After a bit of a hiatus, GamerDude is back with Season 8! This week, GamerDude talks about the need for a break after 6+ years of weekly episodes, and what prompted him to fire up the podcast mic for another season.

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.