by Storytime with GamerDude
"Doing chores" was a big part of GamerDude's childhood, and this week, he talks about all that was expected of him as a kid. Looking back, it doesn't seem like the chores were too much, but to a 10 year old, having to spend thirty minutes doing something that wasn't fun was a huge burden. What the chores taught GamerDude was that there were times in your life that you had to do things that you didn't want to do, but you had to do them anyway. GamerDude talks about having to make the bed, clean the bathroom, vacuum the rugs, and buff the floors. He also talks about his dad's "Chore Chart," which set out the main jobs for the kids each week, and who was supposed to do what on each day. GamerDude describes having to set the table, or clear the table, or do the dreaded "kitchen work." He also remember how much he disliked "trash day," and detested cleaning the kitty litter. He also talks about his favorite chore: sorting. He describes the times he spent in the basement, with his dad, sorting through the various boxes of hardware his dad would bring home from sales. He learned to sort screws, and nuts, and bolts, and nails, and all sorts of hardware. He also learned what they were used for, and why you would use one screw over another. The most important thing he learned from this chore is that he liked spending time with his dad.
In the first episode of Season Three, GamerDude talks about New Year's Resolutions. He breaks open the history books to talk about how New Year's resolutions date back about 4,000 years, and how the early promises the Babylonians made to curry favor with the gods are the precursors to the promises we make to ourselves every year to try to improve ourselves. He talks about how he never really made resolutions when he was growing up, but he know many people who did. He talks about some of the most popular resolutions - get in shape, eat better, lose weight - and how he never made those part of a New Year's resolution, and why. He also talks about other popular resolutions - meet new people, get out more - and discusses why he can't understand resolving to do things that you're not comfortable doing. GamerDude then discusses several resolutions that he believes anyone can do, and that will make your life a little bit better. He talks about resolving to travel more, and open yourself up to new experiences. He talks about making time for the people who truly care about you, and not wasting time on those who don't. He talks about letting go of grudges, and ill will. He remembers his mother's analogy: carrying a grudge is like carrying a heavy stone everywhere you go. As his mom always reminded him, it's okay to put down the stone. It makes life's journey that much easier. Finally, he talks about resolutions that are good resolutions - be more tidy, get more organized - but that years of experience have taught him he'll never be able to complete.
With the holiday season in full swing, GamerDude wanted to take a few minutes to share a story that was written by Phillip Van Doren Stern back in 1943. The story, called The Greatest Gift, had humble beginnings - the author is reported to have come up with the idea while shaving one morning - but it may sound quite familiar to you as you listen. No spoilers, but this simple story slowly grew into a cultural phenomenon, without ever losing its heartfelt message. The message is a simple one that we should remember every day, and particularly at the time of year when some of us need to hear it the most: the greatest gift we have is life, and being a part of the world, and having the opportunity to take part in it. Happy Holidays, and thank you for listening, and supporting this podcast for two years! Season Three of Storytime with GamerDude starts January 1, 2020!
Christmas time can be fun and exciting, chaotic and stressful, sad and depressing, and all on the same day! GamerDude talks about what Christmas was like for him growing up; as a child, the birth of Jesus was one of the focal points of Christmas, but that was always competing with the desire for new toys! He talks about the seemingly never ending battle between the spiritual and the material aspects of the holiday. GamerDude then dips back into the history of Christmas. He talks about the origins of the holiday, and how some of our traditions today are cobbled together from the midwinter festivals of the "pagans" from the early days of Christianity. He also talks about the pressures of family, and gift giving, and family politics, and tells the story about subtly calling out his aunt one year, much to the delight of his father. GamerDude then talks about what "the Christmas spirit" is (or at least should be) and how, no matter what your religion or your beliefs, everyone can share in spreading the spirit of Christmas simply by being kind to each other.
As regular listeners know, GamerDude is fascinated by words and language, so when he remembered how his grandmother used to say it was "half-past nine" to say that the time was 9:30, he got to thinking about some of the other words and phrases that he grew up using but that are rarely - if ever - used anymore. In this episode, he talks about a number of those words and phrases, how they were used, and where they came from. So, at the risk of "sounding like a broken record," don't be a "goober." You may feel like you've "been through the wringer," but just "hold your horses," sit back in your "pad," and you'll discover a whole new list of colorful words and phrases you can sprinkle into the conversation at your next family gathering.
When GamerDude was growing up, without the benefit of DVDs or VHS tapes, if you wanted to watch Santa Claus is Coming to Town, you had one chance per year to catch it when it aired. As a result, all of the holiday specials were truly "special occasions," and "appointment TV" for anyone wanting to catch a bit of the holiday spirit. In this episode, GamerDude talks about his five least favorite, and his five most favorite holiday specials from when he was growing up, as well as some honorable mentions in both categories. Included in this episode: Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together (along with many others!) To find out where they rank and why, though, you'll have to listen! Enjoy!
GamerDude celebrates Episode 100 of the podcast with some stories about Thanksgiving. He talks about the family gatherings he had during the holidays, and talks about his first family political battle: trying to graduate from the "kids table" at his grandmother's house. He talks about his grandmother's famous rice ring, her infamous undercooked turkey, and the tasty appetizer she always served (orange sherbet in cranberry juice). He then spends some time talking about the journey to 100 episodes of Storytime, and how grateful he is for all those who listen around the world. He talks about how thankful he is that so many people take so much time to listen to the podcast, and talks about how interesting it is to see which episodes get the biggest reactions. He then shares a non-secular Thanksgiving prayer, giving thanks for the important things in life: heat, faces, and eating, before closing with Thanksgiving wishes for everyone.
As hard is it may be to believe, there was a time before Star Wars ever existed, and GamerDude lived in that time. He talks about his first experience with Star Wars in 1977 (when there was only one movie and it was simply called "Star Wars"). In this episode, he talks about his history with the movies. He talks about the surprise he felt when they retitled Star Wars as "Episode IV" in 1980, and talks about what it was like lining up outside theaters to get tickets to opening day shows for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He explains how George Lucas initially talked about a trilogy of trilogies before changing his story in 1999, when he released the first prequel, and said he only ever was going to make six movies, not nine. He explains how Disney's purchase of LucasFilms in 2012 revived the third trilogy fans had been waiting for. He explains why he, one of the "original trilogy fans," was so disappointed in the prequel trilogy; waiting 16 years for a movie to come out, and to have it be a fairly disappointing movie about politics and trade wars, while featuring rather annoying characters *cough* Jar Jar Binks *cough* is not something that is very easy to embrace, much less enjoy. He also discusses the first two movies of the third trilogy, and explains why certain parts of "The Last Jedi" were disappointing. GamerDude then compares the story arcs of Obi-Wan and Luke, and discusses how similar their journeys are. He then explains why he understands Luke's actions in The Last Jedi, and how they were entirely consistent with the ending of "Return of the Jedi" and the true Jedi that Luke had become.
In this episode, GamerDude has compiled a number of short stories about various memories he has from growing up, about a wide variety of topics. He talks about the one time he went sailing in an old school sailboat. The story about sailing reminded him of the one cruise he and his family went on, and he explains how "fun" the cruise experience was. GamerDude also talks about a couple random driving tips about driving on the road with tractor trailers that he learned from his dad on a road trip to Ohio. He also talks about discovering the "motorcyclist's salute" when he finally bought a motorcycle. GamerDude also talks about weddings, and how one of the best weddings he went to was his college roommate's wedding at a church in Ohio. He compares the simplicity of that wedding to the "destination weddings" and the "catering hall weddings" he has attended or heard about in recent years, and wonders whether one of those over-the-top weddings is actually worth it. Finally, GamerDude talks about his distaste of critters in the house, from cave crickets to mice, and describes his prowess at using mouse traps.
One of GamerDude's oldest memories is of his grandmother making homemade applesauce. He talks about how he helped out with the cutting and peeling of apples when he was a kid, and the wonderful smell that fills the house when cooking homemade applesauce. He also talks about his first paying job, which was at an apple orchard. He learned all about apple-picking, and climbing ladders in the orchards, and how to stay out of the trees so as to avoid damaging them. He also leaned how to drive a tractor, and load "drops" from the orchard for use in the cider press. He also explains how they made cider, at least back in the day. He also gives a recipe for basic, easy, homemade applesauce, and provides some variations for the "jazz" cook in the audience.