Podcast appearances and mentions of mike alex

We hit thee warp drive and blastoff into thee multiverse with an all-Star lineup of passionate peoples who are leading thee charge in thee Southeast Side Revolutionary Renaissance! Rob, thee multi talented musician and amazing human hosted us @ Thee Social Club, a staple in our community! Along with fellow member, Ares, thee culinary cosmonaut, we speak on his upbringing in thee food industry, his love for making unique dishes that definitely do not suck, and how he integrates community, music, art, and culture into his life and art. We are joined in with another amazing musical entrepreneur and visionary, Mike! From his bands, to Nest Fest, to 18th street and thee revitalization of Crowbar, we magnify how building bridges, coming together as a community and offering multiple positive outlets to everyone can bring opportunities and beautiful outcomes. Alex, thee humanitarian, who helps at risk/incarcerated youth, thee art therapist who utilizes art (and others) as forms of therapy, we talk about how beautiful our community truly is and how to empower ourselves to become apart of thee Renaissance by encouraging our family and friends to pursue their passions and small business dreams. All uniquely talented humans who we shall definitely eat their shit, listen to their shit, drink their shit, wear their shit and ultimately support their shit ...

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon CVR with Mike + Alex; Developers out of 343 Industries have recently offered insight into why they believe “games are harder to make these days”[i]. Amongst the items on their list of reasons are enhanced technical expectations and the intricacies of running, updating or maintaining online games. Not one of these things is integral to a good game; this serves as a list of features proper to many games precisely as bad.

Mike & Alex were impressed by the recent Final Fantasy XVI trailer. Tune in this week for a discussion of how XVI returns well-known Final Fantasy ‘summons' to a position of fictional prominence, as well as the XVI gameplay mechanics depicted in the trailer.

Another conversation this week on V Rising, including on Tencent's involvement. Mike & Alex also discuss RPGs, Final Fantasy IX again, and the possibility of Final Fantasy XVI's appearance at this week's State of Play.

This week Mike & Alex discuss the media's shifting opinions on Game Pass: a sacred cow has been torn down, with varied outlets lining up to take pot shots at what they had advertised for free months ago. Also including a discussion of V Rising & the addictive nature of survival games: what is it that makes them such an engaging experience? Have the boys come to prefer them over sacred cows of their own (JRPGs & souslikes)?

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon CVR with Mike + Alex; Join us for a preliminary opinion on the Stream Deck & a discussion of Elden Ring's endgame.

The Ghostwire: Tokyo episode. This week Mike & Alex delve into the many fantastic aspects of Tango's recent game, touching on themes, worldbuilding, traversing the open world & the virtue of shorter video game experiences.

Mike & Alex are back with another casual conversation on the state of games in early 2022. Topics include early impressions of Strangers of Paradise, Salt and Sacrifice Beta, microtransactions and always online requirements in Gran Turismo 7

Mike & Alex spoke a month ago concerning the possibility that 2022 would be the best year ever for video games as a medium of artistic expression. The wild success of Elden Ring has shown this to be the case; while live service games launch to critical & commercial failure, From's latest work has set records on metacritic & continues to top sales charts. Tune in this week for a causal conversation concerning what this signifies for the “industry” as a material cause for the creation of video game art.

Mike & Alex have a casual conversation about Strangers of Paradise FF Origin & difficulty settings in soulslike games, as well as their progress through Elden Ring.

On today's show, George & Jason join Mike & Alex to discuss some Dynasty Fantasy Football offseason trades!   Support the show by becoming a member of our Patreon! https://patreon.com/ToiletsToTitles -Tier 1 $3 per month *T2T Team Group Chat -Tier 2 $5 per month *Early Access to Waiver Wire Episodes *Entry Into our Frankenstank Listener League *T2T Team Group Chat -Tier 3 $10 Per Month *1 on 1 Roster Analysis *Free Entry into our Frankenstank listener league. *T2T Team Group Chat *Early Access to Waiver Wire Episodes   Subscribe to our Youtube channel and tune in live weekly.  https://youtube.com/channel/UCMrXHzTNgwKiptWsbeRs   Check out ToiletsToTitles.com   Make sure to follow the team on Twitter John (@CoachSchepps), Nate (@Nate_Dirt19), Justin (@JustinFF_), Ben (@LiveFromTheBen), Mat (@FF_DoorMat), Rich (@RgonzalezRM) Joe (@JoeJ_Clark) Steve (@StevenSpacc) Alex(@Alexo_ff) Mike (@DirtyJobs21) Joe I. (DropTheLeashJC) George (@GeorgeReedFF) Jason (@BFTGJason)   You can follow the show on Twitter  @ToiletsToTitles

Mike & Alex talk more about Elden Ring, while also exploring the highs & lows of Gran Turismo 7. Topics include our progress through ER, the circumscriptive simulation gameplay of GT7, its microtransactions & always online play.

This week the boys at Green Dragon CVR are surprised to hear about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision & Blizzard. Mike & Alex discuss the implications of this deal and what it means for the future of the Xbox brand. Spoiler alert: probably nothing as Call of Duty will surely march on as a yearly release. We remain hopeful for something new perhaps, cheers.

The first months of 2022 will see some noteworthy games release that Mike & Alex discuss this week. Pokemon Legends: Arceus will express the core concepts of the franchise in novel gameplay mechanics. Likewise for Final Fantasy: Strangers of Paradise, the first soulslike Final Fantasy. Elden Ring hardly needs introduction. Also discussed this week: the special merits of the soulslike genre, the difficulty of committing to certain games.

In December Mike presents Alex's Edelman's solo show, "Just for Us" off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre. It's an award-winning comedy in which Alex (who is Jewish) tells the story of being accidentally invited to a gathering of white nationalists & then what happened when he…showed up. Mike & Alex crack open that story as well as working out jokes about rollerblading into museums, why Socrates had a hard time at parties, & how texting the tooth fairy can backfire. https://www.childrensdefense.org/

This week Mike & Alex talk about the impact of Xbox Game Pass on the sale of third party games to answer the question: “what is the impact of subscription services on video game art”? It appears that consumers within subscription ecosystems are no longer convinced of [“commutative justice”,] paying a proportionate price for a good or service. The indirect impact on video game art is obvious: will creators be able to finance traditional works and flourish in order to produce more?

In the wake of Metroid Dread, Mike & Alex discuss the enduring merits of the decades-old metroidvania progression style. The argument: 2D adventure games with metroidvania progression are innately suitable for developers with limited experience & resources alongside strong artistic abilities & a well-conceived world. Metroidvania also scales well to larger budgets & diverse art styles, potentially even 3D perspective, due to the universality of its conceits. It even encourages remote community participation, a sort of “extrinsic multiplayer”, in wiki culture.

Caught up with Valheim & older titles, Mike & Alex have already added a pile of recent releases to their backlogs. Tune in this week for a discussion of the most interesting games you may have missed in 2021 and why they are worth playing. Also features a more detailed discussion of Valheim's special appeal: this is a game that synthesizes the radical possibilities of the survival genre (often lacking a meaningful goal, purposefulness) with circumscriptive soulslike combat against titanic bosses and hands-off storytelling about cosmic stakes.

Mike & Alex return to a style of video game they have no small measure of conflicted feelings about: open-world action-rpgs. Alex returns to Ghosts of Tsushima & Mike to Maneater to check out the DLC for both titles. Concludes with an explanation of the particular appeal of open-world progression styles: without the punctuation & demands of other games like Souls (with taxing combat) or JRPGs (with complex systems to manipulate), they convey grand gestures of worldbuilding.

Mike & Alex discuss the last great western video game genre: classical or western rpgs. If, as we have previously discussed, the rpg genre definitionally represents the conduct of intelligent life in fiction, the western rpg (in contradistiction to the deterministic jrpg) does so in-deterministically, affording the player political and social agency over the course of the game world

Mike & Alex discuss potential games to pursue amidst the great summer game drought of 2021. Touching on Final Fantasy X, Ghost Recon Wildlands, Biomutant etc.

We have come to this year's ‘great summer game drought'. In the absence of any new releases captivating us, Mike & Alex delve back into their backlogs. Discussions range from the necessity of ‘sense of place' in worldbuilding; the capacity of difficult games to transpose the player into the alterity of his ritual identity; the weird & wonderful world/art of Grime; Far Cry Primal as a masterful gesture of worldbuilding & the best Far Cry.

Mike & Alex discuss the vast discrepancy between Western journalistic reactions to recent scandals at Activision and the Chinese government's reported disdain for the predatory style of games peddled by Tencent. While the West demands superficial “change” that would leave brutal fundamental structures in tact, the CPC appears to target the very economic bases of exploitative game design. Alex also explains the over-gameyness of Skyward Sword: how the insertion of burdensome, arbitrary mechanics impedes player attunement with the concept of the game. Lastly a few words on Grime, a fantastic and beautiful new Soulslike.

This week Mike & Alex return to the most basic element of a game - it's [self-justifying or autotelic] world, hopefully expressed in a gameplay loop that facilitates instead of inhibiting its clarity. Last week Subnautica was a refreshing escape from the overbearing psychological motivations we are required to empathize with in many third-person story games; this week, the single-player campaign of Stacraft the first does the same. Also featuring a discussion of the special merits of the survivial genre & our enthisuaism for Evil Genius II.

After being dragged by the nape through the meandering and uninteresting personal/psychological motivations of most protagonists in most games born in the West the past generation, Mike & Alex delve into two games unburdened by the trappings of western AAA. Subnautica BZ: in search of her lost sister, an ex-corpo becomes infested by an alien consciousness, proceeds to research the inner logic of an aquatic ecosystem & evade death at the maw of leviathans 900m deep. Starcraft I Single Player Campaign: A galactic empire beset by a dictatorship is further afflicted by the emergence of a spy-become-alien queen. Does the multiplayer justify this or the inverse?

IT WAS MAGICAL ALL ALONG! #MCtU is Back with our continuing look into the #MCU, now on DISNEY+! Mike & Alex break down the first Marvel foray into the world of streaming (ignoringthenetflixstuffcoughcough). They discuss the TV as therapy, crucial consent, & how EVERY THOUGHT IS A MAGIC SPELL!  Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

Mike & Alex back at it featuring a discussion about the "new Sony" and their uninspiring first party offerings as of late + the general state of the medium in summer 2021. What no one wants to hear: Sony kinda sucks now, 

Why do we treat all ideas expressed in the video game medium as equivalent just because they are "playable"? We are [culturally] willing to admit a difference between commercials and movies, novels and textbooks and roadsigns, but not different kinds of video games. This week Mike & Alex discuss why an approach to games based on what they expressed [and not their shared medium of expression] would be preferable. See greendragoncvr.com/gui-82 for full description. Cheers.  

Mike & Alex discuss the mechanics, universe, loop & philosophy of Returnal.

PSYCHE! Reality can be what we want it to be... with thousands of projector drones. This week's #MCtU finds Mike & Alex galavanting across Europe, choosing the reality we want, and asking ourselves WHAT NOW THAT THIS IS ALL OVER!? Let's talk Night Monkey! I mean, Spider-Man: Far from Home! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

Mike & Alex are pleasantly surprised by Outriders. Despite an always-online requirement that has severely hampered it in the launch period, People Can Fly has developed one fine third-person shooter. All the best parts of Destiny and the Division are here, dissected and made available for experimentation; this all takes place within a refined gameplay loop absent any map-wandering or useless flourishes.

I AM (it was) INEVITABLE! We're in the Endgame now on #MCtU! This edition is supersized to fill all the thoughts Mike & Alex had on the culmination of the Avengers story... for now. They discuss timey-wimey plot lines, facing you past to heal from it, & how insane you would sound if you described this movie to someone back in 2008!! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

ARE YOU FLERKIN KIDDING ME?! This edition of #MCtU has us flying Higher, Further, & Faster! Mike & Alex discuss unleashing your full power, toxic gatekeeping, & the ultimate social hub that was BLOCKBUSTER in the 90s! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

This week on The Doubled Up Podcast, Matt and Scott are joined by special guests Mr & Mrs @tidy_tiedye (Mike & Alex). During the episode they talk about the beginning of @tidy_tiedye, starting a business during a global pandemic, and lots more! Matt hosts SHEWS ROUND and the group discuss the continuation of the Ann Hebert Nike story, the expected timeline for Jerry Lorenzo and Adidas to launch their first products, and more leaked pictures of the anticipated Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1. Scott shares his DOUBLE UP, DOUBLE DOWN picks for the week, and Mike & Alex face THE SNEAKER WHEEL! Follow @doubleduppodcast on IG Use #doubleduppod for features You can find Matt @swsneakers_ and Scott @_sneakerteacher on IG

Destiny arrives all the same! Mike & Alex have finally arrived at... THE SNAP! Come listen as they discuss how the MCU has finally moved from super-soldier-serums-as-allegory-for-semen to the patricide-that's-actually-deicide. HUBRIS SPEECHES FOR EVERYONE! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

After a week jam-packed with video game news, Mike & Alex discuss some of the upcoming titles we are looking forward to including: Solar Ash, Returnal, Deathloop, & Kena: bridge of spirits. We also learn that The Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Remakes are real, announced alongside a brand new game titled Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This one described as an open world RPG, how that differs from the current mainline games? We are not quite sure yet, though it appears to need some more time in the oven. The future is looking bright for good video games as our excitement has reached a new level for 2021. Cheers, as we anticipate exciting times ahead.

PUBERTY AGAIN!? The lates edition of #MCtU wraps Spider-Man: Homecoming up in its web! Mike & Alex discuss teen powers, absentee fathers, neighborhood landmarks, and MICHAEL F$%KING KEATON!  Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

Nioh 2 has experienced a renewed surge of interest since the PS5 remaster came around. But after putting it down almost a year ago, getting back into this beastly grindcore soulslike can be daunting. This week, Mike & Alex are here to go over some of the mechanical complexities and unique aspects of Nioh 2. Including a discussion of burst counters, efficient loot recyling, Nioh’s historical fantasy & overall accessibility in comparison to other soulslike games.Also including a brief discussion of Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood & Ys IX: Monstrum Nox; both will be treated further next week.

LOST IN THE ASTRAL SEA! In this edition of #MCU, Mike & Alex welcome fellow Missing Sock and host of I Have a Question, AMANDA VAN NOSTRAND! They discuss a story where the main character doesn't really learn anything while they telling us he learns everything. Also, ALEX CASTS A REAL SPELL ON MIKE! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

ONE COULD SAY WE LET YOU listen to this week's installment of #MCU! This week, Mike & Alex talk Paul Rudd charm, figuratively weaponizing failure, and LITERALLY weaponizing failure! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

What makes video games different (or better) than other artistic mediums at expressing a given subject matter? This week, Mike & Alex discuss the special qualities of video games over text, film etc in the context of Red Dead Redemption 2’s epilogue.

We are back from our winter hiatus with a longform discussion on Cyberpunk 2077 and joining Mike & Alex is Future Imperfect/Loose Cannon co-host Aaron!!Warning Spoilers Abound!Your Geekmasters:Mike "The Birdman" Dodd - https://twitter.com/BirdmanDoddAlex "The Producer" - https://twitter.com/DeThPhaseTWIGFeedback for the show?:Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/thisweekingeekiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-geek/id215643675Spotify: spotify:show:0BHP4gkzubuCsJBhU3oNWXGoogle Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMzU3MTAzNy9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVkWebsite: http://www.thisweekingeek.netJanuary 14, 2021

OOPS, ALL MONSTERS in the latest episode #MCU! Mike & Alex invite good friend and author of CTHULU IN THE DEEP SOUTH, Kirk Battle, to break Ultron apart and put it back together! They discuss the Phase 2 blues, Ultron's teeth, and people calling themselves a monster... A LOT. Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

Cyberpunk2077 hits like a truck. Mike & Alex are here to talk about the unparalleled achievement of world & character building that is Cyberpunk2077, including definitions of such terms as ‘Mikoshi’, ‘engram’ & ‘digital matter’. What does it mean for two minds to inhabit a single body? For technology to dissolve the boundaries of ‘mind’ altogether?

2020 is winding down. Mike & Alex are here to talk about all the highlights of the past year. In 2019 major publishers marketed their return to single-player with Jedi Fallen Order & Sekiro. this year, the quantity of excellent games was no less substantial. Featuring a discussion of games as an instrument for world-building, recent indie soulslikes and the greatest hits of the year, including Cyberpunk 2077, Maneater, Demon's souls Remake & Final Fantasy VII Remake.

IT'S A NEW EPISODE, YA TURD BLOSSOM! This time Mike & Alex discuss nostalgia done right, building an ensemble cast like a D&D party, and schlubby dudes getting SHREDDED! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

Mike & Alex have spent a week navigating the controversy surrounding Cyberpunk. While the overwhelming majority of commentators remain fixated on consumerist pet causes, the quality and content of the game (in its optimal state) has largely been forgotten. This episode features a continued discussion of why this approach is misguided… at least for people who care about video games. Also treating the greasy post-launch addition of a paid EXP boost to AC Valhalla.

Cyberpunk 2077 is everything we could have hoped for. Mike & Alex are here to describe their ~20hr impressions, as well as discuss the controversy surrounding CDPR & glitches in early builds of the game.

BUILD SOMETHING! Can Iron Man 3 truly be considered a trilogy? Mike & Alex talk about it on this edition of MIKE CONTEXTUALIZES THE UNIVERSE! Let's talk PTSD, actors wanting their face on film, and the REAL (fake) really real (not) Mandarin! Mike Contextualizes the Universe is part of the Missing Sock podcast network. You can listen to all the other great shows on the network here https://www.missingsocknetwork.com/ and donate to support those shows right here https://www.patreon.com/missingsock Find Mike on Social media at @mikemercadal on Twitter and Instagram  Find Alex on Social media at @ralexmurray on Twitter and Instagram 

The nominees for 2020's Game Awards have been announced. Mike & Alex are here to explain why the bevy of western-style, anthropocentric games dominating the show in 2020 are inferior to last year's entries, and even to Japanese titles conspicuously absent from this list of 'Game of the Year' contenders. Including a discussion of why Half Life Alyx is awful in concept, the sentimentalism of God of War 2018 and why Nioh 2 should be GotY 2020.

Next gen is just a few days away. Mike & Alex are here to forecast the most exciting releases of November 2020, including PS5 games launching in the coming week. Thoughts on Demon's Souls Remake's modified healing system, Godfall's looter mechanics & settlement-building in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. 

Mike & Alex discuss the endings of Ghost of Tsushima & Death Stranding before getting into the shockingly wicked Watch Dogs Legion. Includes an analysis of political content in the game, core loop, the near-future scifi cyberpunk dystopian depiction of London & the joy of flying in open-world games.  

Its time for another TWIG Halloween Special! This year Mike & Alex sat down for a Universal Monsters discussion with longtime friend of the show James Rolfe, best known as the Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN) and his fantastic Cinemassacre content!Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!Be sure to keep up to date with all his new videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JamesNintendoNerdAnd check James out on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cinemassacreYour Geekmasters:Mike "The Birdman" Dodd - https://twitter.com/BirdmanDoddAlex "The Producer" - https://twitter.com/DeThPhaseTWIGFeedback for the show?:Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/thisweekingeekSubscribe to our feed: https://www.spreaker.com/show/3571037/episodes/feediTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-geek/id215643675Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Lit2bzebJXMTIv7j7fkqqGoogle Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMzU3MTAzNy9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVkWebsite: http://www.thisweekingeek.netOctober 31, 2020

Mike & Alex get into the acquisition of Zenimax/Bethesda by Xbox; truly a paradigm shift with implications for console exclusivity in the 9th console generation. Also includes a treatment of the end & themes of Bloodborne, its place in the Fromsoft canon. 

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon with Mike + Alex; Alex describes Tony Hawk Pro Skater to a layman, we revisit Kingdoms of Amalur & dissect the mechanics, tropes and mood of Code Vein (so much jrpg vibes).Greendragoncvr 

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon with Mike + Alex; We offer our thoughts on the newly revealed Nvidia cards, describe our recent delves into the podcast format and finally get around to playing the (awesome) Code Vein. 

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon with Mike + Alex; today is the "Mortal Shell" episode, where we discuss what this fine little game represents for one of our favorite genres. A few words also about Dusk and the Surge 2.

Northern Esports Arena is a business aiming to educate those who want to make esports their future. Through their methodology and strategies, they help to facilitate growth in youth who are looking to get better both in their actual game, as well as their mental game.  Mike & Alex sit down and talk with Landon and Chris about what makes NEA unique, and how you can get involved.

For the second part of first episode of 2020, Mike is joined by returning guest & movie buff, Alex Hart for a full round-up of movies from the last year as well as many others (also joined by the self-proclaimed co-host Megan)! This week, their movie chat continues with a spoiler-free discussion on Joker and why they do not believe a sequel would work well, followed by a general discussion on sequels, a short talk on superhero movies, general love & appreciation for Paul Rudd is brought up along with celebrities who are supposedly a pain to work with, the burden of fame is mentioned and then the last half of the show is show a round-up of some movies of 2019 that hadn’t yet been discussed, including Toy Story 4, IT Chapter Two, Fighting With My Family, Zombieland 2 and more! In part 1 Alex chatted with Megan & Mike about a few things (such as hiking) before delving into the full movie discussion where a great many movies are discussed and there are *NO SPOILERS* within this chat so it’s a great way to add a few new films to your watch-lists! Disney live-action remakes, Alfred Hitchcock movies and favourite childhood movies are all discussed, also at the end of part 1 Mike & Alex talk about the 2009 Watchmen movie and how it compares to the graphic novel & new series. In the last episode of GCC, Mike & Megan chat with Ciara & Nick for a tangentical chat with a huge matter of random things discussed, including Nick’s solo show, why Nick & Ciara started a podcast, censorship, Michael Jackson’s child Blanket, Nick’s identity crisis, Robbie Williams & Take That, Disney films, some issues that come from Nick & Megan being teachers, how Megan & Nick met, music taste in general, intellectual property and much more nonsense! In case you missed it, Mike collaborated with Scott, Chris & Dave of the 20th Century Geek, Comics In Motion & VHS Strikes Back podcasts for an instalment in the Journey To The Rise Of Skywalker podcast collaboration – check the other podcasts for the Star Wars prequel & sequel discussions and keep an eye out for the Episode IX review! Promo by Comics In Motion Genuine Chit-Chat is a part of the Brit Pod Scene, so be sure to check out the other members of the family as well as the BPS podcast – www.britpodscene.com Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher - Podbean - Spotify You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions.

For the first episode of 2020, Mike is joined by returning guest & movie buff, Alex Hart for a full round-up of movies from the last year as well as many others (also joined by the self-proclaimed co-host Megan)! In part 1 Alex chats with Megan & Mike about a few things (such as hiking) before delving into the full movie discussion where a great many movies are discussed and there are *NO SPOILERS* within this chat so it’s a great way to add a few new films to your watch-lists! Disney live-action remakes, Alfred Hitchcock movies and favourite childhood movies are all discussed, also at the end of part 1 Mike & Alex talk about the 2009 Watchmen movie and how it compares to the graphic novel & new series. Part 2 will be out next week for a continuation on the movie chat! Many of the movies discussed across both parts include Cats, Joker, Toy Story 4, Avengers Endgame & the other marvel movies, IT Chapter Two, The Irishman, Fighting With My Family, How To Train Your Dragon The Hidden World and Zombieland 2! In the last episode of GCC, Mike & Megan chat with Ciara & Nick for a tangentical chat with a huge matter of random things discussed, including Nick’s solo show, why Nick & Ciara started a podcast, censorship, Michael Jackson’s child Blanket, Nick’s identity crisis, Robbie Williams & Take That, Disney films, some issues that come from Nick & Megan being teachers, how Megan & Nick met, music taste in general, intellectual property and much more nonsense! In case you missed it, Mike collaborated with Scott, Chris & Dave of the 20th Century Geek, Comics In Motion & VHS Strikes Back podcasts for an instalment in the Journey To The Rise Of Skywalker podcast collaboration – check the other podcasts for the Star Wars prequel & sequel discussions and keep an eye out for the Episode IX review! Promo by the Games My Mom Found podcast Genuine Chit-Chat is a part of the Brit Pod Scene, so be sure to check out the other members of the family as well as the BPS podcast – www.britpodscene.com Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher - Podbean - Spotify You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions.

Mike & Alex recap The Game Awards 2019, what a year! What a fantastic bunch of games, many notable releases are given awards that we, for the most part agree with.  Sekiro & Death Stranding, Disco Elysium! DMC 5, Control, Fire Emblem 3 Houses.  Cheers!  

Gaming Under the Influence @ Green Dragon with Mike + Alex; we cover our experience with both titles midway through each. https://greendragoncvr.com/

One of the lost episodes of Dirty Nubians with my good homie Mike...

Hello friendlings! After spending a weekend in Wales with one of his favourite people (Alex), Mike thought it best to release the episode recorded a few weeks back with that very person, where they discuss the importance of balancing nature within our lives, bat-netting, Alex’s new venture “Feel The Wild” and much more! As well as the above, Mike & Alex discusses foraging, wildlife conservation, their views on hunting (including trophy hunting), respecting nature and it’s delicate relationship with technology, breeding, invasive species, pandas and many other nature-orientated topics! Alex’s Feel The Wild Facebook Page Promo for Bro Honey’s The Dude Files Last week was a motivational two-parter with Brandon - a middleman/entrepreneur with a keen interest and knowledge on the more exclusive brands of the streetwear world, where they discuss motivation, what Brandon does as a middleman, the clothing industry and far too many other things to list! Genuine Chit-Chat is now a part of the Brit Pod Scene, so be sure to check out the other members of the family as well as the BPS podcast – www.britpodscene.com Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher - Podbean - Spotify You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions.

2 Tim 1:6-7 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline

In this episode Davy, Mike & Alex are joined by special guests Alex Hodgkinson & Georg Ortner from Sector3 Studios in Sweden the developers of RaceRoom. We discuss several aspects of the development of RaceRoom including audio, physics and the available cars and tracks both current and future.

As a start to 2018, Mike & his buddy Alex talk about their favourite movies from 2017, NO SPOILERS AHEAD so you’re safe to listen without things getting ruined! Mike & Alex each list their top 5 movies of the year, as well as some honourable mentions and some movies they hated. Which movies are on their lists and which ones do they hate? Logan, Disaster Artist, Detroit, Dunkirk, Justice League, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and many more are discussed, so if you’re a movie buff, be sure to check this out! If you like this conversation, make sure you follow Mike & Alex on Instagram (and FB) with their movie page for reviews, steelbooks, trailers and more! – @I_Am_Movies Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions!

In part 2 of Mike & Dom’s chat, they continue their discussion on gun laws, plus they speak about war, religious extremism (and how first world countries are often the cause of people getting involved with extremism), their opinions on religion – with Mike being an atheist and Dom being a christian it makes for a great discussion! In Part 1 they speak about airsoft (as it’s one of Dom’s passions and Mike wants to try it sometime), animals in zoos and if it’s ever okay to hunt animals (Mike & Dom have differing views on the matter) and how guns should be handled by government both in the UK & in the US.The episode following this is a movie episode with Mike & Alex's "best of" 2017 movies, so if you're a movie buff, be sure to check it out! Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions!

This week, Mike talks to Dom, a friend who holds different religious and political views, so this makes for a great discussion! In Part 1 they speak about airsoft (as it’s one of Dom’s passions and Mike wants to try it sometime), animals in zoos and if it’s ever okay to hunt animals (Mike & Dom have differing views on the matter) and how guns should be handled by government both in the UK & in the US. Part 2 will be out in the first week of 2018, where Dom & Mike speak about extremism and their opinions on religion (Mike being an atheist and Dom being a christian) – like this week, part 2 is not to be missed! The episode following part 2 is a movie episode with Mike & Alex's "best of" 2017 movies and last week's episode was Mike & Tom talking about Tommy Wiseau's The Room and it's subsequent comedic biopic Disaster Artist - so if you're a movie buff, be sure to check those episodes out! Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions!

Mike & his buddy Alex talk about movies for an hour – they speak about some of their favourite underrated movies, new ones this year (2017) as well as some upcoming movies with new trailers.Mike & Alex had another chat where they discuss their favourite movies of 2017 in episode 10, plus Mike & Tom chat about Tommy Wiseau's The Room and it's biopic The Disaster Artist in episode 8, so be sure to check both of those episodes out too!If you like this conversation, make sure you follow Mike & Alex on Instagram (and FB) with their movie page for reviews, steelbooks, trailers and more! – @I_Am_Movies Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – Stitcher You can also email us at GenuineChitChat@outlook.com with any reviews, comments or suggestions!

It's a bit of an Ink Panthers reunion as we welcome Mike's old podcast chucklebuddy (and creator of Box Office Poison, Tricked, Too Cool To Be Forgotten, Lower Regions, & Our Expanding Universe) Alex Robinson! Mike & Alex rekindle their old jibba jabba vibe while talking about Alex's current (& wildly successful) podcast Star Wars Minute. No holds are barred as we talk about the recent attempt at re-serializing BoP in color, and Alex's current long term project Cosmic Saga. There's a lengthy digression into "stuff that sucks to draw" spurred on by Alex's new rule that Cosmic Saga should be (gasp!) "fun to draw."

It's a bit of an Ink Panthers reunion as we welcome Mike's old podcast chucklebuddy (and creator of Box Office Poison, Tricked, Too Cool To Be Forgotten, Lower Regions, & Our Expanding Universe) Alex Robinson! Mike & Alex rekindle their old jibba jabba vibe while talking about Alex's current (& wildly successful) podcast Star Wars Minute. No holds are barred as we talk about the recent attempt at re-serializing BoP in color, and Alex's current long term project Cosmic Saga. There's a lengthy digression into "stuff that sucks to draw" spurred on by Alex's new rule that Cosmic Saga should be (gasp!) "fun to draw."

  **Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell **Today's guest(s):** LeAnn Thieman, author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Catholic Faith", Fr. Bill Schmidt, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Stoneham, and Mike Alex, founder of MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com, the Catholic online learning platform. * [MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com](http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com) * [LeAnn Thieman's website](http://www.leannthieman.com/) * ["Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Catholic Faith"](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935096230/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1935096230) * [St. Patrick Parish, Stoneham](http://www.catholic-church.org/st-patricks/) **Today's topics:** Lenten mission at St. Patrick Parish in Stoneham; MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com; A look at this Sunday's readings for Mass **A summary of today's show:** LeAnn Thieman, author of "Chicken Soup for Soul: Living Catholic Faith", and Fr. Bill Schmidt of St. Patrick Parish, Stoneham, discuss "the most unusual parish mission" you'll attend coming up next week at Fr. Schmidt's parish. Mike Alex tells Scot and Fr. Mark about  MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com, the most advanced online learning platform for Catholics. Finally, Scot, Fr. Mark, and Mike discuss this coming Sunday's Gospel reading for Mass on the woman at the well and the Living Water that Christ promises her. **1st segment:** Fr. Mark's week included a talk in Stoneham at Fr. Schmidt's parish on annulments. Also a cabinet meeting today at which Cardinal Sean announced that Chancellor Jim McDonough's term was renewed for another five years. Fr. Mark said the chancellor is also the finance officer for the archdiocese. The term that was renewed was actually for finance officer. Only two diocesan roles have terms that cannot be abridged except for grave reasons. The other is Fr. Mark's job as Judicial Vicar. **2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark welcome LeAnn Thieman by phone from Colorado and Fr. Bill Schmidt by phone from Stoneham. LeAnn gave an overview of the sessions she'll be giving at the mission next week. She'll start by sharing her story, starting in 1975 with Operation Babylift, to bring 300 Vietnamese orphans out of the midst of the war in Vietnam with the approval of President Ford. On Tuesday, she'll speak on caring for ourselves as well as we care for others, caring for our bodies and our minds. She shares stories from her 12 Chicken Soup books she's written. One of the tools is the tool of forgiveness. On Wednesday, she'll talk about living the Catholic faith as the spiritual balance to the topic of the night before: What we can do to stand up for our faith and to take pride in it. She promises that attendees will march out proud of being Catholic and excited about sharing it. Fr. Schmidt said Lent is a privileged time during which busy people who don't often have time for prayer want to do something special. It's not easy to carve out three nights in a row, so it's a special opportunity. This is the sixth year they've had a parish mission in his 10 years as pastor. 800 people come at least once over the 3 nights. Fr. Mark asked what the Chicken Soup for the Soul books are. LeAnn explained that each has 101 true stories all on a particular topic, such as adoption, fathers and daughters, nurses. Part of LeAnn's own story during Operation Babylift is that she found a little boy who she then adopted as her own. It's amazing, she said, how she still gets emotional as she tells the story, even though she has told it so many times. * [Operation Babylift](http://www.adoptvietnam.org/adoption/babylift-index.htm) Fr. Schmidt said after the last mission, where they heard Fr. Tom Nestor, Bishop Hennessey, and Fr. Jonathan Morris, someone on the parish council asked if a woman could give the mission. Father had a friend in Colorado who had heard of LeAnn and her captivating and motivating story and his experience of her talk at a diocesan dinner in Pueblo, Colorado. Fr. Mark noted that St. Patrick's has undergone renovations and expansions. Six years ago, Cardinal Sean dedicated the renovated and enlarged church, which includes many elements from parishes that have closed. **3rd segment:** Continuing the discussion of the upcoming Lenten mission at St. Patrick's. Scot asked LeAnn for highlights of her talk on Wednesday, which will talk about all the good the Church does. LeAnn said the Church is at the forefront of medical care, helping the poor, educating children and she is awe of all the church does. At the end of her talk on Tuesday night addressing the need to care for ourselves, there is a call to the sacrament of reconciliation. Even when she talks to secular audiences, people thank her for giving them permission to forgive others and to forgive themselves. Fr. Mark asked how parish missions today differ from the fire-and-brimstone missions of old. Fr. Schmidt recalled the missions of his youth which include a confession talk describing hell in stark terms. Now the talks speak of God's love and mercy and forgiveness. He added that they are looking for more priest-confessors to accommodate everyone. LeAnn said it should be the most unusual mission people will have attended, because she intends to have lots of fun and to share how much she loves Christ and His Church and her faith. She hopes that anyone who comes will invite someone else. Fr. Mark said this sounds like it fits perfectly with the Catholics Come Home initiative. Fr. Schmidt said anyone who is interested is very welcome even if they're not members of the parish. LeAnn's books will be on sale at the mission and she will be autographing them. The parish is right at the intersection of Route 128 and 93 and is convenient to many people who will be commuting home from Boston. **4th segment:** Mike Alex joins the show, visiting from the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. He hopes to catch his Kansas University Jayhawks in the NCAA tournament if they win tonight in San Antonio and go on to the Elite 8. It is an act of providence that MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com came together. In 2002 he had been asked by his bishop to help build a new Catholic high school. As part of the mission he was given, then-Archbishop Keleher told Mike, "If we fail to pass on the faith from this generation to the next, we're failing in one of our most important missions as Church." To ensure the quality of instruction at the school, Mike created a relationship with a program called [School of Faith](http://www.schooloffaith.com/) to help train and form the faculty of the new high school. Many other schools in the region were interested in taking part but there wasn't enough space for them in the training classes. Meanwhile, he had a friend who was converting to Catholicism, and it turned out that this friend had an online platform and company that teaches 275,000 nurses across the country to pass their boards. He'd just sold the company and was looking for a new challenge. Mike proposed to take some of the Catholic content and create a new platform with a new way to catechize folks. At first, it was supposed to be local, but it was so robust that people sought out Mike's company to provide their content. National publishers started to see the innovation and interactivity of the program and now they have Ascension Press, Midwest Theological, Ignatius Press as partners, and many more who would like to get their content on the system. Catholic learning is moving online because of the convenience today. Scot notes that our own [CatholicTV](http://www.catholictv.com) has the best online on-demand Catholic TV programming in the world. MyCatholicFaithDelivered is so far ahead of everyone else with online learning, it's as if there isn't a second place. An advisory board of bishops oversee the content to ensure its fidelity to Church teaching. Every class has an imprimatur. All the publishers are considered orthodox. The Faith Foundations program received the first online imprimatur. An imprimatur is a statement, authorized by the bishop of a diocese, that a work is free of doctrinal error. Fr. Mark asked who the target audience is. Mike said the initial thrust is adult formation, catechist certification, and teacher certification. There are many adults, catechists, and teachers who may not be well-grounded in the faith and are in need of assistance. They also have a first through eighth grade series and a high school series for children, but the main thrust is in teaching adults. Scot said we've heard several times over the past week on The Good Catholic Life about the new Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John's seminary and their very flexible classes and programs. But there are those who might not have the time even for the certificate program that is one Saturday per month for six months. Mike said his website offers learning that is available at any time and locations and includes a lot of interactivity. It offers the flexibility they might need. Mike said there are different costs for each course. Mike's friend paid the millions of dollars to create the system, so the current prices are just to keep the website self-sustaining. There are also free lessons available to try out the platform. The mission is to spread the teaching of the Church worldwide--they are in the middle of Spanish translations for their biggest programs. Mike met today with people from around the Archdiocese of Boston who have teaching that would make good content, as well as meeting with our own Catholic Media group who can help create the materials in partnership with MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com Mike said Boston has technical capabilities that other dioceses don't have, and he's excited to bring Boston's content to more people across the country. Scot points out that this is a well-crafted, high-quality video with quizzes and links that bring students to even more resources on the Internet. The programs are interactive and not static. People have responded that they find it meaningful and worthwhile. They've have 3 to 4,000 who have registered to date and another 3 to 4,000 from various dioceses that they are planning to bring online through next September. **5th segment:** As we do each Friday, we look at this coming Sunday's readings to help us prepare for Mass. * [This Sunday's readings for Mass](http://www.usccb.org/nab/032711.shtml) >*Gospel* (John 4:5-42) >Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. >A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” >Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.' For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” >At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here'? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” >Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” Scot said it's a long reading but so worthwhile to read the long one. Living water is a theme and Christ calling people is another theme. Fr. Mark said at this time when we're asking people to look at the faith again in Catholics Come Home, it resonates with us. Fr. Mark sees a whole journey in there that goes hand in hand with Catholics Come Home. Scot noted that the woman went to the well at noon because she was ashamed to be around the others who went in the morning. Jesus knew why she was at the well at that time and chose her purposefully. People often doubt that Christ would choose them because they were so unworthy, but he chooses those the world would not choose. Mike noted how  the woman's perception of Jesus as she interacted with him became clearer. At first, He was just another Jewish man, then she saw him as a prophet, and finally she asked him if He is the Messiah. We can go through this same progression in our Lenten journey to continue to deepen out perception. Also, where the water in Jacob's well is so difficult to find and the Living Water of Jesus is easy at hand because He gives it to us freely. But, Scot said, we should thirst for the water. During Lent we ask ourselves if we thirst for everything God is waiting to give us? Do we ask for more than God has already given me? Fr. Mark said we need to remember who Christ is asking to bring his message, the most unlikely messenger: A woman, a Samaritan, an adulteress. But she was called to be an evangelist to the city. Scot said it was her notoriety that might have made her the best messenger to a particular people, that God would work through her. Fr. Mark noted that we should follow the bucket. She comes with the bucket, notes that Jesus doesn't have a bucket and leaves without it. She comes as a laborer and leaves as an evangelist. Mike noted that conversion comes through a process of interacting with Jesus, but it involves a longing and a desire to have a relationship with him. Often in Lent we think of Lent as a Good Friday experience, but the readings of the past two Sundays have been so hopeful and uplifting as a precursor sign of the hope of Easter. Scot noted that because today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, people are not bound to Friday meatless abstinence although Scot and Fr. Mark recommend the abstinence as a way to remain penitential.