# [[MFP39 - "A Very Different Energy Going On" with Abby Roberts]] Transcript
This transcription was completed on March 4, 2026 with the application MacWhisper on macOS. This was done automatically, without human input during the transcription process. The transcription used the Parakeet v3 model.
My hope is that by offering this transcription – however accurate it may be done by a machine learning/AI – will help you, the listener. I’d love to offer full, proper transcription some day, but that is not feasible at this time. Thank you for listening and reading. I hope you enjoy the show and that this document was helpful. Enjoy.
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Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Max Frequency Podcast.
*00:00*
I'm your host, Max Roberts, and I have the distinct pleasure, privilege, and honor on the show for the very first time.
*00:03*
Abby Roberts, my wife.
*00:13*
Hi everybody.
*00:15*
Hello, Abby.
*00:18*
How are you?
*00:19*
I'm good.
*00:19*
How are you?
*00:20*
Why are you shy?
*00:21*
I don't know.
*00:22*
Like we don't normally record our conversations.
*00:24*
That you know.
*00:26*
This is gonna be out there on the internet.
*00:27*
Yeah, it is
*00:29*
For as long as whoever wants to listen to it.
*00:31*
Yeah, that's the beauty of the podcast.
*00:34*
We should have done this earlier.
*00:37*
Well, it was your idea.
*00:39*
You wanted to do it.
*00:41*
Like we should have done this like beginning of marriage, before a baby, after baby, all the
*00:42*
things.
*00:48*
Probably.
*00:48*
That probably would have been a smarter idea of digitizing and journaling and chronicling our relationship.
*00:49*
But what better time to start
*00:55*
Then no.
*00:57*
I mean, I don't know if this is a regular thing.
*00:58*
You're not like you're not permanently joining the show.
*01:00*
What?
*01:03*
This is news to me.
*01:04*
You're not.
*01:06*
What the heck?
*01:07*
I was the brand.
*01:08*
It's called the Max Frequency Podcast.
*01:10*
Oh, Max is frequently having his wife on the podcast.
*01:13*
I mean if it comes to that we can have check-ins, we can have Abbey episodes, the Abbey specials.
*01:19*
That's right.
*01:24*
Annual specials.
*01:25*
Yeah.
*01:26*
Maybe do.
*01:27*
Uh uh one show I listened to, the talk show with John Gruber, for a few years there they did Christmas specials where they would talk about one Star Wars movie every
*01:28*
Christmas and he'd bring in a couple of people and on a couple of episodes his wife Amy would be on the show as well.
*01:38*
So maybe the uh Christmas special is in order, maybe in our future.
*01:43*
possibly.
*01:50*
The summer special.
*01:51*
Christmas in July.
*01:52*
Whoa, there we go.
*01:54*
The Christmas in July special.
*01:55*
I like that.
*01:57*
Uh
*01:58*
Yeah, so you approached me and were like, I would like you did.
*01:59*
You did.
*02:07*
You kind of cornered me in the house and said, I would like to be on your podcast.
*02:08*
We should podcast
*02:12*
together and I said, okay, sure, why not?
*02:13*
Uh this gives me a great excuse to buy a new microphone, which I did.
*02:15*
I decided to go down uh one I've had my eyes on for years.
*02:20*
So thank you for giving me the excuse to buy a new toy.
*02:24*
But then we I'm sitting here, I'm like, gosh, I gotta think of some show notes here.
*02:27*
I gotta think of
*02:34*
What do I want to talk to my wife about on a podcast?
*02:35*
Like I can talk to you about anything any time of day.
*02:39*
And so I was just thinking about my show and the angle of the show.
*02:41*
and how to like fold you into it.
*02:46*
Normally I'm talking to people about video games, production work, things like that.
*02:49*
Or whatever.
*02:53*
I talk to people about whatever I want.
*02:53*
Because it's your show.
*02:56*
It is.
*02:58*
It's Max Frequency.
*02:58*
Podcast at Max's frequency.
*03:00*
I think that's like the tagline or description.
*03:02*
And so I think I'm looking at all this, you know, you looked at the notes, I
*03:05*
This is also the I think I can count on one hand how many times I've done a show in person.
*03:09*
That's what I was gonna say.
*03:16*
I was Yeah, this changes the dynamic a little bit.
*03:17*
you're looking someone in the eye and it's different than looking at a screen.
*03:23*
Yeah, there's a very different energy going on in the room, and I think that'll come through.
*03:27*
to the listener.
*03:32*
But I I wanna start with how we got here to this very show, which is
*03:33*
Unprompted and out of the blue, you like became a podcast consumer.
*03:42*
Now I've shared shows with you in the past.
*03:48*
I've tried to get you into some shows in the past.
*03:50*
Things that I think you would like, like cereal.
*03:53*
I realize cereal is quintessential.
*03:55*
And you know, you're you're here or there, you try things out, whatever.
*03:58*
But all of a sudden, out of the blue, it seems to me at least.
*04:02*
You're like, oh, I'm listening to this podcast.
*04:06*
I'm listening to this podcast.
*04:08*
I'm listening to this.
*04:09*
And then you're buying podcast merch.
*04:10*
You've got your your blue hoodie that I'm quite jealous of.
*04:13*
It's very nice.
*04:16*
And so you've turned into
*04:17*
A podcast listener, naturally, over the course of your life.
*04:21*
I've been doing this for over 15 years, listening and producing and creating.
*04:24*
And so I'm curious how you
*04:28*
How did you get to podcasting in 20, you know, 2023, 2024 year?
*04:31*
How did you stumble into this thing that I I've been doing since you've known me?
*04:37*
Like you're not oblivious to them, but you just didn't engage with them.
*04:41*
Yeah.
*04:44*
I think it started out like you would try to have me listen to Serial and then from Serial I would look up other podcasts as far as like
*04:45*
crime kind of podcast.
*04:56*
I don't know what those are called.
*04:58*
Um true crime.
*04:59*
True crime, yes.
*05:01*
That's what I was looking for.
*05:02*
Uh so like true crime stuff, but then that's like
*05:03*
too creepy and I don't really want to consume that.
*05:06*
Um so then I was like, you know, I don't think podcasts are my thing because when I'm listening to stories on a podcast
*05:10*
I just get sleepy.
*05:18*
Same with like audiobooks and things like that.
*05:19*
Like for real.
*05:22*
Like even in the car, remember we did a road trip and
*05:24*
Well were were we listening to Serial?
*05:28*
Hmm.
*05:30*
I don't remember.
*05:31*
It could have been serial.
*05:32*
Maybe it was the Stephen King book.
*05:33*
I don't think so, because Stephen King was to Tampa.
*05:35*
That was too short and you weren't we just listened to it and didn't chuck it.
*05:38*
It may have been serial
*05:41*
Was it Or maybe it was something before that?
*05:42*
It could have been one of my attempts to get you to listen to slash read 112263 by Stephen King.
*05:46*
That's another book.
*05:52*
That's probably more like or
*05:53*
The Lauren Graham book, uh talking as fast as I can.
*05:56*
That's exactly it.
*05:59*
Okay.
*06:00*
From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls.
*06:00*
So I don't know.
*06:02*
I realize that when it's story based
*06:03*
like that, then I get sleepy.
*06:06*
If it's more conversation based or in terms of seeking education and knowledge, I think I'm like
*06:09*
diving into it.
*06:19*
So what you're saying is you would like to listen to my podcast?
*06:21*
Like in general?
*06:26*
Yeah, my show's not co or story based.
*06:27*
It's all conversational.
*06:30*
Well it has to be a conversation I'm more interested in too.
*06:31*
Not that I'm not interested in people you have on your show, but you know, yours is more
*06:34*
tech video game.
*06:40*
I'm more into like lifestyle podcasts.
*06:41*
Or the YouTubers.
*06:46*
Yeah.
*06:48*
Uh like sure influencers.
*06:48*
Um
*06:51*
But originally I started getting into podcasts because we got pregnant with our daughter and immediately I had this freakout moment like
*06:51*
If we're gonna raise a human, I should probably know how to raise a human.
*07:03*
And you went to podcasts for that answer?
*07:08*
Yeah.
*07:10*
I don't know if you knew that.
*07:10*
No.
*07:12*
I did not.
*07:13*
Because I feel like as a mother, I'm supposed to have all this knowledge automatically, like this is what you're supposed to do with a newborn, this is how you take care of a newborn, this is the experience of just
*07:14*
normal people trying to share that information.
*07:26*
So I actually went through my podcast yesterday just to at stuff I downloaded and I was removing downloads because I'm sure that takes up space.
*07:29*
Yeah, yeah.
*07:38*
Because I was removing it and out like a crap ton of stuff.
*07:39*
Can I say crap?
*07:42*
You can say whatever you want, yes.
*07:44*
A ton of stuff I had was like motherhood stuff.
*07:46*
Like I had lots and lots of nursing stuff.
*07:53*
like you know how to get a baby to latch and like how like are you supposed to do on both sides, how do you pump?
*07:56*
Like even just things like sleep habits.
*08:04*
I had a ton of different moms talking about sleep
*08:07*
habits of babies and schedules and wake times and gosh, it was overwhelming.
*08:10*
I'm just I'm like getting Vietnam flashbacks too.
*08:16*
And like even things like this nights how to prevent postpartum depression and you know, all this knowledge that you suddenly have to have within eight, nine months.
*08:20*
Yeah, of I'm gonna have a child and whether I'm ready or not, the most I can do is acquit myself
*08:32*
with as much knowledge as I can see.
*08:40*
Learn as much as possible.
*08:43*
Yeah.
*08:44*
So like going to school, I would listen to podcasts coming home.
*08:45*
Um the commute the commute is a perfect thing.
*08:49*
For the podcast.
*08:53*
Yeah, well if not anymore.
*08:54*
Well, gosh, ever since I stopped having a commute, my podcast consumption has gone.
*08:55*
Way down.
*09:04*
It's quite sad.
*09:04*
Because I can't work and listen to a podcast because they're talking and my job is writing.
*09:06*
90% of the time it's writing.
*09:12*
And so then I'm suddenly writing other people's sentences.
*09:14*
Yeah and I can't I can't do it.
*09:16*
Now if it's a tedious task like entering data in a spreadsheet, then I could listen to a show.
*09:18*
Um but yeah, the commute is like a sacred space for the remote twenty to thirty minutes, it's chunked up.
*09:25*
Like that's enough time for me to
*09:35*
really dive into something, but also like have that, oh, I'm excited I gotta listen to this again when I hop back in the car.
*09:37*
random thing.
*09:46*
I was just listening to a show in the car the other day, ironically.
*09:47*
I think um I think it was last night maybe or the other day.
*09:51*
Anyway, one of the hosts mentioned that they were listening to a show, and one episode in particular was 14 hours.
*09:57*
And I was so fascinated.
*10:09*
That's probably games of the decade.
*10:12*
So I don't think it my assumption
*10:15*
Is it is not an unfiltered straight conversation.
*10:18*
It's actually a sh a highly produced show, is my assumption.
*10:21*
But I just heard a 14-hour podcast and almost like crumpled into dust.
*10:26*
What the crap?
*10:30*
Like that doesn't feel legal.
*10:30*
Taking it to the 30-minute chunks, it would take 28 days.
*10:32*
It would take a month to listen to it in your commute scenario.
*10:35*
Now my Disney commute scenario, that'd be a week, because it was at least two hours a day.
*10:39*
Gosh, I don't miss that.
*10:45*
I I miss it for that that part of the that part of the commute I miss because it was you couldn't do anything else.
*10:47*
You couldn't be on the phone, you couldn't be writing, you couldn't be
*10:56*
You can watch anything.
*10:59*
I didn't want to listen to music.
*11:01*
I I'd rather listen to a show.
*11:04*
So you're so p anyway.
*11:06*
The commute tangent aside.
*11:09*
It was motherhood that brought you to the podcast realm.
*11:13*
Now why why podcast over a a YouTube video or books or blog posts?
*11:16*
Like what drew you to the podcast?
*11:22*
I mean blog posts were still
*11:24*
also very much prevalent in like seeking knowledge.
*11:26*
But I think podcasts is easy.
*11:30*
Podcast is you pop it on
*11:33*
If you like the vibe of the person, you keep listening to it.
*11:35*
And it's very calming to actually it feels more personal, I think, listening to a mom with experience.
*11:39*
talk about it.
*11:47*
And sure I could do a YouTube video and I've done plenty of those as well, but I don't know, something about just hearing the voice and then having that time too to listen to it.
*11:48*
And
*12:00*
the car.
*12:00*
And, you know, I couldn't seek enough knowledge.
*12:01*
I just had to keep listening to as much as I could consume at the time because I was like, the more I listened, the more my mind was at
*12:04*
ease it felt like.
*12:13*
Yeah.
*12:15*
Like if I know more about baby sleep habits or baby schedule, then I'll be more equipped.
*12:15*
And so it was more of like a comfort for me.
*12:21*
Like
*12:24*
Instead of wasting in quotes this time in the car, I'm going to make it I'm gonna take it and have a purpose for it.
*12:24*
Okay.
*12:33*
I like that.
*12:34*
And I did not know that.
*12:35*
But now we have an almost two-year-old like.
*12:36*
Yeah, no, I just lose all time that I ever had personally.
*12:39*
Right.
*12:43*
We can't listen to podcasts in the car anymore.
*12:44*
And uh we're professionals, basically.
*12:46*
So, but you're still listening to podcast.
*12:49*
Sometimes.
*12:52*
Uh I have to I mean, I'm also not seeking knowledge like I was for motherhood, but Well, I'm curious that's kind of what I'm curious about is
*12:53*
What is the what have you transitioned into?
*13:04*
Because it sounds like you started out purely from an educational or resource angle.
*13:07*
But the shows that at least I'm aware of
*13:14*
are not I only have like two shows.
*13:17*
That's fine.
*13:21*
That's a still a podcast.
*13:22*
Manageable for me.
*13:24*
Right.
*13:25*
But
*13:26*
Those aren't about how to be a mother.
*13:27*
Those are those are your YouTubers that you follow.
*13:29*
Yeah.
*13:33*
And you just listen to that.
*13:33*
Those are the conversational ones.
*13:35*
So I'm curious
*13:36*
How you came to that, I guess.
*13:40*
I mean, the what's up dudes one I think that's the name of their
*13:42*
podcast.
*13:47*
Is it the name of the Abby?
*13:47*
I think it is.
*13:49*
I don't know.
*13:50*
It I know it's their slogo.
*13:50*
Slow slogo.
*13:51*
Slogo.
*13:53*
Slogan.
*13:54*
It should be slogo.
*13:55*
And it's on that hoodie that I'm quite jealous of.
*13:56*
It's an
*13:58*
Nice it's a nice shade of blue.
*13:59*
It actually is a nice hoodie too.
*14:00*
I almost wore it.
*14:01*
Um because I was like if I'm gonna be on a podcast, I'm gonna have to do it.
*14:02*
I need max frequency merch.
*14:07*
I'm
*14:09*
I have nothing to put on merch.
*14:10*
I have Put your face.
*14:12*
I'd wear that.
*14:16*
Yes, you.
*14:18*
Like see this man right here.
*14:19*
Uh-huh.
*14:21*
Could be a picture on like on the back could be
*14:21*
A picture of my bald spot.
*14:24*
Just like throw that away.
*14:25*
So when you turn around So it would be blank.
*14:31*
Exactly.
*14:34*
Just a blank t shirt.
*14:34*
That's fun.
*14:36*
What was I saying?
*14:37*
Oh, um Matt and Abby, what's up dudes?
*14:38*
And then they made their thing on TikTok and Instagram.
*14:46*
No, their show is called the Accidental Podcast.
*14:50*
Oh, yes.
*14:53*
The unplanned podcast.
*14:54*
Baby number two was a d unplanned
*14:59*
That kid's gonna grow up and be like, so a product that built you're built the business that brings money into our family.
*15:01*
Thanks, mom and dad.
*15:09*
Uh-huh.
*15:10*
So the unplanned podcast, that is what it's called.
*15:11*
That just hit
*15:13*
So I mean they had their first baby around when we had Eloise.
*15:14*
I think I was pregnant when they had their first baby.
*15:18*
So I'm pretty sure timeline wise
*15:21*
They were doing stuff with their baby like before we got to it.
*15:24*
So it felt like a gradual.
*15:28*
They were like a little bit ahead of us
*15:30*
Yeah, so it felt like oh maybe this is a way that their traveling parenthood could be an idea for me.
*15:31*
And they obviously are sponsors for um different I is it called sponsors?
*15:40*
They they like vouch for different companies.
*15:49*
Sure, yeah.
*15:52*
They have sponsored products, yeah.
*15:52*
Yeah, so it's like I was looking at what kind of products to get for LOEs, especially with like
*15:54*
nursing and stuff like that.
*16:01*
So Matt and Abby are a young couple who had a baby like right before us.
*16:03*
And so it was I think it kind of started with they have knowledge I don't have and
*16:09*
they may not be doing it the right way, but they're doing it one way that we could also parent.
*16:15*
And so that felt comforting and helpful.
*16:19*
And then this other one, that's the point podcast, has Kristen in it.
*16:22*
And Kristen is from I think
*16:26*
I think she's from Winter Springs, Florida.
*16:28*
Kristen Johns.
*16:30*
Kristen Johns, yeah.
*16:31*
And she married Marcus Johns and he was on Vine.
*16:32*
I actually found her because I followed Marcus on Vine and I thought him and his brother Cody were hilarious.
*16:35*
And then he married Kristen.
*16:43*
I was like, Kristen is this sweet, like, I feel like I could be her friend type girl.
*16:44*
Just very wholesome, very sweet, um, Christian girl.
*16:49*
And
*16:55*
Then she also has kids now, but she's from I think Winter Springs, Florida.
*16:56*
Yeah, I think she went to FSU.
*17:01*
She went to FSU, yeah.
*17:02*
So she but she was raised in Winter Springs, Florida.
*17:03*
Florida.
*17:07*
And then she moved to FSU for college and she was long distance with her husband and all that.
*17:07*
But I don't know, I've always liked her.
*17:12*
She was a beauty YouTuber and I was huge into the beauty.
*17:14*
world for so long.
*17:18*
And so since she came out with a podcast, she is hilarious.
*17:20*
Like she is so naturally funny.
*17:24*
She does it with her friend um John.
*17:26*
And they are just
*17:30*
It's literally about nothing.
*17:31*
Like they have different points that they have, but it's just shooting the brains type thing.
*17:33*
Yeah, exactly.
*17:39*
So that's pretty much it.
*17:41*
Those are the two shows that I listen to and they're both just very easy, except for the Unplanned podcast now has gotten into having celebrities on the show
*17:43*
So they just had the girl, the lady who was the daughter in Evan Stevens, and she was Kim Possible, the voice.
*17:54*
Mm-hmm.
*18:03*
So I don't know, just different interesting people.
*18:04*
Okay.
*18:08*
And so you actually you just said um something that I
*18:09*
You said you listened to them.
*18:16*
But in the beginning at least, when I noticed that you were listening to podcasts, you weren't listening to them straight strictly, you were watching them.
*18:19*
Was specifically the Unplanned Podcast?
*18:29*
Um Unplanned, I pretty much always watch a video, you're right.
*18:32*
So was it the video that drew you in or was it just was YouTube more convenient to you?
*18:36*
Because traditionally podcast you play in a podcast player.
*18:42*
You'd play them, you know, an audio feed, but you've been watching them.
*18:46*
Like it's actually video podcast
*18:50*
in the beginning were so rare it was like a bullet point in a keynote when Steve Jobs was introducing an iPod that could play video and like and here's a you know a video podcast.
*18:55*
Now we just call those a YouTube video
*19:05*
How crucial was video for getting you into this?
*19:08*
Or you just Well YouTube was where I had access, like
*19:12*
Like obviously you go to apps and things that you're used to, you're more convenient with.
*19:16*
So like I am on Instagram, I'm on YouTube, those are like my main sources.
*19:22*
I don't go to my podcast.
*19:27*
app.
*19:28*
I've never gone to my podcast app.
*19:29*
So I think when my people who normally did YouTube videos made a podcast, I was like, oh, this is really interesting because I'm used to watching them.
*19:31*
video.
*19:40*
So now if they have a podcast, it just seems like a nice transition that instead of doing all these like random family videos, they're actually sitting down and have
*19:41*
having conversations and I think that's when I was like, wait, I like this.
*19:51*
I like that they're just having conversations or it's just casual like that.
*19:54*
And then Kristen is different because I really like Kristen.
*19:59*
And so I'm more willing to just listen to her
*20:02*
as a person.
*20:05*
Because her show is audio only, right?
*20:07*
Well, it is with free, not Patreon.
*20:09*
Which is part of why I was going to do the Patreon is because you can get video and early access to a bunch of stuff.
*20:14*
But I just listened to her specifically because it's
*20:21*
free version.
*20:26*
Okay.
*20:27*
I like it.
*20:28*
So you just use Apple's podcast player.
*20:29*
Yeah.
*20:31*
I don't know anything different.
*20:32*
I just do what I know.
*20:34*
Yeah.
*20:36*
Do you and so do you get like notification?
*20:36*
You have it all set up that way where like when new episodes up?
*20:40*
No.
*20:42*
No.
*20:43*
No, I know that she released like the Unplanned Podcast, it's um I think it's on Wednesdays.
*20:45*
I don't know.
*20:52*
I'm not as loyal to that one because now they're doing so many different celebrities and so I
*20:53*
I'm able to kind of pick and choose when I want to listen to it.
*20:58*
Sure.
*21:01*
Uh but with Kristen's podcast, I know that it comes out every Wednesday.
*21:02*
And so I just want it all.
*21:06*
And I also follow her on Instagram.
*21:08*
And so she posts on her story or on the That's the Point podcast story on Instagram, then they're like, we have a new podcast out.
*21:09*
And then I go rush over to the podcast app and I
*21:17*
try to listen when I can.
*21:20*
Yeah, chunk it up.
*21:22*
Yeah.
*21:23*
You gotta chunk it up these days.
*21:23*
Doing dishes while Eloise plays or in the shower.
*21:25*
One day.
*21:29*
One day I hope she'll just listen to a podcast in the car.
*21:30*
I know that won't really happen, but I'd like to listen to anything except for wheels on the bus, five speckled frogs.
*21:33*
Or tr the wheels on the train.
*21:39*
Wheels on the train
*21:41*
Baby music.
*21:43*
And like it's decent music, whatever, but Rubble and Crew.
*21:44*
We have we have, for the record, we have seen at least I have seen zero seconds of Paw Patrol or Rubble and Crew.
*21:51*
I've never seen
*21:58*
Yeah.
*22:00*
But the Rubble and Crew theme song goes hard.
*22:00*
Way too hard.
*22:04*
Especially for just 45 seconds to like get a kid to watch a show.
*22:06*
They didn't need to go that hard, but they did
*22:09*
Yeah, kinda.
*22:12*
So the Rubble and Crew is on the Eloise music playlist.
*22:12*
It's pretty good.
*22:16*
So who knows if the show is good or not?
*22:16*
One day we'll find out
*22:19*
Yeah, uh Rebel's like this bigger than life dog that just rocks out with his dog family and build make you know
*22:22*
What is it?
*22:30*
The builder pops are building it up.
*22:31*
Build anything you can dream.
*22:33*
They're getting it done and having some fun working as a team.
*22:36*
Who's built the greatest family?
*22:42*
Rubble and crew.
*22:44*
You would think we're the biggest rubble and crew fans, but uh putting up the rock sign every time.
*22:46*
Yeah, we have no idea.
*22:51*
Yeah.
*22:54*
Yeah, it's just forty five seconds of pure I don't know, pure child rock and roll.
*22:54*
It's uh it's better than most of the music on that playlist.
*23:01*
I
*23:05*
say.
*23:06*
Yeah, it's like actually really exciting and not so incredibly repetitive.
*23:06*
Yeah, so that's a good one.
*23:11*
Yeah.
*23:13*
You know, I think that's
*23:13*
Maybe to just like wrap up the podcast thing.
*23:16*
I just think it's cool because that's your journey is the beautiful thing about podcasts and why I love them so much.
*23:19*
is it's truly open in this sense of, I mean, there are private and all this stuff as bigger companies have come in, but podcasts
*23:27*
Are open and ubiquitous with the internet.
*23:36*
And you can find a subject or a show about anything you like, and you truly
*23:38*
D especially now, because back in the day to record a call with your friends over the computer was very tough.
*23:44*
Uh at least to a couple of 12-year-olds.
*23:54*
But now you can just use a Spotify thing and you're recording a show.
*23:57*
The tools are so quick and the barrier to entry so low to get just a show out there.
*24:01*
That you can find anything that you want and it's there when you need it, and then you can engage with it.
*24:07*
I I like seeing it happen.
*24:14*
without me playing a role in it at all.
*24:17*
Like I've I've probably in the beginning and maybe a select few episodes have been like you should listen to this.
*24:20*
Like I m I made
*24:27*
This this is really I think good.
*24:28*
But I've never been like, you gotta listen to podcasts, babe.
*24:30*
Like, come on.
*24:34*
I think that's kinda like one of those things where it's like my mom and dad are making me do it, and then it's almost not as enjoyable as it could be.
*24:34*
But then when you decide to do it yourself and you take your own journey in it, then it's more enjoyable.
*24:42*
Yeah, you've just come into it and I think that's Yeah, it's more natural.
*24:48*
Yeah, and now you at the very least have an appreciation for the medium and know that it's there when you want to find
*24:51*
knowledge or people or conversations about a certain thing that you want.
*25:01*
I do have a question for you.
*25:05*
Uh-huh.
*25:07*
Because it feels like, you know, there's so many influence.
*25:07*
Now when we were just getting into social media, it was like to be an influencer you had to have like a huge following.
*25:11*
Yeah.
*25:18*
But now I think this phrase is thrown around a lot, but like everybody and their brother has a podcast.
*25:26*
Like you can literally start a podcast.
*25:31*
Whenever you want.
*25:34*
And it feels like now this form of media is so saturated with every celebrity that's had five minutes like that Hawk Tua girl.
*25:36*
I just saw um I follow the Vile Files or whatever.
*25:46*
It's a podcast.
*25:50*
You probably have no idea what that is.
*25:51*
He had the hawk to a girl and she just randomly did this interview in some big city and did this stupid f like
*25:54*
gross phrase and now she's on this podcast and like she's a big deal.
*26:02*
Like people listen to the podcast because Huck Doa girl is on it.
*26:08*
So what do you think about
*26:13*
Like everybody not everybody, but like so many people.
*26:16*
Everybody and the mother having their podcast.
*26:19*
So that's the great thing about it is people can come in.
*26:22*
But what's also great about podcasts is the shows that are truly great
*26:25*
And the people that actually like truly care about radio essentially like put in the work and do good things and they stay around.
*26:31*
There are
*26:41*
So many shows that are just scattered and left by the wayside.
*26:43*
And when you see big corporations coming in, buy like Spotify, buying up shows, moving things around.
*26:49*
At least I look at it and go, these are just marketing moves to try and strong arm your way into an industry.
*26:57*
But the the openness of podcasting has has not been
*27:04*
Taken away, it's not been shifted despite the bajillions of dollars coming into this industry through ads and celebrity shows and all this stuff.
*27:12*
The open nature of podcasting is still vibrant and thriving.
*27:25*
And that's how resilient it is.
*27:30*
There's um I don't remember the source on this, but you'll hear probably, you probably have heard this phrase on a show.
*27:31*
show, I would think, you know, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
*27:39*
Mm-hmm.
*27:43*
How many places on the internet can you say wherever you get?
*27:44*
Yeah.
*27:47*
X thing.
*27:48*
Podcasts are
*27:49*
Just a it's just a feed of audio files that you can access in a slew of apps or on YouTube services.
*27:53*
It is truly in that sense open.
*28:01*
And there are plenty of ways companies have tried to
*28:03*
Turn it into the equivalent of like a streaming service or cable or whatever through things like dynamic ad insertion.
*28:07*
Or uh just advertising general, or buying up huge shows and putting them behind paywalls like Joe Rogan and Spotify.
*28:16*
Not even a paywall for Spotify, you just have to listen in
*28:25*
Spotify's app, which is gross anyway.
*28:28*
But despite all of that, you can still get shows wherever you listen to podcasts.
*28:32*
And I think that's what's great.
*28:37*
And that's why I've been doing it for 15 years.
*28:39*
Cause I love the medium.
*28:42*
I just didn't know if it would feel offensive because it's like me and my best friend have this five minutes of fame and now we have a podcast.
*28:43*
and it becomes this like overnight thing.
*28:52*
I'm sure the editing style and like the purpose and the audience is different, but I feel like a lot of celebrities are just
*28:56*
Like, I'm gonna start a podcast and then So sure.
*29:04*
They they they definitely see it more as a business opportunity.
*29:07*
I saw the other day that um
*29:09*
This is Us has a podcast now.
*29:14*
I think it's called like That WhatsApp.
*29:17*
Yeah, so it's um
*29:20*
Ugh.
*29:22*
Oh my gosh.
*29:23*
I don't know their real names and I'm blank.
*29:24*
Randall.
*29:26*
Randall.
*29:27*
Uh the mother.
*29:28*
Or Mandy Moore.
*29:30*
Mandy Moore, thank you.
*29:31*
I forgot what is Randall's name?
*29:33*
His real name.
*29:35*
Him and Kevin?
*29:37*
Yeah.
*29:38*
No, not Kevin.
*29:39*
Who's
*29:40*
Who's Kate Hub Toby?
*29:41*
They host the show.
*29:43*
And it's it's a rewatch show.
*29:45*
So they're rewatching the show and they're probably having guests.
*29:47*
Oh another podcast I listened to is a Gil or I used to listen to is a Gilmore Girls one where they would t
*29:49*
Mm-hmm.
*29:56*
So I'm not sure.
*29:56*
See, so that's like a thing.
*29:57*
Yeah, rewatching big shows.
*29:58*
But this is us is not that old.
*30:00*
Also, who's rewatching this is us?
*30:03*
Do you just want to cry?
*30:05*
Oh actually my coworker is Peyton.
*30:07*
She's told me that today.
*30:09*
She said that she's rewatching this.
*30:11*
I mean I want to rewatch it eventually, but I feel like I feel like it hasn't even been gone that long.
*30:14*
Maybe I'm wrong.
*30:18*
Maybe time is a flat circle, but
*30:19*
So I see that and I'm like, yeah, whatever.
*30:22*
My I think where I take a the biggest beef.
*30:24*
Ooh.
*30:29*
Beef.
*30:31*
The biggest beef.
*30:31*
Is just when like
*30:33*
I'll use serial as an example.
*30:35*
Serial, which arguably, actually, I don't even think it's arguably.
*30:38*
Like they created probably, they ushered in the modern podcasting boo.
*30:43*
Of pop culture and everything.
*30:48*
Serial season one was unprecedented.
*30:51*
Everyone suddenly was listening to a podcast.
*30:55*
at the time.
*30:57*
Oh yeah.
*30:58*
And so serial just wrapped up season four earlier this year, which was all about Guantanamo Bay
*30:58*
It's a pretty good show.
*31:06*
Um it's very much season three, but much bigger and scarier scale.
*31:07*
Scarier in the sense of just what happens down there.
*31:12*
And so Where's Guantanamo Bay?
*31:16*
Guantanamo Bay?
*31:18*
It's like where they put the terrorist who did 9-11 and stuff.
*31:20*
Like they kidnapped all these people.
*31:25*
It's basically a little US territory military base where torture and all this crazy stuff was happening.
*31:26*
Why do I not know about this?
*31:32*
I don't know.
*31:34*
I've never heard of that.
*31:35*
Gitmo?
*31:37*
Guantanamo bay.
*31:38*
I have no idea what that is.
*31:39*
W we've basically had this military prison torture site for the last twenty plus years.
*31:41*
Mm-mm.
*31:49*
Mm-hmm.
*31:50*
I might listen to that.
*31:52*
Okay.
*31:54*
So anyway
*31:55*
Since season one of Serial over the course of these years, uh Cyril's been bought by the New York Times, Cyril Productions
*31:56*
And Sierra Productions is a business that pushes out a bunch of other podcasts like The Kids of Rutherford County, which I I think was probably the last show I recommended to you.
*32:04*
And so there's a couple of things that they always talk about.
*32:15*
They have credits in the show and they're like, and our, you know, the art for the season was done by so-and-so.
*32:19*
Mm-hmm.
*32:25*
Or check out, you know, go here and you can get all our show notes, links, whatever.
*32:26*
And you go to the website and it's a beautiful website.
*32:32*
It's really well done.
*32:35*
The art is super cool.
*32:36*
It's a diorama-y style.
*32:38*
Very neat.
*32:41*
But the way it appears in your podcast player, it's just the standard serial logo.
*32:43*
The show notes are just the one maybe two sentence description of the episode.
*32:51*
And they're they don't use any of the features, the the capabilities of
*32:57*
basically the open um I forget that the name of those ID three tags, which basically is just a th
*33:04*
thing in the MP3 pile that says like here's the art you're supposed to show.
*33:12*
Here's the description.
*33:17*
Here are like links and stuff and chapters.
*33:18*
You can even do chapters in a podcast, which I do
*33:21*
With ever all my shows.
*33:24*
And so you the New York Times, which is just an institution, right?
*33:26*
And a news organization.
*33:32*
Who on their website has beautiful things, but they they don't even point you to it in a meaningful way.
*33:34*
Like you have to go out of your way to find this website.
*33:43*
They say it.
*33:46*
But they could they could give you the tools and means and actually show people the art in the podcast player.
*33:47*
Like they could actually be showing off the things that they're So why don't they think
*33:54*
They're just doing the thing.
*33:57*
Because it's a big corpor it's a big corporation that doesn't care to take the time to actually read it the way that it
*33:58*
Technically should be.
*34:06*
It doesn't have to be done that way.
*34:08*
Again, podcasting is open.
*34:10*
These are very fullest potential.
*34:11*
And
*34:16*
Make a more enjoyable experience for a listener.
*34:17*
Now a listener may not dig into the chapters or even click a link in the show notes that would take them to the New York Times website, which is where the New York Times wants you to go.
*34:20*
listening then they're getting what they need out of you.
*34:31*
Yes, you get to listen to their dynamically inserted ads, yes.
*34:34*
But
*34:38*
Putting that art in as the episode art, which each episode has its own art on the website, just embedding that into the MP3 to show up in the podcast player.
*34:40*
Would make for a more enjoyable experience.
*34:51*
You d it's in that way it's almost like puzzle pieces of what are they gonna what's the diorama gonna be like this week?
*34:54*
But they don't, and it's because
*35:00*
Ultimately, when it comes down to it, it's a big corporation that doesn't care about those details.
*35:03*
What they want is they have a huge subscription list that they know roughly the number of people that download.
*35:08*
And then they can charge for how many ads that they put in, which are creepily tracked through IP address and location and dynamically inserted into the audio file because of audio cues.
*35:16*
Which is just ultimately a gross practice, but I get it.
*35:30*
It's how they make money.
*35:33*
And so like that's those are the things that bug me.
*35:35*
Especially
*35:39*
When I know the show could be doing it.
*35:41*
When it like the stuff you listen to, I don't expect Matt and Abby to put chapters in their podcast or special art on the show.
*35:43*
They could put chapters on their YouTube video.
*35:52*
videos, but that's where it because that they thrive in the most, I think.
*35:54*
Right, and that's easier for someone to do in a YouTube.
*35:59*
You just put it in the description and YouTube will then
*36:04*
Do that.
*36:06*
A YouTube will even try to smartly guess what your chapters are if you don't do it yourself.
*36:07*
Do podcasts automatically do the dialogue thing where they can like I was listening to That's the Point podcast and there was the little quote thing where you press on it
*36:14*
it in the transcription.
*36:23*
Yeah, the transcription.
*36:24*
So that's new ish.
*36:26*
Uh it's new for Apple Podcasts and they're using the same tech they use in so they don't physically have to write it and put out
*36:28*
Apple will, so there's two things.
*36:35*
Apple will and has transcribed your podcast for you using their servers and
*36:37*
these open AI model or not open AI model, but an AI model to transcribe it.
*36:43*
And they'll present it that way to you and you can read it.
*36:48*
You can in turn though
*36:50*
attach to the post in the RSS feed your basically a subtitle file or a transcript file
*36:54*
And you can put your own transcript in there.
*37:02*
So if you pay for it or produce your own, I produce a transcript for all of my podcasts.
*37:04*
I can attach that and say, no, Apple, I don't want your automatic transcription ID.
*37:09*
I just want, I'll give you mine instead.
*37:13*
Right.
*37:16*
So anyone, so that's a relatively new feature thanks to the AI boom of these tools.
*37:17*
and stuff.
*37:23*
Um so not every show does not every I not every podcast player.
*37:23*
I think Apple Podcast might be the only major player that shows the transcription in line.
*37:28*
That's the one I listen on.
*37:35*
Uh you and most people, it's that and Spotify truly um are the the kingpins for the I'd say average consumer.
*37:37*
So it's uh
*37:44*
I I think that actually that implementation in Apple Podcast is super slick.
*37:48*
And I think it then makes the sh the show even more searchable because you can search for like I'm
*37:53*
know someone said something, I think.
*37:58*
So that's new.
*38:01*
But it is a supported feature.
*38:03*
Like I can do that anywhere.
*38:04*
And do provide my transcripts openly and freely.
*38:07*
for everyone.
*38:10*
Now my transcripts are done the same way apples are, so they're probably riddled with errors from the model that's transcribing them.
*38:11*
Nobody's looking that close.
*38:20*
Yeah, but it is just something that hopefully helps someone in some way.
*38:22*
Hmm.
*38:26*
Cause I was
*38:27*
listening to them last night while I was in the shower and I had the transcript up and I don't know, I l I'm the type of person where if I was listening to an audiobook, I want the book in front of me and I want to read along.
*38:29*
Yeah, I get that.
*38:40*
My dad's the same way.
*38:42*
I can't because I read faster than they talk.
*38:44*
Yeah, that does get frustrating.
*38:47*
So I'm like, I can't do it.
*38:48*
If I'm gonna listen, I just need to listen.
*38:49*
I can't immersive that way.
*38:51*
Yeah, no, that's a super handy thing.
*38:53*
And so those are the types of things that bug me more is when
*38:55*
Someone could do something about it and and in general I know that they would care about it if someone sat down and actually talked to them about it.
*39:04*
But they don't do it anyway.
*39:13*
I don't feel the same way when a Matt and an Abby have a show and they don't offer all these features.
*39:16*
I don't expect that from them.
*39:22*
But I would expect that from
*39:23*
a show like the New York Times or I don't have my phone with me.
*39:25*
I I doubt The Verge Like if The Verge is a tech news site, I doubt they do half the things that I
*39:30*
you know, would think that they would care about.
*39:39*
So it just I don't know.
*39:40*
Th those are the things that bug me more than the influx of people.
*39:43*
Cause will they still be here in five years?
*39:47*
Maybe, maybe not.
*39:53*
I will be.
*39:55*
And I think the resiliency of the open nature of podcast will continue to hold.
*39:56*
Uh
*40:02*
So I'm it doesn't bug me.
*40:05*
I want people to make podcasts.
*40:06*
I love that anyone can start a podcast.
*40:08*
And there's a lot of podcasts to do with just pop cold.
*40:11*
stuff in general.
*40:15*
Like so many Taylor Swift fans like going over the lyrics, you're like, oh my gosh, I saw this and this and this and then they talk about it.
*40:15*
That Gilmore girls one I was talking about is just two girls talking about Gilmore girls and he
*40:24*
Each week they have a different theme and you know there's just so much The Bachelorette and The Bachelor.
*40:28*
They just talk about episodes so then you can kind of relate to and be like, oh my
*40:34*
Gosh, I thought this too.
*40:38*
So I don't know.
*40:39*
I think it's just a way of bringing people together as a community, but I know if it you had any like negative, offensive thoughts about it.
*40:40*
Like
*40:47*
I was here first.
*40:47*
This is my territory.
*40:48*
I do it the way that it's like meant to be versus I'm just recording a conversation and throwing it out there and hope it's
*40:50*
I started out by recording a conversation and throwing it out there.
*40:59*
I have I'm all for it.
*41:03*
Yeah.
*41:05*
I I've it's kinda like a it's like a punching
*41:06*
You know, in comedy, in stand-up comedy, they talk about never you you shouldn't really punch down.
*41:10*
Like Jerry Seinfeld should not make fun of a lesser comedian.
*41:19*
He's Jerry Seinfeld.
*41:24*
Like he should punch up to people above him.
*41:26*
I d you don't want to punch down to someone, but I feel fair calling out bully behavior.
*41:31*
You know, Sarah Koenig and the New York Times for not
*41:38*
providing at least show notes with a link to their website, which is where they want you to go.
*41:43*
That's the part that drives me nuts, man.
*41:48*
They want you to go to the website.
*41:50*
Are they telling me to go to the They want you to sign up for the New York Times?
*41:51*
And they don't even like the most big they don't even make it easy for you to do that.
*41:56*
It's so just like give me an hour with them.
*42:01*
I mean, I don't know, man.
*42:07*
That's just crazy.
*42:08*
It blows my mind.
*42:10*
They want your money so bad.
*42:13*
Ugh.
*42:15*
It's okay, let it go.
*42:16*
Exactly.
*42:17*
I didn't expect half the show really to be about podcasts, but here we are.
*42:19*
Talk is very meta way podcast about podcast.
*42:23*
I don't know.
*42:26*
I feel like you just didn't know how I got into podcast.
*42:27*
I guess.
*42:29*
That was a good question.
*42:30*
I like that.
*42:31*
I like talking about it.
*42:32*
I wanna pivot now that we're free.
*42:35*
Pivot!
*42:38*
Pivot.
*42:38*
Oh, that's uh friends.
*42:41*
That's the couch.
*42:43*
I was like, I know that's something.
*42:44*
You have in your childhood closet a tote.
*42:48*
Oh boy.
*42:54*
It's a tall, clear tote.
*42:55*
Oh boy.
*42:57*
And I'd say half of the tote is filled with big box PC game boxes uh for the Sims too.
*42:57*
And it's many, many expansions.
*43:08*
Because that's how computer games you used to buy DLC was to buy a disc and install it.
*43:11*
And so
*43:17*
I've been playing games since I was five years old.
*43:19*
Uh you've been playing games a fairly long time, but I'd say
*43:23*
You don't play as many games as I do.
*43:28*
No, I find the games I like and I stick with that stuff.
*43:30*
And you get into them pretty hard.
*43:33*
For sure.
*43:34*
I'm just curious
*43:36*
Obviously we know about Sims 2.
*43:38*
What you were Sims Sims 2 Sims 2 Rocks Forever.
*43:40*
Yeah, that was you everywhere.
*43:45*
My sister was Sims Lover.
*43:47*
Sims Lover, yeah.
*43:49*
Lava.
*43:50*
Lava.
*43:51*
You know, so you you've got the Sims, you guys grew up with the N64, you've got a PS2 with your Shrek parties and your Spyros.
*43:52*
Like I'm just curious, I guess, about your earliest memories with video games.
*44:00*
Because, you know, we have some of your games here at the house now.
*44:05*
We've got uh I've got your PS2 collection in a drawer.
*44:09*
Nintendo DS.
*44:13*
Yeah, you've got some DS stuff.
*44:14*
I'm
*44:16*
Your earliest gaming memories?
*44:17*
No, my earliest memories were definitely on the PC.
*44:20*
Mm-hmm.
*44:23*
I mean P the PlayStation and PS2, they were worn out from playing games too, but do you y
*44:24*
Oh, I think you do have a PlayStation 1.
*44:31*
You guys started We do, yeah, for sure.
*44:33*
It's in I think it was up in your sister's room.
*44:35*
Yeah.
*44:37*
I think I found it last time we were there.
*44:37*
We for sure had a PS1.
*44:39*
Okay.
*44:40*
Was it PS1 first or N64 first?
*44:41*
N64 actually.
*44:44*
That was all Smash Brothers Mario Kart.
*44:46*
Like that was Oh and Donkey Kong.
*44:49*
The orange or yellow.
*44:52*
The yellow banana Do we have that here?
*44:54*
I mine.
*44:56*
We have my copy.
*44:57*
The cartridge.
*44:58*
It's behind screen.
*44:59*
Because we wore that thing completely out.
*45:00*
Um Pokemon wore that out.
*45:03*
You know, just like that type of stuff on N64 was definitely a big one, especially with Katie's N64 with the Pikachu
*45:07*
Mm-hmm.
*45:16*
My older sister is with the Pikachu lighting up with its cheeks, like blowing on the cartridges, making it work, you know, all the kids' stuff.
*45:16*
That you do.
*45:26*
Yeah.
*45:27*
Um so obviously N64 PlayStation, but PC is where I really remember it just taking off, especially because we would buy just junky little
*45:27*
PC games, I had this Barbie one where I would do her makeup, do her clothes, like do makeover.
*45:40*
There were so many different just girly games.
*45:48*
Mm-hmm.
*45:51*
Where I felt like I had freedom over choice.
*45:52*
And as a kid, you just always want choices.
*45:55*
And when you're given those choices, it's fun.
*45:58*
And then I think it went from that and I had um what is that called?
*46:01*
Zoo Tycoon.
*46:05*
Oh my gosh, the amount of times I played the amount of hours I put into Zoo Tycoon was huge.
*46:06*
Did you ever were you ever a roller coaster tycoon?
*46:10*
No.
*46:12*
Oh just
*46:13*
Zoo tycoon.
*46:14*
No, I don't talk about roller coaster tycoon.
*46:14*
Oh we have No, I'm just kidding.
*46:17*
I was gonna say we have zoomed on.
*46:19*
I had roller coaster tycoon 2.
*46:21*
That one I remember.
*46:24*
playing quite a bit.
*46:26*
My my PC gaming memories were like backyard baseball.
*46:27*
Uh
*46:34*
Or putt-putt?
*46:35*
Did you ever play putt-putt?
*46:37*
No.
*46:39*
The little purple car?
*46:39*
Ugh.
*46:43*
Let me see if I can pull up a picture of putt-putt for ya.
*46:43*
Um Pajama Sam, those kind of games.
*46:46*
Did you ever play jumpstart games?
*46:50*
I don't know.
*46:53*
I'd need examples.
*46:54*
I mean we played some pretty Oh for sure.
*46:55*
What the heck?
*46:58*
Yeah, yeah.
*46:59*
Jumpstart, like the different grades.
*47:00*
Yeah, we had my mom would buy ones for each grade and we would do it over the summer and you learn stuff and it's
*47:02*
Oh my gosh, yeah.
*47:08*
The Joel Start Universe.
*47:09*
You ever play Putt Putt?
*47:11*
No.
*47:12*
Oh, Putt Putt was awesome.
*47:13*
That's cute.
*47:15*
Yeah, Putt Putt was great.
*47:16*
So I remember these are like my early PC memories with playing games like those.
*47:17*
But you you guys went particularly hard into the Sims.
*47:24*
Oh The Sims, yeah.
*47:30*
I remember going into um
*47:31*
stores and getting the new Sims pack and like every birthday or whatever, like we got a new Sims pack and it was like, Oh my gosh, this one's got pets.
*47:35*
We can have pets now.
*47:44*
Yeah.
*47:46*
Or this one is a seasons.
*47:46*
Oh my gosh, now we have seasons.
*47:48*
So it felt like we were just consistently unlocking new things and that one mythical pack or whatever where you get to be a vampire, whatever like all of that, it just felt magical because
*47:49*
we reach Sims to the highest potential we could reach at one point and then they would come out with an expansion pack and that expansion pack was like the go.
*48:01*
And then
*48:11*
College?
*48:12*
When you could go to college?
*48:13*
Yeah.
*48:15*
Okay, that oh my gosh, it was all great.
*48:16*
So then I'm curious.
*48:19*
I think I know the answer.
*48:21*
Were you like following Sims 2 news or was this more of a moment you'd walk into a store and see a box on a shelf you had never seen before?
*48:23*
No, we had news.
*48:32*
I don't remember how we got the news, but I remember knowing when they were
*48:33*
released.
*48:36*
Oh so you probably three you had your finger on the pulse.
*48:37*
Yes.
*48:40*
Because I rem it may have been through the Sims boxes like they show in the next I don't remember.
*48:41*
Okay.
*48:47*
I don't remember.
*48:47*
Did you ever walk into a store and see a Sims 2 box and go, I've never heard of this expansion.
*48:48*
I need it right now.
*48:53*
Yes.
*48:54*
But they were usually with the small ones where it was like the IKEA one.
*48:55*
It was like yeah, and it was just a bit too expensive for what it was.
*48:59*
Like IKEA, I'm not spending twenty dollars on IKEA when I can save money to go buy
*49:03*
The college one or whatever it was.
*49:09*
But you do have the IKEA one, so you did spend Eventually.
*49:11*
It was probably a gift.
*49:14*
I probably didn't go out there and unless I was desperate for new
*49:15*
And then custom content became a thing where you could just download crap off the internet.
*49:20*
Uh-huh.
*49:25*
And then it was like, why do why are we buying all these expansion packs?
*49:25*
When can't when I can just like download random people's coded
*49:28*
outfits or whatever.
*49:33*
And then that opened up a whole other world.
*49:35*
And then all of a sudden cheats became a thing and you could max out your money, whatever.
*49:37*
So Sims just had so much potential in it.
*49:42*
And it still makes me excited to even
*49:45*
talk about the Sims because it was such a big part of growing up.
*49:47*
And it was one of those things where my sister and I would fight over
*49:51*
the computer and we literally made coupons for each other for this is my computer time, this is your computer time.
*49:55*
And we actually split the Sims into Rebecca, you are going to uh make the buildings
*50:03*
in the houses because I didn't want to design the houses and then I would move people in and actually play storyline type thing.
*50:09*
Yeah.
*50:19*
I I never played the Sims.
*50:19*
But I do understand their importance and it is a it is a transformative series.
*50:22*
I've watched design essays and stuff on like the AI behind them.
*50:26*
I understand the Sims importance.
*50:30*
It so then like I know you've played a little bit of the Sims 4 on your laptop that really shouldn't have been running.
*50:33*
The Sims 4.
*50:44*
Why?
*50:45*
Why do you not have piles of Sims 3, Sims 4 boxes of stuff?
*50:48*
Like what
*50:52*
I guess why did you not stick with it?
*50:55*
I think I just put so much stock into Sims 2.
*50:59*
Like those graphics were the graphics I wanted.
*51:02*
I didn't want this updated, gorped looking people for Sims 3 and Sims 4.
*51:04*
I didn't want
*51:11*
to follow all of that.
*51:12*
I just wanted my nostalgic to I wanted to feel like I was building on the same thing.
*51:14*
I already built on.
*51:21*
So it just felt like starting over.
*51:22*
It didn't feel like it was part of the same series.
*51:24*
It felt like they were trying too hard to make it new and fresh.
*51:26*
And so then why don't you feel that way about Animal Crossing?
*51:30*
Cause you have prison on Animal Crossing Wild World.
*51:34*
But they're different enough.
*51:39*
Like Sims, I feel like it's so open world.
*51:40*
And there's still like characters you build on your own, all this stuff with Animal Crossing, it's different settings.
*51:45*
Right?
*51:53*
Like
*51:54*
city or island or and also I think Animal Crossing isn't it more spaced out?
*51:55*
Like Sims, I don't know, maybe it's not.
*52:02*
And different devices.
*52:06*
That was that that's actually what I wanted to pull on here.
*52:08*
Right.
*52:13*
Switch Animal Crossing New Horizons came out at the perfect time.
*52:13*
For the entire world with COVID and the Switch really launched it in a thriving scene.
*52:17*
But you had Animal Crossing on the DS Wild World.
*52:23*
prison we have that safe backed up we have the box we have everything preserved you obviously you did never had a game cube so you never played the first Animal Crossing
*52:29*
You guys do and did have a Wii, but you never pursued city folk.
*52:40*
Am I right?
*52:47*
You never played the Wii one.
*52:47*
See, the thing was with the Wii, it was always family games.
*52:49*
games for the most part.
*52:52*
It was like if you're playing the Wii, it's up on the big TV, you know, and everyone's watching it.
*52:53*
It didn't feel like an Animal Crossing type game.
*53:00*
it called like environment atmosphere.
*53:05*
Like we were playing Wii Sports, we were playing monkey ball, we were playing Spyro, we were watching each other on it.
*53:08*
It just
*53:15*
It didn't feel like it was a big thing.
*53:16*
It was a family thing.
*53:18*
Yeah.
*53:19*
So so like the consoles on the TV, those were more family sister bonding time things, but the PC
*53:20*
Was the individual or the DS, which was a personal portable console.
*53:29*
DS was where I think I launched a lot of my individual love for gaming because
*53:33*
There was the one Christmas or birthday or whatever and my parents were like, you can either get an MP3 player or you can get a Nintendo DS because we were both interested in
*53:41*
both things and so my sister got the mp3 player that she wanted and I very much wanted a Nintendo DS the pink metallic one specifically
*53:52*
And we have it sitting right up there.
*54:00*
And I'm still so proud of myself for not getting that pastel pink, non-shiny one.
*54:02*
The metallic finish is very nice and you you guys put like a sticker protective thing over everything and I peeled it all off.
*54:09*
And it's in pristine condition.
*54:17*
I wish you you guys might have the box somewhere.
*54:19*
I took care of my thing.
*54:21*
You did.
*54:22*
Your DS was in pristine.
*54:23*
My original DS, the hinge broke.
*54:24*
Eventually the top screen broke.
*54:26*
Yeah.
*54:28*
It was a d it was a sad time.
*54:29*
I still have the box for it though.
*54:31*
I still have the boxes for all those things.
*54:33*
I just want to do that.
*54:34*
I always brought mine around in a carrying case and stuff.
*54:35*
Yeah.
*54:38*
So it was always fashion, diner dash I had life simulation stuff.
*54:40*
Yes, like taking care of pets or babies or zooing.
*54:46*
animals or storyline like but all very free world pick it up put it down whenever you kind of feel
*54:49*
like.
*54:57*
Yeah.
*54:58*
Has there ever been a game or a type of game that you've you've wanted to play but you never
*54:59*
did play because either it was this isn't a game I want to play on the TV in the living room, it's not a party game, or like you just didn't have the means to get it or
*55:07*
There's one that was like Stardew.
*55:18*
I had a friend in college, Lewis, when I was in the house.
*55:20*
Harvest Moon.
*55:23*
Yes, Harvest Moon.
*55:24*
Um
*55:25*
'Cause he would play that all throughout immunology class and he would get A's on the test and I would just sit there and I'd watch him play and he was so into it and it reminded me of Stardew Valley.
*55:26*
So I've always kind of wanted to play that one
*55:37*
Mm-hmm.
*55:39*
And people would talk about that one.
*55:40*
There are a lot of those.
*55:42*
Anything not life or farming.
*55:43*
Because Stardew Stardew is a game I forgot that you've poured a ton of time into on the PC.
*55:48*
On the PC primarily.
*55:53*
You do have it on Switch, but you spent the bulk of your time on
*55:55*
Your PC.
*55:58*
You know, let me think of any games that are you can't look over at the shelf.
*55:59*
I'm just I'm curious what you I used to play those like Tony Hawk's games.
*56:04*
Yeah.
*56:09*
I don't know.
*56:11*
You don't have to here's here's something that we're actually we're doing again for the first time in almost a decade.
*56:12*
I'm actually
*56:20*
Getting some Facebook memories of getting some trophies because like I used to trophies used to publish to Facebook.
*56:21*
And so actually about
*56:28*
I'd have to look it up, but a decade ish or more ago, we were playing The Walking Dead season two.
*56:30*
And that was one of the things that we did fairly early on in our relationship together to spend time together and and
*56:36*
I think bond.
*56:42*
You probably were trying to bond with me over my hobby of gaming, but we would play those telltale.
*56:43*
But we also both enjoyed those.
*56:49*
We both were into the Walking Dead for sure.
*56:52*
Super into The Walking Dead.
*56:54*
And that's why I wanted to play.
*56:55*
And it was a choice game which followed kind of a storyline from The Walking Dead.
*56:57*
Yeah.
*57:02*
So those games.
*57:02*
Danger Cute.
*57:05*
So thank you.
*57:05*
Those games though, those decision games that we played, we played Walking Dead one and two.
*57:07*
Um The Wolf Among Us.
*57:15*
Firewatch.
*57:18*
I remember those.
*57:21*
I loved Firewatch.
*57:22*
Firewatch is very good.
*57:23*
We gotta replay that.
*57:24*
I've looked at getting it physically.
*57:26*
It's pretty expensive.
*57:27*
I I we own it digitally.
*57:30*
Yeah.
*57:32*
I've just it was one of those limited run type of games, I think actually from limited run games.
*57:32*
So it's like
*57:37*
Is it popular?
*57:38*
It's huge.
*57:40*
It's a huge deal.
*57:41*
Actually that studio, it's so s the story's gotta be told someday.
*57:41*
They announced a second game.
*57:45*
And it was gonna be like a archaeologist in Egypt type thing.
*57:48*
And then they got uh they basically all joined Valve, which is a hu
*57:53*
huge game company and they all just kind of got assigned to other projects and that game rude yeah that game will never come out now.
*57:57*
Valve is on
*58:05*
my poop list.
*58:06*
Sure.
*58:10*
I it is a game I think about like that law I forget what it was called.
*58:10*
Uh I'd have to look it up.
*58:14*
I remember the reveal trailer.
*58:16*
It's just I feel like we all lost something there.
*58:18*
And when they they were bought up by Valve and and joined those teams and started making stuff for Dota and Half-Life and all that stuff.
*58:21*
So
*58:28*
I mean they worked on cool things.
*58:29*
It's just that game never saw the light of day.
*58:31*
I think we played some other stuff.
*58:33*
I think I had you play Journey.
*58:35*
Was that the one following the flower or whatever?
*58:38*
We did play flower.
*58:41*
Oh flower is something developer, yeah.
*58:42*
But so there are a couple of things there.
*58:44*
But those decisions.
*58:46*
specific things to do.
*58:51*
I like watching you do them, which really became a big prevalent thing in our relationship.
*58:52*
And of course The Last of Us.
*58:57*
Which has been a this is a name the source of our child, so Yeah.
*58:59*
Kind of a big deal.
*59:05*
Yeah, but with The Walking Dead it was all about choice and you took control of the
*59:06*
the controls, like I'm just so bad at the controls, nor do I care to control the game.
*59:11*
So I think just being able to watch almost like a interactive television show.
*59:16*
Yeah, where we try to was make decisions together.
*59:21*
Yeah.
*59:24*
Yeah.
*59:24*
Yeah.
*59:24*
Those are fun.
*59:25*
And we're actually we're replaying it for the first time in over a decade.
*59:26*
We got all four seasons for 16 bucks.
*59:30*
Impressive.
*59:33*
It's good.
*59:34*
And it's all on the disc, which is important to me.
*59:35*
It didn't require download.
*59:37*
And I bought the Wolf of Munas the other day, same deal, so that we could replay that.
*59:39*
Because that's getting a sec a sequel.
*59:43*
Oh
*59:47*
Allegedly will be out.
*59:48*
I think they said this year, but I feel like it'll be next year.
*59:51*
Yeah.
*59:54*
It's already been delayed, so hopefully that's good.
*59:54*
Really looking forward to that actually.
*59:59*
I watched the trailer the other day.
*01:00:00*
It looks pretty good.
*01:00:02*
Do you remember when I got the last of those part two, like three days early?
*01:00:04*
Mm-hmm.
*01:00:09*
And we this was still summer of COVID.
*01:00:10*
So we both you were out of you weren't teaching.
*01:00:13*
I was furloughed.
*01:00:15*
And we just like closed the blinds.
*01:00:18*
Or and I j we played it like three
*01:00:20*
days.
*01:00:23*
We had no child.
*01:00:23*
I basically kept you a prisoner.
*01:00:24*
I was like, Abby, I'm playing this game.
*01:00:26*
I remember you basically saying, I'm doing this.
*01:00:27*
whether you joined me or not.
*01:00:31*
But if you would like to spend time with your husband, I'll be rotting on the couch playing this game.
*01:00:34*
It was
*01:00:39*
That was probably the last time I had a full like binge a full binge of a game.
*01:00:42*
Yeah.
*01:00:48*
And I don't know when I'll ever get that.
*01:00:49*
again.
*01:00:51*
Yeah.
*01:00:52*
It truly being furloughed during COVID was like I my situation specifically, I know it was ranges for people all over and was it was
*01:00:53*
the extremely difficult time for people.
*01:01:03*
But it was like the last summer vacation I'll ever have.
*01:01:04*
And I think also people were so scared with what was going on in the world.
*01:01:07*
They relied on things like that
*01:01:12*
that just to keep saying like you wanted to play that video game because it's it's a br it's a game that you love and you had the time, so why not?
*01:01:14*
Yeah.
*01:01:24*
I remember calling you because I already had I already had the collector's edition on pre-order and the PS4 Pro which came with the game and I'm standing in a mom and pop game sh game store and I'm like, babe, they have it.
*01:01:25*
They'll sell it to me.
*01:01:38*
I have to buy this third copy of the game.
*01:01:39*
I eventually sold that copy uh and recouped those costs because I sold it with the other PS4 that I was replacing.
*01:01:42*
I was like this man
*01:01:49*
is spending all our money.
*01:01:50*
But you were like, yes, I I called you f fervently.
*01:01:52*
It's like, you gotta pick up the phone.
*01:01:55*
I probably I probably would have bought it even if you didn't answer.
*01:01:57*
Yeah.
*01:02:00*
But I was like, you gotta let me buy this game.
*01:02:01*
So and uh it's so funny, I went there not to get The Last of Us, I went there to get SpongeBob.
*01:02:03*
Jeez.
*01:02:09*
Uh so I did that, I remember that.
*01:02:10*
But those
*01:02:12*
I love playing those types of games with you.
*01:02:13*
Yeah.
*01:02:16*
Where we can specifically the choice ones, because it does feel like you have
*01:02:16*
Oh, the quarry.
*01:02:21*
Do you remember playing the quarry together?
*01:02:23*
Oh, the the teen thing?
*01:02:25*
The teen horror camp slasher.
*01:02:27*
That was my favorite.
*01:02:28*
Like I know we have a tie to Walking Dead and all that, but like
*01:02:29*
That was baller.
*01:02:33*
So you know do you remember when I did the guide for Until Dawn, the other team?
*01:02:34*
They're re-releasing that this fall on PS5, like updated graphics and all that stuff.
*01:02:39*
I haven't played that game
*01:02:45*
Dude, we should play it again.
*01:02:46*
I've been thinking about that we should buy it because you I think played maybe like you sat for a couple of pieces, but because it was work, I was just playing.
*01:02:47*
Yeah, you had to jump right in.
*01:02:56*
But now
*01:02:58*
I mean I haven't played that game.
*01:02:59*
That was the game that kind of put them on the map of horror decision games.
*01:03:04*
So
*01:03:09*
So like the quarry is a spiritual successor to Until Bug.
*01:03:10*
Teens teens dying.
*01:03:17*
All sorts of stuff.
*01:03:20*
Yeah.
*01:03:21*
But that's the fun.
*01:03:22*
That's what makes those fun.
*01:03:23*
I and it always oh they're all coming back to me.
*01:03:24*
Detroit Become Human?
*01:03:28*
Oh my gosh, when you replay that one too, that was like Your decision at the end, like you made one decision.
*01:03:30*
I remember specifically you made this decision.
*01:03:36*
I don't want to run it for people if they
*01:03:40*
don't play it.
*01:03:41*
You I know what decision it was.
*01:03:42*
Oh you do.
*01:03:44*
You remember specifically what because I just remember the consequence of it.
*01:03:45*
Spoilers for Detroit Become Human.
*01:03:51*
What do you think the decision Wasn't it like I killed the girl or no, I left her
*01:03:54*
You like left the girls That's where we the result ended up.
*01:03:59*
You made one decision and basically suddenly everyone got the bad ending.
*01:04:05*
the the the robot from Gray's Anatomy, he died.
*01:04:10*
Yeah.
*01:04:15*
You I was just like, Kara Kara got stuck
*01:04:16*
Alone at a dump for androids, like in the rain.
*01:04:20*
She's alone all of a sudden without anyone.
*01:04:24*
Yeah.
*01:04:27*
And the other
*01:04:27*
I forget the other character, the detective, he probably died too.
*01:04:28*
Like one decision and it quickly just went to the end.
*01:04:32*
But then it went to the end game and it showed the
*01:04:34*
The results of how many people made that choice.
*01:04:37*
Maybe I was just in a mood like just end it all, man.
*01:04:42*
I'm done.
*01:04:45*
It was b so bad.
*01:04:45*
But then also we played
*01:04:47*
After that, I played with you heavy rain.
*01:04:49*
Jason!
*01:04:54*
Yes.
*01:04:55*
Jason!
*01:04:55*
Child in the
*01:04:57*
them all.
*01:04:58*
And f it was the first time I I got a good ending in that game.
*01:04:59*
I like those games.
*01:05:03*
Yeah, those are fun.
*01:05:04*
Those are so fun.
*01:05:05*
We're pretty That's really how we should spend our time.
*01:05:06*
We don't have should we wrap up the show and go play the walking book?
*01:05:10*
Let's go.
*01:05:13*
All right, bye guys.
*01:05:14*
Bye Dees.
*01:05:15*
Thank you all so much.
*01:05:16*
Um I mean we could.
*01:05:18*
It's been an hour and five minutes or something.
*01:05:23*
Do you want to talk about anything else?
*01:05:26*
Uh we could save it all for the next time you're on the show.
*01:05:28*
I didn't expect to talk about podcasts for so long.
*01:05:30*
On the podcast.
*01:05:32*
Am I on the show again?
*01:05:33*
Mm b the annual Christmas special.
*01:05:35*
Oh, Christmas in July.
*01:05:38*
Christmas in July.
*01:05:39*
Up to you.
*01:05:42*
Do you want to?
*01:05:43*
What time is it?
*01:05:43*
I don't want my watch.
*01:05:44*
What'd it say?
*01:05:45*
Oh, it's ten o'clock.
*01:05:46*
Oh no, it's ten o'clock, yeah.
*01:05:47*
It's my bedtime.
*01:05:48*
Yeah, I saw your notification.
*01:05:49*
Oh yeah, sleep mode did come on.
*01:05:51*
That was like an hour ago.
*01:05:53*
Uh no, it comes on at quarter till, so that was twenty minutes ago.
*01:05:55*
Oh, felt like an hour ago.
*01:05:59*
Wow.
*01:06:01*
Thank you all so much for listening.
*01:06:05*
Um
*01:06:06*
I normally this is where I would like talk about my guests and where you can find them online and all the things, but uh my wife.
*01:06:08*
Is at my house.
*01:06:16*
You can find her at my house.
*01:06:17*
Don't come find me at my house.
*01:06:18*
Don't put out our address, please.
*01:06:20*
She uh
*01:06:22*
Doesn't really do anything.
*01:06:24*
There's a TikTok with coffees.
*01:06:26*
Oh, I was gonna say do anything online.
*01:06:27*
Wow, I don't do a single thing.
*01:06:29*
Online.
*01:06:31*
I'm online.
*01:06:32*
present.
*01:06:34*
You have a TikTok where you do your coffee videos.
*01:06:34*
Right.
*01:06:37*
You do have a YouTube channel, uh Mrs.
*01:06:38*
Roberts Science Lab where you do middle school.
*01:06:40*
Science experiments.
*01:06:44*
You did a couple of them for the summer here.
*01:06:45*
Five, yeah.
*01:06:47*
Yeah.
*01:06:48*
So if you have middle school-aged kids that want some science experiments, that's probably a good pla thing to check out.
*01:06:48*
Um if you'd like to follow me, you can find all my writing over at maxfrequency.
*01:06:55*
net and listen to this and my other show, Chapter Select, a seasonal podcast where we bounce.
*01:07:00*
back and forth between a series exploring its evolution design and legacy.
*01:07:06*
Uh rolling out a bunch of episodes right now from the backlog with extended bonus content and all that jazz.
*01:07:12*
So
*01:07:19*
Make sure you check all that stuff out.
*01:07:20*
But I think that'll do it.
*01:07:23*
And until next time, adios.
*01:07:25*