The Best Men Podcast

Episode 7: Appreciation

• Michael and Sameer • Season 1 • Episode 7

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This week's episode is all about appreciation! We chat about Sameer's recent date night at a 'sip and paint', to Michael's 'magical' Harry Potter-like childhood under the stairs, to get a better sense of what it means to appreciate life's quirks and small joys!

Brace yourself as we get into a heated debate where the iPhone takes centre stage! One of us appreciates it as a design masterpiece, while the other likens the relationship with Apple to a turbulent affair. Our conversation shifts to some of life's other small appreciations, like the joy of watching a great movie! Here Sameer and Michael talk about their favourite films, from timeless classics such as 'Goodfellas' to more questionable choices like 'Mrs Doubtfire!' 

As we wrap up, join us for another round of 'Spit's quiz' which this week is called 'Sip and Songs', where we test Sameer's ability to guess famous movie soundtracks! 

This week's episode is a gentle nudge to celebrate the small joys in life, whilst reminding ourselves that even amidst life's chaos, there're always room for laughter and appreciation!

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Michael:

Welcome to this week's episode of the Best Men Podcast. I'm Michael and I'm Sameer, and if you found us, it means you're looking forward to sitting back and enjoying 30 minutes of two best friends taking the piss out of each other, debating life's weak questions whilst ultimately learning how to become better men.

Sameer:

So sit back and enjoy this week's episode.

Michael:

Yo, yo yo.

Sameer:

Hello.

Michael:

Welcome to the PoddyPodPod, welcome to the pod, episode number seven. Are you ready for this? Nah, nah nah.

Sameer:

Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, Nah, nah, nah. Is that the right song? Yeah, you're all ready for this Welcome?

Michael:

Sameer. Hello, sir, welcome, hello, how are you? Yeah, good week.

Sameer:

Busy. Yeah, it was pretty good. I went for a sip and paint. Do you know what a sip and paint is? It's pretty obvious.

Michael:

To be honest, I mean it sounds like you drink wine and you paint.

Sameer:

Yeah, which is a recipe for disaster.

Michael:

It's the opposite to mine, which is dip and faint.

Sameer:

Oh, that's good. So, sip and paint was good. Man, it was really good. What did you paint? Are you going to show me? I will, yeah, I will show you. Oh, you're not prepared.

Michael:

As usual, I haven't prepared, okay so the one time I make the effort to come see you, you're not prepared.

Sameer:

I'm not prepared.

Michael:

So how did you prepare for tonight Did?

Sameer:

you get anything ready. I made you a.

Michael:

G&T Right, okay, so you've done nothing as usual.

Sameer:

No, I made you a G&T. I made you feel welcome. What did you? I had a Snickers, followed by Milky Way and then afterwards a nougat.

Michael:

But this week's topic is appreciation.

Sameer:

Oh, okay.

Michael:

It's closely related yeah yeah, now for our avid listeners. What you don't realise is that every week you might think that this is a very well rehearsed and scripted podcast, but actually it's not. And every week I throw in the topic ad hoc, pretty much last minute. Samir never really knows what the topic's gonna be about?

Sameer:

yeah, yeah, exactly, that's how we keep things fresh, exactly. And also, please just remind everyone, we don't talk to each other, mostly when you come here yeah, it's silence and we try and keep it fresh for the part yeah, yeah, we've, we've.

Michael:

Our friendship has now completely diverted yeah, yeah, yeah, we don't talk in the week from regularly keeping in touch, seeing how each other's doing, to actually never speaking at all and only speaking when we have a mic, in case we say something too funny and it's not being recorded, so we don't actually talk to each other anymore.

Sameer:

I'll often say to you just leave it for the pod, leave it for the pod, leave it for the pod, let's talk in the pod. And then we never talk about it.

Michael:

And then I have no idea what's happened and why you don't have a leg anymore. Yeah, exactly, exactly this week's topic is going to be appreciation.

Sameer:

But to your point.

Michael:

I don't know if I know the feeling of jealousy. I don't know. I don't know if I could describe it to you. Wanting.

Sameer:

Is it?

Michael:

jealousy else has got, I think, and it's basic, I think maybe, like I've, I've wanted that nicer kitchen or a bigger or a bigger lounge. Or, to be honest with you, it's never been jealousy because I want it. It's always jealousy because I want to give it to somebody else. That's what I that's where I come from.

Michael:

Fine, what do you mean? You want to give it to somebody else? Like I'm, I just want to be able to provide right that that thing for other people it doesn't really bother me. I'm quite happy to sit in a hovel In a cave?

Sameer:

Yeah, in a cave, just wearing some sort of rags.

Michael:

Basically A bit like Castaway, Well more like Harry Potter. I'm quite happy there's nothing like Harry Potter.

Sameer:

So you want to be a wizard trapped?

Michael:

under a cupboard. I'm quite happy to live under a cupboard. I'm quite happy. I'm quite happy to live under cover. In fact, fun fact for a lot of my childhood, uh, when my mom and I used to be a wizard. I used to. I used to live under the stairs, actually, and and for a long time.

Sameer:

I really think this can't go out. If you're if you're gonna condemn your parents to you being stored underneath the stairs no, no, no, no, it was, it wasn't.

Michael:

It wasn't at home, it wasn't at home. Oh sorry, where was it at their place of work?

Sameer:

it was a nice. So you were stored in a warehouse under a cupboard. And what?

Michael:

would they do under cupboard, under staircase?

Sameer:

oh sorry, sorry under staircase much. It was nice, it was nice I had like I bet it was.

Michael:

I had like pillows and a curtain as well, right, okay, I mean the bars. I liked it a lot. It was very funny. I bet you did had a spinning top, I bet when you actually got a, room.

Sameer:

You must have been well chuffed.

Michael:

Oh my God, this is amazing.

Sameer:

This is so good Dad. What's that?

Michael:

Son, that's a carpet, that's the sun. What I'm trying to say is I have often appreciated what I've had Okay, and I what I've had okay and I've liked. I've liked my small space, yeah, and in fact I find the smaller the space sometimes, the nicer it can be.

Sameer:

Yeah, okay, so you're telling me you never get jealous professionally? Have you ever been jealous of anyone?

Michael:

um, I think, I think maybe it'll work. Yeah, when you hear so and so getting promoted and they're like and it's often this person gets promoted like back-to-back promotions in the team. No one else is getting promoted and you're thinking what have? They done that I haven't done Well, I tend to jump to not appreciate their skill set but generally think who are they having an affair with?

Sameer:

Okay, fine. And who do I need to sleep with?

Michael:

to also get to the top, I've always said if it would, if it was a big enough jump, I would advocate sleeping to the top.

Sameer:

Okay, wow. You would advocate sleeping your way to the top of a company.

Michael:

Yeah, I would do it, Do you think that you are now?

Sameer:

please don't take offense to what I'm about to say. It's a a genuine question do you think you are appealing enough to the female eye for you to be able to sleep your way to the top of, say, pwc?

Michael:

I mean, I shout out to our sponsors pwc one of the best consultants in the game. P to the c? Um. I don't think it's about whether I would be appealing to a woman, but I would do it for a man.

Sameer:

Pardon me if you would do it with a man.

Michael:

If you said to me, would do it with a man. If you said to me, you spend one night with this man and you go Straight to the top. Two million a year straight to the top.

Sameer:

Okay, fine, I'd do it. I'd do it. Okay, what's the 20 grand more? Would you do it for that?

Michael:

Are you?

Sameer:

No, that's of a salary, the minimum amount.

Michael:

Around 200,.

Sameer:

I'd say so you've already come down 10 times From 2 million to 200.

Michael:

I mean minimum. Minimum Another 200k on my salary?

Sameer:

Yeah, of course I can't imagine, most people wouldn't do that. I'm just interested in the person that's paying you 200 million for a shag for one night. I never said that. I never said that.

Michael:

I never said first of all, 200 million sorry no, 200 grand, 200 grand. And also the second thing is it doesn't have to be that kind of relationship. It could be an intimate evening you know, like chess, for example no, it could be uh sorry, did you say? Escort escorts don't always end in intimacy no, there's companionship.

Sameer:

So you're telling me there's someone in this world that's willing to take you out on a date. Basically, go for a movie, have some popcorn, go for dinner and then give you a 200 grand salary afterwards for that.

Michael:

Yeah, there is no one that exists and if there is, you should take that job. And that's why I would say to anybody out there question to the pod, question to the pod would you fake it to make it?

Sameer:

would you do that? Um fine, okay, so you have a strong level of appreciation for yourself.

Michael:

You would say I think I do because I don't, I don't really, I don't really want that much anymore in life. What, what's what?

Sameer:

do you look for? What do you want from life in general? What are some of the non-negotiables for you like what t? What do you need in order for you to feel like you know what things are good? I?

Michael:

like things to be in order.

Sameer:

I knew I knew it would be a weird answer. This is why I asked you a normal question, a normal question, and I knew it would be. What do you mean? Explain what you mean anything to be in order? Are you got?

Michael:

ocd? No, not at all. I just like things to be neat and tidy. There needs to be an order to life. That's ocd no, it's not ocd, I like things, if I move that laptop an inch, will you go mental? No, but I like. I like well designed product that works.

Sameer:

Can I just say you sound like a shit.

Michael:

Steve jobs, I'll tell you what's not a well-designed product.

Sameer:

An iphone, oh okay, go on controversial opinion. I think you're so wrong.

Michael:

It's unbelievable I think that the iphone causes me so much headache in my life that I'm now in this horrible marriage horrible marriage.

Sameer:

Yeah to the iphone that I can't get it's an abusive relationship I just want, I'm constantly having to pay for my iphone's upkeep. I just want everyone to know a bit of context here. So a little asterix, you've just learned how to send a voice note.

Michael:

Hang on, hang on right, you've learned it's my microphone is only now good enough to send a voice note Okay, fine, very different than that, fine, fine, fine, I'm not opposed to voice notes.

Sameer:

I know, I know I get a lot from you these days, more than I've got in years.

Michael:

Yeah, but my point is well-designed product to me is important. I like to be able to buy a knife from a manufacturer that designs okay. Has thought about a sheath that the knife can fit in, with some sort of safety mechanism that slots into a drawer in a nice way? German, swiss, nordic, whatever will you only buy japanese steel. No, I won't only buy japanese steel. That's, this is not. This is not a debate to be had, okay, okay that means there is a debate.

Sameer:

Can I just say you like things that are designed well, correct, right, okay, and you think that, arguably, I think if we had a vote, most people would pick the iPhone as the most well-designed product, certainly of our lifetimes. You don't?

Michael:

agree. I disagree with the iPhone. What's wrong with it?

Sameer:

What's wrong with it? Apart from you, icloud is what's wrong with it. So, firstly, something that isn't designed into the iPhone, let me tell you this much.

Michael:

We're blurring the lines between technological design, user experience, ux. You know all this stuff.

Sameer:

Yeah, I love that. I love the fact that you already got confused. You are UX, UX.

Michael:

UC USB. So we're blurring the lines between technological design and physical product design. Okay, Right.

Sameer:

So physically, do you think the product is designed well?

Michael:

Okay, so the look of it yeah fine, but that doesn't interest me.

Sameer:

What interests me is a useful product that is going to fit into your life nicely. Okay, I'm gonna ask you a question now. If it's about the iphone, I'm not answering. How would you make the iphone more user-friendly to your life? What feature would you want that it doesn't have?

Michael:

uh, I mean, I don't want to give away my ip you have no ip because it would never become a reality. But what would?

Sameer:

you want from the iphone that it doesn't have? That would make it a better. Do you want to give away my IP? You have no IP because it would never become a reality, but what would you want from the iPhone that it doesn't have? That would make it a better product. Do you want another answer?

Michael:

Yes, I do. That's why I asked the question Are you ready?

Sameer:

Yeah, a knife okay, if there was a sheath on the back that you can slot a knife into if there was an eye.

Michael:

If there was an eye knife, I would I'd be up if there was an eye knife, a little side bit that slits and a knife pops out. Brilliant. I'll tell you what.

Sameer:

It pleases me greatly go on camping gear well, that's because you spent about a good quarter of your life basically finding a tent that you find good enough for you to go camping in.

Michael:

Do you know what Camping gear? Is an excellent example, almost every time, of phenomenally exquisite design Right okay. People have thought about things a lot and made it happen. It's not just I'm going to mass manufacture 75,000 units and I don't care how cheap it is, and these different sliders yeah, everything works and it's minimal space, maximum design, and I love it. Tell me about other things that you appreciate. Do you appreciate a good?

Sameer:

movie do I do? I love a good movie. Top two, three. Oh, mate, you've put me right on the spot, okay, uh, the prestige you haven't seen the prestige. Uh, is that about the bird there?

Michael:

that's about the bird and the magicians and the little boy says to the girl oh, the bird's gone. What happens to the? New bird and the bird's actually dead and he smashed it to pieces. That's the spoiler alert. That that's the end of the prestige.

Sameer:

The prestige is definitely up there yeah oh, I'm a big fan of Goodfellas, really, yeah, I like Goodfellas. I like a good gangster movie.

Michael:

I think Goodfellas is better than the Godfather. I think so as well what about you? It's easier to watch. I mean, can I just say my favourite genre, favorite genre which?

Sameer:

will give me a bit more time to think about my two favorite.

Michael:

Yeah, yeah uh well, actually I'll say my first favorite. Now it's come to me, okay, mrs doubtfire of all time mrs doubtfire is one of your all-time favorite movies?

Sameer:

yeah, it is this is insane. Why?

Michael:

because it's such a basic movie I know it's basic and it works on so many levels Okay.

Sameer:

All right that I would never have picked Mrs Doubtfire as your top two movies ever.

Michael:

Top means. For me, top means it's on and I want to watch it. It's on and I want to watch it every time?

Sameer:

No, no Top means the best ever movie you've seen?

Michael:

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You said what's your favourite film. That's what that means my favourite and the best ever film. What's your two best ever movies? The best ever movie.

Sameer:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For me, Prestige and Goodfellas, my two best ever.

Michael:

I mean they're good, they're up there For me. I love Lord of the Rings. I think, Lord of the Rings is a great film franchise, all that jazz.

Sameer:

Fair, that's fair.

Michael:

But I mean, Mrs Dou, but I mean mrs doubtfire, what we'll watch every single time it's on, if you tell me right now, if you tell me miss that fire is on, or lord of rings.

Sameer:

I'm gonna go miss that box.

Michael:

Okay, I'm not. I'm not always in the mood for other rings, but I'm always in the mood for this bit. Missed out fire, okay, and what's your favorite genre?

Sameer:

dystopian oh, that's a I tell you what um, that's, that's a great genre to pick, I would have said said what my Indian family often called skeefy, which is sci-fi. I'm up there with sci-fi, but I love space movies.

Michael:

I don't know if that's a genre.

Sameer:

Interstellar. Oh mate, it's up there. Do you know what? Martian interstellar gravity I?

Michael:

love all those movies. That, my friend, is a fantastic segue. And, as always, this is Spitz Quiz this week, and you didn't know what this is going to be about. But this week I thought I'd do a little quiz for you. Okay, movie genres. Okay, movie titles, ost. And for our lay audience, what does OST sound for? Original soundtrack, the original soundtrack. So I am going to play you some short clips to movies and you have to guess them right.

Sameer:

Okay, I like it as always these clips, these are soundtracks to the movies. Yeah, soundtracks, okay, fine, fine, not clips from the movies.

Michael:

Clips of the soundtracks from the movies. Got it, okay, got it. Very simply put, I've got one, two, three, four, five, six here.

Sameer:

Okay.

Michael:

I need at least five out of six to get the prize this week. All right, good, All right. There's no minus points. There's no, you get more. This is simply all glory. All guns go for it. All or nothing, all or nothing. Okay, as I say, there's six and I'm going to play to you around about 15 seconds of the clip, all right. So, as I say, this is your movie theme quiz 15 seconds.

Sameer:

Hang on.

Michael:

What are we calling the quiz? This is Sip and Songs Brought to you by Michael Spitaliotis. Sip and Songs. Everybody Enjoy this week with Sip and Songs. So, as I said, you have got 15 seconds to listen to the song and tell me what that film is okay, go on Wow.

Sameer:

Can I just say this week's going to be zero.

Michael:

I can feel it in my bones already. I thought you would get that. That is hard, does it not sound familiar?

Sameer:

Okay, now, for the purposes of the quiz, I'm going to need clues Because genuinely, it will be zero.

Michael:

Well, I thought that you would be inept, as always based on last week's quiz. I wasn't right. Three out of five is right, so I thought this week I would give you Hail, mary every time.

Sameer:

Okay, Jesus man, that's hard For redemption.

Michael:

I will now play to you a clip from the film Okay Famous clip Okay. A clip from the film Okay Famous clip Okay, where, if you know what the film's from, you'll know the clip Okay. And if you can't guess it, then fair enough.

Sameer:

Fine, fine, fine, okay, I like it. Go Put that thing back where it came from, or so, help me, it's a musical. Yeah, put that thing back where it came from, or well done well, played well played there you go very good, okay, not bad. I needed the clip that was redemption, so you get a point for that. That was thank you, thank you everyone, thank you well done.

Michael:

Okay. First one relatively tricky, but I think you made sense when you really engage the old gray matter yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it from the clip only because of uh, who's that actor?

Sameer:

I don't even know. Billy crystal, billy crystal, billy crystal, mate. He saved me there. Billy crystal, this one's for you fun fact about billy crystal.

Michael:

Do you want to hear fun fact? Uh, go on. Are you going to be impressed that I know this? Uh, oh, I can't verify the fact, but go on, uh, pixar yes originally phoned billy crystal and offered him the role of woody no way. And when he turned it down, obviously he saw the success and they phoned him back a couple years later and offered him mike lebowski, wow.

Sameer:

And he said yes, right, can I? Can I? Can I trade with you?

Michael:

another fact okay.

Sameer:

Which actor gave up the most money ever in a movie? Keanu Reeves.

Michael:

No oh.

Sameer:

I thought I'd nailed that you were quite confident Matt Damon. And do you know what it was for? Oh, batman. No, he spoke to James Cameron. I think it was James Cameron, and James Cameron tried to get him on Avatar and to get him on Avatar. And to get him on Avatar. He said I'll give you 10% of the gross revenue of Avatar and Matt Damon said I would have made 200 million dollars and he gave it up and he was like you are never going to find another actor who has laid more money on the table.

Michael:

Wow, that's a cool fact. I like that. Yeah, all right, ladies, gentlemen are you ready for number two. Here we go, so Name that film Gladiator. Oh, so close yet so far, I'm afraid it's not Gladiator. What is it? I'll give you a clue, but this will give it away, so it'll be fun anyway. You ready? Yeah, go on.

Sameer:

What the hell are you? I couldn't get it from that man. I need more. I'm Batman. I should have got that one. Batman. To be honest with you, would you need the full name of the movie? Is it Batman Begins? It is.

Michael:

Batman Begins. Well played, oh man, not bad, eh, okay, fine, so still on one, you're on one, you're on your own.

Sameer:

I think I know what I'm going to do now. If I don't know it, I'm just going to go straight to this. Play me the clip, okay so you're enjoying this now, yeah, I like it, I like it.

Michael:

Are you ready? Yes, here's number three.

Sameer:

Come on Right. I know this, but I want you to play me the clip. Are you really You're not going to just go for it? No, I'm not going to go for it, You're not going to put the old corners on the line no, no, no. Are you sure I'm going to play you every single one, are you sure? Yeah, go need every single one. Yeah, all right. All right, I want to double, you'll be you'll be, you'll be known okay, that's for being cowardly, fine, okay, yeah, okay, okay what is it okay?

Sameer:

so that's uh et yeah but I do. I didn't know that, even though, even though it said it, I think I deserve people. What do people listening will think we?

Michael:

think yeah, I knew, yeah, I knew it. No, no, I didn't want to say no I wanted to hit et phone home to tell me the answer I did know that's two points. All right, you can have two points, if you think.

Sameer:

I do think that you should have stopped it before he gave it literally away.

Michael:

It's called dramatic irony. You're now hearing the name.

Sameer:

Okay, fine, fine, I think that should be two. That should be two. I will try and guess it, if I know it.

Michael:

You've got to jump in and guess these right from now on. You've got this, you've got this, yeah.

Sameer:

So we're up to number four. This is number four, and I'm on two points. Here we are, movie number four.

Michael:

You're gonna like it.

Sameer:

Do, do, do do do do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do do do do?

Michael:

What do you think? It's a tough one, isn't it? You're going to need more. I know you're going to need more. This was a mean one, by the way.

Sameer:

This one's tough because it could be any number of movies and I know it's a Christopher Nolan movie.

Michael:

Do you want to know the main actor? Go on. This is one of the films where he should have won an Oscar. Okay, leo, okay, leo, okay, leo. Big Dick DiCaprio, that's his full middle name. Inception Inception, yeah, congratulations. Let me ask you a question. You never really remember the beginning of a dream, do you?

Sameer:

Yeah, Congratulations. That was a tough one because and it's Christopher Nolan.

Michael:

No, it could have been Gravity. It could have been Shutter.

Sameer:

Island. It could have been Interstellar there was a lot out there.

Michael:

There's a lot. Okay, fine, so I'm on three and we're now on the fifth one.

Sameer:

You're on the fifth one. So I'm on three and we're now on the fifth one.

Michael:

You're on the fifth one. So I need these two to get my prize. Okay, just FYI, there's only one left. You said there's five and six. I know I lied to you to make you think you had a chance. Oh gosh, if you get this one, you get this one. You give me two points. You get two points. Okay, fine, are you ready? Yep, movie number five, the last one. It's all down to this. All to play for Are you ready?

Sameer:

Yes, can I Google this?

Michael:

No, you don't go to a bar.

Sameer:

No, no, no, Because I know the movie, but I don't remember the name of the movie.

Michael:

Are you ready? Are you ready?

Sameer:

I'll play a bit more I know the movie karate kid, karate kid well, ladies and gentlemen, this has been fun.

Michael:

What do I get? Do I get the point or not? And the answer is karate, kid two. Oh, it's a good song though it's a great song.

Sameer:

Karate Kid 2. It's a good song, though it's a great song. You're the best Around.

Michael:

Oh unlucky, Good try, Okay fine.

Sameer:

But I never. You never said that you wanted one or two, but I admit you needed to Google it, my performance was not worthy of the prize this week.

Michael:

You were not worthy of the prize this week, but you will get the prize one week.

Sameer:

Yeah, three out of five. Did you like that? That was great. Did you appreciate that I did?

Michael:

appreciate that good. I liked it. Appreciation is is an interesting topic. I think appreciation is the difference between people being happy. Humble content yeah, humble crumble. Um, shout out to our sponsors humble crumble. If you fancy a bit of a bit of apple crumble, go for Humble Crumble. It is delicious. I appreciated it very much when I had two of them. Did you actually have?

Sameer:

two. Yeah, of course I did you finished two?

Michael:

I ordered two. How many did you finish? I contributed to finishing two. Listen. Before we wrap up today's episode, I have a question. Go on, do you appreciate me?

Sameer:

I today's episode. Um, I have a question. Go on, do you appreciate me? I do appreciate you, I do. I appreciate your games. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do. I appreciate the fact that you go to the effort of coming here, of setting up the, the pod, of doing this whole thing with me, like it's not an insignificant amount of time. I appreciate that good yeah, I appreciate you booking christmas uh, christmas lunch for all the guys and girls I appreciate that very nice.

Michael:

Yes, more than can be said for some, but hey, do you appreciate me? No, yeah and on that note, uh, thank you so much for listening. Um, like I said, if you do think about your loved ones, think about the things you've got. It really is important. That's all we've got time for today, Sameer anything else to add before we close out?

Sameer:

no, no, no, just to say that we all appreciate you as well listening, um, so stay tuned for our next episodes.

Michael:

And remember, don't forget to click like, subscribe and follow us. And if you want to follow and write into us, don't forget our email address is welcome suzy at gmailcom. How do you spell that, Sameer, s-u-z-i-e at gmailcom? All right, thank you so much for listening and remember when life gets you down, be the best. You're the best All right.

Sameer:

Nothing's going to ever keep you down. You're the best.

Michael:

All right, nothing's going to ever keep you down, you're the best, all right.

Sameer:

Nothing's going to ever keep you down.