From the Middle

#181. Have you ever wanted to get into the mind of a game creator? Jordan McLaughlin is the founder of Rookie Mage Games, a company producing clever card games for friends and family of all ages. We take some tangents including horror films, pizza, and mashed potatoes, but the bulk of this episode is us picking the creative brain behind some masterpieces of story telling. The beauty, as we find, behind the story telling of his games is the freedom for the player to create a visual world inside their own imagination as they relate to others to try to solve mysteries and stash nuts. We also get into some of the logistics behind producing games including manufacturing, troubleshooting, and navigating kickstarter. We know we have more in common to chat with Jordan about than one episode can hold, but Jordan, thank you for this one and we look forward to meeting you again and seeing what the future of Rookie Mage Games has in store.
Rookie Mage Games - https://www.rookiemage.com/
Rookie Mage Amazon Store - https://www.amazon.com/stores/RookieMageGames/page/08B0814E-C32F-4933-8225-C6D12072B18A?ref_=ast_bln
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#176. Caffeine is just a marketing ploy that doesn’t deliver on promises of stimulation. Or at least that’s what these three non-scientists are here to say. Also, truffle and caviar are just marketing ploys to get people to spend lots of money on things that taste gross. We’re not chefs. We’re not doctors. We are PODCASTERS! Podcasters are a lot like YouTubers, only we feel weird about cameras in public. Anyway, Kory is home from England and Switzerland and he updates us about the back end of his trip which includes what may be his new favorite city! After the break we catch up on some streaming and sticker spottings (Dillon saw a funny sticker on a truck traveling an Indiana freeway...and he describes in like only he can). What are we watching? Elvis, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, The Rings of Power, Picard, Welcome to Wrexham, and Dahmer - Monster. Have any weird or interesting thoughts or questions come to mind while listening? Head over to the socials, email, or voicemail/text number to let us know! Details are in the LinKTree below. Until next time, be kind to each other!
Main Landing Page - https://linktr.ee/fromthemidpod​​​​​​
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#178. Halloween is barely over, which is just another way of saying “Merry Christmas!” Or at least, it’s time to take a look at the movie trailer for A Christmas Story Christmas, the highly anticipated sequel to the classic Christmas Story film. We recommend checking out the sequel, but in the privacy of your own bathroom at home where you may listen at full volume without the judgement of the stranger in the neighboring stall. If you do have time to watch the film in a public restroom, there may be something wrong with you. Perhaps it’s just the fruit cake flavored Mt. Dew you sampled, or perhaps you should talk to your chiropractor. Enough bathroom talk. Now onto our streams. We have recently watched and offer some thoughts on The Patient, Only Murders in the Building, The Mole, and just to level things out, we share our thoughts on Kanye. What are your thoughts on Ye? How about movie sequels potentially ruining your love of the original? Any questions you’d like us to field? Let us know via the LinkTree below. Until next time, be kind to each other. Don’t shoot your eye out.
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#175. Smooth and sultry: two words to describe the timbre of what feels like our classiest hour. Dillon brings us to the mythical land of Scranton with his Dutch take on the working class via plastic sculpting. He calls it LEGO, The Office. Then he takes us on a ride around a German inspired faux pine on the Hogwarts Express. Kendall laments the rearing of children in solitude. Then after a pause, Kory reminisces on his adventures among Ye Olde historical establishments as he celebrates authentic European cuisine. Friends become victors and defeated in a race of fantasy chariots, which the local Bois of Burritos and travelers alike refer to as Mario Kart. ’Tis a smart episode. We hope you linger around to enjoy the volume to its end and then we implore you to visit the fabled LinkTree to partake in the sharing of story. Until we meet again, be benevolent to thy brethren.
Main Landing Page - https://linktr.ee/fromthemidpod​​​​​​
VOICE MAIL! Comment, ask a question, suggest topics - (614) 383-8412
Artius Man - https://artiusman.com​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4771230/advertisement

#183. It’s chow time! Dillon had an idea a while ago that we call “One Last Shot” where we would record eating foods we hate just to see if we maybe have changed our tastes since we’ve last tried them. Resulting from a wager on the Michigan vs Ohio State game, that idea has turned around to bite him and Kory as they eat themselves through a grid of terror. There is some relief built into the challenge, and a couple minds were indeed changed, but mostly what we experienced is horror or hilarity depending on which chair one was sitting in. In the back half we do a quick catch-up as Dillon’s home was rescued from carbon monoxide poison by the ever-comedic Dave. Kendall performed a hit-and-run on a deer, and Kory experienced some interesting reporting from the local Taco Bell news reporter. And then we get into the real heart of this episode as Lily, Kory’s daughter, takes us on a journey we would never expect as she shares a long kept secret from her childhood. No spoilers; you just absolutely have to let her story hit you. This one is a zoo of ups and downs and it’s totally worth your time. Share your related stories or unrelated topics via the LinkTree below! We enjoy calls, texts, emails, and the like! Until next time, be kind to each other ya filthy animals.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4771230/advertisement