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Chad & Jess: You Can Lead a Horse to A Kettlebell, But You Can’t Make Him Swing It

Knowing what big personalities our Spring 2024 Spotlight Athletes have, Chad and Jess knew that they’d have to combine forces if they were to pull off an interview with both of them at the same time.  In our very first two on two interview, we met Sophie Kollaja-Hecht & Phillip Garcia at Easy Tiger in the LINC for a couple Monday happy hour bevvies.  As refreshing as the drinks were, the real treat was gazing into both of their beautiful eyes as they deftly dispensed smut and wisdom!

Coach Chad:  Alright, so it is a little loud in here, so try to speak up a bit.  I do plenty of editing when I  transcribe this, so if there is anything you say that you’d like to be off the record, just let me know.  Like if you accidentally say where the bodies are buried, you can just say “hey Chad, would you please omit where the bodies are buried?” and I will.  Coach Jess, is there any preamble you like to lay out before you interview someone?

Coach Jess:  Uh-uh, I just let it rip!

Chad: Sophie & Phillip, I have had 2 on 1 interviews before, but this is the first time I’ve been a part of a four way.

Jess: An orgy!

Phillip Garcia:  Oh and with pretzels.  Accouterments- awww….

Chad:  How Darling!  I know you two are often in the 6am Strength class together, so my first question is do you guys have a first impression and/or a current impression of the other person?

Sophie Kollaja-Hecht:  I feel like we overlap only because I dip into your schedule.

 Phillip:  I dip into everyone’s schedule!  I’ll go first.  I see you to be very focused but very approachable though; I get the idea that you are there to do work; have a good time, sure, but you’re really there to do work and I appreciate that.

Sophie:  That is correct.  It has taken me a long time to make friends because I come to class and (makes an exaggerated serious face).  And that is funny because I feel the exact opposite about you.

Phillip:  Oh I’m here to play!

Sophie:  You’re like everyone’s best friend.  And also you’re in like really phenomenal shape.

Chad: I think that is a good observation.  It is like Sophie shows up to work and is open to having fun and Phillip shows up to have fun and is open to working hard.`

Sophie:  Yeah, if someone else is already having fun I might just decide to partake.

Phillip:  Whereas I’m just invading people’s spaces!

Chad:  Jess, before I turn it over to you for your first question, what was your first impression of each of them?

 Jess:  Ummm….

 Sophie:  My therapist is going to hear about this tomorrow!

 Phillip:  I’m recording this for my records for MY therapist!

 Jess:  I think my first impression of (Sophie) was when you came to yoga and you were very approachable.  You laughed at my jokes which I appreciate because I AM very funny.

Sophie:  You are very funny!

Chad:  And you know someone is very funny when they have to tell you they are funny.

Jess:  I don’t do stand-up, I do yoga!        

Sophie:  I don’t have a tight five, I coach yoga five times a week!

Jess: YAS!  And then I remembered you started coming to the community workouts and bringing your husband

Chad: Trevor!

Jess:  And you just had a warm presence   

Chad:  I think that is a key point- even though she may not be seeking people out, you can seek her out.  You’re a seekable person- tell your therapist that.

Jess:  (turning to Phillip) And you baby-        

Phillip:  I want you to do it like this close (scoots chair right up next to Jess and almost touches noses with her).       

Jess:  Oh my!  I don’t know, we just have really similar energies- you made a joke and it just resonated.  So yeah I went and followed you on instagram-

Phillip:  And now you know my close friends and you help me figure out what I’m going to wear to Cowboy Disco!  I would say that one of the things I love about Dane’s is the community so why not reap the benefits of that as much as possible- just suck it dry.     

Chad:  I agree, suck it dry.  We have a juicy community, slurp it up baby!            

Jess:  Avoid the pit, you gotta get the peach though.  Ooo my first question- the generic, what brought you to Austin?

Phillip:  I graduated college from Texas State and got a job with a start-up and I had also started dating a guy so it was just like “two birds one scone”.  That was eight years ago.        

Chad:  Did you say “two birds one scone?”                                        

Phillip:  Yes!!!  I’m very much for not hurting animals.  Sue me!     

Jess: And where is home for you?                                                                               

Phillip:  Originally I’m from Louisiana, a small town called “Dixie Inn” but they moved me to Texas because the school system in Louisiana is so bad.  I went to high school in Kerrville.                                                                                                         

Sophie:  So you’re almost a full Texan.

Phillip:  Yes, I’m almost a Republican- just kidding!  Strike that from the record!!!       

Chad:  I’d like the record to reflect that Phillip is wearing a MAGA hat.  So, let’s go Brandon!

                                                                                                                                                Phillip:  No!!!  This is going to ruin me!

Sophie:  If it makes you feel better, on paper I’m a Republican so I can vote in the primaries.  That is the smart move so you can vote for the best option of the people who are actually going to win. And then you end up on Ted Cruz’ email list…

                                                                                                                                                Chad:  Sophie, how’d you get here?

Sophie:  I went to school at UT.  That is the entire story of how I came to Austin from Dallas.  So Dallas to Austin, away for a blip, and back to Austin.

                                                                                                                                                Jess:  Where did you move to?

Sophie:  New York for two years.  It was a lot of fun!    

Chad:  Now when you were at UT, you had one of our coaches as a professor right?  Can you contrast and compare Ryan Romero’s style as a coach versus a professor?    

Sophie:  Yes!  I was his TA also.  Very similar styles- he’s a tough love kind of guy.  Gives it to you straight in a lot of ways.  It really matches.  The hair is the same!           

                                                                                                                                                                   I’m not surprised!  My next question is can you call out for yourself a surprising party trick or talent?  For example I can do the worm.

Sophie:  You CAN?  I’ve never seen that.

                                                                                                                                                Chad:  I’m getting old, but I could do it right now if I wanted to.

Sophie:  I actually do carpentry on the side.  I come from a line of cabinet makers and since buying a house and acquiring power tools, I’ve found that I love carpentry!

Chad:  And Trevor works on cars!

                                                                                                                                                Sophie:  We’ve become very handy people; I don’t know when this happened, but it is a lot of fun.  I redid all the cabinetry in our walk in closet and did this crazy California closet thing.

                                                                                                                                                Phillip:  I don’t have anything that cool!  I was going to say that I can do that thing break dancers do when they have their legs in the air and they go to the other side.  It’s bad- don’t do that.  Sophie, why don’t you just make my casket and bury me in it!  Um I did gymnastics in college, but I haven’t done that in a really long time.

                                                                                                                                              Jess:  Say more!

Phillip:  I competed in gymnastics at Texas State.  I did vault & floor.  It was fun, we competed all around Texas and even had nationals that we traveled to one year.  Great environment and a great way for me to meet people.

                                                                                                                                                Chad:  You’re pretty tall- isn’t that a disadvantage in gymnastics?

                                                                                                                                                Phillip:  It did make some things like rings harder, but I did floor and that is just heaving your body around-

                                                                                                                                                Chad: And you’re good at heaving your body?

                                                                                                                                                Phillip:  Yes exactly!  I can fling it anywhere!

                                                                                                                                                Chad:  That is awesome.  Of all the Olympic sports, I think it is the one that has my admiration most fully.

Sophie:  Yeah, because most people can’t physically do it at all.  Like I watch running and I’m like I can run.  But I watch Simone Biles and think how can anyone even do that.

                                                                                                                                                Jess:  I did gymnastics in high school and saw entirely too many injuries.  My next question is- what IS my next question?  Do you want to go again?

Chad:  I actually can do a follow up question.  Fitness party trick- what is the lift or movement at The Shop that you are most proud of?  Like what is the thing you see on the board and you immediately know you are going to get to show off a bit.

                                                                                                                                                Sophie:  I love a wall ball moment.  Ass to grass, all about the momentum-

                                                                                                                                                Chad: And you DO have exemplary squat depth.

Sophie:  I even got a compliment on my wall ball once!  Someone was like “That was very impressive- you made it look easy.” I was like thank you very much and that was NOT easy!

                                                                                                                                                Phillip:  For me I think it is toes 2 bar.  I love it- controlling your body as it comes down.

                                                                                                                                              Jess:  Alright, I’ve got it.  Ya’ll are out and it is a Saturday afternoon, what can we find you doing?

Sophie: Probably sweating in the yard and terrorizing squash bugs because they’ll eat your fucking zucchini plants.  So I’m out there next to my squash plant with a pair of tweezers drowning them in a bowl of soapy water one by one.

Chad:  Wow, so like squash bug Guantanamo Bay!

                                                                                                                                            Sophie:  Basically!  If not that, then drinking beer. (turning to Phillip) What do YOU do? 

                                                                                                                                            Phillip: You’ll find me near a body of water.  Barton Springs or at a pool or on a boat- particularly in the summer.

Chad:  How do you end up on boats so often?  I feel like I always hear about you on a boat.

Sophie:  That is a good question, do you have a friend who has a boat?

Phillip:  Yeah I have a couple friends with boats, but if you get a big enough party, you can also rent them.

Sophie:  Step 1: have a lot of friends, step 2: get them to split a boat with you.

Chad:  I like that!  We’ve alluded to your beginnings, but when did your relationship with fitness begin?  You can take it two ways- your relationship as an adult or you could take it as like (with a bad southern accent) “when I was five years old, my daddy showed me how to throw a baseball.

Sophie:  You can go!

Phillip:  (imitating Chad’s bad accent) when I was five years old, my daddy showed me how to throw a baseball.  I was raised playing sports and in the gym.  I think one year when I was like nine or ten I asked for a dumbbell for Christmas-

Jess:  WHAT?!?!?

Phillip:  I was pretty much raised in a gym.  When I was in Dixie Inn, we’d go to the field house and workout after practice.  When I was in 6th grade I was on varsity baseball traveling Louisiana with 18 year old men.  It was wild y’all!

Sophie:  I didn’t have that!

Chad:  What DID you have Sophie?

Sophie:  I didn’t come from an athletic family- I’m kind of an aberration in that.  Even then, it doesn’t come naturally.  I danced for a long time.

Chad:  Like that is how you paid your way through college?

Sophie:  Honestly that would have been great.  I have an irrational amount of confidence about some things and I think I’d be a great pole dancer!  Also the heels are amazing.

Chad: And your squat depth is already amazing- imagine doing that in 4 inch heels!

Sophie:  YES!  Oh my god…

Chad:  Sorry Trevor!

Sophie:  Right?  He’s going to be like WHAT did you guys talk about?  Anyway… ballet, jazz and all that stuff and then in high school I did drill team; not the guns and flags, but the high kicking and cowboy hat business.  So my first fitness love was dance.  In college you just lose your way and really the next thing was finding my way to Dane’s when I was in grad school.  I lived on like Ave A two minutes away from the original Hyde Park Shop.  I just needed something and I found it and that was the next step in my athletic life.

Chad:  How long was Sophie 1.0 at The Shop?

Sophie: It was like a year and a half then I moved away and came back-

Chad: And you moved away specifically because I had moved away.  And you came back only when I returned, yes?

Sophie:  (robotically) Actually, yes! Totally factually correct in all ways.  No it actually was truly exciting when you came back.  You left such a hole when you went away- it was sad to not have you there-

Chad: (speaking into the recorder) I slide the twenty dollar bill across the table to her…

Sophie:  (nodding head robotically and speaking blankly) Give him a raise.  He’s wonderful.  *everyone laughing*

Jess:  I want to hear how Phillip ended up at The Shop.

Phillip:  I was working out a lot but like only on the vanity muscles and I was getting hurt a lot. I was going to Bird Bird over by the Manor Shop and I just walked in and there was a woman working out who told me how to get in contact.  So I set up a walk through with Chad at the Hyde Park location and I started!

Sophie:  How often does that happen with Bird Bird?

Jess:  All the time- I had a tour with someone who saw us while they were waiting for a biscuit this morning.  I like to think both businesses help one another out.

Sophie:  Saturday mornings are so funny because it is just a long line of people watching us while they wait and I feel like they hate us because we are making them feel like they should be working out and we hate them because we want a biscuit!

Chad: The only people who are happy are the people who come to workout and have a biscuit scheduled for pick up immediately afterwards.  I remember when I gave Phillip the tour, and this is the only time it has ever happened to me, it was a very genial tour and at the end he goes, “Let me ask YOU a question, if you were a superhero, what would your power be?”.  I’ve actually asked that question during these interviews, but I’ve never had it flipped on me and on a tour no less.

Sophie:  You WOULD be the one to do that!

Phillip:  Well I wanted to see what the vibe was- like how intense it was or how fun it would be.

Chad:  Well I guess my answer was sufficiently fun.  Not the most fun, but fun enough.

Phillip:  I do remember your answer!  It was being able to speak every language.

Chad:  YEAH!  Okay, what is the horniest song of all time?  You can define horny however you like.

Sophie:  That song Pony by Ginuwine.

Phillip:  Oh that’s a good one!

Chad:  We have a summer intern named Mateo and he is great- just a really sweet kid in his early twenties.  When he’s working at The Shop he’s usually blasting some music; he has his cool kid playlist but he also likes to blast Tejano music which is awesome.  One Friday afternoon it was just me, him and Dane at the Shop and he had the Tejano music on- Dane and I commented on how fun it was. Well Dane left and not two minutes later, he switches over to Sexual Healing!  I poked my head around the corner and was like “it isn’t THAT kind of internship Mateo- no extra credit!”.  So funny.

Phillip:  I love his music!  He is usually the one who puts it on during the 11:45am class at Manor Road.  I don’t know- Toxic by Brittany Spears?

Jess:  That is a sexy song!

Chad:  Those are really great songs.  Jess do you have one?

Jess:  Wicked Games by the Weeknd-

Phillip:  That is a good one!

Chad:  Oh!  And I’m going to jump in and say Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. (expectant pause) You guys know that one?

Jess:  I don’t know that one.

Chad: (looking at Sophie) You know that one?

Sophie: Uh no..

.

Chad: (feeling really fucking old right now!) Ok you all have homework- look up the video for Wicked Game because it is waaaay horny.  Next question Jess?

Jess:  Yes!  So outside of the gym, what is your favorite way to get movement?

Phillip:  I’m either swimming or playing football or running or hiking.  I always stay moving.

Jess:  Do you swim at a pool?  Barton?

Phillip:  I’ll do anywhere.  Actually right now (beloved Shop member and former SAS!) Robert Blaser is trying to teach me how to swim laps.  Or was trying to teach me- I got into a relationship and kinda disappeared- my bad Robert I LOVE YOU!

Chad:  Sophie, what do you do to stay active?  Aside from bug waterboarding.

Sophie:  I’ve sort of become our lawn guy this year.  I am my own lawn man, so I mow and look up chemicals and stuff.  I have also started taking dance classes recently.  Some of it is like riding a bicycle and some of it is completely different like I’m not flexible anymore.  Like I am worried about going to do a high kick and throwing something out.  But I held my own against the little teeny boppers that were there.

Phillip:  The urge to compete!  I went to a Barry’s class recently and was on the treadmill constantly looking over at the person next to me.  Also, don’t go to a Barry’s class- it is dangerous!

Sophie:  They’re fun, but they are so dark.

Phillip:  So dark but also so sexy.  The horniest song ever is just Barry’s!

Chad:  Speaking of competition, Sophie you actually work out with your partner Trevor.  I have observations on that but I just wanted to get your experience of that and then also Phillip if you workout with your partner what that is like.

Sophie:  The dynamics are nice!  This mirrors our personal lives- I really try hard not to wade in and comment on form.  I try to generally ignore him even though we stand next to one another and have a rapport.  It is really nice though and I’m so glad that he let me talk him into this because he is really enjoying it.  I just try not to put myself in a position where I’m trying to coach him.

Chad: And that is my main observation that you two have a very healthy couple working out relationship.

Sophie:  He didn’t sign up to have his wife berate him in public.

Chad:  And the result of you not badgering him is that he’s getting really good!

Sophie:  Yes he is!  He’s really taking to it.  I did a real slow sell with it: you can take a horse to a kettlebell but you can’t make him swing it.

Phillip:  Ooooh cute!  Strike that from the record!

Chad:  How about you Phillip?

Phillip:  I am dating someone, but I think having your own space is really important.  That said, I did go on a date with this guy that I’m dating to the gym and I made him do the Mile Big Mac-

Jess:  Oh my god!

Sophie:  That is SO mean!

Phillip:  He did great! 

Chad:  That is a great workout for keeping your space!

Phillip:  Exactly.  You don’t have to speak to each other because you are so busy counting.  He did really well.  I did badger him a little but that was because he was locking his knees and I’m like “you’re going to hurt EVERYBODY”.

Jess:  If you were to have a superlative ascribed to you or if you’ve already been given a superlative, what would it be?

Sophie:  I think at one point in college for an org I was in, I was named most minimalist for my design style.  I’ve swung the other way now though, I’m a semi maximalist.

Chad:  (to Jess) Did you have any superlatives?

Jess:  I was voted most likely to host SNL.  I dressed up like Mary Katherine Gallagher for our yearbook photos.

Sophie: That tracks!

Phillip:  I didn’t get one in high school, but if I were to have one I would want it to be most unforgettable.

Jess:  I love that!

Chad:  Let’s go with the troublesome questions I got from our coaching squad. This one is only troubling me because she says I won’t be able to publish the answer.  Phillip, what is Beth Felker’s  nickname for you?

Phillip:  Oh, she calls me slut. Like hey “slut”!  And I’m like, “hey whore”!

Chad:  Oh, that’s great- I am totally going to publish that!  When I moved back here, she was one of the few coaches that I didn’t know at all, so I was eager to meet her.  She impressed me a lot and so I had a nickname for her quickly- you know I like you if I have a nickname for you.  I called her BethStar like the Death Star from Star Wars, but she isn’t a big Star Wars person so I don’t know if she has even made the connection yet!  She calls me Rocket Chad. Maybe I’m not giving her enough credit though.  (to Sophie) You and I have a nickname relationship!

Sophie:  Oh you’re flip flop Chad!  Is that what you’re talking about?

Chad: Yeah yeah!  You appreciate my flip flop mode.

Phillip: I love flip flop Chad!

Sophie: Because when he shows up and doesn’t put shoes on, things go a little wild for a little bit.  And then you get your tennis shoes on and things chill out a little bit.  Flip flop Chad is just a little wild and crazy.

Phillip:  I’m going to tell you guys a secret I have.  Every coach has a tell that the first part of class might be a little chaotic.  Flip Flop Chad means a solid 15 minutes of chaos.  Dane, if he’s playing classical music or something you wouldn’t expect to work out to, you know the first five minutes is just checking in with our bodies.  And Keith is like if there is like sixties parlor music on, good we’re going to talk about food.

Chad:  That is great to hear- see YOU are interviewing US on a daily basis, so that is why we need to flip the script from time to time.  (to Sophie) On my end, Kollaja is your maiden name and so back in the day I would call you Kolache, but I didn’t know the name situation when you got married so I switched it to Soapie.

Sophie:  Oh!  You can do the Kolache thing- it is my instagram handle.  

Chad: The other coach question is kind of cringey.  Dane wanted me to ask Phillip why you haven’t asked him for football advice.

Phillip:  Oh Dane!  Awww… Dane…  Dane…. OOPS!!!

Chad: We could go many different directions with that.  I do need to plug Season 2 Episode 8 of Friday Night Lights.  Dane is a featured character- he has lines and everything.

Phillip:  He also has an IMDB.  We know about it Dane!

Sophie:  I feel like he can’t live anything down- everything gets brought up in perpetuity.

Chad:  He makes it too easy- he is too adorable.

Phillip:  And that is why I didn’t want to ask him- he doesn’t want to talk about football!  He has a business to run, he has coaches to handle.

Chad:  Hear that Dane, he is AFRAID to ask!

Phillip:  I’m afraid Dane!  I just know you’re a busy big guy.

Chad:  Yeah Dane, you just need to put your arm around his shoulder and tell him “young pup you just take your pick of any of these women”

Phillip:  Don’t do that Dane, I’m gay!

Chad:  That is one of his lines in FNL!

Phillip:  WHAT!?!?!?

Chad:  Sophie, have you asked any of the coaches for dance or carpentry advice?

Sophie:  Me and Mark talk about plants a lot.  We have differing opinions on lawns and their upkeep.  He wants a free flowing thing and I’m gunning to be on the board of my HOA!

Jess:  My next question is about babies… long pause…. your animal babies.

Sophie:  Woof!  I thought you were taking that another direction.

Phillip:  I was like WHAT?

Sophie:  My little baby is Spoetzl- he is a little rescue chihuahua terrier mix.  We did a DNA test and he is a chihuahua, schnauzer, rat terrier and he is so precious; a little 17lb chicken nugget.  (to Phillip) Tell us about your baby?

Phillip: I have a little dog that I’m co-parenting with my ex named Louis the Furteenth- he is a beagle/husky mix with crystal blue eyes- super sassy but very very sweet.  

Sophie: We need a picture session at the end of this.

Phillip: Well I have a tattoo of him! (shows tattoo- duh!).  I love him, but he is aggressive with other dogs so he has to be taken special care of.

Sophie:  Doesn’t it make you feel bad when other people bring their dogs to The Shop and you’re like I can’t bring mine because they aren’t socialized properly-

Phillip: It is a weird feeling and also when you’re like I need to go hang out with my dog now and someone is like “bring them!” and I’m like I can’t because we would all need Xanax for that.

Chad:  Great segue to my next question- if you were a drug, what would you be?

Phillip:  I LOVE this!  I mean- what are you talking about (laughs and smiles sheepishly). Advil!

Sophie:  I haven’t done drugs- nothing stronger than weed, but I went through D.A.R.E. so I think I know enough about them to answer.

Jess:  I can sing the entire D.A.R.E. song if you let me.  Don’t let me.

Phillip:  I’d probably be a stimulant- something like adderall that is like bop bop bop (snapping fingers).  That is the ONLY drug I’ve ever done. (everyone laughs)

Chad: Don’t pee test him!

Sophie:  What is something that would be like a mellow chill sort of vibe?

Phillip:  Probably a downer like Xanax or Klonopin.

Chad: (pointing to Sophie’s beer) I think you might just be a kolsch or something like that.

Sophie:  Maybe like a little glass of riesling!  A little sparkly but mellow. 

Chad:  I like that!  A riesling shows up to work but is approachable.

Jess:  And some are sweet but not too sweet.

Sophie:  I’ll take that- he’s adderall and I’m a riesling!  What great balance.

Jess:  I’d be shrooms- give me some psilocybin!

Phillip:  Ooo cute!  

Jess: (to Chad) How about you?

Chad:  I… I don’t know.

Phillip: What would you say is your effect on other people?

Chad:  I think it is mostly positive, but you don’t want to go too deep on it.

Phillip:  Like cannabis?

Sophie:  Yeah, because you’re chill but then you start talking and you get really theoretical really fast.

Jess:  Oooh yeah!  You’re probably an edible.

Phillip:  I love that!

Sophie:  One milligram of a pot brownie too much- that is Chad.

Chad:  The room is spinning man!

Jess:  But you can also be very anxiety reducing too.

Chad:  You know what?  The two strains- indica & sativa- I’m a freaking Gemini so it is perfect.  I’m weed!  More questions Jess?

Jess:  Speaking of Geminis, what are your signs?

Sophie:  I am a Virgo- I don’t know any of the other moons and risings and stuff.

Phillip:  What is a Virgo like?

Sophie:  Type A, very buttoned up.

Jess:  I’ve dated a lot of Virgos.  I’ve also dated a lot of Scorpios.

Chad:  Wild sex right?

Jess:  I can neither confirm nor deny…  Um- I’m a virgin!

Phillip:  I am a Taurus with a Pisces moon and a Scorpio rising.  So I am very grounded and level headed- very materialistic.  Very stubborn, but also very loyal and very genuine.  

Jess:  I’m a Libra sun, a Sagittarius moon, and Gemini rising.  (looking at Chad) Which is why we get along so well.

Chad:  Because rising is what you are perceived as.

EVERYONE:  HELLO!!!  We’ve been waiting for you (Chad’s daughter Hero arrives with her mama Becca)

Chad:  And Hero is an Aries which scares the shit out of me!

EVERYONE:  Coos and makes baby noises fawning over Hero for like five minutes

Sophie:  Oh my gosh!  She’s looking more like you- like you guys have the same eyes.

Jess:  You can put this on the record that Hero is my favorite baby.  

Phillip:  I only saw her grumpy once- and that was at the Shop Party.

Chad:  Yeah, that was pushing bedtime for her.

Phillip: Pushing bedtime for all of us honestly!

Chad: Next Question- have either of you recently read any books that are influencing you?  What is shaping your philosophical life and conception of the world?

Phillip:  I am actually reading The Degradation of A Very Good Gay.  When he was 20 years old he started journaling and now I think he is 33 or 35 years old and it is just his queer experience during that time.  It is just beautiful- it talks about love, family & experiences.  I recommend it to any queer members!

Sophie: Adds to goodreads list!  I get the New Yorker and so that makes up most of my reading because your guilted into it when they show up every fucking week and you feel like you have to read all of it!  I read a great piece in there about the DSM-5 and how they are always shifting diagnoses and how they are defined.  The piece was all about our urge to be defined and have titles and identities.  Just the drive to find labels to acquire and why we seek that out.

Jess:  It hints on the sense of purpose you have as a human and needing to tie that to something and if you lack that (purpose) you can place labels to define yourself.

Sophie:  Yeah! Like if you can define yourself by these other things you don’t have to think about what you really are.

Chad:  I think the concept of identities in our world has been in a really convulsive phase recently and we’re struggling as a society with how best to organize our thoughts on it.

Sophie:  You layer social media on top of it and how that instigates an idea of community even if it is debatable that that really exists online.

Jess:  I feel like since the pandemic people have been forced to slow down and think about their mental health and that has led to a lot more funding and trying to figure things out.

Chad: Do you have any more questions Jess or shall we move toward wrapping up?

Jess: Let’s do the wrap up!

Chad:  Yeah, I think that was a nice thoughtful moment to begin to end on.  The last thing I leave open ended because I think people come into these interviews and they might have things they think they might be asked and they might have things they wanted to say that didn’t come up.  So if there is anything that hasn’t come up that you had been thinking about leading into the interview is one way to think about it.   You could also think of it as what is the advice you would give to a new member as a venerated member of our society.

Sophie:  Before I answer I just want to put it out there that I’m glad there weren’t many music questions; the second someone asks me about music my brain goes “I’ve never heard music in my life”.  Recently I saw a thing that was “don’t be afraid to be seen trying”.  I thought that was such a good way of putting it out there that there is nothing bad about coming in and trying something and doing it without worrying about being perfect.  I think Dane’s is such an accepting place.  You can come in and try and fail and that is fine.  You can play!  Don’t be afraid to be seen trying- come in and give it a shot.  I was talking to Kaley (Hart- another DBS member and very likely future SAS! nom) and she was like I finally did a box jump on the low box.  I congratulated her and she was like “it isn’t as high as the box you use”.  We’re all on different journeys- it doesn’t matter!

Chad: Kaley is a very cerebral and thoughtful person, so I’m sure she appreciated that.

Phillip:  That is a great sentiment.  I was going to say share your successes.  If you’re lifting really well or having a great day, share it!  Also, it costs nothing to be kind; be kind and have fun.

Sophie:  That is the best place to land on.

Jess: Be kind and have fun.

Sophie:  Go team!

Chad:  The first every Dane’s Body Shop four-way has been recorded!

Phillip:  We’ve done it team, welcome to our podcast!