Oooooo love is in the air!

We felt like spreading the love by sharing how we met our beautiful partners - spoiler alert, one of us met at Cricket and the other had the first date at a Music Festival - but which origin story belongs to who?!

Pop the headphones in, get some sunshine and feel the looooovvvvveeeee!

In this deeply personal episode, Katie opens up about her experience with her miscarriage. This is not an easy conversation, and it may be triggering for some listeners. Katie and Sam want to acknowledge that the topic of pregnancy loss can evoke strong emotions, so please proceed with caution if you think it might be difficult for you to hear.

Though this episode is heavier, it’s an important conversation to have. Katie and Sam believe in the power of vulnerability, and hope that by sharing their journeys, they can help others who are going through similar experiences feel less alone. If you’re ready to listen, we encourage you to tune in, but please remember to take care of yourself first. You are not alone.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of miscarriage and loss. Please listen with care.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!...Can we still say that?! OF COURSE!

Join us as we reflect on how we ended 2024 - from protecting dogs from Fireworks in Hawaii to a 4-level nightclub in Japan. We delve into our plans for 2025 - stop people pleasing and start stepping! And to round it out Katie seen WICKED and shares her hot takes on the musical sensation!

And as we close out 2024 and head into 2025, Katie and Sam want to share some of their holiday plans and traditions, including decorations, movies, and food but they also want to hear yours as well! They are incredibly grateful for all the listeners of the pod and want to thank you for your positivity and kind words - so THANK YOU! And we can't wait to bring you more consistency and crazy topics, including cults and vulnerability, in 2025!

What do Wicked, Health Care, Fergburger, Weddings, Seven Jobs, and Mozzarella Sticks ALL have in common?

…

NOTHING but they are all featured in this episode when Katie and Sam ketchup after what feels like months apart! Grab a sparkling water or coffee, get cozy and catch up! It's the KETCHUP Episode!

From reminiscing on what movies used to mean to us to our modern day theater rituals (snacks and socks included), Katie and Sam breakdown their movie preferences, must-dos and absolutely cannots, and what it's like if you went to the theater with them. What are their favorite genres? And what recommendations do they have for YOU to watch this weekend? Tune in to find out!... And CUT!

What do Tasty, Paneer, Haloumi and Mozzerella all have in common? Besides that they’re all cheeses, they were spoken in length on today’s episode of Pearls of Wisdom: Cheese and Strangers. Katie and Sam are not promoting Stranger Danger. Instead, this episode shares heartwarming stories, including their own friendship origin story, of strangers becoming friends. And how leading with your heart makes for special interactions in places you might least expect. We couldn’t agree more with the Girl Scout’s motto, “Across the ocean, across the sea, friends forever we will always be. Make new friends, but keep the old one is silver and the other is gold”. Go outside your comfort zone and make a new friend today (after listening to this episode, of course)!

Katie and Sam tackle the one topic guaranteed to make you break out in a cold sweat: politics. With a mix of deep breaths and clammy hands, they touch on the wild world of American politics and highlight some main differences between the US and Australia.

But fear not, it’s not all serious! Things looking a little too colorful for you? They've got just the thing: a stylish new sunglasses brand—perfect for blocking out any political glare. Put in the calendar to support Katie and Sam in 2028, as they share their own campaign slogans—the world needs more SodaStream and glitter on the ballot.

Come for the politics, stay for the puppies! And don't forget to VOTE on November 5th!

In this episode of Life's Grape, hosts Katie Shannon and Sam Merryfull dive into the rollercoaster of career changes from their two different hemispheres—Maui, Hawaii and Sydney, Australia. As Sam prepares to leave the stable job he's held for over three years, and Katie juggles four part-time gigs, the duo shares their candid thoughts on the uncertainty, excitement, and hilarity that comes with funemployment - and why quitting your job is the absolute best. With their signature humor highlighting topics like travel (to New Zealand), Katie's favorite burger spot, Betty's Burgers and why it's better than the American version (In n Out) and what it's like to become a manual laborer, they explore the ups and downs of making bold moves and what the future holds. This feel-good and lighthearted conversation reminds us all that while career shifts can be daunting, but they can also lead to unexpected adventures and laughter!