I'd say it's a weird one but that's a lie, it's pretty normal for us. Victor is moving so Xhafer and Ben just record themselves hanging out. We decided this was better than missing a week.

Ope.

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Hello and welcome to last time on

2

this is the podcast where normally

we watch some prestige television,

3

skip a bunch of episodes, trying to

figure out what happened last time on.

4

But Vic is currently packing.

5

Ben and I tried to watch a movie.

6

We couldn't make it work and we didn't

want to go a week without an episode.

7

So it's just gonna be a podcast

of two white guys talking

8

about nothing in particular.

9

So

10

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Hey, hey.

11

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: if

you wanna skip this Don White-ish guys.

12

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

When you're in, when you're

13

at TSA, you are not white.

14

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

That's fair.

15

Uh, so just, we're hanging out.

16

We got some bourbon.

17

We actually haven't had a chance to

talk outside of recording Pod in weeks.

18

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

19

So

20

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Uh.

21

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

last time on colon Parasocial hangs.

22

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: We're

just doing a little pair of social hang.

23

Uh, so if this is not what you come

here for, uh, we understand and we do

24

not begrudge you and, uh, go listen

to something else on the network.

25

Go listen to some who

are you go listen to.

26

I think, I dunno if Cool girls is dropping

this week or if they're still on break.

27

Um,

28

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

know they've recorded the first episode.

29

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah,

30

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

if it's coming out yet,

31

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I don't think it is.

32

I think it's another week.

33

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

been able to watch the pilot of

34

Walker, Texas Ranger, which, whew.

35

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, I've, I've heard.

36

Um, but we're just sitting here,

we're sipping on some bourbons.

37

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

38

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Look at this fancy glass.

39

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh, that's nice.

40

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, so, uh, I got my birthday present,

41

uh, auspiciously early from Beth.

42

Um, given we're, we're months away.

43

Yeah.

44

Um, I had planned on not opening it, but

she told me that it was fragile and it

45

came with a giant dent in the side of the

box and we did have to contact customer

46

service and get some replacements.

47

So glad we didn't wait

till August to open it.

48

Um, but she got me a bunch of

really nice, uh, barware, uh,

49

drink glasses, all kinds of stuff.

50

Um, you'll see 'em next time

you're over, but, uh, yeah.

51

So I've, I've got a KY glass

here, uh, with some bardstown

52

bottled and bond weeded.

53

2018 right now is what I'm sipping on.

54

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I'm just drinking some

55

regular old Forester rye,

56

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I mean, hey, no, I'm not gonna yuck,

57

yums, oh god, ginger ale sounds good.

58

I could really go for some ERs.

59

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

was horribly sick last week,

60

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

61

I'm glad you're feeling better.

62

What'd you have?

63

Do you know?

64

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just a stomach flu,

65

although we did get lucky.

66

Uh, I should have known better

'cause it happened with Henry.

67

Henry was sick.

68

Good for a day, and then it

like, rebounded with a vengeance.

69

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

70

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

And we recorded our last episode

71

in my rebounded for a day,

72

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

73

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

and then I immediately got way worse than

74

I was prior to, uh, had one of the, had

one of those dark nights of the soul.

75

Um,

76

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I'm so sorry.

77

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

yeah.

78

But hey, better now.

79

Uh, and,

80

I've got ginger ale in

the house, so that's nice.

81

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Hell yeah.

82

That sounds good.

83

I should go get some,

I need to go do that.

84

And I need to go get some, uh, some Tums.

85

I'm out of Tums.

86

I might do that after

we're done recording.

87

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

while you're there, maybe

88

grab some veggie dogs.

89

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

90

Oh,

91

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just,

92

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: okay.

93

Yeah, no, it makes sense for,

uh, grill outs on Monday.

94

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah, we're doing Memorial Day

95

and uh, Beth is vegetarian,

96

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

97

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

my aunt in-law who is like,

98

don't buy any hot dogs.

99

I'll buy all the hot dogs.

100

I'm like, she ain't

bringing any veggie dogs.

101

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

She ain't bringing any veggie dogs.

102

That's fine.

103

Um, yeah, no, that's a good call.

104

Uh, we should do that anyways.

105

And even if they don't get

grilled that day, because there

106

are veggie dogs, the, you know,

107

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

you

108

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

we'll, we'll eat 'em later.

109

It's fine.

110

Yeah.

111

Um, man, it has been like over a

month though, since we've hung out.

112

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yes.

113

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: It,

it's, it's probably one of the longest

114

stretches of the last decade of us going

without seeing each other, uh, in person,

115

which is kind of weird to think about.

116

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

117

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: But

I guess it's a testament to just like

118

how much we see each other and hang out.

119

Um, because I was in Malta for

two weeks and then you were in

120

a play and then you were sick.

121

And so we each had two weeks where we were

not able to hang out for various reasons.

122

And

123

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

That's

124

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

now we're here.

125

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

But, uh, man, that multi

126

Tripp looked awesome.

127

Uh, really, like I'm always jealous

when I see pictures of somebody

128

else in a castle and I'm just like,

but I want to be in the castle.

129

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

um, I think I texted you this while

130

we were there, but of everyone I know

who would've enjoyed that trip, you

131

probably would've enjoyed it the most

out of anyone who wasn't on that trip.

132

Um, like we, uh, we had a tour guide

who is a, like, he's a civil servant.

133

He works for the country and

he's a historian and he just

134

does tours for people who sign

up for them that that's his job.

135

He.

136

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

my dream job.

137

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

He takes 'em when he wants to, uh,

138

he gets to go to all sites for free.

139

He gets, I mean, and he gets paid, you

know, uh, so his costs are very low.

140

He, the island itself, you can

get from one side to the other

141

in two hours tops, um, across the

entire country, very easily by car.

142

Um, and they also have a driver

'cause you need a chauffeur's

143

license to move people around there.

144

So he doesn't have to drive anywhere.

145

He just gets picked up and, yeah.

146

Uh, he was very, uh, very

informative and a very cool guy

147

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Neat.

148

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

uh, really made the vacation

149

in a lot of ways is.

150

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

151

I've always said my dream is when, and

this is like, okay, and I are millennials,

152

we're never going to be able to retire.

153

But if we could, my dream is to, uh, just

be a, uh, living reenactor up at one of

154

our, uh, uh, forts up in Michigan and

just like I spend all summer pretending to

155

be a French fur trapper and like that is

156

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, I, uh, I would love

157

to do some of that stuff.

158

There was a minute there, um,

where before I moved into it, the

159

job that I was really trying to go

after was with Quicken actually.

160

And, uh, they have a,

like city ambassador job

161

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yes.

162

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: where

your goal is to help relocate people to

163

the city and also show them around and

show them Detroit things and you like help

164

take them house shopping and stuff, but

also you're like exploring neighborhoods

165

and showing them cool places around.

166

And that would've been a fucking dream

gig for me just to like, welcome people

167

to Detroit, um, and show them around.

168

And I, I felt kinda uniquely qualified

for it because I had spent so

169

much time traveling other places.

170

That I could be all like, oh,

you're from this area, you

171

know, oh, you have this there.

172

Okay, you'll, this is an analog

that's similar kind of a thing.

173

Uh, but it didn't work out.

174

But I mean, all things considered,

uh, I don't imagine that job still

175

exists and, and it very much is

booming and it let me get into,

176

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

you

177

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

yeah, it let me get into AI and stuff and

178

I've done a lot of, I've done a lot in my

career and I've actually done some good,

179

so I ain't gonna complain about any of it.

180

Uh,

181

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

not a, a grammatical error.

182

He's actually done good things.

183

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah,

I've actually, I, I know I get on this, on

184

the Discord sometimes I get very defensive

about, uh, AI in general, uh, because

185

Mo almost a, any AI that any person

interacts with as an end user is evil.

186

Just, just gonna get that out there and

it's very frustrating to, uh, understand.

187

The actual like computing science

behind it and the math behind it.

188

And then to see things like what hit

the news yesterday where there is a

189

Claude model and there's all these,

uh, there's all these news articles

190

about how it threatened to blackmail

its creators rather than get taken

191

down and you read it and you're

like, oh God, AI is intelligent.

192

It's happened, the singularity.

193

And it's like, no.

194

What they did is they took one of

their models, they were curious what

195

it would do if it was threatened to

be taken down, and then it asked what

196

its options were and they gave it

a bunch, including blackmailing the

197

engineers as an option, and then they

fed it blackmail for those engineers.

198

And then when they threatened to

take it down and nothing else worked,

199

they were surprised it went to the

last resort option that it had told

200

it was the last resort with the

evidence it had fabricated for it.

201

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

202

Hey,

203

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Well.

204

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

we, we wrote a scenario that

205

ends like this and we're

surprised that it took the out.

206

Uh,

207

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

208

Calculator ads.

209

When you hit the edition button

like a fucking corset did.

210

That's what you programmed it to do.

211

Why are we talking about this?

212

This is dumb.

213

This is bait, click bullshit.

214

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

absolutely.

215

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, so it's frustrating to

216

see that stuff, but yeah.

217

Uh, there are, there are machine learning

programs and models that are doing

218

actual good things in the world and you

just don't know about them, I promise.

219

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

So I, I Jair is dancing around it.

220

He wrote something that like,

we detect when food is going

221

bad, so food doesn't go bad,

222

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

223

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

don't like, so like if bad food,

224

like before food gets go, go, you

know, goes bad, we can give it

225

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

226

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

and like, Hey, that's

227

vegetables to people.

228

That's

229

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

A hundred percent.

230

Yeah.

231

It, uh, it hypothetically is responsible

for feeding several million people a

232

year in food banks, so that's great.

233

Um, actual good.

234

It exists, I promise.

235

Um, yeah,

236

I dunno.

237

It feels braggadocious to talk about it.

238

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I know.

239

That's why I did it for you.

240

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I appreciate that.

241

I guess.

242

Um, it's the one place we'll talk

about it and then I will awkwardly

243

dance around it any other time anyone

asks, except in job interviews where

244

I will talk about it for forever.

245

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

for sure.

246

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I don't even think it's

247

on my LinkedIn profile.

248

It might be.

249

I don't remember.

250

Um, anyways,

251

they do puzzles now.

252

They've got games on LinkedIn.

253

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh.

254

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

And, uh, they're, I like 'em.

255

They, there's just one a day.

256

So you like do your one adays and

you've done, it's like Wordle, you

257

only get the one chance every day.

258

Um, but they rank your school's

averages and they rank your business'

259

averages against your industry,

260

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Hmm.

261

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: which

allows me to be very, very competitive

262

with our, uh, college rival, uh,

Western, uh, you know, buck the Francos,

263

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Secretary Cruz, you seem like a

264

very, very nice man, but screw you.

265

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

266

And, and yeah.

267

And Colt Cabana.

268

I'll call you out on a podcast, whatever.

269

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I would like to meet you and

270

then do some mac smack talk

that you'd be better at than me

271

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

For sure.

272

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

wrestler.

273

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Much better.

274

At the smack talk.

275

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

He'd just be like, Hey, we've never

276

interacted before, but I've already picked

out three things you're insecure about.

277

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

278

Four.

279

Sure.

280

But yeah, so that's been fun.

281

That's how I, I, I play

every morning habitually.

282

Now.

283

It's part of my, like, wake up routine.

284

So I've been enjoying

those games on LinkedIn.

285

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Maybe I'll try that out.

286

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Um, there's a couple that are like

287

word games and there's a couple

that are like logic puzzles.

288

And I really prefer, I think,

surprising no one, the logic puzzles.

289

Uh, anyone who spent 20 minutes with

me could probably tell that about me.

290

I, I would think

291

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Do you have the wood

292

puzzles on your new desk?

293

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I do not have nearly the

294

amount of the wood puzzles.

295

I don't have as much real estate

on my desk currently in the office.

296

Um, to be honest, I haven't

had the real estate in a while.

297

Um, so Ben is referring to, I used to

have a collection of about, I still have

298

the collection of about 30 different wood

puzzles ranging from, uh, I have given

299

these to Ben's son at the age of five to

try to, ones that I struggle to solve.

300

And, uh, I used to have a

desk, uh, by a window and I

301

had this huge window sill area.

302

I probably had like eight feet of

window sill, uh, next to my desk.

303

And that was where all of these

wood puzzles were lined up in.

304

Like, pick one up, do it, come and

pick the next one in office coworkers

305

would come and grab 'em and play 'em.

306

They're in a box in my basement.

307

I think I've got like four

or five on my desk right now.

308

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Mm-hmm.

309

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, but I've mostly pivoted

310

to Rubik's cubes on my desk.

311

That's the thing I do in meetings now when

I'm bored, is I will sit there and solve

312

a Rubik's cube 20 times during a meeting.

313

Um, yeah,

314

and I have, I have a number

of Rubik cubes at this point.

315

I think I've got like

maybe nine or 10 of, of,

316

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I know

317

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I got some WF weird ones.

318

Oh, very much so.

319

Um, I solve, uh, I am

not good at Rubik's Cube.

320

I solve them the exact

same way every single time.

321

There's a like 12 step algorithm where

you, like, once you get to complete

322

step one, you go to step two, and so on.

323

And there's ways to do each step,

and I've just been like working on

324

committing all of those to muscle memory.

325

And occasionally I will notice

something and do something a little

326

bit quicker in a clever manner.

327

Uh, but I'm not good at Rubik's Cube.

328

I, and I say that as someone who

could solve a Rubik's cube in under a

329

minute and a half as like an average.

330

I, I've done under a minute.

331

A couple of times, and it's

just like, I'm not good at it.

332

Like I'm not actually figuring out the

puzzle and looking at it and doing the

333

relationships between all the movements.

334

Most of the time it's a fidget cube.

335

Exactly.

336

Um, I've just learned the,

uh, the algorithm well enough

337

where I can just solve one.

338

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

339

That was the thing where, when I

realized that they weren't a puzzle,

340

most of the time it was a, you run

the algorithm until it's solved.

341

Uh.

342

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

343

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I had a friend in college who, her and her

344

boyfriend got really into Rubik's Cubes.

345

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

346

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

were at the like, solve

347

them sub 20 seconds,

348

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh yeah.

349

That's actual, actual very fast.

350

Yeah.

351

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

they were also just like, alright,

352

so you memorize all the, the, uh, the

algorithm, like the, the methodology

353

and then you have to take your Rubik's

cube apart and like put a lubricant

354

inside of it so it spins, right?

355

And it was like

356

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, I've done that a couple of times.

357

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just feels like so much work for

358

not actually solving the puzzle.

359

this isn't a crossword

where it takes any like,

360

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah,

361

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

uh, you know, real effort where

362

it's like, what is that word and

what does, does it fit in here?

363

It's just like, can I mechanically

make this thing work fast

364

enough to win the competition?

365

Uh,

366

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I mean, I would say that there's

367

more to it than that at that, at that

level there's some complex solving.

368

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

are

369

when you are getting into that, like

it is a different skillset, but it,

370

to me, more felt like you guys are

practicing, like free throws for a,

371

you know, uh, uh, a horse competition

than it is, you know, doing a puzzle.

372

Uh, if

373

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

There is a,

374

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

sense.

375

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

there is a very pregnant deer standing

376

outside my office window right now.

377

There's like five dos surrounding her.

378

I might be witnessing the

miracle of life on POD today.

379

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh man,

380

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

This, this, this might happen.

381

I don't, we'll see.

382

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

is

383

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

They're kind of out in the open.

384

It's a weird place to, I don't know.

385

I don't think it's gonna

ha No, she's moving around.

386

No, I don't think it's about to happen.

387

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Last year glow and I had a fawn in

388

our bushes and that poor thing, I was

mowing the lawn and it was just like

389

mom said, I can't leave, but this

is loud and I don't know what to do.

390

And I'm like, I'm sorry dear.

391

But we are having people over and

I can't just have like a weird

392

strip of, uh, note of tall grass.

393

So I'm just gonna get past

you as fast as I can buddy.

394

Okay?

395

I'm

396

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

397

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

hurt you,

398

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

399

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

but it doesn't speak English.

400

It was not stated by my words.

401

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, that's, that's how deer go.

402

Most of these, these deer in my

neighborhood are fucking fearless.

403

Dude.

404

I have had them walk within feet

of me in my backyard before I,

405

uh, they just built different,

406

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah, dear range between like I am

407

afraid of my own shadow and like

you couldn't pay me to give a fuck.

408

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

yeah, for sure.

409

Sorry, we were talking

about something else before.

410

I saw that very pregnant deer, uh,

start to heal over and I thought was

411

about to give birth, which honestly

seemed like something worth bringing up.

412

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

no.

413

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Um,

414

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

If,

415

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

uh, I have some stuff for us to do

416

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

oh, okay.

417

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

on pod.

418

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

stuff to talk about as well, but you go

419

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh, what do you wanna talk about?

420

I, I've just, I have quizzes for

four of the shows we've watched about

421

what character you are, um, because

that seemed like a fun thing to do.

422

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

That does seem like a fun thing to do.

423

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: So

what I'm gonna do here is I'm gonna pop

424

over to our Discord and I'm gonna throw

the link in the last time on open channel

425

so that way anyone who's uh, listening in

or listens in later can scroll up and see

426

the exact timestamp of when we recorded

this you fucking creeper, but also see

427

the quiz and participate if they want.

428

At home.

429

So I'm gonna put a witch

breaking bad character.

430

Are you to start us off?

431

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh fun.

432

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

It was the first show we did.

433

Um, I look forward to Vic taking

these and sending us his results

434

after he's done moving this weekend.

435

Um, alright, did you pull it up?

436

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

please be packing.

437

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Please be packing right now.

438

I believe in you.

439

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

was disgusting.

440

Um, but I

441

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Well, this,

442

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

you're moving.

443

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: this

airs after his mandatory move out date.

444

So if you're listening to this and you're

not done, please be fucking packing.

445

Alright.

446

Uh, I got the quiz open.

447

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Gimme one second.

448

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

All right.

449

I'm gonna read the questions and we

can talk about our answers if we want.

450

Uh, while you pull it up, which

Simpson's character do you relate

451

the most to is question one.

452

We got Helen Lovejoy, Mr.

453

Burns bubble Bee Man, Otto Millhouse

Bart, Lionel Hutz, and Grandpa Simpson.

454

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

All

455

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I have been old man yelling

456

at cloud recently, so I

457

I'm feeling that that Grandpa Simpson.

458

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

There's no images with this.

459

It's just the names.

460

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

It's just the names.

461

Yeah.

462

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I was just like, this

463

isn't loading on my phone.

464

Let me load it up on a different tab.

465

And it's like, okay.

466

Um.

467

Man.

468

Okay, so I'm answering

for me not as the podcast.

469

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

470

Uh, yeah.

471

Uh, yeah, I mean, we, we, we do, uh,

portray kind of exaggerated versions

472

of ourselves on pot occasionally.

473

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

last time on who

474

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Oh.

475

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

on, because

476

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Oh.

477

That's more fun actually.

478

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I, I don't know that I'm

479

gonna be able to answer that.

480

Uh

481

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

That's fair.

482

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

uh, I know the answer to this.

483

I am millhouse.

484

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

485

I'm gonna, I'm gonna go

with Grandpa Simpson.

486

Uh, someone has threatened you.

487

How do you react?

488

Change your identity calmly.

489

Plot your revenge.

490

Lay low, punch away your troubles.

491

Run them over.

492

Get high.

493

Blow them up, blow them up.

494

Drown yourself in the

pool or eat breakfast.

495

Um, am I'm a pretty calm guy, so I

feel like I would either calmly plot

496

my revenge or eat breakfast depending

on how severe that threat was.

497

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah, that like that depends.

498

Like there are different levels

of like, Hey man, screw you.

499

I'll kick your butt.

500

Like,

501

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah,

502

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

okay, I'm not doing anything there.

503

But it's like, Hey I'm going to

murder you and murder your family.

504

It's like, alright, I'm taking

that a little bit more seriously.

505

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

506

There's some details at me.

507

I'm gonna be taking you, or I'm gonna,

I'm gonna say eat breakfast though.

508

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I'm gonna assume like this

509

person's coming in hot.

510

Like, Hey Ben, I'm

gonna destroy your life.

511

And I'm like, I'm gonna punch you in the

face, so I'm gonna punch away my troubles.

512

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

All right.

513

Uh, pick a movie, Scarface, Ted for whom?

514

The bell Tolls.

515

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

516

Robocop the Fast and the Furious.

517

Star Trek.

518

Catch me if you can.

519

And dirty, hairy.

520

I gotta go with Star Trek.

521

It doesn't matter.

522

On this list, it's Star Trek.

523

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

No, it does.

524

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

525

Okay.

526

You know, there's a couple I'd

take Robocop over or, uh, the

527

Fast and the Furious for sure.

528

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh, it also matters

529

which Fast and Furious.

530

Uh,

531

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Also true.

532

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Some of them are good.

533

Some of them are terrible.

534

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

535

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

yeah, I, once I, I've told Jair about

536

this, uh, glow and I are working

our way through all of Star Trek.

537

Just started discovery,

538

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh yeah.

539

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

we just finished

540

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yum.

541

Yum.

542

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh, yum.

543

Yum.

544

Uh, and the only thing we have

missed out of nineties Trek, sixties

545

trek movies and everything is

we did not watch Star Trek five.

546

Yeah, because Paramount Plus would

not load the goddamn movie, and I

547

spent 20 minutes trying to get it

to start Star Trek five, and then

548

again another day, spent about 10.

549

I'm like, I am not wasting another minute

of my life to try and watch a movie.

550

I don't actually like,

551

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

What does God need with the Starship?

552

You know, I, I recently rewatched

Star Trek five, I want to say

553

within the last six months.

554

Not as bad as I remembered it

being by no means good, but

555

not as bad as I remembered it.

556

I think.

557

I think if, uh, I've kind of enshrined

it as shittiest movie, I've made

558

it all the way through in my head

559

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

not that,

560

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

and it's not that.

561

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

There is some good, like,

562

there's some funny stuff that

also doesn't make any sense.

563

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

564

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Scotty not knowing his way

565

around the enterprise is

566

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

567

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

but completely out of

568

character for Scotty.

569

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

570

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh, the size of the enterprise

571

does not make any sense.

572

Uh, like it is both huge and

tiny at the same time, like using

573

rocket boots to get around it.

574

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

575

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

but I think the overall problem is

576

it was written by so far up his own

butt, gene Roddenberry, where he's

577

like, I have killed God, haven't I?

578

I am our secular messiah and everyone

will follow me into my new utopia.

579

And it's like,

580

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Gene,

581

please stop.

582

Gene.

583

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh.

584

That is, that is, hey, you've spent

the last 20 minutes or 20 years going

585

to, uh, sci-fi conventions where

everybody tells you what a genius

586

you are huffing your own farts.

587

Gene Roddenberry.

588

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I mean, the fact that Shaq

589

directed that one does not help.

590

Yeah.

591

Uh, I will say there are some really

good, in particular McCoy Spock

592

moments in that, in that movie.

593

I, I'd say that's probably the highlight

of it is, is those interactions.

594

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I like them camping.

595

That's fun.

596

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, for sure.

597

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just have them camping.

598

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Just 90 minutes of them camping.

599

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh man.

600

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Ship it.

601

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

at one of our local comic bookstores,

602

they have a Star Trek magazine

signed by, uh, both Walter Koenig

603

and George Decay and somebody else,

604

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Hmm.

605

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

it's, Hey, it's signed by Walter

606

and George, $3,000 and I'm like.

607

They signed a lot of shit.

608

My dudes, they're still alive.

609

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Well one of them is uh, or Oh, well,

610

oh no, Walter and George you said.

611

Oh, okay.

612

Yeah, yeah.

613

They're both still with us thing.

614

Uh, honestly, there's a ton of full

cast photos signed by all of them

615

that are just all over the Star Trek

conventions for significantly less.

616

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

yeah.

617

But I digress.

618

Uh, that was just my chance

to talk about Star Trek 'cause

619

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

620

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Star Trek.

621

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I do love Star Trek.

622

So did you pick a movie?

623

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

yeah.

624

And it's just because I just got done

rewatching the TV show Fast Lane,

625

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

626

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

which is we've got Fast

627

and Furious at home.

628

Um, I'm gonna go with

the Fast and the Furious.

629

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Alright.

630

On a scale of one to

nine, how evil are you?

631

I don't like any of these answers.

632

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

All right.

633

How about we answer for each other?

634

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, I don't like that either.

635

Ben.

636

I don't know.

637

There was that time you trapped

my LRP character inside a

638

dagger for a thousand years.

639

I'm gonna put you at a three.

640

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

You did murder a bunch of people.

641

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Did I,

642

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

643

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I, no, I un a bunch of people.

644

You were mad at me because I

was trying to resurrect people.

645

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Dead

646

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

what, that's what you, that's

647

what you put me in jail for was

trying to resurrect my dead son.

648

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

'cause you also had the, I don't put your

649

character in prison and you become a,

uh, a crazy dictatorial, warlord bad guy.

650

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

We, we didn't do that arc.

651

We, we, we almost did that

arc, but we did do that arc

652

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

because

653

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I was replaced by three

654

raccoons in a trench coat.

655

Um.

656

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just so everybody knows, one of the things

657

that uh, is I think the most fun about

and i's friendship is we met doing larp

658

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

659

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

our characters were part

660

of a group of good guys.

661

we noticed in this LRP game, everybody

wanted to play the edgy bad guy.

662

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

So many fucking edgy, bad guys.

663

We killed Ben.

664

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

guys or I'm morally gray and I'll do

665

whatever it takes to achieve my goals.

666

It's like there are no good

guys in this entire story.

667

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

There was one unit of other unit in

668

the group besides us that was good.

669

All good guys.

670

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

people in that group.

671

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

And they were, and they

672

were all like epic heroes.

673

And so we were just like, we're good guys.

674

We're just soldiers.

675

We're just hanging out.

676

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

just normal good guys.

677

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

We're just normal.

678

Good guys.

679

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Because, you know, sometimes

680

a story needs good guys.

681

Um,

682

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Just need an army.

683

So we're the army.

684

What's up?

685

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh, yeah.

686

I'm okay with, with being three.

687

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

688

What?

689

What are you gonna put me as?

690

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Um,

691

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Wait, let me take a sip of my bourbon

692

so I can spit it out in response.

693

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

no, that's good.

694

Bourbon man.

695

I'm not gonna,

696

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

697

Okay.

698

Okay.

699

You're right.

700

It is good.

701

Bourbon.

702

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

um, I'll put you at a four

703

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Okay, eh?

704

Alright.

705

Pick a song.

706

Knocking on Heaven's door.

707

Free bird.

708

Breaking the law.

709

The Macarena breakfast at

Tiffany's ring my bell.

710

Bitches ain't shit.

711

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

that

712

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Don't speak.

713

And the drugs don't work.

714

I mean,

715

yeah, I mean, Dr.

716

Dr.

717

It's probably my least favorite Dr.

718

Dre song to be perfectly honest.

719

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Most least favorite famous Dr.

720

Dre song.

721

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

No, no least favorite.

722

Like I, I'll, I, it is not a Dr.

723

Dre song that I listen to.

724

Bitches Ain't Shit Like I, because when

I, when I throw on like old school rap,

725

I will listen to some, some Dre usually

in there and that is not a DRE song I

726

go to, although mostly I go to Cube.

727

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

listening to Ben Folds and now I am so

728

mad at myself for never picking that in

draft the universe when we did our covers.

729

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

That would've been a good one.

730

Yeah, Ben Folds Bitches Ain't Shit.

731

That would've been a good one.

732

Alright.

733

Um,

734

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

And while you're picking man, every

735

so often, I will admit I do have a mo.

736

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

737

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

come across a moment where I'm like.

738

Oh man, that, that would

be a good topic to do.

739

A draft, the universe draft.

740

like I miss that, that show,

miss that game sometimes.

741

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

It was a very fun conceit for

742

a podcast, and I do miss it.

743

I miss, I miss the regular hang, uh, which

we've adopted into this and this game

744

that we play now instead, uh, of LTO.

745

Uh, but draft the

universe is a lot of fun.

746

Uh, listeners, if you don't know

what we're talking about, uh, before,

747

last time on before, who are you?

748

Ben and I, along with another very

close friend of ours, Chris, hosted 120

749

maybe episode podcast called Draft the

Universe, where we would pick a topic,

750

pick our favorites, and then debate them.

751

So every, every topic was two episodes

and we would do a draft episode where

752

we would all pick our top five and

then we'd get a bunch of prompts

753

and we'd do debates and stuff.

754

And whoever wasn't debating

would be the judge.

755

He'd score points.

756

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

And I'd

757

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Uh,

758

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

too much effort to do the research.

759

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

and Chris had always put in none.

760

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah,

761

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: It.

762

I was right in the

middle most of the time.

763

It was a lot of fun.

764

It was a fun little improv game.

765

Uh, the, all of the like

debates were always absurd.

766

It was like, uh, you know what,

how, what do you do for your topics

767

first date or your picks first date?

768

Or something?

769

Like, it was always just crazy stuff.

770

Um

771

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

matter, like who

772

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh yeah.

773

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

list because then you get the

774

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

775

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

and you know that, that was fun.

776

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

777

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

but, uh, if, if, if you are

778

attempted to go back, I'm gonna

recommend two episodes for you.

779

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

780

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

our beers draft,

781

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Beer draft

782

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

the three of us just get the

783

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

wasted.

784

Oh my God, I was so drunk.

785

I'm so glad I was able to

walk home from the recording.

786

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

episodes because we got so drunk.

787

And two, I'm gonna recommend

the James Bond draft

788

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Early, early, early GTU.

789

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

because one, I watched every single

790

James Bond movie in preparation for it.

791

Uh, and two, I made, uh,

dirty Martinis for everyone.

792

Uh, and then Jair and Chris were

like, Hey, we don't like these.

793

And so I drank three dirty martinis.

794

There might

795

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: I,

796

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

line here.

797

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I actually, I, before we sat down to

798

record, I poured myself a bourbon, but

I, uh, whipped up Beth a dirty martini,

799

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

No.

800

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

uh, as a finished her homework reward.

801

Um, and it's noteworthy because

I'm using a Spanish gin that's

802

actually distilled from olives.

803

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Interesting.

804

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

it's very good martini.

805

Anyways, uh, two of these songs

are currently on my playlist.

806

I'm gonna go with knocking on

Heaven's Door because that's a song

807

that I listened to earlier today.

808

Uh, the other song that's currently on

a playlist is Don't Speak By No Doubt.

809

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

No doubt.

810

Um, I'm gonna go with knocking

on Heaven's story as well.

811

I love

812

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Hmm.

813

That's a great song.

814

I got the day off work.

815

What are you gonna do?

816

Next question.

817

Polish your rock collection.

818

Have a glass or four of wine.

819

Watch some classic sci-fi.

820

Read some poetry.

821

Read some poetry.

822

Have a massage.

823

Do something for charity.

824

Throw a dinner party, ringing

your bell or eat breakfast.

825

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

well.

826

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Um, I'm,

827

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Well, actually I don't eat breakfast.

828

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I've got to watch, I have to watch two

829

television shows a week for podcast

right now, and that's four hours of my,

830

of my not working time every week to

do two episodes of notes for podcast.

831

It takes about two hours in up,

832

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Glow is able to her episodes without

833

pausing them she does her notes,

I don't know how she does it.

834

And it makes me so mad.

835

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

I mean, how much, how

836

much notes does she have?

837

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I don't know, but like,

838

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Does she, does she, does she just do joke

839

notes or does she have narrative notes?

840

Because, because we take nar I like, I

know we've done, we take narrative notes.

841

So like if, if you're not doing narrative

notes, if I, I've done guest spots

842

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Mm-hmm.

843

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

where I've done that because I'm not

844

taking narrative notes because I know

that I'm not gonna have to do any of that

845

and I can get through an episode with

notes in one sitting without pausing.

846

Maybe once or twice if I'm gonna going

on a note, leftist tangent or something.

847

But for the most part, so I'm gonna say

watch some classic sci-fi because that's

848

what I end up doing with a fair amount

of my non-working, non sleeping time.

849

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I am.

850

I'm watching some classic sci-fi too.

851

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Alright, pick an animal.

852

Rat grumpy cat.

853

Blowfish, draft badger,

bear, lion, snake, puppy.

854

I'm a badger.

855

Maybe I'm bear.

856

I'm a bear.

857

I want a bear cub.

858

So bad.

859

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

in a trench coach affair.

860

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

That's fair.

861

All right, well, I got my

answer after I clicked that last

862

one, and I am in fact Badger.

863

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I, I'm going bare

864

and I got Hank.

865

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

866

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

That

867

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Yeah, I, yeah.

868

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

If I can't, if I can't be Mabo

869

Gomez, who I doubt was an option.

870

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, maybe you had to pick all of the

871

blatantly Mexican stuff for that.

872

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Uh.

873

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

874

I, I don't know how good this quiz is.

875

Uh,

876

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

So before we go onto another,

877

another quiz or anything, I've

878

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

879

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

what my plan was, we'll

880

just take some turns.

881

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

882

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Thinking back about the

883

shows we've watched,

884

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Mm-hmm.

885

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

what one is your favorite?

886

If I said, Hey, Jair, we're watching

an episode of one right now, which

887

one would you be the most stoked?

888

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Okay, so we've watched in order

889

Breaking Bad Into the Badlands,

Stargate, SG one, Viper.

890

Shameless.

891

Oh, shameless.

892

Then Viper, Briscoe, the Expanse.

893

That's where Viper is.

894

And then Billions right now.

895

Uh, man, we've watched

a lot of Prestige TV

896

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

have,

897

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

in a, in a short amount of time.

898

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

it's almost like it's working.

899

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

It is almost like the patent pen, the

900

patent pending formula is working.

901

Um, there's a couple episodes

of Breaking Bad that I would

902

want to go back and watch.

903

That I haven't made time for, but to be

honest, I'd probably wanna start it over.

904

I feel like now that we've

had, like, are we a hundred

905

episodes and we're, we're close.

906

It's been almost two years

since we watched Breaking Bad

907

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah.

908

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

or take.

909

Um, actually once you throw in the,

the break weeks, uh, then yeah, it's

910

been, um, I would say probably I'd

wanna rewatch all of Breaking Bad

911

rather than watch a single episode.

912

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Oh, oh, snap.

913

Uh.

914

Our first episode of Breaking Bad

came out, uh, June 10th, so we are

915

almost at our two year anniversary,

916

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

oh wow.

917

That's good catch Ben.

918

Yeah.

919

The next episode we record,

um, we'll drop on June 10th.

920

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yeah, so two years ago we

921

were in the midst of recording

our Breaking Bad Backlog.

922

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

923

Okay.

924

Well, that's cool.

925

Um, yeah, so, uh, but as far as like

just a random one, I'd probably be down

926

to watch random episode of The Expanse.

927

I think that's a good show.

928

I don't think I, I, I don't feel like

I got enough of it, but I also am not

929

like super gung-ho about going and

watching it all in order right now.

930

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Mm-hmm.

931

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

So I'd say The Expanse,

932

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

That is one thing I do

933

find in my free time.

934

do just watch tv.

935

Um,

936

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: yeah.

937

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

because like not only am I, when I watch

938

Prestige TV now, I am watching it and

writing about it, uh, just for myself.

939

Uh,

940

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh, just memoirs?

941

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

well, no, just like writing

942

my writing notes and stuff.

943

Uh,

944

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

945

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

but it's like, okay, that is

946

like why I re-watched Fastlane,

947

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

948

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

949

two thousands, like it's made by Mick

G and so it's, it's just like, this

950

is a, this is a, uh, um, early ts rap

music video wrapped in a cop show.

951

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

952

Um, we just watched and, or season two.

953

Holy shit.

954

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I that is next.

955

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

It is so good.

956

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I just managed to finish, finally

957

finish, uh, Daredevil Born again.

958

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Oh, see, I'm on like episode

959

two or three of that.

960

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

I, I mean, I love Daredevil.

961

Like I've got Daredevil comics,

like Daredevil is my, my Jam.

962

I am glad with what happened with

that show because, uh, I don't know

963

if you know any context around it.

964

They like had it shot and everybody

was like, I hate this, this sucks.

965

Um, or had it written, shot a bunch

of it, and then were like, taking

966

this back to formula and redoing it.

967

Adding all of the legacy

characters back in, uh, Stop.

968

Like not pretending like the

Netflix show barely happened.

969

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

970

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

'cause like, if I understand

971

correctly, like, uh, Fisk was

barely, was like not in the show.

972

Uh, the, the first event of the

show didn't happen because none

973

of the other members of the

original law firm were there.

974

and like it didn't resemble the show

so much that when they were like,

975

oh Ed, of course we'll have John

Bethal in because he's still a thing.

976

And John Bethal was like, I will

not be in this pile of shit.

977

Uh, and so they rewrote it made it like,

'cause first, like every so often John

978

Bethal will say something kind of weird,

uh, where he is like, I appreciate all

979

the Marines who wear Punisher shit.

980

I'm like,

981

um.

982

Uh, but he does seem to like,

really enjoy taking ownership and

983

stewardship of that character.

984

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

985

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

that when he was like,

986

Hey, I sign off on this.

987

I'm like, alright, you did not

need to be here for a paycheck.

988

Uh,

989

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Yeah.

990

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

about Punisher.

991

Um,

992

I I, I, I loved this season

993

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

Uh, it's on my two watch for sure.

994

Um,

995

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

So I'm about to, I think I'm

996

gonna start and, or next.

997

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619:

have you, have you watched season one?

998

benjamin-david-curley--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195623:

Yes.

999

xhafer--he-him-_1_05-24-2025_195619: Okay.

00:42:49,700 --> 00:42:54,470

Um, season two is not the

slow burn that season one was.

00:42:55,460 --> 00:42:59,900

Uh, it is meant to be kind of

watched in three episode chunks.

00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:05,330

It was released in three episode chunks,

and the narrative is centric around that.

00:43:06,140 --> 00:43:10,130

Um, without, without saying

anything, but it's kind of like

00:43:10,130 --> 00:43:15,290

three little, three episode stories,

or four three episode stories.

00:43:15,620 --> 00:43:21,470

Uh, but episodes seven through

11 right now is the highest rated

00:43:21,470 --> 00:43:28,880

stretch of any episodes on IMDB, like

highest rated, consecutive episode

00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:31,400

stretch in TV history right now.

00:43:32,660 --> 00:43:36,290

Uh, and yeah, uh, that's,

that's a fair statement.

00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:37,820

It's fantastic.

00:43:39,511 --> 00:43:42,121

The one thing that does, uh, the one

00:43:42,121 --> 00:43:47,941

thing that worries me and the thing that

makes me mad is a lot of the discourse

00:43:47,941 --> 00:43:53,491

around it has also, because of course

the character ends back up in Rogue One

00:43:53,805 --> 00:43:54,225

Mm-hmm.

00:43:54,451 --> 00:43:54,901

and.

00:43:55,621 --> 00:44:00,151

The, the thing that makes me so mad

is everybody being like, and of course

00:44:00,781 --> 00:44:04,381

it's spoilers for a 10-year-old movie,

everyone had to Die because otherwise

00:44:04,381 --> 00:44:06,121

they would've been in Star Wars.

00:44:06,121 --> 00:44:12,601

And it's like, no, the rebellion,

even as small as it is, is big.

00:44:13,425 --> 00:44:13,625

00:44:13,801 --> 00:44:14,131

All you

00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:14,750

Not only.

00:44:15,331 --> 00:44:16,351

all you have to do is end the

00:44:16,351 --> 00:44:19,951

movie with, and now we need you

guys to be doing something else.

00:44:20,401 --> 00:44:20,761

You know?

00:44:20,761 --> 00:44:28,981

It's like how, like, if, uh, if you

know your World War II people fighting

00:44:28,981 --> 00:44:30,391

in the Pacific actually mattered.

00:44:30,511 --> 00:44:32,551

They would've be here in my D-Day movie.

00:44:32,551 --> 00:44:36,031

And it's like, no, there's different

people doing different shit.

00:44:36,061 --> 00:44:37,321

It's a war.

00:44:37,565 --> 00:44:39,365

know what the best example of that is

00:44:39,481 --> 00:44:39,661

Hmm.

00:44:39,785 --> 00:44:42,215

in Universe Fucking Rebels.

00:44:44,105 --> 00:44:49,325

The last episode of Rebels

Like Ends before a New Hope,

00:44:49,441 --> 00:44:49,681

Mm-hmm.

00:44:49,715 --> 00:44:50,135

right?

00:44:50,285 --> 00:44:51,665

Or around a new hope, I think.

00:44:52,265 --> 00:44:57,515

And then skips to the end

of Return of the Jedi.

00:44:59,165 --> 00:45:02,135

Just like, and these characters

were here the entire time.

00:45:02,135 --> 00:45:06,365

We just didn't see them because we

were focused on the fucking Lukes

00:45:06,365 --> 00:45:08,075

and Hans and Leis of the world.

00:45:08,255 --> 00:45:13,565

And you just missed Zeb being in the

Rebel Alliance that whole fucking time.

00:45:13,696 --> 00:45:14,116

Right.

00:45:15,395 --> 00:45:16,265

'cause of course you did.

00:45:17,225 --> 00:45:19,295

Uh, it's, it's so obvious.

00:45:19,366 --> 00:45:20,146

couldn't have mattered.

00:45:20,146 --> 00:45:24,106

He wasn't in Band of Brothers and it's

like, no, he was doing different shit.

00:45:27,485 --> 00:45:29,405

Uh, I need to re-watch Band of Brothers.

00:45:29,806 --> 00:45:30,886

band of Brothers is so good.

00:45:31,216 --> 00:45:35,176

Uh, I mean that's part of why

I wanted to watch Billions.

00:45:35,176 --> 00:45:36,526

'cause I love Damien Lewis.

00:45:37,145 --> 00:45:37,505

00:45:40,126 --> 00:45:42,196

did not expect billions to be what

00:45:42,196 --> 00:45:44,506

Billions is, but, uh, that's okay.

00:45:46,595 --> 00:45:46,925

00:45:49,145 --> 00:45:49,535

yeah.

00:45:49,805 --> 00:45:55,085

Um, it's been a bit of a

surprise, but it is what it is.

00:45:55,295 --> 00:46:00,305

Um, all right, well, I have more

quizzes if we wanna do another quiz.

00:46:00,481 --> 00:46:01,171

more quiz.

00:46:01,805 --> 00:46:02,105

00:46:02,105 --> 00:46:05,765

I've got Billions SG one

and the Expanse queued up.

00:46:05,765 --> 00:46:06,830

What do you want to take the quiz for?

00:46:07,051 --> 00:46:08,071

Let's do SG one.

00:46:09,185 --> 00:46:09,635

00:46:09,635 --> 00:46:15,485

I hope that this isn't a forever quiz

because I pulled up like three of them and

00:46:15,485 --> 00:46:18,125

they were all like 80 fucking questions.

00:46:18,361 --> 00:46:18,781

yeah.

00:46:19,355 --> 00:46:20,435

So let's see here.

00:46:20,825 --> 00:46:25,745

All right, question one a mission

conflicts with personal beliefs.

00:46:25,745 --> 00:46:27,510

Do you follow orders or stand your ground?

00:46:30,125 --> 00:46:32,405

A, I'm the captain of my soul.

00:46:32,435 --> 00:46:38,285

Sorry, orders B, let's pivot to

a win-win situation that doesn't.

00:46:39,005 --> 00:46:41,135

This is a terrible fucking quiz.

00:46:41,316 --> 00:46:41,806

Yes.

00:46:41,926 --> 00:46:46,336

This feels like I'm taking an,

uh, an HR personality profile.

00:46:47,225 --> 00:46:48,275

Fuck this quiz.

00:46:48,545 --> 00:46:49,715

Let's do billions.

00:46:49,846 --> 00:46:50,296

Okay.

00:46:51,166 --> 00:46:52,786

I hope this doesn't have any spoilers,

00:46:53,555 --> 00:46:55,445

that's the thing is a lot of the times

00:46:55,445 --> 00:46:58,775

with these quizzes, the spoilers are like.

00:46:59,870 --> 00:47:04,160

Referencing things that happen in the

show to like, so when you take the

00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:08,810

quiz, you're like, oh, well I know that

this character does this thing right?

00:47:09,020 --> 00:47:10,820

And you can kind of guide your answers.

00:47:11,000 --> 00:47:15,200

We don't know what the characters, so it,

we wouldn't know a spoiler if it hit us.

00:47:15,286 --> 00:47:17,146

I recognize like half the

00:47:17,146 --> 00:47:18,436

characters in this picture.

00:47:20,030 --> 00:47:20,810

Oh wow.

00:47:20,990 --> 00:47:21,470

Yeah.

00:47:21,555 --> 00:47:21,775

Um,

00:47:22,231 --> 00:47:23,161

That might be a spoiler.

00:47:23,161 --> 00:47:23,221

Um,

00:47:25,365 --> 00:47:27,110

there's a decent chunk

00:47:27,110 --> 00:47:29,300

of them that I recognize.

00:47:29,570 --> 00:47:31,250

It's a very dense cast.

00:47:32,090 --> 00:47:35,360

There's like three, four,

I don't recognize in here.

00:47:37,670 --> 00:47:42,050

Alright, one, uh, how do you

approach decision making through

00:47:42,620 --> 00:47:44,690

analysis, intuition and gut feelings?

00:47:44,690 --> 00:47:46,370

I can consult with trusted advisors.

00:47:46,820 --> 00:47:49,910

I consider the impact on

my personal relationships.

00:47:51,140 --> 00:47:52,850

I am an analysis guy by trade.

00:47:54,216 --> 00:47:54,436

uh,

00:48:00,806 --> 00:48:02,446

I consult with trusted advisors.

00:48:06,260 --> 00:48:07,640

I mean, I do a little bit of all of

00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:09,320

these things, but we have to pick one.

00:48:10,910 --> 00:48:11,420

Alright.

00:48:11,450 --> 00:48:14,690

Describe your leadership

style, visionary and inspiring.

00:48:14,930 --> 00:48:16,850

Pragmatic and results oriented.

00:48:17,240 --> 00:48:21,111

Empathetic and supportive or

decisive and authoritative of,

00:48:21,936 --> 00:48:24,016

None of these answers is divvy out

00:48:24,016 --> 00:48:25,616

the work and then go poop for an hour.

00:48:26,570 --> 00:48:28,100

I would say pragmatic and results

00:48:28,100 --> 00:48:31,430

oriented is divvy the work

and go poop for half an hour.

00:48:31,430 --> 00:48:31,730

Ben?

00:48:36,830 --> 00:48:41,840

Uh, I'm gonna go with, uh,

supportive for myself based on

00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:45,560

evidence of things that people have

told me who used to work for me

00:48:48,086 --> 00:48:48,306

Um,

00:48:48,350 --> 00:48:48,950

that aren't you.

00:48:49,466 --> 00:48:50,236

I'll, I'll go with

00:48:50,436 --> 00:48:51,276

empathetic and supportive

00:48:54,005 --> 00:48:54,185

00:48:54,875 --> 00:48:56,105

How do you handle conflicts,

00:48:56,216 --> 00:48:56,636

poorly.

00:48:57,056 --> 00:48:57,276

Um,

00:48:58,115 --> 00:48:59,645

strategize and outmaneuver?

00:49:00,695 --> 00:49:03,515

Direct confrontation and

assert your position.

00:49:04,145 --> 00:49:08,165

Mediate and seek compromise

or avoid and deescalate.

00:49:08,666 --> 00:49:09,746

I avoid and deescalate.

00:49:10,805 --> 00:49:14,645

Yeah, I tend to be a bit more strategic.

00:49:16,745 --> 00:49:19,745

Uh, what best describes

your level for ambition?

00:49:20,225 --> 00:49:25,295

A level of ambition, insatiable

drive for success, motivated by

00:49:25,295 --> 00:49:29,945

personal fulfillment, aim for

professional recognition, value,

00:49:29,945 --> 00:49:32,195

a balanced and fulfilling life.

00:49:35,256 --> 00:49:37,136

I am motivated by personal fulfillment.

00:49:38,105 --> 00:49:40,385

Yeah, that's very true.

00:49:40,895 --> 00:49:46,385

Um, I can't say professional recognition

because I couldn't even talk about

00:49:46,385 --> 00:49:49,115

a professional thing that I'd done

earlier in this fucking episode.

00:49:49,115 --> 00:49:49,175

I.

00:49:49,386 --> 00:49:49,546

true.

00:49:50,420 --> 00:49:51,260

So I'm gonna go with

00:49:51,260 --> 00:49:53,060

balanced and fulfilling life.

00:49:55,880 --> 00:49:57,980

What is your ethical standpoint?

00:49:58,340 --> 00:50:01,760

And do whatever it takes to win, try

and maintain a strong moral code.

00:50:02,120 --> 00:50:05,600

I believe the ends justify

the means I value integrity.

00:50:05,780 --> 00:50:06,860

Above all,

00:50:07,636 --> 00:50:08,626

Seeing as I believe that

00:50:08,626 --> 00:50:10,516

the means justify the ends.

00:50:11,686 --> 00:50:15,826

I don't know which one is the more

ethical of I value integrity or I

00:50:15,826 --> 00:50:17,836

try to maintain a strong moral code.

00:50:18,196 --> 00:50:18,826

Um,

00:50:19,505 --> 00:50:21,650

am gonna say probably integrity.

00:50:21,676 --> 00:50:23,356

go, I value integrity above all.

00:50:24,020 --> 00:50:24,800

00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:31,220

Um, man, I've definitely dipped

my toes and ends justified

00:50:31,220 --> 00:50:32,990

the means a number of times.

00:50:33,530 --> 00:50:37,340

I'm also the guy professionally who

I feel like is made of career out of

00:50:37,340 --> 00:50:39,530

asking for forgiveness, not permission.

00:50:40,310 --> 00:50:46,490

Uh, so I'm gonna go that route and know

that I tempered a bit more than that

00:50:46,490 --> 00:50:49,070

statement actually seems like it says.

00:50:50,330 --> 00:50:52,610

Uh, how do you approach negotiation?

00:50:53,210 --> 00:50:56,420

Aim for an easy, win-win,

relentless and uncompromising.

00:50:56,810 --> 00:51:00,470

I use psychological tactics

to gain an edge, or I focus on

00:51:00,470 --> 00:51:02,960

building long-term relationships.

00:51:04,550 --> 00:51:07,610

I'm definitely a long-term

relationships kind of guy.

00:51:08,746 --> 00:51:10,756

I try to focus on easy win-wins,

00:51:10,936 --> 00:51:14,901

like, Hey, how do we both

get what we want out of this?

00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:17,240

I tend to be a lot like, Hey,

00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:20,780

remember that time that we, we

interacted and this thing happened?

00:51:21,590 --> 00:51:24,770

Let's, let's, let's learn

from that kind of a guy.

00:51:25,010 --> 00:51:27,945

Um, let's see here.

00:51:28,160 --> 00:51:29,960

How do you react under pressure?

00:51:29,960 --> 00:51:31,760

I thrive and perform my best.

00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:33,320

I remain calm and composed.

00:51:33,590 --> 00:51:37,580

I seek support from my team, or I

need to take a minute to regroup.

00:51:39,860 --> 00:51:42,680

I, uh, I do well under pressure.

00:51:46,841 --> 00:51:48,861

Are you going thrive or remain calm?

00:51:49,835 --> 00:51:51,155

Uh, I'm gonna say thrive.