MEGA Q&A video (a few paraphrased answers I wrote down while listening on 1.5 x speed..lol)
Q: What fashion trend predictions do you make for 2022?
A: We are not the people to be asking. We’re both wearing sweatpants. We do not follow fashion trends, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. (Shane) I think wide pants are making a comeback.
Q: Best memory of 2021 (non-wedding related)?
A: (Shane) Being surprised by family visiting for his birthday.
(Hannah) Florida vacation in Feb 2021.
Q: All-time favorite books?
A: (Hannah) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
(Shane) The Goldfinch or Catcher in the Rye
Q: New Year’s Resolutions?
A: (Shane) Hydrate better.
(Hannah) Learn to play piano.
Q: If you were a character from The Office, who would you be?
A: (Hannah) Stanley, because he doesn’t socialize
(Shane) Creed, because of his off-the-wall humor
Q: Does SMA cause chronic pain for Shane? (17:00)
A: SMA doesn’t cause pain directly. I am not in pain right now, but if pressure sores happen and things like that will happen and cause pain on an ongoing basis.
Q: Why did you decide to live with Hannah’s parents? (19:00)
A: We were over eating dinner at their house almost every day. Since we are preparing to have kids (maybe this coming year), we wanted to live closer to them. It makes financial sense for us all to share a house. We have separate wings.
(They aren’t sure if they’ll include their future children in their videos, but they have talked about the subject a lot.)
At around the 31:00 - 32:00 mark Hannah expresses annoyance towards their audience for never asking how Shane manages self-care, even though she is always asked how she manages it as his care-giver. You’d think they’d want to know, “how does he deal with me?” She says and they laugh. “Trust me, I could write a book” Shane says, but doesn’t elaborate.
Q: How do you deal with the power dynamics of a caregiver/disabled relationship? (35:00)
A: (Hannah) Shane is quite forceful, so it hasn’t really been an issue. Sometimes I will suggest something I think he should do (not drink another beer, or wear a coat outside), but if Shane doesn’t agree he automatically wins.
(Shane) If she forced a coat onto me that would be a very bad thing. Hannah has never forced her will on me that way. It wouldn’t work, because then I wouldn’t have autonomy.
^ This was interesting and I am glad they talked about it. They also talked about mistakes that happen in caregiving, and how they deal with it through humor.
Q: What is difficult about adulting?
A: Hannah’s answer supports the possibility she might be on the spectrum, as she says she doesn’t have the energy or time management skills to do household maintenance and other projects she’d like to do around the house.
I left out some of the Qs&As, but that’s most of it...
I found this thread after they bought their mansion, because I thought it was weird how much they complained about finances not long before that and I felt a bit duped since I live below the poverty line and am disabled myself. I’m not convinced they’re conscious liars/con-artists, but perhaps a bit entitled and lack self-awareness generally? Hard to say for sure, though.
I do think they would come across better if they focused 80% of their comments directly in response to fans in a grateful and positive way, and only 20% MAXIMUM complaining about their “haters.”
They have so much to be grateful for because of their supportive fanbase, and it would make sense for them to focus on appreciation.
I’m autistic, and it wouldn’t surprise me if you guys are right about that theory of Hannah maybe being on the spectrum (I do think their relationship is real, though). Having had a long-term long distance relationship myself, with another aspie who isn’t disabled the way I am, their story was always relatable to me so I found it plausible honestly... Writing/texting is always an easier way for me to get to know people (none of those pesky non-verbal communication signals lol). And to speculate about their relationship, I would guess Shane is the one who has the stronger emotional skillset and that Hannah relies upon it to help her regulate. But who really knows... They don’t get that vulnerable on YouTube.
And I appreciate reading the other theories. Lol.
Thank you all for entertaining me during this stressful year.
Happy New Year!
(I’ll go back to enjoying lurking now.)