Theatre, Travels, and Trajectories

This week, we’re knocking the dust off this show with the help of Suzanne Vaughan! 

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of Suzanne Vaughan, a visionary who had the foresight to see the COVID-19 pandemic coming due to an unusual spike in demand for protective supplies at her workplace back in early 2020. Fast forward to today, Suzanne has hung up her work boots and is fully indulging in the freedom of retirement. This new chapter in her life is filled with her passions - from the dramatic allure of theater and the magic of lighting design to the meaningful pursuit of advocacy work.

Suzanne gives us a sneak peek into the exciting theater projects she's currently steering in the Winston-Salem area, painting a vivid picture of her creative endeavors. But it's not all curtains and spotlights; she shares the poignant challenges of caring for her mother during her final years and navigating the complex maze of grief after her passing. These experiences have shaped her, giving depth to her story.

Retirement for Suzanne isn't about slowing down; it's about chasing the next adventure, from exploring Pittsburgh to marveling at Niagara Falls, and tracing the scenic East Coast. Even as she juggles various projects, Suzanne dreams of future travels, awaiting the right moment when she's ready to leap into the next big adventure post a significant period of personal loss. This episode isn't just Suzanne's story—it's a testimony to resilience, passion, and the art of moving forward.

About Suzanne:

​​A native North Carolinian, Suzanne Vaughan has called Winston-Salem home for about twenty-five years. She spent most of her career working for consumable supply distributors, utilizing her customer service, sales, and marketing skills. Now untethered, she is pursuing her passions, which include writing, theatrical lighting and set design, and performing. She also advocates for marginalized communities, animals, and climate change and tries to use her platform to inspire others to break free from the status quo.

Connect with Suzanne:

Instagram: suzvaughan12

TikTok: suzvaughan11

Transcript

Kristen Daukas: 0:05

Welcome to Conversations on the rocks. The podcast where the drink is strong and the stories are stronger. I'm your host, Kristen Daukas. And this isn't your average chat best. Here real people spill the tea alongside their favorite drinks from the hilarious to the heart wrenching each episode a wildcard. You'll laugh, you may cry, but you'll definitely learn something new. So grab whatever whet your whistle and buckle up, it's time to dive into the raw, the real and the ridiculously human. Let's get this chat party started. Hey, everybody, it's Kristin. And today I am talking to my good friend, Suzanne BOD, Suzanne, to the House, everybody. And for those of you that are not watching this, you definitely are going to feel missed out because we're very animated people. So you know, I made Suzy and give me her bio, look at her. She's like magenta. Made Suzanne give me her bio, but I'm really not going to read that. But I will tell you a few things about Suzanne, from my point of view. First of all, not many people notice know this, but Suzanne predicted the pandemic did Yeah, she did you want to tell us how you predicted the pandemic? Um, well, part

Suzanne: 1:21

of it was just because of what I was seeing at work. I had just started back at a job that I worked at, and we the company sells packaging, janitorial and safety supplies. So the first thing that happens, it's like late January, like within the first two weeks that I've gone back, we start getting calls for face masks, like and not just like our usual customers that use them when they're in manufacturing. I'm talking like, well, one was the manufacturer but they wanted like full cases of like 500 for their overseas locations. And I'm like, here we go. We're gonna have a pandemic. And it just picked up because it was first first it was the masks. Then it was the Purell. Then it was the gloves. Right? And then it was the soap. Yeah, toilet paper didn't come to way late. I

Kristen Daukas: 2:13

know. But you dispense that toilet paper like it was a Pez dispenser. I think I still think I still have some pandemic toilet paper in my downstairs bathroom. Every time I open I'm like the best so you gotta save it right? I mean, it's truly like into the world Apocalypse toilet paper and luckily it'll do the job it'll do the job for you. You'll be filling it for a while so right get get some aloe which Hazel witch hazel is really good for that stuff folks. is the best so yeah, so that's why I'm learning as I'm getting older. That was one of the fun facts about Suzanne Suzanne is also a incredible light designer and she however what I don't like about Suzanne and her light designing is it sometimes it takes her away from social settings because she's over peopled now get by totally get the over people thing you and I are sisters in that because you know you can tell if we're in an IT something together that both of us like you can see it like coming down like literally coming down. Battery is like Oh, Cassie bought me a I have to show it to you the next time I see you she bought me this pen that's on my backpack and it says my social battery level and it has a little slider so it goes from like green to red. I love that I need one social battery empty sticker to it's on my it's on my laptop. But yeah, sometimes we just have to We can't people as much as we want to. So yeah, it's so let's talk a little bit about what you're doing now that you are how did you put it? You put it? I'm looking at her notes because she put a where's it where's it? Oh, dad. untethered she's untethered. Now friends on tether. She's on top. Yes, that is the most eloquent way I've ever heard of saying I'm early retired. Which is what I wish I could say that. Why can't you say that?

Suzanne: 4:20

Right. Right. You know, I'm we call it fun employed. You know, it's gig life. But it's Oh, who's that dog but trying to that's nice. Yeah, there will be there will be visits. She's She's mad that I'm talking to somebody. That's not her.

Kristen Daukas: 4:36

I love my door open. So anything could happen here too. Right?

Suzanne: 4:40

I mean, that's the fun part of it, though, right? Yeah. So I left the job two days before my mom passed away. Because I was leaving the job to take care of her because she had gotten to that point where she needed full time care. Yeah, and then she passed away like two days. So like all the stress and all the things and the honey 100 miles an hour that I was going through for like seven years was done so untethered.

Kristen Daukas: 5:06

How's it feels like, what

Suzanne: 5:07

would I do now? Oh, man, I hope that I never have to sit at a desk for a long period, like a night, like, you're gonna sit this cubicle for eight hours? I can't know. And

Kristen Daukas: 5:20

it's so interesting, because I thought one of the greatest things that came out of COVID was these Boomer males that we actually prove to them. That way you don't have it's like that, but in seat mentality is insane. And well, that's

Suzanne: 5:38

what I was dealing with the whole time over there. I'm like, you guys, and my staff, because I was a manager. Like, they can work from home, we have the phone systems, we have all of that. Look at technology, it's a wonderful thing. Let's make use of it. But

Kristen Daukas: 5:55

unless they can actually count heads and butts and seat, you're not doing I mean, I get more work done from home, then I have been pretty much either strictly working from home or a hybrid. For the past 17 years,

Suzanne: 6:13

my brother has been the same way he's been working for it, because that's what I kept telling him. I was like, I know people that have been working from home for like, decades. It's not new. No, it's not you. Right. And technology's just getting better. So it's just improving, being able to work from home,

Kristen Daukas: 6:29

but it also takes a special person to be able to work from home because, you know, before the COVID You know, I would tell people that was working from home like, oh my god, I could never do that I would be so distracted from I'm like, actually get in the zone. And I'm like, I want to get up and go and do launch. I'm like, Who the hell wants to do laundry? Why do you Why are you gonna

Suzanne: 6:45

be doing laundry wants to do laundry.

Kristen Daukas: 6:48

But I get on my cell phone. And like, before I went back to working for myself, it was more of a hybrid. So I would go into the office one day a week and I got nothing done that day. It was guarantee that that day in the office, nothing got done. Absolutely nothing. They want

Suzanne: 7:04

to have 15 meetings about or just chit chat or, or just chit chat like how you been? Did you watch a while you're here watch such and such last night? No. No, I used to get it. And again, part of it is because it was a manager and so I had new people coming and going you know, there was some change overwhelms there. Which is unusual there. But of course it was pandemic so everything changes. And yeah, they come at Suzanne Suzanne Suzanne Suzanne. So I'm never got, like everything that I wanted done. And that day done, ever.

Kristen Daukas: 7:34

If people don't have kids, and you are in that situation, you get a really fast idea of what being a moms like, Oh,

Suzanne: 7:45

God, yeah, my seriously, I know, that was like for those three years, I was a mom. And I just was like, because some of the kids actually could have been my children. You know, they were like, early 20s. And I just feel like there were they were great kids. I mean, they were I had great staff members, like I don't want to say anything negative about them as people or their work ethic, because I really did have a great staff. However, I couldn't get anything done.

Kristen Daukas: 8:15

With that. I think it's kind of cool, too. And I think this is a big, big struggle for boomers. And is that younger millennials and definitely Gen Z are kind of turning everything upside down on the concept of work, right? And I saw something come across a few months ago, it was called was at lazy girl work. And I didn't like the moniker but I loved the concept. I'm like, Can we take a good concept and not smack a cute little moniker on it? Like, you know, girl boss, lazy girl, or and it was the whole, you go in, you do your job. And you leave. Whereas our generation we were in especially the boomers like I remember right. And my stepdad he was like at work from 7am until 5pm. And I'm like, I don't want it's like even now at my age. You know, it's like I have the perfect amount of clients that keep me busy that pay my bills. And could I take on more clients? Absolutely. Do I want to? Maybe but I don't want to work that hard. I'm 5055 I do not I'm done.

Suzanne: 9:21

I turned the Big Five this year

Kristen Daukas: 9:25

five, so it wasn't gonna be a big August then.

Suzanne: 9:29

It is it is gonna be a very big hot. Alright, so

Kristen Daukas: 9:32

anyways, we're talking about corporate we don't need to talk about corporate corporate. So now what are you know, what are you doing now? In our local field Hall scene,

Suzanne: 9:41

okay. Like how do I make some money so that I don't lose my house?

Kristen Daukas: 9:46

There's plenty of ways to do that. Right.

Suzanne: 9:50

So currently, while this I'm getting more contacts because I'm the resident lighting designer at theater Alliance, downtown Winston I've designed some at the little design to show at Little Theater back in June, February, February, January, February. I did February of this year, February because that, yeah, because it was like Week, Week, Week, Week, Week of tech week. And then yeah, I work with spirit gum. I work with Salem Academy now. Oh, wow. new one. Yeah. So they are doing and that's what I just started today. They're doing Beauty and the Beast. I know. And it opens at the 18th for one weekend. But I'm designing both the lights and the set. So because a lot of people don't know that I do set design because I usually don't. I think the last the last one was was murder on Oliver it stained glass, pre pandemic, probably like 17 or 18. Yeah. 19. I don't know. So I've got that going on. Today. I painted the stage, I've got a install for the new theater because theater alliance is adding two new stages. So the bill theater upstairs is a smaller black box. So I'm I'm doing the installation of the lights up there. And then I have to like Jersey Boys, which goes up next Friday over at theater Alliance. So I've got three projects going on right now. I took last week off because I had had like six in a row

Kristen Daukas: 11:13

last year. That's yeah, that's why we were able to see you she actually took some Right,

Suzanne: 11:18

right. Exactly, exactly. Yeah, yeah, there was one one Friday and I was like I have four shows up right now. Like any all lighting design, like so I was like on call in case something happened for all all theaters. Lexington live also gotta give the you're an

Kristen Daukas: 11:33

inspiration to me in the sense that I've always said that I could never retire, I would be too bored. But man, you definitely pack your days you really do. You're very involved. And that's just your theater stuff. That's not your advocacy stuff and things of that nature. So damn fun fact, before I met you, I met you. And every time that picture comes up, I have to share that because it's my favorite picture ever. Which was during pride when your first foray is magenta and Rocky Horror. And I was down there and I've I've told you the story, like every time Yeah,

Suzanne: 12:07

I was

Kristen Daukas: 12:08

like, I don't remember that picture, though. I'll just send it to you again. Maybe because I forgot all included in

Suzanne: 12:12

this. You could do like, Oh,

Kristen Daukas: 12:15

right. So it was I was down there Sydney and all of her friends. It was her first Pride. And so that must have been she must be like 12. So you're talking 10 years ago. And that was before I even knew and I like was going through it. I'm like, Oh my God, that's so sad. Because you were on the float. You're on there. My body was here on the rock. And again, apologies that I was not able to make this last. I can't remember why couldn't come to Rocky this year. I think it was I don't know if I was out of town or something. There was some kind of conflict that when ti asked, I was like, Okay, go

Suzanne: 12:50

get a really good set of audiences this year. It was really it was

Kristen Daukas: 12:53

always a good show. Yeah. So you had a bit of a so last year when your mom passed, which we've had conversations about that because your mom and my dad suffered unexpected. Exactly exact I still telling you, you still have to have to plop you on confessions that confession show I would love to chat with ya. So in the show's great and there isn't actually this month we're featuring it's all male caregivers, which are very, very uncommon.

Suzanne: 13:22

Yeah, it's usually false. Absolutely. And my brother is actually a better caregiver than I and a lot of them are. It's more natural. Yeah. Because for me, it was not natural. But yeah, he was he's definitely like, mom would tell me all the time, like what he did for her when when he was down, you know, when she was down with him for the week or whatever. And I'm like, he's so much better at this. But do you

Kristen Daukas: 13:44

think? Is it really bad? Or is that I mean, you lived with your y'all live together, your brother didn't live there. So I think there's a big difference. And that's, I mean, when you're in it 24/7 It's, I mean, again, it's kind of going back to like parenting, it's like, yeah, I like to think I was a good parent, but my God when you're with these people 24/7 And and all this, like need they need the they. And again, we're not saying anything, don't anybody come at us because I did it for my dad for a year. It's a lot. It's a lot a lot. And

Suzanne: 14:13

the only people that understand that it's a lot or other. Absolutely. If you've not been in it, you just don't know. And it's there's no real way to say this is

Kristen Daukas: 14:24

what it's like, because every case is different.

Suzanne: 14:27

Every case is different. You know, everyone's some people have it a lot harder than I did as far as mobility and the level of care and the benefits back to and

Kristen Daukas: 14:38

I was blessed or blessed in the fact that Daddy was part of the VA system. So yeah, so much of that was taken care of. I can't imagine if we had to deal with the regular god awful health insurance as we know it for you know, non veterans. Yeah, I just can't and the things that are it's Yeah, unless you've done it. You just can't even comprehend it. There's no training. There's no forewarning. It's just like, No. Here's a frying pan. You're the bacon. And bam, there you are. Yes, sizzle. Yeah, go. And exactly what then you took. I was so tickled and I was proud of you for lack of a bit of praise. You're a little sabbatical, you just pop those puppies into when you went on left.

Suzanne: 15:24

Yeah. Because I hadn't had like, well actually traveled a lot last year because I did go to Cancun last May.

Kristen Daukas: 15:31

At the end of April's,

Suzanne: 15:32

oh, you're gonna have so much fun. We got to talk about that. Like, where are you staying and all that stuff. But yeah, so after that, I was like, You know what, for my birthday, I'm leaving town. I have not left this house. I mean, I did get it again. You know, but I have not left. Anything behind like that, you know, like, really been able to vacate. Because Cancun was rare, like Cancun was a one out of six or seven years. You know, like, so? Because the other vacations were beach vacations with right. So it's still you know,

Kristen Daukas: 16:03

so you're still working. And again, right. So again, like a parent, I wrote an article, a blog article years ago called mom's never get the vacation? Because you don't you don't just transfer your duties from Princeton to a place with sand and then you gotta deal with the sand. Right? Exams everywhere.

Suzanne: 16:23

Yeah, you gotta watch him run around. And yeah, all day. So where do you go? Not even going. So my first stop actually was well, actually, I stopped in West Virginia for a hot second. I was looking for this. So I use like, Roadtrippers and like Atlas Obscura. And there's another one for like, all the like, weird places to stop. And there was like an old carnival old fair, that was dilapidated, but not I couldn't get into it. Because it was, I could see some of it from the road. And it was like way in this like, you know, am I gonna die trying to get around this corner? I mean, it was like mountains and like, you know, narrow roads. And then I went to the that Night of the Living Dead. Where they filmed that, that the cemetery they fill that in? I think that was actually in Pennsylvania by that point. I don't know. It's a blur. That was really cool. I have a ton of pictures from that. I love a cemetery. Pittsburgh was next stayed there for great. Oh, my God. And I had such a great little space. You know, all these gorgeous old houses around me. And it's actually kind of near the stadium. So I can't remember what side they called it, but it was near Randy Vale. Oh, my God. Did

Kristen Daukas: 17:42

you go to Randy mill?

Suzanne: 17:43

I did. thing, and I only went for a hot minute. Like I was just taking some pictures on my way out of town. And so the dogs were in the car. And they're barking a little bit because Mommy didn't let them out because Mommy I just put them in. And so this lady comes down from her apartment is like you really shouldn't did it. I was like, I'm literally here five minutes. You can't handle a dog barking for five minutes. You know, it's not 5am You know, you're I know you're on your bike down and that's fine, because it's doing I don't care. But like, it wasn't so bad that there was just, you know, I'm like, you don't need to come down to the car as I'm trying to exit trying to go to Randy. Bill, lady. Yeah, trying to leave Randy Ville I was done. Yeah, it was an blast. I got it. You know, we all have our moments, but it's also like,

Kristen Daukas: 18:30

just it's not that big a deal. So apparently, and I don't fly into Pittsburgh, I always drive up. Yeah, currently. You can see Randy Ville from the sky in a plane.

Suzanne: 18:41

Oh, oh, that breaks my heart. So I know. I know. I love to so many pictures from that

Kristen Daukas: 18:48

we took I absolutely. Okay, so there's your plug people. If you're in Pittsburgh, find Randy Ville,

Suzanne: 18:55

Randy Ville, and I was only saying like three blocks from there. That's, that's

Kristen Daukas: 18:59

a great. It's also in that area. If you go back, there's this really cool museum called the Mattress Factory. It's not a mattress store. It's a Mattress Factory is so eclectic. And they always have these different installations. But one of them is there like forever. It's like you go up and it's a it's like a tall house bird house kind of thing, like so. You go up the stairs, and there's all these like little miniature things and like dots, look it up. It's called the Mattress Factory. It is so cool. And it's just like one of those little eclectic things. And it is like REITs right there where Randy Ville is just so that's one of the great things about Pittsburgh is like, you're just there and all of a sudden you look around you're like Well, damn, what's that? Ah,

Suzanne: 19:46

it was really cool. So I loved walking them in the neighborhood and looking around, you know, several times a day. I stayed an Airbnb gives me as I

Kristen Daukas: 19:54

die. Dinah so excited. It was not the first time you've ever been to Pittsburgh.

Suzanne: 20:00

So I have a friend that lives there. So were you

Kristen Daukas: 20:02

completely blown away and how hilly it was.

Suzanne: 20:06

Oh my god, yes. Okay, so here's what's gonna happen Stella wants to go out so I'm gonna carry Okay, we're gonna walk a little bit around the house. We're taking the trip you're on there's, we're taking and there's all if you're only listening

Kristen Daukas: 20:16

to this live, you can't see this. So now we get a tour of Suzanne's hotel chaos.

Suzanne: 20:24

Yeah, the chaos that is my house. So also, I got a new mattress, but it was one of those beds in a bag. Yeah, there's a big story behind that. So my mattress so it has to fluff you know, for 24 hours it has to expand so it has to breathe. And so my mattress is now in the living room. So it's like, Oh yeah, yeah, so that's why it is and um, the other thing is that it was free so yeah, there's a sort of on that let him her outs are probably bark later. So like to survey her land, just

Kristen Daukas: 21:01

sauntered in here and jumped up into the recliner, of which you can't see him because he's brindle. And it was my dad's recliner, which is dark brown. So sure. Yeah. He's like, you can't see me on balance

Suzanne: 21:14

and I'm on my mattress. And I have to buy like a deep

Kristen Daukas: 21:19

pocket. Yeah. Oh, could

Suzanne: 21:21

it seat so I'll be in here again tonight. Salvation Army

Kristen Daukas: 21:23

over on University. Yeah. Are that No, no, I'm sorry. Not salvation. Habitat ReStore. Okay. They sell brand new sheets. Yeah. Like $15 for King set for King size with deep pockets. Wow. I don't care where I buy them from sheets are expensive. Yo.

Suzanne: 21:42

No, as long as are new. And I don't even need like I just need the fitted sheet. I because the regular sheets fine.

Kristen Daukas: 21:49

Usually Are you one of those not no top sheet people? No, I am a top. Because that's the thing.

Suzanne: 21:56

It it. I know. I have friends that have that. And I'm like, I can't do that. And you're comfortable. Yeah. Yeah. And the comforter is the hardest thing

Kristen Daukas: 22:02

for us. And I have a weighted blanket. I don't want that. No, I need that. I need them like that. That saran wrap in between? Yeah, I need that later. Yes. Okay, so anyways, you went to Pittsburgh, and then you went to Niagara Falls that new? Yeah. So

Suzanne: 22:16

while also visited a couple, like I went to falling water, Frank Lloyd Wright. So I did some of those tried to which ones I could. Yeah. And then I went and drove up to Niagara Falls. And I didn't really I stopped along the way at some like the lake as a, you know, started coming across some mouse's barking for shoes. So I did do that. And, you know, the dogs and I would take little hikes here and there. And we stayed on the Canadian side. Oh, Niagara flies. Yeah. So I did cross the border. I had gotten them their little papers, you know, for travel. cited a little Airbnb, like tiny home, like a little cabin kind of thing. Just one room for two nights there. Because, you know, it gets tiring after a while. So I just I would and I didn't since I was doing it very loosey goosey. I didn't make a lot of reservations ahead of time, which has is down false because it costs more. But

Kristen Daukas: 23:17

it does, but I've gotten more screwed over by being overly prepared. Like when we moved Cassie out to Idaho. I what I did is I you know, I had certain obviously 2300 miles you have to like plan it. But I what I would do is like a I had ideas of where I wanted to stay because I want to do the whole shits Creek thing. And yeah. motels. Yeah, another thing was the one we say didn't care. So now that's my thing, where we go for motels. But what did you get from all that? What was your Did you have any epiphanies and aha moments? It was that kind of when you said I'm never working for the man again. And when we say the man, we don't mean the man we mean, right? Corporate, right? Corporate America, but we also mean

Suzanne: 24:08

we do. But not really, at that point. It was just more that one was more of a What am I going to do next? I don't know. So I'm going to do this for a couple of weeks. You know, kind of thing. I don't know if that makes sense. You get your reason? I did. Because I was I didn't have a show for a couple a little while. I had a bit of money saved up. So yeah, so it was really just like, I have not been anywhere. There's a lot. I love to travel. I hadn't gotten to do it. There are a lot of places I've never been to like Pittsburgh and Niagara Falls and I haven't

Kristen Daukas: 24:50

been to Niagara Falls, New York. I haven't Yeah, it's really pretty.

Suzanne: 24:53

But the Canadian side is very Myrtle Beach like people have told me really it's very like yeah, because then there was like an island on the New York side, like goat Island or I'd have to look it up what it was called people up there will know where you can see kind of the side of it and there's all this others and it was beautiful and it was very like a big park. You know, it's cross little bridge over it drive over it to the to it. Yeah, I'd have to look it up. I'm terrible with remembering that stuff.

Kristen Daukas: 25:21

My brain.

Suzanne: 25:22

So yeah, yeah. Yeah, so I did that. And it was much more chill. It's much more chill on the American side.

Kristen Daukas: 25:30

Interesting. Yeah, I know. That is really interesting. Because I would have thought the other way around. Yeah.

Suzanne: 25:37

But here's the thing, though, I think might be why is because all you know, I did the boat thing. You know, where your poncho? Yeah, you have to have a poncho. Yeah, so it was great. It was hilarious to watch people to like that, for me was I love to just watch people in the, you know, chat with somebody for a few minutes here and there. But yeah, all of that launches from the Canadian side. Because the view is better. Like the part the stuff that you see. And all the pictures of the falls themselves. It's better on the Canadian side. So that's why it's more like, you know, if you want to walk down and do all that stuff, most of that's on the American side. Interesting.

Kristen Daukas: 26:17

Yeah, interesting. Yeah, I definitely want to get up. I've been I figured out after moving Cassie out to Idaho this summer, that there are only three states in the United States that I have not been to

Suzanne: 26:31

the lower 48 of all 50. So I haven't

Kristen Daukas: 26:33

been to Hawaii, Alaska and North Dakota. We were in South Dakota. We didn't go to North Dakota, but every other state I have either been in through, not over because that would be cheating. But yeah,

Suzanne: 26:46

that is. Yeah, like if you drive through it or stay there, it counts.

Kristen Daukas: 26:51

And I say so. I have to put that in my plus column because I've only my passports only been punched once and that was down and oh, like Oh, Punta Cana, was it Punta Cana, I got punched or southern Caribbean? I don't know. But I'm going to Cancun at the end of the month. You get

Suzanne: 27:09

another? Lunch? Yeah, that was my third. Well, I had to get a new one. And

Kristen Daukas: 27:13

I'm going to Greece for 10 days a 10 day in Greece. Oh,

Suzanne: 27:18

when are you going September?

Kristen Daukas: 27:21

Oh my god, it's just gonna be so I am going to pop my American traveling cherry. I don't you know, I just I wish I had I mean, I have all the excuses in the world. But it's, you know, well, first of all, I couldn't take the kids because traveling with a family of five, you know, go into Myrtle Beach cost of arm and a leg. But imagine

Suzanne: 27:46

Yeah. Now in past I don't know how they got there in finance. Let's they've got to be

Kristen Daukas: 27:52

exactly. Yeah. You know, it was only through the extreme generosity and graciousness of my mom, that we took a few cruises that we did when the girls were little. So you know, I'm grateful for that. Yeah, they're supposed to go but now it's like, the reality of adulting is really setting in for them. Because I go in you guys, that's two weeks, like a full two weeks because you need to get there a couple of days before then the cruise is 10 days. I was like, Y'all, you know, I've got one that's a server right? And then I've got another one that's in food, fast food management. And then the other one who is at the hotel, but still that and like that's your entire because you work for corporations. You ain't making well, two of them. So two of them have vacation time right? But the third one the show, you don't work you don't make money. That's the nature of the business. So I have a feeling that they're probably not gonna go which is kind of the but at the same time, but they're also

Suzanne: 28:55

early I mean, we didn't get to do that soundly. I don't I didn't get early 20s Like I you know, once I left college it was work mom paid for college. Yeah. And so I had to find a job I had to find out but you know, had to I was like that was so

Kristen Daukas: 29:09

yeah, I had to have the I had to have say one of the things that I hated saying to one of my kids this here recently of the when I was your age,

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Kristen Daukas: 29:57

I was like dude, when I was your age, I was living in Chicago. I was in my early 20s I worked a full time day job and I bartend that four nights a week. You got no excuse? You ain't got no money. Yeah, you need to get your broke ass. A second shot. Yeah, that's what we do. Yeah. And that was in 1990.

Suzanne: 30:14

Yeah, and I'm still gonna have to, they're playing now. Figure out more income, like I'm gonna have to DoorDash or do this. You know, it's gig life gig life, you never know. And it's not like, because it is community theater, it is nonprofit. You just don't make as much as so. And that's okay. Like, I'm not by I get it. But um, yeah, so I have to have it's not supporting me by itself. So

Kristen Daukas: 30:45

I have an idea for you. And going back to my sister's from confessions, right. So I learned so much from JJ and Natalie. And one of the things that I recently learned editing their podcast is about certain Medicaid and Medicare benefits. Yeah, have transportation. So like if you need to get to the doctor, right? They have a certain amount in there that the like, Okay, we'll pay you $100 To so one of the other sisters. That's what she does. She transports people to their doctor's appointments and because the insurance is paying for it. It's easy. And it's during the day, you've got a big enough car. I think people you could totally fit three, at least three people in your car. I can fit three people and if each of them is paying you $100 $300 A trip.

Suzanne: 31:37

I could totally do it. Look into it a GREAT.

Kristen Daukas: 31:39

I want to be the driver. Like

Suzanne: 31:42

me. I'm a good driver.

Kristen Daukas: 31:46

So as we were saying this whole conversation thing is totally like two friends hanging out which we are having a cocktail. What are you drinking? We got a I am

Suzanne: 31:56

drinking this. Oh, I'm alternating. I've got this from the Trader Joe's.

Kristen Daukas: 32:03

Trader Joe's got some good one. Yo, yes,

Suzanne: 32:06

it does. It is one of the ones that gives me the sweats but the sulfates but not bad because it's a bland, but it's worth it. It tastes good. And I'm also drinking. I call it flavored water because it has the little Squirt. Squirt the flavor element girl, I'm alternating between the two. Because I did a lot of sweating today. Okay. I was very, it was very hot.

Kristen Daukas: 32:27

It was warm. I like walked down to the Harris Teeter today. And I was like, Whoa, I wasn't expecting it to be this. Like, you know, being out in it. You don't realize it yet. But then you go into like the icebox that Harris Teeter is and then you come outside and you're like whoa. And you're like it's a lot more human than I was expecting. I'm not ready Pass, which is a good thing, I guess. Because apparently it's gonna take a nosedive tomorrow and for the next few days. So yeah, you know, if we can just how

Suzanne: 32:53

many hurts bad today?

Kristen Daukas: 32:54

Probably. Probably. We could just keep it around that mid 70s here in North Carolina. But no, no.

Suzanne: 33:03

I mean, if we can have a decent Sprite, you know, I don't mind a couple like off 80 degree days like we've had. But if we can have a mostly decent spring

Kristen Daukas: 33:12

so we can open the windows.

Suzanne: 33:14

Yeah, around winter for like four days, right. And then it was too muggy in here

Kristen Daukas: 33:20

and my air kicked on. Because I've got a nest and I have it programmed that you know like to. And it's programmed to cert Yeah. But it's programmed for the air not to come on till it hits 76 in my house. And I was sitting there working, working, working all of a sudden I hear I'm like why is that in no way is that 76 degrees up in here? It was 76 degrees in here. Yeah. So what's next for you? Suzanne? We're gonna wrap this baby up. Yeah. Yeah, we've been chatting for 35 minutes. And I like you know, we can talk here all night long. But then, like,

Suzanne: 33:51

as long as you want? Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, if there's something else you want to cover, when you can edit and pick and choose, right? I don't know what's next I am. Because originally I was like, Okay, I'm gonna go work. I want to go work at like universal Disney or whatever. As a lighting tech, or I want to go here, I want to go there. And I am now like, Okay, I need to wait a year after the death of where I make major changes. Absolutely. So I'm working on the purge of all the things and then let's talk about

Kristen Daukas: 34:17

that real quick. Let's talk because I think that's really cool that you're doing it. And I'm trying to do the same thing to I'm not being as methodical about it as you are. Because for me, part of that would involve going through the kids stuff. And when I say the kids stuff, I mean, literally the kids stuff because they came home at Christmas. I'm like, go upstairs, go through your closets. And if like, so at this point, we're looking at like four and a half years for Sidney, Cassie, almost a year. Like if y'all haven't, then you probably don't need it because I am not going to move. I am not going to move and have to get a storage unit to store my kids stuff that they don't even remember what it is. I'm not going to do it. No, right.

Suzanne: 34:57

Yeah, I mean, and that's kind of like I mean, clean. Eating out mom's house. And then like, my brother got some of the stuff and but most a lot of it came here and then some, you know, we did throw at whatever. But it was like 43 years she was a little bit of a squirrel. Like that better than packrat. No little squirrel putting her on that foil for the winter. Squirrel and things away. So yeah, now it's in my house. So I'm not saying I'm not a squirrel either. And we all have junk drawers. Right? So I have a junk drawer. I have a Monica closet, you know from friends. Do you remember that episode? Did Yes. And I was like, oh, so I have a Monica closet. And then well, now more. It used to just be the one and the one. And then it grew and grew and grew? You know, I've been here 15 years. So that plus her, you know, just equates a lot of things that I don't need. Some of it I haven't looked at since I moved into the house for mom's house. And

Kristen Daukas: 35:49

that's the number one reason why I'm probably not selling this house anytime soon. Because anytime I start thinking about selling the house and moving someplace, which is probably about every 60 days, then I remember how much cramp I have here after living here for 16 years. And I go to lazy

Suzanne: 36:03

guy did the minimalist Challenge Challenge. So it's so great. It's you did

Kristen Daukas: 36:06

the maximum minimalist challenge. No,

Suzanne: 36:09

I mean, that's I mean, it's actual challenge, because there's an actual, there's actually already names, right. But yeah, so yeah, I didn't make it up. It was somebody else. But, um, so yeah, I didn't do it every day. Like I knew I got my math equation I had to forget had forgotten it, because who remembers algebra, unless you do it every day. So I got my math professor friend to remind me of the equation. So I would know what my grand total would be. So I usually just did it on the weekends. Or I'd look at a drawer as I was like, cooking dinner or whatever. And I'm like, I'm gonna clean this out. You know, and so I would just keep a running total. Now I have a new free mattress, so you got to let things go. So you can make room for new things. Absolutely.

Kristen Daukas: 36:55

And how did you get your free mattress? Let's talk about that before we sign off.

Suzanne: 36:58

Okay. Yeah, that's. So one of my very dearest friends has a friend neighbor. They're the Beagles are going to town. And they get bought up. There we go. Her neighbor works with foundations. I don't know she gets stuff from nonprofit, whatever. I don't, I don't really understand what it is. But anyway, sometimes it's mattresses. And it's like all shelves, it was very kind and gave me like a box of like it had toilet paper and it had bounty bounty paper towels, it had a Gillette razor it had you know, so it's all these like things that are used as samples or whatever I think probably are overruns or whatever that just needs to be that donated by the corporation. You know, because it is either an old style or like, whatever, I don't even know, you know, but there's a lot of stuff. I don't know if you've ever. Yeah, it just becomes a lot. Again, a lot of stuff. So yeah, that's how her neighbor got another thing of mattress and there was one queen size left and they brought it over yesterday in the box. And I wish I'd figured out what I was gonna do. Before the boys had left. The boys are now like, I mean, they're super tall 18 and 21 or something like that. 17 and six six Junior and then a junior in high school senior in college. Because yeah, big strong, big strong boys. Do you have no since you were the we babies? And so they carry them but I didn't think about it. So you should have seen me girl when I was like no, I'm gonna set it on the I was actually going to put it in the living room to blow it and then I was like no, because the dogs will be roughhousing as they are now on this one. You should have seen me try and get my old mattress off and slide

Kristen Daukas: 38:53

those things are down. Oh, you don't? They're

Suzanne: 38:56

very heavy. And they don't have handles. Why?

Kristen Daukas: 39:00

i Oh, I remember the times when they actually had handles on the

Suzanne: 39:06

bottom. Yeah, like I just need one on each side. Just just enough to be able to grip it right well enough. Right? It was hilarious. I was laughing which of course doesn't help the like, let's lift this up and move it.

Kristen Daukas: 39:18

No it didn't everybody gets all like annoyed because you're laughing and like come on get serious because we need to dive all day.

Suzanne: 39:29

What it was just me though, because they'd already left.

Kristen Daukas: 39:33

My mattress was oh, I wish you if you were watching this you could see this but you're not watching it.

Suzanne: 39:40

This is my MO baby. This is actually

Kristen Daukas: 39:43

pup vision right now. You have what three dogs now?

Suzanne: 39:49

I have three I have two big goals. That's the plunder twins. And they are they bonded? They are so bonded. They didn't come together. Why? Hi, Maya Leah actually humps she's the girl. But it's for domination. You know? This is my daughter and yeah, and even though Moby was first but my view is much more passive. Like he doesn't care about being the top dog. But yeah, they'd like to play and then I have Stella she is going to be third team this year in September now

Kristen Daukas: 40:25

so senior dogs are special Josie I think it'll be 11 this year Olivia it's either a lovin we've had her this year or she'll be 12 I can i It's hard to ya know, I got

Suzanne: 40:36

her during a show called Little God little dog laughed that I was in during tech week because my friend was like, cool, and it was a stray you need to take it so but you know, and my other friends had paid for the vet bills and I'm like, because he knew I wanted you know, I have a big yard. And he's

Kristen Daukas: 40:52

you do have a big yard. That's a happy dog. Yeah,

Suzanne: 40:55

that's a happy happy.

Kristen Daukas: 40:56

I wish Yeah, I think we use it on an acre and I sit on an acre and I wish my house were position more like yours because I like mines, like right smack dab in the middle. So I've got like, all that in the front and like nobody gets enormous headaches. Which is why I have to hire a yard person because Yeah, but he needs to do what he needs to die mow in the grass. No, yeah, I know. But

Suzanne: 41:21

some covering on it and just don't ever go on the front yard. Although in

Kristen Daukas: 41:25

my neighborhood, I probably could. But I do want to sell here soon. So probably get somebody and be like,

Suzanne: 41:30

a lot of people don't like ground cover. Yeah, what is happening? I must have touched something with she

Kristen Daukas: 41:36

touched something. Okay. Any last thoughts? Thoughts? What are thoughts? Thoughts? We fought this war on Suzanne has lost communication. Oh

Suzanne: 41:50

my god. So the Apple Music came on. So out of I don't know how. Because again. I mean, it is I mean, maybe it was my boo. But yeah, so the like I thought I close all the windows and all of a sudden I hear it was the it was What song was it? I can't find it now because it moved to a different one. But yeah, it's I think it was a

Kristen Daukas: 42:24

no brainer. That's my excuse for everything now my brain. Yeah, man O'Brien. All right. Well, thank you, my dear for I'm gonna hit stop recording here shortly. But thank you for spending some time with me. And I pray to God, that this actually works. But I won't know that I'm not even gonna look at it tonight. Because for those of you that may not know too much too soon. For years, I've been on hiatus and I finally realized that I was just being lazy. That was it. Because I have so many great people in my life. And there's people out there that I don't know that I want to talk to that have great stories to share. So yeah, this is how it goes. I

Suzanne: 43:06

actually want to do I need to do a podcast. Yeah, I don't know what I would do. But Well, whenever this was good, whenever you

Kristen Daukas: 43:13

are ready, I am a much better leader and teacher than necessarily a student. So I mean, that I will help make that a much easier process for you when you're ready. But I think you absolutely should. Because your dynamic, great stories, and you know, you could I

Suzanne: 43:35

do have cute headphones, too. I know I can get me a little

Kristen Daukas: 43:39

I had to do I just had to do it. I just was like, but it was only like a $70 microphone. So not expensive. Not bad. Yeah, no, you know, this stuff. You're so between sound and lighting. So anyhow, I appreciate you taking the time to ramble with me because that's what this was, this was a rambling thing. And, you know,

Suzanne: 43:59

I was hoping that's kind of what you like, what because based on the title of your podcast that that's, I mean, that's how we do it. Anyway. That's right. It's just rambles and segues and you know, especially with me you have to kind of like ask me a question to like get me back on track. And

Kristen Daukas: 44:14

because I'm the same way and then not only that, you know, we forget what the hell we were talking about it mid sentence, we could be giving you like this really, really important thing and all of a sudden we'd be like to stop like, what is that man our brain? How does that men no brain? Minute brain?

Suzanne: 44:32

You're not wrong. Hey, no,

Kristen Daukas: 44:34

I usually am not. So say goodbye Sue's by soon I'm gonna hit stop record now and then till next time, everybody having me we will appreciate you have a conversations on the rocks. As the saying goes, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here and that's a wrap for this week's episode. A big thanks to my guests for sharing their story and to you for listening. Don't forget to share the show with your friends and spread the words and if you'd like to be a guest on the show the link is in the show notes till next time cheers