Storytime with GamerDude
Season 6
by Storytime with GamerDude
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.