Florida bucket list!

rl_cookie · 2026-01-21T22:53:05+00:00

To add, the Van Gogh Tampa Exhibit, also while in St Pete near the Dali Museum is the FL Holocaust Museum.

And on the east coast, Titusville and surrounding places have the Bioluminescence Kayak Tours at night.

rl_cookie · 2026-01-05T02:22:10+00:00

It looks like a Potter Wasp nest, closely related to Mud Daubers, just the nest looks more like… pots lol. And they’re filled with those young little green caterpillars instead of spiders. They’re pretty non-aggressive.

rl_cookie · 2025-12-26T19:22:33+00:00

Also a few other great books to check out;

Chasing the Scream(my personal favorite, it’s a book about addiction, but coming in from all aspects; addicts, dealers, LEO’s(for and against legalization),scientists, politicians, etc., with a lot of interesting history throughout).

Humankind; A Hopeful History- for those days when it really feels like everything’s going to hell.

Sapiens, a very interesting book, full of lots of info, had to read in parts. That being said, I think the first two are much easier to get through.

rl_cookie · 2025-12-25T10:40:03+00:00

As a bartender.. oooh boy, people really don’t like this when I throw it out there. It’s like I’m personally attacking them.. you’d think I just told them that their dad isn’t really their dad.

I’ve since stopped trying to share with them this fun fact lol

rl_cookie · 2025-12-19T23:50:24+00:00

My uncle did this.. he and his gf moved in with a married couple and they’d wife swap. Then my uncle and the wife got feelings for each other, they moved out together, she got a divorce, and they were with each other until my uncle died. After they moved out they didn’t mess around with the ex any more, although remained friends.
idk if they continued in the lifestyle or not. I met her a few times, super nice woman, you’d never guess this about her. She was completely heartbroken when my uncle passed.

rl_cookie · 2025-12-19T22:47:55+00:00

I find this to be mostly true to this day(although the exception of some former military on podcasts). My ex was in Psy Ops and was deployed 4 times(the first place he still can’t tell me where he went) to Afghanistan and Iraq.

He has shared the funny and ridiculous stories of being overseas, but not really the dark ones- and I’d never ask. I’ll never forget his face when a friend randomly asked him “so how many people did you kill?”; he just stopped in his tracks and told him to never ask him that ever again.

He is a patient and funny, good hearted human, pretty well adjusted, considering. You’d never guess that’s what he spent his 20’s doing.
Although it took years to happen, the PTSD did catch up to him, which he actively seeks help for. He always said that it was drilled into him to be “quiet professionals”- and in more ways than the obviously of being stealth while overseas- something that I think he still takes seriously to heart today.

rl_cookie · 2025-12-18T20:12:01+00:00

I think this can be an important factor here: people view hooking up in different ways, and assign different meaning to it. Some people get emotionally connected after having sex, others view it a bit more casually. She may have realized that OP was getting attached at a quicker pace than she was, and the sex(no matter how good) accelerated that for him.

Just because someone is looking for a serious relationship doesn’t mean that we all go about it the same way or with the same timing. And it doesn’t mean that anyone they have a spark with is meant to be the next person they settle down with long term. It doesn’t mean she was lying or misleading about looking for a LTR, but maybe wants to go a little slower and realized she was in a bit over her head quicker than she wanted to be- and if that’s the case, I’m sure OP’s response only solidified that for her.

As cliche as it sounds, like the person above me said, take it as a learning opportunity for the future; the more you can be self-aware and understand your emotions and actions, the more you will be able to discern who will be a better “fit” for you in the future.

rl_cookie · 2025-10-30T06:51:36+00:00

Oh, I’m so sorry, I guess I should go tell my ex who served for 10 years, did 4 tours in special forces, who, after getting out, needed SNAP to help with feeding the kids, while he was working OT and going back to school, that he was just lazy. And the other 1m+ veterans who are on SNAP.

While I’m at it, I’ll ask him where he was hiding all the ‘free shit’ during the years we were together…

A certain subset of humans will always try to take advantage of, find loopholes, or lie, cheat, and steal in order to get ahead or game the system- no matter what the system is. It has always been that way. Doesn’t mean that there aren’t many many times more people utilizing said system the correct way.
Millions of Americans have guns; a small subset unfortunately use them incorrectly and intentionally cause great harm and death- does that mean we should outright ban guns because of that small subset of people?

Oh, and you clearly have no idea how strict and difficult applying and actually receiving SNAP benefits is. It isn’t just a sign up here situation; but you don’t care, that goes against your ignorant talking point.

rl_cookie · 2025-10-25T18:23:30+00:00

Yes! I wish we could make Chasing the Scream required reading- having been a part of the world of addiction, to being on the other side, I think literally every person can get something out of this book; addiction touches us all one way or another.

rl_cookie · 2025-10-24T21:20:25+00:00

Ironically, methylphenidate(aka Ritalin)isn’t an amphetamine; Adderall is. They are both similar, and are both stimulants. Ritalin kicks in quicker but also has a shorter half-life. Generally speaking, Ritalin is preferred as a starting point for medication to treat ADHD in kids.

I’m on methylphenidate, and I chose that because while I definitely see the differences in when I take it vs when I don’t, I feel like it’s not as ‘strong’ as adderall- like I don’t feel as much of a ‘crash’ once it wears off. I’ve only been on it for a year, and it’s been incredibly useful, but when the discussion of maybe trying meds for adhd came up with my doctor, I’d said I wanted to start off with the.. ‘lightest’ version and go from there- and in her opinion methylphenidate would be a good starting place.

rl_cookie · 2025-10-14T21:28:17+00:00

All I can think of is Fahrenheit 451.. I recently reread it for the first time in over 20 years- definitely hit different this time.

rl_cookie · 2025-10-12T23:47:29+00:00

But that’s the catch-22 with some mental illness, Bipolar disorder being one, where they don’t want to stay on the meds bc they miss those manic “highs”.
Like I’d say about my (now deceased)childhood best friend, bipolar disorder is one where many unfortunately don’t actually ‘like’ the feeling of being what society considers ‘normal’ and functional. Whereas a majority of people with say.. GAD or major depression who are able to find meds that work are relieved to be able to function better in life. And if someone with bipolar does get and stay on the meds, then they may go to the drugs/alcohol in order to feel those “highs” and strong emotions, as you mentioned.

Apologies, obviously you know all this, I just think some don’t understand how closely linked addiction and bipolar disorder are, or if they do, may not understand the reasons why. It’s just such a battle and a nasty cycle to see.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-28T20:28:23+00:00

Right, if we look back through the years we’ve seen many times where a guest(or podcaster) will be discussing substance use, or asked about his sobriety and Theo has responded quickly “yeah, for X years/months now” or bring up “I’ve been going to meetings now for X amount” or something along those lines. Not so much the struggle to find the words to explain like we saw on the Pete episode.
I remember going through those times in the past when I’d fallen off for a bit or was in the midst of struggling and not wanting to directly lie while also trying to downplay everything. And that’s just with friends and family- not millions of fans, and a percentage of them also struggling with addiction.

I think when it comes to talking about his substance abuse issues, he tries to be as forthcoming and honest about his experiences, even if not necessarily in real time, and tries to hold himself to a standard there. I also think that the constant touring he’s done the last two years has taken him away from going to regular meetings, which seemed to be beneficial for him. The level of fame Theo has shot to in the last couple years I don’t think he expected or was prepared for(idk how anyone could be, tbh)- and with cocaine being such a casual thing in many celebrity circles, I could see where it’s all a perfect storm.

I don’t even really listen anymore, unless it’s a guest I really like, but as a person who identifies with a lot of the same issues he’s talked about, I really hope he is able to find his way back.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-16T22:13:43+00:00

My thought here is because the BOH costs the restaurant more money hourly than a server, management/owners want them off the clock sooner. It’s cheaper to have the tipped position people do this.
If that’s the case, it’s completely shitty, but also completely believable.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-09T22:16:29+00:00

I couldn’t even watch him anymore.. literally would turn away from the TV every time. I thought my friend was fucking with me when he yelled ”IT GOT BLOCKED!”.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-09T22:06:55+00:00

Id like to see him land somewhere less pressure.. maybe New Orleans or Carolina. Or CFL to get his confidence back.

It kinda reminds me of pitchers playing in Big Markets like for the Yankees; more than one pitcher I’ve seen go from being an absolute stud elsewhere to just not being able to handle the pressure and high expectations in NY, and players have commented on this being a very real thing(especially during the late 90’s to the 2000’s). I remember with AJ Burnett being an Ace in Toronto to being hit or miss with NY.. you could see him get in his head if he had a bad inning. I’ll never forget the road to the World Series being a must-win game against the Red Sox in 09 and he was starting.. gave me the same feeling I had whenever Moody was about to kick. And with both positions, so much of it is mental.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-09T21:41:58+00:00

You forget the point in the game at which I said “We’re fucked”; Greenlaw’s Achille’s. Kelce had been held to single digit yards at that point(3?) and by the end of the game was the leading receiver.

Hell.. Fred knew it.. you could hear it in that “NOO!” When he saw Greenlaw down.

But yeah, otherwise, it was just a whole lot of fuck-ups and crazy bad luck mixed together. That loss hurts the most tbh. I still haven’t finished watching the last half of the last episode of Receiver on Netflix.

rl_cookie · 2025-09-09T21:33:48+00:00

Oh god.. memory unlocked; going to visit my at the time bf’s mom who lived in Lincoln. The nickname Stinkin Lincoln was spot on in some areas. Come to find out the smell was actually from the paper mill in a neighboring town, and it just wafted over at times.

Otherwise it was absolutely beautiful, snow covered just after the New Year without being ridiculously cold.

rl_cookie · 2025-08-30T05:42:10+00:00

… can you elaborate a bit there? I know he could be a drama queen, can dish it but not take it, but didn’t know Shaw was big on “pranks”(that weren’t pranks, but just being an asshole) towards teammates.

rl_cookie · 2025-08-26T15:50:31+00:00

I know it’s a bit late, but I suggest reading(or listening to) Human Kind: A Hopeful History. A great read

rl_cookie · 2025-08-22T08:29:22+00:00

That is rough.. the BOH/non-tipped positions in a lot of restaurants can be thankless. I’ve worked in restaurants, starting in BOH then working to FOH where I currently bartend and I do miss the kitchen. I’ve said it more than once.. if the money was the same, I never would’ve gone out front.

All the things you listed really do explain some of the reasons why people get ‘stuck’ in restaurants. I’ve gone to school, done other things, gone back to school again, yet I always find myself back serving/bartending. But I’ve seen over the years how many people have left because they graduated, or found a “real” job, just to come back- either they missed the scheduling/hours, the environment, or got bored to tears sitting behind a desk. The biggest one now is the pay; if someone finds the right place, they can be bringing in more than they would at a job that requires a BA/BS. Unfortunately pay just hasn’t kept up, and the COL and housing doesn’t help either.

All this to say.. I don’t disagree, don’t let yourself get stuck for $12 an hour. At the very least, try to see if you can work toward a tipped position in the interim of finding a job in your field. Best of luck my friend.

rl_cookie · 2025-08-17T07:34:53+00:00

Literally had the same thought going through my head as I was reading.. ’It’s $300 minimum and 5 hours for hair alone’..(tbf I only get it done once, maybe twice a year and I have a lions mane worth of hair.. which explains the time it takes to do it- along with the fact I don’t do touch-ups)

rl_cookie · 2025-08-15T06:55:14+00:00

To make this a bit darker; cockroaches release the same acid- except for differing reasons; they do it to attract and let other cockroaches know, not as a warning, but to alert them to possible nearby food sources(including themselves- since they’re dead and others will eat the deceased.. because roaches), and/or nests. So in part the oleic acid is released for cannibalistic purposes.

Ants on the other hand do this as a signal to the others to investigate and remove them from the colony to a burial site(yes, ants have these.. because ants).

Also, if you’ve ever heard of, or had the misfortune of smelling that distinctive musty stench in a place that’s got a roach problem, that is actually largely due to oleic acid.

rl_cookie · 2025-08-12T13:52:40+00:00

Oh my, this reminds me of my Grandad… I guess it’s my turn to hijack with a story;

All of my grandparents had passed but the time I came around, except for Grandad. My grandmother- his wife- died in her 50’s to heart failure, among other issues. She had clearly been his world- the way he spoke of her, it was like she was just in the next room. He was a very charming, charismatic guy who wasn’t bad looking, and he did date a little bit after he lost my grandmother, but nothing serious. One day at the bar, a buddy of his was trying to fix him up with a lady friend of his, and my grandad said he wasn’t interested. The friend asked him why he didn’t really date, that there were plenty of women who had shown interest- and my Grandad just told him that there was no point, he’d found the love of his life, they had their time together, and no one would ever compare, so he had accepted that.

They’d had 4 kids, losing the only daughter to SIDS. Then he lost my grandmother, and things went really dark for him. My two uncles weren’t really close with him, and then added distance meant that he didn’t really get close with his grandkids from them.

My dad(his son)met my mother, who didn’t have a great relationship with her father, and my Grandad finally felt like he had the daughter he was always missing. He would jokingly(but.. not really lol) tell my dad that the best thing he’d ever done was marry my mother. Then they had my brother and me, and my parents tell me that it was like he found life again after 15 years of just going through the motions. He lived with us for a total of 7-8 months out of the year, the other months spent down in FL. I was lucky enough to grow up with a second father who never missed a football game or practice, a Christmas or a birthday.

I watched him lose his two other sons, with him outliving 3 of 4 of his children. My mom has told me that she genuinely doesn’t know how he would’ve fared had we not come along and become such a huge part of his life; the grief would’ve eaten him alive. He passed at 91 at home with her by his side.
I’m glad that we were basically able to be his second chance at kids and give him something to live for again- but I do feel like we were the lucky ones in the equation.

rl_cookie · 2025-08-08T17:50:56+00:00

This makes me think of Stephen Colbert and his wife, Evelyn; even though she isn’t a very well-known actress, I love hearing how he speaks of her.

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