di Storytime with GamerDude
With vacation time rolling around again, GamerDude returns to one of his favorite vacation destinations: the beach. As he has talked about in previous episodes, when he was a kid, the family vacation for many years was to the beach at Assateague Island, near Chincoteague Virginia. That's where GamerDude learned to love the beach. As he's gotten older, he has expanded his taste in beaches, and many of his vacations involve trips to different beaches in the U.S. He talks about "discovering" the Jersey Shore with his girlfriend (at the time) during a trip to Wildwood, New Jersey. He discusses how big a revelation it was to discover that some beach towns actually have hotels, condos, and houses right on the beach. He talks about the Boardwalk in towns along the Jersey Shore, and the shops and carnival games you can find there. He talks about trips to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, and Ocean City in Maryland. He talks about discovering Cedar Key in Florida, and contrasts the quaintness there with the tourism of Clearwater, and its $25 charge just to sit in a beach chair. And he talks about looking for beaches in the Florida Keys and discovering that, while there may not be many beaches in the Keys, a trip there is still worth your while.
When he was a kid, GamerDude discovered the book Chariots of the Gods. The author theorized that aliens from other worlds visited ancient humans and, because they were so advanced, the aliens were presumed to be gods. The books discusses various instances offered as "proof" that aliens visited the earth long ago, including Ezekial's visions of angels in the sky, the destruction of Sodom (was it God, or a nuclear explosion?) and the creation of Stonehenge (how were ancient people able to move 25 ton rocks 140 miles?). GamerDude went from ancient aliens to current ones when he started reading about UFOs. He talks about Roswell, and discusses an earlier sighting of unidentified objects flying over Mt. Ranier in 1947. The UFOs then took GamerDude to The Bermuda Triangle, and he learned about all of the planes and ships that disappeared there, from Flight 19 to the USS Cyclops. From there, it was just a short leap to the stories of "ghost ships" that have been found adrift at sea, with the crew either dead or missing. GamerDude also recalls the stories about spirits in nature, whether they're sprites, or fairies, or just tall tales. Whatever you believe, there are plenty of stories in this episode to grab your attention!
GamerDude loves trivia, history, and little known facts about nothing, and has collected them for years. In this episode, he shares some of the information he's learned over the years revolving around "facts" we were once told that turned out to be anything but factual. He talks about the Sixteenth Amendment to the constituion, which relates to the income tax, and wonders whether it was ever actually, formally passed. He talks about how big pharmaceutical companies used to market morphine, and then heroin, as miracle drugs, before it turned out they weren't. He talks about how smoking was marketed by actors and athletes, and promoted by doctors, and even touted as a diet aid, before the federal government finally issued its health warning in 1964. He shares the tale of Pope Gregory IX's hatred of cats, and how that hatred could have helped lay the groundwork for the spread of The Black Death (the bubonic plague) back in the 1300s. To lighten things up, he shares some trivia about Oxford University, Nintendo, Queen Elizabeth II, and Betty White.
We all have parents and, love them or hate them, they influenced who we are today. GamerDude talks about his parents and how they brought him up. He talks about how there is no one right way to raise kids because every parent, and every kid, is unique. He talks about the role of parents, and how too many people try to be their kids' friends, rather than their parents. He talks about the role of the parent - to teach right from wrong, good from bad, to set guidelines and rules, and to teach discipline and respect for others. He talks about the one and only time his father smacked him when he was young, and the lesson he took from that. He talks about the importance of consistency on the part of parents, and how parenting starts from a very early age. He discusses some of the problems he sees with parenting styles today, from parents who want to be pals with their kids, to parents who don't try to enforce rules until the kids are in their teens. And, he talks about not pushing your kids into things that they're not interested in, but rather, taking the time, as a parent, to find out what your kids actually like, and encouraging those interests.
GamerDude talks about the state of the world these days. He talks about how people view the political scene as so divisive today, but remembers how the Government has never been known for its kind and generous treatment of its citizens. He discusses how people are so upset by corporate greed these days, but remembers how corporate greed has been a mainstay in America. He gives a "Google assignment" for researching Andrew Carnegie, the Rockefellers, and "robber barons" for some perspective. He then moves on to discuss how society, and civil discourse, used to be a little more friendy, a little more considerate, and a little less reactionary. He talks about being taught to shake off disappointments, rather than react to them. He talks about learning about "right and wrong," and "good and evil" when he was young, both at home and in church. He discusses how religion can have its benefits, while being mindful of the fact that more people have died in the name of "religion" than most other causes. He tells the story about finding a ten-dollar bill on the street when he was about eight years old, and how his upbringing taught him how to handle it. Finally, he talks about parenting, and trying to raise the next generation of responsible adults so that the world might become a better, more friendly place.
In this "Best of Storytime" episode, GamerDude tells stories about growing up without any seasoning stronger than salt, and his love for homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. He also talks about his first air-shift as a radio newscaster, and his family's first trip to Chincoteague, Virginia for family vacation. And, he tells the story about his one and only buzzer beater on the basketball court
It's no secret that GamerDude loves movies, and he shows that love to some of his favorite corny movies from the 70s, 80s and 90s. He talks about some of his favorite Arnold movies (Raw Deal and the Conan movies), some Sylvester Stallone movies (Cobra, Over the Top, and Tango and Cash), the classic Con Air, with Nicholas Cage, and he talks about his icon from the 70s Burt Reynolds, and Smokey and the Bandit. He then turns to some more classic movie tropes. He talks about how he hates the "closing freeze frame" that some movies used to use. He talks about the classic "easily exploding car" that blows up if you look at it wrong. He discusses tracking devices as big as toasters, and talks about the typical "evil bad guy speech," as well as several other over-used cliches.
Whenever GamerDude is preparing an episode of the podcast, he jots down memories that pop up so that he can talk about them. Most fit into a theme or topic he wants to featurein an episode, but some do not. This episode contains stories about more of GamerDude's random memories from things that have happened over the years. He talks about playing in a rock quarry as a s child. He remembers his mother walking behind him, reminding him to keep his foot straight as he walked; he also remembers her persistent warning to always wear his hat, and bring his gloves (which were actually mittens). He talks about the magazines he collected - Highlights and Boy's Life, as well as his obsession with The Hardy Boys books. He also remembers his disappointment in the casting of Frank and Joe Hardy in the TV show about The Hardy Boys. And, he talks about his obsession with the Adidas sneakers that Starsky wore on Starsky and Hutch, and how he was never able to get a pair of "Starsky Shoes."
When he was younger, GamerDude had dreams about the places he hoped to see one day. In this episode, he talks about holding onto those kind of dreams, because it is only recently that he has been able to travel to some of those places he dreamed of as a kid. He talks about traveling to Mount Rushmore for the first time, and how impressive he found it. He talks about visiting Hoover Dam, and then traveling to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. He describes seeing the Canyon for the first time, and how mesmerizing and breathtaking it was. He talks about exploring Red Rock Canyon, and the incredible natural beauty of the area. He also talks about Las Vegas, and his feelings about the various casinos and the Fremont Street Experience in old Downtown. And, he talks about the Vegas show that he and the family saw: Zombie Burlesque. GamerDude figured that, if you're going to see a show, might as well see one you're not going to see anywhere else!
Once again borrowing from Johnny Carson's "The Best of Carson," this week's episode features highlights from shows from last season. In this "Best of Storytime," GamerDude talks about cursing, and why he generally doesn't curse. He talks about mis-used and mis-pronounced words. He also delves into the origin of certain words (including the Twitch stream favorite, "chum"), and finishes up by talking about what was behind the curtain in the back of the video stores he grew up with. Enjoy!