The Real Brian Show

Do you like a lot of nerdy things, but don’t necessarily consider yourself a nerd? If so, you’ll fit in right here. Some of us nerds, some of us aren’t, but the important thing is where we intersect… because at that intersect is NERD NATION! Captain Influence is back to help Brian break down what it actually means to be a "renaissance nerd". In This Episode College Sports Followin' the money Renaissance Nerd Not necessarily nerdy... Manifest, M.A.R.S. Renaissance Nerd The Renaissance Nerd. Have you heard us throw this around before? If you've been listening long enough, chances are you have! I've heard Brian use it a lot and though at first it didn't strike me as in a particular way, it's growing on me. In my experience, Renaissance is usually closely followed by the word Festival (which to some is like saying Comic Con, eh?). And it isn't even that I've necessarily had bad experiences at Renaissance Festivals, it's just that I tend to associate them with a very particular kind of person. Not unlike those w

We pull them back because there’s never enough time to get through everything! Welcome back Lord Thunder and Mr. What? to chat about Tesla, new movies and video games! In This Episode Mr. What? has a brand new TESLA! Venom, A Star is Born Spending time on the Keto diet Remember SeaQuest?? GAMES! Spider-Man, Rise of the Tomb Raider Tesla As Tesla cars are in such high demand, it's always cool to hear someone talk about getting behind the wheel of one for the first time! One of my co-workers has a Tesla and riding in it never disappoints. He's got the full solar hook-ups, as it sounds like Mr. What? is intending on installing, so it basically costs him nothing. He plans trips based on charging stations... and gets around Minneapolis in style! Despite whatever weird news is circulating about Elon Musk, the Model S is quite the vehicle. High safety ratings, all-time high ranges between charges... sleek design. It is thrusting us into the future in a way I wasn't really expecting. For so long, we all kinda laugh

Happy October! And welcome back to The Real Brian Show where after over a month, Captain Influence is finally gracing us with his presence... and a full cup of gag-worthy Folgers. But we love him and his silly drink preferences because he brings a fun and energy to rival Brian's! Other than professing our love for this time of year, we dig into some movies, some games, and talk a bit about our observations in watching people {try to} communicate. In This Episode Fall is HERE! Communication... and lack thereof Love yourself, love others Guild Wars 2 Movie review Predator Ice Cream Ice cream? Ice cream in October? I drove 2 1/2 hours north yesterday, to spend the rest of the week working from my family's cabin, and it was snowing on the way up. Tornado warnings in Minneapolis, snow 155 miles north. Yessir, this is Minnesota. No, I will not be eating ice cream... ...unless it is served with APPLE CRISP. Yes, this is my favorite time of year because apple orchards and apple crisp. The key to every apple crisp r

Old friend, but new to the show, we welcome Andrew Alliance and his dazzling personality to the Real Brian Show! Andrew co-hosts a gaming podcast called The Show Radio (links below) and a large focus of this episode is around gaming, but through a very unique lens. We're talking about why we do what we do, about the impact we have on the people around us, and why it's important to adopt the mantra "you do you". In This Episode Welcome, Andrew! Andrew's story You Do You Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption Having an impact... You Do You My favorite line from Andrew in this episode is, "Play what you love and don't look for validation from someone else for why you play the games that you like." You do you! It's a statement that can be broadly applied to hobbies and interests... we apologize for what we love to do. Judgment will always come from the outside, whether it's from folks who think we're "not real fans" if X-Y-Z or think that if you love one game you couldn't possibly love another. Nerding out and geeking

After being frozen in carbonite for an unspecified amount of time in an undisclosed place, Miss Ice emerged! In a world dripping with options, it wouldn’t hurt us to be picky and choosy from time to time! Miss Ice joins The Real Brian to talk about broadening our perspectives and how being selective isn’t really a bad thing. In This Episode Peppermint and Predator Taking a break from TV Sports! Thoughts on perspective Brian's on the Matt Bellamy bandwagon! Picky and Choosy We should be picky and choosy. The first time this was said to me was at work, when we were under a barrage of requests to get certain aspects of our applications enhanced or built-out. The department's product owner started saying this and at first it was really hard to dispel the angry, frustrated voices who'd been trying to push their own agendas and were falling flat. But then, as we became pickier and choosier, it finally gave us time to start flexing our muscles and show our internal clients that we hear what's causing them pain, bu

We crush a lot of topics this week with the help of crowd favorites Lord Thunder and Mr. What! From Tesla to Subnautica to marriage advice, nothing is out of scope for what we like to talk about. And yes, you'll learn just why our biceps are bulging with power. There's also a special appearance from a very special person in Brian's life.... In This Episode Whatchoo drinkin'? Tesla Takin' a drive Subnautica, Spider-Man Marriage insights Lord Thunder is crushin'... Bulging With Power How about this guy, huh? Here's Lord Thunder, once confused about what this newfangled device is... used to speak to others across time and space. No, Mr. Thunder, that is not what the microphone is for. Like Lord Thunder, I have a big voice-crush on Matt Bellamy of Muse. As if I need a real reason to think so, I find his style of songwriting to be extremely clever and unique, something that is impossible for another band to reproduce. If you're interested in songwriting, check out this video released by Holistic Songwriting ear

Can you see the good in bad? It can be one of the most difficult and rewarding challenges in life. Not to live in the past, but learn from it. Not to obsess over mistakes, but grow because of them. Brian and Tony dig into the meat of this concept and also into our other, familiar nerdy topics! In This Episode End of Summer thingz Steamboat Tread of Pioneers Museum Are things really getting "worse"? Nothing new under the sun! Self-inflicted burdens Gaming We're looking forward to Predator! Good in Bad "Instead of complaining that the rose bush is full of thorns, be happy the thorn bush has roses." Sometimes we get sucked into negativity and before we know it, we're going along with the hoard. The hoard can be horrible and the mood of that hoard contagious. We throw out quotes, like the one above, or idioms like 'is the glass half full or half empty?' in order to glean some insight into someone else's mindset, but often the bad can creep into our lives and minds in ways we're not expecting. Before you go an

Dark vs light is just one preferential pairs we debate when it comes to our media consumption. Do you like it miserable and edgy like Mr. What and Lord Thunder? Or uplifting and positive like Brian? Oh, and welcome to Jason Cabassi! In This Episode Welcome, Jason Cabassi and Lord Thunder First things first... Jason needs a superhero name Brief history on the Jason/Brian friendship Why Walking Dead fell off the rails Dark vs Light: what are we drawn to? Revisiting the Enneagram Virtual Reality Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil 2 Dark vs Light Interestingly, it's not a conversation we've had a lot on this show... even though it's totally right up our alley. This trio of hosts provides an ideal makeup of individuals falling on both sides of the spectrum and the guys have an insightful conversation about what it is about movies and television with dark thematic elements that draws them in. Brian shares why he prefers lighter, more positive content. Before we make Brian sound like a delicate flower, let's mak

Do you like grenades and ham? Do you… wait, what? No, not grenades. GREEN EGGS. We sort out this confusion and much more with Brian, Tony and Rob! Got some more dentist stories and updates on No Man's Sky... plus a meaty discussion on how the opinions and advice of others can affect the way we do life. In This Episode The smoke! Ahhh the smoke. Stories from the Molinator Project 1999 Everquest, No Man's Sky Serious question: should we buy gas masks? Curiosity didn't kill the cat, Brian did! Grow up? Grenades and Ham We are all victims of our environment! Or, are we a product of our environment? Nurture vs nature, the age-old question, is greatly influenced by our perspective on whether we are victims or products. It's like, is the glass half-empty or half-full? Brian's three personal pillars, of what he wants out of life, have driven him and focused him in his pursuits, which ironically (and appropriately!) means not getting boxed in. This show is dedicated to people who have a variety of interests, who lik

We’re pleased to welcome back Robbie, aka Dr. RobDog, the dentist saving everyone’s smile and embodying that positive force for good. Don't worry, when we talk about cavity searches... we're talking literally. We've got a lot to nerd out about in this episode! Gluten-free living, thoughts from re-watching a beloved superhero film, and more dentistry awesomeness. In This Episode... Dr. RobDog IS Batman Fanmail for Dr. RobDog Madame Grey Tea The Dark Knight - a rewatch Anger: handling it A Positive Force "I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times..." Patrick Steward Captain Picard That's right, folks, Captain Picard is making a live-action return to the small screen! Patrick Steward will reprise his role as the iconic Star Trek character and, as such, has since had a lot of positive things to say about the opportunity. As much as we all like to say we enjoy the dark thematic elements th

Lemon pledge might solve your furnishing polish needs, but we recommend you stop there. We do not recommend sniffing it to relieve pain! The truth is, we're all a bit like Consuela... we all need more lemon pledge. We also need to nerd out on stuff, right? So we've got a great lineup of topics for you in this episode, courtesy of Brian and Tony! In This Episode... Lactaid milk Health tips from around the community Brainstorming "themed" episodes No Man's Sky Star Trek Discovery Black Lightning Lemon Pledge This product has a long history. One of the earliest televised advertisements appeared in 1966, the tagline for the product being "beauty of waxing with none of the work". The purpose of it is to dust and clean furniture, and really not much about that has changed in the last 60 years. Unlike technology or fashion, the only things that have changed about cleaning products from generation to generation are the active agents that make it do what it's designed for. (And branding, I suppose!) Products become

There is an art to dentisting, did you know? Well, now you will! A special welcome to Dr. RobDog, long time friend first time host. We're going to hear some awesome stories about going to the dentist, tips for keeping those chompers in decent shape, and of course... venturing deep into the nerd world with some chatter about Ant-Man and the Wasp and gaming. In This Episode Welcome Dr. RobDog! A Brief History of Friendship Dentisting Stories from the field No Man's Sky... redeemed? Dentisting It's quite a coincidence that Dr. RobDog is this week's guest host. I was recently informed that my dentist of 31 years (aka my whole life) has just retired and now... I need to find a new dentist. My dentist was also the dentist for most of my family... everyone who lives relatively near Minneapolis anyway. He sold his business to his daughter, who also consumed his clientele. My problem is, I was really only going because I've always gone to that dentist, but it's not very convenient for where I live. Going to the dent

A big welcome back to Green Butterfly! Our hosting trio has an amazing discussion ready for you… We’re talking STAR WARS! Specifically, the Disneyworld experience. We promise we won’t ruin it for you, only help guide you toward a rewarding visit! In This Episode… Welcome back, Green Butterfly! Homemade ice cream Likeability and relevance Birthday in Disneyworld The low-down on Star Wars in Disneyworld Twitch In this week's episode, Green Butterfly dials it up a notch by giving us a full rundown of her experiences at Disneyworld's Hollywood Studios. Turns out, it is TOTALLY possible to have a good time and have a full experience without forking over $100. If this trip interests you, you're going to want to take notes. Also, because they're talking about homemade ice cream... I figured I should leave my personal favorite ice cream recipe here. Because... it's July. The best part about this recipe is that after it comes out of the ice cream machine (and sits in the freezer for an hour or two) you can literally

This is it! The episode you've been waiting for... the episode where we really break down the marvel movies and think about what is essential viewing. You won't be surprised that there are several approaches from our various hosts. One method will undoubtedly be the flavor you're craving. A special welcome to SpiderPan who brings a unique flair to the episode's quartet! In This Episode... Welcome SpiderPan! Marvel Movie Showdown: Paths through the darkness Essential Marvel viewing Espresso Shot: We become more of what we focus on Star Trek Bridge Crew Marvel Movie Showdown In the immortal words of Robert Frost... Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both. Every path through a massive movie epoch is different, particularly when we don't buy into the fad right away. Perhaps you come to the marvel movie franchise having seen a handful. You liked Iron Man when it came out, then that first Captain America movie was awesome, but you didn't see another until Guardians of the Galaxy (be

Our episode this week is a little shorter than usual due to Independence Day here in the U.S. We've still got plenty of good content for you, including some opinions on the new Jurassic World and the TV series we're into right now. In This Episode... Fireworks Folgers Crystals Jurassic World Spiders? Salvation, Lost in Space Gaming Fireworks It's safe to say that fireworks go off whenever we start nerding out about something! Wherever you are, we hope you're enjoying your Friday. Here in the United States we are observed Independence Day on Wednesday, so many of us are traveling or prepping for travel. But that doesn't mean we can't take a half hour and nerd out! The guys talk about Jurassic World 2: Fallen Kingdom, Salvation and Lost In Space, so I'll let them talk about those. I am super psyched because 12 Monkeys is airing its final season. This weekend will be the final 2 installments (they aired over the course of the previous 3 weekends as well). The final season, for me, is totally nailing it. They u

Welcome back to The Real Brian Show! We're excited to have Mangodroplet back in this episode, now fully transplanted in LA, joining our regulars, Tony and Brian! Steep a nice cup of tea, sit back and relax, and join us for another Superhero Friday ride with The Real Brian crew. In This Episode... What we're drinking... Giving energy, getting energy Virtual Reality... and other games Lactaid ice cream Milk...milk...milk... Electric bikes Lost in Space, Salvation Jurassic World, Oceans 8, Uncle Drew Links Bad Lip Reading The Royal Wedding Bad Lip Reading NBA Playoffs Highlights from the South Korea / Germany game where Germany lost in epic fashion

Welcome back to The Real Brian Show! Before getting started, I'll just take a quick moment to apologize for not communicating about no episode last week. It was on both our radars to blast something somewhere, but it got away from us! Brian made a trip to Vegas for HxGN Live (Hexagon International Conference) and will have some stories to share, and for good measure we're also throwing in the usual frivolity from Captain Influence. In This Episode Yeah... about last week... VEGAS! A lesson in preparing trout Stress = Dizziness & heart palps?? An emphasis on stress Lost in Space, Salvation, Altered Carbon What Happens in Vegas... Finding relief from stress in Vegas might not be exactly how you're expecting! Generally, the whole "let's go to Vegas for the weekend" bit is more specific to the casinos or endless nighttime entertainment. But in the case of our own Real Brian, the relief likely came on the heels of anticipation. Between extended alone time, dealing with crabby and rude drivers, and preparing

What do Star Wars, LeBron James and mind over matter have in common? We talk about them all in this installment of the podcast! It's time to talk mind over matter with Brian and Tony! In This Episode Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park Stupid behavior around elk.... Angel Armor Lessons learned from the NBA Star Wars: A Solo Story Mind Over Matter Since the majority of the conversation in this episode is specific to the new Star Wars movie Solo, I'll let Brian and Tony lead the way on that excellent discussion! My personal reaction to the movie was... too predictable. But, like Brian points out, that was likely due to lack of character depth in Kyra's character. Or, maybe not. If they'd gone more in depth into the character, it might have been more predictable. To be clear, I don't mind predictability. I don't like last minute, where-did-that-come-from twists that make no sense. I like a healthy balance of mystery and shock, where we can understand character arcs without actively wanting to predict

We live in a great time for television, and who better to help us navigate the crystalline waters than our beloved Podcast Overlord?! We're excited to welcome Kevin back to The Real Brian Show and catch up on his podcasts, his current watchlist, and what he's looking forward to this summer. In This Episode Welcome back, Podcast Overlord! Reminiscing... Wynonna Earp & the Fandom What's Hot? Learning about living with what happens Great Time Listening to Kevin and Brian chat brought me back. Way back. When I first started listening to podcasts, it was The Fringe Podcast and The Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. That was it. But The Fringe Podcast was my gateway drug to a whole new world, one which led me into getting behind the mic myself. Along that road I had the privilege and the pleasure to meet and work with Kevin. I've never met anyone quite like him, and I highly doubt I ever will. He likes what he likes and isn't afraid to come right out and say it, disregarding what anyone else thinks! He can rally

Are you sick of being told by "experts" or by "scientists" that you're too old to do something? We definitely are! If there's one thing we emphasize on this show, it's that you're only as old as you feel. Unless you feel like an infant, in which case we don't support that. In a world that like to complain that we're getting old too quickly, it seems that sometimes we confuse immature individuals taking part in an activity with the activity itself being immature. So with the help of CJ "Lord Thunder", we're going to dig into this shot of espresso and a ton more fun Friday stuff! In This Episode Welcome back Lord Thunder! Apple Watch Birthday celebrations Networking equipment... 13 Reasons Why (Season 2) What are YOU too old to still be doing? Too Old Epicurus once said: "Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance." As Lord Thunder accurately points out, just about anything we have access to in life, if over-used or abused, can kill us. And if not outright kill, then seriously damage our inte