Nerd Pride Radio

Mike reviews Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (spoiler: it tastes terrible). Then, after a couple random tidbits and a rant about checkout lines, Mike spends a while trying to sort out his feelings on the ways our world objectifies women and his personal struggle to not come off as a creepy old man. To save him from the existential pit of angst, R2 rolls in with a handful of new listener-submitted questions on the Pod-O-Matic. Quentin Tarantino films, the grossness of children, space elevators, and transforming into a car. Overall, not a bad way to spend an hour. And bonus: we get to do it together!

Enjoy!

Mike was wrong(ish)! For your Nerd Rage segment, the bumper music you played was for Fingertips instead.

CRAP!

I hate when I do that.

It was highly amusing. You're getting all worked up for your nerd rage, and then the bouncy Fingertips music comes on. Thank you for making me laugh.

Re: compliments/comments on personal appearance. (My take, as a woman)

First, let me say that I really appreciate your consideration in making other people feel safe and secure and the example you are setting. Hearing you talk about this was so endearing.

The way I see the appropriateness of commenting in on a tier system, with each level building on the last. These are the levels wherein I wouldn't feel weird as either the commenter or the commenter (see SB make up all the words!)

First tier: complete strangers.

Acceptable: comments on specific items that can be changed with minimal effort/commitment. Examples: "love your hair cut/color", "great dress", "cool shoes, dude!", "great necklace, where did you get it?", and the like. (Also, acceptable here is helping someone out like.."excuse me, your tag is out" without making physical contact of course)

Second Tier: casual acquaintances/friends

Acceptable: "You look fantastic today", "wow, blue is really your color", "I love what you did with your hair". Stuff like that.

Third Tier: people you know very well (like you know about life events and they share illnesses and the like with you)

Acceptable: "You told me you were doing this new workout, you are looking great and happy, I hope that means it's working for you" , "omg, you were right, a pixie cut does look great on you " and stuff

Never acceptable: any thing that begins "you'd look great/better if...", anything that comments on someone can't change, and anything that is a proposition or catcall. Like, if you can't walk to someone and make a specific kind comment, you shouldn't shout it at someone. No one wants to be whistled at, grabbed, or harassed. However, I know when like a favorite barista tells me my hair looks nice, or when a random person tells me they like my new dress or "female gamer" pin I glow all day.

Also, as an exercise in controlling some of my social anxiety, I try to compliment at least 1 person a day. At Gen con last year I aimed for 5-10 a day. Always sincere compliments, mind you. I don't do fake. I am, as stated, a woman so it's "safer", maybe, for me to compliment people..but those are my guidelines and now I'm rambling....ok, all done.

We went to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 for mothers day. And I also play mainly white (usually splashing green or blue) with as many fliers as possible, when I build a MTG deck. We should do 2-headed giant (maybe with Pat and Andrew) sometime.

Shyguy is the best, by the way. The BEST. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you something. (Actually, I love shyguy, toad, and the koopa troopas. Those guys are my jam. Jams? Jams.)

What was up with the audio? It wasn't up to the quality of the last few episodes. It sounded hollow and echoed. You made a comment at the beginning that something was wrong with audacity.

No clue, man. I noticed the same thing. I think my record volume was off by a notch, and that threw off the sound clean-up.