This week's episode is inspired by an idiom that GamerDude heard on the game show, "The Floor." One young contestant couldn't complete the phrase "Carrying ____ to New Castle." (The answer is "coals," which GamerDude explains in this episode.) That answer got him to thinking about many of the idioms and "old sayings" that we use today, but we may not know where they came from, or what they actually mean. So, GamerDude decided to dig into some of them. He talks about "close but no cigar," "biting the bullet," "facing the music," and coming "straight from the horse's mouth." He also talks about some old phrases that used to be in use but have fallen by the wayside, and he makes the case for bringing them back.

For the first episode of 2024, GamerDude talks about his "brushes with greatness," which is times in his life where he as met, or interacted with, or at least seen, someone who is famous. GamerDude first talks about how he was a very minor celebrity back in his radio DJ days, and how the people he encountered then shaped how he handled encounters with famous people when he got older.

GamerDude's first "brush with greatness" was before his DJ days, when he was a kid at a game at Yankee Stadium. That's where he got Joe Garagiola's autograph when Joe was sitting in the press box. GamerDude then talks about some of the famous people he met while driving limos, from Tony Bennett to Phil Rizzuto. He also talks about some of the famous people he's run into at comic cons, from Nathan Filion to Alan Tudyk.

The end of the year got GamerDude to thinking about the post-Christmas sales his dad used to take him to the day after Christmas. He remembers the deals his dad was able to negotiate, and how the annual "getting Christmas Stuff on-sale" trip was another family tradition.

GamerDude also talks about the end of the year, and how New Year's resolutions can set you up for failure. He prefers looking at the New Year as either an opportunity to correct course if things aren't going the way you want them to, or to stay the course and improve on things that are going well.

GamerDude also talks about completing six seasons of Storytime, and conveys his thanks and appreciation for all of the support he's received over the years.

It's GamerDude's annual Christmas Episode (one of many, actually!) and this week, he's talking about the non-denominational aspects of Christmas. He talks about how the feeling of Christmas is supposed to be about getting together with family, and friends, and loved ones, and sharing love, and food, and gifts to close out the year. He talks about how that's not necessarily tied to any religion but is part of the spirit of the season.

GamerDude also talks about how it is perfectly acceptable to celebrate the holidays with the people who truly matter in your life, and that it is perfectly okay to leave people off your Christmas card or gift list, either because they're no longer part of your life, or because they actually make you sad, or for whatever other reason you may have. You get to decide how - and with who - you want to celebrate your holidays.

GamerDude also shares three brief, non-denominational blessings to use - if you choose - this holiday season.

For this week's episode, GamerDude decided to go back to Season Three, when he first did this episode about Christmas music, and shared 10 of his favorite non-traditional Christmas songs. GamerDude's stories this week include stories about the holiday concerts in school, and learning to sing Christmas carols around the piano with his mother. He shares the story about having to sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in front of the family, and how that experience was so traumatizing for him.

GamerDude also talks about the how the tire companies used to put out vinyl albums each year, each with a collection of standard Christmas songs recorded by popular artists, and how his mother's record collection included a few of them.

As for the 10 Christmas songs? Let's just say that the late, great Jimmy Buffet is featured, as are The Beach Boys and The Pretenders. But you'll have to listen to the entire episode for the full list!

This week, GamerDude talks about how we all tend to react to the approach of the end of the year, as we take stock of what we hoped to accomplish, what we did accomplish, and what we plan to do next year. He talks about how his decision to take early retirement came at the end of the year, and how and why he arrived at that decision. He also talks about how the things he does now are done at his own pace, without as much concern for the artificial restrictions imposed by the construct of "time."

GamerDude also talks about the upcoming Season 7 of Storytime. Don't worry; Storytime isn't going anywhere, but there will be some changes in 2024. (No spoilers here; you'll have to listen to the episode!)

GamerDude has gone back to Season 1 to remaster the episode with his stories about setting up the Christmas decor between Thanksgiving and Christmas when he was a kid. He talks about his dad's four-foot tall Christmas star, his mom's candle-powered angels, and her NOEL sign, and his parents' stuffed Santa. He also remembers the one year his dad added a "snowmaker" to the family tree.

GamerDude is talking about Thanksgiving again this week, with another reminder of how important it is to be thankful, especially in these days of tough times and a world seemingly suffering from a global case of COVID-related PTSD.

GamerDude revisits the topic of "family politics" and how they influenced his Thanksgivings as a child. He talks about alternating Thanksgivings between his grandmother's houses, and how he didn't like visiting his dad's mom for the holiday because he was relegated to the "kid's table."

GamerDude also revisits the Thanksgiving at his mom's mom's house, when his cousins stopped by for a "snack" that left GamerDad with no turkey for his leftover turkey sandwiches. GamerDude also remembers how his dad seemed to wrestle with the turkey each year he tried to carve it, which always made GamerDude think that carving the turkey was difficult - until he grew up, and discovered it wasn't that hard at all.

GamerDude also shares his favorite non-denominational prayer, giving thanks for the simple basics of life: heat, faces, and eating.

This week, GamerDude is talking about being thankful for Thanksgiving. He talks about how Thanksgiving used to be a calm period of time between the excitement of Halloween and Christmas, and he talks about why he always tries to remember to be thankful for what he has.

He also talks about some forgotten foods from Thanksgivings in the past. He talks about the days when passenger pigeon was a main course, when West Indian Desserts were popular, and when gelatinized salads were the rage back in the 1960s. He also explains what turducken actually is, and shares a non-denominational blessing for Thanksgiving dinner.

This week, GamerDude talks about the stories he tells, and why he chooses to tell the stories he does. He talks about preserving his dad's stories, because they are not only his dad's stories, but they give insight into his dad, and into GamerDude. The stories helped form the basis for the kind of person GamerDude is. GamerDude retells the tale of his dad posing as a botanist to get some plants on a plane, and tells the story about the three-legged dog at the vet, the piano in the van, and the riding lawnmower.

GamerDude also talks about his mom, and her stories, and why her stories are different from those of his father. He talks about her tap dancing lessons and mincing onions.

GamerDude also mentions a couple of stories from his youth, including the one about unloading a tractor trailer full of charcoal briquettes, and driving a Karmann Ghia with rusted floor boards.