What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.

A lot of people have a serious fear – they can’t stand the feeling of being trapped in some way.

And really, there are a variety of ways this can present itself. It could be a really crowded, small room where the exits are not easy to access. Or it could be when you’re on your back and going into an MRI machine and the top surface is like an inch from your face. Some people fear being in a stuck elevator.

I remember having that feeling in high s...

Every other 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 group or singer did you see at your first concert?

Links for this episode:

What color are Scott’s shorts?

(see the photo in the episode notes)

Rodney Atkins:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Atkins

Scott tells a story: September 11 escapes

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Tr...

Please note that this episode of What Was That Like has a content warning, for discussion of suicide.

Do you remember when you were seven years old?

At that age, your biggest concerns are playing with your friends, learning new things at school, riding your bike, and what to put on your Christmas list. At least that’s how it is for a lot of kids.

And that’s pretty much how it was for Tracie, who you’re about to hear from. She got al...

Every other 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 the best surprise you've ever received?

Links for this episode:

Meredith’s episode on PSI:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7b964c6f/ep-343-developing-psychic-abilities-in-a-world-on-fire-is-this-really-that-important

Dr Dean Radin on the best evidence for Psi:

https://youtu.be/6XN...

I’ve never had to testify in court. If I’m ever in a courtroom, I hope it will be as a juror. That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still hopeful.

For many people, having to appear in court, in front of a judge, and a jury, and maybe a room full of people, can be really nerve-wracking. Every word you say is going into the official record, and you’re under oath – what if you say something wrong, or you remember something incorrectly? There could be a lot at stake, and it could dep...

Some people are just not able to handle being put in the Friend Zone.

It’s a pretty common thing. Two people meet by circumstance. Maybe they’re college students who have a class together, or they could be co-workers in an office. They get to know each other, and they become really good friends. They end up spending a lot of time hanging out together outside of work or school. They develop a close relationship, maybe even confiding in each other and having some deep conversations.

Then there’s a pr...

Every other 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 your most memorable vacation?

Links for this episode:

Disclosure Day trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCYT8vb2siQ

Carnival cruise to Cozumel:

https://www.carnival.com/cruise-to/mexico-cruises/cozumel-cruises#

Disney adults:

I have something brand new for you today.

I have started a new storytelling podcast!

The new show is called Did I Hear That Right? And I’m co-hosting it with my friend Glenn.

For this new podcast, each episode we’re gonna have a guest come on and tell the story of something they’ve done, that most other people have never done. And these stories are all crazy, and they’re fun to listen to. No traumatic stories like animal attacks, nothing like tha...

I want to tell you about my friend Larry.

Larry is pretty well known in the podcast world as a content creator, a consultant, and a subject matter expert for journalists. I’ve seen lots of times where he’s appeared on local and national TV shows, talking about podcasting as well as AI – he’s been on the forefront of how to use AI for personal and business productivity. And he’s been a sought-after keynote speaker at lots of organizations where he talks about these things.

A few years...

Every other 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 a time when you wish you had spoken up?

Links for this episode:

Lactaid:

https://www.lactaid.com/

Cabot cheese:
https://cabotcreamery.com/

Fred gets his mower:
https://youtu.be/4X61n8bNl0...

One of my favorite movies is Twelve Angry Men.

The original was made in 1957 starring Henry Fonda, then it was remade for TV in 1997 starring Jack Lemmon. It’s a true-crime courtroom drama, but most of the action takes place in the jury deliberation room for a murder trial. I think both versions are pretty good.

But we know how Hollywood likes to play up the drama and the theatrics, and what we see on the screen is entertaining, but not always very accurate.

Wo...

I’ve never had an injury that was serious enough to be what I would think of as “life changing” but some people have. It’s a pretty deep idea to think about.

I came across this post online recently. Here’s what this woman wrote:

I experienced a life changing injury 6 months ago, which has left me very physically disabled and in excruciating pain 24/7. I am waiting for scans in the next month, after being refused medical care in the country where I was injured, but it is likely the...

Every other 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 the best surprise you've ever arranged?

Links for this episode:

There actually is a podcast called Rebeccamendations (but the most recent episode was 3 years ago) -

https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZmgyCh0mRyql7crPTUevr

Cowboy artist Ed Quigley - https...

Utsa

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This is Scott, host of the show.

On most episodes of What Was That Like, we talk to a regular person who has been through something extremely unusual – like a rattlesnake bite, a plane crash, a housefire rescue – we have more than 250 episodes with those kinds of stories.

Today’s episode has several incredible stories, but it’s a little different.

You may have heard me talk about the Raw Audio episodes. These are exclusive, bonus episodes that are only available to listeners who support...

Every other 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 makes you CRINGE every time you hear someone say it?

Links for this episode:

Voxer -

https://www.voxer.com/

Walmart Plus -

https://www.walmart.com/plus

Meredith’s podcast is The Curious In...

Do you remember the TV show called Locked Up Abroad? It’s no longer in active production, but you can still see past seasons on some different platforms like Hulu and Apple TV.

Every episode of the show was a true story of someone who was traveling outside their own country. Actually I seem to recall that most of the people were Americans traveling outside the US. And they would make a really bad decision to do something like trying to smuggle drugs or other illegal things into this other country. And of course th...

I have two children, one boy and one girl. Actually they’re not children, they’re adults and they’re on their own now of course.

But I still have a couple of young lives that I’m responsible for. I’m talking about my two dogs, Lilly and Fenway, they are both Yorkies, and obviously I would do anything for those little pups. They’re actually getting up there in dog years now – they’re 12 and 13. But they’re in good health so far, we go for a walk twice a day, and they still love ch...

Every other 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 nicest thing a stranger has done for you?

Links for this episode:

The Wet Taco:

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Wet-Taco-61552268228210/

Just Watch:
https://JustWatch.com

Be My Eyes:

https://www.bemyeyes...

Dalia wanted everything for herself but one thing was in the way: her husband Michael.

Sponsor deals:

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Go to ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS to get 30% of...

Have you ever had a really big vision of doing something, and then the way it turned out was actually very different from what you had planned?

I think this is almost universal for us as humans. Think back to when you were a teenager. You probably had some ideas about becoming an adult and what that would look like. What kind of career you might have, or not. Finding a partner if you wanted one. Thinking about being a parent, or not having kids at all.

A lot...

Every other 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 an animal you'd love as a pet - even if it's unrealistic?

Links for this episode:

The Earth Species Project – decoding the language of other animals:

https://earthspecies.org/

The Magic To-Do List:

https://goblin.tools/ToDo

Today’s episode deals with a controversial question: Should a person be legally allowed to get medical assistance to end their own life?

And keep in mind, this usually pertains to someone who is terminally ill, and who is also mentally and emotionally stable enough to make that decision on their own.

Here in the US, most states still do not allow it. But Medical Assistance in Dying is legal in all of Canada. That’s where Courtney lives.

Courtney told this amazing story on t...

One of the things that makes this life so interesting is that something can happen that’s life-changing, when you least expect it.

I mean, you’re just going about your day – stopping at the grocery store, or putting gas in your car, just a routine day. Then something totally unexpected happens, right in front of you.

I remember one time when I was just on my way to work in the morning. Just driving on this rural road in Maine, and there was a pickup truck in front of me...

Every other 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 makes you weird?

Links for this episode:

Meredith’s episode on circumcision:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-310-american-circumcision-preference-or-cultural/id1483941440?i=1000727817532

A scene from Friends without the laughtrack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgKgXehYnnw

The Army claims LaVena Johnson took her own life. The evidence suggests otherwise.

Sponsor deals:

Visit www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS or use gift code WHATWAS25 for a $25

credit toward your membership.

Visit AuraFrames.com and use promo code WHATWAS at checkout to get $45 off.

If you’re 21 or older, get 25% OFF your first order + free shipping @IndaCloud with code [WHATWAS] at https://inda.shop/[WHATWAS]! #indacloudpod

Go to ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS to get 30% off your fi...

Today’s episode is a little different.

If you’re a regular listener to the show, you know that usually we hear a story from a regular person about something they’ve experienced that was extremely unusual. We have over 250 episodes like that – plane crashes, mass shootings, animal attacks, and lots more. And it’s not all trauma stories – we have some happy ones too.

But sometimes we change it up, and I have a guest on who has a really unusual job. I’ve talked to Spence, who’s a lighthouse k...

Every other 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 you and your spouse/partner will NEVER agree on?

Links for this episode:

Curious Introvert episode about dating in midlife:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-318-dating-in-midlife-where-have-all-the-good-men/id1483941440?i=1000737048315

Curious Introvert episode about hoarders:
https://podcasts...

Technology is making it more and more difficult to get lost.

Right now, I’m here in my home in Florida. I could pull out my phone, type in any random address in, say, Washington state – the other end of the country. Roughly 3,000 miles away. And within a few seconds, I would have turn by turn audio directions that would enable me to drive directly to that address. I know, GPS isn’t always perfect, but it’s really an amazing example of technology. And usually it works so smoothly that we just take it for g...

There’s a funny thing about being an American.

I’ve seen this with some people I know, as well as some of the guests here on the podcast. Living in the United States, it’s easy to have the mindset that the way we do things is the way the rest of the world does things. Unless you travel to other countries regularly, and get exposed to other cultures, that’s kind of the default thought for a lot of people.

An example...

Every other 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 is the worst second hand embarrassment you've ever felt?

Links for this episode:

DC video in CVS - https://youtube.com/shorts/okIKTmzebVo

Meredith’s nail polish:

https://www.essie.com/nail-polish/longwear

Scott’s Drip Dry recommendation:

Chelsea Perkins created a bizarre plan for murder. But it wasn’t foolproof.

Sponsor deals:

Visit www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS or use gift code WHATWAS25 for a $25

credit toward your membership.

Visit AuraFrames.com and use promo code WHATWAS at checkout to get $45 off.

If you’re 21 or older, get 25% OFF your first order + free shipping @IndaCloud with code [WHATWAS] at https://inda.shop/[WHATWAS]! #indacloudpod

Go to ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS to get...

If your brain changes, are you still the same person? That was the question behind a 1991 movie titled Regarding Henry. In that film, Harrison Ford played the part of Henry Turner. Henry was a wealthy New York City lawyer. He was also narcissistic, uncaring, and even a little unethical sometimes. He got what he wanted and he didn’t care who was in the way. One night he stops into a convenience store and accidentally interrupts an armed robbery. Henry gets shot in the head, but somehow survives. But he has damage to his brain. As he recovers, he slowly em...

Every other 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 annoying thing people do in public?

Links for this episode:

Meredith hates Axe cologne:
https://www.amazon.com/AXE-Fragrance-Collection-Premium-Deodorant/dp/B0CTB125V1/ref=sr_1_6

Life Kit podcast episode about nail care:
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/12/nx-s1-5711411/dont-mess-with-your-cuticles-and-other-nail-advice

Ne...

Today’s episode has a content warning for discussion of suicide.

Have you ever seen pictures or video of a hoarder house, and just wondered, what is going on?

I mean, everyone has a different tolerance level for clutter. But hoarding is not just an issue of having a messy living environment. It’s actually classified as a distinct mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association says hoarding is characterized by a persistent, intense inability to discard possessions – leading to significant clutter, distress, and impairment in daily living.

For a lot of people, flying is a really scary thing.

And that fear can come from a few different factors. You’ve heard stories about planes that have crashed (even though it’s rare). You’re gonna be in this metal tube a few miles above the ground. And you’re putting your life in the hands of people you don’t even know.

Part of flight attendant training is learning how to handle a passenger who has anxiety about flying. If someone steps on to the plane and tells...

Every other 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 irrational fear?

Links for this episode:

Ear Hustle podcast:

https://www.earhustlesq.com/

Inside True Crime Podcast with Matt Cox:

https://insidetruecrime.com/

Dan prepares people for prison:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/51 <...

The MS Estonia sank, and many people died. But what really happened that night?

Sponsor deals:

Visit AuraFrames.com and use promo code WHATWAS at checkout to get $45 off.

If you’re 21 or older, get 25% OFF your first order + free shipping @IndaCloud with code [WHATWAS] at https://inda.shop/[WHATWAS]! #indacloudpod

Go to ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS to get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free sh...

Sometimes, technology can almost seem like magic. That’s how I think sometimes about cell phones.

I mean, you can just pull a little device out of your pocket, tap a couple of things on the screen, and suddenly you’re talking in real time to some other person, who can be anywhere in the world? I know we take this for granted now, but it’s pretty amazing.

There was a little trick I used to do sometimes, with Skype. Remember Skype? Back in the day, it was pretty...