What It's Like To Be... with Dan Heath

A Choreographer

A Piano Tuner

Piano tuning requires a blend of technical precision and psychological intuition, as practitioners navigate the complex mechanics of over 200 strings while managing the high-stakes anxiety of concert performers. Tuning involves aligning frequencies through the "canopy of sound," where harmonics interact to create a bal...

A Contortionist

Contortionism demands thousands of hours of grueling, repetitive practice rather than relying on innate flexibility or inherent talent. Professional contortionists sustain their careers by balancing corporate gigs, seasonal holiday performances, and resident shows, often functioning as human spectacles in unconventiona...

A Big Announcement

The podcast "What It's Like To Be" is transitioning to a weekly release schedule every Sunday morning, adopting a rhythmic cycle of three new episodes followed by one curated rerun. This shift aims to provide listeners with a consistent weekend routine centered on developing empathy by experiencing the world through th...

A Forensic Architect

Forensic architects function as "building doctors," diagnosing structural and design failures to provide expert testimony in legal disputes. Water intrusion remains the primary cause of construction defects, often leading to severe issues like structural decay in wood-frame buildings. Professionals in this field must b...

A Special Ed Teacher

An Auctioneer

An Infectious Disease Doctor

A Mail Carrier

Mail carriers serve as vital, often overlooked pillars of community connection, transforming a routine delivery job into a role of neighborhood stewardship. John Ayala, a retired Los Angeles mail carrier with 42 years of experience, illustrates how the profession evolved from manual sorting to high-volume package deliv...

A Hotshot

An Airport CEO

Airport CEOs manage complex, multi-faceted infrastructure that extends far beyond the common misconception that airlines operate terminal facilities. Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis oversees critical operations, including runway maintenance, terminal design, and concession management, while navi...

A Civil Aviation Engineer

An Air Traffic Controller

A Flight Attendant

An Airline Pilot

(Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"

A Clinical Ethicist

A Correctional Officer

A Custom Harvester

A Funeral Director