WEBVTT - Bachelor Countdown Day 5: Chris Soules

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<v Speaker 1>This is that Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast

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<v Speaker 1>Bachelor Countdown. We're here with another episode of the Almost

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<v Speaker 1>Famous podcast. We are continuing our countdown to Grant season,

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<v Speaker 1>which is airing January twenty seventh, and to countdown to

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<v Speaker 1>this season, we are interviewing some past leads, some of

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<v Speaker 1>the leads that you love the most, past bachelors from

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<v Speaker 1>way back when to more recently and today. We have

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<v Speaker 1>a fan favorite, somebody who is beloved by both myself

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<v Speaker 1>and Ashley, and the Almost Famous listener is somebody that's

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<v Speaker 1>always a great interview, Chris Sols. Welcome to the podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you guys for having me. I'm just sitting here

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<v Speaker 2>with my goosebump sharing your lovely voice. Ben. You are

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<v Speaker 2>such a sweetheart and such nice things, so thank you

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<v Speaker 2>for having me.

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<v Speaker 3>We gets so excited to have you on because it's

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<v Speaker 3>so much fun and so giggly. I don't know why

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<v Speaker 3>it's so giggly. I mean, maybe it's just because you know,

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<v Speaker 3>ten years ago, like you and I I sat on

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<v Speaker 3>your lap on a tractor.

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<v Speaker 2>Really good, right, yes?

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<v Speaker 3>Oh yeah, okay, So we talked to you a couple

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<v Speaker 3>of months ago about Whitney and that whole thing. We

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<v Speaker 3>did a lot of the behind the scenes of your

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<v Speaker 3>dates and your choice. Your choice, Okay, your final, your

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<v Speaker 3>final decision, So we won't talk about that so much. Guys,

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<v Speaker 3>if you do want to hear that you missed out

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<v Speaker 3>on it, go back. I think it was like October

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<v Speaker 3>or something.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I love this question. By the way, Christy prepped

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<v Speaker 1>for this question that asked was about to ask you.

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to take it serious though, I really need.

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<v Speaker 3>If you need to like just be silent for a

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<v Speaker 3>few minutes, totally fine, that's great, suspenseful sence, silence. And

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<v Speaker 3>I don't expect to like move up in my ranks.

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<v Speaker 3>But the question to you is if you had to

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<v Speaker 3>re rank your season and reorder re order the girls,

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<v Speaker 3>not the whole season, but like, let's think about your

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<v Speaker 3>like top eight just so randomly, where do people lie?

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<v Speaker 3>We can start with number one? Who would be your

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<v Speaker 3>number one?

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<v Speaker 2>Give me number one?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, and let's be let's be really honest about this one.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not me, you know, it's so hard to look

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<v Speaker 2>back at that. It's a very tough question because it's

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and now it's the whole thing is with

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<v Speaker 2>such an incredible experience just in general, and almost seems

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<v Speaker 2>surreal looking back because you guys were also freaking great.

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<v Speaker 2>That's really true, and you've all gone on to do

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<v Speaker 2>things that you know we're meant to be for yourselves

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<v Speaker 2>after the show and just you know, I don't know,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know.

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<v Speaker 3>That they can silence. Don't worry you. You have all

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<v Speaker 3>the silence.

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<v Speaker 2>We're recording me thinking pondering here.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a little bit of a tough question, Ashley, honestly

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<v Speaker 1>to ask the top because if you asked me my

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<v Speaker 1>top eight, I wouldn't remember.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, Okay, fine, okay, So if your top four, if

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<v Speaker 3>you to redo your top four in orders and you

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<v Speaker 3>could put me in the top four, would I would

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<v Speaker 3>believe that at this point, being that you know me

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<v Speaker 3>top four.

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<v Speaker 2>In coolness or top four in depth.

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<v Speaker 3>Of ability, and it's okay if I'm not in there,

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<v Speaker 3>it's fine, you could it because no, no, no, all right,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm going to lay this out easily for you. Okay.

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<v Speaker 3>So we had a Whitney, Becca, then we had Caitlin,

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<v Speaker 3>and then Jade. Those are your top four? Would you

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<v Speaker 3>reorder any of your top four? It's okay, We'll give

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<v Speaker 3>you the answer number one, you would have wanted to

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<v Speaker 3>pick Becca.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what would that have been right for either

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<v Speaker 2>of us?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, well you wouldn't have ended up together.

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<v Speaker 2>No, if the outcome was just completely like knowing that

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<v Speaker 2>it probably wasn't going to work anyway, you know, if

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<v Speaker 2>you know, because my feelings were intense and like I

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<v Speaker 2>really was trying to make the pragmatic decision, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and trying to really find somebody that I thought it

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<v Speaker 2>could work with. It's not just like, of course, I

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<v Speaker 2>mean there was a top eight that could have worked

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<v Speaker 2>with or there was a chance, So I was super

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<v Speaker 2>pragmatic towards the end, like I'm really serious about who

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<v Speaker 2>I'm picking. It's not just like I could see myself

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<v Speaker 2>being with a lot of the top eight actually, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>And but my unique position being on the farm, like

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<v Speaker 2>was put a different type of spin on everything. So

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<v Speaker 2>it was it was there a chance that was gonna

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<v Speaker 2>work with that with the top four. You know, I

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<v Speaker 2>could go right down the list and tell you the

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<v Speaker 2>specifics why I thought maybe it may not work with

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<v Speaker 2>just because of my you know, the farming thing. But

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<v Speaker 2>would I really truly reorder anything? I mean actually just

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<v Speaker 2>as a person. You know, of course you'd be in

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<v Speaker 2>the top four. You know, did I think that? It

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<v Speaker 2>was like there was a future for you in Arlington?

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<v Speaker 2>And me I just felt, you know, I had to

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<v Speaker 2>be realistic there. You know, Caitlin was spectacular, Jade, I

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<v Speaker 2>probably would, it.

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<v Speaker 3>Makes sense, made pragmatically.

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<v Speaker 2>In every way she was she was. It was just

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<v Speaker 2>too many I had. I had too many great people.

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<v Speaker 2>You did, I did.

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<v Speaker 1>So you had an amazing season of the cast. I

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<v Speaker 1>mean we could go down like with the Carles and

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<v Speaker 1>like we can keep going and name so many people

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<v Speaker 1>who have shown to be incredible humans outside of the

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<v Speaker 1>show but also on the show, caused for incredible experiences,

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<v Speaker 1>actually being one of those to prove both ways great

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<v Speaker 1>on the show and great off the show.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh thanks, guys. Okay, we don't have to butter me

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<v Speaker 3>up anymore, but I do.

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<v Speaker 1>She just needed it, Chris, I'm waiting for that for

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<v Speaker 1>ten years.

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<v Speaker 3>I know that, I know, I know about how much

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<v Speaker 3>Chris loves me.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so you were clearly.

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<v Speaker 2>A top four. Actually, we just knew you weren't cut

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<v Speaker 2>out for the farm. We just.

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<v Speaker 3>No, no, Chris didn't get to know my personality well

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<v Speaker 3>until after the show at all we did. I really

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<v Speaker 3>don't feel like I knew you at all leaving the show,

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<v Speaker 3>but have gotten to know you so well over ten years,

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<v Speaker 3>and very glad that we could be friends. I want

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<v Speaker 3>to know one thing about Kelsey, because I get asked

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<v Speaker 3>about Kelsey mostly via Instagram, Like whatever I post like

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<v Speaker 3>a throwback of our of our season, people are like,

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<v Speaker 3>was Kelsey as crazy as she seems? And I always

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<v Speaker 3>say she was more crazy? So what's your take your

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<v Speaker 3>memories of Kelsey?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, it's hard to know because I was I

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<v Speaker 2>knew her, you know, I knew all of you less

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<v Speaker 2>than you guys knew each other. You know, I had

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<v Speaker 2>what you see from my you know you know this Ashley,

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<v Speaker 2>and then obviously no firsthand that just that amount of

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<v Speaker 2>interaction I was able to have. I took a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of my hints from you guys getting to know you

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<v Speaker 2>know a lot of cases between between talking to you

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<v Speaker 2>guys somewhat off camera and we're on camera at some

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<v Speaker 2>point about at Kelsey and but you know when I

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<v Speaker 2>showed up to the row ceremony and and the panic

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<v Speaker 2>attack and then you know, the kiss saying and that

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<v Speaker 2>when she tried to you know, there were some things

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<v Speaker 2>that just were some real red flags. So I didn't

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<v Speaker 2>necessarily see that. I have a strong feeling of genuineness,

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<v Speaker 2>I would say, crazy, I don't know, because I just

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<v Speaker 2>didn't know her that well, be honest, but I just

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<v Speaker 2>didn't A lot of things didn't add up, and so

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<v Speaker 2>I was just kind of in this position of like, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>way too many questions marks here. So and you guys

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<v Speaker 2>saw probably that, and you saw much more of her

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<v Speaker 2>than I did. So I was just feeling like this

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<v Speaker 2>was a little bit of a just felt a little uncertain.

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<v Speaker 3>To be honest, she didn't show you much, right, it was,

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<v Speaker 3>she surely didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>There was a big facade there. I felt that she

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<v Speaker 2>had had between what she was in front of me

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<v Speaker 2>and what she was in front of you guys.

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<v Speaker 3>All right, Ben, do your serious stuff. Now he's laughing

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<v Speaker 3>at me.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm laughing at Ashley because this, uh is stuff that

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<v Speaker 1>she she would just love to sit down for like

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<v Speaker 1>four hours and and just be like, all right, Chris,

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<v Speaker 1>what was happening here with you?

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<v Speaker 2>Ashley? I would that's on my bucket list.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my god, special series. It would be to be wild, Chris.

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<v Speaker 1>I do want to get into some current life stuff. Start.

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<v Speaker 1>We always ask you, and today I have a different

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<v Speaker 1>approach as a friend, and again, somebody that loves you

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<v Speaker 1>and thinks so highly of you, but I have a

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<v Speaker 1>different approach. So I'm gonna start with this question dating

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<v Speaker 1>now for you, Chris Souls. We are breaking down the Bachelor.

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<v Speaker 1>We're talking about relationships. Obviously a question always comes up,

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<v Speaker 1>is Chris single or not? And I would love to

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<v Speaker 1>get an answer to it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, I'm still single. I haven't really been dating

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<v Speaker 2>too seriously, but you know, yeah, still single, still working

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<v Speaker 2>on no Marono for a little bit here, and yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>still wanting to day, still wanting to find love and

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<v Speaker 2>all of those things. So but yeah, kind of in

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<v Speaker 2>that season of my life, where been through a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of stuff, you know, so just trying to get myself

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<v Speaker 2>in a good position to just to still find somebody.

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<v Speaker 1>You're working on yourself right now, which is always an

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<v Speaker 1>incredible thing to do, especially when it comes from a

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<v Speaker 1>genuine place. If there's one thing I know about you,

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<v Speaker 1>there's an immense amount of genuineness and authenticity too. When

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<v Speaker 1>you say something like that, what does it mean for

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<v Speaker 1>you right now to be working on yourself.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know, just trying to you know, improve my

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<v Speaker 2>my health first of all, you know, just sort of

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<v Speaker 2>uh getting back to a discipline on getting to the gym,

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<v Speaker 2>doing cold punches and things like that. You know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>a popular thing these days and sana things like that.

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<v Speaker 2>Just uh and just really my parents have have have

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<v Speaker 2>you know fully retired, and I've taken over their portion

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<v Speaker 2>of the business and bought them out. So I've moved

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<v Speaker 2>on with some things professionally there that have been been

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<v Speaker 2>huge for me, just time commitments, and you know, it

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<v Speaker 2>didn't health wise. Just uh. I I actually quit drinking

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<v Speaker 2>in August and and plan to continue to do so

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<v Speaker 2>for for the foreseeable future, which is a big deal

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<v Speaker 2>for me. And so I've kind of been uh embracing

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<v Speaker 2>that and uh, you know, hopefully that'll make make a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of things better in my life.

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<v Speaker 1>So I have so many questions for you, uh one

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<v Speaker 1>and and I just I feel like I want to

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<v Speaker 1>spit them all out at you right now, but I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to slow myself down. Uh. We'll start with I

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<v Speaker 1>guess the choice to not drink, obviously is dry January.

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<v Speaker 1>Everybody's a lot of people, I guess are like doing

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<v Speaker 1>it this month. What have you seen the benefits be

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<v Speaker 1>in your own personal life since you've been sober since

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<v Speaker 1>August that maybe we're expected or unexpected.

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<v Speaker 2>I think, I mean obviously just that the level of

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<v Speaker 2>self made anxiety and stress. You know, internally, I deal

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<v Speaker 2>with a lot of stuff to begin with, just with

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<v Speaker 2>work and having as being an entrepreneur and agriculture. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>that's just it's something I embrace. But also alcohol does

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<v Speaker 2>not make it easier, makes it tougher. So mentally I'm

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<v Speaker 2>just much more clear headed. And it's pretty astounding. I

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<v Speaker 2>think it's the longest I've went without drinking since I

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<v Speaker 2>was a kid, a little kid, which is scary to me.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, just I mean mentally the clear that that,

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<v Speaker 2>uh that you get from that, and and starting to

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<v Speaker 2>work on other things that you know, just meditation and

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<v Speaker 2>things like that to start to you know, it's you're

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<v Speaker 2>getting to be an old man now, I get the

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<v Speaker 2>next you know, four years of my life ahead of me,

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<v Speaker 2>so trying to really hopefully embrace that and and uh uh,

0:12:18.880 --> 0:12:20.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, it allows me to be a better person

0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:22.160
<v Speaker 2>to the people that I love, you know, and more

0:12:22.400 --> 0:12:25.040
<v Speaker 2>more there, you know, more present, which is huge, you

0:12:25.080 --> 0:12:28.600
<v Speaker 2>know with my family and and friends and and starting

0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:34.240
<v Speaker 2>to you know, start to uh uncloud my my whole

0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:36.640
<v Speaker 2>well being and and uh you know, then being able

0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:38.000
<v Speaker 2>to focus on you know, if you like going to

0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:40.120
<v Speaker 2>the gym instead of you know, kind of being a

0:12:40.160 --> 0:12:45.719
<v Speaker 2>struggle and just recovering every every so often from you know,

0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:48.319
<v Speaker 2>all calls is not really healthy for you. The more

0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:50.160
<v Speaker 2>you learn about it is it's not good for you.

0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.000
<v Speaker 2>And it's just a way of life for me for

0:12:52.040 --> 0:12:57.120
<v Speaker 2>so long. So it's to start to change that is Ah,

0:12:57.800 --> 0:12:59.720
<v Speaker 2>it's a huge you know, it's a sense of like

0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:04.080
<v Speaker 2>acomplishment too. To be able to to do that gives

0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:09.040
<v Speaker 2>you a strong sense of uh, I don't know, just

0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:15.760
<v Speaker 2>feeling of you know, I don't know, it makes you

0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:18.920
<v Speaker 2>anytime you accomplish something like that, that's not it's it's

0:13:18.920 --> 0:13:22.480
<v Speaker 2>just very tough that it makes you better at everything,

0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.120
<v Speaker 2>you know, makes you want to go out and do more,

0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:28.600
<v Speaker 2>and whether it's building better relationships with friends and family,

0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:32.199
<v Speaker 2>or or do better in work in my career in agriculture,

0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:35.760
<v Speaker 2>and and just makes every life a little bit better.

0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:37.640
<v Speaker 2>So I'd recommend it to anyone.

0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:43.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, something to be proud of something that you should

0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.719
<v Speaker 1>be extremely proud of. I mean not, you know, I'm

0:13:46.760 --> 0:13:50.040
<v Speaker 1>not sitting here being like, hey, everybody needs to go sober.

0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:53.520
<v Speaker 1>But the people that I do know who have made

0:13:53.559 --> 0:13:56.600
<v Speaker 1>that decision and done it, you know, since August, Goodness,

0:13:56.600 --> 0:14:00.360
<v Speaker 1>what an accomplishment I have met. No, I haven't met

0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:03.800
<v Speaker 1>one person that's like, I regret that decision to go so,

0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:07.360
<v Speaker 1>you know, to stop drinking. I'n't met one person yet.

0:14:07.480 --> 0:14:10.719
<v Speaker 1>And I know many right now that have done that

0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:15.520
<v Speaker 1>for you know, a multiple array of reasons. Chris, Uh,

0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:20.600
<v Speaker 1>just congrats man. Uh, there's very I want to say

0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:25.200
<v Speaker 1>this to you because you and I spoke on the show,

0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:27.760
<v Speaker 1>on a show or personally, and maybe I'm sharing too much,

0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:31.640
<v Speaker 1>and and growing up in Indiana myself being an ag

0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.760
<v Speaker 1>drinking just becomes more of like a cultural thing, right

0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:39.480
<v Speaker 1>You're you're just doing it throughout the day. It doesn't

0:14:39.520 --> 0:14:41.560
<v Speaker 1>really mean a cocktail at night by the fire. It's like, no,

0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:44.560
<v Speaker 1>this is just what we do in the Midwest. It's

0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:48.120
<v Speaker 1>it's what it's our world is. We we drink and

0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:52.160
<v Speaker 1>we do what we have to do. I want to

0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:55.360
<v Speaker 1>say it's incredibly courageous. It also just proves to me

0:14:55.440 --> 0:15:00.520
<v Speaker 1>once again, how strong you are personally to be able

0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:03.520
<v Speaker 1>to stop in the midst of what is a very

0:15:03.600 --> 0:15:06.800
<v Speaker 1>normal thing, I'm sure in your area of the country.

0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:12.440
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, thank you, Ben as always kind of words always,

0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:16.520
<v Speaker 2>but no, it is the hardest thing I've ever done,

0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:20.600
<v Speaker 2>I think. And yeah, I mean there's it's a NonStop

0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.480
<v Speaker 2>It's cultural. I mean, it's really a deep cultural thing

0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:26.480
<v Speaker 2>in the Midwest, especially in a your culture. I mean

0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:29.600
<v Speaker 2>I can remember I was I drank long before I

0:15:29.600 --> 0:15:32.360
<v Speaker 2>could drive, you know, before I had a license or

0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:35.680
<v Speaker 2>you know, beer was a very, very much staple and

0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:37.560
<v Speaker 2>it was just a common and there was not much

0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:39.520
<v Speaker 2>to do, you know, in the in the country. And

0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:42.800
<v Speaker 2>it stress is huge. Mental health is is a I

0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.360
<v Speaker 2>watch a lot of friends. I've had friends my age

0:15:45.360 --> 0:15:49.440
<v Speaker 2>commit suicide. Very you know, I know many friends at

0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:53.240
<v Speaker 2>farm and have committed suicide. I know they had problems

0:15:53.240 --> 0:15:56.280
<v Speaker 2>with drinking. And you know, you know, in the middle

0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:59.360
<v Speaker 2>of winter, like it is right now zero degrees out

0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:03.280
<v Speaker 2>right now, fairly above zero, and you're living with stress.

0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:05.000
<v Speaker 2>I mean, people are going through a lot of financial

0:16:05.000 --> 0:16:08.480
<v Speaker 2>straits right now with with agriculture being very tough, and uh,

0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:11.520
<v Speaker 2>this is like you know, depression city in a lot

0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:13.480
<v Speaker 2>of ways, and and the only way to a lot

0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:17.280
<v Speaker 2>of people cope is alcohol. And it's a cheap form

0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:21.200
<v Speaker 2>of of of stress relief. And so it's it's something

0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:23.440
<v Speaker 2>that I've seen a lot of people struggle with. You know,

0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:26.400
<v Speaker 2>I have myself obviously and not obviously, but I have,

0:16:26.560 --> 0:16:31.600
<v Speaker 2>you know. And and so it's it's something that exists

0:16:31.600 --> 0:16:35.600
<v Speaker 2>in a big way, and it doesn't get it's not

0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:37.600
<v Speaker 2>something that a lot of people know about. We're kind

0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:40.520
<v Speaker 2>of still in the flyover states. So and you get

0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:43.960
<v Speaker 2>it too, man. But yeah, So it's it's uh, kind

0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:46.240
<v Speaker 2>of just made my mind up. It's like enough is enough,

0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:51.160
<v Speaker 2>and hopefully I can it can help people out there

0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:53.000
<v Speaker 2>that they are seeking to do the same.

0:17:03.720 --> 0:17:06.080
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, if you want to share. It's very

0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:07.920
<v Speaker 1>obvious to us when we got on here. You've lost

0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:11.359
<v Speaker 1>a lot of weight. Dude, I mean, you look good.

0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:12.199
<v Speaker 1>I know.

0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:15.280
<v Speaker 3>I'm sorry. The way that I was like, why are

0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.479
<v Speaker 3>you so skinny? It's like the most ashly way of

0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:19.800
<v Speaker 3>saying it. Do you look great?

0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:22.960
<v Speaker 1>It's very empathetic, like it comes from the most beautiful

0:17:22.960 --> 0:17:26.280
<v Speaker 1>place in Ashley's heart. Is like, Chris, you're skinny. Something's happening.

0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:30.080
<v Speaker 1>It's like in my Italian grandma exactly.

0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:32.800
<v Speaker 3>That's where I come from a Jewish Italian family. So

0:17:32.800 --> 0:17:35.240
<v Speaker 3>it's like, I'm sorry if I have no filter. Yeah,

0:17:35.640 --> 0:17:38.800
<v Speaker 3>but Chris, how much weight have you lost?

0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:41.280
<v Speaker 2>I mean I don't really know it probably at least

0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:46.240
<v Speaker 2>ten goodness? Yeah yeah, oh yeah, I mean my average.

0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:48.680
<v Speaker 2>I don't weigh myself very often, but I could tell

0:17:48.760 --> 0:17:51.480
<v Speaker 2>I'm as skinny as I've been since Hize school.

0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:54.640
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, you're looking good man, you look great.

0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:58.560
<v Speaker 2>I'll keep working on I just you know, can't eat enough.

0:17:58.640 --> 0:18:01.760
<v Speaker 2>I've been really you know, yoga, I've been really getting

0:18:01.760 --> 0:18:04.480
<v Speaker 2>into yoga, Ben, Yeah, you should. I'd like to.

0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:06.160
<v Speaker 1>I do it every morning, do you really?

0:18:06.560 --> 0:18:06.919
<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:10.000
<v Speaker 1>It's like, well for four days a week. I guess

0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:11.840
<v Speaker 1>I shouldn't say every morning, four days a week.

0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:13.120
<v Speaker 2>I like it.

0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:14.919
<v Speaker 1>I can touch my toes. You should see it. It's

0:18:14.920 --> 0:18:15.440
<v Speaker 1>pretty awesome.

0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:17.800
<v Speaker 2>It's like amazing. Wow.

0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.119
<v Speaker 3>You guys want to like give like a lifestyle, uh,

0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:22.800
<v Speaker 3>like class to Jared or something. He wants to get

0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:26.359
<v Speaker 3>into this wellness? Uh do you mind? Chris? If we

0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:30.439
<v Speaker 3>ask what was there a certain thing that inspired you

0:18:30.480 --> 0:18:33.199
<v Speaker 3>to go sober? Over the summer or was it just

0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:35.159
<v Speaker 3>like a general thing that you were thinking of for

0:18:35.200 --> 0:18:35.560
<v Speaker 3>a while.

0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:38.760
<v Speaker 2>You know, I don't think I can put a finger

0:18:38.840 --> 0:18:43.440
<v Speaker 2>on anything. I just it's a great question. I think

0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:48.000
<v Speaker 2>that I have a lot of responsibility in life and

0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:50.560
<v Speaker 2>in general, I've you know, it's just getting to a

0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:55.760
<v Speaker 2>point where the hangovers aren't getting any easier. It became

0:18:55.840 --> 0:18:59.120
<v Speaker 2>more of not necessarily doing it as much for fun

0:18:59.160 --> 0:19:01.520
<v Speaker 2>as much as your doing it is something to cover

0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:05.239
<v Speaker 2>up just stress in general. And I felt like I'm

0:19:05.280 --> 0:19:08.840
<v Speaker 2>at a point in my life where still single and

0:19:08.920 --> 0:19:11.280
<v Speaker 2>still want to I want a family, and I still

0:19:11.280 --> 0:19:15.119
<v Speaker 2>have a farming business that I care about tremendously and

0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:17.760
<v Speaker 2>want to see see it through to uh, you know,

0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.239
<v Speaker 2>to build on and and there's just nothing good that

0:19:20.520 --> 0:19:24.439
<v Speaker 2>was coming from me from drinking, and so I feel

0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:27.600
<v Speaker 2>like it uh And from a health perspective, I wanted

0:19:27.600 --> 0:19:29.399
<v Speaker 2>to wanted to be the best that I can be,

0:19:29.560 --> 0:19:32.399
<v Speaker 2>and and as I get older, that's getting harder, you know,

0:19:32.760 --> 0:19:38.359
<v Speaker 2>So continuing to poison myself, you know, wasn't helping that process. Figure.

0:19:38.520 --> 0:19:42.359
<v Speaker 2>You know, this is time to its Alcohol has not

0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:44.200
<v Speaker 2>always worked for me, you know, So.

0:19:45.840 --> 0:19:47.280
<v Speaker 3>Have you got on a sober date.

0:19:47.400 --> 0:19:53.879
<v Speaker 2>Yet that's the one thing I have not done. I

0:19:53.920 --> 0:19:55.760
<v Speaker 2>have not done that yet. I've done a lot of

0:19:55.880 --> 0:20:00.240
<v Speaker 2>things like, yeah, being around friends that have I've you know,

0:20:00.320 --> 0:20:02.080
<v Speaker 2>all my friends like to drink a ton, you know,

0:20:02.160 --> 0:20:05.440
<v Speaker 2>it's you know, So that's that I have not gone

0:20:05.480 --> 0:20:06.480
<v Speaker 2>on this over date yet.

0:20:07.000 --> 0:20:11.840
<v Speaker 1>Offacially, the UH I wrote about the book. It was

0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:15.000
<v Speaker 1>the first time I really like it came out publicly,

0:20:15.040 --> 0:20:19.360
<v Speaker 1>but I had a you know, opioid addiction. Didn't really

0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:22.719
<v Speaker 1>realize it was until maybe post and it was. It

0:20:22.760 --> 0:20:25.560
<v Speaker 1>was a numbing practice for me. I realized how much

0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:27.520
<v Speaker 1>I was numbing things. Right, you get off of it,

0:20:29.040 --> 0:20:31.080
<v Speaker 1>you get some clarity of mind, and you're like, how

0:20:31.080 --> 0:20:34.040
<v Speaker 1>did I live life for so long numbing all these

0:20:34.040 --> 0:20:38.840
<v Speaker 1>things or getting more anxious about things. Maybe that I

0:20:39.119 --> 0:20:41.080
<v Speaker 1>now with a clear head, don't have to be as

0:20:41.080 --> 0:20:45.800
<v Speaker 1>anxious about I can process them, work through them. So

0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:47.840
<v Speaker 1>that's why, you know, when we talk about this, Chris,

0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:50.159
<v Speaker 1>I'm like, it's it's never a bad decision. As soon

0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:52.719
<v Speaker 1>as the light bulb goes off. Some will never choose

0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:56.080
<v Speaker 1>to make the decision to correct course. But as soon

0:20:56.119 --> 0:20:57.560
<v Speaker 1>as that light bulb goes off and you're like this

0:20:57.680 --> 0:21:00.720
<v Speaker 1>might be something I want to stop. It's incredibly courageous

0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:04.680
<v Speaker 1>to stop, and and I just think it should be

0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:07.880
<v Speaker 1>celebrated well. In our closing moments with you here, because

0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:11.240
<v Speaker 1>we only have a few we've talked about the reordering

0:21:11.400 --> 0:21:13.680
<v Speaker 1>of picks actually made the top four. We didn't get

0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:19.040
<v Speaker 1>any other clarity on that, but that was a big deal.

0:21:19.280 --> 0:21:21.679
<v Speaker 1>That was a huge deal for Ashley. She cannot wait

0:21:21.720 --> 0:21:25.639
<v Speaker 1>you to tell you too. It's okay, you would have

0:21:25.680 --> 0:21:28.240
<v Speaker 1>been there. She's going to run down stairs and say,

0:21:28.920 --> 0:21:36.639
<v Speaker 1>I can just see it now, Jared, guess what, Crystal me. Yeah. Chris,

0:21:36.760 --> 0:21:39.119
<v Speaker 1>we've talked about your career. We've talked about all these things,

0:21:39.600 --> 0:21:42.000
<v Speaker 1>and what are you looking forward to now in this

0:21:42.080 --> 0:21:44.720
<v Speaker 1>new kind of season of life as you take over

0:21:44.760 --> 0:21:48.360
<v Speaker 1>the business, as you're still in Iowa. Obviously you said

0:21:48.440 --> 0:21:51.959
<v Speaker 1>romance is something you still desire. But my what I

0:21:52.000 --> 0:21:53.920
<v Speaker 1>was going to do on the show is tell you, like, hey,

0:21:54.040 --> 0:21:56.600
<v Speaker 1>if that's really something you desire, like you got to

0:21:56.640 --> 0:21:59.280
<v Speaker 1>go do it. Man, Like this this excuse of where

0:21:59.280 --> 0:22:01.719
<v Speaker 1>you live maybe, uh, is only going to work for

0:22:01.760 --> 0:22:04.359
<v Speaker 1>so long. So what does life look like moving forward?

0:22:06.600 --> 0:22:06.840
<v Speaker 3>You know?

0:22:07.200 --> 0:22:09.159
<v Speaker 2>Uh, that's a good question. I mean I think the

0:22:09.160 --> 0:22:12.000
<v Speaker 2>same things, just sort of getting back to, you know,

0:22:12.760 --> 0:22:16.200
<v Speaker 2>focusing on on my my career and and you know,

0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:19.800
<v Speaker 2>I think that person's out there, you know. I think

0:22:20.200 --> 0:22:24.480
<v Speaker 2>when I'm at my best, that's when I'll find that person, right, so,

0:22:25.200 --> 0:22:27.040
<v Speaker 2>you know, making sure my side of the streets clean,

0:22:27.160 --> 0:22:30.280
<v Speaker 2>so somebody that when I do find somebody that I'm

0:22:30.320 --> 0:22:33.400
<v Speaker 2>ready with an open heart and and proud of myself,

0:22:33.800 --> 0:22:37.560
<v Speaker 2>you know, being able to to be that person that

0:22:37.600 --> 0:22:41.960
<v Speaker 2>they are looking for. So I just that is, you know,

0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:47.760
<v Speaker 2>I'm I'm yeah, I feel like farming and and just

0:22:47.800 --> 0:22:50.919
<v Speaker 2>doing what I'm passionate, passionate about there it's here, and

0:22:51.000 --> 0:22:55.200
<v Speaker 2>I was still feeds my soul. So now just finding

0:22:55.240 --> 0:22:59.480
<v Speaker 2>a partner to go along with it. And and yeah,

0:22:59.680 --> 0:23:02.399
<v Speaker 2>I don't know that hopefully the future has got a

0:23:02.440 --> 0:23:05.439
<v Speaker 2>lot of surprises in it for me. But farming is

0:23:05.520 --> 0:23:09.760
<v Speaker 2>pretty much where it's going to be. And but but yeah,

0:23:09.840 --> 0:23:12.320
<v Speaker 2>going after, like you said, being a little more proactive,

0:23:12.400 --> 0:23:15.000
<v Speaker 2>I think here in the next few years to sort

0:23:15.040 --> 0:23:16.200
<v Speaker 2>of get something done. Ben.

0:23:16.960 --> 0:23:20.000
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so we still have to find a girl that'll

0:23:20.000 --> 0:23:21.960
<v Speaker 3>move to Iowa for you. So if we want to

0:23:21.960 --> 0:23:24.880
<v Speaker 3>do any setups, that's still number one right.

0:23:25.320 --> 0:23:32.000
<v Speaker 2>It's always been you know, you know, yeah, but it's uh,

0:23:32.359 --> 0:23:34.840
<v Speaker 2>I mean I think that that Iowa and in another

0:23:34.880 --> 0:23:40.800
<v Speaker 2>place are super achievable. You know, having having a balance

0:23:40.800 --> 0:23:42.880
<v Speaker 2>there is very much real.

0:23:43.320 --> 0:23:47.359
<v Speaker 3>So we have to look for some girls in Des Moines.

0:23:48.080 --> 0:23:51.600
<v Speaker 1>I mean, trust me, as soon as Chris starts looking,

0:23:51.720 --> 0:23:54.560
<v Speaker 1>it's not gonna take long. The guy's gorgeous, he's kind,

0:23:54.680 --> 0:23:57.000
<v Speaker 1>he's considerate, he has his own business.

0:23:57.240 --> 0:23:59.520
<v Speaker 3>Like No, nobody's worried for you.

0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:02.120
<v Speaker 1>No, it's just a it's like a thing of like, well,

0:24:02.119 --> 0:24:04.400
<v Speaker 1>what are you going to start? Man, it's zero degrees outside,

0:24:04.480 --> 0:24:06.680
<v Speaker 1>I don't know. Go out there and find somebody to

0:24:06.680 --> 0:24:11.919
<v Speaker 1>struggle with. It helps keep you warm. Chris, it's always

0:24:11.920 --> 0:24:14.280
<v Speaker 1>a pleasure. Thanks for coming on. Thanks for joining us

0:24:14.320 --> 0:24:16.320
<v Speaker 1>on the countdown to The Bachelor. Are you watching the

0:24:16.400 --> 0:24:17.320
<v Speaker 1>show at all anymore?

0:24:17.760 --> 0:24:21.520
<v Speaker 2>I will tune in. I'm not like an avid watcher.

0:24:21.560 --> 0:24:23.399
<v Speaker 2>I just need to get better at that.

0:24:24.119 --> 0:24:28.520
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Well, a grand season will be premiering January twenty seventh.

0:24:28.560 --> 0:24:29.640
<v Speaker 1>If you want to catch.

0:24:29.400 --> 0:24:32.359
<v Speaker 2>It good, maybe I'll try to tune in for this one.

0:24:33.000 --> 0:24:36.639
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it'll be worth it this season. Until next time,

0:24:36.720 --> 0:24:38.320
<v Speaker 1>I've been ben Bye.

0:24:38.040 --> 0:24:41.040
<v Speaker 3>Guys, I've Been Ashley. Follow the Ben and Ashley I

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<v Speaker 3>Almost Famous podcast on iHeartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen

0:24:45.240 --> 0:24:45.959
<v Speaker 3>to podcasts.