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Showing posts with label star wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label star wars. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

In My Footsteps Podcast Episode 223: Toy Story Turns 30, The Worst Christmas Specials Ever, A Video Game That Sold 27 Copies?(12-10-2025)

 


Order a copy of my debut film, Cape Cod Cthulhu!

The 30th anniversary of a movie that changed the industry. Some of the worst Christmas specials ever made. A video game that might have only sold 27 copies?

Episode 223 is leaving the gift of GenX nostalgia under the tree.

It all begins with a look back at a movie that changed the industry. Toy Story could have been just another animated film, but instead it ushered in a whole new way of creating hit movies. 30 years ago it burst onto the scene and nothing was the same. We take a look back at what made this film so groundbreaking.

Some video games smash sales records. Then there is Uncle Henry's Playground. Is it true that this game only sold 27 copies in the U.S.? It's hard to say for sure but the fact is this game has become a punchline and a curiosity in the nearly 30 years since it was released to crickets.

Like lumps of coal in a stocking, this week's Top 5 is filled with things you wouldn't want to see. We will look at some of the worst Christmas specials ever produced. Poor stories, poor animation, and nonsensical descriptions are all represented on this list.

There is a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule, looking back at the tragic death of music legend John Lennon.

You can support my work by becoming a member on Patreon. Or you can Buy Me A Coffee!

Helpful Links from this Episode

Listen to Episode 222 here

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

In My Footsteps Podcast Episode 221: The Rise & Fall of Milli Vanilli, Calvin and Hobbes Turns 40, Me v. AI 1970s Movie Soundtracks(11-19-2025)

 


The meteoric rise and sudden fall of Milli Vanilli. The 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking Calvin and Hobbes comics. A battle for supremacy with AI over 1970s movie soundtracks.

Episode 221 is the appetizer of GenX nostalgia before Thanksgiving week.

We start with a rise and fall for the ages. Imagine going from on top of the world to being dropped by your record label in an instant. That is what happened to the pop duo Milli Vanilli 35 years ago this week. In one of the most infamous scandals in music history, a chart-topping group was exposed as frauds and ostracized from the industry. We do a deep dive into the unbelievable but true story of Milli Vanilli.

40 years ago this week a new comic strip debuted and changed the way people viewed them. Calvin and Hobbes brought insight and thought-provoking conversations to the typically simple world of newspaper comics. A little boy and his stuffed tiger burst onto the scene, made an immense impact, and then retreated into history, all within the span of a decade. It's a 40th anniversary celebration of the beloved comic strip this week.

Me v. AI Top 5 returns with a bang and maybe some funky dance moves. I battle ChatGPT over the best 1970s movie soundtracks while a pair of computer programs battle over who gets to read the AI answers.

There is a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule, where we look back at the creation of the beloved teddy bear.

You can support my work by becoming a member on Patreon. Or you can Buy Me A Coffee!

Helpful Links from this Episode

Listen to Episode 220 here

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Initial Impressions 2.0 #3: Relatively Normal, Hot Dog Skin, Snow Picnic Outside, etc.


#3: Relatively Normal


1. I took a drive to the closest Walmart(a 40-minute drive). While there I did several laps around the store. I think I was taking my time to see if anything Walmart-y would happen. You know what I mean. Sadly I was disappointed as even though it was crowded everyone there was (relatively) normal. Booo.


How I thought Walmart would look.



2. So much respect for the Kansas City Chiefs winning their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 years. Mahomes, Kelce, Andy Reid, they’re all worthy of being considered some of the best ever at their jobs. However...being from New England I just lived through watching the Patriots win 6 Super Bowls and Tom Brady has 7 rings, so any GOAT talk starts and ends with them still at this time.


3. I am at the age where I don’t enjoy driving in the snow, partially because I have a Toyota that doesn’t handle well with more than an inch or two of snow. However, all of that goes out the window if I am already out in the snow driving. Then I need to stop and get as many photos and videos of the weather, to hell with whether I am safe or not. Dedication to the Craft.


4. The first real snow Cape Cod has seen in 2 years and my shoveling experience went like this. Stepped out the front door around 4pm, within 10 seconds the neighbor had a tree fall, land on/near their car, and take their wires down. Luckily our power stayed on. Spent an hour shoveling 6” of heavy cement snow after foolishly doing an hour-long lifting session at the gym in the morning. Then after a beauty of a sunset, a coyote began running back and forth across the road from the woods to a neighbor’s yard and back. Just another story from the Seinfeld episode that is my daily life.


The pink-ish sunset after the snowstorm.


5. Having been out of the dating scene for several years I find myself now indifferent toward Valentine’s Day. I don’t hate it like I did for a while, but I also don’t really care. I hope those who celebrated enjoyed it, I hope those who didn’t celebrate (like me) had a fun Wednesday.


6. Driving in the sun after a snowstorm is tough on the eyes even with sunglasses on. It was so blindingly bright that I was debating wearing a sleeping eye mask and using the Force to drive home from work. Maybe next time.


Use the Force, Luke



7. This week saw the 10th anniversary of the first author event I did for my very first book. It’s still somewhat unbelievable that a shy introverted new author actually had people come out to the Osterville Library to hear him speak about something he worked so hard on. I still remember who was there and all of the moments like it was yesterday. My mother and three sisters were my backbone. My aunt and cousin were the extra sprinkles on the sundae. The topper was the fact that my Grampa, my hero and role model was so proud and so excited for my event that he was actually there before me and was waiting. I made a little video to commemorate that day: First Author Event - 10 Years Later


8. I am actually mildly surprised that people still use tanning beds in 2024 knowing all of the potential dangers. I saw a guy use one at the gym this week. I would think the fact that his skin looks like a three-week-old cooked hot dog might make him think about his choices but nope he must think it looks normal.


Time for another tanning bed session.



9. Have you ever had articles of clothing in your wardrobe that you honestly have no idea of where you got them? I have a couple of pairs of socks that I wear to bed in winter that I think just magically showed up one day in my drawer. I have no clue how I got them, but I do like them so that’s a bonus.


10. Sometimes you have to hold on to the hope/belief that when the time is right whatever you’re waiting for will happen. Whether a career break, a relationship, or something else. Still, as the years keep passing by you also are allowed to wonder if there is a such thing as a ‘right time’ and how long you should keep holding on to hope.



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