OH LOOK, A MIDLIFE CRISIS, RIGHT ON SCHEDULE Alright peeps! If I were crazy enough to do seasons on my podcast, I would say this is the beginning of a new one. After sitting on this feed for so long, and much hesitation and skepticism, I'm finally going to try my hand at publicly talking to myself lol.  I get into the details in this episode, but look forward to bi-weekly shows from now on. Heck, maybe even weekly if I plan it right. No music so far, maybe I'll save it for the main show with guests. But for now, here's an intro for what I'm planning.  Until next time! Links and Info Discussed As mentioned, here is the YouTube channel for that dude. It USED to be called Caffeine & Consoles? But at some point he changed it over. I get into my thoughts on the episode so whatever.    Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me. Also, I opened up an Etsy Shop! https://designingbyknight.etsy.com is it. There's nothing crazy on there yet, but hopefully I'll keep it updated with some cool stuff.    Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Invoking the right of parley with the Cap'n! After so many years of listening to each other's shows, our paths have finally crossed! Cap'n Mike has been the host of a handful of popular podcasts since the Xbox 360 era. And now, after a brief 2.5ish year retirement, he's back behind the mic!  During the show we dig into how we're both old farts and have been in the podcast game for a long time. Talking about the way it has changed so much, how we have now adapted and changed compared to how we were when we started. We discuss a few gaming related topics too, in particular the Steam Deck and how it has become my savior.  For all the info on Mike and where to find him and his podcast, check out all the links below! Until next time! Links and Info Discussed I don't think there were any links?! There were a few handheld gaming devices discussed but if those are things that interest you then I'm fairly certain you already know where to find them. If I listen and hear anything that stands out, I'll update the links below. Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.  https://designingbyknight.etsy.com -- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! I'm updating it every so often, with various designs spanning books, gaming, and more. Check out my Instagram for the shop over at @designingxknight to see what I have available and what I'm working on! Where to Find This Week's Guest On Second Thought with Mike & Matt Here is Mike's show! The link is to its Linktree where you'll find the best ways to get in contact with the show or to subscribe. Be sure to subscribe so you can listen to the infamous Episode 5 where I'll be joining as a guest.  Mike is also on Twitter (I am still refusing to call it X), you can follow him there @CapnMikeM Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

It's not hoarding if it's pretty books! This is a show many months in the making! Turns out coordinating a podcast with someone in Australia is not as simple as you would think. But it finally worked out and here we are!  I wanted to talk to Sara because she runs a fairly awesome bookish community that would've been wiped from existence if she didn't raise it from the ashes. And now, it's alive and thriving and about 200 people strong.  In this episode, we're talking about monthly book subscription boxes, special edition books and how they appeal to the collectors in us, and of course, the discord that brings it all together.   Check out below for all the info we discussed! If I missed anything, reach out and let me know and I'll update it.  Until next time! Links and Info Discussed Here are the links where you'll find the top 4 monthly book subscriptions we discussed. If you're really curious, every site has a catalog/past book database where you can see the offerings they've had in the past. If you want to really dive into it and have more questions, the link to the discord is below. Every subscription is going to have a waitlist you have to sign up for, some of which could be as short as a few weeks to as long as 10 months. So keep that in mind! FairylootIllumicrateOwlcrateThe Bookish Box Fourth Wing was brought up a lot. So you can find more info on the book itself right here. If you want to check out all the absolute madness that happened when it first came out, along with the first run copies that were going for over $500 (you know, the one I could've bought for $15 but I cancelled it..) Then go ahead and check that out right here. Bonus: Here's a really good round up on all the special editions of Fourth Wing that are out there! (For reference, the 3 that I have are the holiday edition, Waterstones', and Fairyloot's)And here is Sara's Fourth Wing collection! Sara mentioned a copy of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan that she just HAD to have, despite it being in Italian, a language that she does not even SPEAK. If you want to check out La figlia della dea della luna and see if it's worth it, you can do so here. We discussed Sword Catcher by  and how superior Illumicrate's version of the book was (the version Sara has) when compared to Fairyloot's version (the one I had). If you want to see the difference, then here is Illumicrate's, and here is Fairyloot's.  Here are our Top 5 Books of the Year! After editing the show, I realized that maybe I should've gone with books that actually came out this year, as oppose to books I've read since some are a few years old. But too late now! Here they are, along with the books that we did not like! Sara The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (by S.A. Chakraborty)Bonesmith (by Nicki Pau Preto)Sword Catcher (by Cassandra Clare)Divine Rivals (by Rebecca Ross)Yellowface (by R.F. Kuang)Silver in the Bone (by Alexandra Bracken) (did not like) Los The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (by S.A. Chakraborty) (freaking READ IT!)A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking (by T. Kingfisher)Legends & Lattes (by Travis Baldree)Fourth Wing (by Rebecca Yarros)The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (by V.E. Schwab)The Jasad Heir (by Sara Hashem) (did not like)Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (by Gabrielle Zevin)  (did NOT like)   Lastly! Here is the invite link for the main topic of our conversation, the Fairyboot Discord! Remember, do not be a jerk. Sara WILL cut you.  Fairyboot Discord invite link  Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.  https://designingbyknight.etsy.com -- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! Now updated with holiday designs, bookmarks, and magnets! It's leaning more towards book centric stuff, but I'm looking to focus on gaming a lot more next year.  Where to Find This Week's Guest You can follow Sara on Instagram @OldKingdomandBeyond Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

FOR ALL, INTO THE STARFIELD The time is finally upon us! After years of development and hype, fans of Bethesda  Game Studios are getting their hands on Starfield! I sit down with Matt (Ve6a5, in Future Monkey lore) and talk about the excitement and expectations we have for the game! He also gives us his impressions on his first hour of play time, discussing space combat, character creation, and more!  As of this episode, Starfield is live with early access that can be granted by purchasing an upgrade or a premium edition. You can play it on release day (September 6th) by purchasing a standard copy on Xbox or PC, or with day one access on Xbox Game Pass. Stay tuned to future episodes where I'll invite Matt back along with other guests and maybe even some voice mails where we'll follow up with our time spent in the game after a few weeks!  Until next time! Links and Info Discussed Starfield main pageStarfield reviews on YouTubeStarfield Metacritic ScoresCheck out the EZFM Discord (my home away from home) where we'll have a channel dedicated to Starfield. The following are Amazon Affiliate links that when clicked on will help me out with a percentage of the purchase! Physical edition of the upgrade comes with a steelbook and other goodies, but you can also purchase it digitally to get early access before it's official September 6th release date!   Starfield standard edition: Xbox  |  PCPremium Edition Upgrade: Xbox  Xbox Limited Edition Wireless Headset   Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me. https://designingbyknight.etsy.com -- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! I managed to get it up and going in the time between posting this show and the last one. Go me! Check it out and favorite it to see updates. I'm focusing on more gaming centric designs next.  Where to Find This Week's Guest 3thoughtcreative.com - Is Matt's company he co-founded. Go check it out to see what he and his talented team are capable of. If you're interested in hiring them, they have a contact form on their site. Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Another show, another Al, part 2... or 3? It's been sooooo long, I figured it'll be cool to have Al on again. We talked a little about podcasting and what it's like to handle the technical stuff about recording. And after a sweet, sweet interlude, we got into some VR talk. The main focus was children and how they are not supposed to be using VR headsets. But are they? Who knows! Not me, but I may have some ideas here. Until next time! Links and Info Discussed The American Journal of Ophthalmology put out this article back in 2020 about VR headsets being safe for children. This is the rundown of it, the full article is linked at the bottom of that page.Assessing the impact of VR headsets on kids under 13 is another in-depth look at how much no one has really gone in-depth on this.I'll update this bullet point with the link we researched which led to the decision of letting our kid use a VR headset.For the record, I'm not here saying you should let your kid use VR headsets. If you as the parent do not feel comfortable, then don't let them use one. Be a responsible grown up and monitor what your kid Is doing with time limits and parental controls.Xbox Family Settings AppNintendo Switch Parental Control App    Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me. https://designingbyknight.etsy.com -- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! I managed to get it up and going in the time between posting this show and the last one. Go me! Check it out and favorite it to see updates. I'm focusing on more gaming centric designs next.  Where to Find This Week's Guest @RetroRentsAl - Al's Twitter@TheRetroRents - Al's podcast on TwitterWhere to find/download The Retro 'RentsThe latest episode of The Retro 'Rents Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Another show, another Al Look, I'm not going to gloat or make a big deal here, but this show is out EXACTLY when I said it would be out! And it's right on time with when my player said to expect my next episode. Sorry, this may seem like small potatoes to people but it's a big deal in my book! But enough about me, what is going on this week?! I had the pleasure of having Al back for another show! He is one half of The Retro 'Rents, and if you don't know him, the links are below. This episode we were both catching up with a lot of off time. Both his and my show were on hiatus' and we discussed the reasons behind that. How life has just been relentless with keeping us busy and away from the microphones. But if I had to choose a central theme for the show, it would be books. We got into the conversation about reading and it just went on from there. Lots of recommendations were given (and linked below) and I have zero regrets. It was a great time as always when chatting with Al and I'm glad he stuck around for another show. Which btw, I know I said in the intro I'm going to put together his episodes, but I back tracked on that and now you'll be getting two shows with Al instead of one. You're welcome! Until next time! Links and Info Discussed The Book of Choyer - YouTube channel featuring Total War cinematic battles and Warhammer lore.Total Warhammer 3 - Al's current gaming obsessionWho is Brandon Sanderson?Great article about Brandon Sanderson, his secret projects and how they shattered the record for the highest contributed Kickstarter, and why he refused to sell them on audible.More on why Brandon Sanderson is such a force in the fantasy genre.From Sanderson's site - What is The Cosmere? (This is what Al was talking about currently reading)Books Discussed (Amazon affiliate links): The Sundering (Warhammer Chronicles) - The omnibus Al mentioned he was reading. The Cosmere (nearly 40 books! More info here) by Brandon SandersonTress of the Emerald Sea (Book 1 of Sanderson's Secret Projects) by Brandon Sanderson (after more research, I'm totally jumping in here. Particularly, these editions of the secret projects)A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. KingfisherLegends & Lattes by Travis BaldreeStorm Front (The Dresden Files book 1) by Jim ButcherHounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles book 1) by Kevin HearneHounded: By the Fae's Fated Mate (The North Shore Fae book 1 by A. S. Green  Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me. Lastly, I opened up an Etsy Shop! https://designingbyknight.etsy.com It has a bunch of digital things on there, but I am currently in the process of adding a bunch of stickers that I'll be printing AT HOME! I'm excited and I'll definitely be doing a show talking about it once they go up.   Where to Find This Week's Guest @RetroRentsAl - Al's Twitter@TheRetroRents - Al's podcast on TwitterWhere to find/download The Retro 'RentsThe latest episode of The Retro 'Rents Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

NEW INTRO MUSIC, WHO DIS? Welcome to the unofficial beginning of season 2 lolol. I mean, it's dumb, but I feel like that's where I'm at here. New intro music, updated and ridiculously awesome art, it's like a breath of fresh air being blown in to get the *checks watch* nine months worth of dust off everything. NINE MONTHS! Nine freaking months since my last show. Almost to the day. I mean, technically, yeah, this CAN be considered the 31st of June if that were a thing. But it's not a thing. It's JULY 1st OMG it's almost Christmas!! Ok ok ok, I know, I know. Halloween is first, but whatever! ANYWAY. What's up, how ya been? That's good, that's good. Look, I know it's been a while so I got you a little somethin'. It's a NEW SHOW! YESSSSSsssSSsSss everyone so happy happy! No, I haven't lost it. I've been busy and going on little sleep for the past week so I think I'm feeling it now. But anyway, let's get to the actual show notes. Geeze, I hope you weren't really reading all of this mess. I'm sorry.  Look, here's what I talked about in this episode. I went on about how much I absolutely adored Hogwarts Legacy. How it was enough to remind me why I loved gaming since I had taken another break from it. Then I got into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for the first time of many I'm sure. And peppered throughout all of that was life talk. What I've been doing and not doing. How I pretty much gave up social media, and some other stuff.  There you go! You probably don't even have to listen to the show now, huh! Hahahahaha no that was a joke, please listen. Oh yeah! Coming down the line, you will definitely hear Al from the Retro Rents returning for an episode or two, so look forward to that! And I have a few others penciled in after so here's to trying to do this thing again!  Until next time! Links and Info Discussed Look, I'm going to be completely honest, I totally forgot if there was anything worth linking. But hey! If you want to help support me, You could do a few things now:Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/ where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me. Also, I opened up an Etsy Shop! https://designingbyknight.etsy.com is it. There's nothing crazy on there yet, but hopefully I'll keep it updated with some cool stuff.    Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKInstagram - @ManChefDadEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

THIS IS HALLOWEEN HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! This episode is going to be all about Ken Turner! I thought Ken would be a great reason to dust off the ol' podcast because he lives in historic Salem, Massachusetts! We went on about how it is to live there throughout the year, the craziness of Halloween, and so much more!  Fun bonus! Check out the links below and you'll find not only Ken on twitter, but also the brand new Delvin Cox Experience Halloween Specials!  In these specials, I wrote/directed/produced the fun little skits throughout the shows. There are 4 skits in total: A Sea Creature (this is the one featuring Ken!), a Vampire, a Werewolf, and a Zombie. Go check out the shows! They are awesome and fun to listen to during halloween. Maybe use headphones though during a few skits lol. Links and Info Discussed A tweet showing the absolute madness of Halloween time in SalemEpisode of The Delvin Cox Experience where I chatted all about the fun of creating and editing his famous Halloween Show!The Delvin Cox Experience Halloween Special Part 1 (2022)!The Delvin Cox Experience Halloween Special Part 2 (2022)!Ken Turner on Twitter!   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Solo, round 2 Solo show numero 2 and I feel much more organized! Let it be known though, I recorded an entire OTHER show before I recorded this one. It was so all over the place and unorganized, I decided to ditch it and start over. I'm glad because it's amazing how much more focused you get when you write yourself a little plan to stick to. Organization. Who knew?! Things Discussed I talked numerous topics in the 30 minutes I allowed myself. I'm quite pleased, and you should be impressed if you know me! Anyway, here's a rundown in case you want to know what you're getting yourself into.  Games - Pokémon Legends Arceus, Horizon Forbidden West, Animal Crossing, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Books - (briefly talked about) The Humans by Matt Haig (Book | Audiobook), The Midnight Library also by Matt Haig (Book | Audiobook), and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Book | Audiobook) Movies - Ron's Gone Wrong (Disney+), Encanto (Disney+), Free Guy (Disney+), and The Adam Project (Netflix) No. I don't believe that I talked about all this stuff either! But I guess I did.   Links Discussed Crystal Storm's Twitter - @WriterStreamerHer website where you can check out all her work, books, etc.The project she is heading!A 2 minute promo to the Star Wars audio drama!   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

It's Not My Ffff I've been having this itch to record something, but at the same time, I didn't really want to commit to a date with someone. And so, my first solo show is born! Will there be more? Maybe. Only time, and my laziness, will tell.  I went on about a few things I've been meaning to talk about. And I feel like it would've been a much greater discussion with...myself... If I would have planned it out better. I rambled a few times, but I had fun editing so it should be an interesting listen. Next time I do this I'll definitely have more of a plan, and maybe, just maybe, a little more confidence. Things Discussed While talking to myself I went off course a tad. But I think I stuck to the main thing I wanted to bring up. Gaming has been a part of me for a very, very long time. I always want to make time for it, I always get excited for advances in the industry, I still love the hobby and don't plan on quitting. Buuuuut, that doesn't mean I have to always be excited about stuff. I went on talking about my struggles with finding time to game, and when I do find the time, how hard it is to be excited for new games these days.  This is a subject I KNOW I'll bring up again. And I look forward to being much more prepared next time Music Heard  Artist: Mikel (Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) Song: Ocarina of Time Album: Zelda and Chill  Mikel is a wizard with his beats, bringing the music from some of our beloved games to a whole new level (haha! Get it?!) All the purchasing info is there in the links above. I implore you to check out some of his other albums as well. You won't be sorry! Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

E3 HYPE TRAIN GO CHOOOOOOO In true Future Monkeys fashion, Los is joined again by Beardy, and they talk games! They discuss Mass Effect and how little progress they've made on it, and then get into what they're predicting for E3. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are all discussed, and Los hopes for number one next-gen killer app that the Big N can announce that would bring balance to the Force.  Links and Info Discussed MY NINTENDO 3DS BADGE ARCADE COLLECTION!! Be jealous! Please tell me you were also addicted to this crack app so I don't feel so crazy. @ me on twitter!The Delvin Cox Experience Episode 202 Featuring The Future Monkeys - Beardy and Los join Delvin on a new episode of his podcast. Go check it out!The Talking Place | 005 - Quarantine Crossing - Beardy and Los' first update on the pandemic and quarantine. Date Posted: 6/25/20The Talking Place | 014 - Vaccinated Livin' - Beardy and Los update one year later, talking about what's new and how life is being vaccinated.   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

BACK TO NORMA... Oh, wait, not quite Beardy and Los are back again! Talking about our new lives as vaccinated citizens! And as it turns out, it's not that much different LOL. We catch up with things that have been going on, how we've been, and talk about getting vaccinated. We kinda go into a tangent about our disagreements with how things have progressed and how difficult it is as people with families who cannot be vaccinated, but what can ya do? Besides, you know, act like the pandemic is still happening for a lot of people.  Links and Info Discussed The Delvin Cox Experience Episode 202 Featuring The Future Monkeys - Beardy and Los join Delvin on a new episode of his podcast. Go check it out!The Talking Place | 005 - Quarantine Crossing - Beardy and Los' first update on the pandemic and quarantine. Date Posted: 6/25/20   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Other Stuff to Do After a needed mini mental break, I'm finally mustering the strength to get this show posted. Ridiculously huge apologies to Elaine! I feel horrible, I do. But trying to move forward, let's keep going. Episode 11, if you never heard it, was probably one of my favorite shows I've ever recorded. I'm so happy to have had Elaine on these back to back shows. If you can recall, we discussed a few very real topics. It felt as if it took a toll after the conversation, so episode 12 was great to chase it with as it's much more laid back. We talked about fun stuff. I tried to not discuss gaming as that's our go-to hobby that many already know about. I wanted to focus instead on other things we enjoy doing. We talked about books, what we' enjoy reading, what we're reading now, all that jazz. Also got into our favorite T.V. shows and discussed what we love so much about them. Then we got into snacks! The most important subject as far as Elaine goes, and for good reason. Tune in to find out why!   Links and Info Discussed Norse Mythology review on my blog - Book Review | Norse Mythology by Neil GaimanBuy Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman on Amazon (affiliate link)Buy The Power by Naomi Alderman on Amazon (affiliate link) - The book Elaine discussed on the show. Kate Siegel's post regarding The Power - Reason why Elaine started reading it.@K8lovesbooks on Instagram - Kate Siegel's Instagram for book recommendations.Elaine's Twitter - @etdragon (listen to episode 11 to hear the origin story behind it!) Twitter of the podcast she co-hosts - @TheXboxEmpire and its website - Xbox Empire Podcast Twitter of the network of the podcast - @PSVG the main website - PSVG Blog   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Today's Positive: An awesome show Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! On this, the 3rd day of February. Elaine, etdragon, OG,  pioneer of pioneers, originator of originators, was awakened at sunset from her trash panda haven, and spoke to me in Elainese and said: I will join you on your show!  So here we are! Still in Groundhog Day mode like we wear top hats, this is episode 11 and I'm joined by Elaine! We went over a ton of topics ranging from kids and the absolute joys of parenting them, how it was putting out podcasts waaaaaaay back before the internet was invented, and going through gaming fatigue.  But most of all, what I think is the main focus, is our talk about mental health. We got into a deep conversation that led down many paths. Discussions about why finding the positive of a day is important, and what led to an alcohol free life.  This episode was real, candid, and meaningful. I'm super happy to have had Elaine on and we both hope the show is heard on the many levels it was broadcasted on.    Links and Info Discussed Elaine's Twitter - @etdragon (listen to the show to hear the origin story behind it!) Twitter of the podcast she co-hosts - @TheXboxEmpire and its website - Xbox Empire Podcast Twitter of the network of the podcast - @PSVG the main website - PSVG Blog   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Who You Gonna Call? Not the Turtles! TEN EPISODES! Isn't that amazing! At double digits now! It's probably ok to retire now, right? Call it quits after hitting this milestone. Well, for this episode it's a nostalgic trip to our childhood, as Al and myself go back to the 80's and 90's to talk cartoons!  So many different shows defined many a childhood growing up. It would be nearly impossible to mention them all, or even give most of them justice. Especially after talking about The Real Ghostbusters so much LOL. We could've gone on for 5 hours and still left out the favorites of many. So come to think of it, I hope this show doesn't make anyone mad that we didn't mention their favorite cartoon growing up. If you are upset, let's do another show! If you rather just be mad and send hate mail, then Al's contact info is just below!   Links and Info Discussed The Retro Rents Episode 35, Interview with Christy Marx: Apple PodcastsDirect download Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas clipBest Cartoons of the 80's and 90's - IMDB ListTheme Song Intros - Conan The AdventurerCaptain N The GamemasterThe Real GhostbustersSlimer! and the Real GhostbustersFilmation GhostbustersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012, the good one)Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018, the bad one lol)TMNT (2007, real good one) movie trailer Every Terrifying Real Ghostbusters monster - Laura LegendsMr. Sandman Dream Me a Dream - clip from The Real Ghostbusters   @RetroRentsAl - Al's Twitter@TheRetroRents - Al's podcast on TwitterWhere to find/download The Retro 'Rents   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Survey Says! Two shows in a row! One more, and it'll probably be some sort of record for me. Also a record, is the amount of shows done by two guys who quit their last show because they could never get together to record. (That's us!) Yup, Beardy and I are here another week and we're back to our old gaming antics. But we're not discussing current trends and the new hotness. No, we're going back over the past 7 years and talking about the best games and experiences of the last generation. PS4 and Xbox One gave us some of the most memorable games of all time. So it's only right to go over them. And, apparently, I was bored enough one day to put together a census on the last gen of games. It was extensive, it was detailed, and it was probably looked at for 5 seconds and closed by many. But a few kind souls spread out through a couple of different communities took the time to fill it out! So what stood out? Let's see.   Links and Info Discussed Here is the survey - If you're curious, want to contribute, or see the grandness for yourself. It won't be discussed/looked at anymore so it's just for fun for you.The other communities the survey was shared to besides EZFM - Bad Fodder Figures, Good Morning Guys, PSVG@BeardyMcWhiskey - Secret agent man   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - 407.906.TALKTwitter - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveManEmail - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Ani-mani, and Totally Insaney Beardy and I are back and we're tackling the heavy hitting issues of today. Like when is the best time to take down your holiday decorations. How you should decorate for Valentine's Day. And much more!  We get into the excitement and adventure that is raising boys. It's a full-of-surprises kind of experience where one minute you can be greeted with a hug, and five minutes later you're staring down the barrel of a nerf gun listening to the demands of a terrorist. Good times! Speaking of terrorists, the U.S. Capitol was sieged last week. And while I typically stay far away from such topics, we couldn't resist touching on this historic event. We shared our thoughts and we both felt like we held back from being more blunt. But bottom line is nothing positive or any understanding reasoning  can be taken from the events of that day.  Anyway, topics got away from us and it turned into a 1.5 hour show. Who knew! Hope you enjoy and stay safe till next week.    Links and Info Discussed Target's Seasonal Birds - Thanks, Laura McIntyre's Pinterest lolCapitol Police inviting terrorists inThe Push Me Out and Maced Me - Animaniacs 10 hour versionStephen Colbert's thoughts on maced girl@BeardyMcWhiskey - Secret agent man   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - @TheTalkingPlace, @The1llusiveMan Email - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Christmas Call-in Spectacular Ok, fine, "spectacular" isn't exactly the right word, but let's not dwell on that! Let's dwell on the fact that it's been about 5 months since the last show! .....No, you know what, let's not dwell on that either. Ok, here, dwell on 2020 coming to a close! There you go, something positive. And personally, with so much craziness that happened in 2020, and so so so much happening since the last show, let's just say I'm happy to start the new year on a new foot.  Beardy promised weeks ago to do this show and tried to back out of it until I showed him proof of his commitment. Then in the Christmas spirit I decided to do a live show and that's how we got these two awesome guests! Thanks to Strip Mahjong, longtime member and supporter of the Future Monkeys community, and thanks to Al, host of the Retro Rents Podcast!! Together with Beardy - former co-host, retired, and said to never do another show again only to come back and co-host 90% of my shows here - we talked about Christmas, the positive things that we got out of 2020, games we're playing, and all that good stuff!   Links and Info Discussed @RetroRentsAl - Al's Twitter@TheRetroRents - Al's podcast on TwitterWhere to find/download The Retro 'Rents@BeardyMcWhiskey - Secret agent man   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - @TheTalkingPlace Email - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and email me at the above address and we'll chat!

LEGO Loving Fools It's been over a year in post-production but I'm finally getting this episode out! Once again, apologies to Mr. Ve6a5 for slacking so much. But hey, if you're a fan of LEGO, this one's for you!  Matt has been building bricks since he was a kid. Me, not so much, but that doesn't stop us from going on about one of our favorite hobbies. It may be a little dated, talking about sets that come out "next year" and now listening to it they are already on shelves, but you can't put an age on the passion!  We went on about earliest memories building sets, what our favorites are, why we love collecting, the LEGO video games, and more! It was definitely a fun time talking to Matt and I hope one day he'll join me again for an updated show that I promise to put out in a more timely manner haha.    Links and Info Discussed Beauty and the Beast LEGO library by Sarah von Innerebner And here is its reddit post LEGO Star Wars AT-AT for the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes BackLEGO Ghostbusters Ecto-1 post from TheManTheChefTheDad.com@Ve6a5 - Matt's twitter.@Ve6a5 - Is also Matt's Instagram.Follow Matt on Pinterest3thoughtcreative.com - Is Matt's company he co-founded. Go check it out to see what he and his talented team are capable of. If you're interested in hiring them, they have a contact form on their site.@3thought - Is their twitter.   Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - @TheTalkingPlace Email - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and email me at the above address and we'll chat!

As Long As We Got Each Other WELCOME to episode 5! FIVE! That's so exciting and so sad at the same time. It's ok though, because as long as we got each other, we got the world spinnin' right in our hands. Yeah, that does sound familiar, doesn't it? Guess you'll have to listen to figure it out.  Speaking of listening, it wouldn't be a podcast in 2020 without talking about the pandemic and quarantine living! Beardy McWhiskey, the man who broke up with me and ended our previous podcast is back for another episode of The Talking Place. We discuss a few things, but we focused on what's new with us as we live the quarantine life. We talk about why you're an asshat if you don't wear a mask, Beardy walked us through making an Old Fashioned, and to liven up the mood we talked games! A few were mentioned, along with our thoughts on next gen, but Animal Crossing stood out, of course.  A few things were mentioned but no details were given during this episode: I'm starting to stream games more! I've put Animal Crossing and Pokemon down for a bit and figured I needed to get my survival instincts up. So I've been playing Fortnite and Destiny 2 and streaming it when I do. Nothing crazy, I just hit broadcast and go from there. So check me out on Twitch and subscribe if you'd like.  Lastly, there's a new voicemail number! I talked about it and how it's new but I never gave it out. So if you want to give the show a call to say hi or whatever, it's My Twitch channel for game streaming Bill Burr on mask wearing from The Joe Rogan Experience PodcastBeardy's Twitter - @BeardyMcWhiskeyCheck out Games We Don't Play on Podbean and their Last of Us Adventure EpisodeCheck out The Retro 'Rents on PodbeanCheck out the Bad Fodder Figures on Podbean These shows can also be found anywhere else you may download podcasts! Contact The Talking Place If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!  Voicemail - @TheTalkingPlace Email - TalkingPlacePod@gmail.com If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and email me at the above address and we'll chat!