[00:00:01] Speaker A: At the University of Alabama, we're committed to helping you be the best version of yourself in all aspects of your well being. The Alabama model of health and well being offers a holistic approach to wellness, connecting you with resources that support every aspect of your life, providing a roadmap to thriving in college and beyond. Learn
[email protected] A message from student health and well being and wvuafm the capso.
[00:00:29] Speaker B: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:01:11] Speaker C: Hey, everybody, this is the Bama Balance. Real stories about college men's mental health. And we want to welcome you to our Thanksgiving episode this year.
It's something that, you know, we've been kind of talking about and particularly after this year with our football team, I think it's something that we remain grateful for, wouldn't you say?
[00:01:38] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:01:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:01:39] Speaker D: I mean, you kind of have to. Yeah, you kind of have to.
[00:01:42] Speaker C: At this point, I think that we're certainly grateful for, you know, for all that we've experienced with our team and. And here at the university, too. I thought one fun way to kind of open this segment is to test your Thanksgiving trivia. How's that? Okay. These questions. Yeah, yeah.
[00:02:06] Speaker D: This is new.
[00:02:07] Speaker C: This is new. I just thought about.
[00:02:08] Speaker D: This has just been sprung on us.
[00:02:09] Speaker C: Yeah, we were getting ready. I was. I was prepping for this.
So these Questions come from Today.com. you guys ready?
[00:02:16] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:19] Speaker C: So the first one is which turkey. Which turkey gobbles? The male or the female?
[00:02:25] Speaker A: The male.
[00:02:26] Speaker D: The male.
[00:02:26] Speaker C: Yeah, the male. Exactly. That's exactly right. And what does that sound like?
[00:02:32] Speaker D: Oh, that's excellent.
[00:02:33] Speaker C: That's excellent. All right. Very good. All right, all right. So you both have one apiece.
The next question is, what gourmet meal did Charlie Brown serve the Peanuts gang in a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
[00:02:47] Speaker D: I know he made toast.
[00:02:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:50] Speaker D: But I don't know. I can't remember what else he did.
[00:02:52] Speaker C: Oh, gosh, yes. Popcorn.
[00:02:56] Speaker A: You're gonna know the.
[00:02:58] Speaker D: All I remember is toasting popcorn.
Was there any kind of potatoes?
[00:03:04] Speaker C: No, no, no potatoes.
No, it was a four item meal. Toast, popcorn.
[00:03:13] Speaker D: Ah.
It's escaping me.
[00:03:17] Speaker A: Chicken.
[00:03:18] Speaker C: No, no. Woodstock would not have. I think.
[00:03:23] Speaker A: I was just going.
[00:03:23] Speaker C: Yeah, crazier. Yeah. Toast, popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans.
[00:03:30] Speaker D: That's right.
[00:03:30] Speaker C: Yeah.
So the next question is. So you both have one piece. According to the AAA, what was the most popular Thanksgiving travel destination in 2024? New York.
[00:03:43] Speaker D: I was gonna. Somewhere on the East Coast. I'll say in the. In the. For the sake of being competitive, I'll say Charleston.
[00:03:56] Speaker C: Close. But Orlando, Florida.
Yeah, I guess it must be.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: I was thinking Thanksgiving Day parade, maybe. Maybe Orlando.
[00:04:05] Speaker D: Just Disney World.
[00:04:06] Speaker C: Maybe. Maybe.
[00:04:07] Speaker D: Or any of the parks down there.
[00:04:10] Speaker C: Potentially. Potentially.
And then the last one.
Let's find a good one here.
What comedian performed the Thanksgiving song on Saturday night live in 1992?
[00:04:25] Speaker A: 1992. This is way before your 92.
[00:04:28] Speaker D: Is it Norm MacDonald?
[00:04:29] Speaker C: No, but almost. Simcast, I think.
Remember what you're thinking.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: I would have no clue. 1992. That's a long time ago.
[00:04:40] Speaker C: It's Adam Sandler. Sorry.
Yeah, Adam Sandler. All right, let's get back. Let's get back to one more. One last one last question. What crunchy ingredients usually toss. Green bean casserole.
[00:04:54] Speaker D: It's onions. Ritz crackers. Wait, no, it's onions.
[00:04:57] Speaker C: Fresh fried onions.
Perfect. All right. Pretty good. Pretty good for your Thanksgiving trivia.
[00:05:03] Speaker A: 1992. That was a crazy pool. Yeah, that was a. I was negative 12 years old.
[00:05:09] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:05:12] Speaker C: Thanksgiving.
[00:05:12] Speaker D: That's pretty, right?
[00:05:13] Speaker C: Wow. Gosh. 92. I. I was. I was.
[00:05:18] Speaker A: Where were you at in 1990?
[00:05:20] Speaker C: That's what I was trying to remember. I think I had just started at the University of Georgia at their counseling center. Awesome. In 1992.
Well, that's a ways back.
But anyway, I think that this will be our Thanksgiving Day episode, and it'll give us the time today to take a look back at some of the things we're grateful for.
The benefit of gratitude in improving mental health for all of us. Not just collegemen, but for all of us. And maybe reminisce about some of our favorite Thanksgiving Day memories and traditions and our favorite side dishes. So we'll be back soon for our first segment. This is the van or ballad.
[00:06:22] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Foreign.
[00:07:06] Speaker D: Hello everybody. Welcome back to the Obama Balance.
And you know, as Dr. Perez talked about today, we're just kind of getting into these topics of Thanksgiving and what it means to give thanks and how that, you know, is good for your mental health, like that practice of being thankful and what that means as well as talking about food. I'm sure we'll talk about that at some point this episode as well, because you can't talk about Thanksgiving without talking about the food. But to start, yeah, there's just this idea of, you know, trying to remember thanks as a way to improve your mood, as a way to kind of help you improve your mental health. What are yalls thoughts on that?
[00:07:51] Speaker C: I think, you know, expressions of gratitude and expressions of thanks, particularly to people, to groups or those that mean the most you in your lives, I think are really important to be able to not just maintain those relationships, but also, you know, that expressions of gratitude really help our mental health, makes us feel more optimistic about ourselves and the world. Our relationships brings a sense of joy to our lives as well.
So I think gratitude, those expressions of gratitude are important. I agree.
[00:08:27] Speaker A: And whether that's with, you know, your close family, family, friends, people that you're very comfortable saying those type of things around, I also think it goes a mile when you do it to people that aren't necessarily your closest friends and people you're close with.
My mom made me, when I was younger, always, like write thank you notes to the custodians at the school and the lunch ladies and all that when I was growing up. And that was just a good way to kind of set the tone, you know, as a parent for your kid. Like, all right, look, you know, I mean, these people may not have a direct impact on you every day and they may not be teaching you lessons, but I mean, they're improving your well being every single day by doing work that a lot of times goes unnoticed. So shout out to everybody that's listening that feels like they may be a little unnoticed. Thank you for all you're doing.
[00:09:19] Speaker C: Love that.
[00:09:20] Speaker D: Yeah.
I think it's also for like the way I've kind of viewed it and the way my, you know, I think my parents have really tried to instill that, like you said. I mean, my, my mom and dad are always big on thank you notes.
But then my mom will be like, there'll be Times where I'm, you know, as a kid growing up, I be like, I'm just, you know, I'm kind of sad or whatever and moping around. And she's like, well, what are you thankful for?
And I think that was just a way. I think it. It like, also just comes from, like, a spiritual place as well, of just like, trying to remember things and like, what's been. Ways that I've been blessed and poured into and.
But yeah, I mean, that's just that question, like, what are you thankful for? We'd ask that at dinner every time too. Like when we, like my family and I would as a kid, we'd all. Like the days where we'd all, like, sit down and eat dinner. That'd be one of the questions. Like, everyone had to say one thing.
And I think that was just a good way to frame that for me as a kid. That kind of ingrained it in my mind of like, okay, like, this is an important thing to do. And it helps you focus on what's good. Because, I mean, if you're angry, you're sad, or you use all these different emotions, I mean, if you take a minute to focus on, like, good things, like, you're going to improve your thoughts and you're going to improve your thought processes and then you're going to not feel those negative emotions anymore.
[00:10:42] Speaker C: Yeah. No. I love the idea of writing thank you notes. I think in today's email and text messaging world, it's really easy to overlook that expression of gratitude. And there's something about a handwritten note or letter that makes those words feel more intentional.
Right. Conveys more intentionality behind the sentiment. And then, you know, as you were talking, Edward, you know, sitting. Sitting at the table, asking everybody what you're grateful for, I think is also an amazing way to not only express your own gratitude, but to listen and to take in everyone else's words of thanks and gratitude. Is that something that your family would do typically, or just during the Thanksgiving Day?
[00:11:28] Speaker D: Every. Every time we'd eat dinner together. That's really. They would ask. My parents would always. And it was always kind of a thing to where like, sorry, my siblings and I would like, race each other, but we would always ask each other first, like, what was your favorite thing that you did today?
[00:11:42] Speaker C: Right.
[00:11:43] Speaker D: And then after that it was, what are you thankful for? So, like, that was always one way that we, like, we're able to have conversation and kind of started those. I love that talks and trying to change the mindset of being happy Being, Yeah.
[00:11:59] Speaker A: You were the youngest, right. I bet it was really interesting even for your parents to see like, you know, the difference in your oldest sister's thankfulness like you.
But I mean, that just goes to show too that, you know, you had people to look up to and see what they were thankful for and that probably changed your view on how to be thankful and what to be thankful for coming down the road. So that's awesome.
[00:12:22] Speaker D: To be a fly on the wall when it was just so different because I don't even remember really, but I'm sure there were times where it's like, you know, there's my 15 year old sister and my 9 year old self and it's just like they are so just thinking about the completely different things.
But I mean, yeah, I mean like having, you know, being, being the youngest, you kind of grew up a little bit quicker.
[00:12:40] Speaker C: Do you remember what 9 year old Edward gave thanks for?
[00:12:44] Speaker D: I was probably the first. That's probably like, oh, I had fun playing with Legos today.
[00:12:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:12:49] Speaker D: And then that was like, that's all I needed, you know.
[00:12:52] Speaker C: Grateful for Legos.
[00:12:53] Speaker A: How was your day at school?
[00:12:55] Speaker C: Good.
[00:12:55] Speaker A: What'd you learn? I don't know.
[00:12:59] Speaker C: But I'm grateful for Legos.
[00:13:01] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:13:02] Speaker D: Yeah, that's what it was.
[00:13:02] Speaker A: That's how it's supposed to be though. I mean, as a kid.
[00:13:05] Speaker C: Yeah, that was really good. You know, I remember, gosh, this must have been, I want to say, third grade or second grade. There were some members of our class that were being interviewed by our local paper.
And so the teacher held back a handful of us so the reporter could interview us. You know, second graders, thoughts on Thanksgiving and what they're grateful for.
And I, well, both, and both my parents are positions to me. This is where it came from.
But I remember saying, and it was, it's in print there somewhere in the Nashville Tennesse Inn or whatever the paper is. At the time.
I was grateful for vegetables because without them you would die. It's a pretty morbid thought for a second grader to say, but hey, you're eating them. I was eating them, man. It didn't, it didn't stop me from eating my, my green beans and that's all carrots. But it was kind of, I'm thinking, you know, that's true, I suppose. But for a second grader to say that, I mean, I would have expected like, oh, sir. Something.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: That's definitely the Dr. Background. It really is right there.
[00:14:14] Speaker C: That's what I thought. That's what I thought too And I think.
I think we've even got clippings, or they saved clippings from that. And it's pretty embarrassing to read it.
[00:14:24] Speaker A: I think it would be interesting next year just for y' all to keep it. I'm not sure what'll be the situation, but bring back, like, ask your parents to pull back the Thanksgiving activities you did in class if they kept any of those.
[00:14:38] Speaker C: Right.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: And just see what you wrote. I think that'd be interesting to put on here, you know, because I bet they were just crazy thoughts for a second grader.
[00:14:49] Speaker C: Now, for second grade, particularly in terms of, like, expressions of gratitude. Now, what. What are those things that, you know, you feel most grateful for in your life, being here in college?
[00:15:04] Speaker A: Well, I mean, this list could go on and on. Being here in college, you know, you're getting to the point where you're kind of on your own, building relationships on your own.
I'd say number one for me, automatically, Lord and savior.
Second, definitely. You know, the family and the sacrifices they made to get you to this position.
I think we sometimes may underappreciate the fact that we do go to school here, and we're in such a great environment, getting such a good education, surrounded by a bunch of great, great teachers and professors and staff members like you.
Third. I mean, you know, friends and family. I see that in the same.
Yeah, definitely. I mean, definitely my girlfriend.
And for me, it's been a little different this year. I'm living at the fraternity house, and our house staff.
I've got a whole nother level of appreciation for those guys.
Guys and girls. They do so much for us, whether that's cleaning, cooking.
[00:16:10] Speaker C: And.
[00:16:10] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely them. So those are a few of mine. I'm not, you know, I could sit.
[00:16:15] Speaker C: Here for hours and, you know, that doesn't surprise me, too. I think, you know, particularly, you know, throughout college and beyond.
I know I'm just aware of more things in my life that I'm grateful for and, you know, more in some way that I can even express.
But I know here I was just talking with a group last week about this, but one of the things most grateful for, particularly here at the university, is that I get a chance to work with some great students and to have a career in higher education that's been, what, 30 years plus, has been fantastic.
It's been a great career. And I've told you this, told other folks this, is that working at a college university is.
Is a pretty good gig. It has its idiosyncrasies, but as Long as I'm not having to take a final or tests and I get to work with great students, I love it. I'm really grateful for that and continue.
[00:17:20] Speaker D: To be winner, I think for me, I think just the.
I always think about the communities I'm in. I've been truly blessed to have a lot of really solid in strong communities. Whether that's like my faith communities, the communities I've made through my fraternity, the communities I've made through other organizations that I'm in.
I think there's just so much, like, just so blessed to know the people that I know.
[00:17:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:51] Speaker D: And it is. I mean, I feel like it's the reason why, like, most of the reason why I'm here is just to meet the people that I've met.
And it. So that's just one thing that I'm very, very truly grateful for. I'm also another thing that comes to mind, like, off immediately is my roommates. I got great roommates right now, and they're seniors. They're about to be gone, which is kind of sad, but, you know, just kind of enjoying, like, spending the time with him this year that I'm getting to. And they're both just incredibly wise and good to me.
So thankful for the people who I've met. Like, especially, like, as I look at thankfulness to the UA context, the things that I've been blessed to be a part of and the people I've been blessed to know, I would say are the two.
Two things for me.
[00:18:43] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:18:45] Speaker D: But anyway, that'll wrap up this, this first segment of the BAMA Balance. We will be right back with our second.
[00:19:08] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:19:11] Speaker B: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listeners. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency.
[00:19:52] Speaker A: What's up, guys? We're back. And as we were on the break, we were talking about, you know, this conversation could go many ways for us. We're always spitting out different ideas. And Edward just came up with something great. And, you know, this time we're about to get off for Thanksgiving. And I know, Dr. Perez, you'll get some time off, too, which will which will be big time. It's kind of a time that you get to go home and reset and kind of just focus on yourself and your own mental health before we come back for a week like we're gonna have with studying and all. And as Dr. Perez said earlier, you know, giving thanks kind of improves your mental health in a way.
And I think that's pretty important that you get to go home and kind of, you know, think about, you know, when you're sitting around the Thanksgiving dinner table, you know, what you are thankful for and.
And that kind of boosts your confidence coming into a dead week where things may get a little tough and you've got to study for a few tests and then finals week hits and then we'll be out of here for Christmas. So what are yalls thoughts on that? And just if y' all want to.
[00:20:56] Speaker C: Elaborate, I think it's a great way to reset, to get regrounded also too. It reminds me of also kind of what we talked about earlier in terms of, you know, maybe recalibrating to your true north. Right. What are you good at? What brings you joy?
What does the world need from you? And then through that is, you know, where.
Where in all those aspects of your life can. Do you need to express gratitude? Right. Do you need to give thanks, enable to be able to kind of straight to stay true to your true north?
[00:21:38] Speaker A: I think that's very good. And as I was sitting here thinking about that, you know, those sacrifices like I talked about that my parents have made for me to get here and my grandparents.
[00:21:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:21:48] Speaker A: You know, thinking. Thinking back on that and what my answer to my true north has always been, you know, over Thanksgiving this year, I think I'm going to look at it in a totally different way. As in, look, this is for me, this is my last, you know, little finals break here before the last semester. So I can't let anybody down. You know what I mean?
[00:22:09] Speaker C: Right.
[00:22:09] Speaker A: I mean, we've got to pass classes, do good in classes, get into the master's program to make them proud of those sacrifices that they have had to get me to this position.
[00:22:22] Speaker C: No, for sure.
[00:22:24] Speaker D: Yeah. I just, I think, you know, using that time to just kind of reset. Yeah, full reset. And then focus on good things. I mean, I think like that you kind of need both.
To do both is great. You know, you have this short little period where you kind of get away from the noise and ideally, hopefully you're going to a place where it's somewhat nurturing and a place where you can Sit back and do nothing in the best way and know that, like, you're. You don't. Because you.
Because I could. I could do nothing tomorrow, yes, I'd skip my classes and work and stuff, but I could do nothing.
But having that piece of, like, this is where I'm supposed to be, and then meditating on that. Meditating on what you're thankful for. Using that as a time to.
[00:23:25] Speaker C: Kind.
[00:23:26] Speaker D: Of clear out negative thought through rest and positive thinking.
I think it's just important. And it's really. It's really under.
I think, underutilized. A lot of the times, people.
It's hard to go from, like, going 100 miles an hour to going to zero and then back to 100, but it's still. You can use that time where you're stopped. It just.
Let's clear. Let's clear our heads a little bit. Yeah.
[00:23:57] Speaker C: No, even as you're talking, Edward, I love the fact that not everybody saw this, but the fact that you went into kind of a Zen mode for a bit.
[00:24:07] Speaker D: Just sort of had to put myself there.
[00:24:09] Speaker C: You're putting yourself there.
And. No, I agree. I think that, you know, being able to find a place and a time to be able to reflect back on what's good in your life, what are you thankful for, is important.
I know just this time, I'll be down at the beach, and so that. That always is a. Is a great place for me. Exactly.
[00:24:28] Speaker A: And I do think.
I do think. And it'd be interesting to see what your take is on this, because we're just now getting to the point where we're in college. I feel like since college, I've had a better understanding of what the holidays are and why we actually have these holidays.
As to where I was in high school, you know, I'm living at home 24 7.
I'm seeing all my family. I'm sitting at dinner tables with them. But I feel like since I've gotten here, you know, you get taken out of that comfortable place where you're with the people you love all the time, and then you're given that chance to go back. And I feel like that makes you a lot more grateful for it and really take it in. So I think I'll look at holidays totally different the rest of my life just because of the college experience.
[00:25:12] Speaker C: I think you're exactly right, Proxy. I think that, you know, it's.
I think you gain a much different perspective on the holidays and on life because you have. You've lived that much more life that you've been able to now step back and take a look at things during the holidays and gain some perspective. And, you know, particularly as it relates to Thanksgiving. One of the things that I'm also mindful of is what haven't I been aware of that I'm grateful for? Who haven't I been aware or who haven't I expressed my gratitude or thanks to yet that I need to?
And so if we take a moment and think about, you know, where in your life now are you feeling grateful and thankful?
And as you think about that, do things.
Do situations in your life emerge where. Oh, I never thought about that. That's something I'm grateful for. Or this person I've encountered, I've really never thought about how they've either impacted me or in ways that I've appreciated them.
Are there those people that come up for you now or those situations that come up for you now that.
That you, in hindsight, are grateful for?
[00:26:43] Speaker A: I can go if you want me to.
[00:26:44] Speaker D: Yeah, you got it.
[00:26:45] Speaker A: Close to one of them that keeps on sticking out is what I said earlier about our house staff. You know, when you're. When you're here and you're not living at the house, I don't think you really grasp how much they actually do for us.
So that's definitely one of them.
Another one is definitely y'. All Two. Honestly, I'm super grateful for these deep conversations that we get to have every week, you know, fighting for a good cause. And also gives us, especially me, a safe spot, you know, to come in here and talk to y' all and people that I know that I could go to all the time.
Friends, I think it's easy to overpass, you know, giving thanks to friends for all they do for, you know, the relationship itself and a better you.
I feel like that's one that I definitely don't give enough thanks to that I probably should.
And, yeah, probably my girlfriend, she keeps me in line, so I've got to thank her for that.
[00:27:49] Speaker C: Oh, well, thank her as well for us, too.
How about for you, Edward?
[00:27:58] Speaker D: I mean, I would probably. I think a lot of my friends, I, you know, I'm more thankful for than I realize. Not even from the sense of. Of, like, that I'm never thankful, but, like, I think expressing it really, like, shows you how grateful you are.
[00:28:17] Speaker C: And.
[00:28:17] Speaker D: That act of giving things, like, reminds you of, like, how much it really means.
[00:28:21] Speaker A: Means to you.
[00:28:22] Speaker C: Right?
[00:28:23] Speaker D: So I'd say, like, a lot of. Especially, like, I think my roommates in that situation, because it's you know, I've only recently started to realize how great they've been. Not that I thought they were bad before, but just, like, the extent to which, like, they have been helpful to me in ways that I haven't realized or didn't think so before.
[00:28:42] Speaker C: And.
[00:28:48] Speaker D: I don't know, I think there's just a lot of people, honestly, I think a lot of our.
A lot of our officers, whether it's like, my fraternity or other organizations that I'm in, I think I forget how much work they actually do sometimes.
Especially, like, when I look at, like, the officers at Blackburn, like, they do a lot, and I. I know how busy I am, and I don't do anything like that. So just kind of seeing, like. Yeah, it really puts it into perspective of, like, maybe I should give more thanks to them than I do because of how much they do for me and all the other people who are in this with me. So.
[00:29:34] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah, that's good. That's good.
You know, again, for me, this is.
Gosh, this is 2025, and I've kind of been in college mental health since, what, at least 92, 93. So that's a good 30 some years plus, you know, even before then.
And I think one of the things I'm aware of is grateful. I'm very grateful for those who've placed their trust in me.
I think that's something that I'll continuously be aware of, but.
And more recently, not but. But more and more recently.
You know, after being here, this is my eighth year, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that come my way to work with students, you know, be with the Advisory Council or Farmhouse or, you know, with the GRIT Program.
I mean, I'm really so super thankful for those opportunities. This is really the best part of what I do is get to work with students. And I'm very grateful for this opportunity to be a part of this podcast, to have established it, to be a part of it with the two of you this year.
I'm immensely grateful for that and to the two of you for being a part of it. It warms my heart to look back on kind of that long perspective and to know that opportunities will continue to come and there's more to be grateful for.
Absolutely.
[00:31:27] Speaker A: I think those were all great answers. And just sitting here right now makes me think, you know, I mean, you've given great points, officers. I didn't think about that.
The opportunities like that, that makes me think different ways that I could be thankful in the future. And that's the beauty of it.
But that'll do it for this segment. On the, on the next segment, we're definitely gonna get into the food and, and the fun times of Thanksgiving, so we'll talk to y' all in a minute.
Wvuafm Tuscaloosa this show is not a.
[00:32:14] Speaker B: Substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:32:48] Speaker D: Foreign.
[00:32:55] Speaker C: Welcome back, everyone, to our last segment here at the Battle Balance. And we had this great idea. We're, we're going through our Thanksgiving Day food draft. Do you want to explain how we're going to work this out here? Brooks?
[00:33:07] Speaker A: Yeah, basically. So we've randomized the order that we're going to pick in, and Dr. Perez will be going first. And it'll be a snake draft.
This will only be sides due to, I mean, I'm a turkey guy. I think Dr. Perez is too. So that'd be kind of the same. But once something is taken, it is off the board, so it cannot be used again.
And there will be nine picks that we're about to go through. Okay, so Dr. Perez will start it off and then when it gets to me, I'll go again and then I'll be just snake draft.
[00:33:42] Speaker C: Okay. So. Love it.
So, you know, I've been thinking about this, and for me, it was between two items, but I think I'm gonna put sweet potato casserole out there. Good one with, with the, like, praline topping. Right? The pecan candy. Praline topping, Sweet casserole.
[00:34:00] Speaker A: That's good.
[00:34:01] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:34:01] Speaker D: You know, I've never been a huge sweet potato food.
[00:34:03] Speaker C: Oh, really?
[00:34:04] Speaker D: Don't know why I hate or actually, I do know why I hate the texture, sweet potatoes. The texture of sweet potatoes is always, as a kid, messed with me. And I don't know why I don't have potatoes.
[00:34:15] Speaker A: I love mashed potatoes.
[00:34:16] Speaker D: Like, regular potatoes. Love them any way they're cooked.
[00:34:19] Speaker C: Really.
[00:34:19] Speaker D: Potatoes can't do it.
[00:34:21] Speaker C: If you did a blind taste test, could you tell? I mean, without the flavor, of course. Could you tell a difference?
[00:34:26] Speaker D: Oh, yeah.
[00:34:26] Speaker A: Really?
[00:34:27] Speaker D: They're different. Sweet potatoes aren't as starchy that's kind.
[00:34:30] Speaker A: Of got an auburn orange hint to it, so I'm gonna let you take it this Thanksgiving.
[00:34:35] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:34:35] Speaker A: I may not eat any.
[00:34:38] Speaker C: Well, fair enough.
Fair enough. Brooks.
[00:34:43] Speaker D: For my first pick, I think I'm. I mean, I was. I was just nervous that you were gonna take it, but I think it's. It's the obvious. In my opinion, it's the obvious first overall pick, but I'm gonna go dressing or some. Who incorrectly call it stuffing.
[00:34:59] Speaker C: Right.
[00:35:00] Speaker D: The dressing. For me, I mean, I think especially my grandmother's, there's not much better, in my opinion.
[00:35:05] Speaker C: What? How did she make it?
[00:35:07] Speaker D: You know, I really don't know.
It's just so good.
[00:35:11] Speaker A: It's so good, though. That is a lot of work. I've watched my grandmother make it, and she's gotten to the point now where she's a little older.
[00:35:17] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: So my dad and me have to.
[00:35:19] Speaker C: Go over there and make it.
[00:35:21] Speaker A: I mean, it is.
Those arms. Get a workout with that.
[00:35:24] Speaker C: My mom used to make a.
A chest. A roasted chestnut dressing. Oh, that's like a Virginian thing, which, when we were living in Virginia, if you like chestnuts. It's delicious.
It's delicious. Yeah. All right.
[00:35:39] Speaker A: Brooks Creaming casserole.
That's mine.
[00:35:44] Speaker C: Pulling it from our trivia section, I figured that would be the.
[00:35:47] Speaker D: It'd be a top three, no doubt. Creamy casseroles. It's pretty good.
[00:35:54] Speaker C: So my next pick.
[00:35:55] Speaker A: Oh, it's me.
This may be a little debatable if I could technically put it, but I'm gonna take the fourth pick. Cranberry sauce.
[00:36:05] Speaker C: I think that's good.
[00:36:07] Speaker A: It's gotta be in there somewhere.
[00:36:09] Speaker C: Like canned or whole.
[00:36:10] Speaker A: Canned and sliced up.
[00:36:12] Speaker C: Sliced up.
[00:36:12] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:36:14] Speaker C: It's easier to put on a sandwich that way.
[00:36:15] Speaker A: No doubt. Oh, and we're having Thanksgiving dinner at the Kearney house tonight.
[00:36:19] Speaker D: Really?
[00:36:19] Speaker A: And, I mean, they go all out, thanks to our house staff. Again. I mean, it is the full.
[00:36:24] Speaker C: Gosh.
[00:36:25] Speaker A: But this is just making me super excited.
[00:36:27] Speaker C: I love that.
[00:36:28] Speaker D: That was gonna be my number. That was. My next one was cranberry sauce.
[00:36:31] Speaker C: Cranberry sauce.
[00:36:31] Speaker D: I love that. I love the canned jelly cranberry sauce. It's so good.
[00:36:36] Speaker C: You can't.
[00:36:37] Speaker D: I don't.
[00:36:37] Speaker C: There's nothing comparable to that.
[00:36:38] Speaker D: No.
[00:36:40] Speaker C: Right. Oh, so is that yours?
[00:36:42] Speaker D: No, it's me.
Well, dang. I just.
Then I had to think about this one now that.
[00:36:47] Speaker C: What time should Edward and I be over at the house tonight?
[00:36:49] Speaker D: Yeah. Is it like a situation after.
[00:36:52] Speaker A: We can. Come sit with me there.
[00:36:56] Speaker C: You Go.
[00:36:58] Speaker D: I'm gonna go. Mashed potatoes. Well, yeah, I love mashed potatoes there, I think. But, like, we have them. We always have them for Thanksgiving.
[00:37:05] Speaker C: Right?
[00:37:06] Speaker D: So even though mashed potatoes are common year round, I still think that they're. I still consider them a food because I've always had them on Thanksgiving. To eat on Thanksgiving, you got to.
[00:37:19] Speaker C: Make them from scratch, though. None of this package.
[00:37:21] Speaker D: Yeah, scratch made, mashed again. My grandmother makes the best.
[00:37:26] Speaker C: She is it just mashed potatoes, butter and cream? Because those are really. That's pretty legit.
[00:37:31] Speaker D: She keeps it pretty.
[00:37:33] Speaker C: That's legit.
[00:37:34] Speaker D: There's not.
[00:37:35] Speaker C: No embellishments or anything.
I think that's good, you know, so me, you get two now I get two.
How do I get two Snakes? Snakes back. Right, right, right.
And we're on sides. I'm gonna go with a good, like, roast corn casserole.
Now we're getting the casserole. That's good areas. And then so desserts, too. I want to make it desserts. Okay, well, I'm gonna throw in squash casserole there too.
Right.
[00:38:12] Speaker D: Good.
[00:38:13] Speaker C: Cheesy Squash casserole.
[00:38:17] Speaker D: You have three casseroles.
[00:38:19] Speaker C: I know. I eat. I'm a casserole guy.
[00:38:23] Speaker D: For my last one. I mean, the fact that it's still on the board, in my opinion, it'd be a crime not to take it. I'm gonna go pumpkin pie. I do love pumpkin pie. I don't know why. To me, it's so good.
[00:38:36] Speaker C: See, pumpkin pie has the same texture as sweet potatoes.
[00:38:40] Speaker A: I was about to say it's kind of similar, right?
[00:38:42] Speaker D: But it's different. It's different. It's different. I swear.
[00:38:45] Speaker C: I don't.
[00:38:46] Speaker A: I.
[00:38:46] Speaker D: Again, like, I couldn't tell you why that, like, they're, like, they're. It's just.
[00:38:52] Speaker C: I don't know.
[00:38:53] Speaker D: Sweet potatoes have always been one that I just. I can't do it.
[00:38:57] Speaker C: Your palate must be an amazing place to visit on Thanksgiving.
[00:39:02] Speaker D: I'll load up on some dressing.
[00:39:03] Speaker C: All right. Okay, that's good.
[00:39:05] Speaker A: All right, Brooks, I'm going with the better of the pies. Pecan pie.
[00:39:10] Speaker C: Pecan pie. It's hard to go wrong with that.
Absolutely.
[00:39:14] Speaker A: My mom makes some great apple dumplings, too. Yeah, she doesn't. Thanksgiving and Christmas puts, like, her, like, special ingredient. She might kill me for saying this is Mountain Dew, as weird as that sounds.
[00:39:27] Speaker C: And really, yes, it is excellent. Huh.
[00:39:31] Speaker A: So that. That'd probably be my tie for last, but.
[00:39:34] Speaker C: Oh, I like that.
Yeah.
Okay.
[00:39:37] Speaker A: Mountain Dew. I'm not sure.
[00:39:38] Speaker D: What it.
[00:39:39] Speaker A: I guess it's like a. I guess it makes it a little bit sweeter maybe or something like that.
[00:39:43] Speaker C: A little bit of a caffeine kick too.
[00:39:46] Speaker A: Get some energy after.
[00:39:47] Speaker C: That's good.
[00:39:47] Speaker A: After your belly's filled.
[00:39:48] Speaker C: Yeah. Heck yeah. All of that. Yeah.
[00:39:51] Speaker A: That was fun.
[00:39:51] Speaker C: That was fun. Well, that was fun. What are you looking most. What do you look most forward to after that? Thanksgiving day dinner. Do you eat it? Like when do you eat Thanksgiving? When's your Thanksgiving day meal?
[00:40:01] Speaker A: So we normally do ours.
We do a lunch with my dad's side of the family and then we'll go do dinner on mom's side of the family.
[00:40:10] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:40:11] Speaker A: But my favorite part of Thanksgiving day has always been one the people to the football.
[00:40:17] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:40:17] Speaker D: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
[00:40:18] Speaker A: It's football holiday.
[00:40:19] Speaker C: You too, Edward.
[00:40:20] Speaker D: It's about. Yeah. We do like a late afternoon.
[00:40:23] Speaker C: Right.
[00:40:26] Speaker D: Dinner, early dinner. Really? Yeah.
Well, that's what we usually do in the past. Sometimes you've done a.
It's like a more lunch. It depends on which family like we're with.
[00:40:37] Speaker C: Right.
[00:40:38] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:40:38] Speaker C: We usually have like appetizers and then we do maybe like a tour o' clock meal. But my favorite is that nap. Oh man, there's got to catch a little nap.
[00:40:50] Speaker A: It's funny. I'll walk around the house like after we eat and all of us, all of us are like, we're. Especially when we were younger, we were all running around playing in the little turkey bowl outside.
[00:41:00] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:41:00] Speaker A: Then we'd walk back inside and my dad, my granddad and my uncle were just like passed out on their planners.
[00:41:06] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:41:06] Speaker A: Football's playing. That's right.
[00:41:08] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:41:08] Speaker A: Which by the way, Post Malone just announced that he'd be playing the halftime show, the Cowboys.
[00:41:13] Speaker C: No way.
[00:41:14] Speaker A: Yep. Oh, that'll be cool.
[00:41:15] Speaker C: That'll be really cool. That'll be really neat.
No, that was fun. I like that Thanksgiving day food draft and certainly looking forward to that nap time and the football games this Thanksgiving.
But, but we, you know, we've, we've had a great time with this episode. This has been a lot of fun. I've enjoyed it. What is your all time favorite Thanksgiving day food though?
[00:41:40] Speaker A: Dressing.
[00:41:41] Speaker C: Dressing.
[00:41:41] Speaker D: Dressing.
[00:41:42] Speaker C: Yeah. I've got admit that as well.
[00:41:44] Speaker A: I'm. I'm pumped. I'm already thinking about how I can get a to go box later and stash me some in my fridge later this week.
[00:41:52] Speaker C: No, you want to and that. Thanks. Could you do a sandwich? Leftover sandwich, like.
[00:41:57] Speaker A: Oh yeah, put everything on it.
[00:41:58] Speaker C: That's right?
Yeah.
[00:42:00] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:42:00] Speaker C: No, that's the best way to do it.
Thanksgiving is going to be good, I think, this year and looking forward to family and looking forward to food and football games and most importantly, I guess looking forward to giving thanks for everything that I've experienced and thankful to the two of you, Edward Brooks, for being a part of this podcast and thankful to all those listeners who've been with us so far along the way. We hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and take this time to.
To unwind, to reset, to feel grateful.
And until then, this is the bama balance. I'm Dr. Tony Perez.
[00:42:47] Speaker D: I'm Edward Felton.
[00:42:48] Speaker A: I'm Brex Barbary.
[00:42:49] Speaker C: Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving.
[00:42:51] Speaker D: Happy Thanksgiving, y'.
[00:42:59] Speaker A: All.
Wvuafm Tuscaloosa this show was not intended.
[00:43:12] Speaker B: As a substitute for professional counseling. Further, the views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the show hosts or their guests are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Alabama, its officers or trustees. Any views, opinions or conclusions conclusions shared on the show do not create a relationship between the host or any guest and any listener, and such a relationship should never be inferred. If you feel you're in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, please contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
