Lunchtime in Rome

Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 230 is entitled “Getting to Know Us…You”. This week we're going to have you all get to know us a bit better. Why should you and our guests open up about their lives if we don't do the same? Of course, there'll be some laughs along the way. We even have some answers from others at the Table.

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Chris, Jay, and Eric discuss the importance of being open and vulnerable, emphasizing that their guests and listeners should feel comfortable sharing their lives, as the hosts do the same. They touch upon their policy of not leaving anyone alone, inspired by Romans 12:15, which guides the podcast's philosophy of empathy and shared experiences.Throughout the episode, they engage in a series of questions that reveal significant aspects of their lives. They reflect on influential figures from their childhood, with each host sharing memories of specific individuals who impacted their lives positively. The discussion also covers their experiences with physical fights, highlighting how these moments shaped their character.The hosts talk about times when they felt most comforted, with each sharing poignant moments of support during challenging times. They candidly discuss uncomfortable family situations from their past, demonstrating the strength they found in adversity.Additionally, the episode includes lighter moments, such as discussions about their worst purchases, like regrettable cars and timeshares, and their greatest celebrations, including milestone birthdays and memorable parties.Overall, episode 230 of "Lunchtime in Rome" offers an intimate look into the lives of its hosts, blending serious reflections with lighthearted stories, all aimed at fostering a sense of community and shared understanding among their audience.

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 229 is entitled “SAD”. These are tough days.  Cold, cloudy, annoying amounts of precipitation, and still nowhere near enough hours of "sunlight."  Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing.  The acronym is fitting as it can make people feel SAD or worse.  So, what can you do?  We’re talking about that tonight!

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Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

* SAD

* Talk to someone

* Never keep it in

* Build a network, be a network

* Use us

* Professional Help

* Public Health Degrees - 79 Resources for Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder

* National Institute of Mental Health

* The American Psychiatric Association - SAD

* Keep a journal 

* It can help you find patterns and conditions which makes things worse

* It can also help you remember what has helped you

* Get ahead of it

* Re-arrange stressful activities or events for another time.

* Plan relaxing activities that might help improve your mood

* Outings/dates/dinners

* Trips away

* Future trips.

* Plan ahead, such as stocking up on things you need.

* Make more spare time to rest or do things you enjoy.

* Try to stick to a schedule.

* Create a self-care box

* Intentional acts of relaxation and/or activity

* Relaxation

* Dawn Simulators

* Aromatherapy - citrus, summery

* Activity

* Look after your physical health

* Light from a box

* Vitamin D

* Exercise

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 228 is entitled “Adjusting”. Imagine that you're the cool guy underclassmen that all of the upperclassmen love and include in their world.  Now, imagine you find yourself an upperclassmen and all of those friends are now gone.  What's it like? We’ll be talking about all of that and more with Ethan Herr this evening. 

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 227 is entitled “Uncomfortable”. What’s it like to go from leading the high school musical for 2 years straight to being a lowly first year student at a school 2 hours away?  What’s it like to know absolutely no one for the first time in your life?  If high school was difficult socially, how much more difficult is college?  Join us at The Table this week as we hear from Bella Mitlo. 

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Bella Mitlo

* Introduce Bella and go to updates in general

* Re-introduce Bella and give background to her changes in school life in the past year..

* Questions

* Losing/changing - what was it like to go from everyday life being surrounded by everything you know to a whole new world?

* New experiences

* What have been your high and low moments so far?

* How has it been making new friends?

* How has the change in structure affected you (going from an 8 hour school day to a college schedule)?

* New normal?

* Where are you now?  Do you feel like you have stabilized?  

* Are you optimistic moving forward, still in the battle, or does it look bleak to you?

* What’s it like to know about emotional needs compared to other people your age? 

* Do you feel different than your friends when it comes to emotional needs?

* Do you get frustrated with others who get it less?

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 226 is entitled “College Life”. What’s it like to know about emotional needs and be in college? Further, what’s it like to understand emotional responding and be a GUY in college?  Even before all of that, what’s it like to be on the cusp of real life in 2024?  We’ll be talking about that at The Table with Ben Davidson and Joe Mitlo tonight!

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* Questions for Joe/Ben

* How is school for each of you?

* What’s the most challenging part academically?

* What's the most challenging part relationally?

* What’s the most challenging part emotionally?

* What’s the dynamic of your living arrangement/friend group?

* Is it typical of other guys that you go to school with?

* How is it different?

* How is it the same?

* Do you two find yourselves dealing with Luke differently than he does with the two of you?  What about your greater friend group?  Do you notice your knowledge of emotional needs making you communicate differently?

* How has college been different than you expected?

* How has it been EXACTLY how you expected?

* What do you like best/worst about college?

* What’s your favorite experience last and this year in the apartment?

* Where do your hurts go in general and have they changed since you’ve been in college either in where they go or how strong they are?

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 225 is entitled “Christmas Food”. What are your favorite Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner foods?   We’ll be talking about that tonight at The Table.

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Food for Christmas

* Seafood - do you eat it at Christmas?

* Paul does

* Janet Amato - 7 fishes, can you name them? The meal's components may include some combination of anchovies, whiting, lobster, sardines, baccalà (dried salt cod), smelts, eels, squid, octopus, shrimp, mussels and clams.[2] The menu may also include pasta, vegetables, baked goods and wine.

* Ryan McGuire - one time I had lobster, crab legs, shrimp w/ Italian step mother

* Meat

* Beef

* Prime Rib/Roast

* Sally’s SIL

* Denny Finnegan

* JoAnne Laffey Abed

* Filet - Kelly Marie (Jonnett) 

* Ham

* Ron and Sally

* Janet

* Kelly Marie (Christmas Eve)

* John Keating

* Lamb - Ryan, friends house

* Sides - Does anyone care? Let’s talk about this.  

* Ron and Sally said that they have typical ones

* Michelle Myers - Italian Macaroni salad

* Baking

* Dan - FU cookies (edges curl up and give you the finger)

* Paul - lamb cake but it turns out that was for Easter

* Amy Rayman - Monkey Bread

* Joanne - French toast casserole

* Oswalts - Oplatki, she puts it in her Christmas soup (potato soup with butter beans and elbow macaroni)

* Atypical

* Kelly Marie - wings (kids picked)

* Joanne - Chick fil A platter

* Amy Rayman - homemade pierogies (are they atypical?)

* Joanne - Italian and polish cookies (rare in the south where she is, Simpsonville, SC)

*

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 224 entitled “Happy and not so Happy Holidays”. What is, for you, the best and worst part of Christmas/the holidays?  Here at The Table we rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  So, let us know and we will celebrate the best parts and come alongside you for the bad ones.  

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* Dawn Marie Himes-Pinner

* The nostalgia- it always has been. Even more-so this year. The traditions & memories are so meaningful, but they also conjure a longing for the moments & people that helped create them.

* Stevie Bonine

* Communion during Christmas Eve service at churches that do that. I feel like it’s lame to celebrate his bday and then immediately take communion.

* But I’ll echo nostalgia. I miss being a kid—I wanted to orchestrate Christmas celebrations, but now I wish I could go back to appreciating all the work that went into making the holidays special when I was little.

* Jay Mitlo

* Thanks for the reply. Can you further explain your take on communion at Christmas Eve service? I'm interested in why it bothers you. I find it to be intriguing and thought provoking.

* Stevie Bonine

* We’re celebrating that he was just born. And then we eat his body. It just feels super wrong to me?

* Like, I get that communion is a symbolic thing and it’s not LITERALLY his body, but even still. Just pulls me right out of the Christmas mentality.

* I also accept that it might be the only opportunity that some people have to receive communion. And so my feeling about it is probably selfish. I just can’t help but feel like it’s taking away from the beautiful moment of him being born and then thrusting him immediately onto the cross.

* Which, yes, is his sacrifice and I’m grateful for it. Idk. Like said, just feels wrong to me, personally.

* Jay Mitlo

* Love it. Thanks!

* Jeffrey Kearney

* Gift buying anxiety!

* Heidi Mercier

* Best part - spending time with family

* Worst part - spending time with family

* Getting to spend Christmas with my family is wonderful. We eat, we laugh, we do gifts, and other together stuff. But it is also a reminder of family that isn't there and that time is precious.

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 223 entitled “A Better Way”. What if there was a better way to tell someone that they have hurt you?  What if you could start your own healing process when you've been hurt by a loved one?  What if there was something out there that you haven't ever considered that could help all of your relationships?

There is a better way and you haven't heard of it.

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Seek Understanding

* Introduce Seeking Understanding

* Rather than forgiveness

* It shows that you understand the impact of the hurt

* It’s about them, not you

* Cleans out the hurts and allows the relationship to move on

* But what about when expressing a hurt?

* Typical - when you did this it hurt me

* No emotional need attached

* No grace given to the offender

* It’s, to some degree, selfish 

* It, in some ways, assumes the worst (or allows it) of the offender

* It will probably cause the offender to become defensive

* Which is why you get FLR

* It leads to a back and forth, far from the resolve

* What if there was a better way to approach this?

* Seek to understand the offender

* Express the hurt - When you did this it made me feel this way (express emotional need not met and or taken from you)

* Remind them of who they are to you - “I know you love me and don’t want to hurt me.”

* Ask them why they did what they did - “Help me understand why you did/said/didn’t do X that hurt me.”

* Remind them that you value the relationship - “Our relationship really matters to me.  You matter to me.  I don’t want a misunderstanding to get in the way of that.

* This sets the tone for the goal - the relationship

* This sets the priority being finding and fixing the misunderstanding rather than assigning blame and demanding an apology

* It VERY MUCH gives the person every shot at understanding your pain rather than defending their actions

* Try hard to understand where they were coming from and why they did/said what they did

* In other words, give them the benefit of the doubt

* Remember, odds are they didn’t mean to hurt you

* When you try to understand why they hurt you, it gives them the best opportunity to understand your hurts

* Examples

* Someone in ministry was hurt by my words

* I didn’t know the whole situation at all

* I wasn’t given the benefit of the doubt

* I did apologize and sought  to understand but…

* They weren’t interested in understanding me

* I was left hurt in my

* Respect - I wouldn’t hurt them in that way

* Security - Everything was fine and not it’s not

* Comfort - I was trying to help another situation which caused me to say what I said, now both situations are bad

* Bella roommate situation

* I didn’t seek understanding from THEM but I sought it

* I was able to see that, perhaps, they weren’t horrible people

* It didn’t diminish my comfort for Bella

* It kept me from being more angry and hurting others

* Potential problems

* It doesn’t work - then the normal way wouldn’t either

* You can’t understand why they said/did what they did - you’re still further along than before

* You start to feel like the only one trying - you probably are the one most gifted in this ability, expect it

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 222 entitled “Thanksgiving”. It's Thanksgiving week for us at The Table (we're off next week)! We're going to be going over these very important questions. Mary Lynn Pleczkowski who sits at the Head of the Table with us every week, is joining us tonight in person!

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Thanksgiving Questions

1.  Traditional or creative food for the dinner?

2.  Most overrated side dish?

3.  Most underrated side dish?

4.  Wildest/most out of the box entree or side you've heard of for dinner?

5.  Is there any other dessert other than pie?

6.  What's the best pie?

7.  What's the best way to cook the turkey?  Roast, Deep Fry, Smoke, Other?

8. Best way to prepare the Turkey?  Brine?  Dry brine?  No brine?

9. To stuff or not stuff the turkey?

10.  Do you do apps or straight to dinner?

Mary Lynn:

* Traditional

* Corn

* Stuffing from inside bird

* NA (can’t think of one. Sorry!!)

* Of course!! Cookies - because usually kids - and sometimes adults don’t like pie!!

* Apple

* In a bag

* I have never brined - but don’t feel passionately one way or the other.

* This one I care about… Stuffing from inside the bird is the BEST!!

* Always apps - usually antipasto - because people are hungry & it takes a while to get that big meal ready!!

** I am thankful for all of you!!! ❤️❤️

Big Guy:

* Traditional

* Corn - don’t really need it with Rachel’s cornbread casserole

* Cranberry/apple casserole

* Never had anything like that

* Not really - but pumpkin roll is good

* Pumpkin

* Roasted

* No brine - that’s how I always had it growing up

* Stuff

* Apps

Lydia

* Creative (I like the traditional potatoes, rolls, stuffing, etc. But I don't like turkey)

* Cranberry sauce

* Corn (aka butter and salt with a little bit of corn)

* Last year we had a bacon-themed Thanksgiving: bacon-wrapped stuffed pork loin, twice baked potatoes with bacon, bacon green beans, and maple bacon cupcakes

* Maple bacon cupcakes

* Apple pie 1000%

* Don't like turkey generally, but I'd be interested in trying it smoked

* Brine I guess?

* I do not like to eat the stuffing from inside a turkey, but I imagine it gives the turkey some extra flavor and moisture

* Usually just snacks, like meat, cheese, crackers, spinach dip

Sally

* Traditional

* I only eat mashed potatoes, veggies & dinner rolls as sides. 

* ??

* I've heard of Turduckin.  🤢

* YES a nice slice of good chocolate cake!

* I don't eat any pie. My family loves the pumpkin pie that I make.

* Roast.  Our son in law also smokes a small turkey!

* I put Mayo on the turkey (keeps the turkey moist) and then use poultry seasoning. 

* Stuff the turkey and I make an extra dish of stuffing. 

* We go to Christina and Jason's, there will be appetizers.

Jan

* Traditional

* Cranberry sauce

* Stuffing

* ????

* Anything gluten free

* Peach

* Roast

* Brine

* Stuff

* Straight to Dinner

Tommy

* Traditional

* Green Beans

* Stuffing from the bird

* Tofu Turkey

* Something gf

* Dutch Apple

* Roast

* Brine

* STUFF

* Small apps

Bella

* Both

* Stuffing

* Potatoes

* Idk probably something with jello

* Naur

* Pumpkin

* Any way that's cooked by dad

* Brine

* Stuff

* Dill dip all the way

Lydia D

* Traditional

* Cranberry sauce

* Corn bread casserole

* Sweet potatoes with marshmallows but I know that's not

* incredibly crazy

* Dutch apple

* Roast

* Brine

* Stuff

* Love me some dips

Michael P

* Traditional

* Stuffing

* Rolls (pallet cleanser)

* N/A

* No

* Pumpkin

* Smoked

* Brine

* Stuff

* Oh idk, maybe some dip?

Marcie Cell

* Traditional

* Canned cranberry sauce 

* Stuffing from Bird

* Might not be wild by boy was it good! Rich's grandma used to make lasagna every Thanksgiving 12 o'clock sharp! Don't show up at 12:01.

* No other desert besides pie

* For Thanksgiving pumpkin is the best pie. it goes with the meal. Dutch apple crumb pie is a close second.

* Roast

* No need to brine.

* Absolutely stuff

* No app or just veggies.

Matthew

* Mostly traditional, some creative

* Green bean casserole

* Cranberry apple crisp

* N/A

* Nope

* Apple pie

*  Roast

* Dry brine, season with herbed butter

* Spatchcock the turkey and you don't have to stuff it

* No need for apps in a meal that's based around sides

Mia

* traditional

* stuffing

* mash potatoes

* wings?

* i would say of the cookie and brownie and icecream variety yes! but not cake

* apple but idk i rather have ice cream

* idk anything ab cooking turkeys

* idk anything about brine

* no stuff turkey

* no apps

Pauly Llama

* Traditional with at least one creative thing

* Most overrated side dish? Mashed potatoes

* Most underrated side dish? Cranberry sauce

* Wildest/most out of the box entree of side you've heard of for dinner? Kraft mac and cheese..its literally out of the box...😁

* Is there any other dessert other than pie? Cheese cake and cookies

* What's the best pie? Cherry. I mean pumpkin

* What's the best way to cook the turkey? Roast, Deep Fry, Smoke, Other? Roast basting in honey

* Best way to prep the Turkey? Brine? Dry brine? No brine? Brined in applecider and citrus

* To stuff or not stuff the turkey? Don't stuff.

* Do you do apps or straight to dinner? Straight to dinner...unless i forgot to thaw the bird.

Dan L

* Traditional

* Most overrated side: cranberry - I'm happy with the can shaped gel stuff

* Most underrated: stuffing prior to cooking it

* Wildest/most out of the box entree of side you've heard of for dinner: violation, see answer to #1

* Is there any other dessert other than pie: cheesecake if it's pumpkin flavored, but if it's not pumpkin it ain't dessert.

* What's the best pie: there is only one pie, pumpkin, see answer #1

* What's the best way to cook the turkey? I now cook a large Turkey breast in a crockpot

* Best way to prep the Turkey: just mostly thaw and place in crock pot with some celery & carrots

* To stuff or not stuff: not stuff, it's in a crock pot and I've already eaten most of the stuffing raw

* Straight to dinner, actually fast prior.

* Biggest Thanksgiving mystery: why do most of us get off for the majority if not all of the week for Thanksgiving?

* ---- it's a meal . . .

* No . . . you cannot come over unless you can bring an unopened box of this as a dinner gift:

Aunt Pat

* Traditional

* Sweet potatoes casserole it’s just hot pie without the crust.

* Homemade cranberry sauce.

* Anchovies and green beans.

* Dee’Delights nut rolls and poppy seed rolls located in Munhall.

* Any pie.

* Spatchcock

* Brine.

* Not stuffed .

* Wine, beer, snacks then dinner.

Diane M

* Traditional or creative food for the dinner?

* If I'm eating with others, I prefer traditional. When I lived in CA, however, I wasn't near family and I typically turned down invitations to join friends and their families. Instead, I'd get a pizza and a bottle of champagne, stay in my pj's all day, and watch a series of my favorite chick flicks in blissful solitude. 😁

* Most overrated side dish? Green bean casserole

* Most underrated side dish? Sweet potato anything

* Wildest/most out of the box entree of side you've heard of for dinner? Sushi (bleeeccchhh!)

* Is there any other dessert other than pie? Don't care for pumpkin pie; if I have dessert at all, it's a fruit pie. But really, I'd rather have more mashed potatoes!

* What's the best pie? Cherry

* What's the best way to cook the turkey? Roast, Deep Fry, Smoke, Other? Don't really care for turkey.

* Best way to prep the Turkey? Brine? Dry brine? No brine? Um...the way Giant Eagle does it. (I've never cooked one.)

* To stuff or not stuff the turkey? No - make stuffing separately - and lots of it!!

* Do you do apps or straight to dinner? I like cheese and crudite; no heavy apps.

Laurie Ann

* Traditional

* Green bean casserole is overrated

* Most underrated stuffing. Ours is made with potatoes and is so amazing raw or cooked!!

* Wildest side- cauliflower and olives.

* Cookies

* What's the best pie? Butterscotch

* Roast,

* Best way to prep the Turkey? We rub it with butter, salt and pepper.

* To stuff or not stuff the turkey? Stuff

* Do you do apps or straight to dinner? Dinner

Lois

* Traditional or creative food for the dinner? Traditional

* Most overrated side dish? Green bean casserole

* Most underrated side dish? Not sure

* Wildest/most out of the box entree of side you've heard of for dinner?

* Is there any other dessert other than pie? Cranberry praline cheesecake and pumkin....see below

* What's the best pie? Apple/cranberry

* What's the best way to cook the turkey? Roast, Deep Fry, Smoke, Other? Roast

* Best way to prep the Turkey? Brine? Dry brine? No brine? No brine

* To stuff or not stuff the turkey? Stuff

* Do you do apps or straight to dinner? Apps.

Rachel

* Traditional...what else is there?

* Mashed potatoes...don't get me wrong, I'll eat my body weight, but you can make mashed potatoes anytime.

* Stuffing...it only magically shows up on Thanksgiving!!!

* Jay made a vegetable side dish thing once...once..

* Pumpkin pie!!

* Cherry pie...but that feels more like summer!

* Like a normal turkey 🤷‍♀️

* See #7

* Stuffed

* Light apps

* Good gravy is a must!

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Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 221 entitled “Decisions decisions”. The average person makes 35,000 decisions everyday.  How important is it to be mindful of the decisions we make as it pertains to loving others?  We’re talking about that at The Table this evening.

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The average person makes 35,000 decisions everyday.

* Great quotes about the effects of decisions

* “Choices are the hinges of destiny.”

* “Life is a chess match. Every decision that you make has a consequence to it.” 

* “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” 

* “The future is fluid. Each act, each decision, and each development creates new possibilities and eliminates others. The future is ours to direct.” 

* “Never make a decision when you are upset, sad, jealous or in love.” 

* “Always make decisions that prioritize your inner peace.” 

* “The average person makes 35,000 decisions everyday. Some of these decisions are years in the making. However, there are only a few times in a person's life when they have 5 seconds to make a decision and the result of that decision changes the course of their life forever.” - Some random pastor in Colorado

* What it means to us.  Do each of us agree?

* How can we look at it from an emotional needs perspective?

* When we choose to love

* Someone close to us

* Someone we see often

* Someone super random

* What’s the negative? (Can cause you to freak out)

* What’s the positive? (Can make you focus on doing it)

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