Only If You Can Keep Up

Things are getting a little spooky on the porch! In this episode we're sharing some of our own creepy experiences, diving into the fascinating world of morbid curiosity, and exploring humanity's strange fascination with death.

Why are we so drawn to things that scare us? What makes us curious about death, the unknown, and the darker side of life? And what happens when we experience something we just can't explain?

From personal spooky encounters to our obsession with all things morbid, we're letting the conversation wander wherever our creepy little minds take us. Expect strange stories, dark curiosities, random tangents, and plenty of unexpected twists.

So grab a seat, get comfortable, and see if you can keep up!

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We started with the White Plague, and now we're heading into something even darker.

In Part 1, we explored tuberculosis, the slow-moving killer that haunted families for centuries. But now it's time for Part 2, and we're diving into one of history's most devastating pandemics: the Black Death.

We're talking about the bubonic plague, its terrifying symptoms, how it spread, and the staggering number of lives it claimed. From entire communities being devastated to the fear and desperation that swept across Europe, we're exploring what happened when death seemed impossible to escape.

Then we're stepping into the eerie world of plague doctors. Those infamous beaked masks, strange protective outfits, bizarre medical practices, and the desperate attempts to fight a disease nobody fully understood. Who were these doctors, what did they actually do?

Two diseases. Two very different nightmares. And a whole lot of dark history.

Join us as we finish what we started in Part 1 and uncover the horrifying history of the Black Death.

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We planned to cover two of history’s most terrifying killers in one episode… and wildly underestimated how much there was to say.

So today became Part 1: Tuberculosis.

Before antibiotics, TB was known as consumption and the “White Plague,” a slow-moving disease that could tear through families and communities while doctors struggled to understand what was causing it. We’re digging into what tuberculosis actually does to the body, how it spread, why people once thought it could be hereditary, and what it was like to live in a time when a persistent cough became a death sentence. Oh and Vampires play a role in here also! 

Then we head inside the strange world of tuberculosis sanatoriums, where fresh air, bed rest, bizarre treatments, isolation, and sheer desperation became part of the fight against a disease medicine couldn’t yet cure.

And because apparently tuberculosis needed an entire episode to itself, the Black Death has been bumped to Part 2.

Welcome to spooky season, where sometimes the scariest stories are the ones that actually happened.

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Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!

Spooky Season is officially here!!!!

And we’re kicking it off by discussing one of the greatest mysteries in horror movie history: why does everyone make the WORST possible decision?

You hear a noise downstairs? Obviously, investigate it alone.
Your car won’t start? Keep trying instead of RUNNING.
There’s an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere? Definitely go inside.
Someone says, “I’ll be right back”? Well… nice knowing you.

This week, we’re breaking down scary movie logic: the ridiculous decisions, horror movie rules, killer clichés, questionable survival skills, and all the things that make us yell at the screen, “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!”

Would we actually survive a horror movie? Probably not. But we’d at least like to think we’d make slightly better choices.

Welcome to Spooky Season

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Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!

What if entire civilizations once existed and somehow disappeared from history?

This week, we're diving into two of the most fascinating legendary lost civilizations: Atlantis and Lemuria. From Plato's ancient account of Atlantis to the strange origins of Lemuria and the stories that grew around it, we're exploring where these legends came from, what these civilizations were supposedly like, how they may have disappeared, and why people are still searching for answers thousands of years later.

Were these places based on real lands lost to time and disaster? Were they stories that grew far beyond their original meaning? Or is there something buried beneath the legends that we haven't found yet?

Grab your imaginary archaeology gear because we're going looking for civilizations that may never have existed in the first place.

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Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!

Welcome back for another Porch Talk! These episodes are our chance to slow down, catch up, and talk about whatever happens to be on our minds. No research, no real plan, just the two of us catching up on life, sharing random thoughts, getting completely sidetracked, and following every conversation wherever it decides to go. 

Grab your favorite drink, get comfortable, and come hang out with us for another completely unscripted Porch Talk... only if you can keep up!

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Vampire or werewolf? Asylum or haunted hospital? And somehow, those aren’t even the hardest choices.

This week, we’re playing This or That with a mix of creepy, weird, ridiculous, and nearly impossible choices. Some had obvious answers, some started great conversations, and some sent us down completely unnecessary rabbit holes. Play along and decide which one you’d pick... but remember, you can only choose one.

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Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!

Can fear actually spread from person to person?

In this episode, we're diving into the bizarre world of collective hysteria, when groups of people begin experiencing the same fears, symptoms, or behaviors, sometimes without a clear physical cause. From strange historical outbreaks and community-wide panics to cases that have happened much more recently, we're looking at just how powerful group behavior can become.

What causes these events to start? How do they spread so quickly? And what happens when fear, expectation, and the people around us begin influencing what we experience? We're exploring some of the strangest cases of collective hysteria... tune in!

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When you think, do you actually hear a voice in your head? Can you have full conversations with yourself? Do you see pictures instead, or is your mind completely quiet?

In this episode, we're diving into the fascinating world of inner monologue and the different ways people experience their own thoughts. We talk about what it's like inside our own heads, mental imagery, thinking in words versus pictures, ADHD brains, and the surprising realization that other people's minds may work VERY differently from your own.

So... what's going on inside YOUR head? 

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Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!

Just a little Porch Talk about whatever’s been on our minds lately. No real plan, no set topic, just random thoughts, side conversations, opinions, and whatever rabbit holes we manage to fall into along the way. We’re catching up, talking about life, things happening in the world, stuff we’ve been thinking about, and probably a few things that have absolutely nothing to do with anything. Basically, pull up a chair and see where the conversation takes us.

Send us Fan Mail

Be sure to follow, rate, and share Only If You Can Keep Up! It really helps us reach new listeners and means more than you know.

📧 Questions, episode ideas, or just want to say hi?
[email protected]

🎙️ Listen to full episodes on YouTube:
@onlyifyoucankeepup

Thanks so much for listening... only if you can keep up!