Season Three Premiere!

It’s tax season, again?? Yes, as the saying goes, like death, it's inevitable.

Is it just LaylaK and MJ whose minds wander to... how did we get here?? Take a break from those receipts and forms for a quick review of just that, including some pretty unusual taxes that have existed in the past.

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here.

Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

Because it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

History of Taxes (Tax Foundation)

Good Intentions Gone Wrong (Is It Just Me Podcast, S1 E19)

The Window Tax (Lincoln Institute of Lane Policy)

Beard Tax (Wikipedia)

13 Of The Weirdest And Most Absurd Taxes Known To Mankind (Scoop Whoop)

History Of Federal Income Tax Rates (Bradford Tax Institute)

How would you handle a 94% tax rate? (MoneyWise)

Let The Rich Get Richer (Is It Just Me Podcast, S1 E2)

Here's why the US tax system is so complicated (Yahoo Finance)

Music: Run Amok
Run Amok by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This episode drops on Valentine's Day, which got LaylaK and MJ thinking about... things that DON'T go together! While it leads with a controversial take, don't worry, they end on a positive note.

From food, to famous characters from TV and film, to the business world, this episode covers it all in just 10 minutes.

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here.

Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

Because it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

Grean Pea Guacamole Recipe (New York Times)

New York Times pea guacamole controversy (Slate)

James Cameron Admits Jack "Might've Lived" (People)

12 TV Couples Who Absolutely Hated Each Other In Real Life (Ranker)

Elon Musk Lays Off Nearly 4000 Twitter Employees (Inside Edition)

Are some "True Crime: Dumb Criminal" stories just too funny to be true?

Well, LaylaK and MJ double checked the sources of all these stories for a  quick and entertaining look at crime gone wrong. These capers, a mix of bad intentions, bad planning, and pure arrogance, will definitely have you asking, “Is it just me? How is that even real?"

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. 

Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

Because it may not be just you, but it could be!

Links:

10 Of The Stupidest Criminals Of All Time (How Stuff Works)

Creme de la Weird (UExpress)

5 crime fails almost too funny to be true (Murdoch University)

14 Criminals So Ingenious Even the Police Were Impressed (Did You Know Facts)

When one episode on diamonds just isn’t enough!

A few weeks ago we shared an interview with Mr. Louis Valentine, a gem industry expert. We learned how he entered the field and about his innovation: The Virgin Diamond™.

In part two of this interview, Louis tells us more about his innovations of this ancient trade including the DiamondPower™ card and explains the perception and reality of lab-created diamonds.

It won’t be just Layla K and MJ who are left wondering, “is my diamond USED??”

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

Links:

Diamonds Are Year Round wtih Louis Valentine (Is It Just Me Podcast, Season 3, Episode 7)

The Virgin Diamond™

DiamondPower™ Card

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

Nothing says "new year" like predictions! Layla K and MJ decided to invite friends of the podcast Jason Gilmore, Neville Waters, and Anita Scarlett to share their predictions, and make a few of their own.

Do you have any predictions for the year?  Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here.

Follow the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links: 

The Great Resignation w Special Guest Jason Gilmore (Season 1, Episode 6)

Overrated w Special Guest Neville Waters (Season 2, Episode 7)

Let's Play "This or That" including Special Guest Neville Waters (Season 2, Episode 19)

The Pod Generation Movie (IMDB)

Taylor Swift

Big Brother, Nineteen Eight Four (wikipedia)

2024 Food and Drink Trends Are All About Ranch, Robots, and Rooster Pasta (Food & Wine)

9 Interior Design Trends to Watch in 2024 (Elle Decor)

Stumped for the perfect gift for someone? Maybe even for your podcast hosts? This is the episode for you!

LaylaK and MJ give a quick guide on what makes a good gift, bad gift, and what to do in the awkward situation of an asymmetrical gift.

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

Chia Pet 

The Clapper (As Seen On TV)

Barbie Dolls (Mattel)

Is it just Layla K and MJ, or does everyone love sparkly diamond jewelry? On this episode, they interview Mr. Louis Valentine, an expert in diamonds, on how he got into the industry and invented the brand of the Virgin Diamond.

They also discuss a bit of the brilliance (ahem...) in recent diamond marketing and how even this ages-old industry is changing. And diamonds are definitely year round!

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

The History of the Diamond as an Engagement Ring (American Gem Society)

Here's Where That 2-Month Salary For An Engagement Ring Thing Started (Good Housekeeping)

Diamond Industry Facts (only Natural Diamonds)

Introducing Diamond Power™ (Diamond Power)

How 2023 became the year of the lab grown diamond (CNN)

Layla K and MJ interviewed Julie Durbin about her vocation at "Learn Differently, Teach Differently" a few weeks ago. In this follow-up episode, they celebrate "Making Math Real" success stories and the conversation continues with real life experiences being raised multilingual. You will be inspired by these stories!

Have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

Julie Durbin (LinkedIn)

Sausalito Floating Homes Association

Chat With Julie Durbin On Her Fairy Tale Life & "Learn Differently, Teach Differently" (S3E3 Is It Just Me podcast with LaylaK and MJ)

Advantages of a Bilingual Brain (Michigan State University Extension)

Music Credits:

Beautiful Piano by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/piano-background-music/

Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Creative Commons CC BY 3.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Do you ever read something, know it’s not true, but just somehow accept it, maybe if a little bit suspiciously? Maybe it’s not just you!

Give a listen as LaylaK and MJ discuss a few top-of-mind examples that might make you think twice the next time you hear one of these “not quite true” statements.

Do you have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

All Things Cybersecurity (Is It Just Me Podcast, Season 2 Ep 12)

5 Myths About Organic Food (Farmers' Almanac)

Swallowing Gum - Is It Harmful? (Mayo Clinic)

People Are Sharing The Biggest Lies In Human History (Buzzfeed)

Your Customer Service Is Your Branding: The Ritz-Carlton Case Study (Forbes)

Music credit:

Sneaky Snitch by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/

Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Creative Commons CC BY 3.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Just how important is coffee to LaylaK and MJ? Listen to this listener-requested episode to find out! You might also learn something about your favorite cup of morning goodness.

Do you have an idea for a pod? Guest to recommend? Drop us a comment on X, Instagram, Facebook or here. Follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc to never miss an episode! Fresh ones drop every two weeks.

And remember, it may not be just you... but it could be!

Links:

Let's Play "This or That?" with Patricia Gamboa and Neville Waters (S2 E19)

Can Coffee Kill You? (LiveScience)

47 Addictive Coffee Facts (Fact Retriever)

63 Coffee Trivia Facts To Impress Your Friends (bean poet)