In this Episode: High school is hard enough, but what do you do when a gym teacher threatens to expose a secret? Mary faced that challenge, and managed to fight it with a new found superpower. We then hear from Brandon who, on a whim, took a trip to Peru that had him facing some serious fears. Let's just say he may or may have not eaten a rat.

Episode 83: Building a Backbone

Tell The Bartender is a storytelling podcast hosted by Katharine Heller

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Comedy

 In this Episode:    After taking mushrooms before a comedy show and ending up barefoot in "Tetanus City™" while on the phone with his soon to be ex, Calvin knew something was happening to him emotionally. And that's only the beginning. Calvin shares what helped him during this time, all while making The Bartender laugh/cry. Plus, a Survivor season 1 spoiler. 

Episode 116: Opening The Emotional Box One Panel At A Time (AKA The "Waterloo Sunrise")

 In this very special episode, The Bartender and her sister Caroline deconstruct one of the greatest albums from their childhood, (and really, in the entire world,) Cabbage Patch Dreams. They go through song by song and celebrate at the end by performing the crucial duet from Side 2. Difficult harmonies are attempted. Past sibling rivalry is discussed, and healing begins.   Then Michael John Improta carries the theme of childhood trauma and joy by talking about things he feared as a kid. Namely, his prank-playing stepfather.  

Episode 115: Cabbage Patch Dreams/Nightmares

In this Episode: Rod and Karen met in elementary school, have been together since they were 16 and married in 2002. They talk about their teenage courtship, and Rod has a story about something serious that happened at his high school. (CN: Discussion of sexual assault). Then The Bartender talks with Ash, whose relatives go back generations in the cigar business. She talks about her family, and then gives a masterclass in all things cigars.

Episode 114: Smoking Hot Love, And The Love Of Smoking

Forest Ray was an Army medic in Iraq at the beginning of the war. He talks with The Bartender about the people he met there, cultural similarities and differences, how he felt about leaving, and his thoughts about what's happening currently in Afghanistan with the US troop withdrawal. They also briefly unpack their feelings about Jeff Bezos's penis rocket.

Episode 113: The Friends We Made Along The Way

   Have you ever exacted revenge on a bad person, but maybe didn't know how to do it right? Our anonymous guest walks us through a vengeance story that probably should have been handled by experienced tire-slashers, but it was handled nonetheless. PLUS a beautiful song and tribute to DMX from Katharine's elementary school friend Keefe Crawford with The FreeStylists .   CN/TW There is a part of the episode where we discuss sexual assault.  

Episode 83: Building a Backbone

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