Podcast Summary: The Moth Podcast: Confessions and Mt Olympus
Date: August 22, 2025
Host: Chloe Salmon
Stories by: Caroline Connolly & Christina Nassi

Overview

In this episode of The Moth Podcast, host Chloe Salmon introduces two captivating true stories centered around pivotal moments of daring, vulnerability, and self-discovery. The first story, from Caroline Connolly, chronicles a transformative journey to Mount Olympus following a difficult breakup. The second, by Christina Nassi, explores the awkward hilarities and emotional weight of confession within the Catholic Church. Both narratives delve into themes of identity, family expectations, and the courage to share hidden truths.

Story 1: Caroline Connolly — Mt. Olympus and the Ziploc Bag of Raisins

Told at: Boston Grand Slam
Theme: Occasional Magic
Timestamp: [03:21–09:54]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Back in Her Childhood Bed

  • Caroline, at age 29, returns to her parents’ home after an abrupt breakup, sleeping in her old twin bed surrounded by the same “floral bed sheets and floral wallpaper... like you were trapped in a terrarium at all times.” ([03:27–03:47])

• Family Pressure and Expectation

  • Her father sends emails from one room away “Did you see the youngest Kardashian sister is already a billionaire, she’s only 19,” while her mother suggests joining the Rotary Club to meet “a nice man with a good health insurance plan.” ([04:17–04:40])

• Reclaiming Her Plans

  • Instead of succumbing to her situation, Caroline decides to take her planned Greece trip solo (with her older sister) to hike Mount Olympus. “I would just go to Greece and I would hike that mountain and I would take a picture at the top and I would post it to social media. It was such a good plan.” ([05:00–05:15])

• The Hike Goes Awry

  • What was meant to be a leisurely hike becomes a harrowing ordeal after a storm threatens to upend their plans. Lost and freezing, the sisters begin fighting, with misread maps and rising tension.

• Divine Intervention

  • Two seemingly mythical, shirtless Australian men appear from the fog. Caroline recalls: “To this day, they were two of the most perfect men I have ever seen in my life...they had Australian accents, and I knew they were a gift from the gods to me.” ([07:14–07:32])

• Siblings and Self-Discovery

  • Instead of accepting the men’s offer to turn back, the sisters press on. Caroline’s whispered quip, “One of these men might want to date me and they might have health insurance. Mom will be thrilled,” breaks the tension. ([07:54])

• Unfinished Business, Unexpected Resolution

  • They don’t reach the actual summit—discovering harnesses and ropes are required—but the near-miss is enough. Caroline reflects: “I really did not care that we did not finish. Because I didn’t need to be at the top of a mountain or engaged...For the first time in a while, I felt pretty okay with where I was in life.” ([09:05–09:35])
  • The story ends with moving out and buying her own queen-size bed.

Notable Quotes

• “I had never felt smaller sleeping in the twin size bed of my childhood.” — Caroline Connolly [03:21]
• “One of these men might want to date me and they might have health insurance. Mom will be thrilled.” — Caroline Connolly [07:54]
• “For the first time in a while, I felt pretty okay with where I was in life.” — Caroline Connolly [09:28]

Transition & Host’s Reflection

Timestamp: [09:54–12:16]

• Chloe Salmon shares her once “anti-hiking” stance and how producing a Moth Main Stage show led her to a love for hiking.
• Encourages listeners to submit their own stories about hiking, Greece, or breakups through The Moth’s Story Slams or Pitchline.

Story 2: Christina Nassi — A Confession Gone Awry

Told at: Denver Story Slam
Theme: Green
Timestamp: [12:32–16:47]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Strict Religious Upbringing

  • Raised in a devout Catholic environment, Christina attended Most Precious Blood Catholic school. “You don’t dabble in Catholicism. At Most Precious Blood, you go all in.” ([12:38])

• Always Feeling Like an Outsider

  • Despite years of religious education, Christina often felt disconnected, unsure of rituals, and like “a little bit of an outsider” due to her parents’ divorce.

• Adult Confession, Childhood Ritual

  • At 23, prompted by her stepsister to confess before Christmas, Christina returns to confession for the second time since third grade.

• An Unexpected, Awkward Twist

  • Christina pours out years of secrets—ranging from “impure thoughts” and “premarital sex” to having had an abortion—unaware the priest isn’t there. Midway, the partition opens, and the priest says: “Oh, I’m sorry for being late. You may begin.” ([15:22])
  • The booth, not the priest, received her true unburdening.

• Aftermath

  • In the real confession, she waters down the truth, is assigned penance, and exits carrying the heavy irony of her experience. She has never returned to confession.

Notable Quotes

• “You don’t dabble in Catholicism. At Most Precious Blood, you go all in.” — Christina Nassi [12:38]
• “And just as I was approaching the end, that small wooden partition...opened. I stopped abruptly. The voice said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry for being late. You may begin.’ The priest had just arrived.” — Christina Nassi [15:19]
• “And I’ve never been back to confession.” — Christina Nassi [16:38]

Episode Wrap-Up

Timestamp: [16:47–17:34]

• Host Chloe Salmon briefly reflects on the vulnerability and humor in both stories, encourages sharing the podcast, and thanks storytellers and listeners.

Memorable Moments & Highlights

• Caroline’s Reflection on Growth: A journey that’s not completed as planned but yields a more meaningful sense of independence and self-acceptance.
• Christina’s Comic Timing: The irony of an empty confession tainted by a late-arriving priest adds humor to what could have been a heavy moment, blending vulnerability with laughter.

Important Timestamps

• Caroline Connolly: Mt. Olympus Story Begins: [03:21]
• Caroline’s Encounter with “Greek gods”: [07:14]
• Caroline’s Epiphany and Return: [09:05]
• Christina Nassi: Confession Story Begins: [12:32]
• The Confessional Mishap: [15:19]

This episode celebrates risk-taking, the humor in failure, and the quiet victories found in honest self-reflection. Through embarrassing and brave true tales, The Moth creates a shared space for listeners to laugh, cringe, and connect.