Personal Journals Episodes

This week, Leigh-Anne (Edwards) Clabby takes the helm as our guest host, diving deep with none other than her dad, Melvin E. Edwards, host of "Stories from Real Life!" She’s on a mission to uncover juicy tales from his childh...

Houston attorney and former TV sportscaster Drew Shirley admits he voted for Donald Trump in this year's election, despite feeling embarrassed by his belief that Trump is a "clown." He's ready to share why he chose the eventu...

Kristen Adele Calhoun is a writer, actress, and college professor, who also happens to be a cousin of this podcast's host. They are here to discuss the daunting challenge of uncovering their family's history as the descendant...

Nate Belcik, a Texas high school history teacher, embodies a calm demeanor during the weekdays and transforms into a U2 superfan on weekends. Despite being in his 20s, Nate has attended their concerts 18 times, which includes...

Boston-area bartender-turned-salesman Neil Rogers has been owner and Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Rogers Marketing for nearly 26 years. He built his career and business leveraging both old-school and new-school mark...

Nate Bell is an outspoken Never Trump conservative and has been politically homeless since 2016. A lifelong Republican until 2015, Nate served in the Arkansas State House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017 where he chaired ...

Meredith Wills has a Ph.D. in solar astrophysics and is a sports data scientist. She's a physicist and a baseball analyst, who happens to also be a world-class knitter. Rumor has it, Lynda Carter wears a Meredith Wills costum...

Minnesota's very own Pat Kahnke is the Joey Chestnut of muskrat skinners, once taking the hides off hundreds of rodents in a single day. Though his sobering takes on Christianity and politics are serious, wondering if he once...

Rodney Smith Jr.’s simple act of assisting a neighbor with lawn care has blossomed into a nationwide movement centered on compassion and kindness. Born in Bermuda on the Fourth of July, Rodney Smith Jr. is the hero Americans ...

Find out what would happen if our guests Michael Freeman and Doc Hubbard took the wheel as President of the U.S. or Commissioner of Baseball for a day. Spoiler alert: courtesy runners might be running for cover! Tune in to un...

Today's guest, Heather Renee May, has a diverse background that gives her a unique perspective on life. Ballet was her first love, and she danced professionally until retirement. She's now an author, podcast host, musician, d...

Jonathan Janz is the pen name of Craig Shaeffer, an American horror author of 16 novels and one collection of short fiction. In 2011, Janz published his debut novel, The Sorrows. The book received praise from author Brian Kee...

Risa August was a triathlete until discovering she had a brain tumor that affected her motor skills. After surgery to remove the tumor, she dealt with her setbacks by riding her bike. Then she rode her bike from Canada to Mex...

Bob LeMent is recognized as one of the first podcasters in the world. Now with over 1,500 episodes under his belt on his show, Static Radio, he joins "Real Life" to share his interesting and funny stories. He also discusses t...

Donna Leigh Scott has some great stories to tell. She was a brief beauty contestant winner, an actress, singer, and model, Donna also built a high-profile court reporting business that kept her busy for nearly 5 decades. She'...

Texas high school tennis coach Jason Edwards graces the mic for the show's 50th episode! Through the family's confectionary lineage, Coach Edwards honors his grandfather's memory, intertwining the sweetness of that legacy wi...

Contemporary Christian Music legend and Grammy winner Bryan Duncan's career has spanned 6 decades and he has accumulated 16 #1 CCM chart hits. With a singing voice like Simply Red's Mick Hucknell and a comedy edge like a late...

Dixon Monk is only an 11th grader, but he has already committed to play NCAA Division I baseball at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., one of the toughest academic schools in the country. I worked with Dixon's mother ...

Otto Gallaher is a master of reinventing himself. He became an attorney after leaving his previous career as a construction worker. He was a corporate businessman before that. In his daily life, he's a husband, father of thre...

This episode was inspired by Beyoncé's new Country album, called "Cowboy Carter." With three Black people in the discussion, this edition is part history lesson, part music appreciation, and part self-identification. My guest...

Filmmaker, writer, and director Melissa Jo Peltier ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "The Dog Whisperer") joins the show to discuss some of her best-known projects, in addition to her recent documentary, "The Game is Up." Find ...

Dallas-area attorney Monica Haft is a first-generation American, born to a mother from Colombia and a father from Cuba. When she started school, she didn't speak English. She learned, grew, and flourished, so when she talks a...

Musician and writer Sean Dietrich, popularly known as "Sean of the South," talks about his invitation to the Grand Old Opry, his dad, being a BBQ judge, Southern fried chicken, and the new nickname, "Mark Twang," that I gave ...

Independent travel agent Rachel Taylor gives tips for booking the best trips for everyone, regardless of their budget. She also tells about her favorite vacations, her strongest advice, and her obsession with Disney theme par...