Talking Monroes

March Madness, colleges, Duke losing at the ladt minute is somehow the perfect setup for a conversation about legacy. Aaro and Nicole get into what legacy actually means when you didn’t grow up in one place: no land, no hometown, just stories you carry with you. The money talk is honest – wills, conditions, billionaires giving it all away, and why waiting until you’re dead is terrible timing. But the real legacy? Showing up. Arguing well. Building a home that didn’t just happen to you. Legacy is love. Nicole said it last. She wins.

They're baaaack. After a seven-year "hiatus" (their word, not ours), Aaron and Nicole return to the podcast that almost wasn't. The twist? Nicole - the one who pulled the plug on Season 1 - is the one who wanted back in. Aaron's not letting her forget it anytime soon. Season 2 kicks off exactly where Season 1 began: with a stack of Table Topics cards and absolutely no script. Aaron's got the Couples deck. Nicole's got the Family edition. What follows is an hour of real, unfiltered conversation between two people who've clearly spent a lot of life together...and still manage to surprise each other. In this episode: The seven-year gap explained: What changed, who blinked first, and why they're recording in a brand-new space with Meta glasses and Bluetooth hearing aids Grandparent status unlocked: The biggest Easter egg of the episode drops casually mid-conversation The raw egg story: Aaron's grandfather Silas, a stoic Cleveland public-works man, had one party trick

In this episode we discuss the Dog Days of Summer. That period of time between summer vacation and going back to school that makes us all miserable. There's nothing on TV, the kids camps are over, and it's either hot and sticky or it rains every day. In other words...it's is the worst part of the summer! We use this episode to discuss the origin of the Dog Days, some of the things you should avoid like bloodletting or vomiting (and for husbands, also avoid your wives), talk about a few of the cool things that we do to make the Dog Days enjoyable. Join us to hear Nicole dazzle us with her knowledge (there is a Canis Minor), tell us about how when she was a kid she used to do slave labor for her Grandparents during the Dog Days, and listen to Aaron talk about the brotherhood High School football players feel by sweating their butts off and missing out on cool activities in the pursuit of wins. Also, make sure to pay attention when Nicole starts monloguing on why teachers deserve the summer off and Aaron plays

Fresh off of two vacations, Nicole and I discuss all of the fun and interesting things we did. Over three weeks we went to a resort in Orlando, visited friends in Tampa, hosted a Family Reunion, and enjoyed some rest before the 4th of July holiday. Listen to the episode to find out why I can't drink Margarita's anymore, hear about the great event I should have remembered but didn't, the absolute feast we cooked on vacation, and important travel tips that will make your next vacation more enjoyable!

There is no question that tradition is the cornerstone of a family, but what really is a tradition? How do you start (or stop) one? How do they differ from rituals? What the significance of a tradition anyway? All great questions that we answer in our newest episode! In this episode we make sure you understand what traditions are, their significance to your family and your children, and share some of our traditions with you. Listen in to find out about the tradition that Aaron was not invited to...twice, how the NCAA tournament leads us to family gambling every year, and why it takes us 3+ hours every Christmas to open gifts!

There's no doubt that we have an incredible time making Table Topics episodes! The questions are great and they lead us into conversations that we might never have gotten to. This episode led into so many different areas; find out who my favorite athlete is, find out what Nicole's favorite picture is, figure out if Nicole wants to have a sharp mind or a fit body when she's older and much much more! This is a no frills, straight-forward episode that will have you laughing along with us! Check it out and let us know what you think!

For our fifth episode we take on the challenge of tackling a more serious topic: interracial relationships. Spurred by the beautiful movie Loving and a thought-provoking article of one man’s experience of dating interracially, we decided to expand our knowledge on interracial relationships and explore our own experiences as an interracial couple. We found that a lot has changed in the 24 years we’ve been married including the fact that as a society, we’ve begun to expand our normal views of what “interracial” means from the traditional views of black and white to include other races. This episode is interesting, informative, and at times a little awkward, but we do our best to tackle a tough topic with the honesty, dignity, and the quirky Talking Monroe’s humor it deserves! Please listen and let us know your thoughts!

Well we have made it to the end of our three part series! You now will know our final super powers; we're kind of like the Wonder Twins, or the Justice League...maybe even the Suicide Squad to a certain extent. This episode focuses on how we went from two very different teenagers into one couple. We talk about all of the choices we made that gave us staying power, the things that we happened upon that have helped to give depth to our relationship, and the out and out random nature of our coupling. It's our longest episode to date and it's filled with great anecdotes, advice, and laughs!

Aaron and Nicole's origin stories are incredibly different. While Nicole spent a majority of her life in Connecticut, the Nutmeg state was more of a hub for Aaron; returning every few years after living in other places. The experience of living in other places, and returning to somewhere that was familiar help to shape Aaron's unique story. It also gave him a number of funny stories and an interesting super power that may be shared by some, but only mastered by one (or so he likes to believe)! Listen in to find out more about the pseudo-host of the podcast and the man who has never met a stranger!

Rare is it that you get to learn new things about a friend you've known for over 30 years. Rarer still is finding out new things about your spouse after you've been together for almost twenty-five years. In the first part of a three episode series, I have the pleasure of hearing fresh stories and learning new things about Nicole. In a funny, reflective, and sometimes unexpected episode Nicole battles through her introverted nature to share some wonderful insights about her life. She'll also teach you about glamping (who knew that was a thing????). Thanks to Mike Koenig of soundbible.com for the sound effects.

Our first podcast is us having some fun testing out a gift Nicole got for Christmas. We ask some fun questions and get some unexpected answers. Along the way we find out some interesting things about each other and what we think is important to lasting relationships.