What Was That Like - a storytelling podcast with amazing stories from real people

When you’re early in life, growing up, whatever you experience is what you consider to be normal. For example, when I was a kid, our family would go to church every Sunday. We knew everyone there, I had lots of friends there, and there was always a big crowd of people. So naturally, I just kind of assumed that everyone, on Sunday mornings, would be in a church somewhere. But it was kind of a disconnect when we’d be in the car on Sunday, and we might drive past a park or a boat marina, and I’d see people getting their boat ready to go out on the water. And I’d think, how does that work? Maybe they go to a different church that meets later, or something? I couldn’t put those pieces together, because what I thought was the norm wasn’t the norm for everyone. My guest today, Mayson, also had a childhood that was different from many other kids. From the time she was a baby, she and her mother would go and visit her dad on weekends – in prison. And since that was all she had ever know, she assumed that’s what everyone did. Her eyes were opened on her 12th birthday, and you’re about to hear that story. And toward the end of our conversation, Mayson revealed something that she only just discovered as a result of coming on this podcast. If you’d like to ask Mayson a question, or leave her a comment about her story, she’s in the WWTL podcast Facebook group (along with about 8000 other listeners, and many of the previous guests of the show) - WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/192 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Sign up today at https://butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What’s your best find at a yard sale or thrift store? Links for this episode: eBay: https://ebay.com Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Sign up today at https://butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, it’s an off week for the podcast, but here I am anyway. This is Scott Johnson, and you’re listening to What Was That Like. Usually I have a guest on to talk about something really unusual that they experienced – like having their arm torn off, or being buried in an avalanche, or witnessing a murder. The guest comes on and tells the details of what happened. And there are more than 190 episode to binge with those amazing stories. But today is a different kind of amazing story! Today’s a bonus episode. As you might know, the last three Fridays have been personal stories of people who survived the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Those are really important stories to share, to make sure we never forget what happened on that day. But after three weeks of tragedy and trauma, I thought it would be nice to have a FUN episode. And this one fits that bill perfectly. Today you’re going to hear from a mother, Kiona, and her oldest daughter, Kavina. Kiona is a birth worker, and she’s been involved with or witnessed more than 140 births. She has a podcast called Birth As We Know It, where guests come on and tell their stories about birth. Well – in one of her episodes, Kiona interviewed her daughter Kavina, who was just 9 years old at the time of their conversation. When she was 4, Kavina was present for the birth of her younger brother, Kairo. And when she was 8, Kavina actually caught her little sister, Katana, as she was born. So today, you’ll hear Kiona’s podcast episode where she talked with little Kavina about what it was like for each of those experiences. I can tell you up front, this conversation will make you smile. In the show notes I’ll have pictures of Kiona with her husband Kumar and all their children (yes, everyone in their family has a name that starts with K – including their dogs Kobe and Koko). So I hope you enjoy this adorable mother-daughter conversation. And afterward, I spoke with each of them briefly because you know I always have some questions. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/191 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well). Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11. Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country. This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. Today is the third and final episode in this series, and we hear from Guy. Guy was an EMS Supervisor for a private ambulance company. He talks of co-workers that were literally pulled from the rubble, those who are still missing, and those who left spouses and children behind. We’ll have pictures of some of his co-workers in the episode notes. Guy also has ongoing health issues as a result of his time spent at Ground Zero. But he doesn’t regret rushing toward danger, and he would do it again if needed. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/190 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What’s the most useless thing you still have memorized? Links for this episode: Meredith’s episode with Jehovah’s Witness: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/79a56504/ep-228-or-confessions-of-a-teenage-jesus-jerk-purity-culture-and-finding-your-weirdos-remastered Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5634962/ The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren: https://www.amazon.com/Language-Schoolchildren-Review-Books-Classics/dp/0940322692 Mechanized Death: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XquWdKBz2H0 Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11. Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country. This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. Today, in the second episode of the series, we’ll hear from Tim. Tim was a New York City firefighter for 18 years, and when 9/11 happened, he was working for Mayor Giuliani, handling major emergencies. So when those planes hit the towers, Tim wasn’t just someone who happened to be on the scene. He was one of those actually in charge. The things he saw that day make his story one of the most compelling ones I’ve had on this podcast. He originally told this story here a few years ago, and it’s one of the most popular episodes on the show. And after you listen, I’d love to hear what YOU think of it. 9/11 video – escaping debris: https://youtu.be/TlBTyI71FMw Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/189 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11. Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country. This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. Today, in the first episode of the series, we’ll hear from Joan. She and her husband lived in lower Manhattan. On the morning of 9/11, Joan was at work a few miles away from the disaster. But her husband was still at home, just a block from the Twin Towers, and he had no idea what had just happened. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/188 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What was that time when you thought you might actually die? Links for this episode: The DARE program – effective, or not? https://youtu.be/6WMHuWMVNY0?si=t5arFWeg0ZAEW58p Sober Powered podcast with Jill Tietz: https://www.soberpowered.com/episodes Heimlich Maneuver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CgtIgSyAiU Jane Boroski and the Connecticut River Valley Killer – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_River_Valley_Killer List of fatal crowd crushes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_crowd_crushes The DOOM video game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game) Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don’t go to the local mall very often. But when I need something that’s only sold at one of those stores there, I make a trip to the mall. And there’s something that happens almost every time. Since the store I need to visit is usually at the other end, I have to walk down the main aisle. As I make my way through the mall, there are stores on my left and right of course. But there are also now the kiosks in the middle, from one end of the mall to the other. These set-ups are cheaper than having a full retail walk-in store. And every time I’m walking, there’s a perfume dealer. And there will be one or two salespeople trying to flag people down and check out a free sample of some kind of perfume and get you to buy some. They’re usually going after the female shoppers and you can see that women try to walk by and not make eye contact. No one wants to be approached by a sales person. Whenever I see someone like that, I always think, “Wow, that has to be the worst job in the world. Nothing but rejection for 40 hours a week.” But there are people who do that same kind of thing – and they aren’t in the mall. In fact, they aren’t even getting paid. It’s the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I see them all the time, with their bookshelf and their literature, set up on street corners, in a public park, on the side of a bike or walking trail. Just standing there trying to get someone to stop and talk to them, so they can hopefully recruit them into joining. Some of them still go out knocking on doors even. Stephan was one of those people. But today you’ll hear how he finally was able to get away from that group, and what he lost – and gained - as a result of that decision. Also – Stephan is part of the team that creates a podcast that I subscribe to, and we’ll talk about that toward the end of our conversation. If you’d like to contact Stephan, his email is: StephanTheBlackSheep@gmail.com Check out the Multispective podcast at Multispective.org. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/187 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What's something that happened at work that you'll never forget? Links for this episode: Watch what a Mento does when put in Coke (warning – grandma’s language): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVQbTpsPR0Q Meredith’s episode 152 about the Psychic Marine: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/794702c5/ep-152-or-psychic-marines Meredith’s episode about homelessness and incarceration is not live yet, but it will be linked here: Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a phrase that’s very common in certain situations. “Sorry for your loss” We hear it at funerals, we see it in sympathy cards, we might even read it in an email or a text message. It’s kind of just the standard line that people say to those who are grieving after a close friend or a loved one passes away. It doesn’t really take away any of the pain, but it let’s them know that they’re supported and loved. But when it’s a parent mourning the loss of a child, saying “sorry for your loss” seems terribly inadequate. The pain and the heartache is just too big. It’s overwhelming. Suffocating. That commonly used phrase just falls way short, when the pain of the parent is so massive. That’s how Travis felt when his teenage son, Brandon, passed away after having an asthma attack. We’ve had multiple episodes with a parent talking about the loss of a child, but Travis was the first one. This is a Flashback episode. And in the update conversation after the story, Travis told me that now they aren’t completely convinced that it was asthma that took Brandon. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/186 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do if a crime was committed, and you know who did it? Here’s an example, think about this. You’re on your lunch break at work, but you’re at your desk. You’re just scrolling through Facebook, and you see that the local police are searching for someone who recently committed an armed robbery. When you read the details, you can see the name of the person they’re looking for – and it’s one of your co-workers. You look at the picture in the police bulletin, and yes – they are trying to find this person who works at the same place you do – in fact you can look up from your phone and see him sitting at his desk, just 30 feet away. This person is your friend. You’ve worked together for years. Your kids have played together. But you have a decision to make. Do you call the police, and tell them exactly where they can find this person? Would you consider that a betrayal of your friendship? My guest today is Justine. She found herself in a situation kind of like that. She knew what this person did, she knew police were looking for him, and she knew exactly where they could find him. Except in her case, the crime that was committed was murder. And the person being hunted by police was her brother. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/185 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What's a common smell you can't stand? Links for this episode: Gross tasting Jelly Bellys – https://www.jellybelly.com/weird-wild-and-gross-jelly-beans/c/289 Meredith episode about medical cannabis: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/4992ecb6/ep-65-or-medical-cannabis-patient-and-officers-wife-stigma-vs-reality-through-the-eyes-of-a-busy-business-woman Meredith episode about the International Church of Cannabis – https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/5013520c/ep-120-or-holy-smoke-the-international-church-of-cannabis Meredith and the Weed Nuns – https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7a990184/ep-146-or-are-weed-nuns-blasphemous-celibacy-moon-cycles-and-cbd Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After you’ve been parenting for more than a few years, there’s something you learn. The way you communicate with your child changes as the child gets older. When you say something to a toddler, you don’t usually need to provide all the logic and reasoning with it. At that stage they are absorbing information like a sponge, and you’re the primary source of all their new knowledge. But when they get to the teenage years, it’s a different story. At that point, they might question your advice. So a lot of times, as a parent of a teenager, you might find yourself walking that thin line – you don’t want to just tell them what to do with the “because I said so” logic, because that could just push them farther in the wrong direction. But you also don’t want to see them make a big mistake that could have serious consequences. That’s kind of the spot Heidi was in, with her daughter Emali. Emali was with a boy, and Heidi was trying to get her to understand that he was not the one for her. He was controlling and abusive. Emali did realize that eventually, but when she tried to leave, she sadly didn’t make it. So Heidi is telling the story of her daughter Emali – who she sometimes refers to by her middle name, Renee – so that others might recognize that situation earlier, and get away. If you have a question or comment for Heidi, she’s in the Facebook group. Come over and join over 7500 other listeners in our amazing discussions – WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. If you’re in an abusive situation, you can call or text for help: National Domestic Violence Hotline – thehotline.org – 1-800-799-7233 or text to 88788 Heidi created this GoFundMe to help with expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-hands-for-elianna-rebuilding-life-after-tragedy Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/184 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: If you and your spouse/partner had to switch jobs tomorrow morning with no training, which of you would get fired first? Links for this episode: Meredith’s episode about epistocracy: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7eccdbaa/ep-235-or-epistocracy-should-we-be-protected-from-uninformed-voters Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/whatwas and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize. From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time. Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at Wondery.fm/Hysterical_WWTL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I think accidentally dialing a wrong number is probably the most random way for two human beings to get connected. Even if just for a few seconds. I mean, think about it. There’s you, and then there’s this other person who you don’t know, and because you dialed a number that was just one digit off, the two of you are now speaking to each other. Granted, those conversations are usually pretty short. It’s probably not the most effective way to meet new people and make new friends. But one time, a young man named Henry saw his phone buzz with a text message. The message he saw there was clearly not meant for him. It was from a woman named Kasey, who he didn’t even know. Today you’ll hear what happened after that life-changing text. Kasey told this story years ago here on the podcast. In today’s Flashback episode, you’ll hear our original conversation, and then an update from Kasey on what’s happened since then. And it’s a lot. The Winter Fireplace app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/winter-fireplace/id1041703579 Kasey’s website: https://kaseybergh.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kasey.bergh Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kasey.bergh/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasey-bergh-543a505/ Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/183 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/whatwas and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The science of medicine has come a long way in the area of how we manage pain. In the mid to late 1800s, there was a product called Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup. It was sold to parents as a way to alleviate the constant crying of their babies, particularly when a baby is going through the painful teething process. And it definitely calmed down those infants – possibly because the main ingredient was morphine. Another medication, popular for treating coughing and diarrhea, was opium. And when Coca-Cola was first launched, it had two main ingredients: caffeine and cocaine. I guess it’s no wonder that one of their ad slogans was “a Coke and a smile”! Of course, now we know better. Doctors and scientists have realized that not everything that helps with pain is necessarily something that’s good for you. But even modern day pain medication, stuff that’s supposed to be safe to use, can cause big problems for some people. One of those people is my guest today, Frank. His experience with pain meds took him down a very dark path, and he didn’t see any way out. Until one day, when he got a surprise at work. You can contact Frank by email: francisskey.062588@gmail.com Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helpline: 800-662-4357 National Drug Helpline: 844-289-0879 Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/182 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/whatwas and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: When you're playing the icebreaker game "Tell a fun or odd fact about yourself" - what do you say? Links for this episode: Meredith episode about curse words: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/78996692/ep-149-or-what-makes-a-curse-word-a-curse-word-swearing-science Popping out your eyeball (don’t do this): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Yrppn-UXY Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/whatwas and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember one of my first Airbnb experiences. I was traveling just here in Florida, and I had to stay one night on the other side of the state – in Delray Beach. I picked out a room, and reserved it, and waited for the host to approve it. Back then, I didn’t have much history so there weren’t many other hosts who could confirm that I was a good guest. But it got approved. And when I got there, I found out the host was an older woman – and I was her very first guest. And she was so nice! She actually cooked me a full meal, and I helped her out with some computer issues she was having, and we hit it off nicely. But still, I couldn’t help thinking – that night, I was sleeping in one room, and she was sleeping in the room right down the hallway from mine, and it just seemed like it was kind of a dangerous thing for her to do, since she didn't know me. And apparently her friends had some concerns too. The next morning, while we were eating breakfast, she said one of her friends called her first thing that morning and asked, “So he didn’t murder you or anything?” That was years ago, but now, it’s just a common thing – you rent a room in someone’s house, you get a place to sleep, they make some money, and everyone’s happy. At least that’s how it usually works. My guest today, Evi, was traveling as a young single woman, and ended up staying with a family in exchange for doing a little bit of work for them. And after staying there one night, she made a horrifying discovery. HelpX: https://www.helpx.net/ Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/181 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: To listen to THE 82% series, follow THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/whatwas and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices