Episodes

  • Episode 50 : Down the Rabbit Hole We Go

    Episode 50 : Down the Rabbit Hole We Go
    Jun 18 2026
    Send us Fan MailEpisode fifty. FIFTY. And we went out exactly the way we started — just the two of us, a bottle of wine, and absolutely no shortage of things to say. Season 1 is officially in the books, and this episode is equal parts celebration and rabbit hole. We're talking merch launches, ballet tickets, anniversary party updates, a Trend Decoder segment that got surprisingly deep, and a sneak peek at what Season 2 has in store. Buckle up, Sip Squad. 🐇🍾 This episode is sponsored by Vu EventsWe love you, Jovana! Vu Events is Wichita’s go-to for unforgettable events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate event, or anything in between — it had to be Vu! Follow them at @vueventplanning and tell them So THIS Happened sent you.📱 Trend Decoder: Show Me Your GripTrend Decoder is back! We started Season 1 with this segment, and it only felt right to end with it too. Tonight’s trend: Show Me Your Grip.Rachel went full spiral before landing on something that honestly exceeded the actual trend: a metaphor for holding on through 50 episodes, through a whole year, through all of it. Jen’s take was literal — the viral trend of women showing everything stacked in one hand as they walk out the door in the morning — keys, coffee, water bottle, sunglasses, lip stuff, and approximately four other things that don’t fit in women’s pockets because women’s pockets are a joke.Rachel also proposed activating Stitch mode (six arms, no waiting) and theorized a carpal tunnel gender gap study. So yes, it went places."We started this thing and we gripped on tight, and we did it every week." — Rachel🥂 New Merch Drop: Pairs Well with Champagne & Caviar BumpsToday we hard-launched our newest merch line — inspired by our good friend Brent, former Executive Director of Ballet Wichita, who introduced us to our first caviar bumps (and a whole lot of Veuve Clicquot). It started with Brent saying “Hey, I love your podcast” one night at the Brickyard, and look where we are now.10% of profits from the Pairs Well with Champagne & Caviar Bumps line go to Ballet Wichita. Because that’s just how this story goes.Shop the new line + all our merch here.And don’t forget — the Uncorked & Slightly Unhinged line is 15% off through July 31 with code STHANNIVERSARY.Ballet Wichita Giveaway: Alice in WonderlandWe’ve been invited as guests to Ballet Wichita’s production of Alice in Wonderland — June 27 at 2 PM at Friends University. AND we’re giving away two tickets to one lucky Sip Squad member + their plus one.Here’s the full circle moment: Jen’s son played the Mad Hatter in his high school’s state-winning production of Alice by Heart this year. So naturally, the This or That for the giveaway is...Mad Hatter or White Rabbit? 🎩🐇 Head to our Instagram for the giveaway post, drop your answer in the comments, and you’re entered. Winner chosen at random via randomizer.org.P.S. Jen is going as the Mad Hatter. Rachel already bought white rabbit ears on Amazon. We are dressing up and we hope you will too.🥂 Anniversary Party: Uncorked, Unhinged & Bubbling OverDate: July 12th, 2:00–4:00 PMLocation: Bubbles Champagne BarFree to attend — guests cover their own refreshmentsPresenting sponsor: Vu Events | Venue sponsor: Bubbles Champagne BarSpecialty cocktail menu in the works with Bubbles — very purple, very glittery, very usFun collab with Stella of Bella Bonita DesignsSurprise gifts for all Season 1 guests — we’re not saying more than thatDJ Panda will be there. It’s gonna be a whole vibe.Side note: Jen got a tattoo at Bubbles during RoséFest last Sunday, and Jovana did too. This is the kind of thing that only happens when you’re a ginormous Bubbles fan.💻 Digital Wichita’s Digital DayBy the time this episode drops Thursday morning, Digital Day will be just four hours from starting. Jen is Vice Chair of Digital Wichita, So THIS Happened is a proud sponsor, and the whole Wichita digital community is about to be in one place at one time. If you’re in the Wichita area and haven’t checked it out — look it up!🚀 Season 2 Is ComingWe’re taking a two-week break to regroup, plan, and polish — and then Season 2 kicks off with a bang. Jen wore a sloth shirt to the recording as an Easter egg, and if you know who in Wichita has sloths... you already know where we’re headed.Tanganyika Wildlife Park is coming to Season 2. We’re recording on site. That’s all we’re saying. 🦥Plus: more live and in-person episodes, new segments, more collabs, and a potential So THIS Happened girls trip that somehow evolved into a listener trip within about 45 seconds. We have ideas. We’re brewing and stewing. Stay tuned.📣 Before You Go🎩 Enter the Alice in Wonderland giveaway — Mad Hatter or White Rabbit? Comment on the Instagram giveaway post to enter🎉 Join us July 12 at Bubbles — the anniversary party is FREE and the Sip Squad is going to be in the building🛄 ...
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    45 mins
  • Episode 49 : Long Live the Sip Squad

    Episode 49 : Long Live the Sip Squad
    Jun 11 2026
    Send us Fan MailThis episode is the one before the one. Just Jen and Rachel, a charcuterie board from Aldi, and nearly a full season of memories to look back on. Fresh off the Riverfest Main Stage, with an anniversary party on the horizon and one more episode to go in Season 1 — this is their moment to pause, pour a glass, and say long live all of it.Trend Decoder is back, Rachel pulls off a perfect score (including a dramatic live count of her 36 Amazon lists), and Hits Different lands with a little more emotion than either of them expected. Spoiler: there were tears.---🔍 TREND DECODERTrend 1: "Don't Touch It"The trend where you act out something you love a little too much but probably shouldn't be doing. Rachel's guesses include cactus handling, workplace hot potatoes, and the eternal temptation of a late-night Snapchat from someone you really shouldn't open. She gets there. Jen's version: Sephora online shopping. Rachel's version: 36 Amazon lists. She counted them live.Trend 2: "I Want the Best for You"A soft sell trend — reaching out to someone with something genuinely good to offer, making it dramatic and relatable. Rachel connects it to Prime Day, real kindness, and wanting good things for people even when it's complicated. The STH version: calling every listener personally to tell them about the July 12th anniversary party, the 15% off merch code STHANNIVERSARY, and the specialty cocktail menu at Bubbles. We just want what's best for you.Rachel goes out on top with a perfect score. Season 1 Trend Decoder: complete.---🎉 LOOKING BACK ON SEASON 1A full roll call of the people, places, and moments that built Season 1:• Jenny from Her Edit Candles — the first guest, the first vibe-setter, and the person who accidentally opened every door that followed.• Kristin Beal from Harvester Arts — still the most downloaded episode of all time. She started with a parade and built something extraordinary.• Stacy Ward Lattin from Hopping Gnome — a holiday pop-up that became a full crew outing. The Christmas setup was stunning. Deck the gnomes.• Tracy Hoover from Groover Labs — a startup queen with a fascinating story. The episode ran long and nobody minded.• Kaia and Bella from Roaming Spirits — tequila in an espresso martini, homemade syrups, and a content day that is absolutely still happening.• Brent and Annika from Ballet Wichita — what started as a guest episode became a whole community. Ballet Wichita is basically a second home now.• Kari from Happy Camper Hat Company — an interactive episode, a Chiefs hat, and lake day content that is already planned in Jen's head.• Jovana Vu from Vu Events — where Episode 1 began, and where Season 1's sponsorship lives. Thank you, Jovana. Thank you, Tony. Full circle.• Ghost Girl from Oddfellow — relatably vulnerable, creatively inspiring. They're putting a bat signal in the sky.• Jamie Seipel from Blood Cancer United & Home2 Suites — an absolute queen with a mission and an event calendar that never stops. The FOMO was real.• Jennifer Short from Colour Thairapy & Sovereign Inhale — the hair is still falling perfectly. The breathwork conversation was unforgettable.• Krissy Buck from Digital Wichita / WSU Tech — the woman behind Mission Control Digital Day 2026 (June 18–19, AI-focused, space themed). Jen is Vice Chair. It's a whole thing.And to the Sip Squad — the community that brought back Trend Decoder, sends coffee recs, and showed up for every episode. You made it possible to stand on a stage at Riverfest. You are the kingdom.---🎶 HITS DIFFERENT: "Long Live" — Taylor Swift (Speak Now, Taylor's Version)Rachel's first listen: warm, nostalgic, no hard feelings. A song about cherishing the feeling of a moment even after the moment is over — and still wanting the best for the people you shared it with. Even the ones where it's complicated.Jen's take: this is a love song to Taylor's fans. Written after her very first stadium performance — her second album, before she knew what was coming. The lyric that gets Jen every time: "Point at the pictures, tell them my name." Though she said — she won't have to point at pictures of Rachel. Her kids already know who Rachel is.Why this song, why this episode: for the Sip Squad. For the community that has been here from the beginning, sent ideas, left reviews, and made Riverfest happen. You're the kingdom. Long live all of it. Long live So This Happened. 🥂---📣 WHAT'S COMINGEpisode 50 — Season 1 FinaleNext week is the big one. Jen and Rachel are recording at Revolutsia with Naquela from Planted Tea Shop. Iced tea is confirmed. Naquela also has a popup event coming up: July 11th from 3–7 PM at 102 N. Francis (where Espresso To Go Go used to be). One day before the anniversary party — make a whole weekend of it.Anniversary Party — Uncorked, Unhinged & Bubbling Over📅 Saturday, July 12th | 2:00–4:00 PM📍 Bubbles Champagne Bar, WichitaFree event! ...
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Episode 48 : Live From Riverfest

    Episode 48 : Live From Riverfest
    Jun 4 2026
    Send us Fan MailSo THIS Happened went live. Like, actually live. Main Stage at Wichita Riverfest live. Episode 48 is Jen and Rachel recording in real time on the Main Stage at Wichita Riverfest 2026 — in front of a real crowd, with wine in hand, the wind trying its absolute best to ruin the vibe, and DJ Panda on hype duty. It did not disappoint. We played This or That with the crowd (Riverfest edition — festival food, outfit planning, local vs. national acts), dove into some of our favorite Riverfest memories, talked about what we'd already been up to Friday and Saturday, and giggled through Trend Decoder — because a live audience watching Rachel guess internet trends cold is exactly as chaotic as it sounds. 🎲 THIS OR THAT — RIVERFEST EDITION The crowd played along this week — DJ Panda held it down from the booth while Jen and Rachel revealed their answers and let the audience weigh in. A few standout moments: Front of the crowd vs. back by the bar — turns out it's a both/and situation and nobody is sorryLocal Wichita act vs. national headliner — unanimous local love (very on-brand for this show)Corn dog vs. funnel cake — deeply personal, surprisingly divisive, and both are correctFestival outfit planned for weeks vs. threw it together this morning — the crowd overwhelmingly grabbed what they could find, and we respect itDocument everything for the 'gram vs. put the phone down and live in it — turns out Broadway In Wichita taught Jen how to be present, and Rachel just trusts Jen to get the shot 🎡 RIVERFEST MEMORIES & THIS WEEKEND The conversation got good fast. A few highlights: Rachel's most vivid Riverfest memory: snow cones with Jen and the boys back around 2018, Century II, hot and sunny, outfits sourced from Von Maur the day before. Some things never change.Rachel's childhood memory: watching the hot air balloons launch at night with her dad — and the fact that she's still hoping to catch them this year (weather permitting, which, it has not been).Jen's chapter as the official Riverfest livestreamer — the backstage access, the deeper love for the festival it created, and the moment she arrived at the VIP dinner thinking Tim wasn't coming... and he was already there. Waiting. Having conspired with Julie to pull off a full surprise. There is a GIF. It lives forever.The $25 giant margarita situation: Brittany at the bar turned them onto the Una Vida Tequila margaritas with refills for the rest of Riverfest. They are going back immediately after recording.The Schooner Mates, Admiral Windwagon, the food court at the brick of fries, the Korean corn dogs — Riverfest is well-represented in this episode. Big takeaway of this year's fest so far: more collaboration, more community showing up for each other — and that is exactly what this podcast is about. 📱 TREND DECODER Rachel's Trend Decoder has returned by popular demand — specifically because Tracy from Oklahoma City mentioned it at lunch, and that was all it took. Welcome back, chaos. TREND 1 — "Can We Reschedule?"Creators pretend to receive a text cancelling plans, fake disappointment, then cut to themselves already in comfy clothes at home — relieved they don't have to go out. Rachel immediately said "cat on your lap" and "we do this all the time" and earned herself a hard-fought point. She was correct in spirit. One point awarded. TREND 2 — "Watch My Body Change"Creators use hooks like "watch my body change after giving up ____" to tease a big wellness transformation — but the reveal is them looking tired, sad, and completely over it. Rachel went deep fried pickles → food belly → Ozempic → habits → no progress, and landed basically right at the end. A point and a half. Very generous. She earned it. Running score: Rachel is getting better at this. She said so herself. We believe her. 🥂 BEFORE YOU GO One-year anniversary party is HAPPENING — July 12th at Bubbles Champagne Bar, presented by Vu Events. Watch our socials for details coming soon.Episode 50 is right around the corner. It's happening.Merch is live — Uncorked & Slightly Unhinged and Messy Is My Polished available at https://www.bonfire.com/store/so-this-happened-store/. 10% of profits from Messy is My Polished merch goes to Ballet Wichita.Find us on Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram @sothishappened_podcast. Or honestly just find us out in the city — we're not hard to spot. This episode is brought to you by Vu Events — the Sip Squad Sponsor making the magic happen, including our upcoming one-year anniversary party. Thank you, Vu Events. We love you almost as much as we love those Una Vida margaritas. So THIS happened.Support the show
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    38 mins
  • Episode 47 : Yes, But

    Episode 47 : Yes, But
    May 28 2026

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    🎙️ Episode 47 — Yes, But

    Hosted by Jen Cole & Rachel Chappelle


    This episode is sponsored by Vu Events — Wichita's magic makers. Cheers to Jovana and the team!


    May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we decided to get real about it. Not in a five-tips kind of way. In the actual, imperfect, sometimes-you-hold-it-in-until-you-explode kind of way that real life actually looks like.


    Also: Trend Decoder is back, the math gets embarrassing, and "Clean" by Taylor Swift sends both of us somewhere we weren't entirely prepared to go.


    📱 TREND DECODER

    Trend #1: "Yes, But" — Creators show the polished, aspirational side of something ("yes") followed immediately by the messy behind-the-scenes reality ("but..."). Rachel earned half a point guessing this one. She's at peace with it.


    Trend #2: "Brainwash You" — Creators jokingly frame themselves as dangerously influential. Spend enough time with them and you'll accidentally adopt better habits. Rachel basically cracked this one by referencing The Office. 1.5 out of 2.


    💜 MENTAL HEALTH, MILESTONES & THE MESSY MIDDLE

    What does managing mental health actually look like — not the Instagram version, the real one? We get into the routines, the spiraling, the lists, the people, and the positive milestones that are somehow still exhausting.


    Spoiler: positive things are still stressful. Mixing emotion with logistics while being the most emotional person in the room is a whole thing. We see you.


    🎶 HITS DIFFERENT: "Clean" — Taylor Swift (1989)

    Rachel heard it for the first time tonight. The rain imagery hit. The drowning-but-finally-breathing thing hit. And Jen shared something she hadn't talked about on the podcast before — the season in her life when this song first existed, and what it meant then vs. what it means now.


    Both of us realized we were going through overlapping heartbreaks at the same time without knowing it. That came out on mic. In Episode 47. So that happened. 🥂


    📣 BEFORE YOU GO

    • Riverfest Main Stage — Sunday, May 31 at 11 AM! All you need is a Riverfest button. Come find us. 🎉
    • Merch: Uncorked & Slightly Unhinged + Messy Is My Polished — 10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰 Link here.
    • Season 2 is coming — drop your ideas for new segments in the comments!
    • Subscribe + review on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen. 🎙️


    Yes, but... we'll see you next time.

    So THIS Happened.

    Sponsored by Vu Events | Sip Squad Sponsor | May 2026


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    56 mins
  • Episode 46 : Perfectly Un-Perfect

    Episode 46 : Perfectly Un-Perfect
    May 21 2026

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    This episode is sponsored by Vu Events! Whatever you’re celebrating, Jovana and her team have the vision to make it unforgettable. Find them at vueventplanning.com.

    Episode 46 is chaotic, emotional, hilarious, and somehow perfectly on-brand for two women who just coined the phrase “perfectly un-perfect” live on air.

    Jen and Rachel are fresh off a content creation outing at Century II — getting familiar with the main stage where they’ll record LIVE at Riverfest on Sunday, May 31st at 11 AM. Come see them. All you need is your Riverfest button.

    📱 TREND DECODER (Tracy, this one’s for you)

    The No Trend: running words together to dodge accountability. “youdon’tneedonemorebottleofwine.” My name’s Jen. It doesn’t apply.

    Not a Math Person: reclaiming a weakness as proof of a different brain. “You’re so creative!” Thanks, I used to cry during math homework. Rachel got half a point. Both of them cried during math homework.

    🎓 THE WEEK THAT WAS

    Nathan performed My Shot from Hamilton at his variety show and absolutely obliterated the stage. Nicholas graduated high school with 18 college credits already banked. The senior girls performed Slipping Through My Fingers twice — once the night before graduation, once during. Nick fanned Jen with his program. At graduation, Nathan caught her eye from across the auditorium and was losing it. She did not cry. The boys handled that one night early.

    Baby Everett came to town with Hannah and Shane for the graduation party. The summit at Torr Brewing included the full friend group, both families, a legendary nacho bar, and Nick arriving in full Johnny Cash black. Then: Bubbles, Chambongs, Sammie’s official initiation, an Andy Reid lookalike, and Rachel texting her dad about it at midnight.

    Also — Rachel is going to be an aunt! A girl. An enchanted forest baby shower is in early planning.

    🎶 HITS DIFFERENT: “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” — Taylor Swift (Reputation)

    The party is any relationship you poured yourself into. The song isn’t sad. It’s a boundary. It’s the nice thing protecting itself. Neither of them is re-recording Reputation. Perfectly un-perfect.

    📣 BEFORE YOU GO

    Come see us LIVE at Riverfest — Sunday, May 31st, 11 AM, Main Stage!

    Merch: Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy Is My Polished 2.0 (10% to Ballet Wichita 🩰)

    Subscribe on Spotify & YouTube + leave us a five-star review!

    🥂 So THIS happened.


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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Episode 45 : Main Stage Era

    Episode 45 : Main Stage Era
    May 14 2026

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    This episode is sponsored by Vu Events! Whether it’s a corporate gathering, a wedding, or the celebration of a lifetime, Jovana and her team have the vision and the hustle to make it unforgettable. Find them at vueventsplanning.com.


    ――――――――――――――――――――


    Forty-five episodes in, and things just got very, very real.


    Jen and Rachel are back with a full glass and a LOT to say — trends, milestones, a tearjerker of a Hits Different segment, and two announcements that have us fully in our Main Stage Era.


    👟 THE TRENDS SEGMENT

    This week: Red Flats Queen (the Met Gala assistant who went viral for running the whole show in red flats and zero cares) and the I’m a Survivor trend — using Reba McEntire’s anthem to celebrate the absolute bare minimum. Swallowed your vitamins? Survivor. Didn’t cry until the very end of the band concert? Survivor. We’re all survivors here.


    🏟️ ANNOUNCEMENT #1: WE’RE PLAYING RIVERFEST

    So THIS Happened is recording LIVE on the Main Stage at Wichita Riverfest — May 29th at 1:30 PM. All you need is your Riverfest button. Come find us front and center. Sponsored by Vu Events. 🎉


    🥂 ANNOUNCEMENT #2: ANNIVERSARY PARTY

    We’re almost a year old and we’re throwing a party. More details coming very soon — but save the date: July 12th, 2–4 PM at Bubbles Champagne Bar inside The Workroom. Presenting sponsor: Vu Events. Venue sponsor: Bubbles. It’s going to be incredibubble.


    🎵 HITS DIFFERENT: “The Best Day” — Taylor Swift (Fearless)

    Rachel came in blind and left emotional. Jen couldn’t make it through without crying. Between Nick’s last band concert solo, graduation week, and wedding lead-up memories — this one hit every single layer.


    📣 BEFORE YOU GO

    → New merch dropping before Riverfest — Messy Is My Polished is getting a redesign!

    → 10% of all merch profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰

    → Subscribe, review, and follow us everywhere @sothishappened_podcast


    So THIS happened. And it’s gonna keep happening.


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    1 hr
  • Episide 44 : Entering In

    Episide 44 : Entering In
    May 7 2026

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    🎙️ EPISODE 44 — "Entering In"
    Featuring Krissy Buck, Chair of Digital Wichita

    ─────────────────────────────────

    This episode is sponsored by Vu Events! Jovana Vu and her team make events feel like actual events — corporate gatherings, milestone celebrations, weddings, and everything in between. Find them at vueventplanning.com or @vueventplanning on socials.

    ─────────────────────────────────

    AI isn't coming. It's already here — and it's entering in whether you're ready or not.

    Jen and Rachel are live at WSU Tech's NCAT Campus with their friend of nine years, Krissy Buck — Chair of Digital Wichita and Director of the ShockStarter program at WSU Tech. What started as a conversation about AI-powered marketing turned into something bigger: a story about showing up, building community, and what it actually looks like to bring emerging technology to the middle of the country without leaving anyone behind.

    Also: tabs. So many tabs.

    🚀 DIGITAL DAY 2026 — June 18 & 19 | Wichita, KS
    Mission Control: AI-Powered Marketing for the Modern Brand

    This year isn't about why you should use AI. It's about how — with actionable steps you can implement the moment you leave NCAT. Speakers include Luis Rodriguez, Angie Callen, Mike Allton, Brian Piper, Dennis Yu, Jeff Sieh, Scott Simson, Mandy McEwen, and Michael King.

    Day 1 (June 18): Full day summit at WSU Tech's NCAT Campus
    Day 2 (June 19): Hands-on AI Agent Workshop with Dennis Yu at Groover Labs — limited to 100 seats!

    🎟️ Get tickets at digitalwichita.com

    📖 Want to prep before you go? Read the Digital Day Dispatch newsletter on LinkedIn every Thursday — we're breaking down each speaker and what they're covering.

    ─────────────────────────────────

    IN THIS EPISODE:
    → Krissy's origin story — from nervous attendee to Chair of Digital Wichita
    → What ShockStarter is and why it matters for Wichita's future
    → Why Social Media Day had to become Digital Day
    → How to start small with AI (SpongeBob's resume is involved)
    → The tabs open situation that got completely out of hand
    → The wedding party reveal that connects all the dots

    ─────────────────────────────────

    FIND KRISSY:
    TikTok: @MidwestCottageKS
    LinkedIn: Krissy Buck
    Digital Wichita: @digitalwichita

    ─────────────────────────────────

    BEFORE YOU GO:
    🛍️ Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰)
    📲 Subscribe on Spotify & YouTube
    💜 Thank you to our sponsor Vu Events — vueventplanning.com

    So THIS happened. 🥂

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Episode 43 : Reputation Precedes Her

    Episode 43 : Reputation Precedes Her
    Apr 30 2026

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    No guest. Just Jen and Rachel, a bottle of rosé, some very big news, and the return of one of the OG segments.

    Episode 43 has a lot going on: Jen paid off her student loans (HALLELUJAH). The Trend Decoder made its triumphant comeback. The whole Cole family had a Music Man moment. And Rachel officially became a Swifty — live on air. Reputation precedes her, indeed.

    📱 TREND DECODER IS BACK

    Listener Tracy requested the comeback and we delivered. Jen reads each trend cold, Rachel guesses what it means, and then we riff. Rachel has zero prep. That is the whole point.

    Trend #1 — “Hallelujah”: Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance spawned this wholesome gratitude trend — list things you love, add “hallelujah.” We made our own list on air. Top entries: paid off my student loans, cold pillow at bedtime, perfectly poured glass of wine, and chicken wings landing in ranch. (Rachel’s contribution. No notes.)

    Trend #2 — “My Top 5 Horror Stories”: Not actual horror films — people list real-life fears and everyday icks that feel like a horror movie. Rachel’s guesses went immediately to being eaten alive and trapped underground cannibalism. She got there eventually. Two points out of three.

    Trend #3 — The NYT Taylor Swift Interview: The New York Times Magazine named Taylor one of the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters. In a 30-minute video interview, she talked songwriting, rant bridges, and how Reputation didn’t land until 6–7 years later — specifically calling out “...Ready For It?” Which, not coincidentally, is tonight’s Hits Different song.

    🎉 THE BIG PERSONAL WIN

    Jen paid off her undergraduate student loans today. First thing this morning. After nearly 20 years. She sat with it for a minute. We all should.

    🎻 THE MUSIC MAN — A WEEKEND IN TWO ACTS

    Tim’s favorite musical came to Broadway in Wichita. Friday night: Jen and Tim went, then debriefed over cocktails at Goldfinch. Saturday: Tim’s mom Brenda, Jen’s sons Nick and Nathan, and Tim’s son Riley and his girlfriend Hailey all went together — followed by a family dinner at Sabor (get the salmon). Nathan is the theater kid fresh off a Broadway trip to NYC. Nicholas plays trumpet in band. The Music Man was made for this exact family moment.

    Shoutout to our local loves: Broadway in Wichita, Goldfinch, and Sabor.

    🎵 HITS DIFFERENT: “...Ready For It?” — Taylor Swift

    From Reputation (2017). Assigned to Rachel. Timed perfectly with the NYT interview drop.

    Rachel’s take: queen energy, the bass drop kills, and it should be licensed to EDM shows with laser lights immediately. She is filing this under party songs that hit. Also: she officially declared herself a Swifty. We knew this would happen.

    Jen’s take: hype song since day one. Volume all the way up. Not six or seven years — since the beginning.

    📣 BEFORE YOU GO

    • Request a Hits Different song — drop it in our comments or DMs!
    • Merch is live: Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% to Ballet Wichita 🩰)
    • New merch dropping this summer — we have an inkling.
    • Next episode: Krissy Buck, Chair of Digital Wichita, joining us live from WSU Tech’s NCAT campus for everything Digital Day 2026.

    Follow + subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.

    🥂 And we’ll see you next time.

    So THIS happened.


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    1 hr and 1 min