Honestly, this is pretty much just 10 minutes of us talking potty-talking.
Description
Meredith takes a break from hosting to do an Urban Dictionary deep dive with Michael.
Transcript
Meredith:
I think I’m going to make this a bonus episode.
Michael:
You can be like, listen if you guys bonus, if you guys want to hear the insight into like why our friendship works so well, listen to us looking up the word nerdle for 30 minutes.
Meredith:
OK, it’s not 30 minutes, it’s a little bit over 10, but I had to give you guys this. So while I was recording with Michael, last week the Disneyland fireworks started going off and obviously when that happens I’m so close to the park that I can’t. I can’t record because you will hear little boom, boom, booms in the back of what you’re about to hear. So I paused the interview with Michael but we kept talking and the conversation evolved into what it always does between the two of us. We started talking about poop. It started off with me reading to him the AI description of the episode I’d recorded with my mom and, like it always does, we just started talking about poop. There’s no way that I could have included this in the regular episode, because I’m trying to establish something a little bit classy here, but for the sake of transparency and just so that you guys can know who exactly Michael and I are, here it is, here it is. This is us. We’re just two strange humans helping to bring a little weirdo into the world. If, by some crazy chance, you are listening to this bonus episode, first, my name is Meredith. I am having a baby with my gay best friend of the past 20 odd years, michael and I’m recording a podcast documenting my experience. Go back and listen to the other episodes. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you don’t listen to this one as a first impression, or maybe do. Maybe this is the best way to meet me, who knows? Enjoy and tune in on Wednesdays for regularly scheduled programming. It’s a little bit more deep than this. It’s a little bit more informative. Otherwise, like follow me on backup plan pod or my personal account, which is Meredith K8. M E R E D I T H K8. And if you have any questions about social media or where you can find us just everything’s kind of on Instagram Go there. That’s the first place to go. Have a happy Labor Day, everybody. We’re going to have to pause here for a second because the fireworks are going off.
Michael:
Okay, how long?
Meredith:
does that?
Michael:
last.
Meredith:
It’s like 10 minutes. Okay, but my mom turned the air conditioner on too. While I was doing this, I was like I can’t.
Michael:
I can’t hear it on my side, but I know, but I know Well hopefully, you know it’ll show up on the recording.
Meredith:
Yeah, so what happens is after. So I record it and then I go back and I cut out everything and then I add the intro, I add the outro and then it has the AI program. Oh my God, Do you want to hear my mom’s AI?
Michael:
The description. How does one hear oh, I get what you’re saying. You’re talking about the AI that writes a summary.
Meredith:
Yes.
Michael:
Yeah, go for it.
Meredith:
Okay, you know that moment when you realize how deeply your roots have shaped you and you’re suddenly filled with a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. That’s the journey my mother and I are embarking on as I prepare for motherhood. I invite mom soon to be Nana onto the show to explore our shared path, her anticipation for grandparenthood and our collective musings on family, marriage and motherhood. A stark contrast to her own not-so-cuddly grandmother, we dive into the memories, hardships and resilience that have sculpted her vision for this new chapter in our lives. It really likes the one, two, three. It’s this and this and this. And then it loves resilience too.
Michael:
But there is like when I was in my very first creative writing class, like in college or whatever. There is like a thing like human beings like to see, like one, two, three, like when you’re introducing something, I am so, but even still it’s a little on the nose, but I think you’re so. I’m so curious how it’s going to write something about World of Coke and South of the Border.
Meredith:
It’s going to be so good.
Michael:
Yeah.
Meredith:
Okay, I’m not even done. Here we go. Ever thought about how your upbringing influences your perspective on family and marriage? Our Irish Catholic roots have certainly colored ours. Mom and I get real about evolving attitudes towards the modern family unit, from my hospital days working with young mothers in Baltimore to my amusing hunt for wonderful husbands in sunny Orlando.
Michael:
Okay.
Meredith:
We explore the changing role of mother, the unexpected twists and turns of life and what it means to have a baby, not as an end stop but as a beautiful comma in our life sentences. As we prepare for our new family addition, we reflect on the unconventional ways we’ve navigated life, from surprise ambulance rides to my brother’s homecoming.
Michael:
Surprise ambulance rides.
Meredith:
To nostalgic walks past old daycare homes, we unravel the fabric of our shared past. As our conversation winds down, we delve into the importance of maintaining your identity amidst the whirlwind of parenthood. So join us as we unpack the wisdom, the quirks and the unwavering resilience that’s been passed down from generation to generation. You might just find an ugget or two to carry along on your own journey.
Michael:
No, or a nerdle or two to carry on your own journey.
Meredith:
How do you spell that?
Michael:
With a silent G. Obviously yes.
Meredith:
I’ve never looked up the definition of nerdle.
Michael:
It’s got to be in the urban dictionary. Let me see if I can pull it up. Yeah, I mean, urban dictionary has like everything whether it’s really a thing or not but it’s got to be in there. If it’s not, then it is truly something we all just made up.
Meredith:
It’s some sort of like collective. No, I don’t. There’s a game called nerdle. There is a username nerdle on Twitch 10 followers. There’s a Reddit thread called nerdle. We’re probably just not spelling it right. Now, Nerdle is definitely spelled with silenchi, and it is definitely a tiny poop.
Michael:
Oh yeah, here we go. So on Urban Dictionary Nerdle GNU-R-D-L-E is small crunchy leftovers in a frying pan after cooking. Gnu-r, yeah, gnu-r-d-l-e, but that very much could be also the small crunchy leftovers attached to your bunghole after a good poop.
Meredith:
No, Nerdle is a tiny poop, like a tiny little rabbit poop. That’s what I think in Nerdle.
Michael:
Oh, okay, got you. Oh yeah, yeah, I’m thinking Dingleberry, that’s right. Yeah, no, you’re right, you’re right, it’s the unsatisfying poop too. It’s like when you’re like, oh, I got a poop, so bad, and then you go and then you look in the toilet and you’re like that’s it, oh God.
Meredith:
Yeah, so see this. And the Urban Dictionary definition is pronounced gun Nerdle, Gun Nerdle.
Michael:
Gun Nerdle.
Meredith:
There is a Nerdle incorporated in. Montgomery, Texas.
Michael:
I was going to say it’s just our accent, though Urban Dictionary has a lot of British accent stuff on there, so it’s probably yeah, it’s not accounting for the time we spent in North Florida. Yeah, it’s not Dingleberry, but I don’t see. I don’t see Nerdle. It’s got to have Nerdle, but we’re just probably just not spelling it right.
Meredith:
Okay In. Hmm. Nope, I’m on a website right now called Fritinancy Word of the Week. Nerdle N-U-R-D-L-E yes, toothbrush length squirt of toothpaste. Oh, okay, so yeah, which that is the size of the poop I’m thinking.
Michael:
That is so I’m seeing. On Urban Dictionary, if you just type in N-U-R-D-L-E with no G, it’s anything that is small in shape, weight or form can be used as a noun, adjective or maybe even a verb. I see a short, cute little boy and I say oh, look at that Nerdle.
Meredith:
Wait, is that what we should name our baby?
Michael:
That’s the nickname. For sure is Nerdle the little Nerdle.
Meredith:
GSK and AquaFresh have invested a lot of resources in Nerdle as a brand language, see, for example, nerdle World and the Nerdle-Schmirdle. Okay, well, I will click on those links. Oh, we’re sorry, the page you’re looking for does not exist.
Michael:
Here’s another noun that makes sense A small blob. Usually, but not always, placed with intent. A Nerdle of shaving cream remained on his forehead. Also, nerdling is putting your feet under someone’s butt to keep them warm. That’s interesting.
Meredith:
Nerdling.
Michael:
Yeah, nerdling, okay.
Meredith:
Now I’m on a website called Our Daily Planet Nerdles. They sound cute. They’re anything but uh-oh. Dun-dun-dun Sciences continually discovering the extent of damage the microplastics wreak on our planet. Are they calling microplastics Nerdles?
Michael:
Could be, yeah, yeah.
Meredith:
Evidence shows that the second largest source of marine plastic comes from Nerdles.
Michael:
Okay.
Meredith:
But in reference to what A Nerdle of what? Now I’m on a website called the Great Nerdle Hunt. Nerdles are small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil.
Michael:
Okay.
Meredith:
Like the like in a beanie baby, I guess.
Michael:
Oh, okay, I finally found it. If you go to Urban Dictionary and type in K-N-U-R-D-L-E, it says a perfectly formed, bumpy shaped, small hard turd. Ooh, it used in a sentence. Ooh, there’s a nerdle on the living room carpet.
Meredith:
Yeah, that’s it.
Michael:
Yep, that’s it.
Meredith:
That’s it. Why were it says?
Michael:
silent K.
Meredith:
I mean, look, we were both spelling it with a silent G, though, and I think that’s based volumes to our connection.
Michael:
Right, and that may be. The American spelling is with the silent G and then the European spelling is with a K.
Meredith:
When I look it up, google thinks I mean canodal Canodal, which is a large dumpling made of ground liver.
Michael:
Ooh. So Cy you’re either having it smells gross.
Meredith:
You’re probably having a canodal or a nerdle. It’s just one or the other Nice Coming out of your butt. This is why we get along too. I think I’m going to make this a bonus episode.
Michael:
Yeah, we’re just looking up nerdle, but you stopped the recording, didn’t you? Oh, okay, no, sweet, yeah, listen. If you guys want to hear the insight into why our friendship works so well, listen to us looking up the word nerdle for 30 minutes.
Meredith:
While the Disneyland fireworks go off.
Michael:
I was about to say, and anyone that actually listens to that episode is someone that you know is a true, true fan of the podcast 100%. I don’t know that anyone could find what we just did for the past 10 minutes as interesting as we do.
Meredith:
I think they’re out there. I think that this podcast is about building community. There you go, if you want to know how to properly spell the word nerdle.
Michael:
Yes, there is. There’s yep, If you can dream it. There’s people out there that want to do it and want to pay money for it.
Meredith:
Yeah, I can sell t-shirts with word nerdle on it.
Michael:
Yeah, that could be it.
Meredith:
Just another revenue stream. You know, just another revenue stream. Okay, the fireworks the back of plan is created, produced and hosted by me. Meredith Julian Higgins is my co-producer. You can find us on social media at back of plan pod. The best place to get updates is to sign up for our newsletter at backupplanpodcom, where we also post all episodes, show notes and transcripts. Thank you for listening.