Storytime with GamerDude

After a bit of a hiatus, GamerDude is back with Season 8! This week, GamerDude talks about the need for a break after 6+ years of weekly episodes, and what prompted him to fire up the podcast mic for another season.

This week's episode is inspired by an idiom that GamerDude heard on the game show, "The Floor." One young contestant couldn't complete the phrase "Carrying ____ to New Castle." (The answer is "coals," which GamerDude explains in this episode.) That answer got him to thinking about many of the idioms and "old sayings" that we use today, but we may not know where they came from, or what they actually mean. So, GamerDude decided to dig into some of them. He talks about "close but no cigar," "biting the bullet," "facing the music," and coming "straight from the horse's mouth." He also talks about some old phrases that used to be in use but have fallen by the wayside, and he makes the case for bringing them back.

For the first episode of 2024, GamerDude talks about his "brushes with greatness," which is times in his life where he as met, or interacted with, or at least seen, someone who is famous. GamerDude first talks about how he was a very minor celebrity back in his radio DJ days, and how the people he encountered then shaped how he handled encounters with famous people when he got older.GamerDude's first "brush with greatness" was before his DJ days, when he was a kid at a game at Yankee Stadium. That's where he got Joe Garagiola's autograph when Joe was sitting in the press box. GamerDude then talks about some of the famous people he met while driving limos, from Tony Bennett to Phil Rizzuto. He also talks about some of the famous people he's run into at comic cons, from Nathan Filion to Alan Tudyk.

The end of the year got GamerDude to thinking about the post-Christmas sales his dad used to take him to the day after Christmas. He remembers the deals his dad was able to negotiate, and how the annual "getting Christmas Stuff on-sale" trip was another family tradition.GamerDude also talks about the end of the year, and how New Year's resolutions can set you up for failure. He prefers looking at the New Year as either an opportunity to correct course if things aren't going the way you want them to, or to stay the course and improve on things that are going well.GamerDude also talks about completing six seasons of Storytime, and conveys his thanks and appreciation for all of the support he's received over the years.

It's GamerDude's annual Christmas Episode (one of many, actually!) and this week, he's talking about the non-denominational aspects of Christmas. He talks about how the feeling of Christmas is supposed to be about getting together with family, and friends, and loved ones, and sharing love, and food, and gifts to close out the year. He talks about how that's not necessarily tied to any religion but is part of the spirit of the season.GamerDude also talks about how it is perfectly acceptable to celebrate the holidays with the people who truly matter in your life, and that it is perfectly okay to leave people off your Christmas card or gift list, either because they're no longer part of your life, or because they actually make you sad, or for whatever other reason you may have. You get to decide how - and with who - you want to celebrate your holidays.GamerDude also shares three brief, non-denominational blessings to use - if you choose - this holiday season.

For this week's episode, GamerDude decided to go back to Season Three, when he first did this episode about Christmas music, and shared 10 of his favorite non-traditional Christmas songs. GamerDude's stories this week include stories about the holiday concerts in school, and learning to sing Christmas carols around the piano with his mother. He shares the story about having to sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in front of the family, and how that experience was so traumatizing for him. GamerDude also talks about the how the tire companies used to put out vinyl albums each year, each with a collection of standard Christmas songs recorded by popular artists, and how his mother's record collection included a few of them.As for the 10 Christmas songs? Let's just say that the late, great Jimmy Buffet is featured, as are The Beach Boys and The Pretenders. But you'll have to listen to the entire episode for the full list!

This week, GamerDude talks about how we all tend to react to the approach of the end of the year, as we take stock of what we hoped to accomplish, what we did accomplish, and what we plan to do next year. He talks about how his decision to take early retirement came at the end of the year, and how and why he arrived at that decision. He also talks about how the things he does now are done at his own pace, without as much concern for the artificial restrictions imposed by the construct of "time."GamerDude also talks about the upcoming Season 7 of Storytime. Don't worry; Storytime isn't going anywhere, but there will be some changes in 2024. (No spoilers here; you'll have to listen to the episode!)

GamerDude has gone back to Season 1 to remaster the episode with his stories about setting up the Christmas decor between Thanksgiving and Christmas when he was a kid. He talks about his dad's four-foot tall Christmas star, his mom's candle-powered angels, and her NOEL sign, and his parents' stuffed Santa. He also remembers the one year his dad added a "snowmaker" to the family tree.

GamerDude is talking about Thanksgiving again this week, with another reminder of how important it is to be thankful, especially in these days of tough times and a world seemingly suffering from a global case of COVID-related PTSD. GamerDude revisits the topic of "family politics" and how they influenced his Thanksgivings as a child. He talks about alternating Thanksgivings between his grandmother's houses, and how he didn't like visiting his dad's mom for the holiday because he was relegated to the "kid's table." GamerDude also revisits the Thanksgiving at his mom's mom's house, when his cousins stopped by for a "snack" that left GamerDad with no turkey for his leftover turkey sandwiches. GamerDude also remembers how his dad seemed to wrestle with the turkey each year he tried to carve it, which always made GamerDude think that carving the turkey was difficult - until he grew up, and discovered it wasn't that hard at all.GamerDude also shares his favorite non-denominational prayer, giving thanks for the simple basics of life: heat, faces, and eating.

This week, GamerDude is talking about being thankful for Thanksgiving. He talks about how Thanksgiving used to be a calm period of time between the excitement of Halloween and Christmas, and he talks about why he always tries to remember to be thankful for what he has.He also talks about some forgotten foods from Thanksgivings in the past. He talks about the days when passenger pigeon was a main course, when West Indian Desserts were popular, and when gelatinized salads were the rage back in the 1960s. He also explains what turducken actually is, and shares a non-denominational blessing for Thanksgiving dinner.

This week, GamerDude talks about the stories he tells, and why he chooses to tell the stories he does. He talks about preserving his dad's stories, because they are not only his dad's stories, but they give insight into his dad, and into GamerDude. The stories helped form the basis for the kind of person GamerDude is. GamerDude retells the tale of his dad posing as a botanist to get some plants on a plane, and tells the story about the three-legged dog at the vet, the piano in the van, and the riding lawnmower.GamerDude also talks about his mom, and her stories, and why her stories are different from those of his father. He talks about her tap dancing lessons and mincing onions.GamerDude also mentions a couple of stories from his youth, including the one about unloading a tractor trailer full of charcoal briquettes, and driving a Karmann Ghia with rusted floor boards.

This week, GamerDude is talking about some older technology and devices that he believes we should hang on to. He talks about his wired headset/ear-phones, which inspired this week's episode. He discusses how inexpensive they are for what they do, and how much of a hassle ear buds can be.GamerDude also talks about the value of an old fashioned pen and paper, and the simplicity of the old school calculator. He talks about how he prefers watches to trying to get the time from his phone. GamerDude also discusses the benefits of physical media, like DVDs and CDs, as opposed to relying on digital files in the cloud.GamerDude also talks about the value of knobs, and dials, and levers in cars, and how touch screens are bound to fail sooner than a button will. He talks about the 6 year old touch screen he had in a truck, and how, rather than fix it, he just pulled the fuses because it was easier, and cheaper.

GamerDude goes back to Season One to re-master his favorite Mischief Night story, about the time he was TP'ing the new neighbor's spite fence. He also brings back his Best and Worst Halloween Candy list because, well, it's Halloween time!

GamerDude has gone back to Season One to remaster the stories he told back then about Halloween when he was growing up. He talks about what Halloween was like, and trick-or-treating in his neighborhood, from visiting with Charlie Chips to the family that gave out copies of the New Testament every year. He also talks about the various costumes he had over the years, and also talks about the importance of maximizing your haul of candy every year.

This week, GamerDude talks about how the cost of everything continues to go up, and rants about the gouging that's become normalized due to the pandemic. He talks about the Big Mac index, and how the price of a Big Mac from McDonald's has changed in the nearly-60 years since its release. He talks about everything from the price of gas, to the price of tortilla chips, to the price of coffee, to the price of soda, and how much gouging has been going on in the past few years. He also talks about the prices at Disney World, and how they, too, represent an on-going effort to maximize profit at the expense of the consumer.

This week, GamerDude talks about how Halloween has evolved in his lifetime from a holiday about kids going out to get as much free candy as they could, to a holiday where everyone seems to compete to see how much gore decor they can fit on their front lawns. (Yes, it's basically an "old man rant" about how things used to be in the old days!)GamerDude also talks about some of the candy that he grew up with that has been discontinued over the years. He talks about some that he remembers and loved, like the Reggie! and Marathon candy bars, and Life Saver Holes. He also talks about candy he found out about that he wished he'd known about, like Reese's Peanut Butter and Banana Creme cups. (GamerDude talks about several other discontinued candies as well, but you'll have to listen to find out which ones!)

GamerDude has remastered another episode from Season 1. This episode originally released for Mothers' Day, but GamerDude wanted to share the stories again.In this episode, he talks about how everyone has different relationships with their moms, and every mom has her own unique issues. GamerDude talks about his mom, and how he knew very little about her life before she was "Mom." He also shares memories of what life was like with her, and how - as her first child - he was "The Experiment." He also shares a poem of hers that she wrote when he was young called "The Gift."He also talks about her art work and her art shows, and her music, and her writiing. He also shares her love for the non-existent shopping mall known as "Meadowbrook."

This week, GamerDude is re-posting a "Best of" episode from 2020. This is one of the first episodes where GamerDude started re-editing and cleaning up some of the sounds and glitches from episodes in the first season of Storytime.In this "Best of" episode, GamerDude talks about his love for radio, and (with the help of your imagination) creates the podcast studio in New York City, and introduces you to Mr. Agador. He also has stories about the amazing technology in our smart phones these days. He also includes stories about "gaming" before video games, which included playing with Lionel trains in the basement, and board games wherever he could. GamerDude also talks about his dream car: the 1975 candy-apple red Ford Gran Torino, and what driving means to him.

This week, GamerDude got to thinking about how our view of things change as we get older. For example, riding roller coasters used to be a huge deal; GamerDude would actually plan trips around amusement parks and locations where he could ride a roller coaster. But as he's gotten older, the aches and pains of a day on the coasters has changed his view on them.GamerDude talks about several other things that getting older has changed his view on. He talks about how his patience for waiting in line is now significantly shorter than it used to be. He explains how his tolerance for the everyday annoyances of the working world helped lead to his early retirement. He talks about how his lack of patience for the antics of other people has changed how often - and where - he and Mrs. Gamerdude go out. And, he talks about how getting older gives you a more realistic - and healthier - view of sex.

This week, Gamerdude has more "life advice" to share with you. This week's episode was inspired by the recent prevalence of the phrase "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." GamerDude talks about the importance of paying attention to the way people actually act, and believing that their actions truly do disclose the type of person they really are.GamerDude also talks about learning how to control your reactions to people, and things, and scenarios, because you certainly can't control those other things yourself. He also talks about the importance of balancing your work life with your "real" life, the passing nature of friendships, and also shares Ben Franklin's advice: "Never ruin an apology with an excuse."

This week, GamerDude talks about how life rarely ever turns out how you expect it to. He talks about how he had plans when he went in to college, and how he wound up changing majors five times. He also talks about how unreasonable it is to actually expect anyone in their late teens or early 20s to be ready or able to plan their entire future careers. He also re-visits the various jobs he had after college, and how he had not planned on actually being in any one of them.GamerDude also talks about how the years of working after college eventually led him to law school, even though he'd never even considered law school until just before he started applying. He also talks about how he had ideas of what he wanted to do after law school - namely, become a prosecutor - and how he, briefly, landed a job as a prosecutor. He also talks about the serendipity of landing a job at a small firm that specialized in workers' compensation law and how that led him to become one of the more well-known workers' comp attorneys in New Jersey. He also talks about how he never would have - or could have - predicted that that is where his legal career would take him.

This week, GamerDude is talking about experiences that used to be an ordinary part of peoples' lives that no longer are. He talks about the experience of reading a road map (as well as folding and unfolding one) and how the entire road map experience is no longer necessary. He talks about the Sunday paper, and his ritual of reading it, and the advertising flyers in it. He talks about Service Merchandise, and shopping at a catalog store.GamerDude also remembers huddling around the radio on snowy mornings, waiting for the school-closing announcement. It was very different when he was a kid, in the pre-internet, pre-cable days, when school closing announcements were only given out over a select few radio stations. GamerDude also remembers the experience of being on your own and doing your own thing as a kid, with a minimal amount of parental supervision, and he discusses why that experience is lost to our kids these days.

This week, GamerDude decided to go back to Season 2, when he first did this episode about his Top 15 (plus one Honorable Mention) movie music themes. After giving it a listen, he decided not to change a thing, and instead wanted to replay it because he had so much fun putting it together. So, if you haven't heard the list (which includes several old movies, several new movies, several John Williams scores, and come from movies involving running, boxing, escaping and sinking), please enjoy it, and if you have heard it before, hope you enjoy it again!NOTE: Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, Allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

GamerDude is stepping back into the way-back machine this week and revisiting some more things that used to exist that have just faded away from our lives. He was inspired by memories of his grandmother's Grandfather Clock, and how he remembers those big clocks being a fixture in so many homes. He remembers tube TVs, and all the controls for vertical and horizontal holds, and for color and tint. He remember how waterbeds were a big fad for awhile, and how yo-yos were the fidget spinner of his youth.GamerDude also remembers a variety of toys, from the toys you'd get in the cereal box, to the hefty Tonka trucks he'd play with in the sandbox. He also remembers getting records that were actually part of the cereal box, and being able to play them on a standard record player.GamerDude also has some predictions for things that are likely to disappear in the next 10 years. He talks about how keys are becoming less necessary, as are actual "pen and paper" (wet) signatures. And, he talks about how "knowing our neighbors" also seems to be becoming a thing of the past.

GamerDude decided to go a little more "current events" in this week's episode. He first talks about the writers'/actors' strike going on in Hollywood. He looks at some of the history of writers' rooms and actors' residuals. He talks about summer re-runs, and DVD sales, and how the business model that gave us those things has changed, which has lead to the current strike in Hollywood. And, to be clear, GamerDude supports the writers and the actors 100%.Because of all the indictments being handed down in recent weeks (including new ones while GamerDude was editing this episode), he also decided to take a few minutes to explain what indictments are, what they mean, and how a prosecutor gets one. He also talks about how, in years past, the sum and substance of the indictments against trump would have been completely disqualifying for another run for president, and the fact that they're not is a sad commentary on the state of the United States.

GamerDude has gone back to Seasons 1 to re-edit and re-produce the episode he did about his grandparents. (In all of these re-masters, GamerDude tries to clean up some of the technical glitches that occurred in some of the episodes from the first season, and also edits them so they sound cleaner.)GamerDude talks about his memories of his two grandfathers, although those memories are limited because they both died when GamerDude was still very young. He talks about his mother's father and his work driving a mule cart, and his father's father and his work as a civil engineer.He also talks about his grandmothers. He remembers his mom's mom and her bacon, and coffee, and ancient washing machine. And he remembers his dad's mom, and her cats, and her poodle, and the $1 a month she sent him as an allowance.

This week, GamerDude talks about how doing certain things, or society's view of having certain things, has changed over the years. He first talks about the process of making a phone call when he was a kid. He remembers when the only phone anyone had was the house phone, so you had to learn to talk to your friend's parents and siblings when making a call. He also talks about the awkwardness of calling a girl for a date, and the fear of getting her father on the phone.GameDude also talks about how society's views on other things has changed over the years, from tattoos, to piercings, to hair coloring. He talks about when he pierced his ear in the early 1990s, and how one employer had no problem with it, while another disapproved of his "inappropriate jewelry." He talks about how having a non-traditional hair-color is now more acceptable than it once was. And, he talks about tattoos, and tells his favorite tattoo story.

This week, GamerDude talks about words again. He starts things off by revisiting the word "niche", which, for most of his life had only one pronunciation: "nitch." He discusses how, in recent years, the pronunciation "neesh" has become accepted, for reasons that escape him. He understands how it's not THAT big of a deal, but explains why it matters to him. He also discusses several other words, and their weird pronunciations, and how the English language is full of odd stuff like that.GamerDude also talks about the origin of several other words and phrases. He talks about what gerrymandering is, and how it get its name. He discusses the origin of the filibuster and its connection to pirates. He also talks about the difference between lawyers and attorneys-at-law (which is about $50 an hour). And, he discusses how the word "kidnapping" came into prominent use.

The latest Indiana Jones sequel inspired GamerDude to talk about why certain sequels just don't work, and also reminded him - once again - of the differences between the generations. He talks about the time when Raiders of the Lost Ark released in 1981, and how different the world was then - pre-internet and pre-social media. He talks about the two sequels to that movie, and how the original trilogy ended perfectly. He also talks about the Crystal Skull fiasco and why it was an unnecessary movie.GamerDude also talks about why a sequel made more than 40 years after the original might not do so well. He explains how Indiana Jones (and Harrison Ford) are, to the current generation, what Humphrey Bogart was to him when he was younger: an old-time movie actor his parents liked. GamerDude talks about how you can't create nostalgia for a character you never actually knew.GamerDude also talks about how he used to entertain himself in the pre-internet world, with books and board games and clubs and TV. He talks about how our grandparents and our great-grandparents all found ways to entertain themselves in their eras, and points out that it is important to be mindful of the fact that each generation has its own frame of reference for the world in which they live.

This week's episode is about Mrs. GamerDude's adventures handling a paraganglioma, and is made with her knowledge and approval. GamerDude talks about what the initial diagnosis was like for her, and what a paraganglioma actually is. He talks about the trips to the hospital, and the preparation for surgery. He talks about how he did his best to help Mrs. GamerDude through the "worrying process" and also talks about how important it is to be supportive without making it all about you. GamerDude also talks about the logistics of the treatment and the procedures, from getting to the hospital in Philadelphia, to trying to arrange for a place to stay, to trying to figure out the parking situation. He also talks about the recovery time and the residuals for something like this. WARNING: There are a few graphic descriptions of blood.

With some personal things going on, and his voice not quite 100%, GamerDude has gone back to Season Three for one of his favorite Best of Storytime episodes. In this episode, GamerDude shares stories about how he drove on his aunt's farm when he was 11, and how he spent quality bonding time with his dad while learning to bake. He also discusses his own "golden age" of television, and what TV was like when he was a kid. He also shares a story about combining his basketball skills and his job at a radio station to form the WRNJ All-Stars for charity events.

GamerDude has gone back to Season One for another one of his "very special episodes." He has re-mastered and re-edited this episode about Christian Science to get a cleaner, better-sounding version. In this episode, he talks about what Christian Science is, and what it was like to grow up in a religion where you don't visit doctors or take medicine. He talks about what it was like to grow up that way, and also discusses why he stopped following the religion when he got older. He also talks about the effect he believes it had on his parents as they got older as well.

Those who follow GamerDude on Twitch or Twitter know that he's been struggling with some allergy-related voice problems this week (which you'll hear in the intro to this week's episode!) So, he's gone back to Season One to remaster one of the most popular episodes from that season: GamerDude's Stories About Books.GamerDude talks about his love for reading, and how he practically devoured books when he was a kid. He talks about reading everything from Sally, Dick and Jane to the Hardy Boys when he was a kid. He talks about how he developed a love for all different genres, from fantasy adventure to true sports stories to mysteries. He also talks about some of his favorite authors. He talks about how he discovered Stephen King and how he really enjoyed his early stuff, but has not enjoyed some of his more recent work. He talks about reading Tokein, and how he loved it the first go-round, but hasn't been able to get through a second reading. He talks about Donald Westlake, and his love for the "caper novel." And he mentions Michael Connelly and Elmore Leonard as a couple of his current favorites. And, he does this in a remastered version of the original episode with (most of) the clicks, pops, and gaps removed!

GamerDude loves to talk about movies and tv, and over the years he's done several episodes about movies, television, and the tropes we see over-used in them. This week's Best Of episode revisits some of the tropes GamerDude has compiled over the years, from the ever-present parking space out front, to the hero trying to escape by climbing up the building, to the villain revealing all of his dastardly plans while pontificating about how wonderfully villainous the villain has been.

GamerDude has gone back to Season One for this "very special episode" about being bullied as a child. He has re-edited this episode to clean up some of the pops and clicks from the original version. GamerDude wanted to share the stories in this episode again because being bullied happens to so many kids, and so many people, and so few feel comfortable talking about it.GamerDude talks about what it was like being bullied, and how he handled it back when he was a kid. He talks about some of the things he went through, and discusses the kind of emotional and psychological scars that being bullied can leave you with, all throughout your life.

This week, GamerDude talks about how the lust for power, or love, or sex, usually leads to scandal in the political arena. He also talks about how some political types survive these scandals while others simply disappear. GamerDude talks about the sexual scandals involving trump, from the Access Hollywood tape, to Stormy Daniels, to E. Jean Carroll and how, years ago, any one of them would have been disqualifying, but in this day and age, they are not. He compares them to the scandals that former presidential candidates Gary Hart, John Edwards, Newt Gingrich, and Ted Kennedy were involved in, and how they each suffered different types of consequences. GamerDude also talks about sexual scandals dating back to the 19th century, involving Grover Cleveland and Andrew Jackson.GamerDude also talks about scandals involving the lust for power. He talks about Watergate, and Iran-Contra, both of which involved those in power trying to expand or extend those powers.

This week, GamerDude talks about the "generations" sociologists have created to characterize people born in different eras. He goes back to 1908 to talk about The Greatest Generation, which fought World War Two, and goes through the chronological sequence of generations as described by the Pew Research Center. GamerDude talks about The Silent Generation, The Baby Boomers, Generation X, The Millennials, Gen Z, and the latest: Gen Alpha.GamerDude talks about how some characteristics and attitudes are attributed to a specific generation, but also discusses how there's some overlap between the generations, and how these characteristics are not necessarily unique to one generation. He also talks about how not every person born during a certain year ticks all the boxes for a particular generation, and that the creation of these "generations" is more a convenient reference than a genealogical tool.GamerDude also talks about how the world has changed over the years, which is one of the reasons why Boomers, and Gen Z, and Millennials have a hard time dealing with each other. GamerDude talks about how Boomers were brought up by The Greatest Generation, who grew up in a different world than the one Boomers brought their children up in, and it's the Boomers failure to realize this that causes so many conflicts.

GamerDude goes back to Season 1 this week for his "very special episode" about growing up as the fat kid. He has re-edited, tightened up, and cleaned up some of the pops, and sounds, and gaps in the original episode in order to preserve and present the stories in an even better form. GamerDude talks about being heavy when he was a kid, being rewarded with food, and how that impacted on his weight and his ability to socialize in school. He talks about the social anxiety he suffered with, and how growing up as the fat kid meant that he was always perceived as a fat kid, even when he was no longer fat.He also talks about how he came to the decision in high school to lose weight. The decision wasn't made easily and the process took time, but GamerDude talks about how and why he did it, and how the effects of being a fat kid stay with you throughout your life.

This week's episode was inspired by a casual mention of "Josephine the Plumber" in an episode of the Golden Girls. We have commercial spokespeople these days like Flo from Progressive, Jan from Toyota, and the Limu Emu, but GamerDude grew up with some of the all-time classic commercial characters that lasted for decades. He talks about characters like Mr. Whipple, who couldn't help but squeeze the Charmin, and Mother Nature, who didn't like to be fooled, as well as many others.GamerDude also talks about the commercial jingles he grew up with, and how they have stayed with him for decades. He talks about (and sings!) jingles from Life Buoy soap and Oscar Mayer. He also talks about how the pop singer Barry Manilow got his start in commercial jingles, and shares some of his classic jingles. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

This week, GamerDude talks about sleeping and dreaming. First, he talks about how his sleep habits have changed as he's gotten older, and how he used to be a stomach sleeper who now needs four pillows just to sleep on his back.GamerDude also talks about how peoples' sleep-patterns, in general, have changed over the centuries. He talks about segmented, or biphasic, sleep patterns, which were the default pattern for most people before the industrial revolution. People would sleep from just after dinner to midnight, wake for a couple of hours, then sleep again until dawn. Once the demands of society changed after the industrial revolution, biphasic sleeping essentially disappeared.GamerDude also talks about sleep patterns while working overnights, and how it's impossible to catch up on sleep once your sleep patterns are broken. He also talks about dreaming, from keeping a notebook to record your dreams, to the prophetic nature of some dreams.

This week, GamerDude takes another trip, wandering down Memory Lane. The Easter weekend prompted his recollections about hunting for easter eggs and all of the egg salad his family ate after the holiday. This prompted him to remember the bowling alley his dad took him to on Easter Sunday, while dinner was cooking.GamerDude was also reminded of the tuna salad he grew up with, and how one church party changed the way he ate tuna until he moved out of his parents' house.He also talks about the days before bike helmets, and seatbelts, and also remembers the roller skates he had as a kid that would fasten to your shoe with a skate key.

GamerDude goes back to Season 2 this week, for more of the Best of Storytime. He pulls some stories about his shopping with his mom, the clicker she used to stay on-budget, and the brand comparison she taught him. He also pulls some of his recollections of the mall, and how it used to be THE place for everyone to gather when he was a kid. GamerDude also talks about some of the brands and stores he used to go to and use, including Polaroid and Circuit City.

This week, GamerDude talks about the pets that he's had in his life. The first pet he remembers is the dog that his parents had before GamerDude was even born: Barney. GamerDude talks about how Barney protected him when he wandered away from the house as a child, and how Barney had a bit of a tragic life. He talks about the other dog and the cats he grew up with, and remembers the very first cat that he got "on his own": O'Malley. GamerDude also talks about the dogs he got for his kids. He remembers Cody, the black Lab/Chow mix, and Bullet, the Boston Terrier. And he tells the tale of Stickler, a cat he kind of inherited and which was GamerDude's roommate for about a year.

It's been three years since the United States first locked down as a result of the Covid pandemic, and GamerDude talks about how Covid is one of those generational events, like December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001, where things changed forever after the event. He remembers what he was reading, and thinking, and doing leading up to the lockdown, and he talks about the simple things he and Mrs. GamerDude used to do before Covid, like going out to eat, or going out to see a movie. He also talks about how travel has changed, and how he's not sure if - or when - he'll be ready to fly again. He talks about how society, in the past three years, has been a bit of a mish-mash of people treating Covid differently, from those who take it seriously, to those who ignore it. He also talks about how it changed how he worked, how it took away the best part of his job, and how it eventually led to his decision to take early retirement.

This week, GamerDude has gone back to Season 2 for his Top 15 (okay, Top 16) Iconic Movie Theme Songs, and cleaned up the original production a bit. Included in the list are current themes and older themes, with multiple appearances by John Williams. GamerDude talks about the themes, and the composers, and why he believes the themes stick with us, and what makes them iconic. As with all subjective lists, of course, your opinions may vary!Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

GamerDude talks about breakfast this week, and what breakfast was like when he was growing up. He talks about how breakfast was primarily cold cereal, with some occasional crock-pot oatmeal mixed in to the rotation.He also talks about discovering the wide variety of breakfast foods and options when he went away to school, starting with a breakfast buffet he went to during his orientation trip. The trays of eggs, and bacon, and sausage just amazed him. He talks about other breakfast foods he enjoys, from biscuits and gravy to the Sausage McMuffin with Egg.GamerDude also talks about his Top Ten Breakfast Foods, which includes everything from French toast to waffles. (You'll have to listen to the entire episode to get the complete list!)

This week, GamerDude talks about sensory memories: those memories that are triggered by a certain scent, or sound, or the way something feels. He talks about how some sensory memories have disappeared because the source of the memory no longer exists, like his grandfather's shed. He also talks about how technology has caused some memories to disappear, like the white static on a VHS cassette, or the tactile feel of typing on an actual typewriter. He also talks about exploring the change slots on a bank of payphones, and that little thrill you'd get when you actually found a coin or two.

GamerDude returns to one of his favorite topics: food! And this week, he's revisiting snacking! GamerDude talks about the apples, oranges and raisins his mom tried to get him to eat as snacks when he was a kid, and also discusses how his mom always baked, and always had a full cookie jar, which led to a lot of snacking on cookies when he was a kid.GamerDude also discusses some of the types of snacks he's tried over the years, from Doritos, to pork rinds, to various kinds of jerky. He then gives you his top 10 list of snacks, and why they made the list, with everything from Chex Mix to Reese's Pieces finding a place on the list. (You'll have to listen to the full episode for the complete list!)

GamerDude has dipped back into Season 1 of Storytime for one of his favorite episodes, where he expresses his appreciation for the Star Trek universe. He took this episode back to the production room and re-edited and re-produced it, cleaning up some of the sound issues that he didn't fully appreciate back in Season 1. He wanted to do that with this episode because it captures the full spirit of his appreciation for the world of Star Trek.In this episode, GamerDude talks about why Star Trek matters to him. He talks about the feelings of hope it inspired during the tumultuous 1970s and 1980s, and how its depiction of a multinational, multi-racial universe, where everyone worked together and cared about each other, inspired him with hope for the future. He also talks about Star Trek's "Prime Directive," how Captain Kirk handled it, and how that impacted his own views of the world. He also talks about how friendship is portrayed, and how the philosophy of "The good of the many outweigh the good of the few" is important in some instances, and is not in others.

Thanks to COVID and the strange effect it has had on the car market, from slowing the production of new cars to increasing the prices of used cars, GamerDude found himself in a unique situation: he had a used truck that was worth more than he bought it for. Combined with the facts that he wasn't commuting anymore, and that he didn't really need two vehicles anymore, GamerDude decided to try to take advantage of the upside-down car market before prices reverted to normal. This week, he tells the tale of two dealerships, two vehicles, and how serendipity played a role in his buying a new car. He also explains the importance of researching the price of new cars, the price of your trade-ins, and clearly understanding what you're willing to pay, and what you're not willing to pay. He also explains the importance of being willing to simply walk away if the deal the dealer is offering isn't what you want.

The skyrocketing prices of eggs in early 2023 inspired this week's episode. GamerDude first talks about how the price spikes seem more like the result of collusion amongst the "vertically integrated" egg producers than the story those companies are feeding us about the avian flu and alleged supply line issues.GamerDude then shifts gears to talk about what shopping at the grocery store was like when he was a kid. He talks about the cereal and candy often sharing the same supermarket aisle when he was a kid. He talks about his mom's budgeting techniques and how he carried those over to his adult hood. He remembers the days before the UPC codes and scanners at the checkout line, when every item in the store had to be priced and individually rung up at the register. He also remembers how cashiers actually had to calculate change in their heads at the register, how cash was king, and how credit cards weren't even accepted at the supermarket. He also remembers the free sample stands they used to have in the supermarket, and how he and his friends basically ate lunch there during their college days.