Rachel (0:00)

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Usually for this show, I'm in our studio here in Washington, D.C. and the guests are people with some kind of public profile, and they're talking to me from wherever they are. But all of us here at Wild Card have wanted to take our show on the road, so to speak, to get out of the studio, get away from the famous people, no offense, famous people, and test our questions out in the real world. So, yeah, Wild Card in the wild. It was a beautiful day in New York. Tons of people out and about. I talked with more than a dozen of them over a couple of hours. And today we're sharing excerpts of a few of those conversations. Just a heads up, these are New Yorkers, right? So you're going to hear a little bit of salty language come up in some of these conversations. In this first segment, you'll hear from Saina, Diane, and Akira. Um, two. Yeah. What's a place you consider sacred? A place I consider sacred is it doesn't necessarily exist for me anymore because my parents did have to give away my car, but it would be the car that I learned to drive in. You tell what went down in the car to make it secret. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a lot of really happy memories. I think driving became an outlet for me, especially because I learned to drive during COVID So that was kind of a time for a lot of people my age. We were bottled up in the house. We couldn't really leave. So when I was stressed about college apps, when I was stressed about school, school life, whatever it might be, I would go in my car and I would just go on drives, long drives. Sometimes it was two in the morning drives. But it was what I needed. And it became a place where I just felt at home. I felt myself. And whenever my friends needed to go places or just vent, I was the first person to kind of drive over in my car, pick him up. And that became our spot for just sort of, you know, being teenagers and hanging out. Yeah. So I miss my car a lot, but. Yeah. Even though it moves you from place to place, I consider it a place in and of itself. Totally. Yeah. Three. Okay. Is there anything in your life that feels like praying? Yeah. When I stop my clock and reflect upon where I am in life, who I have in my life, who I've lost, and in particular, in the past six weeks or so, I've been to several funerals of relatives or people close to us in our lives, like, with a. That's a frequency that I haven't experienced before. And I sit there. They're all people who believed in God in a very certain way. I'm still on the wondering, what, if anything, is out there? List. But when I think about these folks, I think. I hope that whatever they thought was out there is out there for them. And I do hope that they can watch out for us and, you know, make things happen the right way. And so there's something religious about that to me. And, you know, whether there's a God out there or not, I feel like having hope and faith is something that I've come to feel comfortable with. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Three cards. One, two or three. Gonna go for that middle. Oh, you're feeling the middle. Oh, you wanna read this? You go, you read it. Mmm. What you got? What's a lesson you've had to learn over and over again? What's a lesson you've had to learn over and over again? Akira? A lesson I've had to learn over and over again. I would say that it's okay to. I have to do things despite me being scared. Yeah, that's a big one. I think, like, I've struggled with fear most of my life. You know, just growing up in a pretty chaotic environment. It was a good household. But, you know, when you grow up around people who are very argumentative, it can be chaotic. Yeah. So just learning that even though I am afraid of certain things, like, I still have to get it done, you know, facing my fear. As far as performing, I'm a singer. Yes. I love singing. Facing my fear, as far as showing up, because I think, like, sometimes when I feel those emotions, it's hard for me to want to show up. Like, it's hard for me to want to, you know, be around other people. Like, literally, you don't want to leave your house. Yeah. Like, I isolate myself. You know, I never had social anxiety, but, like, I don't know, as I've gotten older, it's kind of developed, and I'm just like, I know, where is this coming from? Yeah. And you do have to push through it. Yeah. Because you know what happens when you put yourself out there? What happens? You meet a person and magical things can happen. You never know. It's true. But you do have to put yourself out there. You know you do. Yeah. Thank you. Hi, I'm Catherine Marr, CEO of npr, where we're guided by a bold mission to create a more informed public. Join us today by giving@donate.npr.org hi, I'm Ramtin Adablouei from Throughline. Electricity, Internet, cell service, all the things we rely on every day can be unreliable or inaccessible in an emergency, but through any storm or crisis, radio is a lifeline. Support the resource that's here for you no matter what. Give today@donate.NPR.org all this year, NPR traveled the country hearing from voters not just about the issues, but about their hopes for the country's future. We should be able to disagree with each other without bullying each other into submission and what it means to be a part of a democracy. Invest in coverage that moves us forward together by giving today@donate.NPR.org Ho, ho, ho. Santa here coming to you from the North Pole, where the elves in our podcast division have just completed work on this season's best gift for public radio lovers, NPR give the gift of sponsored free listening and even bonus episodes from your favorite favorite NPR podcasts, all while supporting public media. Learn more at plus.npr.org okay, we're back. And in this section, you're going to hear from Stephano, Molly and Sachi. Okay, let's pick the middle one. The middle one you already know. 2. Okay. What do you admire about your teenage self? That there was a sense of I didn't have to fit in, and also wanting more to understand what was going on rather than partake. You know, that's the opposite for a lot of people. People would say when you're a teenager, you desperately want to fit in. And you're telling me that when you were a teenager, you were not held captive by that you fell for your. No, no. But when I was about 7, I said there's got to be more than this, really. As I saw what was going on, what people were going through that I had no reference, but something. And then I came out with a poem. Life is a strife depending on one's latitude and attitude towards it. I love that, you know, so I was always trying to. My mind was. Was moving. Well, it wasn't too many emotions going on that were kind of nourishing, so the mind was on a higher pitch. Kind of took over. Where'd you grow up? In Harlem? It's up on the west side. 125th Street. And moaning side. Picked up a Southern draw, even though I'm Puerto Rican. Is that side of town? Yeah. But I'm interested because you said that you felt that freedom to not have to fit in as a teenager, and that's something you admire about your teenage self. Does that mean you. You don't feel that now you stop. Oh, I still. No, no, you don't. You don't give that up for what? No. And. And it's. It. It. It makes things difficult sometimes to a degree, because, you know, you're an outlier. You. You know. You ever heard of. You heard of Chopin Hour? The essays? So he writes this thing about society is like a warm, freezing night, and there's a can with wood burning in it, and it's warm. This is society. So you want to get just close enough to get the warmth. But if you get too close, everybody else pricks each other. Like your porcupines will prick each other, you know? See, it's like. And that's the way I was as a child, and now I'm realizing that it's suitable. It's suitable not to say there's anything wrong with everything. I mean, I believe that if you really want to get to the ah of life, you gotta go through the. Ouch. You gotta go through that rough thing. You gotta face yourself. You gotta change to grow, not be stuck. And for most people, they don't want to go through that, but they want to experience the. So they go find a group of people. Everybody placates each other. And this is what we all do. This is what. And it just. It's not appealing to me. I'd rather be. If you could find a group of individuals, I would love to join them. All right, so first questions. Three cards. One, two, or three? Let's go with three. Three. What's a lesson you've had to learn over and over again? The same lesson. Yeah. What's a lesson that keeps popping up? You think you figured it out, and then you do another thing you're like, ah, it's this thing again. Lying about my age. Oh, come on. Yeah, no, it's been like a real, like a problem. Consistent. I've always lied about being older though. Oh, interesting. I for everything, like for work, for boys, like. And I have continuously not learned my lesson. Eventually, obviously it will catch up because I will hit the age. I will hit an age where I can learn so much more from you. Now, have you ever gotten yourself into some dicey situations because of lying about your age? Almost. One time for work. My first job I did outside sales and I found out that I went to the same high school as this guy and he was like, what year did you graduate? And I was like. And I just made up like a year. And he was like, oh my gosh. I was like the year after you, like, do you know all these people? And it was a job thing. It was a work situation. And I was like, maybe I shouldn't be lying about this kind of stuff. But you look like a fully formed young adult at this point. I am now. Yeah. Should I ask you how old you are? Yeah, yeah, I'm 29. Yeah. Really? Really? I non stop when you say that, I'm like, okay, you're 20 years and I don't do it anymore. But what was at the root of it? You just. I wanted to be taken seriously. I always felt especially as like a woman. Right. There's that part of you that's a female where there's that dynamic in a workspace professionally. And then being young, I wanted to be taken seriously. I wanted people to trust me and I wanted to. I just wanted these people to feel comfortable with me. And if I told them that I was 22 years old and I'm trying to sell them something or talk to them or have like a professional relationship, that they wouldn't trust me because I was a child. Yeah. So that's kind of where it came from, I think. And have you figured out that you are. I mean, I mean, 29's a good age. 29 is a great age. Like I'm like. And I'm happy to say, I mean it's the last. In my 20s, so I'm happy to use this. Last time you live some life like you've had experiences. Yes. So you, you, you feel settled here? I feel settled in 29. I'm not lying about my age anymore. But it was a problem. So take you at your word. I mean, have you like, have you. I mean, about my age. Yeah. Well, I definitely rounded. Sure. Ok. Up or down, Right? Yeah, both. Well, let me tell you, Molly, as a woman who just turned 50, holy shit. That's the answer I want. That's the response. Holy shit. Wow. You. You know, there are all kinds of stuff that comes with getting older, and so there's a temptation to not say that quite out loud. And I think it's a real bad thing that women feel like you need to lie about definitely being older to get the authority and respect that you deserve. And then when you start to age, then you feel this pressure to fudge about your age going in the opposite way, because that only leaves a certain number of years where you're supposed to be perfect. The perfect age and that sort of bullshit. I agree with that. It's a tricky situation of, of learning how to be comfortable and confident in yourself that your age doesn't matter in the grand scheme. That's right. It's interesting to even hear that. Just that it's going to be like maybe a thing that happens forever. You're always working on it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was lovely. Thanks, honey. It's so nice to meet you. Yeah, you too. Thank you so much. Of course. Thank you. Thank you. Please don't judge me that I lie about my age. Girlfriend. Thank you. Okay, three new cards. One, two or three? Two, two. Okay. What's something you think of very differently than you did 10 years ago? Ah, 10 years ago. 10 years ago. So my son is now 22 years old and 10 years ago he was still 12 years old. And at that time I wanted to make him a successful person in the world of economy or like, like financially. I wanted him to be successful like a good businessman or like, or like socially. So money and fame and connection, such kind of things. I prioritize. When I raised him, for example, my son went to a very good private school from elementary school, school. So he's got a good connection with important friends like their British famous friends. Yeah, yeah. With Britain, famous parents. Yeah, but. So he is now a kind of person who lives in that kind of world and then. But he himself is happy. But I'm not sure if it is good for him now at the moment. Like maybe he wants to be an artist or. I'm not sure. And he's not sure. I think because I raised him in the limited world and now you're thinking, so, yeah, I want his world to be bigger maybe. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, that's the difference. Donald Trump promised to change Washington D.C. a place where there's an old saying that personnel is policy. That's why we have created a new podcast called Trump's Terms, where you can follow NPR's coverage of the incoming Trump administration from his cabinet secretaries to political advisors and top military leaders to understand who they are, what they believe and how they'll govern. Listen to Trump's Terms from npr. What happens to democracy when one political party has near complete power? That's the question at the heart of supermajority. The series the New Yorker just named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024. Listen and hear what all the hype is about. It's season 19 of NPR's Embedded podcast on the TED Radio Hour. Don't you hate it when leftover cilantro rots in your fridge? I have to tell you, cilantro is like my nemesis. Food waste expert Dana Gunder says that's just a hint of a massive global problem. Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry. Ideas about wasting less food that's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from from npr. Support for NPR and the following message come from American Jewish World Service, committed to the fight for human rights, supporting advocates and grassroots organizations worldwide, working towards democracy, equity and justice@ajws.org okay, we're back with our last three wild card in the wild guests Tiana, Alen and Ashani. And by the way, we were working with a smaller deck than usual, so you're going to hear some repeat cards. Three cards. One, two or three? I'll do three. Three. Yes. Is there anything in your life that feels like praying? Feels like praying, Yeah. I think that when I'm being immersed in nature, that feels like praying to me, especially being in the ocean. So I'm from Hawaii. I was born and raised in Hawaii. I'm native Hawaiian. I grew up a few minutes from the beach, did water sports my entire life. Canoe paddling, kayaking, swimming, surfing. So I'm very in touch with the ocean. Exactly. And I think when I'm in the ocean, that feels like I'm called to, like a higher self. And you look down, it's deep blue, you can barely see land out. It's really humbling. And humbling's a good word. Yeah, it's humbling. Define what praying can be. Exactly. And I think it invokes a sense of awe and deep gratitude when you realize that maybe the thing that I'm worrying about is not it's not as deep as I'm making it out to print. It really trivializes these small things that do seem worrying in the moment. And here, obviously, the Hudson river is very different, but I live right by the Hudson. I'm on West 54th and 11th. So when I need that moment of kind of stepping out of myself and from my worries, I'm like, body of water. Get me there. Just. It's a center. Water is still connected to the wild off of a woman. Exactly. And that's the thing that, as a native Hawaiian who's grown up with that cultural upbringing, a lot of our ancestral wisdom shares that oceans don't separate us. They actually connect us. So where's your mom? It's my mom. Good job, mom. Okay, you picked one. Mm. Is there anything in your life that feels like praying? Many things. A couple years ago, I was a friend of mine, and I told her every morning when I wake up, I'm just grateful because I'm alive, because every time I go to bed, I'm dead. And she was like, that's too much. But I still think you should be grateful every single day when you wake up and you. Yeah. Do you have a practice that's associated with that gratitude, or do you just. When you wake up, you say to yourself, I was. I'm Haitian, so I was born and raised partner in Haiti. So I. I saw, because in Haiti, they have Catholicisms and voodoo, so which. Voodoo is not necessarily what the Western will think about. That's a bad part and a good part. And there's certain things about voodoo then I. I carry with me any. Everywhere a certain principle. Thank you. It was a pleasure. Since we were talking. Yeah. Okay, last one. One, Two or three. Let's do one one. Okay. What's a place that you consider sacred? Oh, I would say the piano. I'm a musician, and I feel like the piano and like, spaces of music in general should be. Be revered and held up as places of expression without censorship. And I think music has so much power to bring people together and spread messages in ways I think no other medium can. I think, you know, music comes in where words fail. And, yeah, I think the piano is probably my sacred place. I imagine, by extension, playing the piano. Playing the piano? Yes, playing the piano and singing. While I play the piano, I think there's no better feeling. What do you like? What do you like to sing? What do you like to play? Like, if you're having a bad day, like, escape into something. Etta James. Etta James. James. I really love jazz and, like, 40s, 50s, 60s music, and I feel like those songs are almost a time capsule. I'm gonna ask you to sing. Edit James. Okay. Oh, my gosh. I could sing. At last. Okay. At last My love has come along My lonely days are over and life is like a song. Thanks to everybody who showed up to talk with me that day in Washington Square Park. We hope to do it again somewhere else. Stay tuned for that. Until then, thanks so much for listening. This episode was produced by Romel Wood with help from Sylvie Douglas and edited by Dave Blanchard. Special thanks to Lauren Gonzalez, June Jennings, Nikolai Hammer and Searing Bista. It was mastered by Robert Rodriguez. Wild Card's executive producer is Beth Donovan. Our theme music is by Ramtin Arablouei. You can reach out to us@wildcardpr.org we'll shuffle the deck and be back with more later this week. Talk to you then. Support for this podcast and the following message come from arm. ARM CEO Renee Haas discusses leadership and the role of AI in national security with the head of Palantir's defense business, Mike Gallagher, in the latest episode episode of Tech Unheard, available on all podcast platforms. This message comes from NPR sponsor Solventum. 3M Healthcare is now Solventum. They're a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for their customers and are ushering in a new era of care. Learn more@ solventum.com this message comes from NPR sponsor Rosetta Stone, an expert in language learning for 30 years. Right now, NPR listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership to 25 different lang for 50% off. Learn more@rosettastone.com NPR.