, this is the best boss you'll ever have. They were not lying. 

[00:10:27] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. 

[00:10:28] Nichole Richardson: He does. He treats you well. He listens to you. All he asks is for you to be honest with him and you just have to do that. Um, he's not a person to mess with. We found that one out. So he had a partner of business partner of 20 years.

[00:10:46] Um, she mouthed off too many times and she got really upset and said, well, I'm just going to quit. And he goes, okay. Next day she's trying to call to apologize. He goes, Nope, we're done. I'll cut you your share. Good luck to you in your new future. 

[00:10:59] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. 

[00:11:02] Nichole Richardson: He goes, nobody's going to mess around with me. I don't have time for that.

[00:11:05] Oh 

[00:11:06] Penny Fitzgerald: boy. Holy cow. Yeah. So it had been building for a while and like a tension between just, Oh yeah. 

[00:11:15] Nichole Richardson: Oh, Oh no. This lady from what I understand was just a handful to begin with. 

[00:11:21] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh, 

[00:11:22] Nichole Richardson: so just, just kind of how it went. She made the decision. Hey, yeah, she, well, she knows she still got her share. So, 

[00:11:31] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh wow. And, 

[00:11:32] Nichole Richardson: uh, of the business and, uh, Yeah.

[00:11:35] But things, you know, they're, they're growing more now and so while some things are bad, things turn out usually for the better. Yeah. Just got to go through that storm at the time. 

[00:11:49] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And they usually ends up being way better deal than before and you just, yeah, getting through it sometimes is a little hairy.

[00:11:59] Just a little. Just a little. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Wow. So how long were you with the golf cart company? 

[00:12:07] Nichole Richardson: Uh, that's a good question. What was that? Two years then? Yeah. Yeah. I think I managed at least two years and then, yeah. And then I just, Came to them. I had told him, I said, thank you. However, because my thing was, is 

[00:12:22] you don't burn bridges because you never know what the future will hold.

[00:12:25] Penny Fitzgerald: Right. So 

[00:12:26] Nichole Richardson: any job that I have recently left, it was always making sure I'm going to get paid more because that was much easier to say. And I flat out had had boss say, I understand. I can't pay you that. I wish you luck and I'll give you any recommendation you ever need in your future. So, but he's like, I just, I can't do that.

[00:12:44] I get it. Okay. So, I told the golf cart place. I'm like, they're offering me X amount of dollars and it's more than here. So, and I'm going to eventually work from home and the lady goes. Yeah, I don't blame you. She goes, she goes, I'm going to be honest. I'm kind of surprised that you were even working here.

[00:13:04] She says, I felt you had too much talent to be here to begin with. So she goes, I'm really happy for you and whatever you need, I will recommend for you as well. 

[00:13:14] Penny Fitzgerald: Cool. 

[00:13:15] Nichole Richardson: So leave on good terms, but I don't see myself leaving this job anytime soon. I'm pretty happy. 

[00:13:21] Penny Fitzgerald: Good, good, good, good. Well, and it sounds like the golf cart place, it wasn't.

[00:13:25] The management or the owner didn't sound or doesn't seem that way. It seems like more, it's a issue of the people you had to service. 

[00:13:33] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. Yeah. It was, well, some of the workers, but I, um, because I worked in the service department. So that was, you know, like a car repair shop. for your golf cart. Um, so we've got the manly men that I like to say, and we don't like women coming in and trying to give me orders.

[00:13:57] Penny Fitzgerald: So, 

[00:13:58] Nichole Richardson: uh, there was one in particular that dropped F bombs every so many words and he would yell. And one day he yelled at me and dropped some F bombs and that and that and yelling at me. And I looked at him, I'm like, Oh, we're not going to do this. So I, I don't like to do this in a workplace, but. After being working with him for a bit, I'm like, apparently I need to speak your language.

[00:14:24] Penny Fitzgerald: So 

[00:14:25] Nichole Richardson: I dropped the F bombs and said, you will never talk to me that way. If I wanted you to talk to me this way and yell at me, I would have stayed married. Okay. You know, jokingly, you know, I'm like, I don't need your attitude. You're not giving it to me. Talk to me. Right. We're done. And so even after that, we had, um, another guy that worked with us in service and he wasn't in there at that time.

[00:14:51] And he goes, you look really mad Nicole what happened? I told him what happened. He goes. Yep. Nope. Nobody's gonna mess with my girls and service department walked in the back He came back. He goes problem fixed Because they won't talk to you that way anymore And he goes and looks at the other lady that worked with he goes you either like he goes No, you girls take enough and we do not need to have our co workers talking to Each other like this either, right?

[00:15:19] Okay. 

[00:15:20] Penny Fitzgerald: Right. 

[00:15:21] Nichole Richardson: So, you know, 

[00:15:22] Penny Fitzgerald: I worked 

[00:15:22] Nichole Richardson: with some good 

[00:15:23] Penny Fitzgerald: people that, yeah, it sounds like it, it sounds like it. And, and I just, the thing that the thing that's going through my head right now is, okay, you already fixed it. And then he went and fixed it like a man. 

[00:15:34] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, that's what I told him, but he was fun to tease.

[00:15:39] It's like that too. I'm like, you got to take the manly stance. He goes, he goes, Oh, let me tell you about that. He goes, my wife is just the go getter. do this because I come home, she's got a ladder up on the house and she's painting the house. And he's like, he looks at his wife. He goes, he's like, hun, I'm the man.

[00:15:59] I wear the pants in the family. Let me be the man for the moment. She's like, Oh yeah, sorry. Thank 

[00:16:04] Penny Fitzgerald: you. You can be the man. How about you just pour me another drink? 

[00:16:09] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, he was, he was funny. He was, he was pretty good. I'm really sensitive, but he goes, I always have to remind my wife. It's like, Hey, come on, I'm the man 

[00:16:19] Penny Fitzgerald: and 

[00:16:20] Nichole Richardson: she's like, then do it.

[00:16:25] So I miss some of those people. They were fun. 

[00:16:28] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. It sounds like some of them were, were pretty, pretty awesome. It 

[00:16:34] Nichole Richardson: was interesting. Yeah. 

[00:16:37] Penny Fitzgerald: I have heard so many places lately, the same thing that you are the sum of the five people you hang around the most with. And most of us spend most of our time at work, if we're working in a corporate job or in a store or in an office or whatever.

[00:16:53] So, you know, hanging around those people, I mean, that would get old. 

[00:16:59] Nichole Richardson: It, it was, it was making me very. Even more cynical, more sarcastic. I mean, I'm already bad as it is. Don't feed into it. And I'm like, I just don't like how I'm feeling. And now I don't have anyone around me. So I'm like, 

[00:17:22] Penny Fitzgerald: yeah, you're working by yourself.

[00:17:23] It's my own 

[00:17:24] Nichole Richardson: device. Yeah. So. 

[00:17:28] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, 

[00:17:29] Nichole Richardson: but the, the coworkers that I have, We were in the office last year from October until now. This is when I had started working from home. So, um. So I got to be around them. One of them just, um, he wasn't, he didn't talk too much, but a really good, very, very nice person.

[00:17:47] If you got him going, he was good. And the other one just is just as out there as any. And then there's sometimes we're talking online and, and, uh, cause I said, Oh, are we going to do a holiday party? Do you? Do we do these things? He goes, he goes, Nicole, you and I are the only social people here. It'll be really awkward because there's only so much we're going to be able to carry.

[00:18:10] He goes, we used to when we had more people, but no, we don't do it anymore. 

[00:18:16] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, that would, that would be a little, uh, yeah, you'd have to plan it. Yeah, we'd have to 

[00:18:22] Nichole Richardson: plan it. We'd have to have the, Oh, we were talking today cause he had to show me something online and he changed his background on the, uh, on the zoo, on the teams thing.

[00:18:32] Yeah. So I'm like, nice apartment. It's like got the water view and stuff like that. And he goes, Oh, wouldn't it be funny if you changed? He goes, Oh no. First he goes, Okay. Well, just so you know, you can't have my apartment. And I started laughing. I'm like, you know, some condos, they all look the same. And he goes, Oh, wouldn't it be funny though, if you did choose it.

[00:18:55] And we both had the same mug and like, I could set my mug down. And then all of a sudden from the right angle, you can look like you're picking it up. And then just every now and then, like, I could go like that and you'd be like, stop. That'd be hilarious. He's like, because I think we should do that. So Zoom and 

[00:19:19] Penny Fitzgerald: meet games.

[00:19:20] Yeah. 

[00:19:21] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. He's a, he's a character. Good people though. 

[00:19:25] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. That's awesome. Okay. And you, um, well, my audience doesn't know this yet, but you are getting married this fall. Yes. That's fun 

[00:19:38] Nichole Richardson: on Halloween. 

[00:19:39] Penny Fitzgerald: Congratulations. 

[00:19:40] Nichole Richardson: Thank you. 

[00:19:42] Penny Fitzgerald: So, um, why Halloween? 

[00:19:46] Nichole Richardson: Yep. I can answer that. So my fiance and I are the opposite.

[00:19:52] He is groomzilla. I'm the bride. So he, um, all I wanted was fall, you know, I just wanted a fall wedding. Um, we were going to do this up in Pennsylvania to have a real fall, but it just wasn't working that way. Um, so I'm like, okay, well, we're going to bring fall here to Florida the best that we can. And I found a good place and, uh, so I'll make it look fall and Halloween because he loves Halloween and wanted it on Halloween.

[00:20:23] I'm like, okay, cool. Okay. Okay. I really don't care. And he goes, and then I want a masquerade ball and I'm like, okay, so no costumes. I always have to remind everybody. We are not doing costumes. Um, everyone bring like a mask or something like that. Um, and then one of my friends, I'm like, Oh, yep. You just showed me.

[00:20:43] I've got to be a lot more specific in wording. She goes, can I bring this one? And it was like one of those BDSM masks. You know what I'm like the face with the zipper across the mouth thing. She goes, she's joking. She was going to be this and I'm like, thank you. We're going to have to detail our descriptions now.

[00:21:05] Spread the good 

[00:21:06] Penny Fitzgerald: word about what that involves. It does not involve. 

[00:21:13] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, the the wedding event coordinator. She's, um, it's going to be interesting because English is not her first language. And so her English is like, so, so and she keeps saying, oh, I love Halloween and I like the monsters. And we're like, I don't, I don't want monsters that we're not decorating like Halloween.

[00:21:34] It's the only part we can do that. it. is at the candy bar. Um, since it is Halloween, that's going to be our parting gift is have different little candy jars and everybody can fill up a bag of candy. And there 

[00:21:47] Penny Fitzgerald: you go. That's cute. I like that. 

[00:21:50] Nichole Richardson: I'm like, we can do monsters there. I don't want, we're not, it's not going to really look Halloween.

[00:21:58] Penny Fitzgerald: It's Fall. It's Fall. 

[00:21:59] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. And then everyone's like, are you doing a black dress? I'm like, again, I get it. I'm like, all are very. in the box. Yeah. I am out of the box. And if you try to fit me into that box, I will do everything in my power to get right out of it. And even if I don't like it, just to prove I can get out of that box.

[00:22:22] I'm one of those. 

[00:22:24] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh gosh. So, so he, your husband, your husband to be, um, picked, um, Halloween cause he loves Halloween. Did he, does he have a lot to do with the planning? Is he doing most of that? Yes. 

[00:22:35] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. Oh, yeah. He's very involved. Oh, yeah. Okay. Now he's taking care of the finance parts of it. So I'm like, I don't, I don't know what to say with any of that.

[00:22:45] So no, he is very involved with all of this. He's not the typical guy as we were going back before. Yeah. Let me do this, um, all by myself. So I actually had to take some of the reigns back and be like, hello. I get to choose two. Like, yeah, I did. I, he goes, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize. And I'm like, I mean, he was, he was just on it and I'm like, 

[00:23:14] Penny Fitzgerald: yeah.

[00:23:15] Nichole Richardson: But I don't, I'm like, it was happening so fast. I'm like, okay, okay. I'm like, wait, I thought about this and it's like a few months later. I don't really think I like that. And he goes, seriously, Nicole? I'm like, well, you just kept going. 

[00:23:30] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, well, and that would be, that would be kind of hard to jump in and say, um, I know you're really.

[00:23:35] you know, gung ho and that's great, but I kind of want to do something else. 

[00:23:41] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, yeah, that is, so he's having to be reminded and be like, hey, we gotta, gotta, there's another person to think about here. So this is, this is, You know, this is his first wedding and in a sense, this is my first one because even though I was prior married, I did not have a wedding.

[00:24:00] I didn't have a wedding at all. No, it was a knock on my barracks door and say the courthouse closes in an hour. That was my proposal to, so yeah, so I was married at the courthouse with no family or friends. It was the lady who signed a paperwork and, uh, that was, that was that. So, um, they tried to do like a reception thing.

[00:24:27] Um, but again, like, I didn't, I never had my mother present who I always wanted and other family. And it was always said, well, we'll do another wedding. We'll do another. And it just. Never ever happened. And then when my mom had passed away, I completely was like, Nope, now I don't want it at all. I just don't.

[00:24:44] So I always said, if she can't be there, I don't want to do this. But, and then with, with that said, um, I've gotten. Some slack on it, but not by much until I explain it, I am going to walk myself down the aisle and this is where I'd like to say to the women, um, this was something I had heard on the radio and when I heard this explanation, um, this goes through everything that I have faced.

[00:25:16] You know, and so far in my adult life, I'm walking myself down the aisle because I choose, uh, this time. I felt forced in a sense my first time to get married because I was pregnant prior and I just, I felt forced. A lot of pressure. This time, um, this is, this is my choice. I choose him. I always tell my fiance, um, I don't need you in life.

[00:25:48] I can take care of myself. And sometimes he looks a little hurt. And I said, but hear me out. Um, I choose for you to be in my life. You enhance my life. You're not here to fix any part of me. Uh, that's my job, but you enhance other parts of my life and I'm very thankful for it. So I choose you and therefore I choose to walk down the aisle by myself because I choose to be with you.

[00:26:16] So I'm not, you know, people are like, well, why don't you have your son walk you down? I'm. When, you know, maybe if the person I was married to before passed away, that could make sense, but he didn't. So that's weird. And, um, if there was anyone truly that was going to walk me down the aisle, it would have been my mother.

[00:26:36] That would have been the person. So that's what I wanted. And I'm like, and, um, I'm one of those where too many people come at me again and put me in the little box. Oh, 

[00:26:49] Penny Fitzgerald: there you go. And you 

[00:26:50] Nichole Richardson: should do this. You should do this. Well, what about this? And I went, that's how my youngest daughter ended up with the middle name of Nicole.

[00:26:59] It's Ava Nicole. And, uh, I had my mom and my mother in law at the time. I don't have anybody named after me. I don't have anybody named after me. And when you're really pregnant, your temper is at a zero. So you're just like, we're not, I have no tolerance. And I went, they're like, what's your middle name? I went, I don't know.

[00:27:18] Nicole, done. Now you both can be upset. I don't care. So this way, I kind of look at anybody who thought maybe they would walk me down the aisle. Well, you can all be upset because nobody is. 

[00:27:32] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow, there's a whole lot of shoulds being thrown at you, I feel like. 

[00:27:37] Nichole Richardson: Yes. 

[00:27:38] Penny Fitzgerald: Shoulds. Yeah. 

[00:27:39] Nichole Richardson: I've had a lot. I've had a lot of that and it's taken a lot in my life to, um, get away from that.

[00:27:47] Yeah. Still happens of course. Yeah. And, and I'll fall prey to it. And you know, I always say you can't have regrets because what I know now, I didn't know then. I made the best choices with the options and knowledge I had then. Exactly. So, Now I can't judge my past self why you could have done this. Well, I didn't feel that then so no, I couldn't 

[00:28:12] Penny Fitzgerald: yeah 

[00:28:13] Nichole Richardson: And so I have to remind myself of that right a lot, 

[00:28:17] Penny Fitzgerald: right?

[00:28:18] Nichole Richardson: I can't I can't what but in the future the way I use it now is we'll hold on to that now and do your best the next time you're faced with it. 

[00:28:27] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. When you know better, you do better. Yeah. 

[00:28:31] Nichole Richardson: And, uh, I always, I have the other saying of, um, there's a difference between being ignorant and stupid. So, I, I, I will call somebody ignorant because, like, hey, I'm sure you didn't know this, but X, Y, Z.

[00:28:49] You know, probably a better choice. Well, you now become stupid when you ignored XYZ and you choose to do it anyway. I'm like, you're no longer ignorant. You've been educated. You're stupid now. 

[00:29:03] Penny Fitzgerald: Stupid with two O's. I have some harsh realities. Yeah.

[00:29:11] Oh my gosh. I have a friend that says, "That's D-U-M, Dum". 

[00:29:14] Nichole Richardson: Oh, I do that. I say that a lot. That's actually, yes, it's from something. That's why. And I don't, it's not coming to mind. I don't know where she got it. Could've been like from Spongebob if you want, I just don't, I don't know. Yeah, 

[00:29:32] Penny Fitzgerald: it's funny. 

[00:29:32] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, I say that a lot.

[00:29:33] It's 

[00:29:33] Penny Fitzgerald: appropriate. 

[00:29:35] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. 

[00:29:36] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. 

[00:29:37] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. 

[00:29:37] Penny Fitzgerald: Well, and then the walking down the aisle thing too, and maybe this isn't accurate, but um, some of the tradition, I thought I'd heard that, um, when you're, the traditional way, when your father walks you down the aisle, it's because he's giving you away to your groom. Yeah.

[00:29:54] Like I'm not property. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, if you, if I'm walking, no, if I'm walking down the aisle with my dad or my mom or somebody special to take you down the aisle, it's more of a, I don't know, I look at it like it's, it's a supportive thing. It's, you're getting, Comfort and you're having a moment with that.

[00:30:17] You're special person. Not that. Yeah, your property and you're being yeah handed over 

[00:30:23] Nichole Richardson: That was just heard that What was that yesterday? I believe where somebody says you know, my special person was my dad and I'm like, well, my special person was my mom and she isn't here. So if she's not here to walk me down the aisle, I'll do it myself because in a sense, I know she will be with me.

[00:30:45] Of course. I've got to save a space for her. 

[00:30:47] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. Oh, that's, I'm getting goosebumps thinking about that. That's neat. Good for you. 

[00:30:54] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. 

[00:30:56] Penny Fitzgerald: Absolutely. Um, you mentioned Pennsylvania too. Did you, did you grow up in Pennsylvania or where, Where's, Oh, okay. 

[00:31:04] Nichole Richardson: Um, that is where, um, my fiance Joe is from.

[00:31:08] Oh, okay. And so even with him being from there, and like I said, we were trying to plan all these different things. I'm like, well, what's around here? What's this? What's this? And, uh, so his sister out there was trying her best to help and it just was not working. And it also felt like it was starting to take away from the experience. I'm having somebody else go look at all the venues.

[00:31:38] Having somebody else look at all the menus and somebody else, you know, interview the people for the flowers. I'm like, I don't. I've got to be there to see it 

[00:31:47] Penny Fitzgerald: and 

[00:31:48] Nichole Richardson: pictures, you can get a sense, but when you're physically there to look, you get, it's encompassed more and I'm like, that's being taken away and back to what I was stating, you know, I'm like, Nope, I'm not, I'm just not doing it.

[00:32:06] So he supported me. 100%. And he goes, that's fine. I'm like, we have enough connections here. We both networked. We, we were able to work things out. So why don't we do it? Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:32:22] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. 

[00:32:23] Nichole Richardson: That's what we're doing. I know we're making possibly some family members there upset, but. Again, 

[00:32:35] Penny Fitzgerald: there's that should thing again.

[00:32:36] Yeah. Yeah. It's your, it's your day and yeah, it's not like it was, it's just, just a party, you know, you know, I mean, if you were planning just, you know, uh, any event, like a, maybe a reunion or something, but you know, it's your day, it's your wedding and 

[00:32:53] Nichole Richardson: yeah. So I'm like, that's fine. You can't make it. I got plenty of other people that could have a good day.

[00:33:00] Penny Fitzgerald: It'll be all right. We'll be thinking of you and have you here in spirit. Wish you were here, but that's your choice. 

[00:33:08] Nichole Richardson: We're hoping to Get somebody to maybe, you know, live stream it for us. Oh cool. 

[00:33:15] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, 

[00:33:16] Nichole Richardson: because like my grandparents They're not well enough to travel and they would have loved to have come so To help people like that in our family, we're going to see if we can do that.

[00:33:29] And then I have some friends that also they, they live far and for health reasons too. It's just not as easy for them to travel. And I'm like, those I understand. That's completely fine. Yeah, absolutely. Though that's not a should, you know, right? This was like, no, we genuinely care and want to include you the best that we can.

[00:33:50] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. No, that'd be great. okay, you, you, I know this about you, but my audience doesn't know this. You, you mentioned barracks, you served in the military. Can you tell us about that a little bit? 

[00:34:07] Nichole Richardson: Sure. Um, I was in the Navy and that was from 2000 to 2005. I had to do a 5 year commitment because I chose the rate of a hospital corpsman.

[00:34:19] So they counted as a year of training. So typically, You can do four years, but because I had to do one extra for training, that's why I did five. Um, I joined because again, at a job where I tried to, you know, I, I graduated high school and nobody laugh at me because every time I get some chuckles with this, um, but I graduated in 97.

[00:34:50] Now, however, when I'm prospecting, when I'm looking at passports because of the job that I do, by the way, these people are doctors and they were born in 97. So I'm like, okay, we're feeling, I'm feeling old now. Yeah. Now I'm seeing.

[00:35:10] 2001, 2005 of people getting jobs in another country. And I'm like, those are the two years of two of my children being born. So now I'm really starting to feel old. Yeah, 

[00:35:19] Penny Fitzgerald: it sneaks up on you. 

[00:35:21] Nichole Richardson: It does. So anyway, I, I attempted to go to college and you know, I did some credits, but it just, it was just not working.

[00:35:30] I had no direction. I had no idea what I wanted to do. And so. I kind of wasted some money and then I was like, all right, we're done. Wasting money because I paid for it myself and so I worked as a cashier at a grocery store and I'm just sitting in the break room and my friend on her day off, she comes in and she's like, Oh my God, Nicole, you won't believe what I did.

[00:35:52] I'm like, what'd you do? I joined the Navy. I'm like, shut up. And she goes, you should join with me. I'm like, why the heck would I want to do that? So she's going over the, the nice, beautiful recruiter spiel. And so we go down to the recruiting station and he's like, well, what do you want to do? And I'm like, with your life, I'm like, I don't, I don't know, but I don't want to be where I'm at because I hate it.

[00:36:17] Once again, customer service and nasty little people out there. 

[00:36:21] Penny Fitzgerald: And 

[00:36:23] Nichole Richardson: so I said, I'll do that. He goes, well, what do you want to do for your job? I'm like, I don't know. I'm like, Jess, what are you doing? She goes, I'm gonna be a hospital corpsman. I'm like, okay, I'll do that too. 

[00:36:36] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. 

[00:36:39] Nichole Richardson: So I took the test and everything.

[00:36:41] Um, unfortunately I didn't pass with a high enough ASVAB score to be a corpsman. And they're like, well, you could be a cook. at that time. I worked in a deli. Okay. So I'm like, so you want me to quit my job? I have now where I work in a kitchen to now be told what to do even more so 24 7 and work in a kitchen and they looked at me and they're like, Well, that's what you, I said, no, we're not doing that.

[00:37:11] I said, I either become a corpsman or I walk out. By the way, that is the one and only time, folks, in your military career, you're going to make demands. I tried it another time. Didn't work very well. Oh, so, um, so, um. They waived points for that, and at the time I was also so thin, I didn't weigh enough to join the military.

[00:37:38] So the day for my final, like, weigh in, um, it was the day that we were technically gonna leave. I mean, the whole week prior, I ate so many bananas, like really fattening foods. Um, but that morning I shoved as many bananas I could as down my throat 

[00:37:55] Penny Fitzgerald: and water as 

[00:37:57] Nichole Richardson: much as possible. So you get there early in the morning, they're like, who wants to be weighed first?

[00:38:02] I do. They're like, ah, you're trying to make weight, aren't you? Somebody come here with their thumb. I didn't make it. Oh, but I was two points off on that too. And they said, that's not a big deal. We can waive that. So they're like, go use the bathroom now. So the, so I went through basic training in, um, Great Lakes and during the winter, dead of winter.

[00:38:33] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. 

[00:38:33] Nichole Richardson: That was, that was fun. That was so fun. And, uh, we had to chase snowflakes that they said, if a snowflake touches the ground and we see it, you're in a whole lot of trouble. So we just went out.

[00:38:49] It was like, every half hour, we went out with a shovel regardless and just. scraped it along the sidewalk. There was not a snowflake on the ground. Wow. But it was, that was, that was actually entertaining. Um, but yeah, in the, in the military, both me and my friend, we actually got. shin splints and stress fractures.

[00:39:11] And we had them in both of our legs, by the way, that is extremely painful. If no one's ever had that, if you have you, I had a top rack, top bunk, and, um, every morning I, there was no ladder. I had to jump off. Oh, let me let you tell you doing that for three months, that hurts every single day. And, uh, I eventually healed properly.

[00:39:33] My friend did not, and She, long story short on this one, she didn't become a corpsman and she was medically discharged later. And I'm like, 

[00:39:43] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh, wow. 

[00:39:44] Nichole Richardson: You left me. I 

[00:39:46] Penny Fitzgerald: have 

[00:39:46] Nichole Richardson: to be here by myself. Are you serious? This whole 

[00:39:48] Penny Fitzgerald: thing was your idea. 

[00:39:50] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. That's the, so that's, what's funny about all of that, of all the, and she really wanted to be there.

[00:39:56] And I was like, I just didn't have anything better else to do. So we found out don't let Nicole bored. She does crazy stuff when she's bored. 

[00:40:05] Penny Fitzgerald: Well, thank you for your service. 

[00:40:08] Nichole Richardson: You know what, and I have to tell you, Penny, and all the listeners, thank you for your support because I have met veterans, um, especially from the Vietnam era.

[00:40:19] And those were the type of people, actually one in particular, I don't remember his name, changed my view on being a veteran, um, completely around. But, you know, he goes, when I came home, I had no support. There was nothing. you know, I was called baby killers, um, all the other horrible things. And he goes, do you know how many people I saw die?

[00:40:40] Do you know, I did see children die. I've seen people blown up. And so he goes, you, we fought hard for you to have the support you have now. Cause I used to go, Oh, I just served five years. He goes, you didn't just. Anything served five years when nobody else did you understand that in any given point, you could have been called to go away and you would have never come home.

[00:41:08] So he goes, that could have happened at any point. And I faced that situation and, um, shortly after my husband at the time got deployed and then I had my son and they're like, well, you have 24 hours to figure out what's happening. That they didn't care. You knew about this about being in and figure out where he's going.

[00:41:29] Um, I don't remember how it got worked out, but I didn't get deployed. So that, uh, that was, that was a very, very, very challenging time. Holy cow. And it also brought on a whole bunch of anxiety. So I will never tell anybody. You didn't just anything. Um. And I never appreciate when anybody says, Oh, you only served there.

[00:41:51] You only did this. Like, well, okay, well, congratulations on making it to retirement and doing all these accomplishments. Um, I accomplished what I needed in five years. I don't know. So, but I'm like, don't downgrade. My service and I've had that a lot and I've had really, um, previous, previous family members do that to me as well.

[00:42:17] So I won't do that to anybody. So I would say thank you for the support from everybody because some people just never had it. They didn't have it at all. 

[00:42:26] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. That's sad. It's very sad. 

[00:42:28] Nichole Richardson: Yeah. 

[00:42:29] Penny Fitzgerald: Well, and, and that you had 24 hours to figure out what you were going to do about, you know, you're, you're, you have a baby.

[00:42:37] And 

[00:42:39] Nichole Richardson: so that was one of the, remember how I said earlier that I found out where you can't make demands. I said, I found out later. Oh yes. Uh huh. That you can't make one. Uh huh. So in the military, Okay. After a lady has her baby, you go back to work six weeks later, 

[00:42:58] Penny Fitzgerald: nothing, 

[00:42:59] Nichole Richardson: nothing can be done about it. Um, so any mommies out there knowing how that looks, having a six week old baby that you're sending off to a daycare.

[00:43:08] You know, and hoping for the best as a first time mother, um, I was still very, very emotional and hormones are still pretty strong six weeks after giving birth. And I had, um, a higher ranking, um, enlisted person bring me into the office and I don't know what brought it upon, but he's like, just so you're aware.

[00:43:33] I know you're back from your maternity leave, my guess. Well, your baby wasn't issued to you in your C bag, so therefore he's not the Navy's problem. So I hope you have everything lined up if you ever get deployed. And I don't ever want to hear of any concerns with daycare. That's not our problem. 

[00:43:50] Penny Fitzgerald: Oh, no. I 

[00:43:51] Nichole Richardson: looked, I looked at him.

[00:43:53] So let's see. I think I was an E3. I looked at an E8. That's getting, that's good up there. And I said, Well, I'll tell you what, if I'm concerned about who's taking care of my child and that affects on how I work, it is the Navy's problem. Not what you say, by the way. He looked at me and he goes, uh, call me by my name and my rank and said, you better know your place right now.

[00:44:22] And don't ever say that again. I'm like, got it. I was like, end of story. So, uh, that's why I always say, you know, you ever wonder why some people you're like, You made it 13 years. Why couldn't you make it to 20? I'm like, there's just this unspoken feeling with the military that you can't describe to say, I just couldn't do it anymore.

[00:44:46] I was done. Um, they like to put out there that, you know, we care about you and your family. And while you are taking care of financially, you, they, they very more than compensate for, for that. Um, but they don't care. 

[00:45:03] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. 

[00:45:05] Nichole Richardson: Your property of the U. S. Government. Have a good day. 

[00:45:08] Penny Fitzgerald: That's ridiculous. First of all.

[00:45:10] Okay. I'm maybe going to piss some people off here, but that's no way to treat people. That's no way to treat. I mean, you have your, no, no, 

[00:45:21] Nichole Richardson: no, but you are your government property and your government property. And when you get out, um, as an enlisted person, um, you still have like another three or four years.

[00:45:32] um, that they could technically call you back if they want to. Um, I like to say I was a dime a dozen expendable person. They were not going to be calling on me. I didn't have anything extra special about me. Um, officers, it's a lifetime. They could, you could be out 15 years, but if you just have that one special skill set, oh yeah, they could call you back if they wanted to, if they really needed you.

[00:45:58] And it'd be one 

[00:45:59] Penny Fitzgerald: thing if you were, cared for in, on a holistic level, you know, I mean, if you were, 

[00:46:07] Nichole Richardson: yeah, 

[00:46:07] Penny Fitzgerald: I mean, I would, I would imagine that anybody who served my brothers served and I would think that they would be, I mean, they're too old now they're in their eighties, but they wouldn't, they would have, you know, years ago been, I think more than happy to come back.

[00:46:23] If it's different for a man, first of all, cause they're not, 

[00:46:27] Nichole Richardson: I 

[00:46:29] Penny Fitzgerald: can't imagine a man being talked to like that. 

[00:46:34] Nichole Richardson: It's, um, I don't know how it is now but definitely challenging for women. 

[00:46:40] Penny Fitzgerald: I'm sure. 

[00:46:42] Nichole Richardson: Better know, you better, we better know how to hold your own. If you can't, good luck to you. Well, 

[00:46:49] Penny Fitzgerald: and 

[00:46:50] Nichole Richardson: that's, yeah.

[00:46:51] Penny Fitzgerald: Holding your own is different than being belittled and treated like property. 

[00:47:02] Nichole Richardson: It happened more than once. Uh huh, 

[00:47:04] Penny Fitzgerald: I'm sure. Wow. 

[00:47:05] Nichole Richardson: And, uh, having a child didn't make anything, uh, is what made it worse. Yeah. So, that's why after my five years, I was like, I just don't think I could do this anymore. 

[00:47:17] Penny Fitzgerald: I don't blame you one bit.

[00:47:19] Nichole Richardson: Because I don't know, I can't keep going through this and, uh, it's not fair. Wow. So, and I did not have, um, the support, the support. Of my husband at the time in the ways that I truly needed now, he was serving too, uh, however, just still did. He tried, but. it was not the support that I needed. It felt like I was a single mom the entire time.

[00:47:49] So you're constantly worried with work and having to be there for that. And then you come home and you just don't have the support that you need. 

[00:48:02] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, I, I know of, of, yes, it sounds very much so. I have several friends who are military families. They don't, my, my girlfriends don't serve themselves, but they are every bit as much serving because they are the ones at home keeping it all together and doing all the things.

[00:48:22] Yeah. So it's, you're, if you're a military family, you are serving. And I thank you all. So, but yeah, especially you serving and, 

[00:48:32] Nichole Richardson: and 

[00:48:33] Penny Fitzgerald: keeping it all together and raising the family. Wow. 

[00:48:37] Nichole Richardson: Well, they're just as important to, and like you said, it's in a sense like they serve as well because while their spouse, um, is off, they are at home, not, you know, say if they got deployed, um, Um, overseas during wartime.

[00:48:55] Well, they're at home, not having a clue. And 

[00:48:58] Penny Fitzgerald: I 

[00:48:59] Nichole Richardson: experienced that too, and being, and serving. And so it was like, it was like a double whammy on that one, but it's just as stressful. 

[00:49:07] Penny Fitzgerald: You don't have any 

[00:49:08] Nichole Richardson: word as to what's going on and what's happening. And you get sporadic, uh, letters. And sometimes they're short, so if, if you're lucky to get that, so you just never know.

[00:49:21] Penny Fitzgerald: Wow. Yeah. And you have, you have to keep it together. You have the person who is overseas in combat has to be confident that you are back home taking care of everything and that you're staying strong and that you're okay. You know, I mean, they want to, Oh God, I can't even imagine. That level of stress and that level of, Oh my gosh, just 

[00:49:45] Nichole Richardson: pain.

[00:49:46] That level of stress, when I got out of the military, I did the one thing that was suggested. They said, when you get out, copy your record, all of your records three times. And it was, by the way, that's a lot of paperwork. Uh 

[00:50:01] Penny Fitzgerald: huh. 

[00:50:02] Nichole Richardson: Go to the VA and any issue you ever had in the military, we don't care if your pinky hurt, you asked to be evaluated for every medical thing you ever had go wrong, everything, um, because you don't know what you'll get for disability.

[00:50:20] So that's what I did, took my medical records and I just, I, um, went in for evaluation and came out to be 30 percent disabled veteran, um, for anxiety. Um, at the time when I was serving, I didn't realize what I was getting three or four times a week. Um, were these severe chest pains, like to the point, I thought I was having a heart attack.

[00:50:46] Oh my gosh. I couldn't do anything. I had to stop what I was doing. Tears, you know, like I couldn't, I just couldn't do it and it would last for like 30 seconds to a minute. Um, and that was every week, three or four times a week. I did. Those were called panic attacks. I had no idea, um, until someone brought that to my attention.

[00:51:07] So, I went in and they gave me medication to help with anxiety. Well, the hospital I worked at is, um, is considered a learning hospital. Well, I had a learning intern decide to prescribe me medication that I later found out was for someone twice my size. 

[00:51:28] Penny Fitzgerald: I was 

[00:51:29] Nichole Richardson: wondering why I had, I had no care in the world.

[00:51:32] I had a feeling like it could have been like, I mean, I'm giggling. That's not funny. It is because you're just like, you don't know how to react. Oh 

[00:51:40] Penny Fitzgerald: my 

[00:51:40] Nichole Richardson: goodness. But it could have been like, your house is on fire. Your child might be in there. I'd be like, wow, that's. That might be serious. Should probably go get them.

[00:51:49] That's how I felt. Oh wow. I got, I took myself off the medication because when I got out, I was pregnant again and I'm like, I'll be damned if I'm going to keep this going. Uh 

[00:51:59] Penny Fitzgerald: huh. And that's dangerous too to go off on your own. Yeah. 

[00:52:05] Nichole Richardson: Found that out. Um, I had withdrawals. And didn't know that that's what that was until I talked to my mom, who was a nurse, and she goes, I can't believe you did.

[00:52:14] That's really dangerous, Nicole. And you're pregnant. And I'm like, well, I didn't like how I was feeling. And I, um, as much as I like to avoid feelings, um, I don't want to go to that extent ever again, ever. So that's kind of how I ended up with my disability. And I know some people kind of. Snub their noses at it because I don't have a arm blown off or something, but it's something I like to put out there.

[00:52:41] Um, just because you guys can't see the disability does not mean it does not exist. And what you don't think is that big of a deal at that time was a very, very big deal for that person. So you have no right to judge that. 

[00:52:56] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah, mental health is health. I saw that a lot 

[00:52:58] Nichole Richardson: too. 

[00:52:59] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. Yeah. It's it. Yeah. I hope that's not the attitude by many.

[00:53:04] I'm sure it is by some, but I hope not. Oh, it 

[00:53:06] Nichole Richardson: was. I faced it. Yep. And I, and I, I, a person in their place, I'm like, I don't care who you are. I don't care your rank. I put them in. I've been a nice way, but I put them in his place. He's like, I didn't think of it like that. And I said, well, maybe you should next time.

[00:53:22] Yeah. 

[00:53:22] Penny Fitzgerald: Next time, maybe it'll be a little bit more 

[00:53:24] Nichole Richardson: compassionate for that lady in your group. 

[00:53:26] Penny Fitzgerald: Right. It's 

[00:53:27] Nichole Richardson: like, I, I get it. You, you just about lost your, your, your arm and your hand. I get it. Um, that is very tragic. Um, her situation for her was tragic. So you have no right to tell her that's any less than what you went through.

[00:53:44] So. Right. Don't. Right. He's like, good point. 

[00:53:49] Penny Fitzgerald: Good. Yeah. Yeah. Some of us come by compassion in difficult ways. It takes us a little longer in some cases, but yeah. for all of that, for sharing, sharing that. Cause it's important. Everybody, everybody has something. Yeah. Can I, can I ask you something fun? Yeah.

[00:54:12] Yeah. Can I ask you something fun and change the tone a little bit? Okay. What's your favorite cocktail? 

[00:54:18] Nichole Richardson: Changing 

[00:54:19] Penny Fitzgerald: the mood, 

[00:54:19] Nichole Richardson: changing the mood. Here we go. Here we go. Oh yeah. And which I. Did not even have my favorite cocktail. Yes. Okay. So I love, I love the wines and I love the beer. Not just any beer. I love craft beers.

[00:54:38] Matter of fact, I have a t shirt that Uh, my oldest daughter found it at a thrift store and said, Mom, this is you. I'm like, great. That's, that's just great. That's funny. And I'm buying it. And it says, I like crafts and it has the different types of glasses that you would stick a craft beer in. 

[00:54:54] Penny Fitzgerald: Nice.

[00:54:55] Nichole Richardson: So, um, I love. I just, I love like a good glass of wine, not just, not knocking all of our Boone's Farm people or whatever, or, uh, what was some of the other winking owls, you know, not knocking any of that. Cause it's all about your taste. I've, I've learned that too. Money has nothing to fully do. And I will tell you about money did have fully to do with one choice I had, but, um, and it did make a difference, but, uh, I love how that craft is of wine and the beer.

[00:55:29] I love hearing the stories that go into it from either the brewery or from the vineyard of knowing the family or friends or how this one person started it and the employees now. 

[00:55:43] Penny Fitzgerald: I just, 

[00:55:44] Nichole Richardson: I just love it. It's a science and, um, I do like some good science. I, I like the facts. Facts are there. The facts can't disappoint you.

[00:55:53] That's right. Yeah. So I find that enjoyable. So I don't really Let's see. Lately, I've had to stay away from some reds. They've been kind of giving me heartburn. Oh, um, but I, let's see a good, if I'm going to have a red, I probably go for the Pinot Noirs or like a Shiraz, something like that. And then, uh, the whites, um, I will do the Pinot Grigios.

[00:56:23] I have actually had some Chardonnays that I like, I found out it's the oaky flavor. I don't like, so when they don't 

[00:56:30] Penny Fitzgerald: use 

[00:56:31] Nichole Richardson: that oaky barrel or whatever it is that they do, it's really good. And, uh, my fiance, he's complete opposite. He was just like my mother, total sweet. I mean, as sweet as sweet could be.

[00:56:44] Penny Fitzgerald: It's 

[00:56:44] Nichole Richardson: like syrup with some bubbles or something. I don't know. Um, And for my beers, I've I found out that I go for a lot of the Belgium beers. 

[00:56:56] Penny Fitzgerald: Um, 

[00:56:58] Nichole Richardson: I don't like IPAs. However, in Venice, Florida, there is one place at Seed and Bean. They make their own, um, IPA. It is the only one that I like, and I think it's because they use hemp in it, so it takes away from that hoppiness, 

[00:57:17] Penny Fitzgerald: um, 

[00:57:19] Nichole Richardson: uh, yeah, even my friend who loves to give me IPAs, just to see the face of disgust that I make, she's She goes, you found an IPA you like, she, I'm like, yeah, she goes, Oh my God, after work, I'm going to be there.

[00:57:32] I got to see this. I can't, I don't believe you. 

[00:57:34] Penny Fitzgerald: So she gets there 

[00:57:35] Nichole Richardson: and she goes, I got to have what she's having. And, uh, we both take a sip and she goes, damn, Nicole, you did good. Well, yeah. So, um. I've done that on some sweet wines that my fiance didn't think that he would like. And the reason why I picked it up and tried it is because it was at a wine bar and I'm just looking around.

[00:58:00] I'm like, what a cute, pretty little bottle. It looks like a little bottle of honey. I'm like, Oh, it's made with some honey. It's not a mead, but it does have honey. And I'm like, I'm going to try this. And they're like, it's more of a dessert wine. I'm like, okay, mentally prepared for this. I can handle that.

[00:58:17] And they pour it. It just, it was so pretty. It's just this golden yellow. And I try it and I'm like, Oh, that's delicious. And my fiance, he always tries everything I have, even though 

[00:58:27] Penny Fitzgerald: he 

[00:58:28] Nichole Richardson: has the look of disgust. And he tried it. He goes, Oh man, he goes, I want a bottle of that. So then, um,

[00:58:37] as time goes on, the amber color gets darker and it's a good thing. It's not a bad thing. So that honey really starts to mature as time goes on. So then the guy goes, he goes, I would suggest buy one like every on your anniversary. 

[00:58:56] Penny Fitzgerald: I 

[00:58:57] Nichole Richardson: think he even said like, if we plate, if we get one now or something like there is a way that you can have it so that the year that it comes out, it's actually on the day that you get married kind of thing.

[00:59:06] Oh, wow. Yeah. So he goes, but then keep buying the, you know, every year. So you have each year and you can watch the bottles age and stuff. And I'm like, those are the stories I love. I just think they're. fascinating. It's not to see how tipsy I can get. I just, I enjoy, I just enjoy it. Yeah. It's just the bonus to just sit there.

[00:59:30] I'm like, okay, I'm relaxed. So have a good day. 

[00:59:33] Penny Fitzgerald: Yeah. Cheers to you. 

[00:59:36] Nichole Richardson: Yes. 

[00:59:37] Penny Fitzgerald: Well, good. Well, I'm, I'm anxious to try that one. I'm going to have to give that a sippy sip. 

[00:59:42] Nichole Richardson: Yeah, I will. I'll take a picture. I'll take a picture of it for you because I mess it up every time, but it was really, it's really good. 

[00:59:48] Penny Fitzgerald: Nice.

[00:59:50] Very good. Well, thank you so much for sharing everything. I'm really appreciate it. Your story was amazing. I learned so much.

[01:00:03] Nichole Richardson: I am a person that holds it in. I would like to say that's the military part of me. Um, I won't, I don't divulge more information than I need to unless I'm asked if I'm asked, I'm like, well, be prepared for the answer. I hope you're not offended. If you are nice knowing you have a good day. 

[01:00:25] Penny Fitzgerald: I appreciate it.

[01:00:26] I appreciate your openness and I'm sharing all that. I'm sure my, my people will enjoy it and. Yeah, they're, they're going to get some, uh, they're going to be lifted up by it as well. Cause wow. 

[01:00:38] Nichole Richardson: Well, I hope so. I hope so. I hope it brings some hope to anybody who feels like they're just doing something.

[01:00:46] You're not just doing anything. You make a difference. Um, no matter how minor. Our society wants to call it but it makes a difference. You make a difference being in that little shop that all the tourists go to, because if you weren't there, they wouldn't have that cute little shop to go into because there's nobody to work, but you made somebody's day so much brighter by just being there and selling them their cute little bracelet or Florida t shirt.

[01:01:15] Penny Fitzgerald: You don't know. Yep. You brighten somebody's day and you may not even know it. 

[01:01:23] Nichole Richardson: Exactly. And I try to, I try to remember that. So. Yeah. Good. I tried to try to hold some sarcasm back. Some. 

[01:01:32] Penny Fitzgerald: Okay. All right. Well, thank you so much.

[01:01:37] I will talk with you soon. 

[01:01:39] Nichole Richardson: Okay, Penny. Thank you. 

[01:01:41] Penny Fitzgerald: Thank you. Take care. You too. 

[01:01:45]