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 keeper, and Dan, who prepares people for their first time going to prison, and Jen – who works as a professional bridesmaid. You can scroll through all the back episodes and find those and a few more.

So today I’m speaking with Elaina. As a young person, she was hired to work at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World – as Mickey Mouse. You know, when you’re at Disney World, and you’re walking around trying to decide if you go ride the Space Mountain roller coaster, or take a break in the air conditioning and watch the Country Bear Musical Jamboree, and all of a sudden you see standing right in front of you is – Mickey Mouse. Waving, signing autographs, and just making people happy.

Yeah, that’s what Elaina did. She also played Minnie Mouse, and a few other characters sometimes. We talked about how she ended up getting that job, what it’s like to wear the costume, what would get you fired, and the celebrities she crossed paths with. And of course, what everyone wants to know about – the infamous tunnels UNDER Disney World. You’re gonna get all the behind-the-scenes stuff today.

And why is this episode titled “Elaina was FRIENDS with Mickey”? She’ll explain that too.

If you’d like to contact Elaina, she’s in the Facebook group -
https://WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/254

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

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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.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-324-the-hoarder-within-us-the-psychology-of/id1483941440?i=1000743021329

Meredith’s siphon pump:
https://a.co/d/09RqMx0O

Scott’s recommendation – find out if text was written by a human or by AI:

https://GPTzero.me

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 granted.

But what if you’re on foot, and your phone’s battery dies? Now you have nothing to tell you which direction to go, and you have no way to contact anyone for help. That’s what happened to John.

John told this story on the podcast about 7 years ago in one of the very early episodes. He was hiking in an area that he was not familiar with. And a hike in the deep woods that was only supposed to be a few hours turned into days.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/253

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:

Visit [www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS](http://www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS) or use gift code WHATWAS25 for a $25

credit toward your membership.

Visit [AuraFrames.com](http://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](http://ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS) to get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to [Quince.com/whatwas](http://Quince.com/whatwas) for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [**WHATWAS**] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - [MintMobile.com/WHAT](https://MintMobile.com/WHAT)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 of this is tipping. Here in the US, we tip service workers. In fact, I think the tipping culture has gotten way out of hand, but that’s a different story. But in other places around the world, they don’t expect a tip for good service. In fact, offering extra money for a job well done can be considered kind of an insult or even condescending.

My conversation today is with Blake. He’s a US citizen, so he was accustomed to the American way of thinking about a lot of things. Like, the concept that marijuana is not serious drug. And the idea of being innocent until proven guilty.

But while he was in South Korea, he discovered that they think very differently about these things.

Blake on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/allamericanruins/

abandoned: The All-American Ruins podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/abandoned-the-all-american-ruins-podcast/id1618595497

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/252

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TBXWNW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Meredith’s podcast is 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:

Visit [www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS](http://www.functionhealth.com/WHATWAS) or use gift code WHATWAS25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.

Visit [AuraFrames.com](http://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](http://ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS) to get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to [Quince.com/whatwas](http://Quince.com/whatwas) for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [**WHATWAS**] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - [MintMobile.com/WHAT](https://MintMobile.com/WHAT)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 emerges as someone very different than who he was before the shooting. He forges new, loving relationships with his wife and his daughter. And of course they love the “new” Henry. My guest today is Marcy. She’s a wife and a mother. She has first-hand experience with seeing someone change after a traumatic brain injury – it was her husband, Greg. He was not the same person. If you’d like to contact Marcy, she’s in the Facebook group – WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/251 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: 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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up. Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Neti Pot:
https://www.amazon.com/SinuCleanse-Relieves-Congestion-Allergies-All-Natural/dp/B000TFR6MG/ref=sr_1_1?th=1

Fenty Beauty Lip Balm:
https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Kissr-Luscious-Lip-Balm/dp/B09CPC591V/ref=sr_1_6?th=1

Use your digital ID in Apple Wallet:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/123719

Meredith’s podcast is 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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

My guest for this episode is one of my favorite people – my friend Margy. We’ve known each other for years through the podcast industry, and she actually told this story originally here on What Was That Like back in 2022. Lots of things have happened with Margy since then, so stick around til the end for an update from her.

Margy was an adult when her dad died. She came back home and saw the job that had to be done, and she channeled her grief into energy. And what seemed like an impossible challenge didn’t defeat her – rather, it made her unstoppable.

Margy’s company: Brainbased.com

Get a free 2-week trial of the membership site for nervous system healing: FreeNeuroTrial.com

Want podcast recommendations? Subscribe (free) to

https://podcastthenewsletter.substack.com/

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/250

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 them, “Hey, I’m pretty nervous about this”, they have ways to deal with it. They need to keep that passenger comfortable, and everyone on the plane safe.

One thing a fearful passenger can do is ask to meet the pilot. This might not always be possible, but in many cases the pilot is happy to meet a nervous flier and provide some reassurance. Then, a few minutes later when the plane is taking off, you can think “this feels a little scary, but I met the person who’s flying the plane, and they seemed to know what they’re doing”.

But takeoff is just the first part – you still have to get back to earth. What if the plane is landing, and no one – not even the pilot – knows that anything is wrong...

Until you hit the ground.

Full show notes for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/249

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Meredith’s episode with RDAP Dan:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/780fdeea/ep-220-or-prison-consultant-a-pill-mill-walkie-talkies-and-youtube

Meredith’s episode with Eric about drunk driving:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/48be1403/ep-37-or-from-eagle-scout-to-inmate

Scott’s dumbbell workout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnZyBg5cjUk&t=24s

Netflix show, Animal Control:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21376524/

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:

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 first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up.

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Try Mint Mobile for 3 months, for just 15 bucks a month - MintMobile.com/WHAT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices