PWN Call 3: The Best of the Worst

Phone call, pick it up, we're talking late again. Phone call, set it up, we're dialing all our friends.

Hello and welcome to episode 3 of The Phone Call. I'm Nate, he's Josh, and he's Paul. Uh, yeah, and we're on it, we're here. But we are all members and/or friends of the Play Well Network, and every other week or so we get together to talk about what we've been playing, share what we've been enjoying lately, and do the occasional Rabbit trail, or three or four, or whatever sort of nonsense.

I gave you guys like seconds there to like say things, and you just well no I I I'm glad you finished the sentence the sentence because you said we're members and or friends, and I'm like wait which one am I? But then of the play well okay all right I'm caught up now.

There anyways whether you're a longtime friend or stopping in first for the first time we're glad you're here. Don't make it weird. Let's go. Let's get into it. Actually, just to start things off, we have got— I don't know if I've shared this story with you guys, but we, like, our little district has been getting a ton, like, of solicitors, and it's all for, like, this energy stuff. Like, they want to— they want you to lease solar panels through their organization.

Right.

Be like, and actually solar panels would be great for me because I get like sun, like, you know, pretty much as long as the sun's out, like I have a straight shot on my roof. And but anyways, they've just been soliciting the crap out of this neighborhood and it's like between them and Renewal by Andersen Windows and a couple others, like we just get like, there was one week where it was like there was one day actually where it was no less than 7 solicitors. What? That's insane. Dude. Oh, now, to be fair, when I say 7, it was really 6 because one of those was a pair, like a couple of people soliciting together.

Okay.

Yeah.

The best one is the dude who's on one of those little rolly scooter things, and he rolls up and down my hill. But anyways, we bought a no soliciting sign, and it says, like, absolutely no solicitation. Don't knock, don't talk to us, just don't make it weird. And then it does say like friends and packages are more than welcome. Um, but yeah, so I've had to— I had to buy a no soliciting sign recently.

Hmm, I've, I've really been thinking about that because we go through, through seasons of it. We don't get that many, but I, I— my problem is I work from home and I have 2 dogs. And if they knock at the door, like I'm very rarely in a position where I can actually get up. I'm normally on the phone with an attorney, and the attorney hears the dogs start going. It's like work from home, huh? Like yeah, yeah. But but they they stand there for a while, and so the dogs keep going, and I'm yeah, and it's like, and so they they come. They don't come that often, but it's very disruptive to my workday when they do. So I've been thinking about that just for that reason.

With the sign posted too, at that point in time, it's like you can just be like, hey, dude, I got the sign. If you continue to press this, it's going to become—

I think I'm legally obligated to shoot you.

Yeah.

I mean, I am in Texas.

Yeah.

I mean, I'm in Pennsylvania.

Otherwise, I forfeit my right. to shoot anyone else, so I kind of have to.

I kind of have to.

Unless you get off my property right now.

That's actually part of Texas law, that if you don't exercise your rights, you lose them. So you have to shoot at least one person a year.

Yeah. Like, well, you know, if they give you the opportunity.

Yeah.

Well, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, like, uh, salesmen in December, they cut it out because that's when everybody's looking for their fi— their, you know, their one—

Yeah, try to get their—

20-year shot.

Get their quota in.

Yes.

Oh man, that's kind of deranged.

That's for any of you Californians out there that are like, oh, it's getting too liberal here. Let's move to Texas. Don't move to Texas. We got guns.

They got guns and they'd like to use them. But, um, it's been—

oh, that's right. I don't think you got that in there last time, but no.

No, I was letting it slide for a little bit, but it has been at least a week or two since we last talked. And so, uh, well, Paul, since you are so— I mean, you are kind of becoming the unofficial third chair of the phone call. We have, we have raised this, this beef with our friends, and we're just like, apparently we don't have any other friends, which is really unfortunate for you.

I, you know, I—

Mark was here last time.

Oh, that's true.

I, I love being here, and, uh, and I'll do it as much as I I can. I'll be straight with y'all. The kids have been out all summer and Amy's been in school for, you know, for a license. And so you'll probably be seeing less of me in the fall, but I'll try to make it.

You don't have an extra 6 hours every other week? Just burning a hole in your pocket.

Right.

But since we last spoke, how have you been?

Uh, I've been doing okay. Um, yeah, I, I, okay, so I hate to put it this way, and I think I talked to y'all off, off screen, but I am not getting promoted at work.

Mm-hmm.

But that kind of, that's kind of relieved some of the, you know, some of the pressure of it and, um, a bit of the stress. And so, um, I'm hoping that, you know, that will, that will translate into me, uh, being able to drop some weight and Relax a little bit and not be in a panic all day.

Yeah, that's cool.

I can hope. That'd be cool. Yeah.

I mean, nice. It is weird how stress will just work on you.

Yeah.

How stress is just like a whole-bodied response. It's, it's actually like I noticed kind of just because I think, I think we had talked about it a little bit, but just like, so I've been on this, this, the route that I'm on now for a couple of years at this point in time. But like the route that I was on prior, like that was like 2 and a half, 3 years where I was just wound like tight like a drum. Like I was just like ready to crash out all the time.

Yeah.

Just from the stress from work. Like, because it was like, it was a constant. Yeah, it was just like you go into work and you're just like, well, and for you it's like, you know, but you like, you don't go into work, but you know what I'm saying? It's like just the thought of it, just like it was like this sort of like existential dread. Like, I legitimately really do like my job now. I have a pretty great route now, but it's like, I like my job.

Yeah.

And it was like I was constantly sort of like, like, just kind of like, I think I need to find— like, I need an exit strategy. Like, I have to, I have to get, I have to get out from underneath this. And so, yeah, dude, like, once you sort of like, yeah, once you get to that where it's like the just like, you hate this, but like the no crap's given kind of where it's like, I'm just going to come in and do my job and like, it just like all that, the extra expectation is taken off the table. It's, it's like, actually, like, life can kind of get like nice for a while.

Right. And I'm with you. Like, I really enjoy my job. I don't— I mean, besides, you know, this glorious luxury that I have that I work from home, which allows me to, you know, kind of monitor homeschooling so that the kids have that opportunity, which they otherwise wouldn't. It's, I mean, it's pretty fantastic. And I really do love my job. And, you know, to make it clear to everybody, it's, it was the push to do, you know, to, to, to, to greatly exceed expectations. And the thing that is keeping me from that level is out of my control. And so it's, it is one of those things. It's like, okay, well, I mean, if it's out of my control, I'm, I'm not going to keep this push up. I'm going to do my job really, really well.

Mm-hmm.

And until that thing changes, then, then we're going to, you know, we're going to continue doing my job well. And, and, and then when that changes, we'll, we'll do another push.

Yeah, but it's like it does sort of give you permission to not really coast, But to take your foot off the gas, like, as hard. Yeah. So that part is like, yeah, I mean, that sucks about not getting the promotion, but also being on the other side of that where now you can kind of just be like, I'm here, do my job.

It's better than it being dangled, like that carrot that that I'm not going to get in the, in, in, in the next year, uh, or so. And so, um, and so, yeah, it really, it really does sound like I'm like, forget it then, I'm not doing nothing. It's like, no, no, I'm, I'm like really doing very, very, very well at my job. Um, I, I, I've just, uh, that constant worrying of, am I hitting this particular number?

Yeah.

Uh, above and beyond what is expected of me, then that kind of drifting away, and I'm digging it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Nice.

Taking your foot off the gas is pretty nice sometimes.

But yeah.

Josh, how about you? What have you been up to?

Well, my youngest daughter is now 6 years old, and we have a pet tarantula. So you got some spiders that happened? We did. We did.

Yeah.

And you haven't burned down your house. That lets me know that you're Crazy person.

Yeah. You call it Spider Dave?

No, we left it up to— well, it's my son. He bought the tarantula and the enclosure also. I mean, it's— this thing is like an inch long end to end. I mean, it's a tiny little guy. So it's going to grow.

Is it a baby or is it—

It will grow. Yes. Yeah, it depending. So males can be like 5 to 6 years old. Females can be like 20 to 25 years old. So—

Oh, that is terrifying.

Yeah.

Terrifying. And I don't know which one it is because— No, I don't know how to tell on a spider.

Yeah. Yeah. So some of the things that I'm learning is that— so spider— so tarantulas in particular molt, so they shed their skin. And when they do that, it's not like snake. I mean, yes, it is like snakes in that sense, but like It leaves behind, like, it looks like another spider.

Like a whole other spider.

That's what it looks like because it like comes out of when it used to be.

This is just getting better.

Which is crazy. It's crazy looking. So anyways, what you do when it's large enough, which is not for like 2 years, at least for this one, depending. Males are going to grow faster because it only— it doesn't last as long. So it'll grow fast. If it's male, it'll grow faster. But When it's big enough, you check the molt for what's called a shelf in between a few of their legs.

Okay, don't get them confused.

I don't know what that looks like.

Like, like, oh, I'm grabbing a molt. Ah, it's biting me!

I mean, it's, it's not— these are New World tarantulas, so they don't bite. They can kick hairs at you, but they don't bite.

Hairs? That's wild.

Yes, the hair, the hairs off their abdomen. They can actually— they actually kick them, and they— they're— it's kind of like fiberglass. Like, it's gonna— it's gonna, um, cause you some issues. Yeah.

They got—

wait, wait, wait, wait.

They developed ranged weaponry?

Yeah. Yeah. New world's got us, dude.

This is getting worse.

It's crazy.

Everything you say just makes it worse.

Yeah. I mean, if you saw it, it would not be, uh, intimidating because it's so tiny. But this one's supposed to grow, like, The— they've said it can grow up to like 7 inches. So across now, that's, that's like leg to leg, you know, that's not just the, not just the center.

That's like a dinner plate.

But even that, I'm like, whoa, that sounds— that's crazy. Like, that's huge. So if it gets to be that big, but this one in particular, this, this species is supposed to be very hardy. So, wait, they probably will not die.

So they survive the fire.

Right.

Yes. You burn the place down to try to kill it.

That's awesome. In terms of, in terms of like keeping the tarantula and keeping it alive, you know, like there, there was another type of tarantula that he wanted at first, but apparently they're harder to keep alive, like just the conditions and the humidity, but also enough airflow and temperature and things like that. Oh, you do?

So what's the coloration on this?

So right now it just looks like a little pink thing with a black abdomen, but it will— so it's called a Chaco golden knee is the— but it's Grammostola pulchripes is the, is the actual species, but it goes by Chaco, C-H-A-C-O, golden knee.

Wait, wait, wait. This is Grandma Chaco? Yes, Grandma. I don't know.

I don't know what that's a reference to.

Oh, that's a species name. Sounds like Grandma to me.

It does. It does. Grammostola. Yes. Yes. Oh, Grammostola pulchritas.

Like brown and kind of yellow-orange. That's kind of cool.

Yeah, that's, that's why it's called the golden knee, because it's got those. But, but as a tiny little spiderling, it's, it's like pink, like see-through pink.

Interesting.

And then with a tiny little black abdomen. But yeah, if you search it, I mean, you're getting, you know, full-grown ones. It's nothing like what it looks like right now, but it's pretty cool. We found out at the, at the expo that we went to that there's like, there's a breeder that's not too far from us also. And so, oh, actually here, I just found a picture on because this is great radio for anyone listening. Anyways, I'll drop a link for you guys to see.

Nice.

This is actually a for sale page. But one of the pictures shows a little spiderling, and that's basically what it looks like right now. So anyways, yeah, chocolate.

Oh, it's a little tiny little thing.

Yes, yes.

Oh wow, interesting. That is tiny.

Yeah, we bought mealworms. We actually chopped up the mealworm so that I could eat some of that. Oh wow. Anyways, yeah, so so that's how we're doing. What's up?

Real quickly for the audience, if if if y'all haven't seen the the Minecraft Spider Dave video. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's like a little minute and a half, a little short, but it's, it's pretty hilarious.

Spider Dave. Okay.

Okay.

Maybe.

Okay.

Maybe. Is he? Yeah.

Okay.

I don't know. We'll see. Anyways, anyways, that's, that's what I've been up to. Um, yeah. How about you, Nate? How have you been?

Uh, Did, uh, well, for the last week and a half, uh, was doing a, uh, like working staycation kind of thing.

Um, nice.

Our house is a little older. I think it was built in the '50s, and, uh, it did not have a bathroom fan. And so we were having like some mold and mildew issues on the walls. And so My dad came in and we ended up putting like a vent fan in the ceiling, scrubbing the walls down, painting them with a mold-resistant primer, and, um, you know, and then mold-resistant paint. And then, uh, yeah, then we just did some other stuff around the house and it was, it was kind of like one of those things where it was good. Like my dad is very My dad is— I don't want to say workaholic, but it's like he's just like— just like he just— he's kind of a workaholic, you know? And but that's good because it kind of keeps me on task and it pushes me. And so we got some stuff and it was supposed to be like, you know, some smaller projects to sort of like last throughout the week. And then Whenever you're doing like the home improvement stuff, it's like, oh, I'm gonna do this. And then like, like you get sort of like the octopus effect where it's like, oh, like now what was one project is actually now 4 separate projects because like doing this one thing exposes these other things that need to be addressed. And it was like, um, so, but it wasn't bad. It was, it was good. Um, my parents had some time, you know, while they were out here. Uh, just to sort of— they spent a lot of time with Byron as well, and he really, he really liked that. But yeah, it was good. We got some, like I said, we got some stuff done around the house. Um, it was just kind of— it's, it's never as— like a few years ago, my dad and I did a facelift on the, the kitchen, and that was just like kind of like, you know, dare I say it, balls to the wall. Like, like Monday through Friday, we were just like, going at that kitchen hard.

Yeah.

And just like, like 12-hour days kind of thing. This was not that intense. Saturday, last Saturday, last Saturday, not yesterday, but the first Saturday and Monday were pretty much like they were kind of long days and everything else was like a little reined in. Yeah, more reined in. So But, uh, and I have a fly that is just— dude, it's the worst.

In, in your room buzzing around. Well, if you guys want any more work, that sounds like something we'd need to get done in our bathroom as well. So, you know, if you want to drive over to Iowa and do that whole thing over again.

Dude, it was bad enough that I had to do it in my own house. And I love you, brother.

Yeah. But no, get out of here.

Well, I mean, listen, like, terms and conditions may apply. So, but now it's— yeah, it, it was kind of— it was a lot in the sense that like—

Oh yeah.

But honestly, it wasn't— it was not nearly as much as like— it wasn't as like hardcore as I thought it was going to be.

Like, okay, well, that's good.

Wiring the fan and all that stuff was kind of a bit of a pain, like wiring that into the current system and everything else. Like, and that's really like one of the things where I was just like exceptionally grateful for my dad. It's like, I'm okay with electrical stuff. Like, I can, I can add an outlet to my box. I can wire things in on a fairly basic level. Like, I'm, I'm not going to do professional-grade electrical work, but like, I can do some. And my dad is like, he know, like, he was, he was a lineman for a few years. And like, he just, he understands like how that works. Like, and so—

Nice.

He, he kind of came in, he was like, oh, nope. And it was like, it was some work, but like, yeah. He handled the bulk of that. So yeah, anyways, yeah, I was super grateful for that. So it was nice. Yeah. But yeah, that's— but since it is a vacation, I do have a few other things to talk about, like a few other things that I've kind of been into lately. So why don't we talk about some of the experiences that we have? So Paul, what, what experiences do you bring to the table tonight?

Um, well, I, I mean, the one that y'all are gonna care about— I have, uh, there's 2. One y'all are not gonna care about. I'm gonna spend most of my time on that.

Well, good for you. Lucky for you, it's XP Share, not XP Care.

Right.

Thank you for laughing at that, by the way.

This is why I'm here. Nate's not going to give you anything.

I know.

I hate it.

I hate that.

Hated that. We got, okay, so the one that turned out to be really much cooler than I expected is, I, and I always get the name of it wrong, but we went over to San Antonio and we, uh, I had to pull it up because the Legoland Discovery Center.

Hmm.

I was not expecting much from that, but it was like, okay, that, you know, uh, the kids' cousins were in San Antonio. We're like, hey, let's drive down for the day and we'll do something. And they found this Legoland. That place was awesome. I mean, just really, really cool.

Okay.

And it starts off with a little ride where you have these Lego guns and are shooting things. But we built racers and used them on the racetrack, and there's a little jump track on there, but they had like a 4D movie and stuff, and it just turned out to be a ton of stuff to do there. And it's in this mall, which they used a lot of room in the mall. I don't know how they afford that. Nice.

But it turned out to be awesome. By stealing minifigs sets.

I was looking for— well, it's not Bricks and Minifigs. That's a separate organization than the Lego company. Been watching a lot of bricks and minifigs videos. I'm not getting into that. That would take this entire time.

I did.

I was looking around for for a little minifig to put on my racer, and I couldn't find any. And I'm like, I bet people are pocketing these if they put them out at all. But the the one the one I I I can't remember if I told. I think I I. I mentioned it on a, on a previous phone call, but, um, uh, I started playing with the, the worship team at church, which has been great. I have not played live with people in, uh, a great, great, great many years. Um, y'all know I record a ton of stuff, but I haven't played live. Uh, well, uh, today they put me on, on guitar for the first time. I've been playing bass.

Okay.

And, um, Uh, and I, I— this was an excuse to bring my 12-string. Um, okay, the excuse was on my acoustic the pickup doesn't work, and, and so, you know, I couldn't plug it in. They would have to mic it, which while I'm moving around would, would cause disturbance. So I was like, no, no, I can only bring my 12-string. It was an excuse to bring my 12-string. I love my 12-string.

Who doesn't?

But, uh, I like it. I know the pickup works and I've tried it and it sounds really good, but when I record here at home, I don't use pickups. I, I mic it, um, and I, I— it just sounds better that way. And so, um, we, we, we practice a few, a couple songs, and, uh, finally the guy working, working the mix says, you know, Uh, Paul, you're not like, like, you're not coming through at all. And I look at the connection and I, I kind of turned it a little bit and like, oh, there it is. I'm like, okay, great. That fixed it apparently. And, um, we kept going and then it cut out again. And I realized I, I just, I hadn't put it in far enough, which is like a first year, uh, guitar, uh, error. I've only been I've only been playing for 30 years, you know. But, uh, and so we got through the, uh, we got through rehearsal and, um, I, I did a, I did a quick tune in between, you know, we had some time. So I did, I, I did a quick tune and, um, we got 2 songs into, uh, into the worship and the, the mix guy again was like waving me down. It's like, And I was like looking, I was like, what is it? And then I realized that when I hit the tuner button, that bypasses the output and I forgot to turn it off. And so, um, we have a small congregation, like, it, it still sounded like people could still hear it.

Yep.

But, um, yeah, but, uh, it's like, yeah, so like this is my, my debut on guitar at church and like, uh, for a full third of the, of of the worship service. Uh, I, I wasn't— I wasn't even transmitting sound through the system. Um, so, uh, I, I got the new assignments, uh, for the next several weeks, and I'm on bass.

They're like, we know he won't mess this up.

We, we have a very small congregation, not a lot of musicians, so they're going to be desperate enough to put me back on guitar at some point. But it might be a while.

Oh, nice, nice. Um, I actually— so occasionally the deacons will be, um, you know, talking about like just sort of like church stories. Occasionally the deacons will be asked to help, uh, you know, with, uh, administering communion, like holding the plates. You know, and stuff like that. And, um, Jared never picks his guys in advance. Dave, our other pastor, will like go to you like the week before and say, hey, can you do communion next Sunday? And Dave and I talked about it one time, and I said— and Dave was like, hey, would you be willing to like help out with communion? I said, yeah, sure. I said, I'll make sure I wear pants, because I don't know about you guys. Now, Josh, Now, I wear clothing. I'm not saying I don't wear any sort of bottoms at all.

Yeah, right.

But we understood it still sounded funny.

Yes, exactly. I know it's funny sounding, but Josh, you're a pastor, teaching elder, so you're probably going to wear pants all the time. But I wear shorts in the summertime. Like, I wear shorts on the regular. Like, I, I like wearing shorts. I'm comfortable in shorts. I have some nice pairs of shorts. And so, but I also know that sometimes like people frown on that. But anyways, Jared, during the service today, he's like, uh, hey Nate, would you be willing to help with communion? And, but I went like, there was this like look on my face like, oh no. And I was like, well, But like a couple of people were like, what was that about? And I said, I was wearing shorts and I didn't— I know that there are some older saints in the congregation who I don't know how they would feel about having, you know, the, the, the, the elements of the sacrament given to them by one of their deacons wearing shorts.

Right.

I mean, nobody said anything to me, but it was very much like a very like, oh, this feels awkward. But you know what? The cool part is like Jared and I kind of laughed. He's like, I saw that.

He was like, what was that about?

I was like, I was wearing shorts, man. I didn't— I don't want to like, I don't want to cause unnecessary offense. Like, I'm also a big proponent of like, listen, I will not be subject to tyranny of the weaker brother. Like, you know, like this thing, like this isn't Like, anyways, but yeah, so I wear shorts and it felt a little like— but like Jared was like, I don't care. And so hey, Jared doesn't care, I don't care, like we're all good. Like, so yeah, but yeah, see, I like, uh, but we're talking, you know, worship service faux pas, you know?

Right, sure. Yeah, similarly, I don't like— I don't feel comfortable wearing Especially when I'm playing, I don't feel comfortable wearing just trashy clothes like I would normally wear every day because I work from home.

So you're not wearing your sweats to service?

Right. I don't really have any— I have one shirt that's appropriate that is more summer weather. Normally I'm wearing like this. you know, with, with longer sleeves. It's, you know, it's not a nice shirt or anything, but it's nicer than what I normally wear. Um, and, uh, we, we, we rent, uh, we rent the cafeteria at a school, and they don't, they don't turn the AC on until they get there. And we're practicing up on stage under the lights, and it's just like, I come, I come down, I am like just drenched in sweat every week.

Mm-hmm. Oh wow!

So I need more summer shirts.

Hmm.

If I start wearing shorts, but yeah, you should wear shorts. We my my old church in Houston is it was is I mean very old school and if if if well I mean normally the elders. were serving communion, but if they, if they needed a deacon, they would tell them in advance because they would be required to wear a full suit and tie. Um, if you're, uh, if you're greeting, if you're doing anything there, full suit and tie. And I don't have those things anymore. So, um, yeah, it's like, can you volunteer for stuff?

Nope.

Hey, we need you. Well, looks like I'm out.

Man, oh man.

So what else? So besides the the Legoland, which sounds pretty freaking epic, what's it? I'm assuming that's the thing that we were going to care about and be into.

Oh, the the not caring thing was the guitar at church.

Oh, well, no. Oh, yeah.

Oh no.

I I thought it was an entertaining story.

It's a good story.

Yeah, it was a good story, dude.

Like, I mean, I I I think that there was like you know. Yeah, that was it. I, I did not care about that. I mean, I didn't— I wasn't like deeply emotionally invested in it either, but it's like— but I mean, we gotta talk about worship service faux pas, man. Um, but Josh, how about you, man?

Yes, sir.

What have you been into?

Oh man, okay, so, so normally, normally I use this time for like the best of things. that I've been into lately. Um, well, I— okay, we'll start with, with, you know, my best foot forward. How about, how about that? Got 2 things, uh, I want to go through pretty quickly. The first, uh, they're actually both things that I've been reading, although is comic books really reading? I don't know. Maybe, maybe not.

Dude, 100%.

What's— okay, 100%.

The only thing I'm reading is free read, so they're there.

What's that?

I mean, the only thing I've been reading is free read. Now it is challenging because I have to read backwards, so, you know. Gotta keep the mind engaged by going right to left.

Yeah, you need to, you need to take that to the anime channel. That doesn't—

not here.

Don't make me tap the sign. Anime was a mistake. You did give me, uh, uh, um, you gave me the title for last week's episode, which is great. So, um, that was fun. Anyways, uh, yeah, yeah. So comic books, uh, okay. background to this is hearing about this next Marvel phase. I don't know what phase it is. 6, 7, who knows? I just made a Gen Alpha deal.

Anyways, you as your best foot forward. This has been a terrible week.

Well, I mean, wait till we get to the second one. So, but that's also why I started with— yeah, this was kind of a negative thing anyways. So there's this new, new Marvel is coming out, right? Trailers are dropping, all this stuff for Doomsday. Okay, so I'm like, okay, I'm not like—I don't know, man. I mean, they're—it seems like they're trying pretty hard, but maybe they're trying too hard. It doesn't sound like they actually have a good story here. So I hear, okay, this is going to be based on. This is all going to be leading up to Secret Wars. You know that comes at the next of these Avenger movies. First is Avengers Doomsday, then it's Avengers Secret Wars. I've—I heard—I listened through. the Secret Wars audio drama, the original Secret Wars, you know, so I'm familiar with that. But this is based on the Jonathan Hickman Secret Wars. So I'm like, okay, well, I'm, I'm, I'm interested in just like, what, what is this? So I watch a YouTube video that talks about it and I'm like, okay, this sounds— this sounds— one, this just sounds bonkers. But also, I've got a local library and they have this digitally. They have Secret Wars, Jonathan Hickman, volumes 1 through 9. So I check it out and I started reading this. So that is what I have been reading. I'm not super far into it, but the reason why it's a negative thing is not because I necessarily dislike it, but because after— again, I'm still early on.

Yeah.

Like, I don't understand how you hope to adapt this into a movie that general audiences are actually going to care about.

Yep. That's the problem.

Because all of these characters have not— like, I'm lost and I'm not a huge comic book person, but I think I'm pretty familiar with stuff. And like, okay, so case in point, is that Franklin— goodness, why can't I think of his last name?

Franklin Reed Richards?

Richards. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, Franklin Richards. Yeah.

Yeah. So he plays a big part. Okay, we'll just say that he plays a big part. And if that is seriously where they're going to go with the next Avengers movie, next after Doomsday, That's what they're setting up for. They've only just now introduced him as a child in Fantastic Four. Like, it doesn't— like the original Avengers, you know, all the other Avengers movies, like they actually kind of built in with these characters so you cared about them before they went on adventures together. And so I don't understand how they're going to adapt unless they do some major changes, which I understand. It's not like a complete one-to-one. They're going to take the comic book and put it in movie form. Totally get that. Totally understand. But with the cast of characters that they have, I just like— this is so far out there that I just— I don't have high hopes. That's what I'm saying.

I listened to— I listened through the leaked plot. Doomsday. Yeah. It, it didn't, it didn't catch my attention. But this is one of the problems is it's just, it's everything. It's so— there's so much. It just becomes a cameo fest with characters that don't make any sense anymore and doing things that are against, against their character. And then it just jumps to the next cameo and it's just like, y'all are taking on way too much to— With, with, with a lot of characters that are not established nearly enough. Like, I mean, look, the only reason Infinity War works— and it works, it's great— but the only reason Infinity War works is because most of the characters we knew very well by that point. Very, very well.

Yeah.

And, um, and now this mostly— it's mostly new characters that we don't like or we don't know, and trying to put 5,000 of them together. And, uh, uh, they are, uh, they're all— I mean, pretty much, uh, not, not every single one of them, but, um, a good many of them are going to be in Secret Wars as well.

Just, just push in there. So we kind of like— I, I pulled it up, uh, the, the wiki page for like the Wikipedia page starring in just that little info box. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach— I don't know who that is— Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, uh, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen— Common, I don't know how— Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena. I'm gonna assume it's Cadena, I don't know. Um, and Tena Cuerta Mejia.

Yeah.

Um, that's all— that's starring, right?

They're shooting for like 2 hours 45 minutes, I think they said. I think the last cut was a little over 3 hours. But even so, like, Howard, I don't, I don't see you getting the, you know, getting the emotional connection to every single fight in that.

I mean, and I've heard that— It's a fire.

I'm drinking from a fire hose.

That the, the Avengers reboot movie thing that they did not too long ago. was pretty good with like the Sentry and like Dave Harbour. And like, I've heard that that was decent. Yeah. But yeah, I just don't like—

I didn't see it, but I heard the same thing.

I have little to no energy for any of it anymore. Like, I love Spider-Man. I actually think Tom Holland's Spider-Man is like the best of the bunch. Like, I think he's kind of like— and I— maybe people would disagree. I think like he's He's not as strong as— like, I feel like Tobey was really good. I have to remember how I— Tobey was really good, like, Peter Parker.

Yes.

Andrew Garfield was a great Spider-Man, but, like, they were weak on— like, Tobey wasn't a great Spider-Man. Andrew wasn't a great Peter Parker. I feel like Tom is probably not as strong as either one of them in the 2 different roles, but he's a better uniform product. Does that make sense?

I 100% agree with that. Yeah.

And so I enjoyed the first—

he has the worst MJ. I mean, Andrew Garfield didn't even have an MJ, and it still was better than Zendaya.

Yeah, dude. Oh, what is her name? The girl Gwen Stacy. He's got Gwen, which is just—

I was always a Gwen—

Well, had.

I was always a Gwen girl. Oh, too soon.

Too soon.

When I reread the original run for those years, I was team Gwen. I knew she died, but still, she was a great character.

But yeah, yeah, I just don't— after the last Spider-Man, uh, No Way Home or whatever, I was just like, man, I'm done. Like, this is getting too stupid by far.

I, I, I thought I was too until about 4 days ago, and then all of a sudden it's like, okay, Amy, we've got to watch through the previous 3 Spider-Man movies because I'm sure— go to see this movie. And Wes and I were arguing and he's like, wait, you're not going to watch Civil War first? Because she hasn't seen that. I'm like, no, because then we got to watch Winter Soldier before that. And then we have to watch—

Then you might as well just start at the beginning.

Yeah. We have one week. We're watching 3 Spider-Man movies.

I think the best code name ever in Marvel history definitely was Underoos.

Anyways.

Yeah. So I, I, it's, man, yeah, I don't know how they're going to do it. The other thing, I mean, 100% for all those things that we talked about, like just with leading to Secret Wars. But I will just say, obviously, they, you know, they're introducing Doom with, with Doomsday. Doom has such an immense role in Secret Wars that I'm like, really? You're just going to introduce him one movie before? That just seems very— whereas, you know, something like Thanos was hinted at for a dozen movies before he ever showed up.

RDJ will carry—

They started to—

He'll carry weight for that. I mean, I'm not going to say it's going to be great, but like—

That's the idea. That's the idea.

Yeah.

So anyways, so that's the first thing was just, hey, it's Secret Wars. And it— and the other thing is that I recognize this is fun. You know, I enjoy comic books, but there is something just inherently stupid about it all because I'm watching or I'm reading a series called Secret Wars that literally was only called Secret Wars so that they could sell toys. Back in the original run, they really only called it Secret Wars because you could sell toys, because secret just sounded super cool.

Oh yeah.

It has nothing to— it has no bearing on the story at all. In addition to that, you get all these characters get sent to Battleworld, which is like, you really could not think of anything better than Battleworld? Like, this is literally just a toy advertisement at this point. And it's fun.

When was the original Secret War? Was that after they were bought by a literal toy company?

Hold on. I will Google this.

It would not surprise me if that was— '85. Okay. Okay. '84 to '85 is when that crossover happened. Yeah. So yeah, I was— because I knew it was It was pretty early anyways. Uh, yeah, so Secret Wars is the first thing.

What's up, dude? That, like— but I, like, honestly, the freaking— the Secret Wars Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars cover with Spidey in the black suit, that's one of my favorite covers of all time. Like, I— it's just— it's so freaking— that's a great Great.

I mean, even the first cover anyways. Yeah, there's, there's some great, there's some great cover. And I'll say like the Jonathan Hickman Secret Wars, I do like the art.

Look it up. But yes, that was great.

Yeah. Sorry.

It— that one is bonkers also, but bonkers kind of in a different way, in a much more fun way, I guess. But it does get super esoteric. So anyways, that's Secret Wars. Okay, so the other thing, the other thing. So I guess, do I recommend Secret Wars? I don't know. If you're interested in it, go check it out. That's all I can say. But that's why I was interested in it and why I started reading it. The other thing that I read through or listened through was I wanted to, I wanted to go back Like, basically based on a conversation and kind of a passing reference in a conversation that I had with my pastor. He referenced— he asked if I had ever read Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. And I was like, oh my goodness, I always get that one confused with Blue Like Jazz by Don Byam. So I can't— yeah.

They were of an era.

I mean, they were sort of like I have that book in a category on my bookshelf of terrible books not to read.

Yeah.

Which? Velvet Elvis?

Both of them.

Both of them. Okay. Both of them. Gotcha.

I like Blue Like Jazz.

Blue Like Jazz is better. It's better.

Yeah. Blue Like Jazz is way better than Velvet Elvis.

Okay, then maybe I should go back.

I think Blue Like Jazz is pretty decent.

Maybe I should go back and listen to Blue Like Jazz then, or read Blue Like Jazz. Again, because I went and listened through Velvet Elvis because I wasn't sure, oh, have I read this before or not? And knowing it wasn't going to be good because it's Rob Bell, like, we all know his trajectory. Okay? He's gone apostate. And even when he wasn't, he was kind of weird. Like, I think the dude is a deep thinker, but I think he's also Up his own rear end, if I can put it that way. Um, and so, uh, anyways, I wanted to go listen to it because there's something about the way that he communicated, that he used to communicate, like Pneuma videos and things like that, that I remember being compelling. Like, there was something about him in, in the way that he spoke about Jesus.

Yeah.

the way that he taught that was engaging. And so I wanted to, now that I'm an older man, go back and read it again and kind of take stock on it, what I notice now. And so I did. I listened through all of Velvet Elvis. It's short. It's like 3 hours for the entire book. And he reads it also, which his inflection's kind of odd, but that's just the way that he is. And I will say there were— I will say it was a frustrating experience because I do think there are some things that he, um, there are some things that he says, and I recognize even just the way that he kind of leads the conversations that was like this, this kind of emerging, emergent church movement, that there was something compelling about it. But being an older man, I recognize kind of what you're doing. But what I noticed most of all, honestly, throughout the book is that a lot of the questions he was posing, I believe that he was intentionally misunderstanding scripture. So he would pull out one scripture and he would talk, you know, he would ask a question about it. And in my mind, I'm like, oh yeah, read this other scripture over here and it totally answers your question. But he would take it in a different direction as if that was all that the Bible says on a certain subject.

Yeah.

And I'm like, dude, no, like, no, this isn't even like— this is very incomplete. And because it happened so often throughout the book, I mean, half a dozen times, I'm like, you, you have to be disingenuous. Like, I don't, I don't give you the benefit of the doubt like I did when I was younger. Like, I think you are intentionally misunderstanding things. So I think it was largely frustrating, and I do not recommend the book, but that is why I read it. And that is an experience that I'm sharing with you guys.

It is so weird being on the other side of that now that, you know, A Virgin is dead and gone. And, and You know, in the pits of hell where it belongs. That, I mean, you know, looking back on it, it's like, yes, it's like, yeah, I think all of that was intentional. I think he was being intentionally deceptive and all. At the time though, man, like, I was particularly in the group I was in. We could have gone Emergent or New Calvinist route. And I went New Calvinist, and the— and most of the group I was with at the time went emergent.

Okay.

And, uh, and, and caused me to have to eventually kind of split ways.

Sure.

Um, with, with a particular Bible study I was in. But like, I could— like the old phrase of, there but by the grace of God go I. Yeah. Uh, it's It's, it's wild to think that, like, I was— I could be taken in by that garbage, but I was right there, like, right there. And, uh, so it, it's like, uh, there's a lot of— there's been a lot of those phases where, you know, um, like, like goofy phases, like, like Emergent or Baptist or stuff that—

I had gone that—

Just pass over that. Uh, but like, like you could, you look back and you're, um, you're like, okay, it's, it's much clearer to me now. But also I've been a Christian for a very long time.

Mm-hmm.

And, and, um, the Lord has shown me a great many things in this time and will continue to do that. Uh, it, it, but, um, just how, how many times I've been on the wrong, on the wrong path or at the crossroads and really could have gone the wrong way. Yeah.

Well, and I think to, to be fair too, is like, Josh, and I think you were even like, Rob Bell is actually a really talented communicator.

Yeah.

Um, he's, he's a really, he's a really good communicator. Like, um, um, he's— I think he has some really interesting ideas. My problem basically though running into Rob Bell is, oh, you know, because I read Velvet Ellis when it came out And I was basically an apostate, and I read it and I was like, you know, it was kind of interesting because I was going to like this Sunday school class and I was kind of living in rebellion. And they're reading Velvet Elvis and like some of the questions he asked, it's like, you know, these kids didn't have great answers for. And as sort of a secularist and a philosopher. I was like, but all that being said, there were parts where I was like, no, I got it. And actually, I think Velvet Elvis actually was one of those books that kind of helped bring me back to Christianity.

Yeah.

So it's like, I'm not going to completely say it's a bad book, and I don't think people should read it, but I was grateful for kind of what it did. But especially going back and sort of reading some of his other stuff, Rob Bell has a shtick where he asks what seem like really interesting questions. And this is kind of actually what makes some of it bad, is that he doesn't give you any useful answers or helps you. He doesn't help you think in useful directions.

Yeah.

In the sense, like, he's got this question. He's like, What if Jesus had an earthly father? You know, would that change anything? And the answer is yes. Yes. Yes, that would change everything.

Yes, that is in that book. Yeah. Yeah. What if the Jewish understanding of virgin meant that she only had sex once? You know, and that was just a common term and a common understanding, just like in Isaiah when the virgin gives birth to a child. And it's like, uh, No. Yeah, that would be a big deal.

And it's, it's one of those things where, yeah, and, and, and he sort of, even in that book though, he's kind of sort of safeguards like a position where I'm still Orthodox because I'm not saying that I don't affirm the virgin birth. What I'm saying is like, if we didn't, like, do these things matter? And even there, he's kind of playing his hand because what he's telling you is that it's sort of like this Christian, like the, the, it's like the teachings of Jesus are what's really important. It's not whether or not he was qualified to teach these things, you know, it's like, you know, or say these things or make these proclamations. It's like what he was teaching is really important. It's kind of like the whole, like, you know, therapeutic deism kind of New Age guru nonsense that, you know. Mm-hmm. some, some of the more mainstream denominations have fallen into. And, um, but yeah. No, Rob Bell, like, he's interesting. I think actually, like, I would say for— it's like, I would not give that book to a new Christian. I would— I, I'd actually recommend it to guys like you who haven't read it, like, who are more established in their faith, to say like, oh, like, this not because I think it's like there are good ideas in it, but because like I think it's interesting in the sense that like it does provide useful framework for some things. And I think it will help you understand like some of the emergent stuff and how like, and how to safeguard against some of that. Like, it's almost like Rob Bell is like, it's like one, Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller is actually pretty enjoyable. I'm not saying it's like super theologically robust. I think Don Miller's a much better writer.

It's a very, it's a very well-written book. It's very entertaining.

And, and there, there are some interesting ideas in it as well. You know, some of it's nonsense. Um, but like Miller's, Miller's better overall. But I do think like, it's kind of like one of those things where it's like, it's a book where I'm like, yeah, I would say like, read it for, for mature audiences, read it and sort of like know what needs to be marked and avoided. Like, yeah.

So, and I think there's— I didn't mention this earlier. I think you were getting at it too. There are things in the book that just taken by itself are good. Like, he does say some good and true things and, you know, talk about how, uh, your actions ought to follow what you believe, you know, that, that the understanding of what it means to believe has implications for your life. And without that, you know, just like what the Book of James talks about, you know, faith is dead without works. Like, he hits on some things that are true. It's just that there are also a lot of other things that— and they are posed as open-ended questions, but it just felt, as I'm older now, disingenuous that he was asking these questions that— No, actually, I think The church has known the answer to these things for a very long time. I'm not— you guys are Presbyterian, okay? I'm not even a Presbyterian, but I'm like, bro, if you were confessional, you would have the answer to all of the questions that you have in this book. Like, these are not things that the church has not wrestled with before.

You know, coming out, and this was that whole era was a really weird time to be like a, a, a guy coming back to the church in your 20s. Um, you know, just because it's like, uh, you're like the two— the, the two pastors I would listen to every single week was Rob Bell and Mark Driscoll. And I eventually abandoned Mark— uh, Rob Bell for Mark Driscoll.

Ah.

And that at the time was the right choice, which is wild to say now.

And they were both pastoring churches called Mars Hill.

Mars Hill, right. But, um, that— I had that exact thought when I, uh, you know, later. And it's like, I, like, I hate the New Calvinism movement. Like, it— there's, there's, there's so much of it that was, was really, really, really awful. But also knowing that God used that to, you know, to push me along. And, and it's like, okay, you know, if, if people are using these things to move forward with their lives, that's awesome. But I had these— I had that exact thought, you know, as I was— when I was becoming Presbyterian.

Mm-hmm.

It's like looking back, and I was thinking back on all those things, it's like, like, this is— all of this is in here. Like all of it, like with citations and commentaries and like every single question that these guys were asking. It's like, you know, no, no, we had, we had this for centuries.

Yeah. And I can even agree, like, hey, some of the application looks different in 21st century America than it did, you know, for other eras of the church. You know, totally understand that. And that's kind of where, you know, what he starts the book off with is, oh, it's this conversation, you know, that the church is having with the world or whatever that we're humans are having with God kind of a thing. That's where it's like, um, in one sense, but also that's, that's really, you know, slippery slope there. So.

Yeah. And I, and, and yeah, and I do think like Velvet Elvis is And again, there are a couple ideas that sort of— there's one idea that he expresses and that has actually been really, I think, useful, is that he talks about theology and doctrine as sort of like bricks versus springs in a trampoline. And now, I think— and he's like, he's talking about like that some people like— and he's talking about like basically being rigid or flexible with some things. Now, I do think there are certain things where it's like, no, this is the structure of the trampoline and this is absolutely necessary. Like you need— But I actually think that illustration is pretty useful, is that there are a lot of things that people build in as like, this is absolutely necessary. When it might be a tertiary issue, might be secondary at best. And it's like, and then when those things do turn out to be false, especially if you've put undue tension and weight on a tertiary or secondary issue, and all of a sudden it's like, well, this isn't nearly as important. Like, it can cause structural collapse. And so I do think, like, I did always like that. Again, I would sort of say, like, there are things that he would probably say, this is a spring. And I'm like, no, dude, that's the frame of the trampoline, my guy. Right? Like, you, you absolutely need that. But I always did fine. But yeah, no. And it's like, but yeah, it's like there's so much of that coming out of it because like that was really kind of like coming back to the church was like through guys like Rob Bell and Don Miller and the the, this, um, yeah, the— oh, we just said the word— the emergent stuff.

Yeah.

And it's like, yeah, and, and even Paul, like, sort of, yeah, it's like, yeah, I, I don't— I mourn New Calvinism as well, like, and just like sort of like the damage that I think that has done, um, and, and the damage that was sort of done in that. But it's like, yeah, it's like But by the grace of God, I think like more people than not, um, really, yeah, did find their way to truly confessional and Reformed faith. And so like, I'm, I'm exceptionally grateful for that kind of stuff. Like, I think the people that fell away were people who were trending towards like sort of mainline liberal denomination, sort of like they were, you know what I'm saying? Like they were falling, right?

Yeah.

They were gonna go that way anyways. And so it's like, but yeah. Yeah. No, I think Velvet Alice is like, yeah. Yeah. Don't read it as a new Christian. Don't read it and sort of like as something to be like, but like read it as sort of like almost like a lesson of like, hey, don't do these things.

Yeah. And a reminder of previous times too, just, you know, because it reminded me of who I was and the things that I, you know, what was interesting to me and Yeah. So anyways, yeah, those are the things that— that took way longer than I thought it was going to. Talking about comic books and then a book that, again, I wouldn't recommend. But—

But like, do you think your pastor said that?

So it came up in a passing conversation. Yes.

Was it— was it, hey, I just discovered this great writer, Rob Bell. He's amazing.

It was not. No, no, no. It was, it was more along the lines of we were taking potshots and he asked if I had ever read the book. And, and that's when I was confused. I was like, I get that one confused. And then he walks over and pulls it off a shelf and he's like, here, it'll take you like an hour.

Right.

It was, it was, it was definitely like a— yeah, we were both on the same page there of like, yeah, remember that guy kind of a deal. So. Yeah. Yeah. Now he's got his Oprah podcast anyways. Yep. Yeah. Nate, what have you— what have you got to share?

I'll keep it kind of brief since you guys hogged up all the— no, just 2 things. Like, there's this, this kid named Hobo Johnson, and he's like, he does— they call it emo rap.

And I don't know, that's not his real name. Like, I thought you were gonna talk about like a kid down the street and his parents named him Hobo Johnson.

No, that kid would probably be cooler than this dude. Um, anyways, this Hobo Johnson has been showing up in like one of my, like, in my reels or whatever, and like he's got an interesting sound, but his sound actually reminded me of a band that I used to listen to like 10, 15 years ago called Listener. And so what that did is that took— and I went back and I've been listening to like Listener's Wooden Hearts album. I think that's, that's the album. I'm going to check this. You can tell I was a super fan. I, you know, and I do like that. It's like, it's very like, it's kind of like spoken word. Stripped down. Of course it's not. Daggone it. I'm not doing this right now. But anyways, they— Wooden Heart. Yeah, it's their 3rd studio album. It was released in 2010. So it's like, yeah, it's like 15, 16 years old at this point. But I can't remember how I got into them. But I do overall like enjoy that album. It's weird. It's pretty stripped down. Yeah, I don't know, but I've been listening to that. I'm enjoying it. It's not rude. Rude. If you guys could only see the comments that are being typed at me. Yeah, but anyways, listener, just wooden, wooden heart. I think it's like a pretty cool album. It's weird. It it's very much of that era though. It's very much of like 2010. So it's kind of emo-y spoken word. Like there's there's one song in particular where it's like I think what we got is like so I love the band Cake. Not all their albums are. worth listening to, but all of them are pretty good. You know, like, I like Cake too. Yeah, I also like Cake Cake. Um, I like to eat cake, but I like to listen to Cake as well.

Yeah.

But like, one of the things I loved about Cake was like, they would use trumpet in a really cool way, um, in, in their songs. And there are a few songs from Listener that like they use trumpet in, and a pretty interesting way. And it was just like, as like sort of a rock adjacent project, I was like, anyways, yeah, I, I, it's not like a super strong recommend. I'm just enjoying listening to it. It's like going back, blast from the past kind of thing. The thing though that I was really kind of excited to talk about, and I do want to take like a couple minutes, is, uh, today I, you know, after church Megan took the boy to a baseball game with Pop Pop. That's her dad. And they do that like once a year. And there's a local amateur team. And anyways, they went and watched a baseball game today, and I stayed home and I watched He-Man on Amazon Prime.

Mm.

And that is like, I think when we were talking about Paul, and I liked it, it's like, that's the best 7 out of 10 I've ever watched. It is not like a historically great film. It's not going to change your life. It's not going to. But one, I think it's just tonally perfect. It's kind of corny. It's kind of campy. If you look at it, it's a good movie. It's kind of pop— the music is awesome in it. Yeah.

Dude, real quickly on the music, like, and, and, and I mean, they clear very clearly— I mean, this is a love letter not just to Masters of the Universe but to '70s and '80s fantasy films in general. And it is a very Queen-esque soundtrack and even has Brian May playing guitar on it. And it's— oh, the music is great.

Dude, the the effects, like the character design, like everything, just like even like the cameos with like the Dolph Lundgren scene and everything else. Like it's just it's so much fun. Now there is some adult humor in it. It's rated PG-13. There's there's some gags and stuff like that. But like I loved it. I I can't I and we were even talking about it. I was like I'm just not. movies don't get my attention that often. Like, like, you know, Godzilla Minus One did, you know, a couple years ago. And it's like, there's some stuff that every once in a while will swim up and like— and I'm actually really bummed because I really wish I would have seen this in theaters. Like, because like, I was like, this would have been so freaking so much fun. I would have just like— Yeah, I would have just ate it up. Um, and I grew up with like the He-Man toys, watching the cartoon Saturday mornings, like This is like, I am very much like a mark. It definitely like tickles all the nostalgia receptors, all that stuff. But like, the casting's great.

Yeah.

We talked about like Idris Elba at Man-at-Arms where it's like, you know, like, listen, Paul, you and I said like, you know, there's kind of like this whole like, you know, we're just going to like make this character white or Black or whatever. It doesn't matter. It's like Idris Elba can play anything he wants because that man just steals the scene pretty much. Like he just Eats up the scenery, man. Like, he's so— he's so much fun. He's so good.

And the women love him. So, dude, yeah, he's a stud.

He's a stud. And I, I actually feel like his performance as Man-at-Arms is really pretty stinking great. Like, yes, I don't know, it's like, it's, it's corny, but it's—

I don't know, man, like, it makes fun of Masters of the Universe, but in a very loving way. Got it. There's not— I mean, there's not anything in this movie that is poking fun at the— I mean, poking fun in a mean way. There's nothing mean-spirited in it. It is It is— everything in there is out of love, trying to, trying to keep the cheese in there while making it epic. And they kind of hit it out of the park.

Yeah, dude. And actually, like, there's a mid-credits, like, teaser for a She-Ra movie. Yeah. And I'm like, I'm in. Like, I'm in. Like, dude, like, I'll watch that. Like, because, like, Yeah, it's yeah. I think Paul, it's like they aren't laughing at it; they're laughing with it. Wow. Yeah. And they just and totally they just nailed it. Like it's it's epic and corny and just yeah, it's it's it's a lot of fun. Like it's it's not I'm not gonna be like like it's very much like yeah best seven best seven out of ten best seven out of ten.

Like yeah, I I had to drag the whole family there because uh. You know, let's be honest. The trailers for this movie were bad, and I wasn't excited about it. But I was listening to Friday Night Tights, and everybody on Friday Night Tights was between like a like a six and a nine on it. And they were talking about how like you know this is this is just a good. I mean, despite some of the jokes in it, a good fun family event. You know, and I'm like okay, we're gonna go watch this. And even my kids were like no, this looks so. bad. And Amy was like, okay, I, I mean, I guess we get to go to the movie theater. And I, I told the kids, I said, kids, we're going to the movies this weekend. And they literally— my daughter says, not Masters of the Universe. And I'm like, yes. And she's like, no. And I'm like, I'll get you popcorn.

She's like, okay.

And all 4 of us walked out of there going, that was great. Like, we loved it.

Yeah, it's That's cool. I'm, I'm actually— I'm, I'm just seeing if there's anything near me that is still playing it because we do have a, um, we have a few theaters that run things pretty late.

Oh, nice. Yeah, like a dollar theater or something?

Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, pretty much. Um, yeah, because I, I, I want to see this in theaters now.

Okay.

Wow.

Yeah.

I'm just like, it's— it just feels like appropriate. It's— dude, like I said, it's so corny. And I, I love it because I'm a fan of the property. But like other people who I'm assuming didn't grow up with it, like who are much younger than myself, are like, no, this is pretty great. And I'm like, yes.

My kids, I mean, they watch— they watch some She-Ra cartoons, but they never watch He-Man. Never. And so they had no frame of reference going in, but very much enjoyed it. Um, and the good news about it is the movie did flop. Uh, Amazon has basically said, we don't care. You know, they, they did it for streaming. You know, this is— okay. And so, uh, they're, they're gonna continue with it and, um, and, uh, you know, make a sequel, make a She-Ra, and I'm, I'm on board.

Yeah, dude. I'm there. This is— it was pretty freaking great.

Wes is yelling at us right now. He was so mad about that movie. He hated that movie. Wes, it surprised me too.

I am immensely disappointed in you. Come on, dude. But anyways, anyways, well, we all like video games and we are sort of tangentially video game. I mean, like, yeah. So kind of moving along here, Paul, what have you been playing lately, my guy?

Uh, I, I'm gonna try to go fast on this. Um, next week, next week is the 1.0 release of a game that I've been playing in early access for, uh, 80+ hours so far, uh, Fields of Mystria. Which, if you like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, it's, I mean, it's pretty much Stardew Valley, but once you get into it and there's it, the underlying machine is different and I like it a lot. And so I'm looking forward to that. Been playing some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splintered Fate, which is a roguelite. And I like turtle stuff, so I like that. I wanted to mention, I don't think I have mentioned it, but Porcho turned me on to customgamecases.com.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I, in a very foolish moment, threw out all my old NES and Super NES Boxes. Uh, but I brought one for show and tell. They have these plastic boxes that, um, are really well made and has a place for the cartridge and the things.

Wow.

And they're not crazy. They're pretty reasonably priced. Um, and so, uh, I, I got 3 to test them out and I'm You know, I just got paid this week, so I'm looking at my bank account like, can I get some more? I mentioned to y'all before we started recording, I'm kind of in a spot right now where I'm just not as interested in playing video games right now, but I'm very excited about these cases.

Yeah, man. Well, dude, they look—

I have a ton of those cards. Yeah. Um, I have a ton of SNES and NES carts, and so it'll take me forever to fill these out, but really well, I was very impressed with them.

Nice, dude. Yeah, very nice. That's awesome. Probably should include a link to that in the show notes in case people want to check it out.

Yeah, I told Wes they have a whole section for Pokémon games and Try to get him on that.

Well, listen, everything since I found out he doesn't like He-Man, everything is suspect now.

We're kicking him out of the group.

You're out of the band. All right, Joshua, what have you been playing lately, guy?

Okay, so most of what I've been playing is more Octopath Traveler 2. Um, I actually haven't made that much progress, but man, this game, I mean, like, like the previous game, but also just the nature of the Switch, it is very easy to pick up and play. Like it's very easy to, to just take bite-sized chunks out of it.

Octopath, isn't that like a, like a 15, 20 hour game? Why are you still playing it?

Simple. Uh, no, I have till the end of the year to beat it. So I I think I'll make that. I don't know. We'll see. Um, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm not far at all. I did get all the characters though. So I at least am on their first chapter of every character.

Nice.

But, um, but yeah, not even like close to halfway through. So, um, making some progress on that and loving it. I mean, Octopath. Yeah, it's great. There, there is a lot now that I have all the characters. Like there's a lot of different interactions you can have with, with NPCs and things like that that I'm like, oh man, I don't want to, you know, be scrolling through and trying to get everything. Anyways, I'm not, I'm not planning on completing this game like I did the first game. We'll see as it goes on, but no, no plans for it right now. But I am enjoying my time with Octopath Traveler 2. So that's the main game that I've been playing, but I do have a stack of other games just to briefly mention. Okay. Um, I did actually finally roll credits on this guy. Just was it last night or 2 nights ago? Something like that. I don't know. But Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. This is the Theatrhythm, the rhythm game for Final Fantasy music. So it's got, you know, it's got like 20 different games that it has music from, including like the Theatrhythm series itself. And each, each one has, you know, between 15 to 20 tracks or whatever. Anyways, I played through— I actually didn't play through all the tracks, but I finished all of the, the, the games that are in there. So I don't know how much time I put into that, but it was quite a while because it was just like a little bit on and off. That one's a lot of fun. It does get crazy at the end, just in terms of like what they ask for you to do, because especially when you get to like the medleys. At the very end of the game, it's you know you don't get into that rhythm like theater rhythm because it's kind of changing between different songs, and so it's not as it's it does not repeat like other songs do. So anyways, love that game, but but knocked it off the backlog, which is fun. So finished up that one. I did also pick. this one up from the library, Splatoon Raiders. Uh, so I don't know if you know, but this one like just came out and I picked it up from the library the day that after it came out. So I think it's super cool that my local library has these games available. Um, unfortunately I was ill-informed about this game. So I had heard that this was a co-op Splatoon game and I'm like, oh, that sounds awesome. That sounds right up my alley. Maybe this will get my son, uh, to stop playing Fortnite so much and maybe we can just play some Splatoon together. Because the thing about, uh, 2 and 3 is that it doesn't have like a multiplayer option. It's only, it's only single player. I'm walking home from the library because it's, it's like 2 blocks away, and I look at the back of the case and what— why does it say only 1 player? What, like, isn't this a co-op game? Well, when they say co-op, they don't mean couch co-op like I grew up understanding co-op be. It just simply means that, hey, you can connect online with your friends and go on missions together. So you can play through the story co-op, but only online or connected. If you have another Switch 2 and another copy of the game, then you can do it together on separate, you know, TVs or on separate Switches.

It doesn't do the— it's not one of the ones that does like the game sharing.

I don't know. I don't know, but I do not own a second Switch 2. Um, we have another Switch.

I mean, there's your problem right there, right?

Exactly. Actually, I believe on Woot that now by the time this drops, it might not be the case. It's like $425, something like that. They have refurbished units. So, um, they have some on sale right now.

It's also, we're getting close to the, to the range where I will buy it. Oh, about $300, $400 less. I'm there. Oh yeah.

Okay. Okay. Getting close. Uh, uh, oh my. So anyways, I did play a little bit of Splatoon Raiders with the kids watching and it's fun. You know, it's Splatoon.

It's, it's, I've heard it's a loot and shoot. Yeah. Now that's my, my understanding.

Uh, again, it's only the first few missions that you're only getting your first kind of strategy, all your different, you know, unlocking abilities, things like that.

Yeah.

Schluters. So while Splatoon Raiders is a good time, it's a fun game, it's not what I wanted it to be in that it's not split-screen. I can't, I can't play with my kids. And so anyways, it'll be going back to the library within the next week or so. But did dip my toes in that. But I also saw that apparently someone's already checked it out, but they do have Star Fox for Switch 2. And the one that my kids are excited about most of all is Rhythm Heaven Groove, which I know is just like, why are they excited about that? Because we downloaded the demo and they really liked it. So that one's at the library as well. So I'll probably be picking that up. I don't know. So maybe by the next episode, we'll see. But speaking of picking things up, I did— I actually sent this, Nate, to you and to Wes as well.

Mm-hmm.

But went to my local Target And found a copy of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined for Switch 2 that was marked down to $29.99. But I get to the register and she says, uh, that'll be $19.28 or whatever it was. I was like, oh, okay, cool. You know, here's my card and checked it out, whatever, and checked the receipt and it rang up at $17.99.

Nice.

So, um, I understand that there is some Uh, there's some pushback against the Switch 2 version because it is a game key card. The same game was released on the original Switch and it is not a game key card because it's original Switch. Um, so I get that, you know, maybe that's why they're clearancing it out, but hey, I'm happy.

What does that mean?

Game key card means that it is, there is not the, the cartridge itself does not contain the game.

Yeah, there's no game data on the cartridge. It's more of sort of almost like a, you put it in there and it signifies to the network, oh, like they have rights to this and you can download it.

Interesting. Okay. Yeah. So you can download it. So in order, so when I put that in my Switch 2, I can download the game and then I can play the game whenever I have that cartridge in my system. I can take the same cartridge if I take the cartridge out. And I try to play the game, it'll say insert the cartridge. Um, if I take the cartridge to my friend's house and let him borrow it and he puts it in his Switch 2, he can download the game and then he can play it.

As long as they have the key card.

Yeah. Does that make sense?

Yes.

So it's not, it's not the same as a physical copy.

It made me giggle a little bit because you were, you're pantomiming a controller, but it was like a really big controller.

Oh yeah, Switch 2! Yeah. That's how, yeah. Um, anyways, yeah. So, so it is, it is a digital copy of the game, but because it's, you have this physical thing, the physical thing can be used in other Switches. Um, yeah. But it also restricts the use of your digital game if you need to have that in your system. Anyways. Okay. So, uh, actually that's it. That's it. That's all that I've been playing. Like I said, the demo to, to, uh, uh, Rhythm Heaven Groove as well. Yeah. So yeah, I'm having a good time. Sick. Having a good time. How about you, Nate?

Ah, now you got Queen in my head. Anyways, anyways, dude, curse you, Joshua Broccolo. Broccolo. You don't like Queen?

I love— he's talking about Brian May.

I love Queen. I'm just like, I was thinking other things, and now all of a sudden, like, the entire Queen discography is playing in my head simultaneously.

Dang.

It's—

Even the stinkers.

Really jarring. Um, so just haven't been playing a ton. Uh, Destiny 2, yeah, it's kind of like, that's my comfort food game. And honestly, like, we were doing so much sort of around the house, I didn't really have a lot of time for gaming this last week, especially. Uh, so a little bit of Destiny 2, but then I did actually sort of sneak a fairly significant, uh, session with Tunic in earlier this week, and I really like that game. Um, it very channels very much like sort of, um, Legend of Zelda, like the, the top-down sort of vibes, uh, because it, it does, and it does do some interesting things with the camera angle. So it's got that sort of isometric, you know, not quite top-down, sort of at an angle thing, and you can't move the camera around. And so it's, it's like kind of clever. The one thing that I pretty quickly just was like, yeah, no, I'm not doing this, is that The, by default, it's kind of hard. Like the combat is pretty, like the enemies are really tough. How about I say it that way? Like, and I just, and it might be one of those things where I sort of changed my mind on it, but I played for about 45 minutes to an hour on sort of normal. And then I was like, yeah, this combat doesn't feel good enough to justify like the investment, like, and so I— there was an option to turn sort of like the combat down, like the combat difficulty down. And ever since then, I actually feel it's pretty appropriate. Um, like, like I said, it's, it's one of those things where, I don't know, I just didn't think— I'm— I love the Soulsborne games. I love Hollow Knight, right? Like, I like deep combat systems and I don't mind when, like, when games are difficult in that respect, as long as the system sort of, like, feels, you know, feels appropriate. Tunic's combat so far has not felt like appropriately tuned to that. And so I just like, ah.

Which is kind of ironic.

Yeah. Kind of ironic?

With the title of the game.

Oh, stretch, dude. Of course you read. Um, so played some Tunic, really, really liking that so far. It is like, I, I'm enjoying that quite a bit. Also fired up a little bit more Returnal. Um, And that, that game is just, yeah, that game is just chef's kiss. Like, it's one of those things that like very much Returnal— Returnal is pretty stinking great. And, um, it's, it's really kind of disappointing because what I've heard is that Seros is just kind of a less good version of Returnal. And, um, anyways, I mean, I'll play, I'll still play Seros at some point in time, but like, yeah. Returnal is pretty great. Also—

Have you finished a run in Returnal yet?

No.

Okay. Okay. I mean, I just know you've mentioned it a number of times and I don't know.

I haven't— I haven't beaten it. It's one of those things where I've gotten to the— I'm not like— okay, I'm going to make this as quick as I can. Like, the thing with Returnal is it requires that you kind of like lock in for a few hours. Like, you have to sort of like, I have to remember how to play it. I have to sort of like lock in. But then because it's a roguelite, you also need like good RNG. So it's like you need the right rolls on weapons to drop, etc., and you need the right— anyways, it's, it's just one of those games where I have gotten to the final boss multiple times and I'm not—

Oh, wow.

And but it's, it's just like one of those things where And I'm actually feeling pretty strong about this run. So, um, but yeah, so yeah, Returnal's still great. I'm, but I'm also like, I'm kind of in this weird space where it's just like, I just haven't really wanted to play anything too deeply, but then—

Yeah.

I also, and I'm just kind of throwing stuff at the wall, but I also fired up Diablo 4 to maybe shift gears into that being my, uh, cause I, I keep like a dedicated multiplayer game that like I can hop on with my brother or friends. And, um, Zombie Army 4 is also kind of in that slot. But like anyways, I fired up Diablo 4 and they've got some new classes since I played. And that's just— I was like fooling around with that right before we jumped on recording. It's, uh, I don't know, Diablo 4 is great.

Yeah. So is that one too hard for you too?

No, I will make Diablo 4 my friend.

No, my—

I mean, it's worth a try. We've been fighting Diablo so many times, might try just teaming up this next time.

Maybe just be like, maybe that's the problem, you know, is like we have fought him so many times that maybe it's like we just need to like sit down and say Diablo. What's going on here, bud?

Does he show up in every game eventually?

Yeah, I don't think he's in Diablo. He's, he's in 1, 2, and 3.

Mexican fighting chicken.

He's, he's not in 4 yet, I don't think.

Um, so yeah, I've played 1, 2, 3. I haven't played 4 yet. Yeah.

4 is pretty great, Paul. It's kind of like all the best parts of 2 and 3 put into one game. But it does have the annoying sort of baggage that it is very much— it's designed to be a games-as-a-service game, which is pretty infuriating. Um, I mean, it's, it's a good one at that, but still, I'm just kind of like, uh, so, but yeah. Uh, I mean, also there is— you talked about pickups and I haven't played this yet. But the, uh, a game, like, it's sort of one of those things where it's like the early access stuff or whatever, but it's called Scarlet Deer Inn. And I saw the trailer for this and I was like, okay, this kind of looks like whatever. But then you find out that every art asset in this game has been embroidered by hand.

Oh.

And— or not embroidered by hand, but embroidered. Like, they use the machine to embroider, do a lot of it. But it's really fascinating. I don't know if it's even good, but it's just like I haven't played the demo. The demo is on Steam. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's in sort of the Yeah, it's sort of like the early supporter kind of thing, like the, the, uh, the early adopter, what, whatever that—

Early access.

Early access. I think it's in early access right now.

Um, what is it called?

Scarlet Deer Inn, like D-E-E-R, D-E-E-R. Yeah, Inn. It looks, um, like the, like I said, all like the character work is embroidered, not all the art assets, but like, yeah. Um, it's really pretty stinking. I, I think it's— I haven't played the demo yet. So at some point in time I will, I will. But yeah, it looks just fascinating.

So.

How did you hear about this game? It's a tiny little, uh, 2-person dev studio, husband and wife.

It's like the one time the algorithm has actually done something worthwhile. Um, it was just like one of those things I was sort of doing the social media thing. Kind of looking at some stuff and that popped up in my timeline and I was like, yo, this is so sick.

Um, yeah.

So yeah, I think it looks pretty cool.

Nice.

And I hope it's kind of good, but I haven't played it yet. So I did check out, like I said, I did pick up the demo. So yeah.

That's cool.

That's interesting. Yeah.

Yeah. Dude, like when, when I saw that, like, because they show like a video of them, I think what they did is that they embroidered all the sequences in the frames for like the character animations and everything. So they embroider all those and then they like take those and render them in engine. whatever, you know, or not, but you know what I'm saying. They take that, like, photos of that or whatever and move that into the engine, or it— I don't know. I think it's fascinating. I'm like, dude, this is, this is wild.

That is, uh, that's cool.

Yeah, I think it looks real cool. But yeah, that's like I said, all I've really been playing is, uh, a lot of Destiny. Um, and Tunic and kind of dabbling in, you know, Returnal and Diablo 4. So yeah. This is probably a pretty good place to just call it. Um, so we don't really have a closing form for this thing, do we? We should figure it out at some point.

Do you want to just say we call it? You know, since this phone call, I mentioned that we call it. Yeah. Is that what we do at the end of the episode?

Yeah. Well, how about— hmm. Well, okay. Yeah, we have to figure— I have to figure out how to land this plane. Land the plane.

No, no, no. You end it by saying we're part of the Playwell Network, which includes some other podcasts. Here's a word from one of them. And then we end it with an ad.

Is that how we end it?

Jeez.

See, why didn't you say that when I'm like, I'm not sure how we end this?

Because you low-hanging fruit.

Because he wanted the pun!

You said, let's call it, and it's the pwn call.

You're the worst.

You presented that to me. Goodness gracious.

Dude, this is terrible.

Anyways, I repeat it back at you.

Over time, y'all will get an ending dialed in.

Yeah, this is still pretty new, but yeah, we are all members of the Playbill Network alongside some of our other friends. So, you know, to just send us out to call it, here's a word from one of them.

Howdy folks, I'm Mark, host of the podcast called Quick Blake, subtitled Short Talks About It's a little bit of time each week to talk about something that we're into— video games. I bring on all sorts of smart, witty, talented guests to ask questions and make connections on trends in games, the industry, particular games themselves, anything that comes to mind. It's lean, green, and never really all that mean. And ultimately, it's a launchpad for you, you sweet little baby listener, you, to ask questions and make connections. your own conversations. If you just got here by skipping 30 seconds ahead, then you'll love Quick Play. It's a little podcast trying to ask big questions. Listen wherever you listen to podcasts or watch on YouTube.

See you there.