Your Host

Madeline Jeleniewski: 00:02

Hey there. You're listening to your host produced in collaboration with Impact 89 fm. Your host is an episodic audio drama surrounding a fictional podcast. Content warnings for this series include mentions of vomit, alcohol, sounds of gagging, implications of self harm, graphic audio of injury, and sounds of gore. Proceed with caution and enjoy this episode of your

Sawyer Dalton: 00:31

host.

Charlie Shepard: 00:34

Oh, is this thing going? You got it?

Annalise Becker: 00:39

Yeah.

Charlie Shepard: 00:40

Okay. Let's go.

Annalise Becker: 00:42

Hello, and welcome to the Tell Me A Story podcast. The show where we talk about ourselves for as long as you'll listen. I'm your host, Annalise Becker, and I'm here with I'm Charlie Shepherd.

Sawyer Dalton: 00:56

I'm Sawyer Dalton.

Annalise Becker: 00:58

Right. You can find us, as at tell me story pod on all socials. That's that's a tellmestorypod, no spaces. You can shoot us some suggestions for future episodes or just say hi. I'll introduce today's topic.

Annalise Becker: 01:21

Today, we're talking about places you'd like to see one day. For me, I've never really even been out of the country, so, I'd like to go visit somewhere in Europe. It'd be super cool to go to Hungary because, did you know that Midsummer was mostly filmed in Hungary?

Charlie Shepard: 01:38

Yeah. Thought it was Sweden.

Annalise Becker: 01:41

The more you know, I guess. I'm pretty sure they actually started filming in,

Charlie Shepard: 01:49

it's

Annalise Becker: 01:49

on the tip of my tongue. Wait. Wait.

Sawyer Dalton: 01:51

Denmark?

Annalise Becker: 01:53

No.

Charlie Shepard: 01:55

Norway?

Annalise Becker: 01:57

No. No. Like, a city in Hungary. Just, let me Google it.

Charlie Shepard: 02:02

Do they actually do all that in Sweden?

Sawyer Dalton: 02:05

What? Kill people?

Charlie Shepard: 02:06

Yeah. Kill people. No, ma'am. Like the

Annalise Becker: 02:11

Budapest. It's Budapest, Hungary that they'd filmed a bunch in. They couldn't do it in Sweden because they've got a lot of laws about filming for long hours, but the cast said Budapest was really hot, so it kinda sucked anyway.

Sawyer Dalton: 02:25

Cool. I mean, I think I'd like to go see the Grand Canyon.

Charlie Shepard: 02:29

That's so boring. I wanna see Mount Rushmore, you know, prove if it's real or not.

Sawyer Dalton: 02:36

What?

Charlie Shepard: 02:37

Think about it. Have you ever seen Mount Rushmore in real life?

Annalise Becker: 02:42

Actually, no. I haven't.

Charlie Shepard: 02:46

Well, no. But You have no concrete proof that they actually carved those guys into a mountain.

Sawyer Dalton: 02:52

That makes no sense. Like, Charlie, have you physically seen the Statue of Liberty? Like, been to New York?

Charlie Shepard: 03:00

No. Don't tell me the big monument is lying about that too. The Grand Canyon.

Sawyer Dalton: 03:09

Grand the the Grand Canyon is a classic.

Annalise Becker: 03:17

Probably hot as balls, though.

Sawyer Dalton: 03:19

Yeah. Well, I just wear something light or go in winter. It'd be good exercise to go hiking up there And come on, it's gotta be so pretty.

Annalise Becker: 03:30

The pictures make it seem pretty nice, but I don't know what you do there besides walk around. That's boring.

Sawyer Dalton: 03:37

It's about the principle. The Grand Canyon's a world heritage site. If I'm in Arizona anyway, I could make a day trip and visit route 66 or one of those ghost towns. Maybe I'm vouching for Arizona too hard. Let me get on a different track.

Sawyer Dalton: 03:53

I'd like to visit Geneva or Vienna for their UN headquarters. Proximity to world politics and all that kind of stuff. Mhmm. My goal is to be stationed somewhere abroad, working for Reuters or something. Should I introduce myself?

Sawyer Dalton: 04:09

Like, talk about what I do?

Annalise Becker: 04:12

Right. If it comes up, I guess we should introduce ourselves. Connect with the audience.

Sawyer Dalton: 04:17

I work. I I write news. I studied communications in college, and I've been trying to find a steady job. That's why I'm staying local for now, but eventually, I'm gonna get moving. Start traveling.

Charlie Shepard: 04:32

To the Grand Canyon?

Sawyer Dalton: 04:35

Yeah. It's not my biggest priority right now though.

Charlie Shepard: 04:38

I can't believe you talked about traveling to Europe without mentioning Paris. Come on. That's the sight to see. My last girlfriend actually lived in Paris for a few years. She said that the city smells like chocolate.

Charlie Shepard: 04:52

Is this the same girl

Annalise Becker: 04:53

who was followed by Frank Stallone on Instagram?

Charlie Shepard: 04:57

No. This was the one who tried to hit me with her car. Oh, yeah. Okay. Right.

Charlie Shepard: 05:02

I wanna go see Paris. Maybe meet a nice French girl wearing a beret and a pantsuit. Yeah. I'd paint a portrait of her.

Annalise Becker: 05:14

Is she one of your French girls? Like like, paint me like one of your French girls.

Charlie Shepard: 05:20

I'd draw her outside a cafe, and her hair would be blowing in the wind. She'd take a sip of her, like, Americano, and I'd sketch the movement out. It'd be super picturesque. She'd smell like strawberries and chocolate too. Then she'd lead me to the Eiffel Tower and the makeup.

Charlie Shepard: 05:42

I don't know. She's French. Mhmm.

Sawyer Dalton: 05:46

I imagine she's smoking.

Annalise Becker: 05:48

Yeah. Smoking hot.

Sawyer Dalton: 05:49

I mean, wouldn't that annoy you if she's nursing a cigarette the whole time? Making out would be a crappy experience.

Charlie Shepard: 05:58

I'd be blinded by love and passion,

Annalise Becker: 06:00

And aren't French people notorious dicks? She'd probably put her cigarette out on your arm or something.

Charlie Shepard: 06:06

Taught. Taught to be into that.

Sawyer Dalton: 06:09

How PG do we want to keep this again?

Annalise Becker: 06:12

It's fine. It's funny. Have you ever seen Paris in real life? Apparently, it's dirty as hell anyways. Says who?

Annalise Becker: 06:20

Google. I heard it somewhere.

Sawyer Dalton: 06:23

Rock solid reasoning there, bud. Paris is like New York for Europe. It's as gross as cities in America.

Charlie Shepard: 06:30

Yeah. Don't poke fun at my dreams, Annalise. Did you have anywhere else you wanted to see?

Annalise Becker: 06:37

I don't know if this counts, but there was this little house I grew up by called the Old Bishop House. There were rumors that it was haunted, but I never went there myself. All my friends tried to convince me to go with them one Halloween. I was, like, 12. They couldn't get me to go through.

Annalise Becker: 06:53

I was terrified of ghosts, and look at me now. People said that they saw this woman in a long white dress pass by the attic window every now and again, And whenever you pass by the house, you'd hear an old antiquey record player just scratch scratch and not play any music. My friend, Natalie, went to the old bishop house for a whole day so she could see if the rumors were real, and she swears that she heard someone singing up there. I doubt it, but I'd like to go back and take a look. It's been on my mind lately for some reason.

Annalise Becker: 07:27

I'd probably bring

Charlie Shepard: 07:30

Don't move. What? There's a looks like a spider on your mic.

Sawyer Dalton: 07:38

Calm down. I'll get it.

Annalise Becker: 07:42

I hate spiders.

Charlie Shepard: 07:45

Everyone at home is learning so much about you, like your deepest fears.

Annalise Becker: 07:51

Gotcha. Kill it. Kill it.

Sawyer Dalton: 07:55

I'm gonna go let him outside.

Annalise Becker: 07:57

Then it'll find a way back in. Our apartment is warm and cozy, so of course the spider is gonna wanna crash here. Letting it live is like like like setting out some beers on the table and inviting it over for game night.

Sawyer Dalton: 08:10

I feel like that's a bit of an exaggeration.

Annalise Becker: 08:14

When you get outside, let him go at least 50 feet away from the door.

Sawyer Dalton: 08:19

Come on, Anna. That's a bit much.

Annalise Becker: 08:22

I locked the door behind you. I swear it.

Charlie Shepard: 08:28

Do I get a thank you for saving your life?

Annalise Becker: 08:30

Oh, of course. Of course. I am forever indebted to you, and you're owed my firstborn, yada yada blah blah blah.

Charlie Shepard: 08:38

Great. That's gonna be a killer future investment.

Annalise Becker: 08:41

Knowing you, you'd cash in the forever debt favor for me to buy you a cheesesteak.

Charlie Shepard: 08:45

Like I said, killer future investment. What's got you so bothered by spiders anyways?

Annalise Becker: 08:51

Anything with more than 4 legs is just not right. Makes my skin crawl.

Charlie Shepard: 08:58

What about crabs? Yeah. Screw crabs. What if you became a crab one day? You know, carcinization.

Annalise Becker: 09:08

I'll get to it when I get to it.

Sawyer Dalton: 09:12

It's gone.

Annalise Becker: 09:13

You're such a dear.

Sawyer Dalton: 09:14

Where were we?

Annalise Becker: 09:16

Oh, right. The old Bishop House. I was saying that I'd want to try and hunt a ghost there.

Sawyer Dalton: 09:21

I think we're a strain a bit off topic.

Annalise Becker: 09:25

They filmed a movie in that house. I guess I want to see a volcano one day too.

Charlie Shepard: 09:32

No. Yeah. And then she had the audacity to be all like, well, if you can't find a time for a vacation with me, I think we should take a vacation from this relationship. Wouldn't

Annalise Becker: 09:42

vacation imply that you'd eventually get back together?

Charlie Shepard: 09:45

I think she was just coming up with a good line. Pretty sure it's over. Oh, damn. Seriously though, did she expect me to just magically find a few $1,000? Why the hell would we go to Tahiti in October?

Charlie Shepard: 10:01

I don't know.

Annalise Becker: 10:01

Maybe she was, falling for propaganda put out by big Tahiti. Are you gonna take a

Charlie Shepard: 10:10

break from Girls? What a dream of it. I'd be like the miner who just gave up before finding diamonds.

Annalise Becker: 10:15

Did you know that 98% of gamblers quit just before they win big? I'm sorry it didn't work out. She was kind of rude anyway.

Charlie Shepard: 10:26

In what way?

Annalise Becker: 10:29

I don't know. Just felt like she was a bit pushy.

Charlie Shepard: 10:33

I didn't notice that.

Annalise Becker: 10:35

Of course you didn't. You were blinded by love and passion. Oh,

Charlie Shepard: 10:41

ouch.

Annalise Becker: 10:43

Sorry, but she dragged you out partying when we had our scheduled game nights. That's your chill time.

Charlie Shepard: 10:49

I like going out, Anna. That wasn't something that you forced me to do.

Annalise Becker: 10:53

Well, sure. But it's twice a month. That's not often. I don't see why she couldn't respect pre planned things like that.

Charlie Shepard: 11:01

Was she pushy or were you just upset that I wasn't at game night? Charlotte, come on.

Annalise Becker: 11:05

It wasn't just game night. Remember when you planned to go see a movie with us, then she made you now have dinner with her instead? Or when you had that job interview that she convinced you to skip just so you 2 could

Charlie Shepard: 11:15

both of which I rescheduled. Remember that? It's my schedule, Anna, and I can change it when I want.

Annalise Becker: 11:25

I didn't mean for this to become an

Charlie Shepard: 11:27

argument. Well, it did. That got a bit heated though.

Annalise Becker: 11:35

Yeah.

Charlie Shepard: 11:37

We're almost here. My offer still stands, you know. You can join us.

Annalise Becker: 11:41

Well, I'm not that good at poker.

Charlie Shepard: 11:45

I was planning on calling my mom, and

Annalise Becker: 11:47

I don't really think I'll know anyone there. Sawyer's gonna be there.

Charlie Shepard: 11:51

Oh, what? I thought

Annalise Becker: 11:53

he wasn't really into that kind of stuff.

Charlie Shepard: 11:55

Maybe he's here for networking. I don't know. We should hang out. It might be nice.

Annalise Becker: 12:01

Thanks for the offer, Charlie, but

Charlie Shepard: 12:03

I think I'll pass for

Annalise Becker: 12:04

today. Maybe another time?

Charlie Shepard: 12:08

Oh, yeah. Another time. Thanks for the ride. I'll see you later.

Annalise Becker: 12:14

Yeah. See you later, Charlie. Have fun. Alright. Sawyer told me to start recording some voice memos and get some documentation about me, my health.

Annalise Becker: 12:49

Today is Monday, August 12, 2024. It's 9:42 PM, and I'm in my office. It's just been this brain fog recently. I'm tired all the time. I'm not remembering things.

Annalise Becker: 13:09

I think I'm falling asleep pretty often. Sawyer said it sounds like narcolepsy, but that feels so extreme. Like, what if you have this chronic disorder that affects you for the rest of your life? That feels extreme. I'm keeping an eye on it.

Annalise Becker: 13:25

Whenever my eyes are open, I'll be in the middle of a workday, and then I just get hit with a wave of exhaustion. I probably have low iron levels. Other than the fatigue, I haven't really noticed anything else. Knowing me, though, I'm not sure what would be out of the ordinary. I I deal with fibro pain, so my aches are normal, but the good sleep is not.

Annalise Becker: 13:52

I usually don't get more than 5 hours of sleep at night, so this is new. I have a small headache right now, but that's probably because I haven't eaten since noon. It was a fine lunch. I I started working on an editing gig I picked up last week. It's for some streamer who wants me to help with a highlights video.

Annalise Becker: 14:13

Got some good progress on that. Fatigue be damned. Played Breath of the Wild for a few hours, then I I think that's when I made lunch. Looked at my half finished embroidery, wished I was more productive, then set up for recording with Charlie and Sawyer. After that, I took that nap.

Annalise Becker: 14:33

I can't remember if I did anything else today. Maybe I should ask Sawyer for a back rub. I'm gonna start working on next week's episode of tell me a story. I'll keep the recording going and see if anything happens. Next week's episode is going to be about gross food.

Annalise Becker: 14:54

I'm gonna talk about my mom's cooking, I think. She doesn't. She's not a bad cook. She just made something when I last saw her, and it sucked. I thought it was gonna hospitalize me.

Annalise Becker: 15:09

I love her, though, so I'm not that mad about it.

Charlie Shepard: 16:57

Hello? Hello? Are you doing okay, Anna? It's 2 in the morning. Anna, are you just gonna stand there?

Charlie Shepard: 17:14

Annalise?

Madeline Jeleniewski: 17:19

You've just listened to an episode of your host made in collaboration with Impact 89 FM. This episode of your host was written by Madeline Jeleniewski and edited by Laura King. Directed and produced by Madeline Jeleniewski. Casted in collaboration with Laura King. Audio engineered by Madeline Jeleniewski with assistance from Tyler Butt.

Madeline Jeleniewski: 17:43

Music written by Cassandra Cohen. Featuring the vocal performances of Alex Melkonian as Annalise Becker, It's Not Mika as Charlie Shepherd, and Draco Chella as Sawyer Dalton. Additional voices provided by Michelle Long and Simon Zukert. Thanks for listening.