Regular listeners already know about GamerDude's love for music, and for TV, when he was growing up. In this episode, he talks about - and plays - 15 of the most memorable TV theme songs that he grew up with.  This is by no means the most definitive or complete list. The songs featured in this episode run the gamut from Saturday morning cartoons to late night television and everything in between. This is just the first in what GamerDude anticipates will be a continuing series of TV Theme Song episodes.

Rather than tell you about the titles of the songs here, you can play a little "name that tune" as you listen to the episode, and reminisce about (or discover for the first time) some of the classic television theme songs from the past.

*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 why he started running when he was young.  He touches on his days as "the fat kid" and how that initially inspired him, and then talks about what became his "bible" of running, an old book called "The Beginning Runner's Guide." He tells the story about how he was paired up with one of the track team members in high school during gym class (before he lost the weight), and how crushing it was to see that runner finish a lap before GamerDude was half-way around the track. He talks about his first real running shoes, and how he leared that running slowly still counts as "running." He remembers running the track after he graduated high school, and timing himself in the mile.  He talks about training himself for distance running, and how he coached himself to be able to run a six-mile route. And he explains how a six-mile run on a hot July day caused him to remove the six-mile distance from his schedule.  Finally, GamerDude talks about the importance of finding "your thing," and doing it, not only for the physical benefits, but for the mental benefits as well.

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.

GamerDude tells the stories about his fascination with Star Trek: The Original Series. He shares his views on the optimisitic future embodied by The Original Series, and why it resonated with him when he watched the show in syndication when he was young. He talks about his admiration for Captain Kirk and the fact that he was a man of action who nevertheless took responsibility for his actions. He explains why a hopeful view of humanity, with all races, religions, creeds and colors working together was so inspiring to him when he was young, and why he still turns to Star Trek as a basis for his continued belief that humanity can better itself, and make the world a better place.

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.

On "A Very Special Episode" of StoryTime, GamerDude gets very personal about his early life. He shares stories about what it was like to grow up as "the fat kid" in school. He shares stories about how he grew to be that "fat kid," what is was like in school, how it affected him, and how that "fat kid" experience stays with you. He shares the story about how he decided to make the change in his life that allowed him to lose the weight and change his outlook, and he also shares the story of how knowing we're not alone in our struggles makes those struggles easier to handle.

This week's episode is all about TV. In the first part, GamerDude talks about several TV plots that have been re-used and recycled over the years in the various TV series he's watched.  He talks about several different plot points, including how tired he is of the "Falsely Accused" plot, and the "Is Our Hero Dead?" plot. Unless it's a series finale, GamerDude is quite certain that the hero is not dead as a result of the freak explosion, the car crash, or the missing plane.GamerDude also talks about "Mistaken Identities" and "Evil Twins," as well as several others.

In the second part of the episode, GamerDude takes a musical trip through TV, sharing some of his favorite themes from shows in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.  Okay, maybe they're not all "favorite" songs, but all of the themes are quite memorable, quite catchy, and a few are actually quite iconic.  No spoilers! You'll have to listen to hear which 15 theme songs are featured this time!

*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*

As GamerDude has mentioned numerous times, the way society viewed things, and the way things were when he grew up, was very different than it is now. In this episode, GamerDude talks about how embarrassing it was to have to go into a store and buy "prophylactics," which is what condoms were called when he was a kid. He talks about how he felt guilty and embarrassed about the whole "condom buying experience," and how that was a function of society attaching "shame" to the concept of anything related to sex.

He also remembers finding his dad's cache of "girlie magazines."  Playboy was every young man's fantasy when he was a kid, but just like buying condoms, there was guilt and shame attached to the idea that teenage boys would want to look at naked women.  He talks about how, just like condoms, the adult magazines were kept behind a counter so that you had to ask for them, which by itself, attached a level of embarrassment to the process. He talks about how Playboy tried to legitimize itself with its famous "Interviews," and how various popular authors also wrote articles for it as well. He also talks about other adult magazines, including Penthouse, Cavalier, and several others, and explains how these were one of the few avenoues available for guys who wanted to see nude women.  He also talks about how Stephen King's earliest short stories were published in the men's magazine Cavalier.

GamerDude also talks about going to his first X-rated movie: Debbie Does Dallas. He also talks about how adult movies eventually moved to cable TV, and how you had to watch through the scrambled signal if you couldn't get your parents to pay the additional cost for those adult channels.

As regular listeners of Storytime know, GamerDude is a huge fan of the movies. In this "Best Of" episode, GamerDude has compiled many of the movie tropes he loves to hate.  From the "always present parking space" that's always there for the protagonist, to the "easily exploding car" that so many action movies seem to have, to someone always running upstairs, or onto the roof, to escape pursuit, to the arch-villain's "this is why I'm doing it" speech at the end of the film, GamerDude talks about all of the tropes you can find over and over again in the movies these days.

GamerDude's love for amusement parks was not shared by his parents when he was growing up, so it wasn't until he was on his own that he was able to plan a trip to Disney World. In this episode, he talks about planning his first trip to Disney World. He explains how he spent time in the library, and reading guide books, learning about Disney World, and planning his first "grown up" vacation to Florida. He talks about researching the best way to get there, and the best time to go, and planning the trip accordingly.

He remembers what it was like when he first got to Florida, and how exciting it was to see palm trees all around for the first time. He then recalls what it was like the first time he got to Disney World, and how huge the place is. He talks about the ferry ride across the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom, and seeing the monorail for the first time, and the Contemporary Hotel. He talks about the various rides he remembers at The Magic Kingdom, from the Jungle Cruise to Space Mountain. He remembers riding the Pirates of the Carribean long before Jack Sparrow ever existed, and how different the original ride was from how it is today. 

He also discusses the two parts of Epcot, and how interesting it was.  He talks about the pavilions in the World Showcase and how it felt like taking a walking tour of the world as you wandered from country to country. And he remembers how the nerd in him loved taking the time to explore the various Lands in Epcot, from The Living Seas to The World of Motion, all long before Test Track and Mission to Mars ever existed. And, he remembers how big Michael Jackson's Captain Eo movie (which was exclusive to Epcot) was at the time.

He concludes by talking about how expensive Disney World is now, compared to what it used to be, and how unfortunate it is that so many people are being priced out of a wonderful experience.

GamerDude shares some stories about how he kept busy after school each day.  The "after school routine" included snacks in front of the television, where he discovered Bugs Bunny, Lost in Space, and The Brady Bunch, playing outside with friends, and playing inside when the weather required.  He also learned how to cook, and how to bake, and discovered the unmatched joy of fresh, homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. (Yes, it may be bad for you, but it was SO good!)

GamerDude tells some stories about the memories he has of his grandparents. He remembers his grandfathers Mac and Sam, his grandmothers Iva and Pearl, and he shares his memories of visiting with them.  He talks about how spotty his memories are because he never realized at the time how many stories about life they could have shared, and he explains how this missing family history helped inspire the stories he tells in Storytime.

When he was a kid, GamerDude loved winter.  He talks about how hard it was to go through the long days of school from January 2 through mid-February, and how he longed for the occasional snow day. He remembers riding the bus to school in the snow, and the clank of the snow chains on the road, which made getting to school so much easier than it is now. He talks about the snowball fights they used to have in his neighborhood, and explains why he never took to skiing.  He talks about the winter activities he did enjoy, from skating to sledding, and he talks about riding flying saucers, Flexible Flyers and toboggans down the hills near his home.  And he talks about the snow ramp he and his friends built at the bottom of a hill, and his attempts to photograph the result.

In this episode, GamerDude talks about growing up as someone who worried about every single thing. He worried about what clothes he wore, what kids were going to bully him, which kids were going to mock his lunch box, whether he was going to fail a class, whether he was going to get into trouble, whether he was ever going to college.  He talks about how his mother tried to convince him that it didn't matter what other kids thought, and how hard it is for a kid to accept that.  He then returns to The Bookhouse, the story book series from which his mother read to him as a child, and shares the story of The Three Sillies, by Joseph Jacobs, which is all about unnecessarily worrying about silly things. He then talks about overcoming his tendency to worry, and about how his father's philosophy of never dwelling on "woulda, coulda, shoulda" helped him learn not to worry about things he couldn't control. GamerDude concludes with a little life advice on how to keep your unnecessary worrying to a minimum.

GamerDude developed his sense of humor at a young age as he listened to comedians and comedy albums on his record player as far back as he can remember. He learned the secret of comedy (timing), and learned how to tell a good story, and tell it in a funny way, by listening to some of the old school masters of the craft. He talks about listening to Bill Cosby, who, long before he was convicted of some pretty horrible abuses, was nevertheless a master story teller.  He talks about some of his other favorites, from the rapid-fire one-liners of Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield to the carefully crafted and perfectly timed stories of Bob Newhart and Shelley Berman. He also talks about George Carlin and his evolution from the days of the Hippy Dippy Weatherman to the comic who did the routine about the Seven Words You Can't Say On Television. GamerDude also remembers one of his favorite comedy albums by Albert Brooks - Comedy Minus One. He describes the unique comedy sketch built into the album by Albert Brooks, where the listener would actually perform the sketch with Albert Brooks, and how he spent hours rehearsing the sketch to perform it for his parents.  GamerDude didn't care that it was classic corniness; he just liked the opportunity to "perform" the sketch. (The script for the sketch - and the sketch from the album itself - are available here; you can judge the corniness factor for yourself.)

GamerDude's first memories of being interested in the government and politics date back to the 7th grade. He talks about how the basics of the US government - the three branches (legisltaive, executive and judicial) and their interlocking checks and balances - were the foundation of his "social studies" class in grade school. He talks about how his assignments included identifying his Congressional representatives, and understanding how the government worked, and explains how that led to his interest in politics and the political system.  He talks about the evolution of the Republican and Democratic parties, how and why their philosophies flip-flopped over time, and how that impacted his decision to register to vote. He compares how he believed things worked when he registered to vote with how he discovered them to truly be, and he talks about the necessity for having conscientious representatives in the government working with a government intended to support and protect its citizens. And he does it all in a way that - with luck - won't put you to sleep!

GamerDude grew up in the days before ESPN, sportsradio, and hot takes, and long before the NFL became the behemouth that it is today. When he was a kid, the only highlights he was able to see were featured on This Week In The NFL, a weekly highlight show. That once-a-week show was put together by NFL Films, which was founded by Ed Sabol, and Ed combined presentation, music, and narration in such a way that even the most mundane of games felt like an epic adventure. GamerDude talks about his fandom for the Jets, and the Giants, where NFL Films came from, and how he looked forward to the highlights every week. He talks about the creation of NFL Films, the music it used in the highlight packages, and the voice of the NFL, John Facenda. For folks of a certain age, these are the sounds of the NFL.

From an early age, GamerDude loved to stay up past his bedtime. As early in his life as he can remember, he stayed up late. He loved to get up after his parents went to bed so that he could watch movies on the CBS Late Movie. He remembers sneaking out of bed to watch the movie The Monkees made, Head.  He also remembers making a point to stay up to watch Raquel Welch in her fur bikini in One Million Years B.C. He also talks about his late night viewing habits when he watched Gilbert Gottfried and Rhonda Shear on USA's Up All Night, and talks about some of the classic "B" movies he saw.

He also remembers late nights in college, where the D&D sessions would carry over to the wee hours of the morning.  And he remembers going out to the clubs and literally dancing the night away before finding a 24 hour diner for coffee and donuts.  

He also talks about how being a night owl helped in raising children. Being up late makes the midnight feeding and the 2 a.m. diaper change a little easier.  It also puts you in a better position to worry about the kids being out with friends when you're not already losing sleep over it.

Finally, he talks about night time being his most creative time.  He writes, and thinks, and plans, and problem solves at night because that's when GamerDude believes he's at his best. He doesn't have anything against mornings. It's just that he prefers the night.

Two of GamerDude's passions - movies and music - come together in this episode. He talks about the power of music in the movies, and gives a list of his fifteen (okay, sixteen) favorite, most memorable, most iconic movie theme songs.  No spoilers here - if you want the list, you'll have to listen to it! But, here are a few hints: 1) some of the movies mentioned date back more than 60 years, 2) one of the themes is from a movie GamerDude never even saw, but the theme is so iconic, it made the list, and 3) the composer/conductor John Williams makes up almost a third of the list.  So, sit back, give a listen, and feel free to share your thoughts and comments! (NOTE: This is the remastered version from 10/23/19, cleaning up a couple of production glitches.)

*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*

In this episode, GamerDude talks about the power of radio and the imagination, and demonstrates how to use it to create images, places, things, and even people, bringing Mister Agador from his Twitch stream to the engineering booth in the process. GamerDude first experienced the power of radio when listening to the broadcasts of the late, great Jean Shepherd, whose stories were the basis for the classic movie A Christmas Story. GamerDude talks about how he would curl up under his covers and listen to Jean's stories, and how those stories influenced him, and his life.  As mentioned in this episode, many of Jean Shepherd's original radio broadcasts are available on YouTube, including A Christmas Story, The Great Indiana Blizzard and Paperboy Stories. He also wrote several books, including The Ferrari in the Bedroom and Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories, both available on Amazon.

As anyone who follows GamerDude's Twitch stream knows, he recently had a flood in his basement, which inspired this week's episode. He first talks about what it was like growing up on a house with a constantly wet basement. He talks about how he and his siblings had "squeegee duty," which involved pushing the water out of the basement, through the garage, and into the driveway. He also talks about how a wet basement leads to a constant state of dampness, which leads to mustiness, which drives GamerDude absolutely crazy! He explains how growing up in a house with a slightly musty odor is probably why he's such a huge fan of scented candles.

GamerDude also talks about his own flood of 2021 and how his previously dry basement was flooded when an outside drainage problem caused his sump pump to burn out. He talks about how he discovered the two inches of water covering his more than 200 square feet of basement, and how he quickly decided that trying to use a wet/dry vac on that water would be like emptying the Atlantic Ocean with a teaspoon.  He also talks about the lessons he learned from the flood, the most important of which is that "things" and "possessions" can be replaced, but people and the experiences you share with them cannot.

This week features another "Best of" episode, with stories from Season 1. First, GamerDude shares part of his "very special episode" about bullying, and talks about what it was like to be bullied as a child, through middle school. He then switches gears, and shares some lighter stories about his love of music, and how his mother tried to teach him piano. He also talks about how manners are so important in the world, and explains how "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" are the building blocks of learning how to be polite. GamerDude then closes out the episode with a story about cursing, and owning the words when you say them.

Long time listeners know that GamerDude loves TV, and grew up watching a lot of different shows, including cartoons.  He talks about the "packages" of classic cartoons from the '40s and '50s the local channels put together when he was a kid, almost always featuring Bugs Bunny. He also talks about the kid-centric cartoons that began to develop in the '60s and "70s, including Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looie, Huckleberry Hound, and Mr. Peabody. He also talks about how Scooby Doo and the gang premiered on Saturday mornings, and how other kid-centered cartoons also developed, like Speed Buggy and The Wacky Racers, with Snidely Whiplash, his dog Muttley, and Penelope Pitstop.

Even with all of those choices, GamerDude nevertheless gravitated towards Bugs Bunny. GamerDude talks about how Bugs always seemed to be more than "just a cartoon character." Because of his style, his personality, and his story, it always seemed that Bugs actually existed (at least to GamerDude) and that the cartoons we watched were just snippets of his life. GamerDude also talks about why Bugs was so appealing - he is smart, funny, and uses style, grace and intellect to get out of the tough situations he finds himself in. Perhaps most importantly, Bugs was never the aggressor, and was never the bully, but he would stand up for himself, and for the little guy, and finally prevail because he was smarter than the "bad guy," whether it was Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, or even Daffy Duck.  Basically, classic Bugs was - and is - the "guy" that you would want to be (at least to young GamerDude).

As a New Year looms before us, GamerDude talks about the weird little period between Christmas and New Years, where some people (as in retail) work like crazy, and other people try to do nothing at all. He talks about a serendiptous trip to New York City to see the Christmas decorations after Christmas, and how it still felt Christmasy even a week after the holiday.

He also re-visits some of his family's laid back New Year's Eve Traditions, which include going absolutely no where. Thanks to GamerDad and his annual warnings about "all the drunks being on the road on New Years' Eve", GamerDude has made it a life-long tradition (that, thankfully, Mrs. GD shares) not to go anywhere for New Year's Eve. Instead, he and the family load up on Chinese food, stay at home, play board games, and watch the ball drop in New York City on TV. GamerDude also talks about the origins of the ball dropping in New York City, which stemmed, in part, from a desire not to burn the city down with fireworks.

GamerDude also shares some writings he found, with some food for thought as we look back on the year just past, and how to make the most of the new year coming up. He also shares his thanks for your support over three years of Storytime!

This week, GamerDude visits the Christmas Room once again, to talk about how every family seems to have its own "Christmas stories" about things that have happened in the past.  He then re-tells two of his favorite family Christmas stories.  The first involves hearing sleigh bells one clear, dark Christmas Eve. The second involves Uncle John and the Christmas Puzzle.

GamerDude also talks about giving thanks, and sharing friendship and love during the holidays, and passes on his thanks, and his gratitude, for all the support, and kindness, and friendship he receives throughout the year.

Christmas time has always included traditions, like fruitcakes and Advent calendars, and hanging garland on the tree and going caroling. This week, GamerDude talks about all of these traditions, as well as several others that used to be just as familiar, but have disappeared over the years.  He talks about the Feast of the Donkey and the Lord of Misrule, and how those were regular things hundreds of years ago. He talks about the Advent calendar, and where it came from, as well as why there's a song about the Twelve Days of Christmas. He also talks about how ghost stories and dressing in costumes used to be a part of Christmas celebrations, and also talks about some of the Christmas drinks people shared during those celebrations, like wassail, smoking bishops and eggnog. 

GamerDude also talks about some of the traditions he grew up with, like grandma's Christmas pudding, and going caroling with friends. He also talks about hanging garland on the tree, how he made garland from construction paper in school, and how he and his family strung popcorn garland when he was a kid.  And he gives you George Washington's recipe for eggnog (yes, that George Washington!), from the late 1700s.  If you like alcoholic eggnog, President Washington's recipe will certainly satisfy your tastes!

This week, GamerDude talks about his love for Christmas music. He talks about playing traditional Christmas carols during the holiday band concerts (which were called Christmas concerts when he was in school), and he talks about singing Christmas carols in music class. He also remembers singing Christmas carols around the piano at home, and how much the prospect of having to sing "O Come All You Faithful" as a solo for his family caused him to break down in tears.

GamerDude also gives a list of 10 of his favorite "non-traditional" Christmas songs. He talks about how a lot of these songs were viewed as "rebellious" and "not really Christmas music" when he was growing up, because they weren't "traditional Christmas carols." No spoilers! You'll have to listen to the full episode to get the list, but it does include music from Jimmy Buffett, The Beach Boys, and The Pretenders.

*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 has re-mastered some of his favorite Christmas stories from Season 1 for this "Best of" episode.  He has put together some stories about Christmas shopping, and how important it is to give gifts that actually have meaning. He talks about some of the Christmas decorations he grew up with, from a two-foot tall stuffed Santa, to a green flood light, to his dad's prohibition against "fake" Christmas trees.  And, he also includes his explanation about why Die Hard is not a Christmas movie.

Even in 2020: The Year of the Pandemic, GamerDude talks about the importance of being grateful for the things we do have. He talks about how, even in tough time, even in angry times, there are still things that we can be grateful for, and we should remember that, this year and every year.

GamerDude also talks about how everything we thought we knew about Thanksgiving is probably wrong. He talks about the "history" of Thanksgiving, and how it may have its origins in a harvest festival in 1621, it wasn't an official national holiday in the United States until 1863. He talks about who the "Pilgrims" really were and what they came to North America for. He talks about Squanto's actual back-story (not the one you read about in your grade school text book). He also talks about what was (probably) actually served at that first festival in 1621 - and it probably wasn't turkey!

GamerDude also gives you his recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole.  It's a super-easy side dish to bring to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving (or any holiday), and is complete with butter, sugar and marshmallows. If nothing else, it will help satisfy all the people with a sweet tooth in the family.

Regular listeners know that GamerDude loves his TV shows.  This week, he talks about some of the sillier shows that he grew up with, like I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched. He also talks about some of the fairly ridiculous plot points he found in some of the shows he loved as a kid, like Starsky's "girlfriend of the week" who always seems to wind up dying.

GamerDude also shares some more of his favorite theme songs, this time from some of the lesser known shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. He includes some iconic themes that are easily recognizable, and some that might be familiar but you can't quite place them.  No spoilers! You'll have to listen to the episode to find out which themes are in the episode!

*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*

This week, GamerDude is celebrating President-Elect Biden's win! He talks about the relief he felt after the election was called, and how he didn't realize how much stress he'd been carrying around for the past four years until the results finally came in on Saturday, November 7, 2020.  He talks about his happiness and spends some time chair-dancing!

GamerDude also talks about how he has always voted, and what politics and "the system" have meant to him.  He talks about how the political parties have evolved and changed over the past few decades, and how the Republican party has changed from a party about fiscal conservativism and free trade to a party about selfishness, unbridled spending, anti-immigration policies and suppression of peoples' rights.  He also asks the unswerable question: how do we heal such a divided country, when there is so much tribalism, so much selfishness, so much of a comic-book villain mentality, where there must be a winner and there must be a loser, and the other side must not only be defeated but destroyed.  He talks about holding grudges, and extending olive branches, and recognizing that if an olive branch is rejected, it's okay to shrug and move on.  And GamerDude also confirms: punching Nazis is always acceptable.

*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 has shared a LOT of stories over the three seasons of Storytime and sometimes, a story may not make it into the final episode. In this week's Storytime, GamerDude has compiled six stories from a variety of different episodes over the yeears that didn't make the final cut of their episode, whether due to time constraints, or focus, or topic, or whatever.  GamerDude has stories about grilling, and about how to use your barbecue grill to slow cook your meat. He also has another cooking story about using a griddle, and keeping things warm when cooking for multiple people.

From his episodes about forgotten things, and things we don't remember anymore, GamerDude has stories about "flour sack clothes" and where they came from, what becoming a "blood brother" meant when he was a kid, and how cool his old Schwinn Chopper bicycle was when he was growing up. Finally, he has a story about the fact that there's no "a-ha!" moment when you realize that you're finally "an adult."

For Halloween, GamerDude talks about scary stories and authors he's read over the years, from Stephen King to Peter Straub to Edgar Allan Poe. He talks about why he finds scary books and stories even more terrifying than movies - because your imagination can make things so much worse than a movie can depict.

GamerDude then takes us back to "the Halloween Room" to read Poe's classic tale, The Tell-Tale Heart, where it gets "the Halloween Room treatment." He also talks about how Poe's stories are much darker and more disturbing than people may realize, and how they reflect how people have been fascinated with the macabre and the terrifying for far longer than many realize.

With Halloween just around the corner, it's the perfect time to talk about horror movies. This week, GamerDude talks about the various genres of horror movies, from the disturbing gore-fests and psycho killers, to the paranormal and psychological thrillers, to the ever-popular monster movies.  He explains why he doesn't watch the gore-fests like Saw and Hostel, why home-invasion movies bother him, and why he doesn't like psycho killers.  He also talks about how he doesn't mind haunted house and other paranormal movies, like The Amityville Horror and Carrie, and how he grew up with the classic monster movies, like Frankenstain, Dracula, and The Night of the Living Dead.

He also talks about the overused horror movie tropes that are the backbone of so many scary movies. He explains how, far too often, a horror movie is an "idiot plot" movie - if everyone in the movie wasn't an idiot, there'd be no plot. He talks about people going to the "abandoned place" even though they should know better.  He talks about the "know-it-all" in every group, and how every group of survivors is inevitably split up. He discusses the jump scares that you always encounter in the kitchen and the bathroom. GamerDude also walks through the final sequence of far too many horror movies, from the shy girl being the last one alive, to the lost car keys, to the car that won't start, to the killer that won't die, to that final jump scare at the end.

In this week's "Best Of" episode, GamerDude revisits some stories from Season 1.  He talks about some superstitions that he actually believes (and some that he doesn't).  He shares a story about one of his favorite words - balderdash.  He talks about wasting energy worrying about things that are beyond your control.  And he shares one of his favorite Halloween stories, about his exploits on "mischief night" and why he always worries about the "family jewels" on Halloween.

Eating out was always a rare treat when GamerDude was growing up.  In this week's episode, he talks about the various - and different - options for eating out that he grew up with.  There were lunch counters in the back of Woolworths, and restaurants in the local Macy's department stores.  He talks about how those eating places gave way to food courts as stores left downtown areas to take up residence in the local malls.

GamerDude also talks about how menus used to be simple, with very few choices and very limited options.  This simplicity existed in diners, in restaurants, and even on the McDonald's menu, which - at first - was basically burgers, fries, and drinks.

He also remembers how restaurants changed over the years.  He talks about how the waitstaff took all orders by hand and how "giving you the check" at the end of the meal was a regular ritual.  He talks about how smoking was standard in restaurants, and air conditioning was not, and he remembers the old "cafeteria style" restaurants that are all but gone these days.  He also shares some of his favorite restaurant-related "dad jokes."

GamerDude's recent first viewing of the classic movie Taxi Driver prompted this episode about making the "good guy" choices. He talks about how society in general, and he in particular, used to focus on the good guy - Superman - as the hero in films, stories and life, and how the world has evolved to the point where now, the Joker is the hero. He talks about how Taxi Driver, one of the first anti-hero movies, and The Godfather, one of the first movies where gangsters were not shown as purely villainous, helped change society's views on "good guys" and "doing the right thing."

He talks about being brought up to "do right," and revisits the story of how he found a $10 bill on the street as a kid, and turned it into the police, because it was the right thing to do. He talks about how the default of most people when he was growing up was to do the "right thing," but over time, a selfishness has replaced the willingness to do the right thing in favor of a "what's in it for me?" attitude. He talks about how doing the right thing is not always convenient, but the overall benefit generally outweighs any minor inconvenience.  He talks about how this selfishness has changed society in personal, business and political settings, and how "getting away with something" is more important to some people than doing the right thing.  GamerDude also talks about the satisfaction he gets simply by doing the right thing, and can't understand people who make the choice to hurt, betray or cheat others.

Long-time listeners know about GamerDude's love of language. In this episode, GamerDude talks about words that he grew up hearing, and using, that we no longer use in everyday conversation.  He talks about old expressions, like "fiddlesticks" and "whippersnapper" and where they came from.  He talks about words that had short but significant lifespans, like "groovy" and "phat."

GamerDude also talks about words for clothes that we no longer use, from slacks and frock to dungarees and galoshes. He also talks about relationships, and how courting and necking no longer seem to exist, and "going steady" is a thing of the past. He also talks about how using words for women like "gal" and "broad" have largely fallen into disuse, and how calling a woman "honey," "darling," or "cupcake" is something that you simply shouldn't do.

Long-time listeners are aware of GamerDude's love of travel.  In this week's episode, he talks about how travel used to be when he was growing up, and how things that used to the norm simply no longer exist. He talks about the difference between hotels and motels, and how he used to stay in little mom-and-pop motels, both as a kid and as a broke, hungry college student. He talks about his first "continental breakfast" at the Bald Eagle Motel and how exciting it was to get "free food," even if it was just a Danish and coffee.

GamerDude also talks about the things that used to be common place in motels that no longer exist. He talks about room keys, and key fobs, and the key cubbie behind the desk clerk. He remembers the guest register, and carrying pockets full of change for the pay phone. He also remembers the "magic fingers" that some motels had for the beds.

GamerDude also talks about other fixtures of travel that we no longer have, do, or need to do.  He remembers getting road maps for the destinations you were heading to, and purchasing postcards for friends when you got there. He remembers taking his "friends and family" list on vacation, both for sending postcards and "just in case." And he remembers trying to figure out how much film to buy for the camera, and because pictures were limited by how much film you had, trying to decide what was "picture worthy" on a trip.

GamerDude talks about the very simple issue that first sparked his interest in "political activism." In his middle school, he witnessed how the students, who were interested in change, were able to effect a modification of the dress code to allow the boys to wear jeans and the girls to wear pants to school. He talks about how the archaic dress code was part of the mind-set of making sure "girls acted like girls." He also discusses other laws that were in place in the 1960s and 1970s that were also designed to "keep women in their place," from banks denying single women credit cards to women being ineligible to serve on juries.

GamerDude also talks about race, and how he became aware of racial prejudice. It wasn't until he left his hometown and discovered that people not only had differing views about race, but treated people differently because of their race.  He talks about the history of racism in this country, and how racism has been baked into society by the way laws were passed and enforced after the Civil War. He discusses how the concept of "separate but equal" came into play, and how that concept is actually the antithesis of equality. He talks about the passage of the Civil Right Act, and how the Constitution - despite the fact that it was written by a bunch of old white guys - was intended to apply to every person in the United States. He also discusses how equality for all should be the basic premise for all of the laws in the United States, and failure to understand that is nothing more than a failure to understand what the US is supposed to be about.