As the host of WDYM, I've seen some things – silverware skirmishes, uproarious tales from the rehab center, and the joy of connecting with listeners sprawling across 20 countries. But what truly had me grinning was our remarkable 64% growth, all thanks to Buzzsprout's magic touch. Celebrate with me as we stroll down memory lane, from the hilarious to the hair-pulling moments, capped off with the top five episodes that have had our community booming with laughter and empathy. It's a toast to the times we've shared and a snapshot of the everyday comedy that unfolds in the halls of what I fondly call "Butler County's finest."
Looking ahead, I'm brewing up something special for 2024 – the possibility of a co-host ignites a new spark in the WDYM universe. So pull up a chair, we've got tales to share, and the future of WDYM promises even more laughter, camaraderie, and those delightful moments of "what do you mean?!
Get $10 off of Dr. Squatch soap right now!
Use the code WDYM
www.drsquatch.com/WDYM
Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com
Intro by Kobeofei via Fiverr
Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram
As the host of WDYM, I've seen some things – silverware skirmishes, uproarious tales from the rehab center, and the joy of connecting with listeners sprawling across 20 countries. But what truly had me grinning was our remarkable 64% growth, all thanks to Buzzsprout's magic touch. Celebrate with me as we stroll down memory lane, from the hilarious to the hair-pulling moments, capped off with the top five episodes that have had our community booming with laughter and empathy. It's a toast to the times we've shared and a snapshot of the everyday comedy that unfolds in the halls of what I fondly call "Butler County's finest."
Looking ahead, I'm brewing up something special for 2024 – the possibility of a co-host ignites a new spark in the WDYM universe. So pull up a chair, we've got tales to share, and the future of WDYM promises even more laughter, camaraderie, and those delightful moments of "what do you mean?!
Get $10 off of Dr. Squatch soap right now!
Use the code WDYM
www.drsquatch.com/WDYM
Email me! Thewdympodcast@gmail.com
Intro by Kobeofei via Fiverr
Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram
You're listening to the WDYM, the what Do you Mean? Podcast. Now everyone gather around and listen to one of Hamilton's best podcasts. No research to back this up your host.
Michael :Michael Gillespie Welcome to the WDYM. I'm Yos Michael Gillespie and this episode is more of a chill laid back episode because we're going to be recapping some of the highlights of 2023 and to look at 2024 for the WDYM. This is my third year doing a podcast and I have to say that the continuing growth of my podcast is very encouraging to me, and a lot of it goes to the switch from Spotify or Anchor, which is now Spotify for podcasters, switching from them to Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout has helped my podcast grow substantially. Actually, I did a little numbers, did some crunching of the numbers, so to speak. My podcast has grown 64% since switching the bug to Buzzsprout. A lot of credit goes to Buzzsprout and the thing about it is I haven't even scratched the surface with Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout is so helpful when it comes to your podcast I don't even dig deep and figure out more when they have so much available for it. First and foremost, thank you, buzzsprout, for the help and growth of the WDYM. So now it's time to take it further in 2024. But let's recap. Let's go back and look at some of the highlights, basically my top five episodes so far. Again, buzzsprout keeps all the stats and everything that is important to your podcast. They gave me all the stats that I had at the end of this year, where it shows me that my growth is 64%. I've been downloaded in 20 different countries 27 episodes, which is down from last season I think I had 40 to 27. A grand total of 758 minutes spent on this season of the WDYM. So, while there is growth and improvement on the WDYM, there's still room to grow, so that's why I keep going. Having a podcast is absolutely fun, but there are certain ways to grow it. So, first and foremost, let's get the top five episodes of the WDYM, starting with number five, which was Tales from the Rehab Center. Listen to this snippet of the episode.
Michael :One of the last things that mostly all and I mean all my old residents, all the old residents every time we have, is that they want to keep my cups. This is this pisses me off so much. Okay, so Quick story is that we have a certain amount of cups. I only have certain amount of cups to give to everybody, right, but every majority of the Majority of the residents want to keep their cup, like this is the last drink they're gonna have from this cup. What is wrong with you giving my cup back.
Michael :That's what I always say hey, you know? Hey, I see your coaxed all down down to ice and a little bit of coke. It's more water than I, more water than coke. Let me have a cup, but you can't. You can't have my cup. So, sir, let me get your cup. You can't have my cup, I'm just my drinking cup. What you? What you gonna do with that? I'm gonna, I'm gonna wash it from your nastiness. You've been putting your mouth on it. And then some of these residents, some of these residents want to spit in my cup. That's the worst spit, the spit look at this coming spit all in this cup. Huh, and yeah, I had had a spit, you know, I just drew it every time it don't even understand what hey this was ever spit in the drool.
Michael :Come on, mama, let's sit here. Give me my mom, give me my damn cup. That that is the truth, and even today it is still the same thing with the cups. It's like they want to keep every single cup that comes in a room, no matter if it's a, it's a normal cup, a coffee cup, anything. They want to keep the cups. And now it's even getting worse. Where it's the silverware? Like, why are you keeping silverware? We provide silverware Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Michael :Why do you insist On keeping my silverware? They're like well, I might have a snack in the middle of the night. I'm like what does that got to do with my silverware? You, what kind of snack you don't get you on? Eat cookies. You get a pudding. Nurses have spoons. Nurses and the aids have spoons. You do not need my silverware.
Michael :It's such a baffling thing when I'm short on cups, and so we're like what happened to silverware? I have now implemented rule at my facility one of the greatest facilities in Butler County when you must roll 50 pieces of silverware For you before you leave the, before you check out on your shift. Today, I need my 50 pieces of silver. That's what I say, and this is the point is that if we're below 50, I need to order more. See, that's why I do that. But it's like when I work and then like, if I'm in a server position and I'm like we're short silverware, like how we short silverware. So what I do, I do room rates. I bust in like the FBI, like the popo hey, mr Johnson, what's going on? Hey, nothing. You know how you doing. Like I'm good, I'm coming to look around, I open a freezer in the refrigerator and everything, like I'm just coming around, look for some Cups of silverware is good luck, cuz there ain't none in there open the fridge and there's all my cups.
Michael :And the worst thing about it is that these residents want to keep food in their refrigerator and don't eat it. So the food that we prepare and this is in mind you, these people, stay for weeks and don't clean out the refrigerator. So when I do these room raids and and fine salads that hasn't been eaten, or Delhi sandwiches that haven't been eaten, guess what? There is mold. It's mold all over the food and guess what it stinks. And who has to clean that up? The service, cuz I'm not clean. I say, look here going get that stuff out of that refrigerator because that stuff is disgusting and they still do this to this day.
Michael :One of the biggest mysteries in the world is why do you insist on keeping my cups and silverware? So that was the number five on my top podcast of 22. One of the top, let's just say one of the top five stories on the WD YM. Number four is the hiring and firing of chef J. It's great. I used to work here a couple years back and now they brought me back. I said that's great and he said me from back. I said that's great and he's like yo. Can you see the floor? And I'm looking down at the floor. Yeah, I see the floor. I said man, it is dirty. So, okay, oh, yeah and yeah, do you know about these enzymes, these chemical enzymes? I Said no, no, no about these chemical enzymes. Ladies and gentlemen, I spent 30 minutes talking about these enzymes, about the floor. Right, I'm gonna let that sink in for a minute, 30 minutes.
Michael :In this first conversation, one of the first conversation we have about enzymes on the floor, I was like you know what about? I'm gonna engage in the conversation. What's up with these enzymes, these enzymes on the floor? You know the, the black lines and the bottom floor. They're not see you supposed to be black. I'm like, oh, what color are they supposed to be? They're supposed to be white. I said, okay, I don't care. But you know, okay, you're excited about these enzymes. I could tell, yes, you put the enzymes on and it cleans it. If we do the cleaning that we're supposed to do, we're gonna do, it's gonna, we're gonna be marvelous because they're gonna think we're cleaning so well, right, okay, so he's excited about these enzymes. Okay, it's first conversation half hour, you don't took a half hour in my life. Okay, I gotta get back to work so I could hide underneath my desk, cuz you talked my ear off the first conversation we have. So, yeah, needless to say that his excitement for enzymes lacked in excitement for our residents. Man, I'll tell you what.
Michael :The idea of working with Chef Jay and then actually working with Chef Jay are two different things. I cannot believe how much of a difference the instructive version of Chef Jay was. What was the actual employee that Chef Jay was? So one of the things that was a clear sign that this dude's trash was Cowboy. I've talked about Cowboy previously and I told you before Cowboy is a hard worker. He works his butt off for the residents. No ifs, ands or buts about that.
Michael :Cowboy's like, yeah, man, this guy does not work. I said what? And again, this is during the time when he just arrived there and he's at one of my facilities, one of the best facilities in Butler County, mind you, he was working at one of these facilities and he just was not working as hard as Cowboy liked and he was straight up telling me just do this trash. There's no way this guy taught me how to be the chef that I am. So I'm baffled that you're saying this. He does not put in work, he needs to go. I'm like, wow, really. He's like, yeah, so, working with him at the facility, I noticed this dude was always on his phone, always on his phone. I'm like, how can you direct, give your attention to the residents if you're always on your phone? Now, mind you, I understand that you might get a phone call from time to time and you know text messages sent the other, but that all could wait when you are trying to serve the residents and he just wasn't having it. So needs to say that Chef Jay is gone and he was not a good example of how to work, but I'll never doubt his instructing abilities, man. He was a great instructor, just not a good worker.
Michael :So that was number four. Number three, number three didn't even have me in it, that's that's. That's the bogus thing. That's why this guy has to come off the top five list, because this one is called the midnight munchies. The midnight munchies is when my daughter had a sleepover for her birthday or whatever, and they like oh, you have a podcast. I said, yeah, I got a podcast, so can we make a podcast? I guess you know, whatever, what do you want to do? They did, roughly, I think, two and a half hours of podcasting of teenage girls talking trash about each other, of course, and it's one of the highest episodes. I mean. What else do I have to say about that?
Kobe :Not Facebook. Is your dad an embarrassing dancer? He's actually. He can twerk. My dad will dance?
Michael :Of course I can. My dad will dance, my dad's so, yeah, he runs this podcast.
Kobe :Yeah, I miss dads, like the owner, but we're taking over because we're better.
Michael :Yeah, we are. Are you loud? We're going to get him monetized.
Kobe :Oh okay, guys watch the monetized.
Michael :He's not an embarrassing dancer. He could be advanced. Shut up.
Kobe :Watch this like so many times that it's monetized and we get money.
Michael :Yeah, yeah, you should totally do that. It's a bet, it's a bet, it's a bet.
Kobe :Like keep it on repeat for your whole life. Yeah, yeah.
Michael :Are you surprised? That didn't happen. That didn't happen at all, but they went on for a good two to three hours and listening to it and then, of course, doing the editing, was absolutely hilarious to hear how, how they are with each other. It was, it was, it was a eye opening podcast and it's in the top five because, you know, the girls probably said I can't get it. I can't do the podcast. You listen to podcasts and other high school or you know middle school kids like oh my God, there's a podcast.
Michael :You know I had to edit out names and all that stuff that wasn't. That was a pain in the butt, but yeah, that was my number three. Number two was top 10 most annoying Christmas songs and, being that this is now 2024, you could probably guess without even me telling you what's the most annoying Christmas song ever. And my, in my opinion, but I know it's true. I know it's the most annoying song and you do too. The most annoying Christmas song At the WD YM and when.
Michael :I say that is how I feel when I hear it.
Kobe :Hey, hey, hey, hey, double hate Loos entirely.
Michael :There's no other than my ex-wife.
Michael :Every year, every year, and it's right after Thanksgiving, we don't, I mean really, it's right after Halloween. This song comes on every year and I think this is it's controversial. This might be her most popular song and her whole catalog. Mariah Carey, all I Want For Christmas Is you so easily the most annoying Christmas song on the earth. There's, no, there's no, no replacement for that, because it comes on every time and even she's in on it. She will make I think she's made an Instagram where she's dressed as a witch for Halloween and she's flipping through the calendar as soon as October 31st. As soon as she rips the page in November, she's in her Christmas outfit, starting that same intro. Props to her, props to Mariah Carey and my ex-wife. I'm a divorced, I'm a finished filing and divorced one time, so I get my money, but it's just amazing how annoying that song is.
Michael :So the number one episode of the WDYM is I make fun of old people and I enjoy it Still. To this day, I still do it. But yeah, mbutu, yeah, you heard that Mbutu was an African. So when he came in, he was real cool. He was a real cool African guy. He was like excuse me, sir, he be like. I do not eat red meat. I said, okay, no problem, I do eat chicken sometimes, but I do like fish. Do you have any fish? I'm like Mbutu, I got fish for you. I got a whole bunch of tilapia.
Michael :So funny story about the top episodes of the WDYM. A lot of them that are related to work are from, or listen to, the people I work with. But here's a funny story that I was going to add to another story but I'll just go ahead and chime in and maybe go into details further. In another episode, the HR for my facilities plural. They heard that I had a podcast and they talked to my boss about me and the podcast and I thought it was funny that I got pulled in and they Nate calls me and says hey, buddy, you want to come down to the office real quick. I said, sure, you know whatever. He's like shut the door. I'm like shut the door, okay, whatever.
Michael :He's like yeah, you know you got a podcast. So, yeah, it's a great old WDYM, it's Hamilton's number one podcast. I'm over there in my head playing a song in my head. You know like yeah, you know it's Hamilton's number one podcast man, what's up? He's like yeah, I know. Yeah, you mentioned some things about me too. I was like, yeah, I have, I ain't ashamed of it, you know what I'm saying. Well, yeah, you know, it's like HR knows about your podcast. I said, okay, I'm not trying to hide the fact that I have a podcast. I freaking have a sweater with a podcast logo on the back of it. I like my podcast, I'm proud of my podcast. Right, I was like, well, he's like struggling to tell me they were like for you not to name the facilities. I'm like, are you serious?
Michael :He said yeah they're so concerned that you're going to say something and they can get in trouble for it. Now I laugh, just like I did. Now I laugh and I'm like they're really worried about that.
Michael :He said yeah okay, they said it would be a courtesy His words it would be a courtesy if you didn't mention the facilities names. So that's why I always say Butler County's finest facilities. I always say that. Now I'm, like you guys, so worried about that when there's other Ways they can get in trouble for. But I don't mention that because one I'm always proud of, where I worked at this, was a sleazeball company and yeah, I would let them know. But no, we, we, we actually really do put in Work at the facility.
Michael :And, mind you, the episode, the whole episode, was I make fun of old people Because old people drive me crazy and I cannot be the only one. So that's why when I do these rehab stories, that it's funny. So that's the top five episodes of the WD. I am we got to get this midnight munchies off, that's, but that's bothered me, that that's on, that's in the top five. But I'm not even on the freaking episode, but but overall, that's again a thank you to the fans and everybody who listens to take time list to, to that list, to a list to me. I'm gonna be, you know, rant on blander, on da, da, da da about Everything. So you know, thank you again for listening to me. That sounded so conceited. Now that I heard that Plus, I do want to give a shout out to the Hamilton Bainton series that I spent a lot of time on this year the most fun I've had so far on the WD. I am talking about that rivalry that we have in football with the Catholic school in town. I still have one more, one more game the 2023 Hamilton vs Bainton series to do, but I wanted to Do some research and I'm gonna try to see if I can get a copy of the game so I can rewatch it, because when I watched the 2000 game where you know, good old Tommy Puma Did his thing again and again and again and again, which basically he beat Hamilton all by himself. But when I talk about that no more, the 23, the 2023 game I was just gonna watch it again so I could remember what I saw, even though it was Not even a year old yet. But, yeah, that is something to look forward to in 2024.
Michael :And speaking of 2024, one of the things that I've been looking for this Coming up or this past year Was a co-host. Now I can talk and Talk like no problem, no problem. But when I listen to other podcasts. It's always the bouncing of the energy from the one person to the other. And the first person I thought of of being a co-host was a friend of mine I used to work with, named Hannah. Now Hannah was an aide at the rehab, the rehab center when I worked in and you know I was again mentioning that hey, I have a podcast. Oh my god, that's great. She was like really excited about I'm like you know, you know that's cool, like I'll keep and I always pitch. Like you know you know I could always. I always have another chair and another microphone. She's like, really. I said yeah, she's like well, um, I Been planning to do my own pocket, so Really what?
Kobe :is it?
Michael :about. She said it's the Trauma tree. I said, oh, she's already thought about this. I said she's already put this into into play. So, my guy, that's cool, you know. If you need some help, or you know if you want some hints, strategies, whatever, what not, you can always hit me up. Ladies and gentlemen, the trauma trio was freaking hilarious. I enjoyed all three episodes they had and now they're gone. So, so, out of respect of the trauma trio, I'm gonna play one of the sound best that they have from one of their episodes and, needless to say, this is this is what it sounded like, and fuck you like they're fucking a man.
Kobe :Yeah, agreed, like. What is that? Let's see if I can make that noise really close to the mic, the one of the most disrespectful things.
Michael :The trauma trio gave it down. It's probably one of the most funniest things that they did when that happened. That was absolutely hilarious. So so, yeah, I thought about that and she was like you know, I do more thing and that was cool. So, you know, props to them and their short-lived podcast. The next person that that I kind of approached about the idea of being a cause is my friend Eric. My friend Eric and me have a lot of similarities.
Michael :One we were both raised together On nap drive and the stories we could tell just from that is pure magic. And the thing about Eric is that he's a talker like me and he's entertaining as hell. No-transcript Bangles between me and him would be hilarious, because I am, like I've said before, I'm, a divorce bangle fan. I like you. I just like you over there. Get away from me, you're not gonna hurt my. I'm just gonna be right next to me. I'm just gonna be right next to you, but I'm just gonna be right next to you. So I'm just gonna be right next to you. I just wanna be right next to you. I just like you over there. Get away from me. You're not gonna hurt with my. You're not gonna play with my feelings and emotions anymore and Do this to me no, no, sir, no ma'am, no ham, no bacon. We ain't doing that. No, I will not do that. But you know, as the recent success of the bangles go, so does so does him like he's a big Bengals fan. I didn't even know that, like I got a croissant. He wasn't a big Bengals fan, but I could see it now and and some of the some of the things that he does he's made. He's been online about it, talking about Joe. That's what he does and and One of the things that is probably Great for upcoming seasons, upcoming episodes that we both have military.
Michael :We both are veterans of the United States military. Now, when I say that, you may be like, oh, you know, thank you for your service. That's up and which we yes, yes, you're welcome for the service is the honor to serve and I will serve again. Right, but there are stories that need to be told about being in the military and, trust me, I plan on getting to that in the future and probably season three of the WDYM and To hear some of the stories that he has has to be funny, has to be funny hands down.
Michael :So hopefully, as this episode goes out, that he would like to do it again. I don't, I don't push the issue, I don't force the issue. You say you want to do it and just a. You know where I'm at. If you really want to do it, we could do it, I'm all for it. So Eric on the podcast would be awesome.
Michael :Another person who would be awesome for the podcast is my friend, crystal now crystal, if you, if I could describe Crystal, she is a ball of energy, times to a gink, a dama, a spirit bomb ready to explode. She has so much energy that it will be wonderful for Wonderful, for people to experience the energy she has and again, the back and forth banter that we had now rewind. How I know crystal. Crystal and I've been friends since eighth grade, you know, back when before is called middle school, is called junior high, and she has so many stories to tell, so much energy to have and a good, good look on life, so to speak, and what I tell her is like your energy is so infectious that it should be on the podcast. It will be great for you to tell your story, tell your opinion and share that energy with numerous people around the world. That's the best part of you. It's like she's like yeah, you're right, I agree. I just want to curse. I like hold on CK, you can't be just.
Michael :This is a family show and Every time you curse I gotta do spend another half hour editing. I don't know if you, I don't know if I want to do that, so you have to make it a G show. He's like, well, that's dumb. I said look hill, look hill. I said in order to get a bigger reach, of further reach, you have to keep it clean, because you don't know who's driving in the car and you drop an F bomb and all that stuff and nobody wants to hear that. They want to hear what you have to say.
Michael :So I try to encourage her. Hey, if you tone it down and Speak your game, which I know she can, the world's, the world's the limit for her and the energy that I give her talking to her, I Guarantee you guys would love it. But it's just that, hey, I've invited the people. I've been said hey look, I always have a chair and a microphone. Extra chair, microphone is up to you. I'm, it's always here. If you want it, come get it. I'm down if you're down. If we could do all that. So that's the goal for 2024. As far as Local goals like small goals, so to speak what I would like to do is make my numbers grow even more.
Michael :So, therefore, I they have these I don't know what you call them like Podcasts, like comic-cons, but for podcasts where you mingle and talk and interact with people, to have podcasts, because the thing that, again that I go with bus route I think we have this Facebook page and you see people in the top 10 percent, top 50 percent numbers that are just 20 times bigger than mine, right and Less episode. Some people have less episodes than I but have like, so, so much more Than what I have. And that's what I aim for and it's like, again, I don't tap into the potential of bus sprout, but I Want to tap into making the podcast bigger. So that's the goal for 2024 is to get to be able to like, go to these podcast events, talk to other people and, you know, social mingle, you know, get it out there so I can increase my numbers for 2023 and make them bigger for 2024. So the question is, like, as I wrap up this, this episode, is that Do I? Because I always like to change things up like, like, from season one to season two, I changed my intro, but I keep my, my outro, the generic outro that's on the broadcaster pro, for some reason. I like that and I keep it. But it's like Maybe I should get an outro, but I don't even know where to go as far as an outro or what to think of. So that's one of the things that I'm thinking about for season three Of the WD. I am also do I change this? I Love this, I Love it, I love it. So that's probably gonna stay. Maybe I should make it, maybe make a rock and roll, that's it, make a rock and roll version of the new intro and all that stuff. But, um, there's things to work on. Hopefully, when season three rolls around, I Can have some new things on here and all that stuff, maybe maybe have that co-host that I want. With that being said, let's bring this episode to an end With the old generic, old, generic outro. But I still love it because it's free.
Michael :2024 for the WDYM. What does it happens in? In store for me and for you? I'm your host, michael Gillespie of the WDYM. Thank you, guys for tuning in. Enjoy 2024. Hope it's a good year for you. I hope it's a good year for me. I hope it's a good year for everybody. With that being said, I'm out. Boy Scout, girl Scout, happy New Year, peace.