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Tracy
Guys, thanks for helping me carry my Christmas tree.
Host (possibly Bert)
Zoey, this thing weighs a ton.
Ramona
Drew Ski, lift with your legs, man.
Tracy
Santa.
Ramona
Santa, did you get my letter?
Host (possibly Bert)
He's talking to you britches. I'm not.
Ramona
Of course he did.
Host (possibly Bert)
Right, Santa, you know my elf, Drew Ski here. He handles the nice list. And elf, I'm six' three. What everyone wants is iPhone 17 and at T Mobile. You can get it on them. That center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. Right, Mrs. Claus?
Tracy
Hi, Mrs. Claus. Claus, much younger sister.
Ramona
And AT T Mobile, there's no trade in needed when you switch.
Tracy
So you can keep your old phone.
Host (possibly Bert)
Or give it as a gift.
Ramona
And the best part, you can make.
Host (possibly Bert)
The switch to T mobile from your.
Tracy
Phone in just 15 minutes.
Jeff
Nice.
Host (possibly Bert)
My side of the tree is slipping. Kimber, the holidays are better. AT T Mobile, switch in just 15 minutes and get iPhone 17 on us with no trade in needed. And now T mobile is available in U.S. cellular stores with sweetheart monthly bill credits for well qualified customers plus tax and $35 vice connection charge credits and imbalance too. If you pay off earlier, cancel finance agreement to 256 gigs. $830. Eligible for it in a new line. $100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Check out 15 minutes or less per line. Visit t mobile.com hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday. Because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price.
Ramona
So that means a half day.
Melissa
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent.
Ramona
To $15 new customer offer for first three months only. Speed Flowouter, 35 gigabytes of network spizzy. Taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com.
Host (possibly Bert)
The Birch show how you doing today, Trace? You seem a little down. You all right?
Tracy
Yeah, I've been down for a while. I don't know, I'm going through a funk.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah, yeah, it's going through a couple of tough things. The dad thing's not working out so well.
Tracy
No, my dad just keeps sending me bible links.
Jeff
Oh God.
Host (possibly Bert)
Care about this?
Jeff
Yeah, we were just talking about it off the air. This is a rough time for Tracy.
Host (possibly Bert)
Really rough.
Jeff
Her dad's really struggling with her growing up and being an adult and still sees her as a little seven year old in pigtails.
Host (possibly Bert)
And we detailed, I mean in depth the last couple of weeks of this fight that she's in with her dad right now. Cause she moved in with this guy named Scott, and her dad didn't know about it for a year and a half and just found out about it. And now he's like. Hasn't talked to her at all, but is just emailing her different Bible links.
Tracy
Scott thinks I should email him back. Just, like, random links to, like, movie times and stuff.
Ramona
Cause he's like, what the hell?
I like that idea.
Jessica
I thought Jessica had the idea of emailing him back the link to the famous Bible book of, hey, you got divorced once.
Tracy
Well, no, he didn't get divorced. He got his marriage annulled, which means that that's accepted in the Catholic Church, which basically, yeah, he was.
Host (possibly Bert)
However, he did live with a woman before they got married, Correct?
Tracy
Correct. He is still paying for his sins, and there are consequences to his actions, and there will be consequences.
Host (possibly Bert)
And what did he say about your boyfriend, Scott?
Tracy
Oh, he. He asked why Scott did not. Did not call him and ask if it was okay with my father that we did this. And I said I didn't think it was Scott's responsibility to call because you are my father and this is my relationship. And therefore, I thought it would be my, you know, it's my place to call you and tell you this. And he says, it's just like the modern man to let the woman fall on the knife for him.
Jeff
Did you tell Scott that yet?
Tracy
Yeah, I told him.
Jeff
You did?
Host (possibly Bert)
We told you not to tell him.
Jessica
Don't tell him that.
Tracy
You just brought it up on the radio.
Host (possibly Bert)
He doesn't listen to us.
Tracy
Yes, he does.
Jessica
You could have said, I'm not gonna tell him that.
Host (possibly Bert)
Why did you tell him this weekend? We across the board said, don't tell.
Tracy
Him because I tell him everything.
Jessica
He'll never be able to face your father again. If Jessica's dad ever said that about me, I would never. It would. The relationship would have to end.
Melissa
Wow. Just like the modern man.
Tracy
Oh, well, that's what I wrote back. And I said, I don't know if it's so much as the modern man or a barbaric and archaic view to think that my man needs to fight my battles with my father for me.
Host (possibly Bert)
So Tracy's gone through a tough time the last couple of weeks, and her boyfriend Scott is like, in back to quarter life crisis. Back to the. Well, this is like, a great example. We're gonna talk to Ramona here in a second. But you're a perfect example. Of what happens during like one of these quote unquote quarter life crises. And you know, Scott, her boyfriend is how old?
Tracy
26.
Host (possibly Bert)
And he's in just the process of really like working his way up the corporate ladder. So he's busting his ass all the time. She's barely seeing him. So she's in a fight with her dad over a relationship with a guy that she's barely even seeing. Even though she knows that the relationship is right, she's going through this crappy time right now.
Tracy
Yeah, it sucks. I'm in a total funk and I can't get out of it.
Host (possibly Bert)
I'm sorry, man. That's all right. Hey, Ramona.
Ramona
Hi. What's up guys?
Host (possibly Bert)
Do these sound like symptoms of the quarter life crisis?
Ramona
Yeah, that will be my diagnosis as well.
Host (possibly Bert)
You're going through kind of the same thing right now.
Ramona
I'm really going through it. Hard times.
Host (possibly Bert)
Go ahead and give us some details.
Ramona
Well.
As of a couple weeks ago, I was. Had a really cool job, you know, like my first kind of grown up job. I was engaged to a great guy. He's really wonderful. And I just lately, I mean, it's actually been for the past few months. I'm just starting to have doubts about everything. Career, you know, my place in the world type of thing. And I kind of feel like I've been slowly. It sounds weird, but maybe I don't know if I'm falling out of love with him. And also I'm realizing I'm totally not ready to get married at all. I haven't done enough. I still need to get my degree. I haven't traveled. I don't want to have kids right now. So I kind of just quit my job, you know, talking about climbing up the corporate ladder. I jumped off and broke up with my fiance. And now I'm just. I think I'm just gonna move to California and stay with my parents and go to school.
Host (possibly Bert)
So this complete, like life change right now. And you're how old?
Ramona
I'm sorry, I'm 25.
Host (possibly Bert)
25 years old.
Jeff
Perfect for the quarter life crisis. I felt like I kind of went through a similar thing around 25 and 26 too. Like I had a lot of friends that after college they went to go find themselves, you know, and they were working at the ski resort out in Colorado and, you know, wearing their Birkenstocks and going to a whole lot of widespread panic shows and thought that that was them, you know, finding themselves and that sort of thing. And I didn't. I started my first job five days after graduation from college and started working and haven't stopped since. And So I, at 25, I was going through that same struggle. Like, okay, everybody, like a lot of my friends who had gone and done that, I felt like maybe had gained something that I didn't gain because I was working, you know. You know, working, you know, 60 hours a week trying to make. Make a name for myself and, you know, in this town and in this city and just going crazy and felt like, who am I? What am I doing? Have I just been moving too fast, like, with blinders on, not to discover myself and all that, but I think with me sticking through it, coming out on the other end, realizing that. I think that, that my friends that went to go find themselves, you know, on the ski slopes in Colorado will eventually go through what I went through. I just went through it earlier.
I think it's a realization that life's not going to be as dreamy as you had hoped it was when you were philosophizing about the world in college.
Ramona
I've been in the same industry since I was 18, like financial services. And I just, I don't hate it. I just kind of just fell into it. It's really the only job I can get, make a decent living without having a degree. If I decide to change careers, I kind of just need to go back to school. And then a few. Like, before I quit, I was starting to get really nervous. I was having panic attacks at work, just. And I just kind of quit. And I just quit via email. That's how bad it was.
Jessica
Oh, God.
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh, come on.
Ramona
Yeah, I kind of left them hanging. I was like, you know, I'm not feeling good.
Host (possibly Bert)
That's like what you do when you're at 16 and you're working at Taco Bell.
Ramona
It's really like, childlike. But I cannot. If I, I. My health, like, I really couldn't stay there a day longer. I was just having issues.
Melissa
Come on now.
That'S an excuse. Quarter life crisis in this scenario is an excuse. I mean, because you should have. I mean, you got. You're an adult. You're an adult now.
Host (possibly Bert)
See, I still see. Well, let me take calls on this and we'll get back to it. But is there really such thing as a quarter life crisis for a woman? Good morning, Christina. You're on all the hits. Q100.
Ramona
Good morning. I do think that there is such thing as a quarter life crisis. However, I'm the same age as your caller, and if this is the first real job she's had. She just needs to wake up and face reality because I mean, it's growing up, it's a part of life. I'm 25, I've been working since I was 16. I've been on my own since I was 19. And like I said, if this is the first real time she's had to be out on her own and experience this stuff, she's very fortunate. But I mean, grow up, don't quit over email. Suck it up. You're an adult, get your foot out there, open the doors and make a life for yourself. You have to deal with the punches that come to you. Right. I've been actually down my own since I was 19. I've been in the same industry since I was, I was, you know, I started as a bank teller, worked my way up to like, I'm now like financial advisor. So I've been working in the same, almost basically the same position for seven years. I do not want to be in here anymore. Like I want to, I've always wanted to teach. You know, in the situation. I'm with my fiance, he has his degree, he's going back to get his masters. Basically I would have to almost support him while he goes back to school. I won't have my degree for a long time. He wants to have kids after we get married. I'm totally not ready to have kids. So no, I've been on my own for a while. I moved out of the house when I was 19.
Host (possibly Bert)
You know, go ahead, Jeff.
Jessica
If you Google quarter life crisis, it's like a real syndrome and it's. Everyone that's in here is related to career.
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh really?
Jessica
Where people are sitting around in their job and all of a sudden they, they're like, where am I going to be in five years? This is wrong. And women, the ones I found have focused on women. Women all of a sudden go like a totally new life and they completely quit whatever industry they're working in and find a new.
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, now's a great time because how many people, women, men, do you know that are 40 years old and at that 24 year old time period decided to stay in the job that they didn't like anyway. But it was, it was making, you were making some money and it started to feel comfortable and, and now they're looking back at their life at 40 years old going, damn, I should have changed things at 24. It would have been so easy.
Ramona
I totally want to change like before it's too late. I feel like before I'm like in my 50s and going, what did I.
Melissa
Do with myself before it's too late? She's 25.
Host (possibly Bert)
But I think that's real though. You feel that way.
Ramona
And the money was good, but I mean, I'm starting to realize, you know, I'm not. My goals aren't about acquiring assets and making a lot of money. You know, I just kind of want to do something I'm happy at. Right. I'm miserable at my job. I was miserable.
Host (possibly Bert)
Good morning, Natalie. You're on all the hits. Q100.
Ramona
Hey, I'm in the middle of reading the Quarter Life Crisis right now, and it's for both men and women.
Host (possibly Bert)
That's the name of a book.
Ramona
It is called the Quarter Life Crisis.
Host (possibly Bert)
Okay.
Ramona
It was two women that wrote it and they're in their early 30s now. Talking about the prime time to go through it is the age 23, 24, right out of college. And it's a lot of interviewing from other people. So it's just showing that the real life queer life crisis going through everybody's individual life.
Jessica
So.
It'S actually already linked up on a website.
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh, it is. Oh, great.
Tracy
Does it give advice on how to get over?
Ramona
Just basically tells you that you're going to have to get over it. You're going to have to move on. This is part of life and you just got to deal with it. I mean, it's. It's almost like it's another part of a chapter opening. You just. It's not like it's a bad thing. It's just a moving on thing and moving forward.
Host (possibly Bert)
It just sounds like the tweener stage, like where you were younger and you were out partying and you could live pretty irresponsibly and you're not quite the responsible adult yet either.
Tracy
I think it's part of that, but I think it's the fact that you have such high expectations for your life and then you realize that what would.
Ramona
It say to do? I don't like, you know, I've actually already taken action. Me and my fiance over. I'm like homeless right now. I had to move out of our apartment. I quit my job and like, I'm moving to California asap. I don't have anybody to drive with. I'm kind of scared to drive by myself. But, you know, it's kind of already done for me.
Tracy
You just broke up with your fiance and quit your job, but you're afraid to drive?
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, cross country to a place. Well, I guess your parents are there.
Tracy
But still That's a pretty. I mean, she's taken some pretty bold moves so far. Driving across the country would be the least of my fears.
Ramona
Well, I just, you know, I've seen too many things. I've heard some road horror stories, so I'm a little apprehensive about that.
Host (possibly Bert)
Ramona, I'm gonna put you on with Keya here. Then I'm gonna put you on. Rachel, who doesn't believe this quarter life crisis is a real thing at all?
Ramona
Okay, bring it on first.
Host (possibly Bert)
Kia. Hey, Kia.
Ramona
Hey, Bertra. How y' all doing?
Host (possibly Bert)
Great, thank you.
Ramona
I think you hit it on the nose. God, I wish I could be irresponsible again. I swear, I do not want to go to work right now, but I have to. I mean, it's like, come on. I think that one. She needs to call her fiance back. Do you know how hard it is to find a good man? Girl, you better hold on to him. And second of all, I think that she. I mean, she's like, in a tug of war. She doesn't want to be. She wants to be a child, but she has to be an adult. You cannot go running back to Mommy and Daddy, suck it up, do what you got to do.
Tracy
But if she's not happy in her career and she wasn't happy in her relationship, I think that she's not happy.
Ramona
In her career at this age. You have to work yourself up there to get there. Go to school at night. You have to. You have to sacrifice.
Host (possibly Bert)
That's a fine line there, though, because you don't want to be stuck in a job that you don't like and continue to do it.
Ramona
I mean, you have to. Everyone's going through this. Act like she's someone special. You're just like everyone else. And you're going to go to Florida, you're going to leech. I mean, California. You're going to leech off your parents for who knows how long. Stay here and do what you got to do. You're going to be a better person when you come through it. Trust me.
Tracy
I don't think so. I think she's going to end up being miserable and then wish that she had taken the steps when she was younger.
Ramona
And Victor's a good man and everything, but, I mean, like, I'm just. Wasn't. It wasn't right. And if I had stayed with him, we would have got divorced. It's better now, before anything happened. Then a year into the marriage, where I decided that, you know, I haven't really been in Love with you. You're a great guy, and I married you because you're a great guy and you make a perfect husband. But no, I'm glad that we broke up. And, you know, as far as mooching off, my parents, you know, they're. They're really open to it. I moved out really fast, so, you know, they're willing to help me out while I go to school.
Host (possibly Bert)
What is the age for women that it is absolutely unacceptable for you to move back in with your par. Unless something totally tragic in your life happens?
Melissa
I graduate from college. You're an adult. I know. I think 20. I think she's. I think it's wrong for her to run back to mom and dad at 25.
Tracy
Whatever. When I graduated from college, I was like $30,000 in debt, and I was. Wasn't making that much a year, and I couldn't. Melissa. I couldn't even afford to pay rent even if I had four roommates. What was I supposed to do?
Melissa
I mean, I, you know what? I had been.
Jessica
Jewel lived in her van.
Melissa
I had, you know, the thing is, like, I had cars repossessed. I got evicted from places because. Because I was broke in my 20s and never once borrowed money from my parents because I was an adult, and it was my choice to be in the situations I was in. If I was in debt in college, that was my fault, which I had credit card debt coming out of college. And you know what? And I never went back to my parents because I was an adult and they taught me that. I mean, it was my responsibility.
Ramona
The plan is maybe just to stay with my parents for maybe a year and then just to kind of save some money and everything. Plus, you know, I want to move back to California. All of my family's in California. I have nobody out here. I had his family, and that's it. And I have a couple of my really good girlfriends out here. But, you know, it's also to be kind of closer to my family. I didn't really have anybody out here.
Jessica
Hold on.
Host (possibly Bert)
One secular Ramona. Hey, Rachel, you don't. You don't buy this whole quarter life crisis thing?
Ramona
Well, I understand the whole quarter life crisis concepts, and I think in Tracy's situation, that it's probably pretty valid because she is working and she is trying to make life for herself, and she does try and sustain a relationship. But quite frankly, I'm disgusted by these girls who are my age and even older who are using a quarter life crisis as an excuse to be immature and impulsive. This Whole crap with quitting your job over an email and dumping your boyfriend because you need to find yourself. It's called life. Grow up. You have to be an adult. You're supposed to go out there and make a life for yourself. Nobody said that life was going to be easy. I just graduated from college in May. I. I am now 24 years old. I started a job at a law firm. Nine days after I walked across that stage and got my diploma. Why? Because I decided, you know what? It's time for me to be an adult. This is the next phase of my life. I control my own destiny, and nobody can do it but me. So sitting there and making excuses for it is ridiculous. And nobody is going to hand you your life on a silver platter. It's called suck it up and work for what you get. I, you know, in my sense, I feel like I'm being a little bit brave. The only thing I'm doing is quitting a job that I detest. Absolutely detest. I know. I don't want to do this anymore.
Jessica
Why did you do it by email? Because I think that's a sticking point for a lot of people.
Ramona
Because I was just like, I could not go to work because she was scared. That's a cowardly thing to do.
Jessica
How did you break?
Ramona
And I was panicked, you know, I mean, I was. Seriously, it sounds really bad. I had to go to the doctor. I would go to go to work and just freak out, you know, and then my fiance just did not want me to go to work another day.
Jessica
Was that freak out? Was that a medically diagnosed freakout? Or was that, like, I knew you.
Ramona
Were going to be mean? I'm not being mean.
Jessica
I'm just asking, like, you know, just.
Ramona
Know, like, serious panic attacks, like Tony Soprano on the Sopranos. Like, it was, you know, just anxiety attacks. So, you know, and that was. And I. And I really regret, you know, quitting by email. That was really immature. I let my co workers down. It's. It's done, though. And I freaked out, and I was kind of scared about that.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hold on, Ramonica.
Ramona
Different ways to handle something. Like, you don't quit a job until you have another one because you have bills. You don't break up with your fiance to the point where you don't have a place to live anymore. That's just ignorant. I mean, that's funny, being an adult. Stay with him because I need a place to live. No, but there's a different way to handle it. Saying, you know, I think I'm Falling out of love with you or I think that, you know, I need some time to myself, to find myself because I don't want to go into a marriage because it would be unfair to both of us. But until I find myself, until I have a place where I can live on my own and until I get my feet under me. Can you. You know.
I don't know. I don't want to work on it. We went through a discussion, you know, it's just best that we break up. And I'm not gonna stay there because I need a place to live. And it's also unfair to him for me to. We're asleep. I mean, we have a one bedroom. It's not. It's not practical for me to stay there when we're broken up. It was best for me to move out if we're not together. And I do have, you know, my friends I can stay with for a few weeks.
Tracy
I just can't believe that we're telling or that Melissa and that some of these callers are telling this girl that if you're not happy with your job, suck it up, because that's life. Like, what kind of advice is that?
Melissa
Well, you have to suck it up until you find a better job. The fact that she quit via email because she just could not be there one more day, I think is immature.
Tracy
Absolutely immature. Quitting via email is immature. And I think the way that she quit. Yes, but if you're not. If you're stuck in a life and you're not happy with your fiance and you're not happy with your job and you just can't stand it any.
Melissa
My thing is that you are expecting. But you were expecting a job to satisfy you 100% and you were naive to think it ever will. It's not.
Tracy
No. But if she's only being satisfied 20% and it's possible that she can find another job that's going to satisfy her 80%, why on earth should she stay in that career and then run away.
Melissa
From Atlanta and go to California and live with her parents for a year until she finds something? I do think it's immature.
Host (possibly Bert)
I think it's just these are tricky years for women here because you're changing so much in these years from 21 to like 25, that was totally acceptable to you. At 21 or 22, you're just a different person. That's not gonna like the same thing. So why would you stay in a job if.
Tracy
But she has no responsibilities. Her only responsibility is to herself. She doesn't have any.
Host (possibly Bert)
I'm agreeing with you, Tracy.
Tracy
Okay.
Host (possibly Bert)
I do. I don't agree with breaking up, you know, or, or leaving your job via email, but I said that was pretty stupid. Yeah, that was really pretty stupid.
Ramona
And I can't take. If I could take it back, I would, but I can't. It's done, over. And it's totally out of character for me, too, you know.
Jessica
But, hey, Melissa, the bottom line is we're arguing this and we can argue and Melissa can argue that you're, you know, you're being immature and you're handling it wrong, and then people can call up and defend you and say, so she's doing it fine. But I. The bottom line is, in 24 months, she's going to be a totally different person.
Host (possibly Bert)
Sure.
Jessica
Like, it's not going to, like, this is irrelevant. You know what I mean? This is so.
Host (possibly Bert)
I don't think it's irrelevant because I think if you don't ask yourself the questions and ask you are where you are in life, then in two years it becomes irrelevant because you have to ask.
Melissa
But the thing is, you're going to ask yourself different questions. My point is you're always going to ask yourself questions. It doesn't. 25 is not the.
Jessica
But what difference does it make at.
Melissa
25 are not going to be the decisions that you're going to stay with at 30 or stay with at 30 changing.
Jessica
If she asks these questions in Atlanta or California, like, who cares?
Melissa
Well, that's my. I think that going to California, I think. I agree with. I think it's a. She's running away from something. California is not going to be the pinnacle of happiness that you could do it in Atlanta.
Jeff
I don't understand what you're saying, Jeff. I don't get your point.
Jessica
The bottom line is everybody, everyone in the world has had the thought, I'm just going to give it all up and go do something else. Like, I'm, like, I'm done with it. Whether it's, you know, in college and it's your major that you're talking about, whether it's high school, making a decision to go to college or when you get out and you get in your career, everybody makes. And every. Some people say, you know what? No, the responsible thing to do is to stay here and suck it up and pay my bills. Then some people say, no, screw it, I'm gonna go live with my parents in California for two years. But the bottom line is she is like, the lessons of life are gonna be learned. No matter where you are. And she's 24 years old. Like who? Like who? Like, you can't.
Ramona
I can't.
Melissa
But my concern.
Jessica
Argue that she should. There's. I have no basis of saying, like, I can't argue for her because if I make the argument like Melissa is so you know, that she's being immature and she shouldn't go, it's going to be irrelevant because in two years she's going to be a different person.
Host (possibly Bert)
When are you planning on taking off for California?
Ramona
Asap, it looks like I'm. I mean, the way it's going right now, looks like I'm going to drive by myself.
Jeff
So you might enjoy the time by yourself. I mean, certainly be careful and all that stuff, but, you know, you take your time and, you know, make sure you're safe driving and all that stuff. But it might be good to be alone.
Host (possibly Bert)
Call us on your way out to California. When you're in the car on the way to California, we'd love to talk to you and see how you're feeling.
Ramona
And I really love your show. I listen to it every day.
Host (possibly Bert)
So thanks. You can still get us from California.
Ramona
Okay.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, Ramon.
Ramona
Bye. Bye.
Host (possibly Bert)
See you later. The Bird show.
Tracy
The holidays are coming and I've got a Boost Mobile gift just for you.
Ramona
A.
Tracy
For me, Anna?
Jeff
Yes, Anna, you deserve a gift.
Tracy
The Boost Mobile unlimited plan is just.
Ramona
$10 a month for the first two months.
Tracy
Then $25 a month forever with unlimited data, talk and text.
Melissa
It's a gift.
Ramona
Thanks, Anna.
Tracy
Anytime, Anna.
Host (possibly Bert)
The holidays are here and the best gift is for you. Offer valid@boostmobile.com after your first two months, you'll pay $25 a month unless you go online or call to cancel. Requires auto pay.
Tracy
Guys, thanks for helping me carry my Christmas tree.
Host (possibly Bert)
Zoe, this thing weighs a ton.
Ramona
Live with your legs, man.
Tracy
Santa.
Ramona
Santa, did you get my letter?
Host (possibly Bert)
He's talking to you, Bridges. I'm not.
Ramona
Of course he did.
Host (possibly Bert)
Right, Santa, you know my elf, Drew Ski here. He handles the nice list. And elf, I'm six' three. What everyone wants is iPhone 17 and at T Mobile, you can get it on them. That center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. Right, Mrs. Claus?
Tracy
I'm Mrs. Claus much younger sister.
Ramona
And AT T Mobile, there's no trade.
Host (possibly Bert)
In needed when you switch, so you.
Tracy
Can keep your old phone or give.
Ramona
It as a gift. And the best part, you can make the switch to T Mobile from your phone in just 15 minutes.
Jessica
Nice.
Host (possibly Bert)
My side of the tree is slipping. Kimber, the Holidays are better at T Mobile switch in just 15 minutes and get iPhone 17 on us with no trade in needed. And now T Mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 month legal credits for well qualified customers plus tax and $35 device connection charge credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel financing agreement. 256 gigs $830 eligible Ford in a new line $100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Check out 15 minutes or less per line. Visit t mobile.com hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price. So that means a half day.
Jeff
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent.
Ramona
To $15 per month required new customer.
Host (possibly Bert)
Offer for first 3 months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks.
Ramona
Busy taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com.
Host (possibly Bert)
I was just telling these guys that my friend Susie came down from Philadelphia to visit Stacy and I over the she was really complaining because she works for the government up there and some like crime. She's a consultant to the crime, some crime specialist unit thing. It was so complicated I didn't even understand it. And she's got like this MBA at Harvard and she's a real brainiac and a real thinker and the first year that she was in this job, she loved it. It was so invigorating for her every single day to go into work. But then there was a management change there and everybody in her department pretty much.
They need to keep the department but there's just not enough work to go around and they don't want to start losing people. So everybody in her department literally goes in every day and nobody does any work at all. I mean nothing. She's taking pilates in the middle of the day. She's leaving for hours at a time. Nobody questions it. She gets a paycheck every two weeks because they don't want to lose the department. But she's going out of her mind because she hasn't done a lick of work in over a year. Now Tammy is on the voice disguiser, not her real name. Hey Tammy, you can relate to this.
Ramona
Oh yes, I got a job. You know, I've pretty much been like an office manager, administrative assistant for the last 15 years I guess. And anyway, the last One, this man, I went into his company and he said he just bought three companies, and I was going to run them all out of a central, big office. You know, this big office style. There's empty furniture with like five offices, but nobody works there. So when he says he's gonna have this generated here and generated there, well, what he did was, I think he did buy the companies, and all he got me to do was just do collections. Well, eventually, after I collected everything, I find out he's got a divorce. He's moved to Florida. But he still wants me to come to that office and take calls. So in the meantime, I have my husband there. We do it on the conference table. We have candlelight dinners, and we eat conference in the sp.
He's the farthest to know. A payroll company does no payroll. So, you know, I get my paycheck courier to the office. It's in an office building where it has a deadbolt on the door. So nobody will come there and do any fake delivery if they couldn't come in. So it's like, I can take. If, you know, my stepson, if he comes and stays with us, I can take him there. I mean, I can do anything I want. I can leave.
Tracy
I can come.
Ramona
And then that's where I learned how to just forward my cell phone call, just in case he calls. They'll call once every few weeks, you.
Host (possibly Bert)
Know, and he's in Florida, so he's never in the office, so you can do whatever you want. And how long has this been going on?
Ramona
About nine months.
Host (possibly Bert)
You haven't worked in nine months.
Melissa
I'm still stuck on you doing it on the conference.
Oh, yeah.
Ramona
Friends just love it, you know, they ask, well, can I buy your office?
Host (possibly Bert)
Are you bored out of your mind, or is this a situation that you're not so upset with?
Ramona
Oh, no, no. He's gonna go out of business. I mean. I mean, I collected all the money he can collect. Now he has so many collectors out of him, I'm just pretty much waiting for him to shut the door.
Host (possibly Bert)
Right. Yeah. So you're just riding it out right now. All right, Tim. I'm just.
Ramona
I'm riding it out.
Host (possibly Bert)
Thank you for calling.
Melissa
Yeah, that's a whole other conversation about intimacy in the workplace, but, yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
Another time.
Melissa
Another time.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, Tim needs to be on the voice disguiser also. Hey, Tim. Hey. Hey. How are you?
Ramona
Great. I've got probably the best push job. It's been going on for more than 10 years. I show up, I barely work in the mornings, and I do like a split shift, and usually during the afternoons I go drink beers and stuff and come back in the afternoon. Nobody really even knows what I do around the office. And I'm basically all by myself in my own department. And I've been doing this for over 10 years, getting really good paychecks.
Jessica
Hang on, Tim. I had a problem with the voice disguiser in the middle of that, and it kind of shut off.
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh, no.
Is it almost time for traffic before Crash.
And Elon, Good morning. You are on all the hits. Q100.
Ramona
Hi.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hi.
Ramona
I just like to make a comment about my mother's job. She's been working there for about three and a half years, and she works in South William county, and she doesn't do anything. She shops online all day and she's so bored. She does the Internet part of my research papers. It's kind of ridiculous.
Jessica
What type of industry is she in?
Ramona
Water department.
Host (possibly Bert)
In a lot of cases. These are government jobs. And for whatever reason, I'm not. I've never had a government job, so I'm not exactly sure how the whole thing works. But I guess you get into that job, it's very hard to get fired. Really, really tough to get.
Ramona
Ridiculous.
Jessica
I think it's funny. I try to be safe about it and say, what type of industry is she in? And you're like, she works for Rick Case. Hyundai in Gwinnett.
Ramona
No automobiles.
Host (possibly Bert)
I mean.
And how long did you say this has been going on now?
Ramona
Three and a half years.
Host (possibly Bert)
Three and a half years. And hasn't done any work in three and a half years.
Melissa
And you can kind of sense that anybody that has had to deal with any kind of government department for anything, you know how those workers are not quite motivated. They don't quite do it in a timely manner. Like, I mean, you can tell. Yeah. They don't care.
Host (possibly Bert)
They're not going anywhere.
Jeff
No.
Host (possibly Bert)
Because you have to fill out things in triplicates to get them fired. And then you got, you know, so many different problems.
Ramona
They love her so much at her job. They none of them do anything.
Jeff
It's ridiculous.
Melissa
Oh, that is so disturbing.
Ramona
Yeah.
Melissa
Who's paying the salary for these government employees?
Host (possibly Bert)
You. Me.
Melissa
That's right.
Host (possibly Bert)
Thank you for calling.
Ramona
Thanks, Intern.
Host (possibly Bert)
Emily, you're not going to tell us about your internship where you haven't done anything in six months, have you? Well, because we're already on to you.
Tracy
Not this time.
Ramona
Okay. When I was about 17 or 18.
Tracy
I took a job with a printer.
Ramona
Company doing sort of sales assistant stuff. For, you know, just. They put us out in different store locations. I was obviously the one in the middle of nowhere. And I got paid extremely well, about three times what my other job was paying me. So I was like, cool, you know, a good summer job, I'll hang onto.
Tracy
It for a while.
Ramona
And it was so boring. I'd sit, you know how computers are stacked, like they have them all on display and then underneath they have the ones that you sort of in the.
Tracy
Boxes that you take to the, to the cashier and you buy.
Ramona
And I would sit underneath there and read a book. I didn't ask a person if they needed help. I didn't, I didn't do anything.
Host (possibly Bert)
How long was this going on for?
Ramona
I lasted about eight months because I got so bored. And it was my senior year of high school and you know, on Saturday mornings that when we have our cricket and rugby matches and all of my friends are there, you know, sort of.
Tracy
High school sport is as big as college sport is.
Ramona
So I was missing out on all.
Tracy
Of that for eight months. And I was like, this is ridiculous.
Jessica
I worked for a job where you.
Host (possibly Bert)
Don'T work at all for eight months.
Jessica
Yeah, I worked at a gas station once part time. Same idea. Where there's just like you're like it was a Sunday afternoon and it's like it was on a busy road that's busy during rush hour during the week. But like on Sunday, if you had one customer an hour and I got fired when they found me on surveillance tapes burning things.
Ramona
That is so you.
Host (possibly Bert)
Mary here needs to be on the voice disguiser. She'll be the last call on this. Hey, Mary, go ahead.
Ramona
Hey, my job is awesome. I just pretty much sit in an office all day and do absolutely nothing. I get on my computer, download pictures, chat with friends and just pretty much read magazines. Do absolutely nothing.
Host (possibly Bert)
Are you supposed to be doing some work or are you just don't have any job responsibilities?
Ramona
Well, like my work is pretty much like I answer phone calls every now and then. I call some people every now and then, but pretty much there's like nothing to do. They just need somebody to be in the office in case somebody calls, you know, I mean, so it's like not. Sometimes I get a little bored, but I get paid extremely well for like doing nothing.
Melissa
I know it sounds like a dream thing, but I would. No, I couldn't do that. I can't just have nothing to do and be satisfied.
Host (possibly Bert)
Can I ask you how much you're making?
Ramona
Yeah, I make $500 a week, tax.
Host (possibly Bert)
Free, $500 a week, tax free just to sit around and do nothing. Wow. Yeah, I think that I'd be going out of my mind also. Totally. All right. Thank you for calling.
Tracy
You're welcome.
Jessica
Bye.
Host (possibly Bert)
Bye.
Jeff
It's like what you said, like you're just watching the minutes tick by and it's like minutes turn into hours.
Jessica
You know what I caught myself doing last night? You were talking about watching the minutes stick by. It's the equivalent of, remember when your social studies teacher would put on a movie in class and it was like.
Host (possibly Bert)
You instantly start to gaze over.
Jessica
Yes. You get that. I actually caught myself. I thought of this and I caught myself watching one on Georgia Public Broadcasting last night and I had the thought, oh my God, this is something they could have showed me in 10 seconds grade. And I immediately would have looked at the clock and cursed the half second hand backwards movement every time the clock ticked.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, the bird show. I want to go back to this Nikki Hilton story.
Melissa
Now.
Jeff
We were telling you yesterday that Nikki Hilton's former best friend was absolutely shocked to hear that she married this guy Todd Meister, because she had been engaged to him before. She is 19 year old Charlotte F. And she was reportedly beside herself at the news because she dated him for two years and he even proposed to her last March. But I guess she felt she was too young, so she broke off the engagement because she was 19 and he was 30.
But anyway, yeah, so he had been engaged before marrying Nikki Hilton. He's 31 now and Nikki Hilton is 20.
Host (possibly Bert)
It's the engagement part really. It's not the age thing. I mean, there's so many different things to focus in on this couple in this relationship. But the one that interests me here is the former engagement. Now I know for me, if I was dating somebody that had been engaged one time before and the engagement broke off, not a big deal. Okay? But what I want to know is if you're dating somebody and they've been engaged more than one time, does that send you a big old red flag once you start dating them? 404-741-1005 or would you be like, not a big deal? I'll give you an even worst case example. One of my really good friends out in San Francisco, Tony, has a sister named Dee Dee who's been engaged now three different times before she got married. She finally pulled the trigger on the fourth one. But she was engaged three times and they broke, all of them broke off before the actual wedding.
Jeff
Did she break them off each time?
Host (possibly Bert)
She broke him off each time.
Jessica
So I'm asking you guys, Detective, I found it's rude.
Host (possibly Bert)
If you guys found out you were dating somebody that had been engaged more than one time, would you break off the relationship knowing that chances were pretty good Once you got engaged, they were gonna ask you anyway. 404-741-1005 I think from a.
Melissa
Like, if the guy had been engaged a lot and I was in that relationship, it goes back to the feeling being, you know, the wanting to feel special. Like, I would have a hard time because I'm thinking he has been that close to that many women that he's proposed to them, that when he gets to me, like, it just. I don't know, it would. I think it would throw up a red flag, you know, Is it possible.
Host (possibly Bert)
That women that are engaged more than one time have the same feeling that they do? Like, those women that we know that love the feeling of planning a wedding, Like Jlo, right?
Jeff
But Jlo just actually gets married, right?
Host (possibly Bert)
She gets married and has enough money to blow where she can spend all that cash on a wedding, and it doesn't matter to her.
Melissa
Right?
Host (possibly Bert)
But isn't there, like, a whole different set of feel when everybody's coming up to you, congratulating you on your engagement, all, let me see the ring. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah?
Jeff
Oh, yeah, you're the center of attention. When you're the bride and you're engaged for a year, you are, like, on. I mean, you're the center of attention of all conversations, you know, by the.
Jessica
Third time, isn't it kind of like.
Jeff
But I think it's that they probably love the excitement of the whole thing because it is so exciting. And you walk into a party or a group of friends and everybody wants to know about you and what's going on with you and what's going on with the wedding and all that stuff. So they must just want to repeat that and repeat that and repeat that.
Host (possibly Bert)
Shannon says wouldn't bother her. Hey, Shannon.
Jessica
Hey.
Ramona
Good morning, guys.
Host (possibly Bert)
Good morning.
Ramona
No, I don't think it would bother me. My. My idea would be if that person was dating the other person for a long, long period of time, and then maybe they broke it off, you know, several relationships. But I think that would be better that they got out of relationship before they got married as opposed to, like, getting divorced.
Host (possibly Bert)
Wouldn't you be a little skeptical, though? Let's say, Shannon, you're dating Jeff over here, right? You guys go out.
Jessica
Hi.
Melissa
That's disturbing enough.
Ramona
Yeah, yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
I'm Already challenging your character.
Ramona
That's cool.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, so you and Jeff are going out, and you know in his past that he's engaged. He was engaged to three different women.
Jessica
Hi.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hi.
Jeff
Hi.
Host (possibly Bert)
And he proposes to you. Do you take that proposal serious? Are you, like, chances are pretty good this is never going to end up in a marriage.
Ramona
No, no, I would take it serious. I think I would. I mean, because each relationship is different. I really believe that. I really believe each relationship is different. Not necessarily. How many times they, you know, he was engaged to someone else?
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh, I'd be red flagging that thing.
Melissa
And then also, you have to wonder why he is so ready to get married. Like some. I don't know. I don't know. Because sometimes if I see a guy be married, and then, well, of course, this is marriage and then divorce and then marriage again. But sometimes if a guy can't be alone and he needs a woman in his life, and I would just wonder what my role would be in his. In his world. You know what I'm saying?
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, we've learned, though, that we can keep you all in a relationship for a long, long time without actually engaged and getting engaged.
Jeff
Yeah, but you're right, though.
Melissa
It does throw.
Jeff
I think Melissa's right. I think that that does throw up red flags. Like, what role am I gonna play? Am I gonna be his mommy? Does he want somebody to mommy him?
Melissa
Need somebody to clean his room clean?
Jeff
Somebody to do his laundry? Like, what. What is he looking for here if he's looking for it in every single woman that he's been with and, you know, been engaged three times?
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, Charity. Hey, good morning. How are you this morning?
Ramona
I'm good. I've been engaged five times, which I say, so called engaged. And I tell every time somebody asks me if, blah, blah, blah, if you don't have a ring, you're really not engaged. I've been proposed to, but I never got a ring until my husband gave me a ring. So it was the thing where I don't want her to leave. I want us to be together. So let me go ahead and tell her I want to marry her, and then it'll prolong the relationship, kind of like what Bert said. But they feel like if you say you're engaged, you know, it's like, okay, yes, we're finally gonna do it. And then, you know, eventually I'm like, okay, I don't have time for this. I don't have a ring. You're not showing me anything. I'm gone. And so I Don't. It really depends on the situation. I don't think there's something wrong with the person. Cause I don't think there's anything wrong with me. It's just the men I got with. Every time it's like, well, I don't want her to leave. She talking about she don't want to be in a relationship. So I'm gonna propose to her without a ring. In case you broke behind. Didn't really wanna marry me anyway.
Melissa
So is your husband number five? Is that the fifth guy? Okay. All right.
Ramona
When he did propose, we weren't even together at the time. He came with the ring and everything, and I was like, oh, this is real.
Jeff
Okay.
Ramona
So I got my cousins, my sisters and everything. Like, he proposed that he didn't give me a ring. I said, girl, he don't want to marry you.
Jessica
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
To me, that's the definition right there.
Ramona
To come out of bubblegum machine.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, Charity, thanks for calling. See you later. The bird show.
Tracy
Guys, thanks for helping me carry my Christmas tree.
Host (possibly Bert)
Zoe. This thing weighs a ton.
Ramona
Drew Ski, lift with your legs, man.
Tracy
Santa.
Ramona
Santa, did you get my letter?
Host (possibly Bert)
He's talking to you. British. I'm not.
Ramona
Of course he did.
Host (possibly Bert)
Right, Santa, you know my elf, Drew Ski here. He handles the nice list. An elf. I'm six three. What everyone wants is iPhone 17 and at T Mobile. You can get it on them. That center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. Right, Mrs. Claus?
Tracy
I'm Mrs. Claus much younger sister.
Ramona
And AT T Mobile, there's no trade.
Host (possibly Bert)
In needed when you switch, so you.
Tracy
Can keep your old phone or give.
Ramona
It as a gift. And the best part, you can make.
Host (possibly Bert)
The switch to T Mobile from your.
Tracy
Phone in just 15 minutes.
Jessica
Nice.
Host (possibly Bert)
My side of the tree is slipping.
Ramona
Kimber.
Host (possibly Bert)
The holidays are better. AT T Mobile, switch in just 15 minutes and get iPhone 17 on us with no trade in needed. And now T Mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 monthly bill credits for well qualified customers. Plax tax and 35 device connection charge credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel finance agreement. 256 gigs, 830 eligible Ford in a new line. 100 plus a month plan with auto payments, taxes and fees required. Check out 15 minutes or less per line.
Tracy
Visit t mobile.com you know you've reached.
Ramona
Peak couple energy when your undies match. Meundies match me has you both covered literally in super soft, ultra modal undies, socks, PJs and loungewear. Festive prints. Check. Cozy vibes double check. And right now, it's deal season. Get up to 50% off site wide for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Take your couple game to the next level with Meundies. Match me. To get deals up to 50% off, go to Meundies.com acast Enter promo code acasta that's Meundies.com acast Code acast. Amazon has everything for everyone on your list. Like your sister who refuses to accept that she does not have a face for bangs. Get her a lovely hat. And with Amazon holiday deals, you'll save big.
Melissa
Maybe grab her some barrettes too.
The Bert Show
Hosted by Pionaire Podcasting
Episode: Full Show PT 3 — Friday, December 5, 2025
This episode dives into the complexities of “quarter life crises” among young adults, featuring vivid, real-life stories from both listeners and the Bert Show team. The cast explores the challenges of navigating early adulthood, including family tension, career dissatisfaction, relationship struggles, and listeners’ perspectives on making big life changes. Later, the show pivots into a discussion about “cush” jobs—those rare positions where people get paid to do almost nothing—and ends with a lively segment about repeated engagements and what that might reveal about relationships.
(01:33–04:10)
(04:34–12:34)
Ramona, a 25-year-old caller, shares her own moment of crisis. She:
Ramona’s dilemma sparks the “quarter life crisis” debate:
(08:23–22:34)
Discussion includes direct quotes, literature references (the book Quarter Life Crisis), and debate about whether it’s a real phenomenon or just a “tweener stage” between youth and full adulthood.
Perspectives include:
(25:15–33:03)
(33:44–40:09)
Tracy’s Father on Modern Relationships:
“It’s just like the modern man to let the woman fall on the knife for him.” (03:16)
Ramona’s Quarter-Life Epiphany:
“I don’t hate it. I just kind of fell into it.… If I decide to change careers, I kind of just need to go back to school.” (07:17)
Listener Christina’s Tough Love:
“Grow up, don’t quit over email, suck it up. You’re an adult, get your foot out there, open the doors and make a life for yourself.” (08:23)
On Cush Jobs:
“She shops online all day and does the Internet part of my research papers. It’s kind of ridiculous.” —Elon, caller (29:07)
Charity on Engagements:
“If you don’t have a ring, you’re really not engaged.… He don’t want to marry you.” (39:12)