NPR is a new way to support public media and get more from your favorite NPR podcasts like FRESH AIR.
Sometimes I'll actually preface the question with if it makes you too uncomfortable to talk about.
If it's too personal, just tell me.
Here's the question for behind the scenes content, bonus episodes and more, sign up at plus dot, npr.org dot.
You're listening to life kit from NPR.
Hey, everyone.
I'm Stacey Vanek.
Smith INfER, Marielle Saguera, when was the last time you taught yourself something new?
That is a question NPR producer Romel Wood likes to ask people.
She used to help produce NPR's game show ask me another.
And she'd always ask potential contestants, hey, what's something you've taught yourself recently that you're proud of?
She says it was a great way to open people up.
So she called up a few former contestants to see if they remembered how they'd answered.
This is Sam Coppoli.
He lives in San Diego, and he taught himself how to drive a stick shift car.
Do you remember what the motivation behind that was?
Yeah.
Well, my mom had tried to teach me years ago, and I was like a high school kid my first year of college.
It was a while back, but I was just not amenable to it.
Got too frustrated and dropped it without giving a second thought.