Best Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist Podcasts (2025)

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Kansas: A Calling From the Ancestors (with Calvin Osborne) | Episode 85 49:51

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6d ago49:51

49:51

Calvin Osborne, a Washington D.C. attorney and Civil War reenactor, spent nearly three decades studying African American military history before Ancestry researchers revealed a stunning discovery: his great-great-grandfather, William Lacey, was a soldier in the First Kansas Colored Troops, the very first Black men to fight in the Civil War. In this…

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West Virginia: Fame or Infamy in the Mountain State (with Mallory Peterson) | Episode 84 30:59

5h ago30:59

30:59

When Mallory Peterson discovered she had Scottish ancestry instead of Cherokee heritage, she uncovered something intriguing that has captured her imagination. In the little town of Martinsburg, West Virginia she found a spy. And not just any spy but 17 year old Belle Boyd, the infamous Confederate spy known as "Cleopatra of the Secession." In this …

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Nevada: The Well-Worn Path | Episode 83 39:49

7d ago39:49

39:49

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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Nebraska: Connecting to the Land Through Stories (with Greg Wagner) 40:51

14d ago40:51

40:51

When Greg Wagner's great-great-grandmother made her dying wish to be buried not in a cemetery but beneath an oak tree on their Nebraska homestead, she planted more than roots in the soil. Greg is a sixth-generation Nebraskan whose family has maintained the same land for 158 years through blizzards, armed robberies, and economic crashes. As someone …

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Colorado: Braving the Wild Frontier (with Chris Trainor) | Episode 81 30:24

1M ago30:24

30:24

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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North Dakota: Creating Community (with Sarah Walker) | Episode 80 36:11

28d ago36:11

36:11

When Sarah Walker's grandfather checked his mail one last day before leaving for World War I, he discovered a neighbor had intervened to keep him home—a bachelor farmer needed on the home front. That single act of community support changed everything. Sarah Walker, Head of Reference Services at the North Dakota State Archives, shares her grandfathe…

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South Dakota: Finding the Girl in the Middle (with Marni Sandweiss) 42:33

1M ago42:33

42:33

When historian Marni Sandweiss discovered an 1868 photograph of six prominent Civil War generals standing around an unnamed Indigenous girl, she couldn't let go of one haunting question: Who was she? In this episode, Princeton University Professor Emerita Martha "Marni" Sandweiss shares how she identified the child as Sophie Mousseau and uncovered …

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Montana: Love, Loss, and Everything In-Between (with Mary Anne Mercer) | Episode 78 36:35

2M ago36:35

36:35

💕 When Mary Anne Mercer discovered her great-grandmother's diary in a trunk that had sat untouched since 1915, she knew she had found something extraordinary. Mary Anne, an accomplished author and former international health expert who worked in Nepal and Africa, returned to her Montana ranching roots to uncover a remarkable love story. Through a c…

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Washington: Replanted Roots Now Evergreen (with Cyndi Ingle) | Episode 77 40:46

2M ago40:46

40:46

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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Idaho: Unboxing Gems of the Past (with Jen Iverson) | Episode 76 35:03

2M ago35:03

35:03

🎵 When Jen Iverson said "What I wouldn't give to hear Grandpa's music again," she had no idea what she was about to discover just two days later. Join me as Jen Iverson, a Gen X mom and passionate family historian, shares an incredible story of musical discovery that transformed her family's connection to their Idaho heritage. We explore her great-…

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Wyoming: Tumbleweed Ties That Bind (with Lindy Nielsen) | Episode 75 49:04

2M ago49:04

49:04

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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Utah: Walking Where They Walked (with Michelle Ercanbrack) | Episode 74 50:04

3M ago50:04

50:04

When Michelle Ercanbrack volunteered for a Mormon pioneer trek, she thought she'd be helping teenagers learn history. What she discovered instead was a missing piece of her own family story that had been hiding in plain sight for decades. Michelle, a BYU family history program graduate and former Ancestry researcher who worked on television shows l…

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Oklahoma: Two Genealogists and a DNA Match (with Nicka Sewell-Smith) | Episode 73 34:21

3M ago34:21

34:21

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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New Mexico: Centuries of Stories (with Stephen Torres) | Episode 72 24:55

3M ago24:55

24:55

When Stephen Torres's grandfather told him "one of your forefathers was the first European to set foot on New World soil," young Stephen was skeptical—until his college history research revealed a truth that changed everything. Stephen shares what it means to have 400 years of unbroken family history in New Mexico's Taos Valley. From growing up wit…

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Arizona: Hidden Gifts of Healing (with Lisa Louise Cooke | Episode 71 46:21

3M ago46:21

46:21

When Lisa Louise Cooke walked into her estranged grandmother's house in Arizona, she had no idea she was about to discover the key to healing a decades-old family rift. Lisa Louise, host of the long-running Genealogy Gems podcast, shares how following an unexpected inner voice led to finding a hidden quilt that would transform her relationship with…

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Alaska: Treasured Pieces from the Last Frontier (with Jay Marquiss) 32:32

4M ago32:32

32:32

🏔️ When Jay Marquiss sat down for breakfast at a Southern Utah ranch house, he had no idea a casual conversation would unlock a 130-year-old family mystery. Jay Marquiss, a third-generation Alaskan, grew up expecting to spend his entire life in the Last Frontier. But when his wife experienced her first Alaskan winter, their plans changed forever. N…

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Hawaii: Woven Together in the Aloha State (with Mike Daniels) 27:49

4M ago27:49

27:49

What happens when cultures collide and choose connection instead of conflict? To launch our America 250 series and Season 2 of the podcast, I sit down with Mike Daniels — former mayor of Pleasant Grove, Utah and a dear colleague from our early days at Ancestry — to explore his family’s extraordinary journey to and through Hawaii. From war and immig…

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America 250: A Journey Through 50 States and 50 Stories That Live In Us (Season 2 Trailer) 1:52

4M ago1:52

1:52

What if the story of America isn't just in history books, but living right now in your family tree? As we approach America's 250th birthday in 2026, I'm taking you on an extraordinary journey across all 50 states through the intimate family stories that shaped our nation. Starting in July 2025, Season 2 of Stories That Live In Us will reveal how yo…

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Waiting to Be Found (with Hopwood DePree) | Episode 68 40:14

4M ago40:14

40:14

🛏😴 What if you found out that the bedtime stories you were told as a kid were really true? When Hopwood DePree finally traced his unusual first name to its origins, he discovered something extraordinary: a 600-year-old ancestral estate in England that had been waiting centuries for him to find it. When Hopwood, author of "Downton Shabby," began exp…

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A Life Changing Adventure (with Diana O'Connor) | Episode 67 40:23

4M ago40:23

40:23

🌍 After decades of dead ends and false leads, one $27 payment to a county archive changed everything for Diana O'Connor. She didn’t just get a record. She got a photograph that made her weep with recognition. Diana grew up knowing almost nothing about her family history. Her father was placed in foster care at two years old when his mother died. He…

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Gathering and Connections (with Betheny Tomseth) | Episode 66 29:14

4M ago29:14

29:14

🎂 What do cake and cemeteries have to do with one another? Maybe not much but both have quite a bit to do with family history. Betheny Tomseth, known on Instagram as @BethenyCakes, takes us on a journey through her family’s complex history. From the mysterious circumstances surrounding her great-grandfather Omer's hunting accident in 1921 to the Sc…

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Wonderful Grandmothers (with Aimee Cross) | Episode 65 24:31

5M ago24:31

24:31

When Aimee Cross discovered her French ancestor's will in a 1904 newspaper, she found something more precious than gold - a grandmother's heartfelt advice to her children. Professional genealogist Aimee Cross joins me to share how her second great-grandmother Estelle Dumont left behind more than an estate. She left a legacy of wisdom that continues…

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These Are My Kinfolk: A Juneteenth Reunion (with Linda Epps Parker) | Episode 64 30:18

5M ago30:18

30:18

Linda felt there was "something special" in her dad's family but couldn't get answers. She never imagined a single phone call would connect her to relatives she'd never met and a Civil War-era ancestor whose story would change how she celebrates Juneteenth forever. In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with Linda Epps Parker, whose connection t…

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An Honest Witness | Episode 63 26:18

5M ago26:18

26:18

What if one of history's most famous authors unknowingly documented your ancestor's immigration journey? In 1863, my three-times-great-grandmother Rachel Smuin sailed from England to America aboard the Amazon—and Charles Dickens was there to witness it all. Expecting to find chaos and disorder among 800 Mormon emigrants, Dickens instead discovered …

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Through the Eyes of a Child ( with Tamara Buzyna Adams) | Episode 62 43:53

6M ago43:53

43:53

🚢 When 11-year-old Lydia escaped Russia on the last evacuation ship in 1920, she began documenting her extraordinary journey in beautiful handwritten diaries. Tamara Buzyna Adams discovered her grandmother’s childhood diaries during COVID lockdown. What started as a mother-daughter translation project unveiled an incredible story: a young girl who …

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Even in the Face of Injustice | Episode 61 28:10

6M ago28:10

28:10

What if your ancestors' darkest moment could teach you the most about resilience? While chasing down a DNA match with my dad, I uncovered a shocking story about two sets of my 8x great-grandparents that kept me awake all night. Roger and Anne Park and Andrew and Olive Smith were Quakers who fled England seeking religious freedom in colonial New Jer…

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The Ache Is Still There (with Tara Hall) | Episode 60 33:44

6M ago33:44

33:44

When Tara Hall discovered her great-uncle Norman had been shot down in WWII, his story became an enigma that haunted her family for generations. In this poignant episode, my Ancestry colleague Tara shares how Norman joined the Army Air Corps as a navigator, following in his older brother's footsteps. Shot down over Germany on just his third mission…

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I Can See All The Story (with Lisa Elzey) | Episode 59 39:00

6M ago39:00

39:00

When Lisa Elzey discovered her grandfather flew on a B-17 bomber during D-Day, she knew there was more to uncover… In this continuation of last week's DNA revelation, Lisa shares how researching her grandfather's war buddies unveiled an extraordinary military legacy. From discovering rare crew photos to uncovering first-hand accounts of a harrowing…

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I Can Live With the Truth (with Nidel Day) | Episode 58 47:17

6M ago47:17

47:17

When DNA results revealed a puzzling Quebec connection in Lisa Elzey's family tree — everything she thought she knew was called into question... Join me for an intimate conversation with my podcast producer Lisa and her mother Nidel as they unravel a family mystery that remained hidden for over seven decades. Witness how modern genealogy technology…

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One Year Anniversary - I'm So Glad You're Here | Episode 57 50:30

7M ago50:30

50:30

For one year straight, I've shared stories that remind us we're all connected through the messy, beautiful threads of family history — and today, I'm celebrating YOU. Recorded live at RootsTech 2025, this anniversary episode is a reflection of the incredible stories we've uncovered together, from my great-great-grandmother Carrie to DNA discoveries…

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We Wear a Poppy (with Simon Pearce) | Episode 56 39:39

7M ago39:39

39:39

When Simon Pearce discovered his great-great-uncle Howard's name on a casualty list from WWI, his heart skipped a beat — launching a 20-year quest to piece together the life of a man he never met but now feels deeply connected to... In this moving conversation, Simon, an Ancestry military history expert, shares how Howard's service from China to Ga…

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Marry a Genealogist (with Irene Hantman) | Episode 55 33:12

7M ago33:12

33:12

💕 When a stranger asked Irene Hantman about Arthur Kurzweil's lecture at a Jewish genealogy conference, she never imagined it would change her life forever... In this heartwarming episode, I talk with Irene, an accomplished genealogist and longtime editor of Avotaynu journal, about her 40-year journey through Jewish family history. She shares how r…

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All I Need is a Warm Glass of Milk (with Brian Donnelly) | Episode 54 28:12

7M ago28:12

28:12

🍀 When Brian Donnelly's grandfather calmly announced he was having a heart attack, nine-year-old Brian's only instruction was to fetch a warm glass of milk… In this heartwarming episode, I chat with the Ancestry Chief Commercial Officer about family remedies that become inside jokes and DNA discoveries that challenge family lore. Brian shares how h…

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Ancestors Are Complicated (with Anne Mitchell) | Episode 53 46:22

8M ago46:22

46:22

When Anne Mitchell discovered a tattered family Bible with a handwritten account of an ancestor eagerly joining the Confederate Army in 1861 it changed how she understood her family history. Now, it has also changed how millions might discover their own histories. Anne shares the story of her ancestor John Calvin Gillespie—from excited Confederate …

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Project Managing the Saga (with Nicka Sewell-Smith) | Episode 52 43:49

8M ago43:49

43:49

When Nicka Sewell-Smith set out to find her great-grandmother Easter's maiden name, she never imagined it would lead to uncovering 10,000 descendants from a single enslaved community... In this moving conversation, genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith returns to share how her search for one ancestor evolved into the groundbreaking "Trask 250" project. By…

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The Irish Experience (with Kyle Betit) | Episode 51 35:18

8M ago35:18

35:18

🍀 When I gathered around a traditional peat fire in Galway with a group of descendants of the Irish Diaspora, I experienced my ancestors' world in a way records alone could never reveal… In this episode, I chat with Kyle Betit, professional genealogist and heritage travel expert, about the power of connecting with ancestral places. Kyle shares how …

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It's Like Genealogy 3.0 (with Jenn Utley) | Episode 50 35:06

8M ago35:06

35:06

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing th…

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For a Wise Purpose (with Steve Rockwood) | Episode 49 36:27

9M ago36:27

36:27

When Steve Rockwood discovered his ancestor's journal as a child, he never imagined how family stories would shape his future as President of FamilySearch International. In our conversation, Steve reveals how a 7th-generation Bostonian's writings sparked his sense of belonging, while his Danish great-grandmother's solo journey across the Atlantic b…

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Live Undaunted (with Lisa Valentine Clark) | Episode 48 41:42

9M ago41:42

41:42

Have you ever wondered what story you'd tell if you knew your time was limited? Lisa Valentine Clark's husband faced this exact question when diagnosed with ALS. In this powerful conversation, Lisa reveals how Christopher's decision to document his life story created an unexpected treasure their five children now cherish like scripture. We explore …

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Daddy Was an Outlaw (with Jackie Dorothy) | Episode 47 37:04

9M ago37:04

37:04

A childhood memory of two sisters arguing at a kitchen table leads historian Jackie Dorothy to uncover an astounding truth — her great-grandfather wasn't just any Wyoming cowboy, he was part of Butch Cassidy's infamous Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. As an award-winning historian and member of the Northern Arapaho tribe, Jackie shares how she pieced togethe…

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Their Love Stories | Episode 46 28:41

9M ago28:41

28:41

Do you know how your parents met? Research shows this simple story could be the key to building family resilience — and in this intimate solo episode, I open up about three generations of love stories that shaped my own family's legacy. From my grandparents’ powerful wartime romances to my parents' whirlwind 19-day courtship, each story reveals how…

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The Magic Part Is The Listening (with Natalie Zett) | Episode 45 42:49

9M ago42:49

42:49

When journalist Natalie Zett received a mysterious family manuscript, she had no idea it would lead her to her long-lost Aunt Martha – a 19-year-old victim of the tragic 1915 Eastland disaster in Chicago. What began as a deeply personal quest to understand her aunt's story transformed into a mission to preserve the forgotten stories of over 800 sou…

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Not A Secret Anymore (with Linda Goldman and Milly and Marty Mandel) | Episode 44 32:49

10M ago32:49

32:49

"There must be a mistake - I know all my first cousins." When Linda Goldman responded to an unexpected DNA match, she had no idea how wrong she was. Join me for a remarkable conversation with 100-year-old Millie Mandel, her son Marty, and cousin Linda as they share how DNA testing unveiled a century-old family secret that would transform two famili…

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Mess in His Wake | Episode 43 21:50

10M ago21:50

21:50

When family relationships shatter, the ripples can span generations. In this deeply personal episode, I uncover the story of my great-great-grandfather Park Cowan, whose choices left a wake of heartbreak, bigamy charges, and newspaper headlines across the Midwest in 1901. Through historical records and family lore, I piece together how his abandonm…

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Bit by the Bug (with Emily Pulham) | Episode 42 27:47

10M ago27:47

27:47

When a 12-year-old girl watched her grandmother work at a microfilm reader, she couldn't have known she was witnessing the beginning of her own family history journey. Now a young mother of three, Emily Pulham has transformed her passion for genealogy into a profound gift - a book preserving her Danish grandmother's incredible stories of life durin…

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Operation Pedro Pan (with Elisa Seeherman and Yda Okurliand-Pack) | Episode 41 37:44

10M ago37:44

37:44

When cousins Elisa and Yda finally met in person, they uncovered more than their shared DNA – they discovered how a desperate effort to save Cuban children from Castro's regime had shaped their family's destiny. Through meticulous research and a surprising DNA match, Elisa connected with a branch of her Jewish family she never knew existed, leading…

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An Opportunity for Connection | Episode 40 26:58

11M ago26:58

26:58

When my mom was just 17, she lost her father – but 50 years later, DNA revealed an unexpected gift... In this deeply personal episode, I share how an ordinary AncestryDNA test revealed an extraordinary family secret. What began as a potentially devastating discovery became a beautiful experience that brought four women (in their 60s and 70s) closer…

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Thanks for the Memories (with George Ott) | Episode 39 34:33

11M ago34:33

34:33

What happens when you present Bob Hope with his family history, and he has no joke to crack? In this episode, professional genealogist George Ott shares moving stories from his decades-long career, including unforgettable moments with Hollywood legends Bob Hope and Jimmy Stewart, who both found themselves brought to tears by discoveries about their…

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It Doesn't Take A Lot (with Jason Terry) | Episode 38 41:13

11M ago41:13

41:13

When a 20-year-old WWII pilot makes fudge in a POW camp on Christmas Day, he teaches a lasting lesson... Jason Terry shares how his grandfather's small act of kindness in a German prison camp during WWII sparked a family legacy of service that spans generations. Through stories of answered prayers, harrowing escapes, and a precious Red Cross packag…

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Finding Heroes (with Wayne Abbott and David O'Keefe) | Episode 37 30:36

11M ago30:36

30:36

Have you ever wondered if there are forgotten family heroes in your past? In this episode, documentarians Wayne Abbott and David O'Keefe reveal how combining historical records, artifacts, and family research can bridge generational gaps and uncover powerful family stories. Through their work on Ancestry's "Finding Heroes" podcast, they share emoti…