Technically, it wasn’t my first time.

When I was in high school, I used to listen to and call an FM radio station in the Philippines. I was 15, in junior high, and hung out a lot with my friend Kathy, who was then a senior. One time, the radio technician told us that he would let us win the contest for the hour. He told us the answer to a question we did not even know.

Hello, who’s this?

Michelle.

Michelle, what’s the answer?

Judy Ann Santos.

You got it!

I still remember the radio technician’s name. Randy. He had a hat that said Randzky, or something like that. We got to visit the booth and claimed our winnings which was five hundred Philippine pesos – ten dollars, under the current exchange rate. Kathy and I, of course, spent the money on food. I binged on siomai, a sort of open-faced steamed dumpling at Chowking, a popular fast food in the Philippines.

Anyway, in college, I hung out a lot with an electrical engineer who worked behind the scenes of another FM station. So I was able to learn a little bit about the operations behind the radio shows before, during and after they went live. I was even offered a shot at a radio commercial, which I sure failed at.

It was one of those radio commercials where the character was exaggeratedly enjoying whatever product she was using, and there was a need for an escalated reaction after another reaction.

You need to deliver the lines with more passion.

In 2015, I was for sure going to do radio sales. I was preparing my move back to St. Louis from St. Robert, a small town about twenty-five minutes from the Lake of the Ozarks. I started looking for jobs that I knew I would enjoy.

KFAV 99.9 FM, a country radio station, had an opening for a sales position.

I interviewed over the phone with the late Vernon Kaspar, the founder of Kaspar Broadcasting, who was then in Indiana, while I was in St. Robert. I thought it was going well until he asked what my five-year plan was.

Well, I thought, to myself, Yeah Michelle, what is your five-year plan?

I’d probably be a real estate agent in five years.

That was what came out of my mouth, which I sure smacked with my own hand the moment that I said that. Needless to say, I bombed that interview.

Then in 2017, I spoke to Vernon’s son, Steve, again about doing sales for either KFAV 99.9 FM or 100.7 FM, the Viper. Somehow, that did not take off either because the office kept offering for me to sell ads on event merchandise instead of radio commercials, which was what I was interested in.

Fast forward to 2022. I am actually a real estate agent. I have also been the Project Coordinator Business Development Officer for IM Sustainable, a solar power company, for four years, after doing sales for a different solar company for about a year.

An opportunity for a radio interview knocked on my door. It started from me sending a digital copy of my new business card to Dave Sherwood, The Tree Guy at The Big KTRS 550. We had a little chat and we agreed on me calling to respond to the previous week’s caller who asked about the Solar Ready mandate in St. Louis City.

How hard could it be – talking about something that I already discuss every day with my own clients? I’m not scared of a little radio air time.

Well, that’s how I felt all the way until a few minutes before it was my turn to go on air. I started feeling the need to clear my throat, as if something was stuck there. And whatever was there, which nothing was, I felt like I could not get rid of, no matter how hard I tried.

I dialed.

The radio technician picked up.

Hi, who is this?

Hi, my name is Michelle Andaya. I am the caller at 12:10.

Oh, okay. I will put you on hold and the host will pick up, okay?

Okay, thanks.

There was no music or anything. I thought to myself, Remember, Michelle don’t do that lip smack that you usually do when you talk. And stop clearing your throat! There is in fact nothing there.

Hello, Michelle!

Hi, Dave!

Right about that moment I started having a gazillion worrisome thoughts – all nonsensical, all untrue, and all unrelated to the interview.

I proceeded to introduce myself but while I was doing so, I was actually telling myself Just don’t pass out, Michelle. It would be an epically bad interview if you actually pass out on air.

At some point, I somehow forgot about the feeling of almost passing out. I finished the interview and here I am writing about it.

Below is the episode podcast. The hosts introduced me at 51:13.

Special thanks to John Shea, President of Shea Construction & Design, and again to David Sherwood, The Tree Guy at KTRS 550 – the two hosts of the Inside Out Show.