Thirsty Topics podcast

Likes, Laws, And Holiday Trees for 12/10/25

• Lawrence Elrod & Meryl Klemow

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A snowy reset, a comedy high, and a fast tour through modern boundaries: when likes become signals, why nursing deserves full professional status, how dystopian art muddies the message, and where pet health and holiday habits meet common sense. We end with a tree debate and an invite to weigh in.

• weekend recap and sports frustration
• social media likes vs trust and intent
• divorce case using likes as evidence
• nursing reclassification and loan caps
• staffing shortages and access to care
• robot dog art, likeness rights, and satire
• Meghan Markle family boundaries and privacy
• GLP-1s for pets vs owner responsibility
• real vs artificial trees, safety and sustainability
• listener invite to share tree preferences

If you're in the area, make sure you come out, support Meryl. If you're coming, tell me any of your favorite scary movies and I'll work them into my set. Please share and let people know who we are and continue to support our programs.


Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

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Hello, and thank you for listening to Thirsty Topics podcast! I'm Lawrence Elrod, and every week Meryl Klemow and I dive deep into the stories that matter, the conversations that shape our world."

Please help support our show by following us and telling others about our show. New podcasts weekly.

SPEAKER_01:

Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. I'm Lauren Selrod.

SPEAKER_00:

And I'm Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_01:

Hey Meryl, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_00:

Hey, hey, hey. I'm so good. Still haven't bought any holiday presents yet, but still good.

SPEAKER_01:

That's okay. That's okay. How was your weekend?

SPEAKER_00:

It was so nice. I had the show at the winery that I mentioned uh a few times ago, and it was really beautiful. People paid money to go see comedy and eat fancy dinner rolls and everything, and it was really fun.

SPEAKER_01:

Nice, nice. Yeah, my weekend was it was okay. And the reason why I say it was okay is you know, we relaxed, had a little bit more snow. Uh, my bears lost to Green Bay. No, but that's okay. That's okay. We play them again. Uh, not this coming weekend, but the following weekend. So we'll get our revenge. Okay. But otherwise, it's pretty nice. I cannot complain.

SPEAKER_00:

Good. Now, was it a close game?

SPEAKER_01:

You know what? It was a close game. We lost by one score.

SPEAKER_00:

No, uh, I don't know if that's better or worse. I mean, I guess it's good because it makes for a good game the whole time, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

The the the game ended when uh Caleb Williams, who's our quarterback, threw an interception in the end zone. So that pretty much ended the game. So that's okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep, you'll get him next time.

SPEAKER_01:

That's true. That's true. I mean, instead of number one, we're number two in division. So we can still end up being number one if we win this coming weekend and the Green Bay Packers lose.

SPEAKER_00:

So I think I mentioned now I know how my best friend Michelle, who loves uh the Eagles, feels because she's had to deal with their losses a lot this year. So I just know not to ask about it or or I until I could offer support.

SPEAKER_01:

There you go.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I'll kick us off this week um with a with a funny one, one that my boyfriend doesn't like too much, but still a good one nonetheless. Uh, a court in Turkey, in case Casery, Turkey, has ruled that social media likes can be considered a breach of trust in some divorce cases. So now, you know, what this means is maybe if a married man likes a woman's post or anything like that, or even just social media, that can be found as um contributing to the breakdown of a marriage. So this ruling came after a husband repeatedly liked posts from another woman, and the court determines, like, hey, this is contributing to the breakdown of a marriage. Um, the higher court upheld the decision signaling that online actions may carry legal weight in marital disputes. Experts note that the ruling applies to this specific case. It may not be universally binding across Turkey, but I feel like we're gonna see this more and more. We're like, you know, judge, he liked this model's Instagram.

SPEAKER_01:

And I know some people are gonna get angry about me saying this. This has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever known in my life.

SPEAKER_00:

Right? Exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, you know how many things that we like on social media are, but we like the post. And there's some people we follow because you know we like a lot of stuff that they put put out there. It doesn't mean that we want a relationship with them.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

Maybe I'm being maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way, but this seems kind of nuts to me.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. Okay, so I have the devil's advocate, though, is like, you know, you're a very respectable married man, and I'm sure you follow women that are part of projects or part of things that like are attractive and you may like their stuff, you know, just because you're supporting their podcast, or even if you think, oh, they look beautiful, obviously you're happy with your wife. But like, I think it would be an I think it is an issue, maybe not illegal, but I to me it's an issue if like a man is like a mirror, it or not maybe not an issue, but it's kind of just weird if a man is following like a million bikini and just Instagram girls and liking it. Like if these women are just on Instagram, like just as like models and kind of sex objects, like a man to be liking that and engaging that. Now, like my boyfriend does like a lot of you know, like attractive women and he does follow like models and all those kind of people. But I've told him before, like, I don't care if you like it, but if you're messaging them, obviously, then we have a different story. Like, you know, if you're messaging them like beautiful sunset or you know, anything kind of personal, then that I would be upset about that. But sometimes I do think the optics just look weird. Like, like I feel kind of embarrassed thinking of the fact that my boyfriend's like part of all these likes of like shiny oily women. It's a little bit embarrassing, but but I feel like the way that we're talking about it, where like you know, you were just on the podcast with like and it was a very attractive women, but like you're probably gonna like their post, but you're not liking it in like a weird way, you're liking it in a supportive way.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. And and I'm glad you said what you said because now if you're messaging them and having conversation with them, that's a whole different conversation.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Or if they're your friends, like I have like I used to have friends that played on the soccer team in San Diego, and these are like attractive men that I I have I I truly actually like had no interest in them romantically. I never did, I never will, but like I'm you know, I cheer them on as like people, so I may message them like yay, or you know, if one of them just had a kid or something, I may be in their DMs like clapping, but I'm not like being creepy and they're not creepy with me or anything. So if you know them, I think it's okay. Um, but I could see how if there's like a divorce case, I I could see how presenting social media evidence would be like um maybe not saying oh he liked this thing, but maybe it's like, oh, he's in all these DMs and he's making plans like in social media with you know, obviously it's a sheet on me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I mean, if if you're doing DMs, that's a different conversation. Yeah. But you know, if if if you have a situation where it's male or female and they happen to be attractive, but they put out real good posts, maybe it's about exercise, maybe it's about nutrition or whatever, and you're lacking that post because you like the material stand out, that's not a problem. No, if they're only modeling bikinis and just very little to not get in trouble with social media, and it's a lot of them that you're doing to, then that line may be blurred a little bit, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. It's tough. I've had to have this talk with with my boyfriend with other boyfriends because like they do follow Instagram models and everything. But I but I've had to tell them that's fine with me, but what's not fine is like because I'll get men and even like friends, guy friends in my DMs, and I have to tell my boyfriend, like, this makes me feel like my guy friend might like me in like a different way, and it makes me feel weird, and I don't want you making it's embarrassing for me to think of other women almost like feeling bad for me that like my boyfriend's in their likes or DMs. You know what I mean? It's almost more of an ego thing for me, which maybe some people can get, maybe you can't, but it's like embarrassing because I think I know how women think, which like I know how I think when like a man is too much up in my social media.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and I'll be the first to admit as a man, sometimes we don't see it as quickly as women do.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, a hundred percent. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And sometimes it's a situation where we really don't think a person is coming to us a certain way, there's like, oh okay, whatever, you know. And sometimes, you know, our wife, girlfriend, whatever have to break it down to us. Oh, I didn't even think about that. And and honestly, sometimes we just don't know because we just like okay, whatever, you know, you like it and just move on.

SPEAKER_00:

Totally, totally, absolutely. Like, like I had my well, this is a whole other separate podcast, but like my boyfriend was talking to one of his coworkers and she was on a cruise, and he messaged her and said, like, like room tour or something. And then I I he was showing me, he's like, I asked this, I asked her for a room tour so that we can get an idea of like what a cruise would look like. And I was half watching the video and half thinking to him, you idiot, she's gonna like think that you like her, and why are you asking for a room tour? Like, and then that seems weird to me. And then I had to explain it to him, and then he totally got embarrassed and like got upset and everything like that. And like and he was showing me the video, so he's not trying to like, he's the one that brought it to me first. But if if I was on a cruise and like a random guy I barely knew was like asking me for a room tour, I would just be like, Why what are you doing? You know, like who who are you? I don't really know you, and stuff. So um, I could have put him in jail that night. If he was if we were in Turkey, I would have been okay with him going to the slammer for at least a month.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, you were you were nice. You were nice. That's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. But you're right. I sometimes I think women do have, you know, some people can be overboard and they look at who their man is following or who their person's following and like go crazy about that. But I think to me, it's just you can use it almost as proof of like someone being disrespectful if there's a bunch of other things. It's like, and this, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, interesting. This is gonna be an interesting day. We got a bunch of other stuff. Well, the next topic here nurses across the country are angry that Trump's big beautiful deal doesn't consider nursing a professional career. Wow. This is really interesting to read. Um, nurses are angry that a provision within the present Trump's one big beautiful bill act, um, OBBBA redefines which fields are considered professional degrees by the Department of Education POE. A charge that could cap federal student loan limits for those pursuing advanced nursing degrees. This has led to widespread outrage and concern among the nursing community and healthcare advocates. I think this is absolutely insane that we're even talking about this. I agreed. Um, I mean, the thing is that everyone in the nursing field is in the medical field is very important. Even the janitors are important because guess what? They're the ones that have to keep the facility clean, they have to clean up after certain messages. Uh, also with nurses, nurses pretty much do all the ground work that doctors do. Yeah, um, everyone is very important, including nurses. So, to put that in there really was kind of a shocker to me. What do you think, Meryl?

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. I mean, I think so many times nurses seem to sometimes even pick up on things like doctors can't because they're too busy or their mind is somewhere else or whatever. I feel like a lot of us have had good experiences with nurses where it's like sometimes they do have the time and like the empathy and listening skills that like we feel like our doctors may not if they're rushed or you know, for whatever reason. Um, so this seems like so, so, so silly to me because they they absolutely are a real profession and a really important profession.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, absolutely. And here's the reality the nurse is the first person you see when you get there, and it's the last person you see before you leave.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yep, exactly. And so I I think too, like nurses are already how you said it too. They're a lot of times they're either underpaid or they're not given their full, you know. I mean, the disparity of how doctors and nurses are paid, I think is so different. And I think a lot of times because they tend to be women too, they're not taken as seriously as sometimes male doctors, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and and the crazy thing about it is right now we already have a shortage of of nurses. Okay, yeah. This would actually make it worse. Oh my god. And this is actually something I want to highlight here. Um one of the things that it would uh potentially uh affect is loan limits. So the reclassification means graduate nursing students would be subject to a lower cap on federal student loans, around$20,500 annually, with a$100,000 lifetime limit, compared to other graduate professionals, professional programs which can have much higher limits. This would make pursuing advanced degrees in like, for example, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse, uh uh anetheist, I'm sorry, enthusiasts, anesthesist, sorry, significantly more difficult financially. Just what we just said. You're gonna you're gonna already take a situation and make it ten times worse.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and to make it harder, having less people to go into the field. I think the pandemic already scared a lot of people, like the people that they saw on the front lines, and just the amount of strife that a lot of the nurses had um made people double think if they wanted to go into it or not. And now this will it will be even worse.

SPEAKER_01:

I agree. And the reality is that you already have a difficult job, a difficult career. And now by doing this reclassification, you're gonna make it much more difficult because you do have to go to school. This is one of those things you have to go to school to learn.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And if you don't have a way to pay for it, why would you even go into it to go into further debt? Because if you can't get a student loan to pay for it and you can't afford to pay for it out of your pocket, that means it's significantly less people coming into the field. And you know, now when you go into emergency rooms, you don't even see a doctor anymore unless you request one, you see a nurse practitioner.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. Yeah, and they're just as good. I feel like I've had wonderful nurse practitioners.

SPEAKER_01:

I agree. I agree. I mean, do you think that uh there's gonna be a point they're gonna reverse this?

SPEAKER_00:

Um yeah, I really do. I think they'll get enough like pushback and with union pressure, and I bet if some doctors speak up to and just more medical boards, like I think they will. Uh, I also wish that nursing was the kind of thing that was way more accessible to people like our ages, as you know, maybe as a second career. Because I think like now would be the time that people could be mature enough or have space in their life, or maybe the kids have left, and then that now they have the time to like become a nurse. So I wish we saw more older nurses because I feel like people in their like 40s and 50s and 60s would be great at that, even if they didn't do it prior, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, I agree, and I think what it does too is you know, there's a thing with life lessons, there's things that you learn in life just by living life that you can't learn in a textbook.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So yes, you definitely do need to go to school to learn, but there's also life skills as far as being compassionate, showing empathy, you know, those are things that can be taught.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, exactly. I've tried, I just can't learn them. This whole empathy thing. I tried taking a supplement for it, but it's not not really working. But I I I do think it will be recognized because I think enough nurses and non-nurses will freak out and speak up and make sure that they get uh recognized for it. I really do.

SPEAKER_01:

I agree, I agree. I hope it I hope it changes soon.

SPEAKER_00:

I do too. Uh well, this couldn't be completely opposite of a helpful nurse. This is ridiculous. I bet online everyone has seen pictures of like Elon Musk as a dog, a robot dog. And you know, it's one of those things that this one I'm glad, so glad that we do our podcast for many reasons, but for the main reason of just like having a place to talk about this type of stuff because otherwise my brain wouldn't know where to process it. So chances are you've seen pictures, whether you know it or not, of like Elon and Jeff Bezos and all these people with their heads like as normal looking heads, and then their body is like a robot dog body, and it just looks horrifying and very dystopian. Um, well, a digital artist named Beeple put his face on a hundred thousand dollar robot dog next to Elon Musk and Picasso, and it sold first. So this was his Latoviral installation at Art Basil in Miami Beach. Um, it's called the Regular Animals Project, and it's hundred thousand dollar robotic dogs outfitted with hyper-realistic heads, featuring Elon, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and um alongside like art people like Picasso and Andy Warnhall, and then the robot dogs, they they roam this like plexi case glass, and then you know, it's very, very weird. And this seems like the kind of thing that an exclusive rich art dealer wants to have, just like a robot Elon Musk, you know, if you have a hundred thousand dollars to burn. Um and then so four years ago, this artist, Digital Collage, sold for 69 million dollars, so he is not a stranger to selling weird things for uh the high dollar. Now, A, I guess did you see this? And B, are you as frightened as I am of Elon as a dog?

SPEAKER_01:

I haven't seen it, but you know, as you were reading that, the thing that came to mind is lawsuits.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Because uh here's the thing about it. You're you're trolling. Wow, that's scary. I mean, you're you're trolling and taking the the the physical appearance of people that can sue sue him into oblivion, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely, absolutely and I and I think it's like it's funny that it's selling for that much because I think otherwise this would be like if this was just in some New York showroom, it would be a statement on like billionaires and kind of like these are the dogs of our society, even though they're like our you know, the oligarchs kind of thing. But it's funny that it's it's on display at like a very popular exclusive art exhibit in Miami that like all the hottest and kind of rich people go to. So it's like I'm not really sure what the actual message of it is, but um, it's very unsettling.

SPEAKER_01:

I think what it is if you get the right name behind it, it'll sell. Do you remember years ago someone uh taped a banana?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And that thing sold for millions, which is yeah, and it's like wow, so how about throwing me a few millions? If you got if you have money like that just to spend on bananas and robotics animals with someone's head on there, hey, throw me some money, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. So something tells me that like I've I could see Elon buying the dog of himself, like like absolutely why wouldn't Elon want like the barking dog version of himself like running around at his one of his mansions? You know, the scary part is you're right, he probably yeah, like a hundred or or I could see like him buying the Mark Zuckerberg one and thinking it's funny or something, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes, definitely. I mean, now has he been doing this for a while, or this is something he just started?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, the robot thing has been pretty new, but he's been in the game for a really long time of of creating kind of like offbeat or eccentric art and selling it to very rich people. And he he's made ones of like his own dog and just robot. Of himself, and just um, you know, it's very experimental, but it also is you're you're right. I wonder how he gets away with like using these people's likeness.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's true. I mean, I guess as long as he doesn't piss them off, he's okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's true. But but I can't wait till this ends because I am so tired of seeing just when I click not interested, then there's like a new version of like a robot dog, Mark Zuckerberg. And it's so funny that all of these men do look like kind of super evil villainy, too. You know, like they're all they all they're handsome men, but they all kind of look a little bit creepy and scary. So making them robot dogs is even worse.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's true. That's true. Well, talk about situations, and this is actually a good subject now that we're into the holidays. Um, Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, says that his daughter had not reached out to him after having one of his legs partially amputated. So basically the story goes is that he needed emergency surgery, um, and he's real sick, and he needed to have, I believe, his left leg cut from the knee down. So Megan Merkel uh allegedly put out a statement that she did reach out to him, and he's saying that no, she never did reach out to him. And then now her half-brother, um, her brother is saying that no, you know, Megan didn't reach out to him. To me, this shows a lot of family drama, and let's face it, you know, they've been estranged for years. That's no secret.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know. I I just think that it's not a good look to air out your dirty laundry to the world, regardless of who you are. What do you what do you think about that, Merrill?

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. I feel like uh remember her book came out, or did he publish some book? I don't know, there was some drama a few years ago that like he wrote a tell-all or something, but it seems like he's been a lot of times he talks to the media a lot about their relationship, whether it's for better or worse. Um, and I feel like she's had to kind of control that.

SPEAKER_01:

No, I agree. I agree. And the thing is, and what people gotta understand is when when you have a family member who is a very high profile, um, whether they're athlete, whether they're in politics or whatever, and you start going to the media, start, you know, call yourself dishing out dirt on them. If you already don't have a relationship, that's not gonna make it any better.

SPEAKER_00:

Right, exactly. I I'm not the biggest like Meghan Markle hater or lover. I know some people feel like you know, she's very polarizing, and some people either really love her or they like absolutely can't stand her and really like don't like her. But I I still think, good or bad, I feel like she's the type of person that she seems like if she was doing really well with the family member, it seems like she absolutely would help out. And I bet they donate to a lot of things behind the scenes that we don't know about. So I feel like it must be pretty bad for her not to acknowledge or support her dad. And you know, we don't know whether that's uh a self-protection thing or you know, if she's had to do that for some reasons over the years.

SPEAKER_01:

I agree, and and you know the thing is too, is there are way more people that support her than support him. So yeah, without realizing it, you're gaining a lot of people that hate you, they don't even know you. I know. And the thing is, if she already doesn't have the best of relationships with you, why would you think this is gonna make it any better?

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, yeah. Because I remember hearing stuff, whether it was her wedding or what, but he does seem like he's very he like runs to the media and talks a lot, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and that's the one taboo you don't do when you have a famous relative.

SPEAKER_00:

No, especially one with like royal ties, too.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes, that's true. I think it's really sad, but um, I think there's a lot more going on that we're not aware of. Uh, because my thing is that whether she reached out to you or not, that's a private conversation between father and daughter. That shouldn't be in the news media.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, gosh, her and her husband do such a good job of like not letting their own craziness leak out. There, you know, like I feel like the conversations that they must have over dinner secretly, it must be so crazy. Like, just about everyone and everything, and you know, whatever.

SPEAKER_01:

That's true, that's true. I mean, we'll pray for the family, but something like this, I don't see them get close anytime soon.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. I forget what maybe maybe it was something that he couldn't attend the wedding because we don't know if he was too sick or he wasn't invited, or I think that that was something too about it.

SPEAKER_01:

I think it leaked out that he wasn't invited to the wedding.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah. Which, like some people, you know, I've I've known people that just have to, for different reasons, cut their parents out, unfortunately. And it's it ends up being the best thing for them. And it may seem cold, but we never know why. And a lot of times it's better for the person, you know, if they have to. And I always just respect that because I'm like, okay, I don't know their life, and they're probably doing what's best for them in their own family.

SPEAKER_01:

That's true, that's true. Um, I'll just say that um it's a sad situation, and um, I think the only thing that he's accomplished is push his daughter further away. That's just my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, and making people like side-eye him even more that already weren't sure. Well, uh, I want to know what you think about this. Now, we we know a lot of people that have you know mentioned a lot of celebrities that have mentioned being on Ozempic or GLP ones or anything. Now, pets may be next up for that. So uh there's a uh a pharmaceutical just launched called Meow One, and it's a clinical study that releases a tiny under-the-skin implant in over 50 cats that releases a GLP one medication drug in over six months. So this is for cats that like already have insulin sensitivity. Um, you know, I I love an obese cat or dog, even though you know it's I just love seeing them out in the world, especially when like a beagle is just like about to pop. But I I understand it's not the best for them. So so this makes me sad for my own selfish reasons. But um experts say that roughly six in ten cats in the US are carrying too much weight, and now you know, maybe they're gonna consider the GLP one. I don't know what your thoughts on this. Like, to me, I don't I don't love this because I feel like there could be different ways, whether that's like not feeding your animal so much, or it doesn't seem like cats like are not like us, like they don't struggle with eating 10,000 meals a day, or you know, I'm not blaming the owner completely, but like for the most part, if you have a very overweight animal, I feel like the majority of times they can eat a little bit less or get more exercise or you know, go on a diet before. But I think this will this could help pets with like diabetes or actually true insulin resistance.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I agree. I mean, I I I actually like it for the severe ob obese animals.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I've seen some animals, I kid you not, it's not all the time, obviously, but I have literally seen a dog so big and it's like a small dog with a tiny head, and the body's like gigantic, and it's like, wow, this dog's gonna explode any second.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it looks like a blip or something. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

Or have you have you watched the movie Um Um A Pet's Life?

SPEAKER_00:

No, I think I I'm too scared because I hate whenever anything bad happens to animals, I can't handle it.

SPEAKER_01:

No, it's what is it? The the secret secret lives of pets.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, okay. I probably didn't watch that either.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm always here if I it's the animated one. Okay, but anyway, there's a cat in there, and the cat, small head, a gigantic body. Cat can barely move. And it's like, I've seen a cat or two like that in real life, and it's like that can't be good for them. So I'm like, in that situation, I think I think it's it's a great idea. It really is because it's it's quality lifetime, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, but but I feel like it just can't be the owner's only solution to that, is just like shooting their cat up with stuff, you know, and then obviously like lifestyle and habits will have to change, and maybe that cat's getting fed too much. Or I would love to hear from people like who either have known of pets or like I feel like every overweight pet I've seen could be rectified with like the right diet and exercise, but I'm sure there's many examples where it's different, and maybe maybe veterinarians just see cats that are like, Oh, yeah, we could totally use this, and um you know they've been doing everything they need, and now that this is a good thing for them.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, basically, there's nothing wrong with giving a treat to you to your pet because I have a dog, and we'll give him a treat every so often. You know, we leave his food, his regular dog food down all day long. He doesn't gobble it down because you know, compared to a treat, you know, it's just dog.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

What it is is that he knows that we'll give him a treat every so often, but I'm not gonna give it to him all day long.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's once the bowl's empty, he's not getting it's not like a Vegas buffet.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And he knows that. So when he's hungry, he'll he'll go grab his dog food, whatever. And he knows that every so often I will give him a treat. And and then, of course, you know, we take him out for walks and stuff like that, so he can get uh exercise. Yeah. But you're right, you you you know, you can't get a dog or cat. Well, cats differently because they are pretty much solitaire, but for a dog, you really want to exercise him, you know, take him for a walk. You both will benefit from the walk. Common sense treats. Um, you can't give them everything on your plate when you're eating either, because you won't eat his food anymore. It's just a lot of this stuff is really just common sense to me.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. I I feel like as owners of dogs, we have a responsibility to like keep them in what their healthy weight is. Like that's up to the humans too to manage your animal's weight. But I understand when uh you can't, then Ozempic is good. Maybe what what if I get like a really overweight lab and then we the lab and I both go on Ozempic? We'll do like a fashion show. That would actually be so funny of like owners and their dogs or their dogs on GLP ones.

SPEAKER_01:

Hey, you know what? Whatever works, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. And I wonder like if I took meow one, if how that would affect humans.

SPEAKER_01:

That's an interesting question.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. We'll see.

SPEAKER_01:

Now I have a really fun topic that I think you're gonna love. Let's have a great debate on artificial Christmas trees versus real Christmas trees.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_01:

So it says here choosing between an artificial and real Christmas tree involves trade-offs in convenience, cost, and environmental impact, with artificial trees offering reuse and low maintenance, but real trees providing a natural scent and supporting tree farms. Though artificial ones can be more eco-friendly if used for seven plus years to offset manufacturing impacts, artificial trees save money long term, are flame retardant and uh allergen-friendly, while real trees support local economies and decomp decompose, but create mess. Interesting, interesting. Now, I'll go ahead and say this. Okay, I do love seeing other people with real trees. Yeah, not me, because you know, my wife is scared to have a real tree because um, you know, she's afraid that we won't water it like we're supposed to, and you know, we don't want to, you know, burn out in a house, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That whole fire thing, exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

So, and you know what? The nice thing about for us, we have uh uh an artificial tree that has the lights already in it, so yeah, I know it's kind of lazy, but you know, we just kind of it's like three or four pieces we put together, click with it, clap them together, and just plug it in with there, yep. So, you know, we don't have the the the experience of going down to chop the tree down and bring it home and set it up and all that stuff. What do you think, Mero? What do you like? Artificial or real?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, same same thing as you. I feel like obviously my preference, of course, would be real trees just for like the smell of them and how beautiful they are and everything. But like the thought of of just needlessly chopping down a healthy tree is never like I don't like that either, just for our own like enjoyment. I just I know that I know it says it supports local economies and like you know, all that kind of stuff, but I I still feel like so many trees get chopped down every year that may not even be used, and that hurts my feelings so much when I see trees that are just not chosen for whatever reason and they're just like still at the farm. I just think that's like so sad to me. And I I think we already have an issue with just you know, obviously losing a lot of trees and like deforestation and everything. So I feel like for the sake of the trees, I like artificial, you know, the idea of that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I I agree, and then also, too, I I've been seeing some stories on how to make sure if you do buy a real tree, make sure you don't bring any critters home with you, like bugs.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So that just kind of really confirmed my decision not to ever ever own a real tree in my house.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. I feel like I also personify the trees too, and I'm like, I make them, you know, I I like ascribe personality to them where if I see if I am at a farm and I see like a sad-looking one by itself, I feel I actually feel bad for it. So I'm like, oh, you know, like it's not only did it get chopped down, but now it has no home, and it's so it's too emotional for me to think about like trees losing their little families and then not getting chosen.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I mean, there's there's people that love real Christmas trees. Um, I know my son, he puts up a real Christmas tree every year.

SPEAKER_00:

Um which is nice.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, again, yeah, absolutely. You know, my mom, she loves real trees, she's been doing real Christmas trees for years. So again, I I tip my hat off to them, but uh I don't want to take a chance stuff because you know you forget the water and those those stem, you know, those uh branches dry off with the Christmas lights and the heat, and like eh. And I've been told by a lot of people, well, no, no, no. Once you get it, you remember it's easy. You just got to keep putting the water in. I don't know. I just don't want to take that chance.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, especially if you try if you're gone for the day or you know, for a weekend or something. Um, but yeah, I think real Christmas trees are absolutely beautiful, and like it just the smell of it and the look of it. And maybe, maybe I'm being too like overly sensitive and the trees are like ready to come down anyway. But I just think like, aren't some of them babies too that get I just think of like nice, beautiful trees that are getting chopped down kind of in their prime.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's true. And and and I know you made a great point a few minutes ago about all the trees that don't get purchased.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I know, and then that that's like really that is so sad. I be I feel that way about animal products in general, like even just thinking of like chicken that goes to waste and everything. I'm like, this was like a living thing that died for no reason, you know, it's not even being used. But if I think about that too much, I'll like truly have a nervous breakdown. But but yeah, I think um I think either way, I think if if you decorate and love your tree, I think that's the main point of you know the holidays too, is just like decorating the tree or plugging it in and just going.

SPEAKER_01:

I would like to challenge people watching or listening to us, come to our our social media uh platforms, let us know what you think, artificial or real. We will love to know what you think.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, absolutely. I'd love to know that too.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, Merrill, this was a great episode. This actually went by pretty fast.

SPEAKER_00:

You did.

SPEAKER_01:

So, what do you have coming up?

SPEAKER_00:

I have a really fun show coming up. Um, I'm sure you guys have remembered, I've mentioned a few times that I do these shows called Horror Nerd. I always say horror horror weird. I need to learn how to like horror movie, but um basically it's about you know scary things and that comedians take on their favorite scary movies and do a set about it. And that is coming up December 20th at uh a place called Palmdale at Transplants Brewery. So that'll be really fun.

SPEAKER_01:

If you're in the area, make sure you come out, support Meryl.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and if you message me any of your if you if you're coming, tell me any of your favorite scary movies and I'll work them into my set.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, that would be great. Definitely make sure you let her know that. And also put it on if you if you can't make it out there, come to our social media and put it online and uh that way Meryl could take a look at it for you.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, I would love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. I'll take requests.

SPEAKER_01:

All right, Meryl. I had so much fun.

SPEAKER_00:

Me too. This was really fun. Now I really want a Christmas tree.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, everyone, thank you for watching and listening uh to us. Thank you for supporting us. Uh please share and let people know who we are and um continue to support our our programs. There's a lot of great things coming up in 2026 that we are very excited about. I'm Lawrence Elrod.

SPEAKER_00:

And I'm Merrill Climo.

SPEAKER_01:

Take care, everyone.

SPEAKER_00:

Bye bye.

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Lawrence Elrod

Host
Head Shot

Meryl Klemow

Co-host