Ear Biscuits with Rhett & Link - Our Top 10 Moments of 2022 | Ear Biscuits Ep.363

Episode Date: December 19, 2022

New artistic endeavors, new family members and new injuries all made for one wild 2022! In this episode, Rhett and Link look back at their top 10 moments of year. They’re not all happy stories, but they’re definitely unforgettable. Want to hear your voice on Ear Biscuits? Call 1-888-EAR-POD1 and we might just play your call on an upcoming episode! Best Friends Back Alright! and Dispatches From Myrtle Beach are finalists in the Inaugural Signal Awards! Vote now! Best Friends Back, Alright! – "Best Conversation Starter" https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2022/shows/general/best-conversation-starter Dispatches from Myrtle Beach – "Weird" https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2022/shows/general/weird  Voting ends December 22nd at 11:29pm EST To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This, this, this, this is Mythical. Make your nights unforgettable with American Express. Unmissable show coming up? Good news. We've got access to pre-sale tickets so you don't miss it. Meeting with friends before the show? We can book your reservation. And when you get to the main event, skip to the good bit using the card member entrance.

Let's go seize the night. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Visit amex.ca slash yamx. Benefits vary by card. Other conditions apply. Welcome to Ear Biscuits, the podcast where two lifelong friends talk about life for a long time. I'm Rhett. And I'm Link. This week at the Round Table of Dim Lighting, we're wrapping up the year with one of my favorite episodes that we do

at the end of every year, our top 10 moments this year, 2022. Now, I know that you're having a rough time today and it kind of, I mean, you looked apart. I gotta admit. Really? Dang, man. No, I'm just saying that like, when I came in this morning,

you were already lying on the couch. When we're recording this, you're still pretty early on in your injury. You're adjusting to it. I do want you to know that your wife called me this morning after you left. Oh yeah? Okay, I know what she's saying.

No, just to let me know that you're having a difficult time, I did not tell her that I was taking a crap when she called me. I guess I'm telling her that now, but she may have noticed the echo in my voice. You didn't like flush in the middle of the conversation. No I didn't, in fact I stopped. No actual defecation took place

while I was talking to your wife. Come on dude. Because I felt like that would be inappropriate. I'm just letting you know. But I answered it because I was like, "'Christy doesn't usually call me, is everything okay?" Like I thought she was gonna say something like, "'Link broke his other shoulder' or something." But she just said that you're having a difficult time

just getting ready, getting out of the house. And then when I came in, you're lying down and you look, you look, you look frazzled. Like you haven't been able to shave, obviously. You're growing your Kenny Rogers beard and your hair still looks like you started with your left hand. But you're in the early stages.

You're gonna figure this out. I'm here for you. I'm just acknowledging that you're going through a difficult time. That's sweet that Christy called you, which brings me to my number 10. You know, we each made our list. We didn't share these with each other.

So we're gonna go in reverse order. Yeah, I decided to put breaking my collarbone as my number 10 moment of the year because it's very fresh on my mind. Only number 10. Well, one of my criteria for making my list was, you know, at our age, it's hard to make core memories. Something that then sticks with you

for the rest of your life. But I think easily making that one of the criteria, breaking my collarbone becomes one of my core memories. So I think it had to go on my list. Oh, easily. You know, for it to be, you know, it could be six weeks of recovery here, maybe more, hopefully less.

Still haven't had my ortho follow-up, so I don't know exactly what's going on, but, or started any PT, anything like that. But yeah, I will always remember that I broke my clavicle because I always remember breaking my pelvis and that's the only thing that I've broken. Just your pelvis and your clavicle. Yeah.

So, I mean, this is kind of a big moment towards the end of the year here for me. And yeah. And it remains to be seen how much of an impact it will continue to have. I was, I mean, I know for Good Mythical Morning, like, yeah, because I mean, through January, I'm gonna be in freaking sling for the episodes. Yeah.

So yeah, this morning was tough. I'm still making an adjustment. The worst part of my day is getting up and getting going. I mean, everything has to change. And I've been like, you know what? I'm gonna have a positive attitude about this. I'm gonna see this as an opportunity or a series of opportunities,

but man, it just kinda beats you down when you just can't get anything together. So I finally got ready, I got everything done, and I was about to leave. I was putting on my socks and shoes. And I don't wanna ask Christy and the kids to help me do everything, because I wanna figure out,

if this is a many weeks process, I don't want it to be like every time I put on socks for a member of my family to come over and like to hold half of the sock. Right, right. So I finally, I get on my socks and my shoes and I'm just like, Christy's in the kitchen and my socks and my shoes and I'm just like, Christy's in the kitchen and I go over to her and I'm like,

I need a hug. Cause I'm like, okay, if you, I'm learning to, and this will be another point on my list today, but just learning to express my needs in a way that is appropriate, right? So it's like, for me, it's like- I need a hug. I need a hug, so then Christy like stops what she's doing

and I had to tell her how to give me a hug. But not too tight, not too tight. Don't put the arm up here, put the arm- I need a side hug. Down here. I definitely needed a front hug. And then I'm just hugging her for a prolonged period. Okay.

And then with my head on her shoulder, and then she's like, are you crying? Or are you laughing? And I'm like, both. I would do both, man. It's okay, man. It's okay.

Yeah, I mean, it's just like this frustration. And I'm still really grateful that I'm not really in any pain. So it's really just this frustration of like trying to get my shit together. And then the amount of, I don't know, it's just like, so I was laying on the couch when I got here because I was like, I told you, I'm just,

it's exhausting. It's exhausting to figure this stuff out. You know how I think about things like, oh, my systems are broken. Yeah, it's especially hard on you. It's hard on me, but it's- Because you do things exactly a certain way that you've perfected in each step.

So when every single step has been compromised, that's gotta be difficult. It's been cut in half. It's like the dominant arm has been taken away. So I'm really, excuse me, I'm really trying to see it as an opportunity. It's like, what can I learn from this? How can I, you know, it could be a lot worse. Chrissy was like, thank God you didn't hit your head.

You know, that could have altered your life for many years, if not forever. And I was like, how do you know that? She was like, I've done some reading. So- It's an opportunity for your left arm. Once I get here, I'm, the worst part's over.

Like that's how I look at it. Well, if you need a hug, just let me know. I'll be laughing and crying on your shoulder. I mean, I was legitimately thinking about afterward as I was driving in, I was like, you know the phrase, a shoulder to cry on? It's like, yes, I actually took advantage of a shoulder to cry on. It's like, oh yes, I actually took advantage of a shoulder to cry on.

And that's a good thing. That's a good thing. It did help. You know, you got it. I'm sure your wife enjoyed it. I think she was like, did she, so when she called you, did she go into that detail? No.

She was like crying and laughing at the same time. I think she said that he broke down a little bit. So I did not picture you crying on her shoulder, but now I do. Well. It was a beautiful moment. One of my top 10 moments of the year. It's all downhill from here.

And it's probably too soon to use that joke because that's how you hurt yourself. Yeah. Going downhill. So I put that in my number 10, man. My number 10 is adopting Sean, our new dog. I love the look on your face. He made the list.

Sean is really growing on me. I love that little guy. He, as a matter of fact, Jessie was recently, she was, when we went to North Carolina, she stayed a little bit longer working on some stuff. And so Shepard and I came back and so I had some time with him and he's really connecting

with me and you saw the other day when we were having all those meetings at the Creative House, just digital meetings, he's coming up to me all the time. He came up to you and jumped in right in your lap right when I came over. I was shocked, because I had a hat on and- He's afraid of hats.

I thought he was jumping in my lap to like, to eat my crotch. I shouldn't have said it that way. To bite me, like he did the last time I came to work and he was there. Yeah, he bit you twice. But you said it was because he was on a leash, but he was there. Yeah, he bit you twice. But you said it was because he was on a leash, but he was like, yeah, he jumped up on my lap

and accepted petting. He's a learning to trust people. He's a learning. He's learning to trust people, whatever, wherever he came from, he developed reasons to not trust people and to not trust strangers. And so, you know, he's still shitting in the house, but it's a little bit more, a little bit easier to deal with.

He's so cute, his hair's growing in, he's actually becoming like the dog. He's more attractive. He's becoming the dog that I clicked on. Right. On the website to adopt him. He's a lot more pedable. And so, and you know what?

He remains a challenge and an opportunity. There you go. Not quite like your clavicle. There you go. But it's sort of like, he's a little project in some ways for our family to be like, Barbara's so easy, loves everybody. The only thing wrong with Barbara is she'll steal the food out of your hand

and we cannot, somehow cannot stop her from doing that. But she's great in every other way. Very well behaved, well trained, doesn't crap, you know, pee anywhere except outside. Sean is a little bit of a project, but I think it's teaching us patience as a family. And it's, you know, you gotta put him on the list because I mean, in addition to the family,

is absolutely a core memory. Because I'm right about that, right? You know, there's certain things that for years to come, maybe for the rest of your life, you'll refer back to Sean now. Oh yeah. And this was the year of Sean. Well, hopefully there's more years of Sean.

Yeah, the first year, you know? Yeah, right. You know, I completely agree. He's changed the dynamic of our family in a positive way. And my number nine, I put our college friend trip. At my number nine, I put our college friend's trip. We're such in sync, man. This is great.

That means that we didn't steal it from each other. This is my favorite thing that happens. We don't look at each other's lists. It looks like you're looking at it now. I can't read it from there. Okay. It was, I mean, the ones on our list that we've talked about in more detail in other episodes,

we can gloss over a little bit, but you know, I will say that it was the culmination of reestablishing a relationship over the entire pandemic and with us meeting in person and now it leads to that being something that we've already planned. We're gonna do it again. To go on another trip in June, I believe.

We're gonna take whitewater rafting to the next level. I'm a little nervous. I know, now that I've proven the fragility of my body to myself. Because we're upping the ante significantly. So much so that- The upper animus. We're doing a series of class five rapids, which was the most intense that we could find

in Colorado at that time of year. Hey man, you gotta have fun. And they were like, well, you need to come the day before and do a swim test. And I've been on many whitewater rafting trips, including the Upper Galley. Right. In West Virginia.

This is comparable to that. They didn't do no swim test for that. I know. They got me feeling nervous, man. But that was also the 90s or the early 2000s probably. You're saying the standards have increased. I bet so, yeah. Safety standards have increased.

The liability stuff, you know, all of that. So yeah, now we're gonna have two trips under our belt. It may become an annual thing. And you know, our girls trip. It's essentially what it is. I think it's our girls trip. Yeah. I like that idea.

And just kind of knowing that it's gonna happen. Yeah, I think that there was something about- Cause otherwise, I'm sorry, I cut you off. I think, oh. Turn it over a new leaf. No, in my mind, I started talking before you. Is this what I have to look forward to in 2023 that you're not gonna cut me off?

Hell no. That you're gonna realize that when you've done it and not do it? I am trying, but I don't wanna like make it a resolution or anything. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. It's like, it was like a hug. Thanks for the feedback, but I mean, if you,

I mean, don't twist my titty about it, because. Well, now I forgot what I was gonna say. I got so excited. No, I think that one of the things that made it so significant is the fact that, obviously we have a very unusual relationship in terms of- Me and you.

The longevity of our friendship and the fact that we were friends as kids and friends all throughout different pivotal times and we're still friends and still working together. But the only other people really in our lives at this point that, I'm trying to think of the way to explain this. If you go back 20 years and those friendships last, have been around for a long time. And outside of family,

those are some of the only people that we have connected with on that level after all this time, which is just a really beautiful thing to be able to happen. I mean, I hope that that can happen for other people. Just be like, hey, you formed this friendship at a pivotal time. And it's not always easy,

especially when you're in different parts of the country to maintain that relationship and those friendships, but the pandemic gave us that opportunity. Now we're kind of cashing in on it by being able to create experiences together. And also it's, you know, as we discussed when we talked about that trip on the episode, it's a really, you know, we're all in different places.

We all met in a very particular context. We all met in a very particular context. We all met in a campus ministry context. And we've talked many times about where we're at in regards to that. And they're in a different, everybody's in a different place in regards to that. But there's still a real closeness and honesty, authenticity in our relationship.

And so I just think it's a really good thing for everybody. It's really soul nourishing to reconnect with people who, yeah, our beliefs have drifted in various directions. And maybe, I don't wanna insinuate that we've all drifted or whatever. You know what I'm trying to say. Well, everyone's changed. Everybody's evolving.

But like, yeah, that our friendship can still be so strong and so supportive and that love can still be the center of it is very, it ministers to my soul. You know what I'm saying? Even though our video chats have kind of fallen off, at least we know that we have this trip coming up and that we kind of have that cadence now. To me, that's how I see the video chats

were the beginning of a foundation that now we're building on it with these trips that we can schedule. And there's the text thread that continues. Just one note I wanna make really just for us. It does give me an idea about something, like the ideas that we've been logging. I have one that like is semi-related to this.

Okay. So actually a couple. So I'm just gonna remember that by saying it out loud and you can help me remember it so we can put it on the list of stuff for the 2023 list. Okay. So it's your go. So my number eight, I'm skipping ahead

because you just covered my number nine. I do know for a fact this is on your list because we just already discussed it and I'm assuming it's higher on your list, but let's go ahead. There's a reason that it's at this level on my list. Okay. We had a, I'm gonna call it our most, my most surreal,

one of the most surreal experiences of my entire life in a lot of ways, and definitely the most loosely stated Hollywood experience of my life. The most I've ever experienced anything because of the privilege that we have, because we have a successful internet show. And that is being invited to the studio with Post Malone as he was working on his most recent album.

Now, you really stole my thunder here. You didn't make it number one, did you? This is my number two. Okay. I knew it would be high on your list. Yeah, this is, it's interesting. It's tough to order the list. Yeah, it is, and it's a bit, you know,

it's a bit thrown together. But the rule is, if you ranked it higher, you get to talk about it first. Oh, well, this is one that, I mean, we had a conversation about this one. That's why we knew that it was on both of our lists because we were both trying to figure out if we wanted to put it out there publicly.

I think we're very sensitive to like the fact that, you know, first of all, you don't wanna sound like braggy. Like, oh, I know somebody who's like, like telling a story for clout. We're not doing that. And you also don't want, we don't want Austin to feel like

we're trying to take advantage of the fact that he's been gracious towards us. For clout. And to be like, oh, can we get it? Let's get a selfie together so we can show it on the internet right now. So we don't do that. We don't do that.

But this was such a huge moment that, yeah, just to talk about that night, I think is something that we agree that it was like, I kind of have to talk about it. So we think is something that we agree that it was like, I kind of have to talk about it. So we're excited to let you in on it, especially because it's something that we haven't shared. A lot of this stuff we've shared before. This was, so when he came on the show,

we, then it was basically implied, hey, if you want, maybe we should hang out. And then he invited us. So it was like February, March. And I would say the first time he ever came on the show, the first time he came on the show, after we finished the show, he was like, what are you guys doing the rest of the day?

Right. And we were like, well, we're making more GMM. We're doing what we do every day, we're shooting GMM. So we didn't get, we never hung out after the first time, which is like, I was like, man, that was such a big regret. I was like, I'm not gonna make that mistake again if there's an invitation.

Right. So then, you know, we set the night we were gonna hang out and don't make this my story, we're both there, so maybe I'm just kinda like filling the gaps, but yeah, he was like, whatever you guys wanna do, if you wanna come by the studio. And so once he mentioned the stew, as he put it,

I was like, yes, that's what I wanna do. Yeah, let's hang out. So we go over there to the studio and we meet Lou as producer and there's just a couple other friends of his hanging out, but it's like one room, very dark, with like the console and then back to the left, there's like the booth with the window.

So it's pretty intimate space. And we go in there and we're just, you know, we had, you see how much fun we had on the show. You know, it always blew my mind about how much of a fan he was and is of GMM. So it's like, and you saw how it was in Good Mythical More. We were just like talking about the gas station pills and like, so when we were setting up going to hang out,

like we were making jokes about, I don't wanna have any of those gas station pills. There was a lot of laughter the entire time. We had, we had. Yeah, we just kind of picked up right where we left off. We were making each other laugh the whole time. And then playing music.

We were connecting over our love of music and specifically country music. So there was a lot of, in fact, there was one time, there was a period of time where there was like a Hank Jr. versus Hank Sr. battle where we would pick a Hank Jr. song and he would pick a Hank Sr. song and we would play them. Like a versus battle, which was hilarious.

And that lasted, I mean, hours. We were there a very long time. And just kind of getting the story of like... We don't do that. Your bedtime is 9.30. I mean, I do stay up till midnight on a relatively regular basis, but this was... With Uber Reserve, good things come to those who plan ahead. Family vacay?

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When the sun comes up. And yeah, I'm so fascinated about the creative process that I couldn't help myself but just kind of dig into like his relationship with Lou and like how much, how they collaborate and you know, they were playing like preliminary tracks of things that then became like massive hits. And I was just like a kid in a candy store.

Like I couldn't sit down. It was pretty obvious. I couldn't sit down. Like I'm not, yeah. And I'm like, you know what? I don't, if I'm gonna fan boy, I'm just gonna do it. You know, it's like over the, especially if it's gonna fanboy, I'm just gonna do it. It's like, especially if it's over the music.

I think he understood that I was fanboying over the creative process and the music and not the fact that like, oh my God, it's so cool to meet you. In my mind, it's a different thing. So it's like, to really connect with something that an artist is making to thing. So it's like, to like really connect with something that an artist is making to the point where it's like, if they're gonna play something for you,

you're gonna get up and shake your ass. Like, that's just a decision I made. Like, dance like nobody's watching, right? And it doesn't have to be everybody's decision. Well, there's a reason that there's two of us. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I appreciate that. So yeah, I was,. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I appreciate that. So yeah, I was, I mean, yeah, and at certain moments,

yeah, I was kind of in like music journalism mode where it's like, how, give me, I have to understand. And they were, you know, I think they were both very into the conversation because they were like, oh, play him this, play him that, play him this demo. And then, you know, at the time we were talking about the neon moon cover that we made. Oh yeah, for the society.

For the Mythical Society, because we were playing so much country music, we were talking about that. And I think at one point I said, or one of us said like, well, I'll make a deal with you. We'll play this song for you under one condition. And he's like, what? I was like, that you play a song,

like give us a sneak peek of a song off your album. Cause I know it's coming out soon, that you finished it. And he was like, well, I want to play you the whole album. Yeah. Like he was planning on doing it anyway. Yeah, he was like, yeah, I'm not gonna play a song. I'll only play it if you listen to the whole thing.

And I'll never forget that moment, because I was like, I was already like the kid in the candy store, and then I'm like, we're looking at each other and we're like, yes, this is amazing. So we just, we sat there and we just listened to the entire completed pretty, I mean, every song was sequenced, finished.

All but one song. Fully baked. And I remember sitting there, and this is when it hit me in why it stands out. And I would say, if you're talking about exact slices of time, like one moment, I do recognize why this is higher on your list. And it's just, you'll understand why, you know,

there's other things that are higher on the list later, but this slice of life, when we were a few tracks in and we were like listening with our eyes closed, or I was listening with my eyes closed. This is 12 karat toothache. So it's like, if you've listened to it, you know that a number of places it gets pretty moody.

Like it's not all party anthem type stuff. And then I would open my eyes and realize that Post Malone is sitting next to me. It's great. Yeah, it was wild. Listening to this album. And we just don't have a lot of experiences like this because we're not, we don't try to be part of a scene.

We don't, like, we're just, our lives are strikingly normal in almost every way except for these little moments. And I was just like, this is a memory. I was like, this is a special moment. Yeah. So, and we listened to the entire thing. Incredible experience. Also they play it so loud, I felt like it was like literally like shaking my spleen.

And then it's like literally 3.30 a.m. And he's like, Well, let me, okay, yeah, what did he say? He was like, oh, are we supposed to record something? Yeah, and earlier that night when we were talking about like our favorite artists and we were talking about Sturgill Simpson and all this stuff,

we also started talking about the Fleet Foxes. Yeah. Which is, you know, from our top albums episode, like we both, they're like, albums that are like very formative and like are musical lexicon, you know? And he's a huge fan.

And so then he was like, play him the track. And then he was like, Robin, who is Fleet Foxes, came in here a few weeks ago and we started working on something. And then he plays a track and it's just vocalizations and then the beat drops and then it's an instrumental. So there's no vocals at all. And he plays that and that was like

before we listened to the whole album. It was just like, oh, this is just something that we created together. And so I'm flipping out because it's like two of my favorite artists working together and one of them's in the room with me playing it and it's just a preliminary track, which they didn't say it would be anything.

So then fast forward to at this point in the evening when it's like, oh man, I forgot how it was supposed to work. So he goes into the booth and then that's the track that he plays. And he, so this is the song that ended up being the love hate letter to alcohol, right? Yeah. So this is, we saw his process,

which was essentially going into a booth and Lou starts playing this track and he just starts singing over it. Literally just kind of ad-libbing and making it up as he went along. Yeah. And it was like, he's creating a situation where he's at the bar and-

Yeah, like I woke up on the ground. It's like, I got my, he started singing about his teeth getting knocked out. And then at one point, like after about 10, 15 minutes of like riffing on stuff, he comes out and he's like, how many teeth? Google how many teeth are in it. How many teeth are in the human mouth?

And he had said 32. And we Googled it. And it was 32. Yeah, I didn't, you Googled it. And you were like, yes, I have 32 teeth in my mouth. The dentist told me I'm like in like a very low percentage of people

that still has their wisdom teeth at my age. Oh, you don't have 32. So if you have all your wisdom teeth come in, you have 32. I think so. So then we told him that. So then he, you know, if you listen to the lyrics, it's like, I you listen to the lyrics, it's like,

I woke up on the ground. I guess I should have kept that shit to myself. Sometimes I'm too good at running my mouth, but not good enough. And then it's, well, yeah, last night I had 32 teeth in my mouth, but some went away. That's the lyric. And at the time we did not realize that he was,

that this song was gonna be on the album. But because the way he presented the album was basically like, this is it. This is it. And he kind of, you know, he didn't, he just implied like, oh, I'm still recording something. He actually, this was pretty cool, just like, you know, a week later, texted us,

like, here's where the track ended up. Yeah, he was like, we finished it. And I was like, oh man, he's finished his track. And then lo and behold, it ends up being on the album and then come full circle. Oh, and then the next thing he goes, he performs on Saturday Night Live and he performs that song

with Fleet Foxes backing him up. Yeah. Like, on stage. And it was like, dude, I was there when this happened. Crazy. And then we got to see him in concert when he, And the song was in the set. His tour came to LA and of course he performed the song.

Which is amazing. That was, the only, one thing I'll add to this story, which is a moment I remember, is when I was sort of reluctantly, I think actually you said something about it. I didn't wanna talk about it, like talk about the fact that I was working on my own music because I didn't wanna be the internet comedian.

He was like, well, I'm working on my music. And so I was like, yeah, I'm doing like a country thing. And so he grabs his guitar, his famous acoustic guitar that's got all the like signatures on it and holds it out to me. He's like, play a song. And I was like, no. I was like, I'm not ready for that.

I don't remember that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, I remember it. That was pretty, that was pretty early in the evening. That was when we were doing the Brooks and Dunn. But it was early in your, like, I had not heard any of the songs. No, at that point, I didn't have a, I was not prepared to, like, I had written the songs, but I was like, I can't, like, I can't do it.

You know, I'm glad I didn't do it. What a surreal night. But it was a very surreal night. So then we call an Uber, and we, like, get in the Uber to come home, like, 3, 30. No, it was a very surreal night. So then we call an Uber and we like get in the Uber to come home like 3.30. No, it was like 4.00. 4.00 in the morning. 4.30 maybe, I don't know. It's like, we're not used to this experience

in this hour of the morning. And when we get in the Uber, the first song that's playing is his new song with The Weeknd at the time. That he had just played for us. That he had just played for us. It was just so. Yeah, it was wild, man.

Surreal. Yeah. And you know, he's a sweetheart. The dude is just. Best guy ever. The dude. It's not hype. It's not hype. He's unlike any celebrity of that level of fame

that we've ever met that, in terms of his authenticity. Yeah, a night to remember. My number two. Well, I'm sorry, but we spent a lot of time on it, so. Shop Best Buy's ultimate smartphone sale today. Get a Best Buy gift card of up to $200 on select phone activations with major carriers. Visit your nearest Best Buy store today.

Terms and conditions apply. So this is my number eight. Number eight. My number eight. Okay, so 2022 was the year of new therapist for me. I was looking back at my Google photos and January 1st, I had a photo of a business card that Christie gave me. You know, and she was,

and I talked about this at some point early on in the year about like making the switch. And I think a lot of the process happened around this time last year on the podcast about thinking, talking about my therapy experience, getting your feedback, kind of hearing myself out loud, realizing that I needed to make a change, needed to find a better fit.

And I will say that two weeks ago, like one of my most recent therapy appointments, like right around Thanksgiving, it was, when I got home from that therapy appointment, Christy asked me what she always does, how's therapy? And I said, for the first time, I was like, it was great. I really am so, I'm so glad that I met this guy and that he's my therapist and this is working out so well.

Cause I just told him in the session, it was one of those sessions that was, it ended up kind of being a celebration session. You know, we had tackled a number of things and you know, it's therapy's never done, Rhett. But there's certain points when it's like, and yes, it was Thanksgiving, so it was kind of an appropriate time,

but it just so happened to time out that way that, you know, coming back from some of the other things on the list, like Mythicon related stuff, but just a culmination of things that we were working on, bringing me to a point mentally and emotionally to be able to not only weather the trials and process things, but also to be more present for the highlights,

like the things on this list. I really was able to be grateful for how therapy brought me to that point where I was able to more fully experience the highs and the lows, I guess you would say. And that was something that we ended up talking about. And I was able to tell him, you know what, I'm thankful for all these things

and I'm also thankful for you. This is really working out. And it took, you know, that was, that's like 11 months in. And it's, all along the way, it was mostly positive indications. But at a certain point you realize, okay, I think this is my guy.

I think this is my person. That's important. And yeah, it just made a huge difference is my guy. I think this is my person. That's important. And yeah, it just made a huge difference in my year. So it's like 2022, the year of kind of getting that in place realizing that I'm no longer approaching a session with anxiety about the session. Like that I'm at ease and there's this level of trust and confidence that it'll be what it'll be.

And I've seen it go in so many different directions that I've realized that I've loosened up and I'm able to let go of that particular hangup, which has been very difficult for me. I'm good at putting myself out there, and I still don't know exactly what I would label it, like the sense of control and relationship to anxiety and all of that,

but it was always a hurdle to overcome. And just to realize that that had been like severely lowered to the point where it's like basically not there anymore, is huge. Yeah, that it's not like something that, it's not a homework assignment or like something that you have to have something prepared for.

Or performative. Yeah. And you know, early on in starting our conversations, this was a topic of conversation. So I kind of invited that level of conversation that on occasion, not every session, but he would check in on that front. Like, how are you processing me? Like, how is what I'm saying,

like, it was helpful that like, I was able to set the table, you know? So I know when you, we gush about therapy and I just wanna acknowledge that like, sometimes, you know, therapy is work, but then there's a bit for me and maybe for a lot of people, there's like a whole other layer of work to be able to get to do that normal therapy work, you know?

And, you know, so if my 2022 story can like give people hope that that it's worth it. And you know what? If the thing that's keeping you from therapy is therapy, then it's still worth it. It's still worth it. And it may take going through a few people to find that right fit, but don't give up.

Amen. Look at that. See how inspirational this can be. This is, I'm gonna, you know, just, I'm gonna move through some of these. Yeah, I got some quicker ones after this. Number seven is going to see movies with Shepard. And I would say the specific moment is us going to see the horror Shepard. And I would say the specific moment

is us going to see the horror movie Smile together. Obviously, now that Locke is off at college, Shepard and I spend a fair amount of time together and our thing is going to see movies together. And we both love horror movies and we both have very similar tastes in music and movies in general. And it's kind of our little thing.

And so much so that, you know, ever since the Arclight closed, all these theaters in town are AMC theaters. That's pretty much where you go, is if you're gonna go to a theater, you go to an AMC theater. And they're constantly selling this AMC Stubbs membership, right?

Oh, did you get that? So every single time we show up at the theater and we see the people in the yellow line getting to the concessions a little bit faster, Shepherd's like, Dad, we need to, why aren't we Stubbs members? And then we go in and then they give the ad for the Stubbs membership and then they do

the Nicole Kidman, that wonderful little thing that happens before AMC movies, and people clap every time. Going to see a movie in LA, and I know this probably happens elsewhere, but like, in LA. I haven't heard them clap for that Nicole Kidman part. Well, you haven't been to the AMC theater lately.

Yes, I have. Every single time. What? Nicole Kidman comes on, everybody claps and giggles and says, oh yeah. And then when she finishes, everybody claps. Because the thing I was talking to Shepard about is that like being in the entertainment capital of the world and watching these movies that are all pretty much, you know, like there's a connection between every movie in Los Angeles, even if it was made somewhere else. And so many people are in the industry.

And so there's this cynicism and sort of insider mentality to watching entertainment so that when like a bad movie trailer comes up. Yeah. Like we just watched, there was a trailer for a new movie called Plane. Yeah. Have you seen that? Yeah.

And the whole place burst out laughing as soon as it said Plane, because it looks like the worst movie ever made. Gerard Butler. And then it says plane. I just love kind of watching movies in that atmosphere and people stick around for the credits because they're like, I might know somebody

in those credits at the end, you know? Yeah. But anyway, so. Not a sponsor though, huh? Well, literally right before we went to our most recent movie, which we went to see Glass Onion on your recommendation and it was great.

Oh yeah. We signed up for the membership. Not the top level where you get three movies a week, because I can't see three movies a week. I just got the one where we get like the free upgrades on concessions, we get the shorter line, and then we get points that we can use. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Brian knows what's up.

This is a sponsor. This is a sponsor? It's not a Yeah, yeah, yeah. Brian knows what's up. This is a sponsor. This is a sponsor? It's not a sponsor. It could be. Anyway, it's been a real, we have this, Shepard and I have a great relationship. It's tough to get Shepard to talk,

unlike Locke, who will talk about everything. But going to see a movie with Shepard, we talk about the movie all the way back home. Like that gets him talking. He's like, well, I thought this and that. I mean, he's got all these opinions about everything

and he really opens up and starts talking. So that's been. I love that. And specifically like Smile, we talked about how it was the perfect horror movie until they did what every horror movie does and they show you the monster in a way that ends up being like,

eh, this isn't as good as I wanted it to be. But anyway. Was there a point when you realized this is the opportunity to stay with that buzzword? And I guess, was it smile when you were like, when you're like- To get the AMC stubs? No, dude.

This is the opportunity to finally bite the bullet. No, dude, when you're like, this is my connection or one of my connections. This is like, this is an easy card I can play to like get in with Shepard and find something that it can be our thing. I don't know if there was a moment. It's more as I was thinking about it for this

and realizing how many movies we had seen together and how we'd really connected in that way and how I've been at the same time talking to Jesse about how, man, I take Shepherd to school sometimes and we can go the whole, he just wants to listen to music and I'll ask him a couple of questions, he gives me one word answers, typical 14 year old. Yeah.

And he's not being a jackass, he's just like, I'm going to school, I don't wanna talk typical 14 year old. Yeah. And he's not being a jackass. He's just like, I'm going to school. I don't wanna talk about things right now. Yeah. So no, it's just more like reflecting on it and being like, oh, we really talk about a lot of things. And it also, the tenor of our conversation moves from a dad trying to be a dad, which happens often with me.

Meaning like, okay, well you need to be doing this. You need to be doing this. which happens often with me. Meaning like, okay, well, you need to be doing this, you need to be doing this, here's some advice, here's just talking about your schoolwork, moves us out of that dynamic into just like two guys talking about movies, which is great for us. That's awesome. Need a great reason to get up in the morning? Well, what about two?

Right now, get a small organic fair trade coffee and a tasty bacon and egg or breakfast sandwich for only $5 at A&W's in Ontario. My number seven is my DJ Elkhound Snuggle Baby journey. Number seven? Not that DJ Elkhound Snuggle Baby is my name. It's just Elkhound Snuggle Baby, but I'm just clarifying. My DJ journey. Maybe in a second parenthesis after Snuggle Baby, it's just DJ, because you don't want people

to call you DJ Elkhound Snuggle Baby. It could be Elkh after Snuggle Baby, it's just DJ. Cause you don't want people to call you DJ Elkhound Snuggle Baby. It could be Elkhound Snuggle Baby DJ. I have to, I was giving up the opportunity to DJ our Mythical Christmas Party because I only have one freaking arm. And then- Sad really. I don't, but I'm not going to, I'm still gonna do it. Yeah, right, yeah.

Because I just do it with one arm. I'll have Ben in the Baby Bjorn in front of me. Are you going full suit? I think I have to. I haven't- You tried that on with your shoulder? I haven't thought about it. Haven't thought about any of this yet. But- All right.

I mean, it was the year of the genesis of Elkhound Snuggle Baby. So yeah, that's it. I've already talked a lot about it. We dedicated a whole episode to it, so let's keep going. Okay, number six for me was getting COVID. I thought about putting that on the list and I forgot. You know, so many people at this point,

most people have gotten it. And it has been, I was actually thinking just the other day about how we're about to transition into 2023. And I remember at the very beginning of all this, March 2020, talking to our good friend, Mike McCarg, smartest guy I know. Thanks. And he was talking to us about COVID at that time.

And you know, he's smart. And so he was like, we'll still be talking about and dealing with this directly in 2023. And I was like, Mike, you crazy, man. Now, first of all, you know, there's been so much, you know, I get on my soapbox about being frustrated about the COVID thing and COVID denial and that kind of thing.

But one of the things that I've thought about recently is how everything that they said, everything that the epidemiologist said in 2020, essentially happened. They said that we'd still be talking about and dealing with this in 2023. They said that almost everyone was going to get it. They said that this is the number of people

that were gonna die within a certain range. Go back and look at what they said and every single thing that they said within those ranges is what ended up happening because these things operate according to models. And it's just an interesting thing to note. Not every, they didn't get everything right, but it was just, but here we are transitioning into 2023.

We are still dealing with it and talking about it. Now, not nearly to the same degree. It's not nearly as disruptive as it was. And all indications are that it's sort of dwindling, it's becoming, every time we start talking about it, it's a little bit less of an issue. And then eventually it's just like, yeah, we don't really talk about,

think about this very much unless you're in a super high risk group, whatever. That's great. By the time you got it, which is also within a week of when I got it, totally separately. Yeah. It was,

like mentally, it felt totally different than like all the different iterations of how I thought I would respond to it beforehand. Well, I had gotten to this place, which I think a lot of people have got to, which was maybe I'm immune to it. I mean, some people are. Some people just don't get it

just because of some genetic predisposition. And of course that turned out to not be the case. But that ended up being, when I got it, I got it from my wife and then spent a week in a hotel room in Chapel Hill with her. And that was a very interesting experience for the both of us, literally being in a hotel room and not leaving the hotel room except to go out

onto the balcony of the hotel room. Thank God there was one of those for about five days. And it just was this, I have my aura ring, which is not a sponsor, but we are investors. So maybe they should be. But it gives you all your vitals and stuff. And I go back and you can look at all your data and I look at the data for that week.

And I see my temperature of like 103 and a half, I think is what I got to two nights in a row. And my HRV, heart rate variability was like super low. It's like my readiness score was like in the 30s. It was like the lowest it's ever been. And it was like, that was a tough time, but it's a time that almost everybody has had to experience on some level and obviously it's been devastating

and continues to be devastating for a lot of people, whether you know somebody who lost their lives or you're just somebody who's dealing with long COVID. So it's just my personal direct encounter with COVID after having encountered all its effects as just a member of society. I think that would kind of crystallize in 2023. Thankfully, I haven't gotten it again.

And who knows if, when or if I'll get it again, but it was memorable. It was a moment. I've lost track of the number of boosters that I've gotten at this point. I think it's three. Is it four? I don't know.

All of them. Yeah, sign me up, man. Sign me up. I'm in the cult. I'd love to get boosted. Let's see, my number six was the launch of Dispatches from Myrtle Beach. Oh yeah.

Because as my dad and I talk about many times on the podcast itself, it's just, we're just realizing like, wow, it just gives us this new touch point for our relationship to like move. It's not, it's to a new level in some ways because it's like just the frequency and the depth of our connection are both like on another level, but it's also expanded the nature

of our relationship in a way that I don't believe ever would have happened if it wasn't for the podcast. I mean, to know that every week I'm gonna have, it ends up being like a 45, 50 minute conversation that then Logan cuts down to 30 minutes. Right. Cause after all, my dad is in charge of the episode. So some things you just gotta tighten up or maybe remove.

Maybe she removes some of the stuff that I say too. I bet. Good. Two peas in a pod, man. But yeah, it's like we are interacting with each other on different terms. It's about having fun, like high value and having fun

and also just connecting with each other. So we find ourselves answering questions that people have emailed or asking, I'm asking him questions like, so what went into naming me? I mean, I know that I'm the third and you're junior. It's like, I'd actually never heard like his thoughts about that.

Like how long was he thinking about there being a third before he was even, you know, thinking about having kids. Was it his idea? Well, yeah, he was a junior and it was just kind of, it was kind of similar to how I thought about Lincoln, but it wasn't that it was a revolutionary answer, but that it was a conversation we had never had. We never talked about it.

You know, and it's one thing to talk about like, okay, if I call my dad on the phone, he'd be like, I had a prostate exam, they're doing some tests. I decided not to tell you about it until I got the results and they're fine. You know, it's like, that's how the conversation would have gone.

But like on the podcast, it becomes this like, all of that, the important part of the conversation still happens that like, oh, I care about you. I wanna make sure that your prostate's good. But then it's also the most fun version of the conversation that we'll have. It's like seeing him grow and like, you know, there's, you've seen this from me.

Many times I'll come out of this room and I'll go back into our office. And if you're in there, I'm just like, I'm proud of my dad because he is, he's actually, he's developing. He's really understanding the parts of this that he needs to understand, but then continuing to not develop in the ways that I don't want him to develop

so that it stays like entertaining in that right way. So it's like, like this, the way that he decides to prepare like the things that he brings to the table, like he's fully committed himself to this. And I am surprised at how much of him is in me that has brought me to this point. It's like, as much as I knew it, I'm still surprised by the extent of it.

Now you're getting to experience it. Yeah, the extent of it. So it's like, I was, you know, I didn't wanna get my hopes up when we decided to do it. I was very reticent to like fully commit to it mentally. It's like, oh, it's just something we'll do for a little bit. And you know, all good things come to an end,

but like there's no end in sight for dispatchers from Myrtle Beach. And I think it ultimately comes down to the experience that we have with each other. And then it's up to an audience to like know if they wanna be a part of that. And like enough people are. In my opinion, the audience still needs to grow.

I would love for more people to know about it and hear about it. And it's challenging to know how to get a podcast out there, but absolutely on the list. It could probably be higher, but it's my number six. He has fully embraced his role and that wasn't something that was guaranteed. No. He has fully embraced his role and that wasn't something that was guaranteed. No.

My number five is my trip with Locke from Maine to Miami, which we did a whole episode on. It's a big one. The specific moment up from that trip is our walk around the Washington Mall. Yeah. Around the monuments at night. And because of the time that we recorded this episode

last year, we always record it before the end of the year. Technically, my other road trip with Locke, which was in December of 2021, when we had to drive back from North Carolina to California, those two road trips with Locke, I think fundamentally changed the dynamic of our relationship, which fundamentally changed the dynamic of our relationship that exists now

while he's at college, right? Yeah. So it's funny how, and I think this is, it makes me think about these moments in a different way. Because a lot of the things that we will list are things that are outside of the ordinary experience. A lot of the things will be in our trips

that you went on, right? Yeah. And we talked about this before, but doing something, and this is why I tell Shepard, you know, go to a summer camp, like do these things, go on a trip, take advantage of this opportunity because shaking your life up and doing this short term thing, when you look back on your life,

it'll be the things that took you out of your normal routine. That's what you will remember. Those will be the formative experiences. Those will be the times in which you like put your mouth up to a fire hydrant and basically ingested an experience at a much higher rate than you do in your normal life. And those two trips with Locke are a testament to it. Just being in a car together, going across the country,

just the two of us, and I think it was a five day trip and then maybe a five or six day trip. So we're talking about 10 to 11 days of time that helped define our dynamic. And I think helped us move in the same way that I'm talking about with Shepherd. It moved from so much of this dad and son dynamic, which for me ends up being the,

what is my role in giving them the best advice and guiding them, which is important. Yeah. But moving to that connection, which is as a kid becomes an adult, goes off to college, becomes independent, the dynamic that you want to continue, and the only dynamic that's worth continuing

is the connection dynamic, because the guidance dynamic, the parenting dynamic goes away and actually in many ways becomes a burden to them as they become adults, right? And I see a lot of relationships, a lot of parent and child relationships that as the child becomes an adult, doesn't matter how old they get, doesn't matter how much experience

they get under their belts, it doesn't matter if they become parents or not, the dynamic remains a parent and a child. You will always be my child and I will always need to guide you and I will always need to call you out. And that dynamic can be really detrimental to relationships.

And I'm not saying that I engineered this or I read a book. I got lucky in a lot of ways by just, the first trip was circumstance. We needed to make a trip because the way plans changed. And then we, because that one went so well, we decided to do another one. And those two trips in short succession, I think,

is the reason that we talk on the phone all the time now. In a way that we didn't. In a way that we just didn't communicate with that frequency and that depth. And it's actually- And the timing. It's increased. The timing of it was so crucial. And it's actually, it's increased. The timing of it was so crucial. And the funny thing is,

is I don't remember if it was this episode last year. No, it was when you did your episode about sending Lily off to college. And I was kind of reflecting as you were talking. And at the end of that episode, I remember saying something like, I really wanna focus on making this year a year of connection with Locke

because we had been at each other's throats. Like he had a really difficult time with COVID and basically not going to school, not being able to see his friends. And that created a lot of tension between us that really ran a risk of just carrying this sort of butting heads thing off into the rest of our, even as you talk about your dad,

it's like these little decisions, sometimes it's these little decisions that can change the trajectory of a relationship. It's kind of fascinating. So that's my number five. That's awesome, dude. I'm gonna refer to a lot of that with my number four, but I've gotta say my number three first,

which is Mythicon. And I wanted to be specific about this because Mythicon was an amazing experience. So I'm pinpointing our main stage performance. Like I've already said it, like the most fun we've ever had on stage. I just felt like it was a culmination of so many things that we had learned

and this relationship we have with the Mythical Beast that it was just like, I mean, Good Mythical Evening is not on my list, but like everything that we- Because we don't remember it. Everything we did brought us to a point where it's like, we can, I don't know, there's just like, there was a level of trust there

that certainly Good Mythical Evening was instrumental in kind of building, but everything was. So I just felt like it was a great experience and I'll never forget it. Just how much fun that we had on stage. My dad was a part of it. Like I'll never forget the reaction that everybody had to chase coming out.

Like that particular moment for me was like really satisfying. You know, it's like, it wasn't just about us riding in on a bike, but it was about this world that we had created that now these people were experiencing with us. It was just so much, it was so much fun. And like the level of unhinged creativity

that we put into it has given us even more confidence with how we are approaching 2023. And we got this twinkle in our eye, baby. And I think it's really about, it's those moments from this year. That moment for me, for Mythicon, is something that just really gets me excited about what can we do next? that like just really gets me excited about

what can we do next? What can we create? Well, don't talk too much about that because I've captured that as a point in a different way that isn't related to Mythicon, but Mythicon is my number one. Oh, snap. Mythicon, oh.

And I actually, so when I, obviously I agree with everything that you just said in terms of- I was done. The stage show being incredibly special and this incredible moment. I think for me, my performance with Jessie that first night-

Well, if that's your number one, save it. Is, is, is. Save it for your number one. I feel like that's different. Well, but it was really mythicon in total, but like if I had to pick a point in which I was like, this moment is something I will absolutely never forget and don't know how I could ever engineer it again,

it would be that moment. Well, let's come back to it. So I'll come back to that. Come back to it. I think that's separate from the main stage though. But number four in general was releasing Human Overboard. Okay. Which again, I've talked about extensively.

I'm not gonna talk about it extensively here. But this was just for all the reasons that I've covered, a really significant moment for me. And I think that there's so many things about it and the way that things have been received and the stories that people have told and that have been just very deeply enriching. I think that one element of it that stands out

is being able to record the song with Jessie and the Where We're Going song. Of course, she recorded a few of them with me, but that one in particular, because it's about her, recording it with her and then being able to make that music video with her, which involved me having to go and find this footage from our relationship,

go into the archives of our honeymoon tapes. You know, we had like four hours of old VHSC or digital eight tapes from our honeymoon. About an hour and a half of that was me literally just filming like the stage show at the resort we were at. I was such an idiot. Anybody who does that, and I'm included in that, is an idiot.

About 90 seconds of it was sex tape. If you just, if you go, it's one thing to go to a concert and get footage of it so you can say I was there and post something on social media. It's another thing to say, I wanna re-experience this entire. To think that you were making the concert film, that you're making the concert film on your frickin' phone

or your little stupid ass camera. Yeah, you were a dumb ass. That's a dumb ass thing to do and I've done it too many times. Okay, I'll just admit. But especially, We were young and in love. Especially when you're at a not very nice

all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico. The only resort that you could afford at the time. Hey, you enjoyed it. Let me just say, the talent pool of this particular resort, when it's like, there's people like these. I love how you turn one of your top moments of the year into shitting on these performers, man.

These dudes up there doing Beat It. Like One of them's dressed like Michael Jackson. Oh, wow. Yeah, you gotta understand what I'm talking about, man. It was awful. Wow. And I filmed it. I have it. Anyway, going back and finding that footage and those photos was this like, man, because what the James and the Shane project and Human Overboard sort of represents is this sort of musical expression of the process

of my deconstruction and thinking about this woman, my wife, Jessie, who's been there from the beginning and has gone through this on her own pace, at her own pace, and then looking back at our relationship in those early days when we were just like, pace and then looking back at our relationship in those early days when we were just like, man, look at those 20, look at that 23 year old and that 20 year old who got married, you know,

and got married for, you know, in a lot of ways because they wanted to have sex with each other because that was the only way they could. Picked up on the first thing. And to see how we've managed. We got through. We got out of a particular world that I'm very happy that we got out of

and we are sort of traversing through a brave new world together in a way that, you know, I wouldn't trade for the world. Sweet rap. But that, so that moment with her is really the world. That's sweet, Brad. So that moment with her is really the pinnacle of that for me, but in general, the whole music thing

has been deeply rewarding. My number four is, I've said it's my scuba diving, there's like my scuba diving journey, but really it's really about my relationship with Lincoln this year. And it's so much of like what you described in terms of having a pivotal year

and like these special moments with Locke, like deciding to get scuba certified, Lincoln saying he was totally on board and excited about that. So it became a thing that we were doing together leading up to going to Maui and like swimming through these like volcanic caves. And then, but the whole certification process,

like having to take class and having to take, you know, all of it. And it was a huge project that had this big payoff. And then it has this long tail, I guess you would call it, of like adventures that we can have together. And it's a special thing in a year that like, okay, now Lily's out of the house and me realizing that, you know, it's okay.

So the things that Lily and I could connect with, like the things that we'd watch on television, you know, the shows and the movies, like that was a big connection point for us. It was kind of like right there at the ready. And Lincoln's quiet. He plays into like the middle child trope a lot. And like, he's such a peacemaker

and like he doesn't seem to be needy, you know? So it's like me identifying that, oh, I've got to find my ways in. that I've got to find my ways in. And so scuba diving and that whole journey really became that for us. I'll also say- You're using your right arm, just so you know. It's out of the sling, it's making me nervous.

It's like a snake approaching. Now you're beginning to gesture with it. It doesn't hurt. Okay. I'm not a doctor. Because I'm leaving it on the table, it's like, there's no weight on it. I'm just a doctor. Because I'm leaving it on the table, it's like there's no weight on it, I'm just gonna push.

I can gesture with my hand. I need to gesture with my hand. And I also need to air out my armpit. That's why you took it out? Okay. It's just a little swampy in there. Thank you though. As long as I keep the right posture

and then I gesture like this. I just want that thing to heal. I need two arm to link. Me too. ASAP. Thank you for looking out for me. I'm good. I think this is actually a good place to be.

So the scuba diving journey was that. And also we started going to more concerts together. Like we went to the weekend, which you may have seen me on TikTok. Went to the Kendrick show. We went to a postie show and he got to meet him backstage and like, and got to meet Ski Mask the Slump God. You got to wear his medallion.

Yeah. So, you know, Lincoln and I do really connect over music, but like going to shows has taken that to a new level. So then he's bringing me shows like, hey, let's go to this. And then it's, sometimes it's like, well, I'm going to this with my friends, he's like, well, you know, if I can go to Lincoln,

I'll buy your ticket, is kind of like the deal. Pretty good. But I'm like, I'm also like, now if you want to do some of this friends is like, well, you know, if I can go to Lincoln, I'll buy your ticket, is kind of like the deal. Pretty good. But I'm also like, now if you wanna do some of this stuff without me there, or like, if you wanna have a little bit of separation, I totally understand. So it's like, I'm trying to be sensitive that like, of course I totally blend in.

Well, I mean, you kind of do. You seen the way you've been dressing? I mean, so the music thing is like a big connection for us. And so we have a good time going to those events together. So between that and the scuba diving, I'm kind of lumping that in together as like the year of like finding those connection points that there's time associated with it.

Like so much happens within the context of just like protecting time to be together. It's not about just saying the right things, having the right conversations. You gotta like set the, set the table, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. Which I definitely hear in your road trips, right?

Those experiences, it's like- With low pressure. Yeah. Where you can like exit dad mode and you can just like enjoy each other's company and have a common interest. So finding that has been, this was a defining year for us for that.

And I was talking at the dinner table last night and I was like, we're putting this episode together. And I was really happy that Lincoln was like, our concerts, that's what he said. Cause I was just kind of curious what everybody would bring up. And the fact that that's what he said, you know, he was, cause I was just kind of curious what everybody would bring up. And the fact that that's what he said, even above this, it's been more recent than scuba.

We're not in scuba mode because it's cold. I think he would have said that a few months ago. So like, it's like, yeah, yeah, this is registering with him as well. So it feels good, man. My number three is, the way I would describe it is us deciding to make decisions from the soul.

Okay, yes. And there's a lot to say here, but I don't want to say a lot. So essentially we've hinted at this a number of times that in 2023, we are making some changes in terms of the way we think about the content that we make. Obviously, we're gonna continue to make Good Mythical Morning.

We're gonna continue to make this podcast. He's gonna continue to make his podcast. We're gonna continue to be the founders and CEOs of Mythical Entertainment, which takes a lot of time. But what we have been doing over the past few years has been taking some of our most ambitious, creative ideas, and I would say our most concentrated creative energy

and focusing it into other projects that we try to get off the ground in a more traditional way, meaning a TV show, a film, putting together a pitch for a show. There's been scripts that have been written. There's been lots of worlds that have been built and developed, and these things take a lot of time. And there's things that we've been very passionate about.

And there are still a few of those things that are at some point in a process that may eventually result in it being a reality. But there's a series of things that happened this year. Some things I'll keep vague just because we need to, but there are some that we don't need to keep vague. You know, our Food Network show didn't get picked up again, right?

We did four episodes of it. Inside Eats. It didn't, we didn't get picked up again, right? We did four episodes of it. Inside Eats. It didn't, we didn't get any more of it. There's a number of reasons for that. Available on streaming. That are outside of our control. Maybe. But honestly, if I am honest about that project.

Be honest. While it was our thing in some ways, because it was developed in the context of a network, it was like make the show that Food Network wants us to make and then try to make it as Rhett and Linky as we possibly can, or as mythical as we can. You know, the final product ends up being something that ostensibly can work on Food Network,

which isn't necessarily something that we would have made from the get, right? It isn't necessarily a product that looks like it came from our soul is what I'm getting at. A number of things that were at certain points in development, we were told no. Finally, no, where no one's interested in this.

No, we don't wanna see this from you. No, we don't want you guys to make this thing. And then at the same time, we said no to something, an opportunity that we had, a big opportunity, an opportunity that could have significantly changed things for us and our lives. And we said no. And there's a lot of things that went into saying no.

And I think that one of the things that I've been thinking about a lot this year, and especially lately, and a lot of the things I've been reading, and I just finished Viktor Frankl's "'Man's Search for Meaning," which is a very short and compelling read. I recommend every, it's like four and a half hours

if you want to just listen to the article. I have read it. Yeah, and so, and I'm starting on this new book where this guy's kind of talking about the concept of Dharma, which is kind of like your life's calling and purpose. And I realized that me and you have always had a really clear sense of who we are

and what we are trying to do in the world. But many times in practice, we have executed things in a way that actually looked more like, this is what people want from us, rather than this is what we want to do, and this is what we want to make. And I don't wanna like over-promise and under-deliver.

I'm not saying that we're about to like create our magnum opus or something like that. But there's been a significant shift in my mind to thinking about the way that we are uniquely Rhett and Link and uniquely positioned to make things that only we can make. Not in a qualitative, or not in a make something better than everybody

or see it in a competitive way. Like we're on this competitive website and there's these new creators who are really popping off on the platform and we've got to get in the mix and we've got to do something new and we've got to innovate, which is the way've got to do something new and we've got to innovate, which is the way that I've thought

in the past a lot of times. But as I've gotten older, it's less about that and it's recognizing the opportunity that we have. The fact that we have this incredible audience, this incredible support group, this incredible, in many ways, friend group that are the Mythical Beasts that have decided that, I'm kind of into the idea that these guys

just try things with us and for us, and recognizing that those are the people that I want to be making things for. Because those are the people that are so supportive of us digging deep and sort of coming from things coming from the soul, like ideas and creative ideas and a creative expression that comes from the soul that only is a creative expression

that only we can make. And I'm very excited about what that means for the future of the content that we're gonna create. I love the fact that you decided to put this on the list. I didn't put it on the list because we're trying to figure out how we talk about the decisions that we've made. I think you did a really good job.

For the things that we have said no to, and for like the big decision that we made, ever since then, I have had this growing sense of excitement and you know what, just to go back to the way that we used to talk, just this piece about it, just feeling very much like, yes, we made the right choice. It wasn't an easy choice,

but when it had to be made, it was obvious. And yeah, I'm sorry to be vague, but I think the reason why I'm glad you mentioned it, even though we're deciding to keep it vague is because this was the year that we made that, which in some ways could be, you know, it is definitely one of the weightiest decisions we've ever made.

Oh yeah. Ever. And yeah, and to not look back and to feel like very confident that I'm never going to look back on that decision feels really good. And because we have so much to look forward to, that is everything that you said, that we're true to ourselves and realizing the amazing opportunity we have, that we are currently living our dream and that it's such a privilege. And again, it's that word opportunity. It's like you say you don't wanna over-promise and under-deliver, well, yeah, because we don't have the specific plans. We have lists and we're just starting this next phase of what we're going after.

And it's not specific at this point, but it's the right trajectory and it's exciting. And I'm in, you know, so sorry for being vague, but hopefully even with the vigarity of it, that it's not frustrating, but exciting for you listening to. The thing we cannot, that we cannot be vague about is we're going to be making internet videos.

Like we're going to be making content that we put on YouTube. Right. As opposed to spending all this time developing all these things that go into a boardroom somewhere. So that begins in 2023, but it's important that it's on this list for us

collectively because it's a 2022 decision. I mean, in some ways it's a culmination of everything we've done, but definitely over the past two years, you know, bringing us to this point. And I also think it's funny, there's a lot of little things that, a lot of it is just being at this stage in our career

and our lives and circumstances and that kind of thing. And you just start thinking like, what am I doing? Like, but just so you know, as this relates to Good Mythical Morning, you've probably already noticed this a little bit, but the way that we've been thinking about Good Mythical Morning more and more is how, Good Mythical Morning is our playground.

Good Mythical Morning is a framework in which we are just ourselves. We don't come up with, I mean, every once in a while, we'll come up with an idea for an episode, but the vast majority of the things that we do on Good Mythical Morning are ideas that our team generates. It's a format. And orchestrates. And so, and then we more and more have seen ourselves

as, you know, this podcast is a place where we come and we talk about life for a long time. We're experiencing life together. We're having these conversations, we're processing things. That's what it's gonna continue to be. If you wanna be around for it, you're welcome for it. We welcome you along for the ride. But it's not a gimmick.

It's not like, it's not a gimmick thing. It's just two guys who've known each other forever talking. That's what it is, right? And we don't want it to be something that it's not. Good Mythical Morning isn't this place for us to have this incredibly sophisticated, creative expression. It's a place for us to be ourselves and bring joy

and have an experience together to invite you into that experience. But the thing that we've been doing is this other huge piece of ourselves is this creative energy and passion, which ends up getting funneled into things. I mean, quite frankly, I think one of the reasons I ended up doing the James and the Shane thing

is not just because of all the like, like spiritual processing and angst that was sort of building up and needed to come out some way. But the reason it came out in a creative way is that sometimes I feel like this tank of creative energy and it has to offload somehow. It's gotta come out somewhere. It's gotta pop. Somebody's gotta come out somewhere.

Somebody's gotta open a valve. And this year the valve opened a little bit and out came this album. And you know, and then when you think about these other projects that we've spent this time, hours upon hours developing these worlds and these ideas, it was letting some of that creative steam off, but it was sending it into the ether to be forgotten.

And so I think it's like, we're taking that creative tank and we are hooking it up to a hose that ends on YouTube, on a screen that you can see the final product. And we don't exactly know what it looks like, but it's this sort of spiritual decision, soul decision that feels really exciting. And there are some ideas that we're excited about, but that's where everything's being funneled.

This brings me to my number three. I think that, like, I think my number three to couch it in everything that we just said is the deeply personal and relational aspect between the two of us. This podcast is a venue where we talk about our lives and arguably the deepest level of our friendship is on display, but there is a deeper level that is not on display

and that I'm not going to talk about in this number. But I just wanted to memorialize the fact that there was some key conversations that you and I had this year that everything that we just talked about in the previous point would not be possible without those conversations. That's true. And it was very formative.

It was very special. And I just wanted to acknowledge that. So that's, you know, to talk about being vague, like- I was gonna put that on my list as well, but I didn't know how to talk about it. Yeah, and I didn't put the last one on our list. So like, you know, that one-two punch, I'm glad that we covered it because yeah,

there's a part, we have a relationship that's not for anybody else, you know? And I think that- You mean our sexual relationship? That's kind of what you're making it sound like. Okay, no, it's not a sexual relationship. Don't give the Tumblr people anything they don't already have.

I mean, you can, any way you wanna try to interpret it, it's just like, I'm not inviting you to do that. That's kind of my point. Well, I think the way that I would characterize it is that we have our friendship, which is the backbone of this whole thing. There are times when, in fact, I think I can say this because I think it speaks to it.

One of the things we talked about is in the past, I remember specifically there was a question that we would get asked when we were on our Bleak Creek tour. I don't even know if it was part, it was a question. We ended up answering this question, maybe just because we get this question, what's the secret to a long fruitful friendship? And the way that I would always answer this question was,

I would say that, think about like a marriage and then people have this baby that they're raising together and that baby, as long as that kid is at home, and there is, think about it like a career that you're building together is like a baby that long as that kid is at home. And there is, think about it like a career that you're building together is like a baby that never leaves home. And so as long as that kid is home, you're both committed to that.

And you pointed out that that analogy, while made sense on one level, so if we've always got something that we're doing together, we've got something that brings us together, both circumstantially, like, well, we gotta show up at the same office every single day. Like, so there's no out of sight, out of mind with our friendship, which could happen with old friends.

Right. But we're always going to see each other. And so you don't get that. But then also there's like, hey, we got to, we have to get through our differences in order to work together on a common goal. So having a common goal was the way that I would characterize, I wouldn't say it was the secret,

but it was the one that I would bring up. And you made up, you made the point that I would characterize, I wouldn't say it was the secret, but it was the one that I would bring up. And you made the point that like, well, if you carry that analogy all the way through, well, the moment that the kid goes off to college, like if you've got a marriage that's just based on this common goal of raising a child and the kid goes off to college and you're empty nesters, and then you look at each other and you're like,

well, who the hell are we? Do we want to hang out? You made the point, which I very much appreciated, which was, and not that our friendship didn't, not that we haven't had a friendship, but that by thinking about it in this way versus thinking about the fact that we have a friendship that we have to cultivate,

that isn't always cultivated by the entertainment properties that we make together. Even a podcast like this, that is intensely personal and authentic and does serve a great friendship sort of bonding role. We have to have a friendship that exists outside of the common goals. And I think this year was a point,

and this is something that we've talked about and we've had difficult, very great conversations over the years, but I think that there was a pivotal moment this year where we had a more poignant, pointed conversation about it that I think was the most productive conversation that we've ever, like we've ever had about that specific thing.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So there it is. Super pivotal. I mean, yeah, I've already said my piece. So that's my number three. And now that, I mean, it could be number one now that, and it probably should at least be number two now that I'm thinking about it. I mean, listen.

Because I put like us hanging out with Post Malone. I knew you were gonna put that super high. As number two. I knew you, because I mean, listen, when you were there, I knew you were having the time of your life. And I think it's great. It's a top 10. I mean, it's definitely a top 10.

Yeah, but I'm officially switching those two. I'm putting this one at number two. It's tough to figure out the order. I'm putting this one at number two. My number two. Thank you for saying that. Which again, I've done a full episode on it, is dropping Locke off at college.

The specific moment I remember, which I don't know, I think I talked about this, but like we, we smoked a cigar together while walking around Miami. Like, well, like a little park area and like had like a celebratory cigar. And this is not my idea, this is Locke's idea. Yeah, I was about to say. Just so you know.

This is a Locke idea. He wants to have a cigar with me every time he sees me. He's, you know, he's 18, I remember about to say. Just so you know. This is a lockout. He wants to have a cigar with me every time he sees me. He's 18, I remember being this way. And yeah, I think that this has been, you know, just for all the reasons that I talked about in the episode, you know, you got this kid, you got, they've been a part of your family, a part of your household for 18 years,

and then they're off, living their own life. And you're talking to them on the phone on a regular basis. And I have seen him multiple times since then. But that was a super substantial moment in my life and his life and our family's life. So it's gonna stand out forever. That moment when I wanted to have my moment with him and Jesse was like putting something in the trailer,

giving us something to take to the trash. Don't bring that part up again. And we didn't have our moment. We all yelled at her. That was your moment? Yeah, yeah, I'll never forget that. I'll never forget that, Jesse'll never forget that, Jesse. Oh, that's great.

Okay, so I'm down to my number one, which I did talk about, so I don't have to go through all of it again, but when mom's husband, Louis, passed away this year, I spent that whole week after his passing with my mom. And it was like, I did not anticipate how formative to our relationship that would be. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

You know, I wanted to be there for her, but then the quality of the time that we spent together, like, you know, just me and her every night, you know, basically having a sleepover at a point where she was going through such a tremendous loss. Our relationship, it just became like something that we will never forget. Like whenever we talk on the phone, even if it's just, you know, once or twice a month, like whenever it comes, like usually it'll still come up, you know, it's like, it's something that we both hang on to.

And yeah, I know she'll never forget it. I'll never forget it. It was extremely special. And again, I don't take the credit for it. I think it was just, you make a decision to just be there. You know, there's like this time thing. You just kind of make yourself available. And then sometimes magical things can happen.

And that's what happened in my relationship with my mom. And so, you know, when I put everything in perspective this year, it's like, the moments that, and I, you know, I hear this in the things that you said too, and I know you're not to your number one, but like, I'm just giving the summary, I guess my summary is that like, the moments that mean so much to us are so relational.

You know, it's like, it just, all of a sudden you realize that you've opened up, it's like you're spelunking and you've opened up, you've come into a, you're in this little tight area and then you're in this huge, beautiful cavern that you couldn't have anticipated was there. And being able, this year was, I mean, I had that experience in so many relationships

with my dad, with my mom, with my son, with my therapist, you know? And it's, you know, it's, you don't have to have it with everybody that I love very deeply, you know? It's like, maybe that's not, Christy and I had some amazing experiences this year and like, we're,

we have such a rewarding relationship. Like I feel like, well, shouldn't there be something on my list there? It's like, actually, no, there doesn't have to be. I'm hedging a little bit because I know that you and Jesse, that your number one is Jesse, but like I'll leave it at that.

Well, no, actually, you know what? I've changed it. My number one is the week I spent with your mom after you left. Oh, fuck you, man. Damn. That was hilarious. Oh, that's funny.

My number one is Mythicon in general. And then specifically the James and the Shane performance. And then even within that is the moment that Jessie was with me on stage. And even with that, in that, the moment where she sang the opera. Where she sang the high notes in Kill a Man and we had to stop because people wouldn't stop clapping.

Okay, yeah. in the high notes in Kill a Man and we had to stop because people wouldn't stop clapping. Okay, yeah. You know, I think that this in many ways ties back into, I mean, first of all, it was like, I think one of the things that we're kind of discovering is that there are these, to continue to just use more analogies

because since we like to use those so much, is just like with each experience, you're like laying a brick, you're building something, right, what are you building, you know? And sometimes you realize that, oh, shit, I just finished the house, like this thing, I didn't even know what I was building, and by investing in something, it might be a skill,

it might be a relationship, it might be an experience that you have. You're building something and then there's a result. And it's not always good. Sometimes you're building bad things. Sometimes you're investing in the wrong relationship, the wrong tendency, the wrong habit, and then you realize what,

then you gotta get in that house and live in it. And I think that, not that we don't do that, but that these are our highlights for the most part. So we're talking about the good house that we've built. But to me, that moment kind of represents this, all these investments that I've had the privilege of making. And I think it ties back into my number three, which is this decision to like do things more from the soul

because that moment when I was performing, doing something that I really have no right to do. I mean, who has a right to do anything, but you know. Especially you. You know, okay, yeah. Let's just focus on you. I made some internet videos and- Right. Now I right to do. Who has a right to do anything? But you know. Especially you. You know, okay, yeah. Let's just focus on you. I made some internet videos and now I get to make country songs and make country music.

But the way that it was received, and the fact is is that it could totally suck and it would still be well received, I mean, to a certain degree. But there's this freedom, you know, and to see Jessie experience it, to have this, like she was so nervous about getting up on stage, as we talked about,

and then to see the reception and the warmth and the support that comes from the Mythical Beasts, to me, it was just this reminder that so often I get into a place where I think about how you do something in a way that makes it a success in the broadest way possible. That you impress the most people. And what are the factors by which you judge something being a success to the most people. And what are the factors by which you judge something

being a success to the most people? Well, numbers. We're obsessed with numbers. How many followers do you have? How many views did that get? How much money did it make? And we've been pretty damn good at playing that game for a really long time, right?

We know how to engineer things in such a way so that they get numbers and it generates money. But one of the things that has come about is this freedom. And I think that that moment of being up there, having written these songs and bringing Jessie and having her perform them with me and being so well received with this sort of giant check mark or endorsement on

you're moving in the right direction. When you think about doing things more from an authentic place of like, who you could, the only thing you can be is yourself, right? You can try to be what you think other people want you to be. And I've spent a lot of time doing that as a three, as Enneagram three.

But to me, I think that, I don't know, there's just a series of events and that one encapsulates it the most of like the, this kind of the riskiest thing that I did this year was decide to do this music and to do it in the context of this family that has sort of gathered around our content and to see that, oh man, like, yeah, you can take a chance like that.

If you go, if you move, if you move into the heart and get out of the head a little bit and lean into it and create something from that place, what can happen? And that's where all my excitement is in that right now. Not specifically my music, I mean, I'm still writing songs and I'll release more music, but like that's, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about everything as it relates to

us creating things and what we're gonna do next as it relates to me as an individual person and the way I show up in the world, the way that I show up in relationships. Thinking about how does that come more from a soul place and a place of authenticity rather than just a, I'm trying to fit somebody's expectations and trying to appear a certain way. That's a good number one.

That's my number one. Man, this has always been so rewarding. My rec is do the same. We always say this in these episodes, you know, it takes a little bit of work. Go through your photos for this whole year. Jog your memory. Actually make a list of the things that were special to you.

And then if you, you know, talking about it or writing down something beside each thing is kind of a next level of reward that like I think we just experienced. So that's my recommendation for you to do the same thing. And if you want to share anything with us that can show up at the end of another episode, as always, you can respond by leaving us a voicemail. 1-888-EAR-POD-1.

Or use hashtag Ear Biscuits, wherever hashtags are hashed. So have a good New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, because this is the last episode of 2022. But we will be back with another episode of Ear Biscuits on January 9th, 2023. Love ya. This is Tyler from Kansas City, Missouri. I'm talking to you from my car. Tyler from Kansas City, Missouri. I'm talking to you from my car. I just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate you and listening to you guys for about 10 years now. I listen to your bicycles every time I drive. Dad passed away in 2014, and the majority of what helped me was listening to you guys. Love you. Hey, what's up, Rhett and Link? It's your boy, Rick. I just finished my first day out alone on a job.

I use a whole bunch of tools, a whole bunch of stuff you got to know and do. And I didn't grow up learning all that stuff, man. Let's say I was shaking in my boots all day, man. Actually, I wasn't because I just turned on some ear biscuits, had my little ear pod in. And, man, I just listened the way you kept me calm all day, man. I appreciate it, thank y'all, thank y'all. Hey Rhett, hey Link, love your guys' videos, this is so cool, I don't know what I'm gonna do, can you put this on the internet, I'm really, I didn't know what I was gonna say, I just called the number, I heard the episode, you should put this on the episode, or not, you guys are the boss, love you, bye.