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Episodes

Random Acts of Kindness

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white cup filled by coffee
Photo by Jonas Mohamadi on Pexels.com

Happy Tuesday! Did you know February 17th, 2019 was National Random Acts of Kindness Day? In today’s episode we discuss how to celebrate (you don’t have to wait til next year folks) by making that little bit of extra effort to do a good deed for people you encounter in your daily routine. It can be one or one-hundred acts of unselfishness, and it can be for friends, family, coworkers, and strangers. The lovely part is that kindness is free and (almost) effortless.

Some people are naturally bright, cheerful folk, while others may need to make a conscious decision to turn up the corners of their mouth to show a smile. Obviously, if you’re a grouch, then it’s a bit more of a concerted push to get to the nice side. No matter where you are on the decency spectrum, we think everyone can agree this world needs more “random acts of kindness, and senseless acts of beauty” in it.

According to improvisedlife.com, that phrase was scribbled onto a placemat in a restaurant in Sausalito, CA, back in 1982 by journalist Anne Herbert. At that time Herbert was despairing over escalating violence in her community and elsewhere, and so turned the nightly news aphorism “random acts of violence and senseless acts of cruelty” into a revolutionary new philosophy. She started writing a column to highlight true stories of acts of kindness, encouraging people to shift their focus from cruelty to goodwill. A little over 10 years later, the nonprofit Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) was started in Denver, Colorado.

Today you can visit the RAK website for all kinds of ideas to celebrate not just one but all 365 days. Visitors to the website can download posters, certificates, tag-you’re-it cards, and other forms of inspiration for their home, school, and workplace.

Being a good human can be expressed in the simplest of acts, from smiling at a stranger to paying for someone’s coffee in the drive-thru. It can be volunteering your time to help others in need. You can drop some change in a vending machine, leave an uplifting note for a stranger on a car window, donate blankets to an animal shelter, or hold the door open for someone (10 extra karma points if you’re in a hurry). Tell the cashier at your grocery store they’re doing a great job. Better yet, tell their boss too.

sunset hands love woman
Photo by Stokpic on Pexels.com

Here’s something else to think about: we are HUGGERS! WE LOVE HUGGING! It’s our go-to greeting because hugging is amazing and so very awesome and we encourage people to do it more. BUT!!! (Always with the buts!) Always ask first. Not everyone likes hugs; some people may have issues with being touched so intimately. Showing concern for someone else’s boundaries and respecting them is a TOTALLY “woke” thing to do and will certainly make your new friend feel comfortable and safe with you.

Now. Don’t feel guilty if you’re NOT that ray of freaking sunshine all the time. No one is asking you to be something you’re not. And don’t forget we KNOW about what traffic does to people. Hell, even perpetual smiley people have bad days. We’re all human. And that’s the point, really. We all just need to practice (again, some more than others) pausing, breathing and shifting perspective every once in awhile. We’re just encouraging everyone (ourselves included) to give it a shot here and there, off and on. You know, try it on, wear it awhile, see how it feels. You might find it…suits you.

But yeah, yeah, but what happens if you meet – UGH – just the BIGGEST jerk in the world? And you want to yell, or physically fight even, or maybe just walk away but curse the a-hole at the top of your lungs in the privacy of your car?! What happens if…you perform the unusual act of kindness by understanding you’re all of a sudden in a 2- maybe 5- or even 10-minute life snapshot of someone you have never met, know absolutely nothing about, and are probably at their verrrry lowest point in that infinitesimal space and time? Seeing beyond the regular stress and frustration of such an encounter could be one of the nicest things you can do. For you, them, and everyone in hearing distance.

Oooof. That is a tall order. Maybe just try smiling and holding doors and leaving dollar bills for people to find for awhile and work your way up to that level of zen? Let’s recap: Start small, try often, pause, breathe, shift. You’ll likely find that tranquility comes into play much more readily than you thought possible.

But wait, there’s more: this is just the tip of the niceberg. (bwahahahahaha!!! THAT’S a good one. Wiping one laugh-induced tear from cheek).

smiling woman looking upright standing against yellow wall
Photo by juan mendez on Pexels.com

The physical ramifications of being a good human are also a terrific reason to (gritting teeth) let that guy merge in front of you on the way home after a super long day: helpfulness releases all sorts of chemicals and hormones in our bodies that help decrease stress and blood pressure and increases other good stuff like oxytocin. D’aw. Since we’re not doctors, read this if you don’t believe us.

To bring a smile to your face, here’s a gallery of some truly wonderful acts of kindness:

adult black and white books boy
Read a book for someone who is unable to do so themselves. Photo by Tookapic on Pexels.com
woman reading book
Leave a dollar bill in a library book. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
person holding a sticky note
YES YOU ARE! Leave an uplifting note for a loved one, coworker, or a stranger. But be mindful of the message, because you know, even nice notes can be construed as creepy in some circumstances. Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com
architecture buildings business commerce
Shhhhhh! Drop a few coins in a parking meter “if the local laws allow it”. ((((There is NOTHING to see here. I did NOT put quarters in the not-my-parking-meter))) Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels.com
soldier-military-uniform-american.jpg
We just love this photo…not sure who is being kind to whom, but it’s all sweet. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
person touching brown puppy
ALL THE FREAKING FEEELZ!!!!! Nobody writing this caption is crying! YOU’RE crying. If you’re getting a new family pet, please consider one from a shelter if at all possible. Fostering pets is also a great way to enjoy giving dogs, cats, and other animals a new lease on life, literally, and helping them find their forever homes. Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com
Rocky the Podcat Meets Sami
This photo is from Rocky the Podcat’s first encounter with her new small hoomans. Rocky was a rescue kitteh and continues to be the best dog-cat in the world. Photo by Kristen Core.
Rocky the Podcat
ALL THE LOVE!! That is one happy, comfy, chill kitten. Recap: FIRST DAY AT FOREVER HOME. It’s like it was meant to be or something. Photo by Kristen Core.
Rocky Arm Wrestles
Pets give so much and expect so little in return so Small Hooman let her win this round of arm wrestling, because adorable kitten. Photo by Kristen Core.

 

Check out our Random Acts of Kindness episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Sirius Black
Kris’ beloved Sirius Black, the “goodest boy that ever was.” Rest in peace dear boy, and thank you for your love, companionship, and protection. And for that EPIC day you pulled up stake, raced across camp, and jumped in the lake leash, stake and all to get ducks. Photo by Kristen Core.
© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com
Photos courtesy WordPress free library, by Pexels.com, and Kristen Core.

 

 

Episodes

Saint Valentine’s Day

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beverage breakfast close up cocoa
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

D’awwwwww LOVE!!! Isn’t it…lovely? And here we are smack in the middle of the loveliest week of the year. Saint Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Can you feel the energy? The warm, soft fuzzies? The excitement of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, maybe a box of nummy bon bons, and the anticipation of an ahhhh-maZING dinner and maybe some “dessert” (know what we mean wink nudge???). Isn’t this beautiful day the perfect way to show your special love just how important they are to you and you cannot wait to snuggle up on them with all the giddiness that comes with those butterflies you still feel for him/her like you’re a danged teenager all over again?

OR maybe you’d rather tromp through a dank meadow of mildewed crabgrass with a handful of dead, black daisies and hurl them at the first person who offers you even a stick of gum let alone a Godiva nut-chew. Maybe you want to break that heart-shaped box into a million pieces like yours has been SO many times!!) Maybe you’re just waiting for 11:59 p.m. on February 14th to turn…the…hell…over! MAYBE – yeah JUST MAYBE!! – you think SAD old Single Awareness Day can go eff itself and Valentine’s Day – aka VD muahahahahahaha! – should be banned!

Yes!

YES!

YESDOIT!

Ok Kris. Settle down. 

Regardless of how you feel about it all, today’s episode will offer up some fun facts about this day of feels. Did you know, for instance, its bloody and somewhat violent origins? (And extra points for a correct guess on which civilized empire started it all.) Who the very first Valentine was? Do you know in which plays Shakespeare mentions St. Valentine’s Day? Any idea why your favorite conversation heart candies are scarce in 2019?

holiday sweet conversation hearts
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

And there are BIG numbers surrounding this one day of the year (it isn’t even a season for crying out loud!). We’re talking Billions (with a capital B) of dollars spent on sweets, flowers (mostly roses), dinners, jewelry, and lingerie. Millions of pounds of chocolate are produced, as are billions of those cute itty bitty heart chalk candies (let us remind you: except for this year – GAH!) which we adore almost as much as candy corn (and by we, we mean us). 

Kym and Kris have some ideas about what you can do to save some bucks if you choose to celebrate, and encourage those who are not in a relationship right now to be completely and 100% a-okay with that.

(((((It’s just ONE measly single day a year! We can get through this!)))))

The episode wraps up with some pretty sweet stories about love. Because even though Kris sounds like a jaded cynic, she really does have a big lumpy heart full of hope. *sigh*

For more information on the podcast called Sweaty and Pissed (10/10!!), find them on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit their website here. For the NPR and BBC articles about the origins of Valentines, please go here and here. And for the Groovy Candies stats, go here. And finally, for the Good Housekeeping article about über-romantic stories across the world, go here and be sure to take a tissue.

Check out our Saint Valentine’s Day episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com
Photos courtesy WordPress free library, by Pexels.com.

 

 

 

Episodes

Disneyline

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Disney Ticket Book
Disneyland Ticket Book. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons Source: w:en:File:DisneyTicketBook_wbelf.jpg Author: Elf
Kris at DIsneyland circa 1969/1970
Toddler Kris learning to use a straw at Disneyland millions of years ago. Hey, cute hat! Photo courtesy Kristen Core.

Happy Tuesday and welcome to the – SO IRONIC, considering – longest episode in Mugly Truth history! Maybe. We think. Anyway, we talk a LOT today because we are passionate about our subject: Disneyland! We’ve been going to Disneyland pretty much since the day(s) we were born, eventually becoming annual pass-holders for decades. And we are both going through the withdrawals from being newly post-AP. Yep. The prices, the crowds…the prices…did we mention the crowds? *** sigh *** They priced-crowded us out after all these years.  But as much as we miss Disneyland, we DON’T miss the stress of thousands of people shuffling through Main Street, nor do we miss the $1000 hit to our wallets.

So today we examine our love-hate relationship with the (Not Always) Happiest Place on Earth. We recall the magical glory days of the excitement driving through that archway that gloriously announced DISNEYLAND, finding a parking spot right up front if you were lucky (or got there early), and walking right up to the ticket kiosks and through the turnstiles. The magic was palpable and the day would be long, but enchanting. And damn did it feel good to get in bed later that night, feet hurting and head spinning with all the fun we had. Every year Disneyland was the number one birthday gift on the list.

Disneyland Anaheim aerial view
Aerial shot of Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Creative Commons

We revisit our high school days, going to Videopolis and dancing the night away, watching swing dancers at Carnation Plaza, shrinking down to molecule size on the Adventures Thru Inner Space, gliding high above everyone’s heads on the People Mover and Skyway gondolas, and spinning around on the original rocket ride for a literal bird’s-eye view of the park.

Adventure Thru Inner Space
The queue line for Adventure Thru Inner Space, which has since been replaced with Star Tours. The People Mover can be seen on the left above the microscope, which has been replaced by a star speeder in the Star Tours attraction. Photo courtesy WIkipedia Commons. Author: Spacemountainmike

Jeez, we’re even old enough to remember the ORIGINAL lyrics to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride song. Don’t get us started on ALL THE CHANGES to POTC. Oh wait, yeah, we go there.

We STILL wants the redhead!

Pirates of the Caribbean: We Wants The Redhead!
The Take a Wench for a Bride vignette that is the latest in the Pirate of the Caribbean attraction’s history to get hacked up into a new, unoffensive, homogenized scene that will eventually somehow manage to offend a whole new generation in T-minus 20 years. Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons Attribution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:DearCatastropheWaitress

But, as magical as Disneyland continued to be well into our adult lives, the last few years the crowds have caused more than discomfort for us (severe panic attack on Main Street anyone? No? Ok, just Kris then). We’d maybe find a way to scrounge up the $1100-$1500 annual pass cost if it wasn’t for the damned crowds. It’s a delicate subject for a lot of people. Go onto any Disney forum and you’ll hear gripes on both sides…people who think price-complainers are welcome to stay away and good riddance, and those – like us – who are going through serious pangs missing being able to drive up to our favorite date-night spot on a whim (if your pass allowed), mosey through either park, people watch, ride a couple favorite rides, and maybe stay for some lovely fireworks.

And now that Star Wars Land (really, what IS the name of the new land??) is a thing, well, we probably won’t ride that tram (Kris) or bus (Kym) to the most crowded place on earth, walk under those venerable railroad tunnels, and emerge wide-eyed and lightheaded from all that pixie dust for quite awhile now. Nope, standing in a 2-hour line for a 4-minute ride with three or four hundred people in denim Disney button-festooned vests just isn’t our thing anymore. By the way, Disney gangs, what terrible deeds did you have to do to earn your badges? (Patches? Rags?)

Dear Hell’s Angels, please school us on the proper phrase. And we don’t need to know the details on what YOU did to earn the badgespatchesrags. Thanks. 

So if you miss the fun of it all and can’t handle the quiet Friday nights, then maybe consider Kym’s proposal of a Knott’s Berry Farm annual ticket. She makes quite a compelling argument for the switchover! And to wrap things up, Kris talks about a Reader’s Digest article from July 2018 (23 Magical, Mind-Blowing Facts About Disneyland) which has some slightly eyebrow raising (not necessarily mind blowing if you are a real Disneyphile) bits o’ trivia you might not have heard of before. (Oh, and here’s an Amazon link to the book we talk about, Mouse Tales: A Behind-the-Ears Look at Disneyland.)

Someday we will return to our beloved Disneyland, because we know we can’t stay away too long. Yes. Someday we’ll save up for that magical 14 hour day…someday that’s a blockout date for everyone but the richy-rich top tier pass holders. Someday when it’s raining buckets and all the newbies who don’t know that’s the PERFECT time to go end up staying home (thank you). Ah, yes. Someday. Unless we win the lottery. Then we’re getting our richy-rich passes, and applying for Club 33 ASAP!

But for now, we have our wonderful E Ticket memories and the idea of Walt’s dream to sustain us.

Walt Disney plans Disneyland Dec 1954
Walt shares his plans or his new-fangled amusement park called Disneyland. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ocarchives/3952964087/ Author: Orange County Archives

Check out our DISNEYLINE episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2018 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com

 

 

Episodes

What’s In a Name?

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photo of black ceramic male profile statue under grey sky during daytime
William Shakespeare. Dear old Bill…he had no idea when he wrote “what’s in a name?” someone would someday say, “Don’t care, let’s name our sweet baby girl Godiva. Because she’s SWEET. Get it??” Photo by Mikes Photos on Pexels.com

Happy Tuesday! Today Kris and Kym dive just a smidge into the wide world of weird baby names. We will say when William Shakespeare wrote his famous line, “what’s in a name?” he probably had no idea how many people just wouldn’t care…or perhaps care a bit too much. We could have spent hours just reading list after list of interesting celebrity offspring names because there are a TON of them.

Kinda curious…is it part of the fame contract that when you have a kid, you must name them anything but normal old John, Jessica, Chris or Mary?

We get it. So many names are boring and overused…and admittedly we think it’s cool to go off the beaten path. Some famous baby name announcements are pretty badass (like YouTube sensation Colleen Ballinger’s newborn son Flynn, Brad and Angelina’s Shiloh, or John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen’s Luna Simone), whereas some end up being a bit of a head-scratcher. Huckleberry, anyone?  (Thanks Papa Bear Grylls).

But just in case you think the rich and famous have cornered the market on wild monikers, there are quite a few that show up on the national registry for your average Joe and Jill Parents. Names like Happy, Tyranny, Tesla, Evian, Fanta, Abcde (pronounced Absidy), and Moo.

Oh yes you read that last one correctly.

Moo.  (Seven girls, six boys, according to Huffington Post).

This is the point where our blog goes the opposite of Kanye’s kid.

That would be South.

Seriously. We don’t think it’s too outrageous to say right here what the holy hell were you thinking, Moo’s Mom and Dad? Do you not know how monstrous children can be? Even Daves, Marks and Rachels have a hard time in school. Did you not think naming your child Moo would rain down upon them the very worst Lord of the Flies abuse by their peers from day one of kindergarten? Nay. Pre-school? It might not be too far of a reach to surmise that the infant in the hospital crib next to Moo’s did some serious side-eye at the mention of your kid’s name. That sound wasn’t gas. It was a full-blown baby-smirk, replete with mouth-bubbles.

And what about life in high school? Worse (though we’re not sure it’s by much, because….high school)…what about work? Trust-fund babies don’t need to worry much about who reads their resume, but for your average kid, we’re not really sure an employer is going to hire a Moo. Unless it’s a Dairy Queen. Hey now!

Alright. Ok. To each his own. Just because we (and – gonna go out on a limb here – a few other people) might not completely understand the reason behind a name doesn’t mean it isn’t something special for the family. (Perhaps Moo’s family own a farm? Love milk? Have a pet Guernsey named Phil?) At the end of the day, as long as the kid is happy and healthy and confident, then who cares. Penn Jilette’s kid Moxie Crimefighter probably has a wonderful sense of social responsibility (and quite likely an incredibly artistic sense of humor, considering her dad).

But…

…Moo?

Sitting. Sitting. Tapping foot. Face turning purple.

GAAAAAAAAAH. WE’RE SORRY!!! We can’t get past this Moo-nsense.  Those kids…all seven girls and six boys…will someday walk their butts into a courtroom asking for a name change. And when that 13th kid signs his or her new name on that court document, balance will be restored in the Universe. Cool is one thing. Unusual is great. Unique is awesome. Different is so freaking YASS!!!!

But…Moo?

Noo.

For more interesting names, see that Huffington Post article here and a really great Cosmopolitan UK photo gallery here.

Check out our WHAT’S IN A NAME? episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com

 

 

Episodes

Call Me Korgia

themuglytruth
Blog Card
Fangirl Alert! Listen to “CALL ME KORGIA” on iTunes, Spotify, Overcast, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
lighted happy birthday candles
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Before we get into the details of today’s episode, Call Me Korgia, let’s say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR VERY BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL KYM!! TODAY is Kym’s birthday and we wish her all the best!

So! Happy Birthday and Happy Tuesday!! Today’s episode is allllllll about the serious, hardcore fangirling over and paying an homage to Kym and Kris’ most favorite podcast, My Favorite Murder. Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the epically popular podcast, are the ladies who inspired us to get into podcasting. When we started we had no delusions we could do anything at the level of these two amazing women, but we knew we wanted to podcast  anyway. And so we did with coffee mugs in one hand, mics in the other, and a whooooole lot of opinions, stories, and laughter. And we have loved every minute of it from day one.

As a birthday kickoff for Kym, we went to the January 11, 2019, My Favorite Murder podcast live show at the Civic Theater in San Diego, CA. After the show, we met Karen and Georgia where we were able to thank them (profusely) for inspiring us. In today’s episode we recount the mega highs and the very few (only one actually) annoying lows of the night. Oh, and there’s Kym’s especially slick maneuver at the meet and greet. That’s our girl, Kym.

Kym and Kris in San Diego MFM Show
Waiting for Georgia and Karen in San Diego Civic Theater January 11, 2019, My Favorite Murder.
Karen and Georgia MFM On Stage
Karen and Georgia sit down to talk murder, San Diego Civic Theater, January 11, 2019, My Favorite Murder
Fangirl Moment
The moment we got our act together and got to thank Karen and Georgia for inspiring us to start podcasting.

The second half of the episode segues into a very MFM-tributesque recounting of two stories from our travels: The “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory of Slovakia, and the underground area of Edinburgh, Scotland called “Mary King’s Close“, where people spent generations living, working, and dying in darkness.

Kym talks about how Elizabeth Bathory and her husband reigned bloody supreme (literally) as sado-masochists in their castle (now in ruins) on a hill in Slovakia. But it wasn’t until after the death of her husband that Elizabeth’s unbridled vanity and penchant for fatal torture earned her the reputation as being history’s most prolific female serial killer. Elizabeth believed the blood of virgins would keep her young (sound like any bloodsucker you’ve heard of?), so she took advantage of her social standing to get as many into her clutches as possible. Spoiler alert: she was caught, but she is proof that the rich and powerful could (and still can to this day) literally get away with murder because although Elizabeth’s servants – who were forced to do her disgusting dirty work – were put to death for their participation in her schemes, Elizabeth was merely sentenced to live out the rest of her days in her own home. Did we mention she lived in a castle? Tsk. Poor, poor, bloody Elizabeth.

elizabeth_bathory_portrait
Countess Elizabeth Bathory, the first female serial killer in history. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia, artist and copyright unknown.

 

Čachtice Castle, Slovakia
Ruins of Elizabeth Bathory’s castle. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

While there’s no murder and intrigue in Kris’ story, there is definitely creepiness and death as she talks about the history of Mary King’s Close, and how part of the current city of Edinburgh was built right over the top of existing streets, businesses and homes, some still intact. Despite the lack of sunshine and fresh air, life continued underground for many of the poorest folk for generations, even when the plague devastated almost half the population of Edingurgh in the 1600s. In fact, underground was where the plague victims were quarantined (albeit provided for), until the devastating disease ran its course. One of the plague’s most famous victims, little Annie, still receives gifts to this day as visitors try to help alleviate her sorrow of being abandoned by her parents as she died a slow and pitiful death in the darkness of Mary King’s Close.

marykingsclose_wikipedia_thecontinnuumgroup
The actual Mary King’s Close, with props to recreate what life was like in the underground “city”. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia, photo by The Continnuum Group
Mary King's Close Model
Model of Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo by Kristen Core.
Mary King's Close Plaque
Plaque describing the model of Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo by Kristen Core.
A Scottish Close
What a typical close looks like, open to the fresh sky. Photo courtesy WordPress Free Library, by Pixabay

Oh…and the city mentioned by Kris as being the home of the “Cathedral of Bones” near Budapest is called Kutná Hora and the “Church of Bones” is named Sedlec Ossuary. Here’s a look at some of the eerie, beautiful craftsmanship inside the church. Yep. Those are human bones.

Sedlec Ossuary Kutná Hora
Photo of the Bone Church, Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora Hungary, Photo courtesy of Wikipedia, by Pudelek (Marcin Szala)

Check out our CALL ME KORGIA episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2018 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2018. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com