WDYM What Do You Mean?

The Art of Firing!

We come back after a long break with a new video setup, then pivot from gaming choices to the real-life choices managers hate making. We tell stories from Chipotle and a senior facility kitchen that reveal how empathy, anger and staffing pressure shape the way we fire people.  • switching WDYM from audio-only to video and what the reset means  • why Baldur’s Gate 3 feels limitless and why choices matter  • learning boundaries through roleplay moments like the portal hand and the vampire reveal  • the first hard termination at Chipotle and the emotional fallout  • how repeated lateness turns a hard firing into an easy one  • hiring friends into a new workplace and handling personality clashes with leadership  • firing a no-call no-show while trying to avoid escalation  • dealing with broken promises on a two-week notice and the trust damage it causes  • how understaffing in culinary and senior living work raises the cost of every decision  Text and Talk! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121300/fan_mail/new] Be Apart of the Show!! Text and Talk!! Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com Intro  by Kobeofei via Fiverr Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram

Joining the Air Force!

Why do we still go to Popeyes?  Michael walks in craving spicy chicken and walks out with a bigger question: why do we tolerate broken systems when the payoff is only sometimes worth it? The story starts with missing tea, long waits, and that infamous “we’re out of chicken” at peak time. From there, the timeline rewinds to a moment that shaped a generation—watching 9/11 unfold on a store TV while holding a new Jay-Z CD. That memory doesn’t just linger; it reframes everything. We talk about drifting through restaurant jobs, stacking small promotions, and realizing momentum isn’t the same as direction. The recruiting office gauntlet brings humor and humility, but the Air Force pitch lands with two demands: quit smoking and start running. What follows is the unglamorous truth of building capacity—walk-run intervals, a competitive training partner who keeps you honest, and the first quiet pride of hitting distances you once hated. The MEPS sequence strips ego and replaces it with checklists and early mornings. It’s awkward, it’s funny, and it’s clarifying. We cover picking a job path, getting medically cleared, and fighting doubts over a perfect cafeteria burger. Life off-base pushes back too—on-again love, rent due, and a ring pop proposal that adds purpose to the chaos. Then the pivot: a ticket in hand, a plane to San Antonio, the bus rolling through Lackland’s gate, and the shock of Week Zero as the jokes die and the training begins. If you’ve ever felt stuck between comfort and calling, this story is a blueprint for choosing the harder road with your eyes open. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with the moment that made you change course—we’ll read our favorites next time. Text and Talk! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121300/fan_mail/new] Be Apart of the Show!! Text and Talk!! Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com Intro  by Kobeofei via Fiverr Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram

Its time for a FBS Playoff Shake-Up

A perfect Ohio finish and a messy national picture collide as we break down Olentangy Orange’s 15–0 march to the Division I championship, Hamilton High’s gritty season with real upside, and a college football playoff field that has fans shaking their heads. We start on the home front—how the Pioneers closed with authority and why Hamilton’s narrow losses, improved QB flashes, and coaching stability hint at a breakout. Then we pivot to Columbus, unpacking Ohio State’s 13–10 stumble against Indiana and the simple truth it exposes: when you have an elite defense, you can win small if you take the points and manage the margins. From there, we go straight at the playoff controversy. Why does a three-loss Alabama get a berth over two-loss contenders like Notre Dame or a battle-tested BYU? Why do conference champions such as JMU and Tulane get treated like afterthoughts? We make the case for underdog legitimacy with the receipts—Boise State over Oklahoma, Appalachian State in the Big House—and argue that expanding access is how you bring back the sport’s magic. The fixes are simple and overdue: restore regional conferences with round-robin schedules and automatic bids, follow the FCS blueprint with a 24-team playoff and byes for champions, require true home-and-home series, move bowl games to August as marquee season openers, release rankings after we have data, and stop giving seeding credit for FBS vs FCS tune-ups. If you care about competitive balance, Cinderella stories, and meaningful conference titles, this one will hit home. You’ll get clear solutions, bold predictions for Oklahoma vs Alabama, and a roadmap to make every Saturday matter again. Listen, subscribe, and leave a review to tell us your ideal playoff format—and which underdog you’re riding with next. Text and Talk! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121300/fan_mail/new] Be Apart of the Show!! Text and Talk!! Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com Intro  by Kobeofei via Fiverr Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram

Episode 100!!!

A hundred episodes later, the mic feels different—steadier, sharper, and a lot more honest. We look back at the spark that started during lockdown, then walk through the five episodes that shaped WDYM. It’s a reel of the show’s heart: music, everyday chaos, and the lessons that come with saying what you really mean. We open up about what the first hundred taught us—consistency moves numbers, specificity drives engagement, and honesty builds trust even when it stings. From there, we set a clear roadmap for the next chapter: a tighter cadence, more “nerdy” deep dives.  If you’ve been riding with us from day one—or just found us at episode 100—this is your invite to help shape what comes next. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves a bold take, and tell us what segment you want to hear more of. Your feedback steers the next 100. Text and Talk! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121300/fan_mail/new] Be Apart of the Show!! Text and Talk!! Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com Intro  by Kobeofei via Fiverr Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram

The Sphere with the Backstreet Boys

A vacation can change your taste, but Vegas changed our soundtrack. What started as an anniversary trip and a Backstreet Boys treat for Destini turned into a full-scale conversion at the Sphere—20,000 people in white, a Millennium theme reimagined for today, and a screen so vast it pulls you inside the music. We trace the whole arc, from Hamilton to the Strip’s heat, from a humble In‑N‑Out reentry to Venetian maze-wandering, from missing Mellow Yellow to magic with Mat Franco that made “how did he do that?” a running joke for the rest of the trip. Before the main event, we hack a perfect morning at the Wynn Buffet: arrive early, walk the floor before committing, mark your dessert targets, and let the carvery brisket and crepe station justify every step. Then it’s merch chasing at the Sphere and the switch flips. The countdown hits, Larger Than Life rips the room open, and a casual spouse becomes a believer. The show is all the reasons people travel for music: precision, playfulness, and a community that sings every word without irony. We talk about why this residency keeps expanding, how nostalgia can feel new in the right venue, and what the Sphere adds that a normal arena can’t. We also get honest about the Boys then vs now. Kevin’s quiet storm gone full-on presence. Howie stepping up with a stronger voice in the mix. Brian’s grit and timing, supported by bandmates who read him in a heartbeat. AJ still extra in all the right ways. And Nick, transformed from understudy to undeniable center. Text and Talk! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121300/fan_mail/new] Be Apart of the Show!! Text and Talk!! Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com Intro  by Kobeofei via Fiverr Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram