Bad At Magic – Page 5 – A Podcast about Games, Life, and Other Things…

March 6, 2025August 11, 2026

Episode 145 – Making Decisions – Decisions, Decisions

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Show Notes

Ben admits the truth about the US Patent Office in 1899, Josh accidentally sends some private photos to the wrong Nicole, Ben leaves the toilet seat up and suffers the consequences, the guys discuss some new games, and finally, they do a deep dive on the meta thought processes behind the decisions we make.
Intro & Follow-up (end-29:52)
- The truth about the US Patent Office in 1899
- Should a charge of plagarism ruin yo`ur life? by Malcolm Gladwell
Bad at Appliances & Husbanding (29:52-49:42)
What I’m Reading (49:42-59:42)
- Josh: Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
- Ben: The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke
  - Psychology Today – What Every Survivor Desperately Wants But Rarely Gets
Bad at Gaming (59:42-1:23:22)
Main Segment: Why We Make the Choices We Make (1:23:22-end)
- You Don’t Actually Need a Menu – College Humor
Join in the discussion on:
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

February 20, 2025August 11, 2026

Episode 144 – Death and Taxes

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Show Notes

Josh runs the show* and the guys talk about being leaders in the workplace, Wizards of the Coast’s new tiered Commander ranking system, Frog Fractions, man crushes, fantasy storytelling, and more.
Intro & follow-up (0-1:11:17)
Commander Brackets (1:11:17-end)
- Wicked problem (n.): a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. It refers to an idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is no single solution to the problem; and “wicked” denotes resistance to resolution, rather than evil.
- BONUS: Lego Magic Card scanner
- Introducing “Commander Brackets” [BETA] (official article on Magic: the Gathering website)
- EDH vs. cEDH
- What we’re reading:
  - Ben: Turn the Ship Around! A true story of turning followers into leaders By L. David Marquet, Captain, US Navy (Ret.)
  - Josh: Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
- Brandon Sanderson’s 2025 Writing Lecture Series
- The Tandem Story Josh talked about
Join in the discussion on:
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

February 6, 2025August 11, 2026

Episode 143 – The Tron Paradox

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Show Notes

Ben goes to a UFC fight, Josh addresses the 12-hour TikTok ban, the guys examine some common logic problems that people find counter-intuitive, Josh tries Stimulation Clicker (Gamers beware!), and the guys revisit the two previous Tron movies (1982 & 2010) in preparation for the upcoming Tron: Aries (2025).
Intro & follow-up (0-19:09)
- Super Bowl ad created by Ben’s UFC buddy
Bad at Logic (19:90-35:10)
- The Monty Hall Problem
- The Birthday Paradox
What I’m reading and gaming (35:10-1:02:03)
- The parable of the dog and the dragon
- Stimulation Clicker
  - Cookie Clicker
  - The Stanley Parable
Main segment – Tron and Tron: Legacy (1:02:03-end)
Next time:
- Tron: Uprising (2012)
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

January 23, 2025August 11, 2026

Episode 142 – UPT Revisited

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Show Notes

Josh offers an alternative for shipwrecked TikTok users, the guys propose categories and intensity for the “Words of Affirmation” love language, Ben doesn’t know what to do when his daughter brings her boyfriend over to the house, Josh takes his wife at her word when she tells him not to buy her chocolate (rookie move), and finally the hosts revisit Ben’s Unified Parenting Theory (UPT) first introduced on Episode 2 of the Bad at Magic Podcast.
Intro & follow-up (0-33:38)
Bad at Love (33:38-1:14:09)
- The Five Love Languages
- The mean-spirited, unfunny example of the boyfriend meme from Boys II (LANGUAGE WARNING)
Bad at Parenting/Husbanding & What I’m Reading (1:14:09-1:27:59)
- Josh: Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
- Ben: Creative Acts for Curious People by Sarah Stein Greenberg
Ben’s Unified Parenting Theory, Revisited (1:27:59-end)
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Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

January 9, 2025August 11, 2026

Episode 141 – Capodanno Bingo

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Show Notes

Ben and Josh review some games they love (and you will too!) and wrap their minds around the PayPal/Honey Influencer controversy. Josh gets visited by the box fairy and is too matchy with his wife. Ben finishes the Russian Gulag book and endangers his marriage by unpacking the kitchen. Finally, they reflect on 2024 and build their 2025 resolution bingo cards.
Intro & Follow-up (0-15:48)
- Ben recommends:
  - The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough, a great book
  - Flow Free, mobile game, draw non-intersecting paths between dots
  - I♥HUE, mobile game, color matching
  - ROOT a game of woodland might and right, multiplayer boardgame with asymmetric gameplay
- Josh recommends:
  - Balatro (gameplay video w/ Markiplier), a crazy mobile game twist on Poker
Bad at Tech (15:48-34:44)
Bad at Italian & Bad at Husbanding (34:44-54:48)
What I’m reading (54:48-1:07:48)
- Ben: The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1957 by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
- Josh: Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson
Feature: New Year’s Bingo (1:07:48-end)
- Make your own New Year’s Bingo Card
Join in the discussion on:
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

December 26, 2024August 11, 2026

Episode 140 – Christmas/Magic Mastermind

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Show Notes

Ben and Josh are bad at parenting, husbanding, cancel culture, and remembering facts about Christmas and Magic in this very special listener-requested return to the BBC game show “Mastermind”.
Intro (0-34:04)
- League of Legends spinoff Teamfight Tactics (TFT)
- Does Spotify Wrapped include December?
- Jon Stewart on “rules, loopholes, and norms” with Senator Bernie Sanders
Bad at Parenting (34:04-39:49)
Bad at Husbanding (39:49-52:16)
Bad at Society (52:16-1:07:48)
- How Liberal America Came to Its Senses – The Atlantic
- Link to Instagram sketch about the end of cancel culture that Josh doesn’t want you to watch
- Colin Jost & Michael Che on SNL
- Re: Nikki Minaj talking about COVID-19 (Ep. 56, start at 1:12:05)
What I’m reading (1:07:48-1:17:06)
- Ben: The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1957 by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
- Josh: Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
Christmas/Magic Mastermind (1:17:06-end)
- First B@M Mastermind episode: Ep. 14: Bad at Magic: Mastermind Edition
- The Rise and Fall of Nicol Bolas
- Magic Hall of Famer Jon Finkel’s bad date with Gizmodo intern Alyssa Bereznak
- Magic: the Gathering’s Comprehensive Rules (the “Comp Rules”)
Join in the discussion on:
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

December 12, 2024August 11, 2026

Episode 139 – Arcane Season 2

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Show Notes

The hosts react to the UHC murder, research bread bag clips, recount life-threatening hijinks from long ago, and enjoy the heck out of Arcane: League of Legends Season 2.
Intro & Follow-up (0-17:52)
- The Murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Bad at English (17:52-25:34)
- Emordnilaps
- The Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group (bread bag ties website)
  - Great article about said site
Bad at Bike Riding (25:34-46:49)
What I’m Reading (46:49-1:05:43)
- Josh: Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
- Ben: Silence by Shūsaku Endō
  - Movie trailer
- The book Josh Forgot: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
  - Outlander Book Review
Arcane: League of Legends, Season 2 (1:05:43-end)
- Season 2 Trailer
- How good is Arcane: League of Legends?
Join in the discussion on:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

November 28, 2024August 11, 2026

Episode 138 – Scott Pilgrim vs Email

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Show Notes

Ben and Josh are bad at Travel (skiplagging), Business (email), Reading, and reviewing current films. This time they take on the 2010 Edgar Wright film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World based on the Canadian graphic novel (manga?) by Bryan Lee O’Malley. And love it.
Intro & Follow-up (0-21:42)
- We Are 138 by the Misfits (1:38)
- The Making of Back to the Future was a Sh*t Show
Bad at Travel (21:42-33:41)
- Skiplagging (NY Times)
  - Official site
Bad at Business (33:41-57:35)
- Atlantic email article
What I’m Reading (57:35-1:13:26)
- Josh:
  - Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
  - Edgedancer (Stormlight Archive #2.5) by Brandon Sanderson
- Ben:
  - Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (1:13:26-end)
Join in the discussion on:
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- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

November 14, 2024August 11, 2026

Episode 137 – Orange Man Bad

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Show Notes

CONTENT WARNING: the hosts of the Bad at Magic podcast feel the election of Donald Trump to a second term as US President will be bad for the United States and fully intend to use their platform to air their grievances. If you don’t want to hear this, you can stop listening at about 1:14:15. You were warned. Also, Josh pwns Halloween (again) with a spot-on family-themed quest for the holy grail; Ben joins Slytherin house in his office’s themed competition; and Both enjoy the Magic: the Gathering Foundations pre-release.
Intro & Follow-up (0-29:02)
- Fleshman Family Halloween Costumes (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
- Try a Harry Potter Kahoot!
Bad at Magic (29:02-46:13)
- Magic Foundations
- Gamers Guild – North Phoenix
B@Tech (46:13-51:38)
- they mapped and simulated a fruit fly brain!
- No Dumb Questions – Episode 192: Predicting Chaos
What I’m reading (51:38-1:14:15)
2024 US Presidential Election Recap (1:14:15-end)
Join in the discussion on:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

October 31, 2024August 11, 2026

Episode 136 – Live from Las Vegas

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Show Notes

Ben and Josh take on social norms in door holding, raising sociopathic children, the difference between the Return of the King book and Movie, and why Josh is wearing nail polish. Join them in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada for MagicCon 2024.
Intro (0-8:59)
Follow-up (8:59-23:47)
- Jerry Seinfeld on melding soap
- Man locks staff in escape room
Bad at Parenting Magic (23:47-35:09)
- Timmy, Johnny, and Spike, Making Magic Dec 3, 2013 by Mark Rosewater
Bad at Tech (35:09-47:25)
- Credit Cards Don’t Require Signatures. So Why Do We Still Sign? Oct 14, 2024 by Oyin Adedoyin in the Wall Street Journal (PAYWALL)
  - “Signing a check at a restaurant or for a rudimentary purchase paid by credit card is still incredibly common, but here’s the thing: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express all dropped the requirements to sign back in 2018. It’s been genuine years, and still people continue to unnecessarily sign papers that will never be read, scrutinized, seen or even required under audit. They’re not used to stop fraud, and it’s literally fine to leave without signing, but here’s the thing — there’s no way I’m gonna stop signing. That would be weird. I’m not gonna be the guy who drunkenly explains to a bartender at last call that no, trust me man, you don’t actually have to sign anymore, I read it on the internet.“
- The hitchhiking robot
What I’m Reading (47:25-1:04:40)
- Josh: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
- Ben: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
  - LOTR Extended Edition – The Death of Saruman
  - Why LOTR feels like Tolkien (even when it doesn’t)
Feature (1:04:40-end)
- MagicCon Vegas 2024
Join in the discussion on:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
Check out our website(s):
- http://www.badatmagic.live
- Our YouTube Channel
Support us on:
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
Credits:
- Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
- Transition music by Jarus Rich
- Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich