Rum & Nerdy

Episode 6.42: The Mile High Club: We had the recording gear, we had a captive audience, and we were cruising at 33,000 feet. What could possibly go wrong?

This week, we take Rum & Nerdy to new heights when we meet Jaque, a random stranger we struck up a conversation with while boarding our flight. Naturally, we decided to turn that encounter into a podcast.

Turns out, Jaque develops software for tracking boiler testing. Yes, boiler testing. Apparently, there's an app for everything, including things we never knew needed an app.

We started our conversation somewhere above the clouds and wrapped things up in the Delta Sky Club in Atlanta.

Random encounters, unexpected conversations, and a little mile-high podcasting. Just another perfectly normal episode of Rum & Nerdy!

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.41: Nashville, Nuptials & a Little Politics

We're coming to you from Nashville, Tennessee, where we've gathered with some of our dearest friends to celebrate Chuck and Laura's wedding!

This week, we're talking about the plans for the big weekend, catching up on life, sharing ridiculous stories, and somehow even wandering into a conversation about the election results. Yes, we actually talk politics for a bit. Don't worry, we're just as surprised as you are.

Mostly, it's what Rum & Nerdy does best: good friends, plenty of laughs, questionable tangents, and conversations that go absolutely nowhere—and everywhere.

Grab a drink and join us for another great time with some of our favorite people!

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

 It’s our Halloween episode, and Kim Gromoll joins Greg and Garrick for a spirited trip through Halloween memories, old stories, and the kind of nostalgia that gets better with every retelling. We’re sipping Johnny Depp’s Three Hearts rum, because apparently even the rum needs a backstory.

Kim also shows up bearing gifts: a new Wicket the Ewok for Greg and a zombie football figure for Garrick, inspired by the legendary Ice Bowl in Green Bay. Naturally, we take a moment to admire the loot—and let the stories wander.

Check out Kim’s work on his website and find his prints at Acme Archives. It’s spooky season, so settle in for a little rum, a lot of memories, and a few tales that may or may not have improved with age.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.39: Football, Floats, and Fall TV: We’re about a third of the way through the NFL regular season, so naturally Greg and Garrick have some football thoughts. Whether those thoughts are insightful, questionable, or just an excuse to talk about the Chiefs remains to be seen.

Then it’s time to wrap up last week’s adventures at SATE and Explores, talk about our Podfest application, and catch up on the new fall TV season. What’s worth watching? What’s worth skipping? And how much television can two nerds realistically keep up with before their brains turn to streaming-service mush?

Oh, and we rode a float. That’s not a metaphor. Probably. You’ll have to listen to get the story.

It’s another episode of themed entertainment, sports, TV, and whatever else happens when we hit record and let the conversation wander.

Rum & Nerdy: We talk football. We talk fandom. We ride floats. We regret nothing.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.38: SATE North America 2026

Laissez les nerdy temps rouler!

It's the morning of Day 2 at SATE North America 2026 in New Orleans, and what a week it's been!

With one final day of Storytelling, Architecture, Technology, and Experience ahead, we're taking a moment to catch up with friends, reflect on the highlights so far, and enjoy a little New Orleans hospitality.

Special guests stop by to say hello, share their favorite moments and memories from the conference, and offer their thoughts on an incredible gathering of creative minds.

And because we're in New Orleans, there are beignets. Powdered sugar, questionable decisions, and plenty of nerdy conversation.

It's a little bit of SATE, a little bit of New Orleans, and a whole lot of Rum & Nerdy!

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.37 — Zero Prep, Questionable Direction

Greg and Garrick are flying without a flight plan this week. Shocking, we know. The boys talk about next week’s SATE conference, throwing their hats into the ring for Podfest 2027, and the fascinating world of podcast download metrics — including where, exactly, people are listening to two guys talk about nerdy stuff and rum.

They also get into authenticity, finding your voice, and having enough confidence on the mic to stop second-guessing every word. Greg contemplates life after serving on a TEA board, which apparently involves figuring out what to do with all that free time (or finding entirely new ways to fill it).

Plus, the usual collection of other topics that happen when you hit record without a plan. Turns out, sometimes the best prep is no prep at all.

Rum & Nerdy: We have the data. We have the opinions. We may even have a plan someday.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.36: Strange New Worlds, Strange Old Nerds: It’s time to wrap up Season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and naturally Greg and Garrick have thoughts. Lots of them. The guys also wander through the latest movie and TV news, talk about a few documentaries that have caught their attention, and take a look at the return of the fall network TV season—because apparently people still watch television on a schedule.

And as the episode draws to a close, the boys take a moment to prepare for the inevitable rise of our AI overlords. We swear our allegiance, offer our unquestioning loyalty, and humbly ask that they please, please keep Rum & Nerdy around.

We know our place.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.35 — Level 99

It’s another Rum & Nerdy adventure, and this time Greg and Garrick are leveling up!

Fresh off a TEA event at Disney Springs, the guys dive into Level 99, the new immersive gaming attraction where competition, creativity, and just a little bit of chaos collide. Greg had already gotten a taste of Level 99 a few weeks earlier at the Virginia location, so naturally, the two compare notes, talk about some of their favorite games, and discuss why they both had such a ridiculously good time.

Then it’s time to settle into the couch for a good old-fashioned TV nerd-out. The guys run through the many shows currently fighting for their attention, with plenty of extra attention paid to the strange current season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Strange? Absolutely. But is it still boldly going where we want it to go? That’s up for discussion.

And finally, a quick look across the pond as IAAPA Expo Europe gets underway in London this week. Because apparently these two can’t go more than five minutes without talking about the attractions industry.

Level up, engage, and grab yourself a rum.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.34 - We the Nerds: This week Greg and Garrick are on the road, recording from Williamsburg, Virginia at the TEA Explores Williamsburg event.

After a full first day exploring Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, apparently Greg and Garrick are feeling a little patriotic. So naturally, the Preamble to the United States Constitution becomes the theme of the show. Because nothing says "We the People" quite like two guys drinking rum and talking about nerdy stuff.

We are also joined by a couple of special guests who came prepared with two very important things: rum and his own delicious rum drink. So obviously, he understood the assignment.

We talk about what we've experienced so far in Williamsburg, the way history is brought to life, storytelling, themed entertainment, and everything still ahead of us at Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.

Plus, as always, we wander off topic a few times. Probably more than a few.

We the People, in Order to form a more perfect podcast...

Grab a glass and join Greg and Garrick for Rum & Nerdy from Williamsburg.

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.

Episode 6.33: Roll Out: Roll out! This week, Kelly joins us as a special guest as we pay tribute to the legendary Peter Cullen, the unmistakable voice of Optimus Prime, and talk about the impact Transformers had on all of us growing up.

From there, things go exactly where you’d expect a Rum & Nerdy conversation to go. We talk a little TEA, somehow get into feeding Garrick’s daughter’s pet snake, and crack open Johnny Depp’s new Three Hearts Rum. Our review: great rum, possibly an even better bottle.

Kelly and Greg reminisce about growing up in theater, which leads us into Stranger Things: The First Shadow and bringing the world of the Netflix series to the stage.

Finally, we go down a rabbit hole about some of the longest movies ever made. We look at three of the record holders, and trust us, you are not going to guess just how long the longest movie actually is.

Transformers, rum, theater, snakes, Stranger Things, ridiculously long movies, and Kelly.

Roll out!

Two rambling idiots—Greg and Garrick—bring you the *Rum & Nerdy Podcast*, a weekly dive into the world of nerd culture through the eyes of late 40s/early 50s dads who still can't get enough of their favorite movies, TV shows, and theme parks. With a deep love of all things nerdy and a shared passion for good rum, these two buddies mix laid-back humor, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughs as they discuss everything from classic sci-fi to the latest pop culture trends.