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Why Did We Start Buzzed and Baffled?

There was no burning need that led to this podcast being started. Merely two women with disposable income and a little free time. Basically we think we are hilarious and felt you should be able to take part in our intellectual genius.

Behind the scenes Episode 14, when we eat this many pickles in one sitting we are now a squad!

Nicole Ubinger - a licensed trauma therapist and fur mommy who enjoys misspelling words and using phrases incorrectly. Crudités! She is someone who is so loud you will always know when she is in the room and she isn't afraid to give her opinion if you ask her for it.

Kyla Cole - Kyla is living every kid's childhood dream of being middle management at a small mortgage company. She is a former funeral director (still licensed!) and dabbled in medicolegal death investigation. Kyla has 2 dogs (one bad and one good), 2 cats (one fat and one skinny) and a husband. She was tricked into being friends with Nicole.

Leah Hungerford - Official Friend of the Pod: Fluent in French, Sass, and Deep Dish

Hailing from the windy streets of Chicago and the buttery croissants of linguistic excellence, Leah is our resident French language expert and honorary baguette whisperer. When not correcting our accents or judging our wine choices with Parisian-level side-eye, they’re teaching us that “je ne sais quoi” is not a valid excuse for forgetting the wine opener. Equal parts language snob and Chicago charm, Leah brings the joie de vivre—and the Midwestern realism—we never knew we needed.

Lisa Moyle- Official Mom of the Pod: 🎙️ “And joining us today—whether we invited her or not—is the unofficial queen of the pickleball courts and the official reason our group text is 90% paddle emojis… It’s Nicole's mother! She’s retired, recharged, and spends her winters in Arizona, where she plays so much pickleball that her paddle qualifies for social security. She’s got strong opinions about serves, sunscreen, and your backhand. Please welcome the legend herself—Mom!” 🏓🌵👑

Dawn and Amy Official Friends of the Pod: 🎙️ Before we dive into the chaos of condiments and the carnage of the Hot Dog Wars, we’ve gotta give a big shoutout to some true Friends of the Pod.

First up—Amy. She works with Nicole, and together they’ve been in the trenches… of both work and weirdness. Think less “office drama,” more “battle-hardened sisters in sarcasm.”

And then there’s Dawn—whose unapologetic love of pickles literally inspired this episode. That’s right, Episode 14 exists because of one woman’s briny passion.

So crack open a jar, pour yourself a glass, and prepare your palate—because this one’s for Amy, for Dawn… and for anyone who’s ever had strong opinions about relish.

Leah and Ben Hungerford Official Friends of the Pod: 🎙️ Before we dive in, we’ve got two of our favorite Friends of the Pod joining us tonight. First up is Leah — our official French language expert, wine sommelier, and secret vault of local history knowledge. Basically, if you need something translated, poured, or explained, she’s your go-to. And then there’s Ben — a master of dungeons, dragons, and all things tech. He’s the guy who can slay a dragon, fix your computer, and probably debug our podcast if we ever asked nicely. We’re thrilled to have them both on board tonight!

Kaleena Netzel and Ali Lahti, Official Friends of the Pod: 🎙️ We’ve got more Friends of the Pod with us tonight! First up is Kaleena — who has endured the lifelong challenge of being Kyla’s sister and still came out amazing. She also happens to be a seriously talented hairdresser, so she keeps us looking less like shipwreck survivors. And joining her is Ali — our resident Edmund Fitzgerald superfan, who knows more about that fateful freighter than most history books. Together, they’re bringing style, stories, and just the right amount of chaos to tonight’s episode.

Jail Dayle- Official Mom of the Pod: 🎙️ And now, a special shoutout to a true Buzzed and Baffled legend — Kyla’s mom, Jail Dayle. Known for her dislike of a chilled glass of wine, her love fridge cigarettes, and of course, the real deal smokes too. She keeps it bold, she keeps it unapologetic, and honestly… she might just be tougher than half the criminals we cover. Here’s to Jail Dayle — the patron saint of cigs and chaos.

Here are the Fur Babies of Buzzed and Baffled

Because nothing ruins a buzz more than a crying kid. . .