Professional Weirdo Podcast

Episode 19 - A Ride Home

Listener discretion is advised for this episode. We'll be talking about three murders in Illinois that went unsolved for over 20 years.  Today’s songs are: * The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah * When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin * Until Then by Orcas Sources: https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/03/13/convicted-killer-indicted-in-womans-78-slaying/ [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/03/13/convicted-killer-indicted-in-womans-78-slaying/] https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/10/19/jury-hears-confession-in-73-death/ [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/10/19/jury-hears-confession-in-73-death/] https://www.wspynews.com/news/local/convicted-killer-of-female-oswego-teen-scheduled-for-parole-hearing/article_7358d85e-3f24-11ed-b044-737a6008aca4.html [https://www.wspynews.com/news/local/convicted-killer-of-female-oswego-teen-scheduled-for-parole-hearing/article_7358d85e-3f24-11ed-b044-737a6008aca4.html] https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/dna-leads-suspect-49-year-old-cold-case-murder-illinois-teen-julie-ann-hanson/MLSEUH27PRHNTG3ULSZBFCIFKQ/ [https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/dna-leads-suspect-49-year-old-cold-case-murder-illinois-teen-julie-ann-hanson/MLSEUH27PRHNTG3ULSZBFCIFKQ/] https://www.wspynews.com/news/local/naperville-cold-case-has-ties-to-oswego/article_9c426e8a-c5f7-11eb-9d6e-bbe7405a0e4f.html [https://www.wspynews.com/news/local/naperville-cold-case-has-ties-to-oswego/article_9c426e8a-c5f7-11eb-9d6e-bbe7405a0e4f.html] https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/national/article251900228.html [https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/national/article251900228.html] Sound mixing performed by Brother Jay from The Rule of Scary podcast - check that out if you’re a horror movie fan! And hey! Thank you for listening to my stories. Keep it weird out there.   To find song recommendations for this podcast, check out the Spotify Professional Weird playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Email me at professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com [professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com]

Episode 18 - What Little Girls Are Made Of (the Sweet Edition)

We're celebrating one year of the podcast by revisiting "What Little Girls Are Made Of" but unlike Episode 2, this time we'll talk about women who did big things, but without killing someone! Today’s songs are: * Joyful Girl by Ani DiFranco * The Waitress by Tori Amos * You Don’t Own Me by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts * Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper (I mean, you knew this would eventually show up on the list, right?) * And finally - Birthday! By… the Sugarcubes - I’m telling you, I just love it when stuff comes together.  Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamina_Fleming [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamina_Fleming] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Love_Cohen [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Love_Cohen] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Abort_Guidance_System [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Abort_Guidance_System] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelly%27s_Leg [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelly%27s_Leg] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Melchior [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Melchior] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Latour [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Latour] https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sally-ride [https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sally-ride] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250905-the-women-who-broke-nasas-glass-ceiling [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250905-the-women-who-broke-nasas-glass-ceiling] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Ride [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Ride] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Glessner_Lee [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Glessner_Lee] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutshell_Studies_of_Unexplained_Death [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutshell_Studies_of_Unexplained_Death] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_Payne-Gaposchkin [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_Payne-Gaposchkin] https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/12/08/betty-robinson-fire-on-the-track [https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/12/08/betty-robinson-fire-on-the-track] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Robinson [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Robinson] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Buren_sisters [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Buren_sisters] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks] https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/librarians-horseback-new-deal-book-delivery-wpa [https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/librarians-horseback-new-deal-book-delivery-wpa] Sound mixing performed by Brother Jay from The Rule of Scary podcast - check that out if you’re a horror movie fan! And hey! Thank you for listening to my stories. Keep it weird out there.   To find song recommendations for this podcast, check out the Spotify Professional Weird playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Email me at professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com [professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com]

Episode 17 - Deep Roots

I've been discovering some surprises during genealogy research, including the Picts of Scotland, a mysterious group of people in the early Middle Ages. Songs I recommend with today’s episode can be found on the Spotify playlist I made to accompany this podcast. For each episode I’ve done or will do, I’ve pulled together a few songs. The ones for this episode are: * Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk by Rufus Wainwright * Scottish Winds by Frightened Rabbit * Blue by A Perfect Circle Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Sloane [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Sloane] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts] http://www.musicalpassage.org/#explore [http://www.musicalpassage.org/#explore] https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/the-picts-of-scotland-explained-3965400 [https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/the-picts-of-scotland-explained-3965400] https://clankerr.co.uk/the-fortress-in-the-forest-2/dand%20kerr%201480-1545-2.html [https://clankerr.co.uk/the-fortress-in-the-forest-2/dand%20kerr%201480-1545-2.html] https://allthatsinteresting.com/picts [https://allthatsinteresting.com/picts] https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/why-did-the-picts-mysteriously-disappear-1470059 [https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/why-did-the-picts-mysteriously-disappear-1470059] https://theconversation.com/dna-study-sheds-light-on-scotlands-picts-and-resolves-some-myths-about-them-204507 [https://theconversation.com/dna-study-sheds-light-on-scotlands-picts-and-resolves-some-myths-about-them-204507] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictish_stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictish_stone] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictish_Beast [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictish_Beast] Sound mixing performed by Brother Jay from The Rule of Scary podcast - check that out if you’re a horror movie fan! And hey! Thank you for listening to my stories. Keep it weird out there.   To find song recommendations for this podcast, check out the Spotify Professional Weird playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Email me at professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com [professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com]

Episode 16 - Let's Talk to Bigfoot

I love Bigfoot. Let's talk about him. Let's talk LIKE him - WHOOP! Let's talk about him talking.  Songs for today’s episode: * Bigfoot by Autumn Orange * Woods by Bon Iver * Bigfoot by Mt. Joy * Somebody’s Watching Me performed by SaxSquatch - that’s right, a guy in a costume who plays saxophone.  * Ratamahatta by Sepultura * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Sources: https://www.southernstylesweettees.com/blog/june-7-1 [https://www.southernstylesweettees.com/blog/june-7-1] https://strangeandtwisted.com/blogs/stories/bigfoot-the-primal-forest-guardian-or-just-a-tall-tale [https://strangeandtwisted.com/blogs/stories/bigfoot-the-primal-forest-guardian-or-just-a-tall-tale] https://bigfootbase.com/bigfoot-evidence/sounds/sierra-sounds [https://bigfootbase.com/bigfoot-evidence/sounds/sierra-sounds] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterson%E2%80%93Gimlin_film [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterson%E2%80%93Gimlin_film] https://www.pararational.com/other-names-for-bigfoot/ [https://www.pararational.com/other-names-for-bigfoot/] https://www.bigfootmap.com/ [https://www.bigfootmap.com/] https://mapsquatch.com/ [https://mapsquatch.com/] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Sounds [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Sounds] https://bigfootbase.com/bigfoot-evidence/sounds/sierra-sounds [https://bigfootbase.com/bigfoot-evidence/sounds/sierra-sounds] Sound mixing performed by Brother Jay from The Rule of Scary podcast - check that out if you’re a horror movie fan! And hey! Thank you for listening to my stories. Keep it weird out there.   To find song recommendations for this podcast, check out the Spotify Professional Weird playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Email me at professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com [professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com]

Episode 15 - Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel

Sharing some weird info about holiday tradition and other cold weather trivia. Also, I botch some Icelandic words and we learn about the unfortunate fate of the Yule Goat.  Songs for this episode: * Hazy Shade of Winter - the Bangles * Two Weeks in December - Skullcrusher * Candles - Daughter * A Long December - the Counting Crows * The Commander Thinks Aloud - The Long Winters * Staralfur (the Staring Elf) - Sigur Ros  Sources: * https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mount-ingino-christmas-tree [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mount-ingino-christmas-tree] * https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/our-favorite-scandinavian-yuletide-burning-goat-is-back [https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/our-favorite-scandinavian-yuletide-burning-goat-is-back] * https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat [https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat] * https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/i-17-mystery-christmas-tree [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/i-17-mystery-christmas-tree] * https://historycollection.com/15-bizarre-christmas-traditions-from-history-you-wont-believe-existed/ [https://historycollection.com/15-bizarre-christmas-traditions-from-history-you-wont-believe-existed/] * https://www.japanesewithhikari.com/blog/kfc-and-christmas-in-japan-how-it-has-become-a-tradition [https://www.japanesewithhikari.com/blog/kfc-and-christmas-in-japan-how-it-has-become-a-tradition] * https://adventures.is/blog/iceland-christmas-eve-tradition/ [https://adventures.is/blog/iceland-christmas-eve-tradition/] * https://www.mashed.com/1454845/worst-christmas-food-trends/ [https://www.mashed.com/1454845/worst-christmas-food-trends/] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station] * https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/sweden-does-not-use-new-beet-extract-salt-de-ice-roads-nourish-birds-2025-11-21/ [https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/sweden-does-not-use-new-beet-extract-salt-de-ice-roads-nourish-birds-2025-11-21/] * https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/07/19/fact-check-photo-doesnt-show-finlands-reflective-reindeer-antlers/7971862002/ [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/07/19/fact-check-photo-doesnt-show-finlands-reflective-reindeer-antlers/7971862002/] * https://dunapress.org/why-norwegians-hide-brooms-on-christmas-eve-a-fascinating-tradition/ [https://dunapress.org/why-norwegians-hide-brooms-on-christmas-eve-a-fascinating-tradition/] * https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-new-science-of-how-winter-affects-your-brain-and-body-and-what-to-do-about-it/90998751 [https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-new-science-of-how-winter-affects-your-brain-and-body-and-what-to-do-about-it/90998751] * https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/01/03/what-cold-weather-does-to-the-body-and-how-to-protect-yourself-this-winter [https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/01/03/what-cold-weather-does-to-the-body-and-how-to-protect-yourself-this-winter] Sound mixing performed by Brother Jay from The Rule of Scary podcast - check that out if you’re a horror movie fan! And hey! Thank you for listening to my stories. Keep it weird out there.   To find song recommendations for this podcast, check out the Spotify Professional Weird playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] * https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jIkaamOZlCwtd2peUk9lF?si=0238d524a374492d] Email me at professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com [professionalweirdopodcast@gmail.com]