GirlDad
Ep. 48 - Happy New Year!
No fireworks...just our thoughts on the annual spectacle and our hopes for 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Duration:
- 35m
- Broadcast on:
- 03 Jan 2025
- Audio Format:
- other
Well, are we going to do like a top ten list because I need to know what I've told you to prepare for that if we were doing that? So, just to let you know, Abby's going to introduce herself. I'm going to introduce myself. Then we introduce a podcast. And then we'll introduce you. And I'll say you're going first. I go first. [MUSIC] Hi, I'm a girl. And I'm her dad. Welcome to Girl Dad. We wanted to document the thoughts of two people from different generations of the wide, wild world we live in. Every week we tackle a new topic through our unique lenses. All along for the ride. [MUSIC] Hi, everyone. And welcome back to Girl Dad. I'm Abigail Forshette. And I'm Peter Forshette. Happy New Year. Happy New Year, everyone. Welcome to 2025. How exciting. Yeah, I'll have to ask Macey if this is one of the year numbers she likes or not. She's very particular about the year number she likes. So I'll have to check in with her about that. That's very interesting. I don't really understand what would be the- Like she just, I don't know, like there's certain years that she's like, "Oh, that's an ugly year number." Which I kind of like get, but she has much more specific reasoning. Yeah, I see. So we'll check in with her about that. But today we're going to be talking about new years. I mean, what sense are we going to be talking about new years? So I thought it would be fun to kind of talk about, well, I think that our family tends to not find new years to be, like new years eve particularly to be like a holiday that we find quite enjoyable or anything. We could talk about that and then like New Year's goals or resolutions and kind of the past year as well and how, I guess, successful if you want to quantify it that way we've been. All right. With those things. All right. We should mention, so we're recording this on New Year's Eve. But when you will be listening to this, we will be hopefully all still alive and recovering from our drinking around the world experience, which there may be a short vlog of. We'll keep you posted about that because it seems to be requested that we do so with that. If future me has for shit together, maybe that'll happen, but should we start with New Year's Eve itself? Sure. I was trying to think about New Year's Eve and our family and you mentioned it hasn't been a big deal. So I was thinking back to when I was growing up, and it was a bigger deal for me growing up in keen, I think, and I don't know if my siblings would agree with this, but I do recall, I think that there was a New Year's Eve party every year. Oh, I don't know that it was at the same house every year, but I do have memories of going to a neighbor's house and on New Year's Eve, and maybe me the reason I remember that is because the sugar bowl was always on, and that was a New Year's Eve game and I remember watching it at other people's house. Wait, wait, wait, I'm not at my own, I'm watching that. For me, other than that, I don't really think it was ever that big a deal. I think that it was all a lot of hype, and I do think that Dick Clark's Rock and Eve, we watched when Dick Clark was alive, and it was... It's still Ryan's secret time. It's Ryan's secret time. I believe he's the host of it now. I don't even know, though, because we don't like... I think that we'll turn it on, and I think that's pretty much all it is for us now, is just watching the New Year's Eve shows on TV and sometimes staying up until midnight. They're all pre-recorded, though, now, too. Just like on that Friends episode, yeah, the one with the routine. That was recorded all well in advance and pretend that the New Year is happening. I will say, as you said, we are recording us on New Year's Eve, and I was in the car a little while ago, and flipping around to different stations on XM, and I landed on CNN, and I think they were basically covering New Year's Eve around the world, so any time... Oh, like every time it changes. Every time it changes to midnight in a different country, they're there showing the fireworks, and whatever. And hopefully that this New Year for us will be better and more successful and less traumatic than we expected to be. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like, I guess for me, New Year's also kind of same thing. Well, not same thing. We don't have a part. I don't feel like we ever had parties growing up to go there. And I think part of that is that small town vibe that I grew up in. Yeah, it was like everybody would just gather at one place. I think that was not. I have a lot of New Year's, particularly any time after middle school of friends wanting to do things, and it just being miserable. Like the expectations were not as fun as like the actual, or the expectations were much higher than the actual like events or whatever we went to. But I do have two New Year's that were good that I won't have much more memory of. But when I was little, I remember you're my cousin's Maggie, Jack and Anna. Maybe he's out for me. I have little memory of this, but I believe I was sitting in a dirty diaper for quite a long time. Yes, that was the year 2000, which was, that was a fun New Year's Eve, as I recall. We were up in Maine. Don't tell you that all. We were like, oh, that's okay. You know, it's 1230. She's exhausted. She'll go to bed and write to bed, which you did after we cleaned you up and write to bed. Oh, then we'll, she'll sleep till 10. And there you were, 530. I nailed my father's daughter. Yeah, I was prepared. But that was a good time. And then I also, the only like good, like adult New Year's I had was when I went to, I shouldn't say good because there's been fine ones, but I've done nothing kind of. But the only one where I did something that was good was when we went to the club in Boston called the Middle East and we saw Sam Brothers band play. Sorry, I did not know how to say those words in that order. But that was like really fun because they were like a, it was a cover band and that was just like a good low key kind of night. And I think we were actually thinking about doing that tonight, but because we have the early flight to Orlando tomorrow, we've decided to stay in. I do want to touch back on that trip that we went with that now and because that was the year 2000. They deal. And there was so much nervousness around the world that. Why 2K? Why 2K? Once the clocks changed and the number, all the computers were only went up to 1999. Everything was going to shut down. I know I feel like that's something also like obviously I was only three, so I don't have real memories of this. But like I took a class on the 90s and I learned about like why 2K and I had only known it as like a fashion term or like a trends returning kind of term. And I remember learning about it and people were like really scared that just the world is like going to explode. You have no idea. People were so concerned that something really bad was going to happen. Like nuclear bombs were going to go off because the things were not set like all the computers. So yeah, I was like I guess surprised to learn that that was what why 2K was actually. And it wasn't just like small tiny glasses and sparkly pants. So yeah, fun times. Sure, there's some other I kind of actually do remember a New Year's celebration and it was at the Franklin Ballroom in Durham, New Hampshire, which had owned for a little while. And so I'm going to say it was in the 80s at some point, but it was, I do remember that was one of the few times that I ever spent New Year's even a bar. And it was fun. Yeah. But you know, I always like it best to be with family and the ones that you love. Well, like my favorite things were when we would play clue and watch school rock. Like Betsy. That's right. Like that was the, that was way better than trying to like go do things in Boston and just like not be able to get in anywhere. Yeah, you should just like spend it with people you really love and want to spend time with. And yeah, well also another shout out to Macy here. She has a really cute tradition that I like is she and her family, they make like physical like vision boards. So they do like kind of, they cut out different things for like what they want for the year. And I think that that's like a fun and creative way to spend the New Year and it's kind of a fun way to do your goals in a more like creative and less really kind of way if that makes sense. Like not as like, I have to do this. It's like, well, if this happens, that would be fun, you know. So I like that idea too. I think that's cute. I've kind of, I've made a Pinterest board for like each of the past few years where I'll like start it before the year starts and then I'll kind of add as I'm going through with kind of similar like messages of what I want to have this year kind of in my what's important to me I guess is the best way to put it. Yeah. Are you a big New Year's resolution guy or not really? Yeah, I don't recall ever having been. I've probably been asked what my New Year's resolutions are and it probably answered. But the amount of time that I spend after answering the question and thinking about what my answer was is pretty limited. Yeah, so I, I wish that I did a better job of sort of making and keeping resolutions because I think that I would be a have a chance to be better at things. If I pay more attention to it. So hopefully that'll be my resolution for this year. To be better at making resolution and sticking to resolutions. Okay. But as of this exact moment, I don't know what those would be. Well, I think it's also, you know, I talk about this with my therapist and I feel like there's times that don't align with like New Year's or your birthday where you also have moments where you're like, I want to make this change. And I sometimes feel like if that happens, just do it then. Don't wait until the New Year or don't wait until your birthday. Because then you're putting off the energy that like you had for that and the excitement you had for it at that time. And that's also like, I think a lot of the time we set ourselves up for failure, particularly with like New Year's resolutions because we make them almost too vague. In a way that like, for example, I feel like getting fit is like a big one for a lot of people is that's what they're going to join a gym and you see gym memberships rise and fall very quickly. But it's like, I think you set yourself up for failure because it's like, if you start out really strong and motivated to do that and then you like mess up one day or one week and you're not doing it as consistently. You then see that you failed and then you don't keep going where if you like maybe like went into it a little more gradually and said actually instead of like getting fit, I really want to try to like swim more this year. And then it's not like I have to swim once a week, but maybe that's what it turns into, but it's just like, okay, I'm going to go for a swim at any opportunity it presents itself or something like that. I feel like that sets yourself up more for success because you don't feel like you failed and then you don't give up on that where I feel like a lot of the goals like we set for ourselves can be very like easy to fail at, if that makes sense. Yeah, I think it is defining what it is that your goal is actually what it is that you're attempting to achieve. And sometimes it is good to make it easier if you do put a number on it or a specific goal like I want to lose 15 pounds this year or something like that. And that's something that you can, I think something like that you can kind of stick to that better than, oh, I want to get fit. But what does that mean? But if you're going to lose 15 pounds, well, now January is over and I've gained three. So that doesn't mean you fail. You've still got plenty of time to knock it back down. And so I think in that way, that's a way to, I guess, be more specific will make it easier for you to achieve your goals. Yeah, so did you have any goals for this past year? I know you said no. Okay. I don't think so. That's fair. I didn't achieve them either. Well, you didn't fail because you didn't have them. So that's fine. I feel like I did have some goals for this year that I actually feel like I feel like I did pretty well. Like I'm pretty proud of myself. There was one big one that I failed at, which was I really did not want to buy any new clothing or like jewelry shoes, anything like that kind of space. And I feel aside from, I knew there were a couple occasions where like that was not going to work, but I had already like put those aside as that doesn't count. And I was doing really well through the spring and then summer happened and I was too hot. So then I like did kind of have to buy things. But then I was like I said, it felt like I failed, so then I didn't go back to okay now I don't have to buy things so I would just combine things. But so that's kind of a goal I'm trying to roll over to next year. And instead of having it be like don't buy any clothes, have it more be like is this a necessary purchase. Can you thrift it can you find it from a local sort just kind of more ethically consuming things more so than like fully cutting myself off because I think that that's an unreasonable expectation to set yourself up with. I do feel like I am set up better for this year just because I have better outfits for the summer in particular, but you know, that was definitely something I wish I was able to stay stronger with but I think I'm setting myself up better for success with it this year. But I will say one of my big achievements of this past year was I wanted to start a podcast and we did it and we've done it the whole year and we're going to keep going and that's like a big deal for me because I'm not always the best at sticking with things. I think this has been really fun and people seem to like it so I will say that I was actually going to say that one thing that I definitely did not resolve to do in a year ago was to do 40 plus episodes of a weekly podcast and do it every week. Which has been other than the post election we have done this and we have produced a new episode every Friday for three quarters of a year or more, I guess it is probably more, which I think is pretty good. And I too, I mean, I think that is, I think one of the resolutions that I would have for this year and again it's vague but I want to be more responsible and one of the ways to do that is to live up to your commitments and this was a commitment that I made to you and I'm happy that we've been able to do it. So I hope to do more of that. I hope to do more of this because it's fun. I think it's really fun. Looking forward to, I don't know that we were planning to talk about this today but we're talking about the new year so if you want we can talk about what your hopes are for this show going forward in 2025. I mean, I think I like kind of the way we do it. I personally feel like I don't feel a need to go into more of the social media aspect of it but I know that if we're trying to grow it with listeners that that's something you kind of have to do. You guys just want to keep sharing it with friends and they can share it with their friends but I don't know. I feel like I like the conversations we're having a lot. I, you know, I think there's some topics we have coming up that are exciting. You know, we're going to do some more sports related episodes, I think. Well, I think I think one of the things that I would like to see us do more of and we've talked about it in the new year is a few more guests and more. I just think that I enjoy the conversations that you and I have but I also enjoy learning more about other people and what they do and if that helps to educate the listeners as well, that would be great. Yeah, I think, you know, having some more guests on is a very fun thing to do and it's fun. As someone who doesn't really know, like, believe what they want to do with their life to hear what other people are doing and what their kind of day-to-day lives look like, I think that is something that will continue to do and maybe try to do a little bit more of in the new year. That would be awesome. Yeah. If you are someone who would like to share that, that's a listener, feel free to email us at girldadpeacast@gmail.com. Yes, Dad's been very happy. We've gotten some emails this past week. They're very exciting, very exciting. Yeah, or if there's somebody that you think that we have a chance that we could interview, let us know that too. Or if there's other things that you'd like to hear like our takes on, I think we haven't really talked about it, but one of my friends mentioned the idea of having other father daughters on to to kind of talk about that relationship and those dynamics, which I think is something that could be interesting to explore, because I think you and I have not a super unique relationship, but I do think we have a very lucky relationship and I feel very grateful to have a father like you. Thank you very kind. Yeah. And I'm proud to say that you're my daughter. Aww. So cute. Well, I'm really schmoozing up. Well, I guess I also want to... So I do have some goals for this year. Should I share that with her? Sure. If you would like to record what your goals are so that we can come back and talk to you next year. That's fine. Well, I think it is helpful to kind of put them out into the universe. I do it on my blog because I think then it's like a check-in too. It's like it holds you accountable a little bit. It's like, you know what? I am going to have to revisit this with other people's eyes on it, and it's not... I don't think anybody necessarily cares that much if I do them or don't do them, but I do think people maybe to get ideas of what they would like to be doing or how they'd like to be doing everything. It's good to share. So like I said, the ethical consumption one's a big one, and I'm actually having my first salon of the new year. We're going to do a clothing and book swap, so I'm inviting a bunch of friends over and just telling them to bring anything they don't really want anymore that they have. And whatever people don't take home with them, I'm going to bring into housing works to donate. That's awesome. Yeah, so I feel like that's a good way to start off the year too because, you know, if people do like spring cleaning and stuff, which I get, but I also feel like sometimes the new years are good time to do it too, because it's just like, you just have so much stuff, and you just got stuff from Christmas or whatever, so it's like, oh, I don't mean my old pots and pans anymore, because I got new ones now, but maybe someone else needs. So stuff like that. That's great. Yeah, I think that's helpful and it's good for everybody, you know, so that's my big goal I'd say for the year, but I also am going to try to learn to play the piano this year. So I always like to have one that's a little bit more of like a hobby goal because I feel like hobbies are dying off and I want to have hobbies. So mine for last year was learning how to do like embroidery, and I did learn how to do that, and I have continued to do that, and it's fun, but now I'm like, okay, it's time for piano. So we're going to do that. I also, I really want to go on a hike this year. That's one of my goals. Well, how would you define a hike? Not like a day hike, like we're not spending the night anywhere. No, that's fine. But so you'd go up in the, in sort of the cat skills or something like that. Yeah, just take a take a nice hike. Excellent. Nothing crazy, but I feel like, you know, I was thinking back on times in my life when I was like the happiest and healthiest and all those kind of things. And then one of those times was when I was in Australia and we were doing a lot of kind of like outdoor activities and I don't feel like, you know, if I'm spending time outside in the city, it's fun, but I feel like I need to also be able to do that outside of the city as well. So that's one of my goals. I would like to take more advantages of the times I get to swim because that is something I think I need to be doing more of. Let's think. What were some of the other ones they said? I think those are like kind of the big ones I remember right now. But, oh, and then also like keeping up with my blog, like I want to, I do over there. I'm on sub-stack as Friday baby, and I'm doing my main thing I do is these scene red herds that I do kind of every three months. I do them seasonally. I just read one this morning. Yes, my awards won. Yes. But I want to like maintain that as the year goes on because I think it's good just to like, then it's like every movie I see, every new movie or TV show or whatever that I'm seeing, I'm writing something about getting my thoughts down. And it's easy enough to do, but it is still like a good creative outlet and I can write as much or as little as I want. So, yeah, just things like that. That's awesome. I mentioned that I wanted to become more responsible and just try to continue to be there for people and help people out as much as I can. I am getting involved with an organization now, C4RJ, which is community for restorative justice, which I'm learning more and more about, which is basically taking it kind of takes the legal system out of the process. There is a a victim of a of some sort of offense. The perpetrator is given the opportunity to sit and meet with the victim and law enforcement and community members, and they talk about what the impact was of the act. That the perpetrator did and ways that that person can make good on what they did without necessarily going to jail. These are also not major crimes. No, no, not as of yet. Yes, that's true. But this is a restorative justice is kind of a big thing. I think it's a growing thing around the country. C4RJ is growing in Massachusetts. And so I'm getting involved with that, learning more about that and seeing if that is something that I want to fully invest in from a time standpoint. And so we'll see how that goes. That's one thing that I want to get more involved with this year. I think it's something that I think is less of goal and more theme that I'm noticing within myself, but also kind of within my friends and just the world in general is kind of this desire to be community members. Like the rise of social media and what happened with COVID. I think a lot of us feel more like global citizens than like community members in a lot of ways. We're more aware of things that are happening on a large scale and things that are happening in our local communities. And I think that can often lead to general feelings of loneliness or isolation or, you know, a bunch of different things and it also causes issues among like how we want our lives to be run and operated. I mean we've obviously talked about the importance of local government, but I think getting involved in organizations within your community on a more small scale is a really good thing and it can make you feel really good as well as do really good things for other people too. So that's great. Yeah, looking forward to doing some more with that. Yeah. And you're going to, you're going to keep coaching in the new year. Yes, keep coaching. We've got a couple more months of girls, JV basketball at Dana Hall. You know, just trying to build the program and try to keep getting better. You seem to have a pretty good year. It's fun. And I really enjoy working with the girls and there's a wide variety of attitudes and talents and skills. I think nothing makes me happier than to see a girl markedly improved, and we've had so many of those, no, not so many of those, but we've had a few of those that just, it's amazing that, you know, have these girls come in, who, as first year in high school, have never played basketball and in many cases, I would venture to get some never watched basketball before. But they get out there and they put it in the effort and they pay attention and they get better. And then you've got girls who've been playing forever. And to see a girl who knows the game and knows what they're doing somewhat on the court, still make an effort to improve and also make an effort to make their teammates improve. And that's a great experience for me, and I really appreciate it when I see that. So we're doing that again this year. And when that's over, it'll be golf season, so I'll be ready to tee it up. You know, looking, you know, as we sit here today, it's 48 or something and sunny out, and it's beautiful. I could play golf today. You've been looking forward to that, getting back into that as well. Alright, that's it. Those are some good, not goals, but exciting things for the year. Yeah, for sure. I think that's great. Well, we hope you guys enjoyed this episode and you had a good New Year celebration and whatever form that takes for you. Looking forward to seeing you in 2025 or at least having you hear us. Yeah. And yeah, we're a very happy New Year to everyone around the world, because we know we do have those international listeners. Of course, of course. I'm not going to say happy New Year in the many languages that could be said. For our French listeners, but beyond that, I think we'll just go to that. But wishing you all health and happiness in the New Year, and we'll talk to you next week. Bye, Dad. Bye, girl. Thank you for joining us today. If you enjoyed the episode, follow us on your favorite podcast platforms, rate us and leave a review. For latest updates, follow us on Instagram at girldad.pod. [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]
No fireworks...just our thoughts on the annual spectacle and our hopes for 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.