Who R U? Curious Stories of Family Lore

Episode 37: Birthdays, Funerals, and Vanished Twins

Hey, Fam! This episode is dedicated to the wonderful, amazing Liz whose birthday we recently celebrated and who inspired this topic for today's episode. Happy Birthday, Liz! No matter where you are in the world, you will find that the celebration of birthdays can be found in various forms, connecting us all to the ancient act of honoring another year. From the ancient Egyptians celebrating the births of their gods, to the German kinderfest that inspired modern day American celebrations, birthdays represent making it through another year alive. For some of us it can be a joyous time, filled with friends and family who come together to share in celebration. But for others, birthdays can be a reminder of something lost, someone gone who cannot be replaced. for twinless twins, birthdays represent something more: the life that should’ve been. This week we are going to talk about the origins of birthdays and then introduce “The Vanished Twin Theory” and how that connects to one of our hosts.  Today we are a little all over the place, with the central theme being the celebrations of birthdays throughout time and cultures. We also go on tangents about funerals, religion, and how everything steals from paganism (not really but, kinda). If you have interesting birthday traditions, send them our way to add to the "Family Album", aka our future listener stories episode! If you are a vanished twin and you'd like to share your story, please reach out to us! Email: wrupodcast@gmail.com [wrupodcast@gmail.com] TikTok: @whorupodcast Instagram:@whorupodcast Youtube: Who R U Podcast Sources: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/history-birthdays [https://www.farmersalmanac.com/history-birthdays] https://innovation.umn.edu/birthdays-without-pressure/related-research [https://innovation.umn.edu/birthdays-without-pressure/related-research] https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/11/history-birthday-celebrations/620585/ [https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/11/history-birthday-celebrations/620585/] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563220/ [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563220/] (requires subscription)

Episode 36: Real Life Mr. Hyde? Metheny The Cannibal

Boxing Cat Video by Thomas Edison is linked at the bottom of the show notes *** Can you imagine a world before the moving image? A time where capturing reality in the form of a photograph was brand new, and the world was on fire with invention. Humans were using their critical thinking brains to stretch the bounds of science in the name of art.  Film was born through scientific curiosity about a horse, and evolved throughout time into the world of film we know today.  With the birth of the film festival came the birth of genre, and this week we are going to talk about the first horror film ever screened at a festival and how that changed the course of history, both imagined and real. How did fictional horror capture the real dangers lurking around us? We end this week with a new segment, “Serial Time With Sam” where we explore yet another monster who lurked among us freely for too long and encapsulates the essence of the horror genre : horror mimics the true darkness inside us all”  Victims of Joe Metheny: Cathy Ann Magaziner, age 23 Kimberly Lynn Spicer, age 23 Randall Brewer, age unknown Randy Piker, age unknown Rita Kemper, Survived, age 37 at the time of the attack Sources About Metheny: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/md-court-of-appeals/1035199.html [https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/md-court-of-appeals/1035199.html] https://allthatsinteresting.com/joe-metheny [https://allthatsinteresting.com/joe-metheny] https://www.wbaltv.com/article/convicted-serial-killer-found-dead-in-cell/11647056 [https://www.wbaltv.com/article/convicted-serial-killer-found-dead-in-cell/11647056] The Ultimate Serial Killer Trivia Book:https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-ultimate-serial-killer-trivia-book-a-collection-of-fascinating-facts-and-disturbing-details-about-infamous-serial-killers-and-their-horrific-crime/b19e2aae4b3cb285 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-ultimate-serial-killer-trivia-book-a-collection-of-fascinating-facts-and-disturbing-details-about-infamous-serial-killers-and-their-horrific-crime/b19e2aae4b3cb285] Buying from the above link supports small business bookstores! (not sponsored, either, we just love books!) Sources for Film Fest History: Boxing Cat Video By Thomas Edison: https://youtu.be/k52pLvVmmkU?si=PvliHleLZkiOw3NY [https://youtu.be/k52pLvVmmkU?si=PvliHleLZkiOw3NY] Watch the Original 1932 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbpQQuOU68w [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbpQQuOU68w] https://www.labiennale.org/en/history-venice-film-festival [https://www.labiennale.org/en/history-venice-film-festival] https://mondomovies.wordpress.com/2025/08/06/the-first-venice-film-festival-opened-6th-august-1932/ [https://mondomovies.wordpress.com/2025/08/06/the-first-venice-film-festival-opened-6th-august-1932/] https://variety.com/2018/film/spotlight/venice-celebrates-its-75th-edition-with-a-look-back-at-its-history-1202916078/ [https://variety.com/2018/film/spotlight/venice-celebrates-its-75th-edition-with-a-look-back-at-its-history-1202916078/]

Episode 35: Sam's Car Accident and The Most Haunted Road in New York State.

Hey, Fam! This week Sam shares her story of her first ever car accident, spooky time loop theories, ghost protectors, and the most haunted road in New York. This week is a mashup of conversation, storytelling, and remembering those we love. Remember, always drive safe, and if you're ever in New York State, take a drive down Whiskey Hollow Road, but not after dark...it's ILLEGAL to drive down it at night. Find out why tonight on Who R U? Curious Stories of Family Lore. Sources: Sam's personal Encounter https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/11q4pr1/something_possessed_me_on_whisky_hollow_road/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/11q4pr1/something_possessed_me_on_whisky_hollow_road/] https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/roads.aspx [https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/roads.aspx] https://www.facebook.com/groups/238622469188761/posts/458682987182707/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/238622469188761/posts/458682987182707/]

Episode 34: Corporal Clinch and His Sacrifice On Hill 350

For most Americans, Memorial Day Weekend  is celebrated with vacations, time off from work, and the welcome of warmer weather through outdoor activities. There are less and less people every year who understand the significance of this day, and even fewer still that honor those early traditions. The origins of the Holiday have dissipated into the modern day BBQ holiday it has become. I’ll admit, I look forward to the extended weekend during this time of year as a teacher. However, this week we wanted to take a step away from all of that and focus on the origins of this day and what it truly stands for at its core.  After the horrific nature of the civil war, the US Government wanted to honor those fallen in battle. Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day”, named for the act of decorating the gravestones of soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War with springtime flowers. Humans have been honoring their dead with offerings since ancient times, It is in our nature to mourn those lost to us, especially whose who die in unnatural ways. We are left with the “what if’s” of a life cut short due to violence.  When 20 year old Willard Lynn Clinch was filling out his draft card at the start of the Korean War, his fiancé knew what it could mean as she stood powerless beside him. Today we are going to talk about my great Uncle and his heroic actions that saved an entire company of men during the Korean War. Welcome to Who R U? Curious Stories Of Family Lore.  Sources: Ancestry.com [http://Ancestry.com] via Subscription and Research https://www.koreanwar.org/html/5385/korean-war-project-new-york-ra12284679-cpl-willard-lynn-clinch/ [https://www.koreanwar.org/html/5385/korean-war-project-new-york-ra12284679-cpl-willard-lynn-clinch/] Oneida Daily Dispatch Newspaper Articles Family Photographs https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp [https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp] A huge thank you to the Korean War Project for compiling a database of records to help remember those lost during the Korean War.

Episode 33: The Great Oneida Flood of 2013

If you grew up near Oneida, New York within the last 100 years, you are familiar with the Oneida Flats. Growing up in the flats of Oneida in the 90’s was an absolute dream; Shirley’s Dance store was feet away from Cone Head’s ice cream, and if you were feeling a soda pop and bubble gum, you could ride your heelies through the bubbling blacktop of Bennett Street, past Agway, and into the doors of J&K, a corner gas station owned by none other than, you guessed it: Jay and Kay. The red cool plastic of the rounded countertops provided sweet relief from the pressing summer heat that kept the mosquitos at bay until sunset. Once the sun began to dissipate on the horizon, you could ride your bike past the cement factory and to the frog pond. The chirping and croaking of the frog chorus distracted you from the buzz of the cement turning past the trees. It wasn’t unlike you and your friends to jump into Oneida creek for a late night dip before racing the streetlights back home.  Little did you know that it would be that same creek, years later, that would wipe away all the croaking frogs and buzzing mosquitoes. The woods with the neighborhood forts would be mixed into one big mass of sludge, churning and devouring everything in it’s path. This is the story of The Great Oneida Flood of 2013. Sources: https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/oneidas-2013-flood-disaster-that-didnt-wipe-away-its-famous-sauce/ [https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/oneidas-2013-flood-disaster-that-didnt-wipe-away-its-famous-sauce/] https://www.oneidadispatch.com/2018/06/13/despite-historic-flood-of-2013-the-oneida-flats-still-home-to-many/ [https://www.oneidadispatch.com/2018/06/13/despite-historic-flood-of-2013-the-oneida-flats-still-home-to-many/] https://www.syracuse.com/news/2014/07/why_oneida_suffered_a_record-breaking_flood_--_and_why_it_might_get_worse_in_the.html [https://www.syracuse.com/news/2014/07/why_oneida_suffered_a_record-breaking_flood_--_and_why_it_might_get_worse_in_the.html] If you would like to share your experience in the Oneida Flood, please reach out to us: Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok: WhoRUPodcast Email: wrupodcast@gmail.com [wrupodcast@gmail.com] Image of Governor Cuomo used in the cover art was taken by Jon Dunn and on Facebook. There was so much that we didn't talk about in this episode, like what it was like for those stranded and then without homes, what it was like in the days and weeks afterwards, and the specific roles the fire department and other emergency services played in dealing with this disaster.