di Storytime with GamerDude
When GamerDude was a kid, the first couple of weeks after Thanksgiving were a lead-up to Christmas. It was the time when the Christmas shopping started, when the decorating began, and when the Christmas cards were written. This week, GamerDude talks about what that time was like, and how his dad had a hard-and-fast December 1 line-in-the-sand for Christmas decorations - no decorations before December! He talks about the various decorations they did have, and the type of ornaments he grew up with. He talks about garland and tinsel, and how annoying it was to hang tinsel to his mom's exacting specifications. He also talks about the family's Christmas star, and the Christmas card tree his parents had as part of the decor. GamerDude also remembers the anticipation of gifts that really began during this "null zone." He talks about the one gift he always wanted but never got as a child - a G.I. Joe. From having "real" hair to the "kung-fu grip," G.I. Joe was one of the ultimate "boy toys" when he was a kid, and it was always on GamerDude's wish list.
This week's episode is chock full of leftovers and deleted scenes from previous episodes. These week, GamerDude has pulled out a variety of stories, some short and some long, on many different topics. He talks about VCRs and how he was always the manual reader for programming them. He takes about cooking on a griddle, and barbecuing on a grill. He has stories about "flour sack clothes," and how he tried to get his oldest to do his homework. He talks about his decision not to stay in radio, and he has a tale about the greatest salad bar he's ever been to - at the Bombay Bicycle Club.
In his fourth Thanksgiving episode, GamerDude expresses his gratitude that he's had the opportunity to share four years of stories with you. He mentions some of the Thanksgiving recipes he's shared for sweet potatoes and stuffing, and talks about some of the family traditions from his childhood, like his grandmother's "kids table." He talks about the family discussions about who's traveling where, who's invited over, and what is being served. GamerDude also talks about how his own family traditions have evolved, from cooking a traditional meal, to going out for dinner, and now, thanks to COVID, to staying home for more of a pot-luck style dinner, where everyone can have what they prefer to eat. GamerDude also brings back the non-denominational prayer he found a couple of years ago. It's a reminder of how we all have something we can be grateful for, and how even the little things are worth being thankful about.
GamerDude has talked about lots of things from his childhood, from grade school to shopping malls. This week, he focuses on trying to paint a picture of what growing up in the 1970s was like, and how it was so different from the world today. He talks about McDonalds, and how it was everywhere when he was a kid, but very different from the fast food place we know today. He talks about how, until the 1970s, there was no Egg McMuffin, and how he never got to enjoy chicken mcnuggets as a kid because they weren't "a thing." He talks about how pay phones were everywhere, and actual live operators existed to help you, with information, with collect calls, and even with calling for help, because 911 wasn't "a thing" when GamerDude was a kid. He also talks about living through the gas crisis of the 1970s, and how that changed the family car. He remembers the old family station wagon, and how his dad decided to trade it in for a VW bus. He talks about how the car industry changed, and how companies like Toyota, and Datsun, and AMC started getting traction in this country with their smaller cars, which got better gas mileage. And, he mentionis the Ford Pinto, which, aside from a little manufacturing defect that left them susceptible to blowing up in accidents, got decent gas mileage.
Food is one of many of GamerDude's favorite topics, and this week's food talk is about the pre-packaged and processed foods that we're not supposed to eat because they're not "good for you," like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. GamerDude talks about some of the pre-packaged foods that people love that are not on his list of "Favorite Things To Eat." He talks about how Hidden Valley Ranch, and Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, and Kraft American Cheese Slices (and several others) are favorites for some, but are not on his list of "must have" foods. GamerDude also talks about the pre-packaged and processed foods he still loves to eat. He talks about the joy of pork roll (or Taylor Ham, depending on where you're from in New Jersey), and bologna. He talks about canned soups, and the frozen foods he still enjoys. He talks about Pop Tarts and all of the kids' cereals he still eats (like Lucky Charms!). And, he talks about his love for good old Skippy and Jif peanut butter.
In another "very special episode of StoryTime," GamerDude talks about his dad's death 15 years ago. He talks about the last few months of his dad's life, and how "the fixer" in GamerDude drove him to try and "fix" the situation. He talks about how his parents had been relying on Christian Science for treatment, and how - even though he was brought up in the religion, and acknowledged and respected their beliefs - GamerDude nevertheless felt compelled to get his father to the hospital to try to get him some treatment. He talks about the challenge of dealing with his parents about doctors, and dealing with doctors and nurses while trying to explain his parents' reliance on Christian Science. He also shares the story of the night his dad died. He talks about what happened that night, and how difficult it was. And he also talks about how he went through so many feelings and emotions, from pain and sadness, to numbness and frustration. GamerDude also talks about how there is no one way, and no right way, to grieve. He explains that you feel what you feel, and it's okay to deal with it, either on your own, or with friends, as long as you deal with it. He also explains that, no matter what your feelings, it is important to acknowledge them, and to feel them, but it's also important not to be consumed by them, and to move on with your life.
GamerDude talks about how pleased and grateful he is about completing 200 episodes of Storytime. He talks about why he started doing Storytime - to preserve the stories of what life was like when he was growing up so that his friends and his family could one day go back and hear them. He talks about how he feels that he squandered the opportunity to get stories from his parents, and his grandparents about their lives, because he realizes now how much he would have liked to know more about their lives, and how much the world can change in less than a lifetime. He talks about how he wishes he had the opportunity to go back and talk to his parents about what their lives were like, and explains that he decided to do Storytime so that his stories would be out there for anyone interested. Because it's Halloween week, GamerDude didn't want to let the holiday go unnoticed. So, he went back to Season 2 to pull out his Top 10 Best and Worst Candies for Halloween. He talks about licorice, and Mary Janes, and Good 'n' Plenty, as well as Swedish fish, and Reeses, and M & M's. No spoilers - if you missed the list the first time, you'll have to listen to the episode to get the full list!
GamerDude has noticed that "dating" these days is not like it used to be. After seeing, reading and hearing about the horror stories of dating in today's world, GamerDude wanted to talk about what dating used to be like, what the purpose of dating used to be, and why getting back to old-fashioned dating would be a good thing. GamerDude has noticed that, for a lot of people these days, the primary purpose of going on a date is to wind up having sex with someone, and often on the first date. While the idea of having sex was always a part of the equation when dating, it wasn't the focal point, or the singular goal, of dating when he was growing up. Dating was supposed to be a "getting to know you" process. People dated to get to know each other so that they could find out if they liked each other enough to spend more time together. Sex wasn't the goal; it was a highlight of a relationship that had many aspects, including common likes and dislikes, and a variety of activities, from dinners to movies to shopping. The dating process was how people found a partner, or a prospective spouse, by going places, doing things, and talking to each other, and GamerDude talks about the importance and the value of going through this process so that you could actually get to know someone. GamerDude talks about how to behave on dates, and how to try to get to know someone, so that you had a chance of achieving what should be the actual goal of dating - a long term relationship.
Because he's been around for a while, GamerDude has seen a lot of changes in the world, and a lot of inventions, products, and things that have come and gone. This week, he talks about some of the supposedly wonderful products and inventions in his life that turned out to be anything but. He talks about how the plastic bag industry created the supposed need and demand for their product that resulted in the virtual disappearance of the paper bag industry. He talks about how there were no plastic bags when he was a kid, and how the old-fashioned brown paper bag was everywhere, and had many uses. He talks about how plastic bags took over that industry, and why that's not such a good thing. He also talks about how polystyrene coolers and containers also came into widespread use, and why that was not a good thing either. GamerDude also taks about asbestos, and how he remembers it being a "miracle mineral," with uses in everything from floor tiles to automotive brake pads. He talks about how asbestos was used in so many every day things until it was discovered how deadly the inhalation of asbestos fibres actually was. He also talks about food addittives, like Red Dye #2 and Olestra, and how it turns out that things that were supposed to make our lives better actually did just the opposite. GamerDude also talks about how one of the more recent inventions - flushable wipes - was supposed to be a beneficial addition to our lives but how, in reality, they are creating more problems than they may be worth. And, he talks about how self-service checkout lines are not really a boon to society.
This week, GamerDude is passing on more of the little observations, knowledge, and life advice he's accumulated after all of his trips around the sun. He talks about how life is unpredictable and no matter how many plans you make, and how good those plans may be, life will throw changes at you that disrupt your carefully charted course. He talks about how it is important to live your life for you, and how things like vacations and sick days are ways to take care of yourself that you shouldn't overlook. He talks about how it gets much, much easier to figure out if someone is an asshole as you get older, even before they speak, because you know what to look for. GamerDude also talks about marriage, and how it's important to actually like the person you're planning on spending the rest of whatever with. He also discusses how bullying should not be accepted, or normalized, and how you should not tolerate bullying in your life. He also talks about how it is so important to remember that your time on Earth is limited, and you should take advantage of it by creating experiences and making memories that you can keep with you and share with your family. And, he talks about how he discovered that, no matter how "normal" you think you are, there is always going to be someone who totally disagrees with you, and doesn't think the way you do.