131: "Feeding you all with our stories, in turn, feeds us as well." Season 6 Introduction with Jen Amos and Jenny Lynne Stroup

Jen Amos 0:00

All right. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Where are we? Jennylyn? We? We are back for season. Wait, what season is this?

Unknown Speaker 0:10

That's great. Let me look this up. Really quick.

Jen Amos 0:14

That's so funny because I think we've been like building up season this season for a while now. And

Speaker 1 0:19

season 895. You guys just didn't know we've done this recording. And it just is not really in the world yet.

Jen Amos 0:26

? On Jennylyn. We are back in: 2022

Speaker 1 1:06

one, our listeners just heard, like, our two talents. I'm great at timelines, you're great at taking notes. So together, we come here as a whole functioning unit. You know, and to Yeah, like it's great. It's great to be back. I'm excited that we're going to start releasing new episodes. I've enjoyed the ones we've previously recorded. And I'm looking forward to our new interviews upcoming.

Jen Amos 1:31

Yeah, absolutely. And I figured what we can do first is just, you know, let people know what we've been up to in the offseason. And it's interesting, because I had a listener reach out and say, Hey, like I heard about your new show the spouse benefit plan, I enjoy it. But I miss holding on the four I miss, like the stories I missed the people like I hope you guys come back. And I'm like, Oh, it's so great to know that people miss us. Yeah, so I thought I'd share that with you. And so shout out to you know, our listeners who have expressed that they have missed us. You know, I know that there are so many incredible people in our community amplifying our stories through podcasting as well, like we aren't the only show that does it. I do think we are the only show that has a gold star daughter and a seasoned spouse co hosting together, though, I think that's what makes us crazy unique. But it's great to know that out of all the shows that some of our listeners, you know, still pretty much look forward to our show. And, you know, I know it's been about like two months, really, but almost three, actually, at the time of this recording that we haven't been posting. But you know, rest assured a lot has been going on behind the scenes. So first and foremost, as I had mentioned, my colleagues and I at US bet wealth have been just super busy creating whole new content and whole new resources for our Korean military families interested in studying financial services, all of our websites. So we have like white papers. Now we're actually building out this, we're actually building out a community and I can't actually tell you all the details just yet, because it's not live. But we've been busy. And I've also been busy, you know, focusing on our sister podcast show called The spouse benefit plan, where it really gets into helping military spouses understand the military pension and an understanding the military pension, giving them the education and confidence they need to know if the Survivor Benefit Plan is good for them and their family. Because usually that question comes up right before they transition. And it's a really hard question to answer when you're thrown a million other things your way to transition. And so just a lot of stuff. Just just I basically been working genuine, that's what I've been doing. I have been hunkering down. I've been just sitting in this office of mine and getting to work and that's pretty much what I've been doing offseason for the most part other than dealing with a cat which is a whole conversation for later. Oh the cat Well, well, conversation relator asked us why we didn't get this cat neutered earlier than we should have. But conversation

Speaker 1 3:50

because it's pretty interesting. You may not actually want to ask that question. Yeah,

Jen Amos 3:54

it's crazy but genuine. How have you been in the offseason?

Speaker 1 3:58

Oh, I mean same been working my tail off like between actual paid employment and you know, being an active duty spouse whose spouse is largely underway these days like we've just been busy we're also doing some more home renovations which is going out as well as home renovations can go this like post COVID era of delays and all the funds so you know at the time of this recording and really I think this is coming out like next week so probably still on my kitchen is a concrete floor and I have a brand new oven sitting in my den. All my den furniture is covered in painters plastic so the dust from tearing down walls did not ruin it. And I'm living solely out of a microwave and toaster oven on a card table in my dining room. So life is very stable. So fun. Everyone is doing really well here it is not chaotic at

Jen Amos 4:59

all. Just the day in the life of a military spouse and their family.

Unknown Speaker 5:06

Yes, correct. Yeah.

Jen Amos 5:09

And I just want to take this moment to, I guess, commend both of us, you know, for showing up anyway, just by a number of factors in our lives. And so yeah, I feel like in a way, I had to explain myself, because it's been a while. And I know that listeners are like, hey, where have you been? You know? So there's your answer, there's more to it as well. Other things, I've been focusing on my health for the last couple of months. And it's since we've been settled back here in Norfolk, and just putting me first. So that's been a ton of fun to do, learning how to work out again, and take care of my body, learning how to eat well, and actually teach myself how to cook. So that's been kind of fun. And all the while just trying to find, like that transition from Okay, now that things are really open again, like how do I start to incorporate in an in person social life without, like, you know, like, neglecting my online life that I have been able to build, you know, so thoroughly during quarantine. And so I think that's where I'm at right now is trying to find, like trying to make that transition. And, you know, ironically, you and I, even though we're in the same neighborhood, essentially, we're still recording, like online.

Speaker 1 6:17

But we have recorded quite a bit in person just today, I'm actually on, you know, vacation from my paid job. And so I had a bunch of like, personal things to do this morning. So hopped on from my own house, now, they've stopped construction for the day. Yay. It was super fun having you back and being able to like be in person for recordings and do it from the podcast studio at your workplace, which is really fun. Yeah, the hope that one day the folks from Hampton Roads will join us too. And there Yes,

Jen Amos 6:48

cently featured in the spring: 2022

Speaker 1 8:28

Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for all the support and the votes. And it's been a really like surreal and fun experience. Maybe next week, when this episode airs, I will actually be in DC with my fellow AFI military spouse of the Year from the base level on the branch level, and we'll find out who is the military spouse of the year. And I'm really looking forward to that. I think it'll be it'll be a good time to be be with my VA, and, you know, learn and network. And I'm really looking forward to that. And I appreciate all the support and getting there. It's a great opportunity. Yes,

Jen Amos 9:03

well, we are rooting for you. And I'm just, it's just cool to have like award winning stuff on the show. Award winning podcast, and now we have an award winning spouse honors Joe. I mean, it can't get better than that. I mean, it could, it could, it could always get better. I

Speaker 1 9:20

mean, well, me also, I mean, one of the other updates we had that I thought about why you were talking about all the works that you've done. I mean, we've spent a lot of time together doing other things, too. We we did the milah podcast with Olivia. And we also did some work with one of my favorite organizations out in San Diego, that San Diego military family collaborative. We did a presentation for them on podcasting. And you know, so while we haven't been on air is the holding down the fort duo. We have had a good time working together and doing things with other folks.

Jen Amos 9:54

Yes, thank you for reminding me, by the way because that was not in my notes. So thank you for all the times Don't take notes. Thank you for, for remembering that for us. Yeah, yeah, so we've been busy. And I think that's a good thing, you know, and as much as we want to have, like, you know, at least for me, and actually, we can talk about what to expect for our show. Now here moving forward, you know, during quarantine, it was very much like, easy in a way to interview so many people, and to be able to publish like, two, three episodes at a time, you know, for weeks on end. And now that, like, I wouldn't say we're in a new normal, or things are back to normal, it's like, I'm gonna say instead, that now that things have shifted, and there's more opportunity to, you know, do things in person, again, I have to be mindful of my own bandwidth and, and also as you as well genuine in regards to our time, and where we put our time into, and so, you know, moving forward for this next season, you know, we're instead of doing two to three episodes a week, we're planning on doing once a week, with an occasional bonus episode, if it calls for it, I'm actually really happy about this genuine, I never want to, you know, work on a project that, that starts to feel like, I have to put in more than I can give. And so I'm really grateful to like, kind of reel it back a little bit, and, and kind of slow down our cadence with this. And just focus more on like consistency and longevity, rather than seeing how many episodes can we pump out at once, you know, so, I want to thank you for being open to that. And also just kind of your ability to adapt with me, you know, as we kind of venture into this more slow pace approach to our show. Yeah.

: 11:37

Well, I mean, let's be honest, like, you mentioned bandwidth. I mean, I just as things have opened up again, I mean, I've traveled a ton. Yeah, for work. Like lately. I mean, gosh, out of the past six weeks, I've been gone every other week, I think, yeah, for some sort of work, travel. And it does, like we were in such a rhythm of like, hey, we get together every Tuesday, and we do the thing. Like, they're all these. And then on top of the travel. It's like, the first time I was around a lot of people, I was like, Oh, wow, this is more exhausting than it was grumpy. And then like, because you were used to that level of interaction. And now it's like, Oh, there's more like 10 people in the room, like, I'm done for the night at about 7pm. Yeah, so you know, and we've taken a different approach with the show, we're now doing pre interviews, so we get to know our guests before they come on and do their big interview. And that's taken time that we didn't used to take. And so you know, we've changed and adapted the rollout of the show, and then the way that we do business, and even though I'm still like, Chief show or upper here, like we've talked about different, you know, roles and responsibilities. And so, yeah, I mean, this is a living, breathing, like, thing that we put out in the world that, you know, come with to people's schedules and families and all Yeah,

Jen Amos: 12:58

yeah, for sure. And I hope that for listeners who have missed us, you can appreciate our update. And know that, like you said, this is a living, breathing show, with two individuals with two different lives and two different schedules. And however, you know, the reason why we make this time is because of our love for the military community and how we want to continue to, you know, serve it and also feel connected, you know, in this community, it's like, it feeds us as well, you know, to be able to feed you all with these stories, it feeds us as well, to be able to amplify these stories. So yeah, moving forward, we're planning on publishing once a week. And, you know, we'll see how long season six goes, you know, my philosophy is always to build things as we go and build them right. Not fast, and see what comes of it. And, you know, let's see what comes up this season. Jennylyn.

: 13:47

Yeah, so far, so good. I think we've got some great content, and we've had enjoyable conversations, you know, albeit some of them much more in depth than others, but I'm excited to put them out in the world. I have appreciated all the guests we've had and their stories, and I'm excited to share with our listeners.

Jen Amos: 14:05

Yeah, yeah, I agree. And I feel like this season, in a way I feel more like, I don't know if settled in is the word but maybe just Yeah, actually, I think settled in. It's like, I feel comfortable here now. Like I feel, I feel like I can just be real with everyone. Not that I wasn't before. It's more of just like having that experience of doing this for as long as we have. And having our co host chemistry. It's like, okay, like, it's just, I'm just showing up, you know, just showing up. And I mean, I know that you're literally just showing up but like I'm showing up more comfortably. Like just be able to talk to people very candidly and to really hear their stories on a real level as heavy as it can get in which some of these episodes are telling you now get ready because we got some heavy conversations coming up for this season.

: 14:50

Yeah. I want to like I want to roll back that caution a bit like yes, we talk about some heavy subject matter, but I hope that the way that we wrap up those episodes in a way that brings like, light and hope and inspiration. Yeah, because we're willing to talk about the hard things. So yes, we do talk about hard things, Jen. And I've said from day one, we're very big community builders and mental health advocates. And you're gonna continue to get that kind of content. Yeah, content here. You know, but hopefully we do it in a way that provides some resources and information and hope for our listeners.

Jen Amos: 15:35

Yes, I agree. And I'm glad that you said that, because it's, if we're going to open up a wound, we also got to heal it. We can't, we can't just like leave it open, you know, for our listeners, and leave it to open ended like that. Yeah. And yeah, so I'm excited. And I think with both of our personalities and sense of humor combined, hopefully, you all will feel the realness and the love of these upcoming conversations. This is a different season. And I feel like a different person coming into the season in so many ways, genuinely, and I'm sure you feel the same way. I know it's been a couple of months. That's partly why it feels different to but but otherwise, thank you all

: 16:10

so I'm almost 40 We did discuss that offline. That is correct. Yes. That's right. Yeah, time that soon as this episode is airing, I will be officially 40 So we are coming to it with different energy mine mostly with more gray hair than I had years ago. But you know, we'll we'll like refer back to the kitchen Remo the underway, the two children in baseball Middle School. Yeah, good. So

Jen Amos: 16:38

well, for our listeners, be sure you reach out to Jenny Lynn and wish her happy birthday. And and also Matthew, because I know that you both are turning the Big Four Oh together. So just super exciting. I am five and a half years away from that. And Scott's already passed that. So we're not really going to have a big year of celebrating anything. Unless we want to. And that's it. That's a weird way to end this. But anyway, let me wrap up in a more positive note. But yeah, super excited to be back. And you know, Jenny Lynn, I just want to thank you again for continuing to show up the way that you do all that you are despite anything that's going on in your current environment and situation and life. And I'm gonna give myself a pat on the back as well for continuing to show up because, you know, doing a show like this is a labor of love, but like the reward is very gratifying in regards to hearing from you, what I learned from the community, how I feel about myself and learning about your stories, and we just can't thank you all enough. So we hope that you enjoy season six of holding down the fort. And with that said, we will chat with you in the next episode. Till next time