Jen Jacobs
Episode 81

Narrator: Welcome friends to another episode of The Story & Experience Podcast. Join your host, Japhet De Oliveira, with his guest today, and discover the moments that shape us, our families and communities.

Japhet De Oliveira: Welcome friends to another episode of The Story & Experience Podcast. My guest today, who's sitting opposite me right now, is extremely, well they're dancing, so dancing at the table, which is actually fun to see, and they're trying not to laugh, but they can. So the way it works for anybody who's brand new to this entire experience, is like this. We have 100 questions. They progressively become a little bit more complex as time goes on. And the first 10 I ask, and then the guest gets to pick between numbers 11 and 100, where they want to go. It's all about stories and experiences that shape them into the leader that they are today. So let's begin straight away. Could you tell us your name and does anybody ever mispronounce it?

Jen Jacobs: My name is Jen Jacobs and no, they do not.

Japhet De Oliveira: They do not. Do they ever swap them?

Jen Jacobs: No.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good. All right.

Jen Jacobs: It's pretty easy.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Jen, what do you do for work?

Jen Jacobs: I'm a digital marketing manager here at Adventist Health.

Japhet De Oliveira: Wow, okay.

Jen Jacobs: And so that covers our website, our other digital properties, digital signage. That's pretty fun aspect of my job. And other duties as assigned.

Japhet De Oliveira: Is it majority in the other duties as assigned?

Jen Jacobs: No, it's a lot of website, really.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Hey, that's fantastic. How long have you been doing this?

Jen Jacobs: I've been with Adventist Health for four years.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, wow. And then what did you do before?

Jen Jacobs: Oh, my previous life I was a graphic designer and marketer in educational robotics.

Japhet De Oliveira: Wow.

Jen Jacobs: So I do love the tech.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes. That's good. Once you draw one robot as it's, no kidding. All right. That's great. That's fantastic. So in the morning when you get up, what's your drink of the day? Do you have coffee, tea, liquid, green smoothie, water?

Jen Jacobs: Tea.

Japhet De Oliveira: Tea? Really?

Jen Jacobs: Tea.

Japhet De Oliveira: First thing. What kind of tea?

Jen Jacobs: It is PJ Tips with some cream and sugar.

Japhet De Oliveira: Are you serious?

Jen Jacobs: Yes.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good.

Jen Jacobs: Followed by crumpets, Japhet.

Japhet De Oliveira: I'm kind of blown away right now. I'm like, okay. I feel like, oh, I don't even do that. That PG Tips. Wow.

Jen Jacobs: That's the best.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, it is really good. Okay.

Jen Jacobs: I like the gold or the regular, the bold is a little tannic for my taste.

Japhet De Oliveira: For everybody in Britain who's listened to this. Yes. Hey, where were you born?

Jen Jacobs: I was born in Sacramento, California.

Japhet De Oliveira: Really?

Jen Jacobs: At Kaiser Hospital on Morse Avenue.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh my. Okay. Hey, that's great. That's great. And when you were a child here in Sacramento, what did you imagine when grew up to be here?

Jen Jacobs: Oh, I was going to be a surgeon and a ballerina.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. That's good. That's combined.

Jen Jacobs: It's good to have depth.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: But yeah, it's kind of an odd choice for a child. I want to be a surgeon.

Japhet De Oliveira: Did you pursue both of those, or?

Jen Jacobs: I did pursue a lot of science. I do like science. When it started to get into chemistry where there's a lot of math and equations.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: I kind of tapped out after that.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. That's all right. Hey, that's fantastic.

Jen Jacobs: And yes, many years of dance lessons. So got pretty close with the ballerina too.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. That looks very painful. All right. I'm happy for you. Hey, would people describe you as an introvert or an extrovert, and would you agree?

Jen Jacobs: It depends on how well you know me. I would say casual acquaintances would say extrovert for sure. But I definitely need time to recharge. Can you be an ambivert?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes. Some have chosen that.

Jen Jacobs: So I could be that, because I neither like giant crowds, nor do I want to be alone in a cabin in the woods. So whatever the situation requires, I can sort of rise to that.

Japhet De Oliveira: So I have been asked to insert a new question in here. It's now seven A. And the people in this recording this, the producers, they've like, you should ask this question. There is a mascot at Adventist Health.

Jen Jacobs: The cutest mascot in the world.

Japhet De Oliveira: Describe the mascot to our listeners.

Jen Jacobs: Our mascot is Pip. He's a cartoon penguin that is bright blue with a white tummy and a little orange beak. And yeah, he originated as a sort of a children's coloring book. Mostly he's the mascot for our pediatrics departments.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes. For the kids. The kids love Pip. Absolutely. And I recently saw Pip in action. Pip seemed to have some dance moves, which I was very impressed. The kids were all surrounding Pip. Do you have any insight into that? That would be seven B would be that question.

Jen Jacobs: Seven. And you ask everyone this?

Japhet De Oliveira: No.

Jen Jacobs: Pip loves parties. I had the great opportunity.

Japhet De Oliveira: Did you really?

Jen Jacobs: Recently, to embody Pip.

Japhet De Oliveira: See the, amazing. All right. This is what makes this episode unique. Already we're beginning right there. That's great.

Jen Jacobs: And it was thrilling.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh yeah?

Jen Jacobs: It was. I was smiling for the pictures, even though no one can see me in there. And I think I got so many hugs.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, I know, the kids-

Jen Jacobs: I probably didn't even see or feel.

Japhet De Oliveira: Well the kids look like they had an amazing time, so thank you for that. Very hot.

Jen Jacobs: So hot. Oh my gosh.

Japhet De Oliveira: Well done for doing that. Great for everybody who works at Disney as well. We're very proud of you. Habits.

Jen Jacobs: Appreciate.

Japhet De Oliveira: Are you an early riser or late night owl?

Jen Jacobs: Hoot. Hoot.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. I guess that's where we are. All right.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah. If alarm clocks didn't exist, I would get up around 8:30. Probably go to bed around midnight or so. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. So this morning when you got up at the very latest hour you could, what was the first thought that went through your mind?

Jen Jacobs: Oh, there was a little wet nose at my ear this morning. And it was one of my cats, and she wanted under the covers, and so I felt a little wet nose. And so I just lifted the covers and she came in and curled up under my arm and it's sort of the sweetest thing in the world. And then we just tucked in for 20 more minutes and then it was time to get up.

Japhet De Oliveira: Then it was time to get up. That is good. Hey, that's great. All right, so leadership question. You've been a leader many years. You've led teams, you've led people in your life. Are you a backseat driver?

Jen Jacobs: You know what, I'm a great co-pilot or navigator. I don't enjoy driving, but I would love to sit next to you, make sure the playlist is fresh. You get to where you're going. Get your questions answered. When we grab lunch, unwrap the burger, hand it to you, make sure you have napkins, that kind of thing. I love to collaborate. And if I have a leadership style, it is collaborative. How can we solve problems together?

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Appreciate that. All right. So we've done the first 10. That was fantastic. And the floor is yours. Go in between 11 and 100. Where would you like to begin?

Jen Jacobs: Let's go with 12.

Japhet De Oliveira: 12. All right. What is your favorite artist? Great. What is your favorite movie or book of all time?

Jen Jacobs: All time.

Japhet De Oliveira: I know. All time. And why?

Jen Jacobs: Let's see. Favorite book in recent memory, last three or four years is called, This Is How You Lose The Time War. And it has two authors. It's science fiction. I'm a big sci-fi nut. And it's written as a series of letters between two time traveling rivals. And what starts as just kind of jabbing back and forth at each other, becomes like a love story. And it's one of the authors is a poet, and it's so beautifully written. I haven't read many books where I was kind of dreading that it would end. I felt like a deep sadness that it was going to end. And I don't often reread, but I've reread this one already.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, that's great.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah. Gorgeous book.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good recommendation for everybody for the new year in their list. All right. So that was 12. We're now up or down?

Jen Jacobs: Well, it can't really, not too much down.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, I know.

Jen Jacobs: How about 21?

Japhet De Oliveira: 21. All right. Share with us, would you, the best compliment you've ever received?

Jen Jacobs: Oh yeah. It was a few years ago when we were moving into this building, so it was a week before move in, and I was helping set up some of the digital screens. So we had a bunch of, what are they called? Carts?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: To set up.

Japhet De Oliveira: I would call them trolleys, but I know what you mean. Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah, for the screens to be mounted upon so we could roll them around. So rolling stands. And I was in assembly mode, so I had on my work clothes. I had a knife, I had screwdriver, pliers, all this. And everything just spread out on the floor. And it had my assembly line going. And Doris Tetz Carpenter happened by, because she was at the building too. And she just walked past me and kind of saw what I was doing. And we started talking and she said, you look so capable today. But not in a condescending way, she was kind of impressed. And I was like, wow, do I? And I think too, I felt capable. It was really, I was enjoying what I was doing. It was an exciting time. We were about to move in and just someone that someone recognized that feeling and called it out. Yeah. It stuck with me for a long time.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fantastic. She will love to hear that.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. That's great. All right, that was 21. Where now? Up or down?

Jen Jacobs: 31.

Japhet De Oliveira: 31. All right. Tell us about someone that you'd love to eat dinner with and the sky is the limit. All right.

Jen Jacobs: I mean, I could give the cool answer…

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay.

Jen Jacobs: But I would want to have dinner with my grandmas.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah?

Jen Jacobs: Yeah. They're both gone now.

Japhet De Oliveira: Did you know them?

Jen Jacobs: My maternal grandma, she passed away when she was 67, so I didn't. So I'd want her there, because I didn't really get a chance to know her very well, especially as an adult. And my paternal grandmother passed away when I was in my 20s, and she was just such a unique spirit. She went to college when women weren't going to college.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great.

Jen Jacobs: She was just kind of a cowgirl, grew up on a ranch, adventurous. So much travel in her, and I just missed her so much. So I would love to sit down with them, with these questions. Oh gosh. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's good. And I will say that these questions are a lot of fun, but they'll be great to do. That's a great one. I love that. All right. That was 31. Where next? Up or down?

Jen Jacobs: 45.

Japhet De Oliveira: 45. Okay. Here we go. When people come to you for help, what are they usually asking for?

Jen Jacobs: Never happens.

Japhet De Oliveira: No, I know. I don't know how many emails. I've said, hey, Jen. But when people come to you for help, other than Japhet, what are they usually asking for?

Jen Jacobs: And, oh, like troubleshooting. Something's probably broken, or there's like, it's a big tangled knot and we need to untangle it. Often we're exploring possibilities. What are the different ways we could approach this? How could we fix it? I love brainstorming with people, and so I'll often tell team members anything, bring it at me. I've been here long enough, we can probably figure something out, or I'll know who can figure it out for us.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes, that's true.

Jen Jacobs: And I just love being that conduit to solve problems. It's very satisfying.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's true. And I would say this, for anybody who doesn't know Jen, that you should know that she's not only that way as a problem solver, but you are very proactive person as well. And I love the research that you do and the things you try to find out. And so there's a great, good solution. So fantastic. That was 45, where now?

Jen Jacobs: 56.

Japhet De Oliveira: 56. I like the way you think about these-

Jen Jacobs: Question.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. Share an activity that makes you lose all senses of time.

Jen Jacobs: Painting.

Japhet De Oliveira: Really?

Jen Jacobs: And not fine art painting, painting the house.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay.

Jen Jacobs: I love painting.

Japhet De Oliveira: I'm going to have to ask 56 A now. Do you like to paint over a wall that's already been painted?

Jen Jacobs: I love it.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay.

Jen Jacobs: There's no faster way to transform a space than with paint, and you're never more than two or three coats from an entirely new experience.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that's true.

Jen Jacobs: It's so empowering to me, and I just become giddy. We're going to change the room today.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's fantastic. Good for you. Poor wall. All right. So that's 56. Where next up or down?

Jen Jacobs: 58.

Japhet De Oliveira: 58. All right, here we go. What is something small that you're really passionate about?

Jen Jacobs: Giving something my full attention, especially people. So I used to sort of stand away from people when they talk to me. And I've been practicing just staring people full in the face and really engaging. And it's improved my conversations. It's improved my relationships. That's a tiny thing. And it's funny too, to notice who gets uncomfortable with that. And who really loves it?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. So, my goodness, you're causing all these A questions to come out. So 58 A, how did you discover that? Because I bet you there are people who would feel the same way. How did you discover that?

Jen Jacobs: I've been working with a coach, a somatics coach, just to-

Japhet De Oliveira: Interesting.

Jen Jacobs: To get better at recognizing just things about myself, things about others, and it's been transformational.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Oh, well done. All right. That's super. 58, where now?

Jen Jacobs: 66.

Japhet De Oliveira: 66. All right. But I don't know how you pick these questions, but we were just talking about this before as you were walking in, getting prepped. Tell us about one of your favorite songs, and what do you love about it?

Jen Jacobs: Let's see. Well, my musical tastes are all over the place. The Spotify review is like, you're in the five percent of people who will listen to anything.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Jen Jacobs: And they're not wrong. But one of my favorite songs is by a band, Icelandic band called Cigar Rose. And I like it. One, because it's in a great movie called The Life Aquatic and two, because it is just transcendent, it's cinematic, it's orchestral, it's got some electronica. He's singing it in Icelandic. So I don't know what he's singing, and I hope I never learn, because the mystery is what makes it so gorgeous. If I were to say it phonetically, it's sterile fur. That's how it's spelled. And when it comes on, I can't casually listen to it. I need to turn the volume way up and just let it wash over me. And it's just, it almost sounds like a prayer. It's just, it's gorgeous.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fantastic. I like that. That's great that you don't want to know the lyrics, because you enjoy the tune and the-

Jen Jacobs: Oh, I think it would wreck it.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Wreck it. He's talking about the trashcan. No, that's great. Fantastic. That was 66. Where next?

Jen Jacobs: 76.

Japhet De Oliveira: 76. All right. Tell us about where you feel the safest and why?

Jen Jacobs: With Bob, my husband.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah?

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah. We've known each other, oh, almost 30 years now. And so kind of grown up together, evolved together. We've become better people together.

Japhet De Oliveira: Happens.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah, it does.

Japhet De Oliveira: It does. Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: It's an amazing feeling. And so, yeah, traveling or at home on a bike, wherever he is. That's fine.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's fantastic. Well, hope Bob listens to this and enjoys that moment as well. That's great. That's beautiful. All right. That was 76. Where next?

Jen Jacobs: 78.

Japhet De Oliveira: 78. Tell us about something that gives you childlike joy.

Jen Jacobs: Rainbows.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Okay.

Jen Jacobs: No, I can expand.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, take your time.

Jen Jacobs: I can expand.

Japhet De Oliveira: Instantly. Rainbows. Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: Oh, no, I'll tell you about the best $50 I ever spent. It's this window film, and it's clear, but we've put it on a few windows around the house. And a couple of times a day, sometimes on the east facing walls, and sometimes on the west facing walls, is the rainbow hour, because the sunlight, the direct sunlight, when it passes through that window film, it shoots like a spectrum of rainbows across whatever is on the wall. And so you'll come down the hallway and you'll be like, oh, it's the rainbow hour.

Japhet De Oliveira: I know.

Jen Jacobs: And it just sort of pulls you out of the mundane, what you were doing. And there's something just kind of special and magical about it. Like, oh, there's a rainbow all the way down the hallway. There's a rainbow on the cat. This is so cool. And it's only going to be there for just a couple of seconds, and then it's gone.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's true. Well, rainbows are inspired. I mean, you see people pull over all the time when they see a rainbow to take photos.

Jen Jacobs: They're so intense.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, they are. No, that's great. Intense was not the word I was thinking, but I appreciate that. All right. 78. So where next?

Jen Jacobs: 87.

Japhet De Oliveira: 87. All right. When you are under incredible stress, what helps to ground you?

Jen Jacobs: Movement. Yeah. If I'm under stress, it's usually I'm overthinking something and I need to get back into my body. So whether that's having a stretch, taking a walk, anything to kind of shake the energy, redistribute the energy so that it's flowing freely and not just swimming in my head. That's the best way for me. And the surest way to kind of bring on stress is to avoid regular exercise. So I'm like a little dog with too much energy. COVID was especially hard, those times when the office was closed, and I'd be at home and Bob would come home and I'd jump up from the table. He's like, do you need to take a walk? Yes, please.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. Oh, that's fantastic. All right. That's great. That was 87. We now know that's what grounds you. Great. Yeah. Where after 87?

Jen Jacobs: 94.

Japhet De Oliveira: 94. Okay. That's great. Okay. If you could change one thing in the world, what would that be?

Jen Jacobs: The world. That's huge.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, it is.

Jen Jacobs: I think I would solve homelessness.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: I think just-

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that's true.

Jen Jacobs: Lack of access to reliable shelter. You can't be at your best if you don't have that stability. It's impossible. We want people to improve, but really you have to start with something.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes.

Jen Jacobs: And it's a basic human need. I know it's a multifaceted problem.

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Jen Jacobs: But I know there's lots of people working on solutions. Yeah. That would be my dream.

Japhet De Oliveira: But not one to be dismissed.

Jen Jacobs: Oh, absolutely not.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's great. I like that. That's a good dream. See, 94 was great. It was great. All right, where next?

Jen Jacobs: Okay, let's go a little lighter. 27.

Japhet De Oliveira: 27. All right. 27 it is. Here we go. It is. Bring us into your kitchen. Right?

Jen Jacobs: Oh, okay.

Japhet De Oliveira: You're cooking a special meal. What would you be making?

Jen Jacobs: My favorite meals are collaborative or involve choice. So I would make a tostada bar or fondue. I love, or raclette or anything like that where it's like there's little tiny dishes of things and you sort of get to choose. Because I'm sort of picky, but I don't want to impose that upon other people. So yeah, fondue is probably my favorite. Let's share a giant pot of cheese, bread, veggies, fruit, everything. Plus it looks gorgeous on the table.

Japhet De Oliveira: It does. Yeah.

Jen Jacobs: And it feels special.

Japhet De Oliveira: It does. It is. Yeah. I know it's not a regular meal, so.

Jen Jacobs: No.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's great. That's wonderful. So that was 27, where next?

Jen Jacobs: 49.

Japhet De Oliveira: 49. All right, here we go. What are you currently learning about and why?

Jen Jacobs: I've been, I don't know, it might be unlearning. I grew up as kind of a troubled breather. Does that make sense? I had asthma.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay.

Jen Jacobs: Lots of allergies as a kid. Orthodontia, to expand my palate. That kind of thing. Have a lot of sort of bad breathing practices to overcome, like I'll breath hold or mouth breathe or that kind of thing. And so just, it's been a whole odyssey throughout my life to try to improve this, because I know it's a defect in my physiology, so how can we improve it? And it involves posture, work, nasal breathing when I run or exercise. That's been transformational. Yeah. Breathing. I've been working on breathing.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's interesting. No, it's true. I've recently heard about that as well. That's interesting. That's fascinating.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Right. Well, that was 49. Where next? Up or down?

Jen Jacobs: 32.

Japhet De Oliveira: 32. Sure. Here we go. 32. If you were featured on the local news, what would that news story be, Jen?

Jen Jacobs: Oh gosh. Local woman paints house plaid.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay. Yeah. That would be local news.

Jen Jacobs: No, I'd love to inject more color into the world, so I would not, not paint my house plaid.

Japhet De Oliveira:

Okay. We're looking forward to the next transition.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Where's Jen today? Yeah, that's good. All right. 32. Where the next, then up or down?

Jen Jacobs: Did I do 72?

Japhet De Oliveira: Let's have a look here. No, we didn't.

Jen Jacobs: Okay.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. So 72. Tell us about what you want to do when you retire, and then why are you waiting?

Jen Jacobs: Oh. Get a dog.

Japhet De Oliveira: When you retire, you want to get a dog?

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. Just to clarify.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: And so why only when you retire?

Jen Jacobs: I don't have the time or the bandwidth to dedicate to really being a great dog owner. And I feel like maybe when things slow down, our next door neighbor has a beautiful dog and they have a beautiful relationship. They're just buds. And you can tell they're both so enriched by being able to hang out with each other all day. And that's cool.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. I like that. Good. All right. When next?

Jen Jacobs: I don't know.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, I know. This is great.

Jen Jacobs: What about 26?

Japhet De Oliveira: 26. All right. Let's go to 26. Tell us about one thing that you love the most, people do not. So something that you love absolutely, but people do not.

Jen Jacobs: I think I already said painting the house.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, you did.

Jen Jacobs: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Not everybody enjoys painting. That's true.

Jen Jacobs: I feel like a lot of people love gardening. I love gardening. I don't have a good answer for this one. Oh, well, I mean, Pip.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, there you go.

Jen Jacobs: Okay. Something I enjoy, that other people might not, is getting inside of a six-foot penguin costume, sweating more than I've possibly ever sweat in my life, and stomping around in the penguin feet and just having a ball.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. Blessings to you. That was great. All right. Well we're at this point now where we have only time for two more. So what final two numbers do you want to go for? Do you want to tell me straightaway or do you want to choose one and then choose the other?

Jen Jacobs: Let's choose one.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay.

Jen Jacobs: And then the other.

Japhet De Oliveira: What's the first?

Jen Jacobs: Okay. The first is going to be, is there a question, like a number no one's ever picked before?

Japhet De Oliveira: I don't think so.

Jen Jacobs: Okay. Everyone's done everything?

Japhet De Oliveira: I don't know, actually, that's a really great question. No, I don't know. I'm thinking about 80 plus, 90 episodes. I'm trying...

Jen Jacobs: Yeah, they must have all been asked by now. How about, let's see, 38.

Japhet De Oliveira: 38. Right. Here we go. 38. If you needed encouragement, who would you call?

Jen Jacobs: My mom.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey. That's great.

Jen Jacobs: That's the easiest question in the world. Yeah, Mama J is the best mom. Sorry all other moms out there. But yes, she's just encouraging and warm and such a love. Yeah. She really has people magic for sure. And always says the right thing to make sure that you know that you are loved.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. Everybody needs that. Right? So then we are on our last number. What's the last number you'd like to pick?

Jen Jacobs: Have I done 48?

Japhet De Oliveira: 48, let's have a look at 48. No you haven't.

Jen Jacobs: Okay.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. 48. Tell us about your best personality trait.

Jen Jacobs: Unbridled optimism. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: So where did you get that from?

Jen Jacobs: I don't know.

Japhet De Oliveira: You don't know?

Jen Jacobs: I think it's innate.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah?

Jen Jacobs: I think it's just me. Pretty sure. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Jen Jacobs: People are like, oh, you're always so happy. And it's not that I'm always so happy, but I just think you get what you give. Right? And you can't buy enthusiasm. So if you bring that to the table, that energy, you can either be the light or reflect the light. Or you can try to do both. So yeah, let's be the light.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Jen Jacobs: Or on a tough day, reflect the light.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Jen Jacobs: Thanks.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good word for everybody. So thank you, Jen, for taking time.

Jen Jacobs: Thank you Japhet.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that was great. I want to encourage everybody who's listening to do the same thing. Meet someone, sit down, ask them good questions. Maybe like you want to do one day with grandmas. Just the ability to be able to learn from other people, it changes you, it changes them. We all grow for it, so do the same. God bless everybody. Thanks again, Jen.

Narrator: Thank you for joining us for the Story & Experience Podcast. We invite you to read, watch, and submit your story and experience at adventisthealth.org/story. The Story & Experience Podcast was bought to you by Adventist Health through the Office of Culture.