All About The Joy

Exploring the Depth of Friendships, American Culture, and Impactful TV Shows

• Carmen Lezeth Suarez • Episode 97

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What does it truly mean to have a best friend? Someone who sticks by your side through thick and thin, who understands you better than anyone else, and who you can always rely on. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of friendship and the significance these relationships hold in our lives. We discuss the concept of a 'best best friend', and how this bond can be both complex and rewarding. We share our own stories of friendship, shedding light on the importance of trust, reliability, and the absence of judgment in these special connections.

Ever contemplated the differences between a 'melting pot' and a 'salad' while reflecting on American culture? Or pondered about the phenomenon of 'quiet quitting' in your work life? Well, you're in for a treat! We navigate these multifaceted topics, offering a unique lens into the American experience. We also express our love for the show 'Smart List', and the brilliant Sean Hayes. This episode is a testament to the richness and diversity that America encompasses, and the beauty of embracing it all. 

Here's a little nostalgia trip for you! We're talking about the classic TV shows that have left an indelible mark on our culture and brought us closer to our friends and family. From the timeless humor of 'I Love Lucy' to the relatable struggles in 'Good Times', these shows have shaped our perception of friendship and family. We also offer our gratitude to the legendary Norman Lear, the man behind many of these iconic shows. As we conclude, we share the joy and heartache that comes with friendships, underlining the fact that the real treasure in life is the connections we make and maintain. So grab your best friend, and join us on this incredibly fun journey!

Thank you for stopping by. Please visit our website: All About The Joy and add, like and share. You can also support us by shopping at our STORE - We'd appreciate that greatly. Also, if you want to find us anywhere on social media, please check out the link in bio page.

Music By Geovane Bruno, Moments, 3481
Editing by Team A-J
Host, Carmen Lezeth


DISCLAIMER: As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast. Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance.

Carmen:

We're live everyone.

Rick:

Hey, what's up hey?

Carmen:

hi Cynthia, hi Rick.

Rick:

Hello, hello, hello.

Carmen:

Welcome everyone to All About the Joy. I'm so glad that you're here and we're going to get back to our conversation we were having earlier. We, Cynthia, what were we just talking about? Oh, we were talking about work and we had a communication. No, no, no, we were actually talking about About home.

Carmen:

Yeah, we were talking about home, right about when you go somewhere and you realize it's home, like I knew when I visited California. I always knew I would move here and it would happen like 10 or it would happen like 10 years later. But I knew I would move here and I did like I think I don't know when it was. It was like 10 years later, because I was just a kid when I came to visit here and I'm saying to Cynthia I'm, I think it's going to happen again, like I, I'm feeling a move to another country now, like I'm I know which country, though, I don't know.

Carmen:

So where would you move, cynthia? You're not sure yet.

Tyler Perry:

You just have to be, like it was home.

Carmen:

You're not sure yet.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Well you know I love California, cause you know you could come take my place.

Carmen:

I'm thinking. I think Spain is what I'm thinking about. Here's my problem with Spain. I can't do as much fish. You know, they're big seafood people I'm so I'm complete, like I'm not kidding allergic. You know what I mean? Ooh, switzerland. I've never been to Switzerland, though, ooh.

Cynthia Ruiz:

We should put that on our bucket list.

Carmen:

Yeah, that's how it'll be on the list, rick, where would you move to?

Rick:

So Portugal, cause that's where I'm from. Obviously I have a lot of family there.

Carmen:

Also we we have family back.

Rick:

Wait, wait, I'll say. I'll say it in Portuguese. We have a lot of family in Portugal. That's how you say it in Portuguese.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I feel that, whatever you say it, I feel it family, I feel it Cause there's a lot of family in Portugal.

Rick:

I also have family in Bermuda. I have family in Canada.

Carmen:

I'm moving in no tropical air. No, goddamn. Oh, I didn't say goddamn.

Rick:

I did not need, did not need to use the word name, I know, but here's the thing.

Carmen:

Here's the thing. I'm not going to move with this. I'm too addicted to us. Tony, the worst food though no, I don't know if it's the worst food we look at it, it's funny. It was so funny because today I was just talking to someone about how, if we really embraced what it meant to be American like, if we really embraced it not white America, but America America it would be. Food from all over the country would be. Do you know what I mean? Like America, like to be American means to be eclectic and to have all these immigrant foods and beauty the melting pot.

Rick:

Like New York City got all the sections Chinese section, italian section, all the different sections.

Carmen:

That's right. So when I think of American food, that's what I hope to think of. You know what I mean. I think of American food, I think of American food, I think of American food, I think of American food. And I would disagree with the melting pot. I would say, because it kind of melts everything, I would say like a salad Cause, like a tomato going to stay a tomato. You know what?

Rick:

I mean Onion goes there, onion, you know. So I would say more like a salad.

Cynthia Ruiz:

America is not a melting pot. It is a salad With some kind of American dressing all over it.

Carmen:

It can come as much as it can, and it can make it soft and there is a layer inside the dressing. That's how we ruin it. Chris scales in the building. Chris Gales is in the house. How you doing it? I caught Chris a couple times this week. It was such a blessing too, because I was in such a disarray.

Carmen:

At work and I was like I told someone I'm on the phone, I'm very busy, and I put my hands. He said it's hot salad. Hey, charlie, charlie's back. Oolah, you're a good guy, charlie. You didn't make one mention of one video with you that I splattered on every social media. He never likes anything. So, yeah, no, chris, I think I said hi to you a couple times, but then I had to go into a meeting or something. But I did listen to your music. But yeah, that's been my thing this week, trying to avoid fighting with people. I've just been like oh, I'm so sorry there's an emergency. Hold on, wait, hold on a second, I'll be right back. Hold on, and I'm like on TikTok.

Cynthia Ruiz:

It sounds like me at work. I'm doing the bare minimum.

Carmen:

Yeah, it's so weird when you're just over it, yeah.

Rick:

I think there's a term for that. They started talking about that with COVID quiet quitting, where you still do your work, but you literally do the bare minimum. You don't do nothing extra.

Carmen:

Wait, Charlie just said I was waiting for the fallout. I didn't post anything bad. You didn't say anything bad. He's so cute. I love that he thinks we have millions of followers. I'm pretty sure James Cameron is not listening to our podcast at the moment.

Cynthia Ruiz:

We're getting there, we're getting there, we're getting there, we're getting there.

Rick:

I'll catch the replay in 10 years.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Oh, speaking of, which Cameron I finally saw. Well, I saw two episodes of Smart List hilarious.

Rick:

Oh yeah.

Carmen:

Love it I told you OK, good, good, oh, good. See, I got everybody watching Smart List. I totally.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Well, I love Sean Hayes, Like even before that.

Carmen:

And he's the most normal person on that podcast.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Will's laugh cracks me up, OK.

Carmen:

Will Arnett. I mean props to Will Arnett and if he's listening, we love you. But he's a little bit more gruff than I thought he would be, I don't know. But this biggest surprise Jason is very high maintenance. But I love him, we love him. But I used to be like before I listened and watched Smart List I was like, oh, I love Jason, jason Bateman, he wasn't married. If I knew. Now I'm like dodge the bullet there. I mean, you know, in my dream I was like damn, he is so high maintenance.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Chris.

Carmen:

Gale says oh wait, charlie said I always say something that makes someone angry. Well, you didn't say anything that would make me angry, so but I can take it down. You know we'll talk later. If you want me to take something down, I will. I don't want to get in trouble for nothing. Chris Gale says I do have a question. Which platform do you prefer to be watched on?

Carmen:

So YouTube, facebook, linkedin, any and all which, yeah, it doesn't. You know I don't have a preference. I'll be honest. I've been telling Rick this for a while. I am so glad to have the audience that we're building. It's amazing. Again, gotta give a shout out to LinkedIn. We're really good.

Carmen:

I know it's weird. I just don't expect people to say yes when I ask them to join Like on Facebook. It's like pulling teeth. You know what I mean. Like all my friends, I went into all of my pages on Facebook and I deleted them because I'm like all these people. I've been on their pages and they've never posted a thing. You know what I mean. They want me to support them. I asked them two or three times to support me on Facebook. They can't even do that. So I'm like delete, delete, delete, delete, delete. You know Charlie just said well, you're normal, I'm fine with all of it. Love to you. Oh, you're so cool, charlie. Thank you so much. But yeah, so LinkedIn, these are people I don't know. You know I'm just sending out emails or whatever, sending out. You know, please support my new projects, my new podcast, and people are adding on Like every day. I'm getting more and more people, which was so cool. And then I always send them an email. It's just mind boggling, right, your friends. Your friends really show you who they are.

Rick:

Trust me as somebody who has broadcasted for next month, eight years, every single day. Yeah, where are you at, fam?

Carmen:

Oh really.

Rick:

Oh yeah.

Carmen:

Really, Chris says I do not like streaming on Facebook. Oh, I totally get that.

Rick:

Me personally. I like YouTube because it's universal and you don't even need an account. Like Facebook, you gotta have an account. Twitch, you gotta have an account. Like everything. You have to have an account. But YouTube you don't even need an account. You can look up whatever and not be signed in and watch anybody.

Carmen:

Right, that's true, friends are not fans. You know what I look at it again. I keep telling Rick this thing like I'm really trying to build a brand, and it's not just the live stream and not just the podcast and not just the blog. I'm working on a book as well, like I'm trying to build a brand and so it doesn't cost me anything to stream everywhere. So I mean, I think I can stream up to 10 places. I just don't have 10 places to stream to.

Carmen:

But yeah, no, I appreciate wherever you wanna find us. But yeah, we're on LinkedIn, youtube, twitch and Facebook and we're gonna soon be. Also, I'm gonna be broadcasting soon on my own website, but that's. We'll have that information next week as well. And also, I have a new logo which I'm gonna show next week and yeah, things are getting kind of exciting over here, woohoo. But yeah, I wanna show a quick video, if you can imagine, like Rick's, like let's see how she does this, and then I wanna talk about it on the other side. So let's see if I can hook this up. Bear with me, I think I got it. How about that?

Rick:

Yeah, you can still see the video, so that's good.

Carmen:

Okay and look at it. It's really about listening. It's really short. Most of you have heard it before.

Tyler Perry:

And if I can leave you with anything, I wanna leave you with this. Hear me clearly when I say this. There are people who come in your life, sometimes to be there for a season. They weren't meant to be there always. Sometimes we find ourselves hooked up with people that we think are there for a lifetime, but they were only supposed to be there for a season. There are people who come in your life like boosters for a rocket. If you ever watch a rocket go into space, the boosters fall off when it reaches a certain altitude. Some people are not equipped to handle the altitudes that you're going to, so don't be afraid when they fall off. They're not bad people. They just couldn't go where you're going.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Oh, oh, oh okay.

Rick:

All right, preach Medea Go ahead.

Carmen:

Isn't that so good? That's Tyler Perry.

Rick:

Yeah, that's good. He broke a lot of wisdom, as Medea too, to be honest with you.

Carmen:

Have you guys seen that before? Have you ever heard that before?

Rick:

Yeah, I've seen him say that.

Carmen:

Oh, I haven't, I haven't. Don't you love that analogy, like it? Yes, so one of the topics we were going to talk about today was friendships, and it was part of it. It was because I saw that clip again today on TikTok and I was like you know what? I want to have this conversation like a deep on conversation. It don't matter if it's online or in real life. Y'all know how I feel about online friendship, so whatever. But it's not about friendships because, rick, I think you and I have gotten really well at knowing each other or whatever, and I don't think you'd be any different in person, but we have a met in person and I think there's a different dynamic that happens when you do get to meet someone in person. I'm just saying that's me. What is each one of you? What is your definition of friendship and a best friend? Just curious.

Rick:

Cynthia, you go, since you're not usually here.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I think a friend is someone who's there at your lowest point, and sometimes your friend can be there more than your own family. So if they're there for your lowest point, that is your friend, that is your family.

Carmen:

OK, do you have a best friend? Well, the other reason why I brought up this topic was Cynthia, I'm not trying to out you on your age, but you're at least 30. Let's just go there. Ok, I've known you for at least 30 years, right, because you're my cousin for real, my cousin. Listen, I say my real age, wait, wait, wait. But I'm cracking up because the other day we're talking and she's like oh, can I call you back my best friend's on the floor. I was like wait what I've never, ever, in all of our conversations. Right, I was wait what you were shocked. Yes, not that you had a best friend, but I've never heard you talk about this 10 friend of mine.

Cynthia Ruiz:

No, yeah, I actually met her About 25 years ago. Actually, when I met. Juan was when I met her. Juan is her husband. Yes, yeah, 25 years now. We've been really good friends and she's been there for my lowest times and stuff had a low time because I don't remember her name again.

Carmen:

I've never heard of this person. Hey, chris Gales just said as I get older, friendship seems to be too dynamic. I know the type of friend that I strive to be and haven't found it in others Trust issues oh, that's deep. Wow, almost as yes, at your lowest or most challenging times, people who are truly for you will show themselves and you have to pay attention. Wow, ooh. But Chris just threw that out there. That's pretty intense. Yeah, go ahead, cynthia, I'm sorry.

Cynthia Ruiz:

No, no, now she lives in. She lives in Pennsylvania, so we don't get to see each other a lot, but we still stay in contact and she was actually up here for a family reunion and surprised me, so it's great I got to see her and her kids and all and her grandkids now, so it was awesome.

Carmen:

Yeah, I was totally freaked out. I don't. Usually I hear about I don't know. We talk a lot, it's I know. Can you name one of my best friends? Make sure if I die.

Cynthia Ruiz:

All these people tell them I'm okay, give them your number in case of anything.

Carmen:

Organized. I was like I may pass and I don't.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Even had a copy of your proxy, your will, everything.

Carmen:

Going on my business. But yeah, you know, I encourage everyone to do that, absolutely.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I did.

Carmen:

Cynthia was my person who had all my you are you? Well, what's the proxy part? Wasn't Andrea the proxy? You?

Cynthia Ruiz:

had one with witnesses.

Carmen:

Yeah, yeah, right, you along with witnesses. Oh, andrea, was the? Was my person at the hospital? Yeah, she had. What is it when you have, you're in charge of the person. That Is it per what is it?

Rick:

power of attorney.

Carmen:

Like if they put me on breathing tubes, I was like, just kill me, I don't want to. I just killed me like I don't just, I just let me go not resuscitate. What is that person? That a proxy? Yeah, okay, well, that's the best friend. That's what I'm saying, you know what I mean? Like she was there, so she was that person. But okay, so, rick, friendship, best friend.

Rick:

I mean to me, I think I mean there's friend and then there's best friend. Just totally different for me.

Carmen:

But that's what we're talking about.

Rick:

Yeah, yeah, it's best friend specifically.

Carmen:

You know why?

Rick:

I want to know both right Almost as a call, my best friend, my sister. We've been BFS for 35 years and she's a godmother to my daughter.

Carmen:

Yeah, yeah that's the best friend. That's the best friend. Yeah, okay, rick, always trying to weasel out of the no, no, no, no.

Rick:

I'm trying to read all the comments to.

Carmen:

It's my show. I got you Give your answer. Go ahead I.

Rick:

Mean a best friend is somebody that you can talk to and you know they ain't gonna blab all your business to everybody in the whole world, which some friends will probably do. They're always gonna be there when they need you, if you really possible. Like I remember I had accident and my best friend lives like I don't know 35 minutes away and I called him as I just kind of accident, he was there in 35 minutes. Like you really drove quick. Yeah, somebody could depend on something to talk to, somebody could trust and that will spread your business. I said that already. Yeah, that's me.

Carmen:

That's a friend or friend friend best friend.

Rick:

Best friend, yeah, hmm, I got general friend, bring a shovel.

Carmen:

Yeah, you know, I think for me it's been pretty much the same my entire life. I mean, I've grown and I've seen kind of how my friendships have changed. But I have friends that you know they're on Facebook and I haven't seen them in years. But if they called me and said they needed you know, whatever, I would do my best to oblige, like I don't have to see them every day.

Carmen:

I think the one of the best things about real true friendships is there's no guilt attached to it. You know, like this thing where it's like why don't you call me? I can't believe it's been like three weeks, what? And I'm like you know that's when I'm like, hmm, okay, not a friend because you're making it too complicated, you know. But yeah, I think so. My, my best friends are just a little bit of a different thing for me. They're in place of what I would call family. You know I and Cynthia knows I have issues with the DNA, crap, shit. You know what I mean and and even though she is blood related to me, it's really, really. I mean most people have a family tree.

Cynthia Ruiz:

What do I always say, cynthia, we have a family bush Right, it's like with we exactly.

Carmen:

Like you and I could be related more than me, you know. But to me, family is about you know, history, you know it's about the time we have spent together and the longevity of that time, and it doesn't matter if it's good or bad. The judgment is the entire time. How are we together in those moments of joy and in the moments of pain, can we still connect? You know what I mean? Can we forgive and forget each other? Because that, to me, is a big way. You left off, you left off. Yeah, I'm just said yes, no matter how long it's been, there's no judgment, the judgment, just love. Yeah, exactly, and and here's the thing too, when someone starts complaining about I can't believe you haven't called me in three weeks. I'm like I'm sorry, were you calling me and I didn't get the. I'm confused. But you know that's a whole other issue. But yeah, I think you know I.

Carmen:

I think there's a difference between acquaintances and friendships and I think people get confused. You know, my friend Richard Johnson maybe rest in peace. He had he would always say I. He's like, oh, I can't go to any airport, no matter where I'm in Japan, and people calling out my name at the airport, and that was not a lie. Everywhere he went you think he's famous, he wasn't. He just had a great personality. You know what I mean. He worked at a campus, on the college campus, whatever. When he had difficult times, two of his friends showed up I was one of them. You know what I mean and it was the biggest breakdown for him to realize and and and. I said you don't need to have a lot of see, this is the other thing. People miss confid. They're just confused about confusion. I was gonna say Confusion is you don't need to have 95 friends, you just need to have one good one. I don't even know what this is. Family, my medium network, what is that?

Rick:

I don't know my ceiling is like I Think it actually comes from like a mushroom kind of thing, but it's like branches everywhere kind of branches out all over the place.

Carmen:

Oh, he's making fun of our books. I, that's exactly what our 23 and me and ancestry man Like you know, it's like just there. There's blades everywhere, but they don't connect. Just the dirt, oh my god.

Rick:

You know, this makes me also think of like. So when a little child is adopted and you know, at some point they're gonna find out they were adopted, whatever and then say, the real father, real mother shows up, I was like, well, I'm your mother, I'm your father and the kid could be like you. That may be true, but you're not my mommy and you're not my daddy, you didn't raise me.

Carmen:

Well, they're never the mother or father they're. They're the biological parent, but they're not, didn't? They don't make you nothing. My silly um, it sounds like my sharonah, I don't know Celium. My Celium is the root that supposedly connects all mushrooms all over the world. Oh, okay, there you go. Okay, but that's, that's a good thing. He's saying we're all connected, all over the world.

Carmen:

Yeah, no, cynthia, we are now moss and Like that better than the family bush. So I'm gonna go down the list. What would you do for your best friend that you wouldn't do for someone else?

Rick:

Oh, Get up at two o'clock in the morning to go help them do something.

Cynthia Ruiz:

They need desperately.

Carmen:

I look it, I would wouldn't help Most people move. Like I remember back when I was younger, everybody was always moving and we'd all chip in and get together and I'd be like, why am I doing this? I don't even know you people, I don't drink beer, I don't care about pizza, Like you know what I mean. So I always thought about that Like I'm like I am never gonna help anyone move, ever again. So I think if I had a best friend that had needed help moving, thank God all my best friends have enough money to hire people now, but I would help a best friend move, but I don't think I would help other people. That kind of is kind of a generalization. You know there are certain things.

Rick:

Did you see that commercial where the guy's like, yeah, I'm gonna be moving? He was like talking to a bunch of friends and one of the friends is like, oh, you know what, I'm gonna be away that weekend. I didn't tell you what weekend. Yeah, this is so true.

Carmen:

I don't know why, but I mean, I guess when you're younger and you wanna help each other, I guess it's cheaper. It's not though. Just hire people. I don't know. You can get y'all a little you-how, do it yourself. If you don't have enough money to move on your own, then you should not have that much stuffage to do it yourself. I think that's gonna be my new criteria.

Carmen:

Can you have best friends that you work with? Ooh, ooh, I'll start. I have worked with both. Well, I met Andrea because she was, I hired her. That's how we became best friends. I think we talked about that in a different podcast and I could certainly work with Andrea again, like, I think, because it's not working for someone. That's where I think the difference is, and Mia and I have exchanged clients. We've worked together. She came and helped us at Brand New School in New York when I was running the offices here in Los Angeles to do us a favor. But I think it's different because we were already friends and it's a mutual respect thing. It's not a she's not working for me. But I've said this a million times I don't have friends that I work with. They all. They think we're friends, but I do not have friends I work with and I can't. So I have another best friend.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I have more than one, but this one I actually-. Okay, Cynthia, okay, I believe you.

Rick:

What actually-? Another secret coming out the closet, okay.

Carmen:

She got this for you. She just lied. They imagine they're friends. I'm just kidding. Look at me having such an ego, like I'm supposed to know all your friends, but-. It was just stunning, but go ahead.

Cynthia Ruiz:

We actually worked together and I was actually her boss, but we worked well together. And what's her name?

Carmen:

Cindy, is this one of the people you've been complaining to me about? No, I'm just kidding.

Rick:

No, it's just friends.

Carmen:

Yeah, so that worked out, but you're not best friends, no more. No, we're not. She was in Egypt for them. Yeah, but you were best friends when you first started working together or after.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Actually, it's kind of funny how we met. So I started working at Things Remember, which is an engraving shop, and me and her at first did not get along at all. That's why we really hated each other. And one day my boss had put both of us to work together alone just me and her, okay. And she was pregnant at the time with her first child and a customer came in and started cussing her out. And I cussed out the customer and told her not to speak to my employees like that, and ever since then we became friends Okay.

Carmen:

Here's the thing. Cynthia is really nice. You could see right, joyful, happy. You don't want to be on her bad side. I don't know if I was on your bad side, but I remember we didn't talk for a long time, like I don't know if I forget what it was.

Cynthia Ruiz:

No, you were on my bad side, I just didn't like what you had said. But I was like, oh, whatever, okay, it took like a couple of days.

Carmen:

And I was like I don't remember what I said, but I was like, ooh, Cynthia gets mad. She don't talk to people, Even if you try. Hey, Cynthia, just checking in.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Okay. Oh, my boss knows when I'm upset.

Carmen:

I think anyone would know when you're upset, cynthia, you're not going to hide it. Well, I'm so sorry. Oh yeah, I don't.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I get very quiet and you just see it all over my face.

Carmen:

You don't talk to nobody. Even when Juan was away, because he had to be away and you were all like brooding in your apartment or whatever in your house, like Cynthia you, okay, yep, what did Juan do? Nothing. The poor man had to go home for a tragedy, like he was angry about it for how long? Like 15 days. But I guess that's love. I guess that's a whole other conversation, I don't know.

Cynthia Ruiz:

That's a whole other friendship there yeah.

Carmen:

True, exactly. Yeah, I mean, you're one of those people that I would never want to be on your bad side, because it's confusing, because you know I've hurt you somehow, but then I'm not clear what I did and you're not going to talk to me until you're ready, mm-hmm, and that's what happened and I'm like, okay, I felt bad. I was like I hope nothing happened to a woman.

Cynthia Ruiz:

That was like mild, that was nothing. That was.

Carmen:

Trust me Well because we don't really have a fight or anything. Right, yeah, I know, because I'm almost perfect.

Rick:

And so humble too.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Right, I'm extremely busy. I'm so busy at all.

Carmen:

right, I got to share that and I'm very humble. I cannot help it. Okay, Rick, what about you? You work with your friends.

Rick:

I've never had a best friend that I worked with, so could I have a best friend? I don't know. I've never had that opportunity. Friends, yes, but best friend I've never had a best friend that I worked with.

Carmen:

Right, I have one of it's so funny one of my clients. You know, this is what this whole thing about friendship came up, because it's been coming up so much. But one of my clients hired one of his friends to be his assistant because the friend needed money and I was like I'm not trying to be rude or nothing, but that's not a friend. If you come to me as a friend and you're like you know what I'm not doing too well and I need some help, and I'm like you know what, I have a great idea. Why don't you work for me? It was a disaster from day one. They both admitted it was horrible. I mean, if you're my friend and you come to me in desperation, I'm going to just give you the money. I'm not going to have you work me, you work for it.

Carmen:

But here's the thing like when I spoke to him about it I said you know it never works out with friendship. He's like yes, it does. It does just not this time. Until I was like you know what? Maybe you're right, let me again. I'm moving to another country. I'm visualizing, like why did I even step into that conversation? I have no idea. Yeah, that just happened to remember.

Rick:

When I love Lucy, ricky got mad because they did something with friends or family or something. I think it was Ethel and Fred. They went into business whatever and he started yelling in Spanish. I was always told you don't do a friend Business with family and friends. You don't do that.

Carmen:

I've never watched Lucy, I know.

Rick:

I'll see you later.

Carmen:

I've never seen her. Really, yeah, I know who she is. Yeah, yeah, you watched it First of all. It was before our time, so you're watching reruns, but it's timeless.

Rick:

It's a good show.

Carmen:

No no, I know. So I don't like slapstick comedy, I don't like that kind of. It's not always slapstick, but I didn't like the whole. I don't like. Yeah, I don't Like. I love Steve Martin. I don't want to watch him in anything. The only thing I've seen him in is with Queen Latifah, and I went to see it because of Queen Latifah. Remember that movie? I forget what it was, but it was good when she's in prison.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Yeah, yeah, I'm so surprised you were Bringing down the house.

Carmen:

Bringing down the house. Yeah, I mean it was, but like that's probably the only movie I can really say that I ever watched of Steve Martin, because just not like Wow, look at all of his Everybody's all of Steve Martin.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Yeah, get her. Get her, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know it's called I Love Lucy, right, I know?

Carmen:

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know I love Lucy. Right, it's yeah.

Rick:

Well, that was one show, but yeah, how rude, how rude. What's the?

Carmen:

other show. There was another show, she was on.

Rick:

Yeah, multiple shows. Yeah, after she divorced Ricky, she went on and did other shows. Oh my God.

Carmen:

You got way too See. It's like Ricky got all of it. After she got divorced she got another show. It's like that's too much. Is that just common knowledge? Everybody knows that.

Rick:

Well, people that liked it, like Lucy, know yeah.

Carmen:

I'm just saying that was a show before our time, so you guys were watching reruns of that.

Rick:

What's wrong?

Carmen:

with that.

Rick:

I watched reruns of all kinds of shows. I watched that I watched the High.

Carmen:

Mooners, okay, I just want to say I'm going to throw this out there. I was in rehearsal. Okay, I wasn't watching all your shows. I was in rehearsal, but I don't. I'm just kidding, but I don't. I just never got into. It's just not my genre. Even when I was a kid it wasn't my genre. There's different strokes for different folks. Yeah, I did watch All in the Family. I watched Religiously. I watched the Jeffessons Religiously. Religiously, I watched what was Dino Might? What was that one?

Rick:

Oh, good time, Good time, good times.

Carmen:

Good times. Yeah, Welcome back.

Rick:

Carter.

Carmen:

So it was a good show.

Rick:

Welcome back, Carter. I watched that.

Carmen:

Welcome back, carter. Oh my God, john Travolta was in that.

Rick:

Yeah.

Carmen:

Yeah, oh, my God, okay, that's going way back. We were really kids with that one.

Rick:

Oh yeah.

Carmen:

Because that was like the 70s or early 80s right.

Rick:

I think 70s maybe yeah.

Carmen:

Yeah, welcome back. I didn't even thought of that.

Rick:

Yeah.

Carmen:

I kind of erased that in my hand somehow Remember that guy Horseshack. Horseshack, yeah, oh oh, oh, oh, oh. Yeah, it was a show.

Rick:

Nightcore oh my God, Nightcore. I didn't know that I love Nightcore.

Carmen:

I love Nightcore. What's Nightcore? I didn't see Nightcore.

Rick:

I wasn't super into it, but it looks like Cynthia might have been.

Carmen:

Oh yeah, that sounded like a little bit of a diss and not kind of like friendship. You know what I mean, man. The shows from back in the day, though, like some of them, still hold up today.

Rick:

What's happening?

Carmen:

Yeah, okay, yeah, now we're getting into the stuffage that I would have watched. Yeah, Like. I really watched that but I really did love. For some reason I really loved All in the Family and the Jeffersons I loved them. I mean, I know I loved All in the Family because my mother loved it. What?

Cynthia Ruiz:

about Sam.

Carmen:

Friedensohn, did you ever?

Rick:

watch that.

Carmen:

Yes, I mean, I knew of it, but it wasn't my thing, Like he got on my nerves. I just didn't like the whole like it was a garage. No, what was it? A?

Rick:

junkyard Junkyard.

Carmen:

Junkyard, I didn't like all that. Yeah, I was like that's my mama.

Rick:

I just loved seeing Esther go off on to Fred Sanford because she was hilarious.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Oh my gosh Amazing.

Carmen:

Yeah, that was so good. I do remember that from that show you know with the heart attack all the time. Yeah, coming to join you, elizabeth, coming to join you, I'm going to join you, and I used to be like he's annoying. But yeah, I do remember. Mama just said I spoke Spanish first and still watch Lucy. We see the Jeffersons was a spinoff of Ma.

Rick:

Yeah, I didn't know that until recently. Okay.

Carmen:

I didn't see Ma. What is Ma?

Rick:

Ma you remember the Golden Girls?

Carmen:

Yeah.

Rick:

The tall one.

Carmen:

B Arthur yes.

Rick:

Yeah, that was Ma, she had a show.

Cynthia Ruiz:

And the Jefferson of the spin off of that.

Rick:

Yeah, they were on her show before Jefferson's. Oh, but they were also on All in the Family too, the Jeffersons.

Carmen:

No right, like the Jeffersons were a spin off of All in the Family that I know, I wow, I didn't know that the Jeffersons Wait, the Jeffersons were a spin off of.

Rick:

All in the Family. Oh, wait, a minute, wait. I remember Good Times. The mom from Good Times was on Maude. Is that where you jump up? Maybe that's where you jump up.

Carmen:

Yeah, because, mario, I think maybe I don't know, we have to look it up.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Maude was Edith's husband, edith's husband, so All in the Family, not the Jefferson.

Rick:

Dang. This is like a mycelial another network going on here. Everything's related Wait a minute.

Carmen:

So Maude. Oh, okay, you're right. So Maude was Edith's cousin, so all in the Family was a spin off of Maude.

Cynthia Ruiz:

That would make more sense.

Carmen:

Not sure, but maybe I don't know about that. I don't know about that Because I don't know. Maude, I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't know.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Yeah, I never saw the show, but it was just like that All in the family.

Carmen:

I think was its first thing and then there were spin-offs from that. But you're saying Maude was before all in the family.

Rick:

I saw it the last time. I saw Maude and I really wasn't into that show. But I had the mom from Good Times and her. They were both talking to each other and Maude was like well, when women of our age get to be this age by the lot, and the mom said our age, you don't know how old I am and you hate that about my people, don't you?

Cynthia Ruiz:

So funny, so funny.

Carmen:

I mean shows like that back in the day really took. You know, let's give a shout out to Norman Lear, because most of every one of these shows we're talking about and God love him he's about to turn 101. Wow, he was the executive producer and the creator of most of these shows we're talking about. All in the family was the first, that's what I thought, and then there were spin-offs from it. It's kind of like Cheers, so you had Cheers, and then there was Frazier and there was some other one that didn't do well, but you know.

Rick:

Was Taxi related to those at all, or?

Carmen:

no, I think. Taxi was way before Cheers, oh, you mean to this group of stuff?

Rick:

I'm not sure if they were related to those Taxi's way before.

Carmen:

Cheers, Cheers is the 80s, 80s, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I was just saying you know the spin-offs or whatever. Oh, that is so. Wow, we really went off topic and I love it. Look at Melanie. Melanie's like the Jefferson's mod, then the theme. She's like oh, and it was first, she gone, she gone get us. So mod was after the Jefferson's? Oh, that's what Cynthia was saying, right?

Cynthia Ruiz:

No, I thought mod was really old.

Rick:

I thought mod was really old.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Yeah.

Carmen:

I don't know Okay here we go. Okay, yeah, jefferson's was a separate spin-off, but how do you guys watch all these old TV land or something? Are they just on TV land?

Cynthia Ruiz:

I mean, yeah, all these old shows aren't still, but I remember while these company, all these streaming sites, have all these old shows on there too oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

Carmen:

No, I'm just going to stick to my sci-fi. I'm addicted. Even today I sent Rick a clip. I'm like did you know?

Rick:

I'm just like oh by the way, Pluto has exclusive Lucy channel, by the way. What do you mean?

Carmen:

Oh, pluto the show. I'm not going to watch Lucy. I told you it's not my genre. I you know it's so funny. Okay, so I I dated this guy once and he was a big fan of the Lucy show, whatever. He was like, ah, I can't believe you never watched it. And I was like yeah, I did. And he's like, oh, and I was like he is fine, I'm going to watch this show with him.

Carmen:

You know what I mean. Like that's going to be our thing, but he was obsessed and it was not that much fun for me. Like it just. I'm not saying it wasn't funny, it's just when something doesn't work for you, like, so that never worked out that relationship, clearly.

Cynthia Ruiz:

You didn't know the whole V divided Benjamin episode.

Rick:

Yeah, that was funny.

Cynthia Ruiz:

That was the best one, the only clips I know of the things on on.

Carmen:

On Pretty Woman, like I remember, like, remember when she meets Richard Gere oh yeah, you're stomping on the tomatoes or whatever and the grapes or whatever. It is Like. I've only seen clips of things. I feel. Now I feel bad. It's my show. We're going to talk about stuff that I've seen, only things that I like, only things that I'm aware of. I, I, I want to see the show mod. I like to be Arthur, I like her too. I guess I knew she was on a sitcom before.

Rick:

I loved her on Golden Girls, but I've watched mod and it wasn't for me.

Carmen:

Oh, what's the storyline of mod, is it not cool?

Rick:

I just was bored. I never really got into it and I tried to watch it. I asked the point.

Carmen:

Well, that's how I felt about Lucy, but you know, whatever I'm just going to say, I know, I know, I know people going to be like that's it, we writing off this stupid. All about the joy, all about the stupid is what it seems like. Can you ever have too many friends?

Rick:

Yes, yes, mario.

Carmen:

What's the chocolate factory? Oh yeah, that's a good one, lucy, yeah.

Rick:

Her and Ethel worked at this chocolate place and it's a conveyor belt and they have to have clips of that.

Carmen:

I've seen that. Yeah, okay, another move, another show. I've never seen that. Everyone talks about the big, the big guy, and they live in an apartment and there's nothing in the apartment really is old, it's like black and white.

Rick:

Honeymooners.

Carmen:

That one. That's it yeah.

Rick:

I've never seen that.

Carmen:

That's how clips I love the honeymooners.

Rick:

Dad's mom loved that show and she didn't even speak.

Carmen:

English. She should have done a funny show. So you guys have seen that too, yeah.

Rick:

A little bit. I haven't seen it.

Carmen:

I used to watch that with my mom. Anyone watched Chico and the man. Yes, I loved Chico and the man and I thought Chico was my father.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I don't know what's that in?

Carmen:

What's Chico and the man I remember, and he died, he died, he died really young too. I've never even heard of that show. Are you serious? No, all right, whatever.

Rick:

Hey, I got to go Dad's on TV, bye.

Carmen:

There's a big little kid. I don't remember what it was all about, but he was. He was I mean, he was Chicano, you know, he was Latino, but it was called Chico and the man. And the man was a white guy and they worked together. But I forget the whole thing, but I can see his face. I can see his face and I just remember being like I know that's who my father is. I know I'm so obsessed and I remember it because my mother would say if you ever asked me again who your father is, you're going to get it. But in my pillow she got. So mad.

Carmen:

I was silly when we're children so silly. Okay, I was going to go on to another subject, but this just seems like so much fun. Okay, can you have too many friends?

Cynthia Ruiz:

I don't think so, but then again it depends on what you define, friends.

Rick:

Yeah, I'm thinking of somebody who I won't say their name, but they think everybody's their friend and it's like it doesn't.

Carmen:

Do we know them?

Rick:

I'm going to shut my mouth. But yeah, you just can't be friends with everybody. It's not going to work.

Carmen:

But I think it's what Cynthia just said, right, and she just said depends on what your definition of friendship is. I think that people mistake acquaintances. That's something that I wish I had written in Dao, but Maya Angelou said it really beautifully. She said something to the effect of you know, people confuse really great acquaintances with what friendship is, and I think friendship can be defined whatever it is you need it to be, but if you're delusional about it, you're going to end up getting hurt. And I always say this thing that you know a lot of people think I'm their friend. I'm not. You know. I'm the very important definitions in my life that determine a friendship, and one of them is respect. And if you can't respect, even if I'm wrong, even if I'm mean, even if I make a mistake, if you can't respect me as a human being, we're not friends. Like, we're not friends. And I have battled it out. Mia and I have battled it out Alden and I have battled it out. I love him and he's in Scotland right now.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Like I told you that right.

Carmen:

Today he's in Scotland and he just had major surgery. But this man cannot stay off of his damn bike. So he's in Scotland with all of his friends. We had a big fight about it, you know, but whatever he's grown, he's a grown man. But if you can have those disagreements, you can have those fights, you can have those battles back and forth and then you can learn to listen to each other and find a way to come to a mutual understanding. That only helps that relationship, you know. And if you can't do that, then there is no relationship. There there's no connection. There's just you wanting to be right, or you wanting to step on me, to to whatever, or you wanting to be connected Like that's the thing I can't stand. People want to be connected to me. This is not even an ego thing. I know you guys have experienced it too. They want to be connected to you. When things are good, Everybody's afraid. When things are good, who are you for? What you have or what they think you have?

Cynthia Ruiz:

you know what I mean.

Carmen:

They don't know and they can't tell. I mean if you have a relationship or Billy. You know Billy is like a brother to me. You know I would die for Billy, you know, but if Charlie called me and said he needed something, I would help him in a heartbeat because he's never been anything but a good friend to me. You know what I mean Like a good person funny laughter, there's no drama, it's very easy and he's hilarious. He was on the show, for I just want to say this because I was going to text you, rick he was on the show for what? 20 minutes last week. I have like 90 clips of him.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Funny.

Carmen:

Like I swear to God. I was like, oh, I can use this one. There's so many of him because he's just, he has such an energy, you know I mean, yeah, I'm not going to use them all, but I was just like I use. You saw, I used quite a few of them already. You know, Cynthia, you missed it. You missed Charlie last week. Yeah, yeah, Okay, Anything else on. Can you have too many friends?

Rick:

I just remembered going back to Tyler Perry, as, as Medea, he was saying everybody's life is like a book and when you read a book, a story, there's the main character, that's you, and then there's other characters and some of the characters on every single chapter, but some of the characters are only in a few chapters and they may come in, they may go out, because you can't expect everybody to be in every chapter. That doesn't make any sense, that's not real life and I'm like when I heard that, I was like wow, yeah.

Carmen:

Well, and look, I'll bring up a bad part, something that happened and, rick, I think I told you about this. I think I talked about it a couple of episodes ago too. I had a friend named Todd Fisk and we were really great friends. I moved out here, we went to college together. There was never anything romantic between us at all, we were just really good friends. We were in film classes together. I moved out here, he moved out here. I helped him get an apartment out here. He just a really wonderful person. He borrowed my car to go to San Diego, whatever.

Carmen:

We had a huge fight. I don't even remember what it was about, but I remember him calling me and he was in San Diego and he had to return my car and I said, when you get back we'll just talk about it. But we've had this huge fight. And he came back to my condo and he, when I wasn't there, and he left the car and he left the keys on the doorknob like in a bag. We never talked after that, never talked again, never. And I was just this is going. It's not going to make me cry, but this is. These are the choices and these are the consequences that happen when you make these decisions. So we never talked after this and I googled him because I was wondering how he was doing. I always googled people, especially when I talked to people I cared about.

Carmen:

He died in January of cancer of the year and he had two kids. He has two children and a wife. And because I was reading the obituary and I was like horrible, horrible, I mean, would I change anything I had done? No, because I did the best I can. He chose not to talk to me ever again. He chose not to come. I tried to reach out to him a couple of times after, but I get the hint you don't want to.

Carmen:

We, you know what I mean. Like that's, I'm really good at that. I'm good at cutting people out and I'm good at respecting people's wishes, you know. But you know, that kind of broke my heart. I mean sad, you know. So it could go either way and that was somebody I loved and cared about and we'd known each other for so long. But I wish I could remember, like, what we thought about. Like I can't even remember what it like, I think it was a girl, like I think he liked somebody and I don't even remember, but I think it was like he always used to. You know, we all have these friends that keep dating people and they're the one and then you have to hear about it. I don't know if that's it, but I think it was something to do with that. You know what I mean Like, and I wasn't listening, I wasn't taking seriously, or you know what I mean and it was disrespectful of me, probably, you know. Getting back to that, you know. So I lost that friend and I paid a dear price for that.

Cynthia Ruiz:

So I have a question. So we've been talking about what we think are best friends. Do we think that our best friends see us as a best friend?

Carmen:

Even if they don't, I make them. I'm like me, I'm your best friend, right? Right, I mean you could have all the best friends, but I'm your best friend, right? Andrea too, I'm like. I know Andrea's best friend, leslie. Her name is Leslie and I think she's fabulous and wonderful, but I'm also Andrea's best friend. You can have more than one best friend. And here's how Mia handled it. When Mia got married, she had her two best friends, susie and Mindy, who I know, I know them. They're on my Facebook, I know them, I've met them, we've all hung out and they were her bridesmaids or her maids of honor or whatever, and I gave the toast at the reception. You know what I mean, and I was totally cool with that, because we all know I hate weddings.

Tyler Perry:

I don't go to weddings.

Carmen:

Did I go to your wedding? Nope, I don't go to weddings, so, but I think I was traveling. Now, right, I don't know what happened with your wedding.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I honestly don't remember, I don't go to weddings.

Carmen:

But anyway. So that's how it's handled I don't have a problem with because we all have multiple best friends and they all like. I would never, ever think or feel like I have to compete with Leslie at all. There is no competition, it's just an is-ness, you know, yeah, how many best friends can you have?

Rick:

I mean me personally. I've never had more than two. That's just me.

Carmen:

I have wait. You wrote how many best best friends can you have?

Rick:

Oh, I just didn't even see that.

Carmen:

She wrote best best friends. Oh, that's another level Interesting. Best best friend Is that a typo?

Cynthia Ruiz:

Is that a?

Carmen:

typo. I'm trying to figure out if that's a typo. I don't know.

Rick:

Let me ask my friend hey, are you just my best friend? Are you my best best friend? Let me know, okay.

Carmen:

Not a typo, not a typo.

Cynthia Ruiz:

okay, no. So let me ask you this is a best best friend, someone who, not to be rude, but would wipe your ass if you need them to, Is that a best best friend?

Carmen:

I don't know if that's a best friend. This sounds like a spouse. Okay, I don't know.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I was gonna say, if someone's not married and single, you know what? If you are, an accident can't move. You need to go to the bathroom. Your best, best friend is there and you can't move.

Carmen:

That's your definition.

Rick:

The timing of the statement is horrible for me because I didn't go to bed till three.

Cynthia Ruiz:

There's best, best, best friend.

Carmen:

That there is best, best best friend. Yeah, Rick, don't even go where you're going, Don't?

Rick:

do that. No, that timing of the statement, I don't know. It's worst timing.

Carmen:

Okay, here's what I'll tell you. I would wipe anyone's ass if I needed to help somebody. That's not, for me, a definition of best friend. I mean, I know what you're saying, but if somebody needed help and I had to be the only one there, I would help them out. You know what I mean. I don't know if a best friend has to be the person that you do the most for. At the end of the day and this isn't, this is just part of what I wish the world was like but I would like to believe if somebody was in need and I was standing there, I would help somebody. You know what I mean. That's not a definition to me. That's not part of the definition I think for me.

Carmen:

That's just being a good person. That's just being a good person, yeah, but it is funny. But I think for me what really matters is there's a history and there are ebbs and flows in that history, and can you withstand all of the ebbs and flows in relationships in order to sustain and kind of get stronger as friends? You know I don't talk to Andrea and Mia on an everyday basis. There was a time we did like there was a time when it was like everyday, whatever we don't need to. But I have no doubt in my mind, if I called either one of them or if I called Billy or Alden and if I was just like I'm in trouble, I need help, that there would not be a hesitation. And it's cause over time we've built that relationship Also, and look at this is a good one.

Carmen:

There are very few people I would go to and ask for help because I know they wouldn't let me down. I know people who have more money than God right, you know whatever, like whoever war and buffet, not that he's God, but I realize what I see. But I'm just saying, like what money? And then you're like you know what? I just need a few bucks. You know I'm having a hard time and they're like ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, like are you kidding me? I've had people who have money and have said I'ma send you $1,500, not a problem, and then never did it. And then never did it. But then they're like no, no, we're friends, no, we're not bitch.

Cynthia Ruiz:

We are not friends.

Carmen:

I'm not kidding, this really happened. Somebody who has a lot of money turned around and said they were gonna help me out. This was years ago, years ago before my book, and I was just in a bad situation. I was between jobs and I was just like, oh my God, can you help me? And they were like I'ma send you $15. I'm like, thank you, thank you. So let me tell you, $1500 to them would be like $5 to me right now. It's not gonna hurt me to give somebody $5. I don't need no emails or text messages. Thank you very much.

Carmen:

Okay, so absolutely really about for me, longevity. History ebbs and flows. Who are you when a problem happens really matters to me. Like, can you be the better person when I'm at my lowest point? Can you lift me up? Yep, and let me tell you Andrea, andrea proved I mean, I love Andrea. She'll always be one of my dearest and best friends. But this surgery I had, this was no joke. I mean, the surgery wasn't the big deal, it was the trauma behind it. And then I was like, okay, I owe you. She's like, yes, you do. I'm writing it down, you know what I mean.

Rick:

Like yeah, I got another scenario.

Carmen:

Yeah, go ahead.

Rick:

Have you ever had this where you were with some people and this other person that you're just friends with said oh yeah, they're my best friend. And they're like oh really. And then you're like talk off me, damn. Yeah, we talk a lot, I need your best friend to know. It's awkward.

Carmen:

It is awkward, but you gotta let people believe it. But you know, I put my foot down. I think I mean some people really want to be your friend and that's a blessing, that's a nice thing, you know. But you can't have everybody in your life. Yeah, and sometimes people do that because they want you to know that you're their best friend and they want to hear that reciprocated. So sometimes, when it isn't, it kind of gives them the information. You know that's a hard one. Yeah, that's a hard.

Carmen:

That's happened a few times to me too. I don't say anything though, just let it go. Yeah, and what are you gonna do? And here's the thing there are different levels of friend. Like somebody, being your best friend doesn't mean you can't have another great friend or somebody who's close to you or a family member. You know what I mean. Like there's no competition of love. Yeah, I told Juliana like I said, juliana, who is the best, most important adult ever and this was. She was little. She's 15 now, but she would be like you are, but don't tell my mom and dad. I was like and I realized I was like okay, that's not what I meant, like I did.

Rick:

I just had a flashback, and this is not friend, but this was like girlfriend supposedly. I was in like third grade and these two girls that lived on my street like you hang out on the street with friends, whatever, and these two girls were literally pulling me arm to arm. No, he's my boyfriend. No, he's my boyfriend. I'm like I ain't none of y'all boyfriend. Y'all are crazy.

Carmen:

Yeah, yeah, oh my God, I think it's like you know, look at, we all wanna be connected and we all we're social beings and of course we want. I always say that the umbrella is love, but we wanna love and we wanna be loved. There's nothing wrong with that. But you cannot, you cannot have really great relationships in your life if you are not okay in your heart as well. You know that's just me. That doesn't mean, look at, that's why friendships grow and move on right.

Carmen:

I have another friend on Facebook, jackie, who I've known since I was like 10 years old. I used to live at her house. You know what I mean Like with her mom and her family, and you know we don't talk at all, but if she called me tomorrow I'd be like what you need, jack. Friendships grow and change and you evolve, but it doesn't mean that solid friendship is not still important to you. It just means it's, you know, one of the rocket boosters that's moved away, but I still. I can see it. I can see it. You know what I mean. Let me see if I have any more questions. But, rick, I think you and I have become friends and that we've never met in real life.

Rick:

Yeah, yeah, and I've told you that I've met people that I only knew online, for real.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Yeah.

Rick:

And they're like you're the same we just you're quieter than we thought you were.

Carmen:

I'm not worried about you. What did you think about all the other people, right? I mean, did they seem to be the same?

Rick:

Pretty much, yeah, pretty much. Some of them, some of them I thought were friendly or even in person, really yeah.

Carmen:

Cynthia.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Honestly, the only people I talk to online are, like high school or middle school friends or family. I never really met new people other than you, rick, I know, I know.

Carmen:

Yeah, because you know Andrea, you know Alden, I know Andrea. Alden hasn't been on the shot or, like Alden says, he wants to be on the show, but Alden's just the talker. Have you met Alden yet? I feel like you have, but you haven't met Alden yet. Rick In person? No, that's so weird.

Carmen:

Yeah, yeah. And you don't know Billy yet either. I think that's the weirdest thing. All of my friends have not. All of my best friends have not met each other. They're gonna that's what I was worried about If I die, that's gonna be the first time they all meet each other.

Cynthia Ruiz:

I was like I'm all sad about it.

Carmen:

I was like, oh, that's so funny.

Rick:

How did you know Carmen? She was my best friend.

Carmen:

Oh, she was my best friend too.

Cynthia Ruiz:

Like wait, no, she was my best friend. Oh, that's so funny.

Carmen:

I am blessed with a lot of people in my life who are good friends. I feel blessed. I think that is the real wealth. You know what? I'm really in shock. I didn't think this was gonna go on for as long as it has this was really fun.

Carmen:

So see you guys again next week and I'm gonna end the stream. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. I appreciate you all and everyone who's been listening. And yeah, remember, it's all about the joy. Thanks for stopping by. All about the joy. Be better and stay beautiful folks, have a sweet day.