What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People. – Details, episodes & analysis

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: [email protected] 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

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

Do you remember the stress of being a teenager? As an adult, you might look back on that time in your life with fondness. You had no bills to pay, and no worries about where to live, because you were still at home with your parents. You didn’t have to buy groceries – the food was just there. You could get a job if you wanted some extra spending money, but you didn’t really HAVE to work. Why didn’t we appreciate that time more? But in reality, teenagers DO worry about things. They worry about grades, and whether they’ll be able to get into a good college. And if they do get in, if they can afford it without racking up a ton of school loans. They stress about body image, and about fitting in with their group of friends, and sometimes there’s some family conflicts that can be part of the stress. Then there’s dating and relationships, and that’s a whole subject in itself. And on top of all that, they have the pressure of having to decide what they want to do with their life.  So in spite of the fond memories, being a teenager isn’t always easy. Today you’re going to hear my guest, Martine, talk about something she experienced when she was 16 years old. By all accounts, she was a teenager with a pretty good life. She lived in a decent house, with her parents and her sisters. She went to school and she hung out with friends. Life wasn’t perfect of course, but she was happy. She certainly wasn’t worried about her family’s home being invaded by armed men in the middle of the night. Until it happened. Twice. Martine’s website: https://MartineCadet.com Martine’s podcast: https://visualizeandcreate.lightcast.com/ This episode is sponsored by the Jordan Harbinger Show, one of my favorite podcasts: JordanHarbinger.com This episode is also sponsored by the Music City 911 podcast – real 911 calls analyzed by a veteran 911 dispatcher – search “Music City 911” on your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I know, you might be surprised to see What Was That Like show up in your podcast feed today. New podcast episodes come out on Fridays every two weeks, and today is not one of those “new episode” Fridays.  What I have for you today is a bonus episode, because I want to introduce you to another podcast that I think you’ll love, because I know how much you enjoy hearing people tell their very personal stories. I love those stories myself, which is why I’m subscribed to this show. The podcast is called The Secret Room, and it features anonymous guests revealing true stories – stories they’ve never told before. Sometimes it can be a tragic one, like witnessing the murder of someone you know. Or it might be about having a secret love affair with someone on death row. The variety of stories and topics are endless, because everyone has a secret. The host of the show is my friend Ben, and I think he and I are similar in a lot of ways. He’s very empathetic as the guests come on the show and talk about these things that are very personal to them. Ben and I talked about this idea, and we thought it would be nice to share each other’s podcast with our audience. I’ve only done this once before with another podcast, because I have to be 100% sure that the content I bring you is something I know you’ll enjoy. The Secret Room definitely meets that requirement.  So today you’ll hear Caroline’s story. When she was a kid, she accidentally discovered a shocking secret that her dad was keeping. What happened after she confronted him would change her world forever. If you like this episode, I encourage you to find The Secret Room on your favorite podcast app and subscribe. I’ll see you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most difficult things we go through in life is when a close friend or a family member dies. We all know it’s gonna happen to a lot of the people we know and love, but it’s still unpleasant, and uncomfortable, and sad. We even try to avoid using the word “die” – somehow it doesn’t sound quite so bad if we instead say, “they passed away”. But as awful as death can be, there are times when it’s actually a relief. What if your loved one has a terminal disease, and they’re just in pain all the time, and they know that their body is not going to heal? The idea of death, and the peaceful rest that it brings, can then be something that’s very appealing.  We’re talking today about medical assistance in dying. It’s also called assisted suicide. It’s something that brings welcome relief to people who are suffering. You’re about to hear my guest, Courtney, talk about her own experience with this matter. It wasn’t that long ago that she wasn’t really even familiar with this idea, or that it was even legal where she lives, which is in Canada. But now, she has personally observed how it works and how beneficial it can be. This is the heartbreaking, and wonderful, story of the choice that was made by Courtney’s mom. Courtney’s email: [email protected] This episode is sponsored by the Tapes from the Darkside podcast - https://www.tapesfromthedarkside.com/ This episode is also sponsored by the Smart Cleaning School podcast - https://www.smartcleaningschool.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m really happy to bring you this episode today, but it comes with a content warning, because it includes discussion of suicide. For a long time, I’ve wanted to have a story about hoarding. This is something I personally find really interesting. We’ve all seen pictures or videos of the inside of the home of someone who’s a hoarder. And of course, the reality TV show, Hoarders, puts it right out there. And everyone sees that and wonders, how does someone allow their environment to get to that point? And then I discovered Margy. She works in the podcast industry. I guess you could say I knew “of” her, and then later we became more connected because she’s a listener of this podcast, and I’ve watched what she’s been doing to achieve some amazing business success. When I found out that she had dealt with hoarding first hand, I knew I wanted to have her on the show. But what I love about this story is that it’s not just about the shocking reality of dealing with the hoarding issue. Some of the things Margy and I talk about are How she channeled grief into energy How a seemingly impossible challenge made her unstoppable The one unexpected thing that a lot of high achievers have in common And the bizarre name she came up with for her podcast Just before our conversation, you’ll hear a brief (1 minute) clip from the very first episode of Margy’s podcast. To contact Margy, DM her on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/heymargy Margy’s podcast:  We Get It, Your Dad Died https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-get-it-your-dad-died/id1565341223 Margy’s blog: https://margywithahardg.com This episode is sponsored by the DNA Today podcast – where you’ll learn about the amazing new developments in genetic technology. Listen on any podcast app or at DNAToday.com. This episode is also sponsored by BetterHelp – online counseling. Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve listened to this podcast for a while, you know we’ve covered a lot of pretty horrifying stories. Mass shootings, animal attacks, plane crashes – we’ve heard the first-hand stories of the people who have actually experienced those things.  And when we talk about those stories, we do talk about the tragedy of what happened, but I also like to include the positive side – how the guest recovered from it, what they learned, how they’re helping others who might have gone through a similar situation. No matter how bad something was, there’s almost always a positive aspect in the story, and I try to make sure we find that. Well, today’s episode is different. No one dies, no one has a limb torn off, nothing like that. Every so often I like to have a guest on who has a really unusual occupation. You probably remember when I talked to Spence about his job as a modern day lighthouse keeper. I also talked to Dan, who consults with white collar criminals and prepares them as they’re about to go to prison for the first time. I love hearing about unusual jobs like this. And I know you do too – because I always get really positive feedback about those episodes. Today’s guest is Jen. She has an unusual job, and it’s in the wedding industry. She goes to the wedding rehearsals, the wedding itself, the reception afterwards – she’s involved in all of that. But the thing is, most of the people at the wedding don’t even know she is being paid to be there. In a lot of cases, only the bride knows – because the bride is who hired her.  Jen makes her living as a professional bridesmaid. Jen’s websites: www.bridesmaidforhire.comwww.jenglantz.comwww.finallythebride.com Jen’s books: Always a Bridesmaid for HireAll My Friends are EngagedFinally the Bride Instagram: www.instagram.com/jenglantz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenglantz Twitter: www.twitter.com/jenglantz TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bridesmaidforhire Podcast: You’re Not Getting Any Younger This episode is sponsored by the Jordan Harbinger Show, a podcast I’ve subscribed to for years – JordanHarbinger.com/START. This episode is also sponsored by the Total Life Freedom Mastermind community – collaborate with experts to grow your business or side hustle – TotalLifeFreedom.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These days, snowboarding is really popular in the colder climates, and of course everyone knows what it is. But it’s actually a relatively new sport, especially when compared to traditional snow skiing. The very first snow skis are dated all the way back to around 8000 BCE, and were found in northern China. They were basically long pieces of wood, like 6 feet, which is about 2 meters, and were covered with horsehair. Snowboards, on the other hand, have come about much more recently. Jake Burton is known as the “father of snowboarding”, and he recalled back when he discovered there was this new, unconventional way to move on snow. Those first primitive things were called “snurfers”. The first ski resort to even allow snowboarders to share the mountain with skiers was in Vermont, and that was just in 1983. Snowboarding has continued to grow in popularity, and it just became an Olympic sport in 1998. My guest today is Evan, and he loves to snowboard. He and his wife Kahlynn lived in northern California, they’re young and athletic, and they would go several times a year. It was pretty much their favorite way to spend a weekend outdoors. But there was this one Friday morning on the mountain that Evan remembers in detail, because he almost didn’t come home. You can contact Evan by email: [email protected] This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp – online counseling. Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS. This episode is sponsored by Ghostbed – get 30% off sitewide at Ghostbed.com/WHAT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EMTs and other first responders see a lot of things. Sometimes, they arrive on scene and find a situation that they never expected to see. In Port Orange, Florida, paramedics were called to the scene of a car accident on Interstate 95. Only one car was involved. When they arrived, they discovered that something had crashed through the windshield of the car and hit the driver in the head. That “something” was still inside the car. It was a large turtle. The driver of the car survived, and surprisingly, so did the turtle. And then there are a lot of situations where first responders show up, and there’s nothing they can do. Accidents happen, and people die in a large variety of ways. Chrissy is a Paramedic, and she has a video where she talks about the variety of calls she has been on. Some of the things she’s seen are pretty traumatizing. You can see her full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2svI1Ofr9A So paramedics are pretty much trained to expect the unexpected. But still, there are some things you would never even dream of happening. My guest today is Kennedy, a teenage girl from Idaho. She was in a rollover car crash, and while the car was rolling she was thrown out. That in itself is not really that unusual – when you’re not wearing a seat belt, it’s very likely that you’re going to be flung out of the car with great force. What makes Kennedy’s story very different is where she ended up. Kennedy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_kickitkenny_9/ Kennedy on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_kickitkenny_9 This episode is sponsored by Ghostbed – get 30% off sitewide at Ghostbed.com/WHAT. This episode is also sponsored by the Jordan Harbinger Show, a podcast I’ve subscribed to for years – JordanHarbinger.com/START. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices