Niagara's Watercooler Podcast

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100

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Oct 2026

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Lockport Express, Shenanigans and More!

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October 22, 2026Episode 1150 min

Buzz Words Episode 11: Dracula

It's spooky season, so what better way to celebrate it than to read and review one of the original spooky books? Bram Stoker's Dracula is the godfather of Gothic Horror. And we tackled it head on. This one definitely got mixed reviews from the three of us. We all agreed that the beginning of the book was phenomenal and then chapter 5-ish was terrible. After that, we had divergent tracks about how we felt about the rest of the book. While it wasn't our favorite, it is a book that everyone should read once in their lives. Cast: Craig, Howie, Scott Running Time: 51 Minutes Next Up: Special Episode, Week of November 1st Next Up: The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman, week of November 15th Next Up: The Monsters of Ohio by John Scalzi, week of November 22nd Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

October 8, 2026Episode 1034 min

Buzz Words Episode 10: Rebel Falls

We have a special guest for our tenth episode of Buzz Words. Tim Wendel, author of Rebel Falls, joins us to talk about the history surrounding his novel. Through a series of technical difficulties, this show is much shorter than normal. Or that could just be because Howie wasn't here for the show. Tim is a graduate of Roy-Hart High School, and joined us via Zoom for a quick talk about his amazing piece of historical fiction. You can see him at the Lockport Library on October 26. Cast: Craig, Scott Guest: Time Wendel Running Time: 34 Minutes Next up: Dracula by Bram Stoker. Week of October 19th Next up: If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry. Week of November 1st. Next up: The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman. Week of November 15th. Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

September 24, 2026Episode 3711 hr 0 min

Buzz Words Episode 9: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Episode Nine of Buzz Words is here, and it's not quite as crazy as the previous episode. It's the third book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman. The further adventures of Carl and Donut and friends is sure getting interesting. Things are a bit more serious as they traverse the fourth floor, and the dangers are amplified. We're loving this series, even if Howie can't finish the book. Yes, one of us didn't finish the book for the first time. Cast: Craig, Scott, Howie Running Time: 60 Minutes Next up: Rebel Falls by Tim Wendel. Week of October 5th Next up: Dracula by Bram Stoker. Week of October 19th Next up: If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry. Week of November 1st. Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

September 9, 2026Episode 81 hr 36 min

Buzz Words Episode 8: Huck Finn & James

The newest episode of Buzz Words is our longest as we reviewed two books, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and James by Percival Everett. It is also our buzziest as the shots came quick and often. This was is quite a bit scattered all over, but in the middle of all that, the books shine through. We could say that this episode was sponsored by a certain drink, but we won't...yet. The opportunities are there. These books, together, create a tapestry of Americana that is rich and deep. Cast: Craig, Scott, Howie Running Time: 96 Minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

August 26, 2026Episode 37059 min

Buzz Words Episode 7: Carl's Doomsday Scenario

The latest episode of Buzz Words revisits Carl and Princess Donut as we take on Book 2in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Carl's Doomsday Scenario is the second installment in the series and it really takes off. As crazy as the first book was, this book takes it to another level...the third level. If you want to hear more about the adventures of our hapless hero and his furry sidekick, take a listen to this episode. Cast: Scott, Howie, Craig Running Time: 59 Minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

August 12, 2026Episode 658 min

Buzz Words Episode 6: Lord of the Flies

The latest installment of Buzz Words tackles a double feature: Lord of the Flies. We read the book and watched the new miniseries that is on Netflix. It was a mixed reaction from the three of us. It was almost uniform, however, that we weren't thrilled with the miniseries. Some of us really didn't like the book either, but others did. It was a tough book to read back in high school. Cast: Craig, Howie, Scott Running Time: 58 minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

July 30, 2026Episode 558 min

Buzz Words Episode 5: Dungeon Crawler Carl

It's the end of the world as we know it. And we feel fine. It's Episode 5 of Buzz Words, and this week we take on Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. This has been a long time coming. Mostly because Craig couldn't find the time to finish it, even though he was the first to grab a copy. This book is simply amazing, especially if you grew up in the 80s and played any video games or D&D. If you thought Ready Player One was awesome, hold onto your boxers and grab your cat. Cast: Craig, Scott, Howie Running Time: 59 minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

July 16, 2026Episode 445 min

Buzz Words Episode 4: The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances

In Episode 4 of Buzz Words, Scott, Howie, and Craig discuss The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon. This one will hit you in the feels, both teary and angry. In a cross between the Brave Little Toaster, 1984, and a slew of other books, this novel, while short, packs a lot of punch. And makes you think. The future is almost here. Are we ready for it? Listen and find out what we thought of this book. Cast: Scott, Howie, Craig Running Time: 45 minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

June 30, 2026Episode 31 hr 6 min

Buzz Words Episode 3: After the Fall With Edward Ashton

Episode 3 of Buzz Words features our first interview with an author. Edward Ashton, author of Mickey 7 (which was the inspiration for the Movie Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson), Antimatter Blues, The Fourth Consort, and After the Falls, joins us to talk about his latest book, After the Fall. We are grateful to Edward for taking time out of his day to speak with us. We also plan our next reading adventure, which will be coming out soon. Cast: Scott, Howie, Craig Guest: Edward Ashton Running Time: 67 minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.

June 18, 2026Episode 21 hr 20 min

Buzz Words Episode 2: Ranking the Classics

Our second episode is all about the classics. What makes a classic, and where do they rank? There is a lot of dissention with the placement of some of the books. None of us agree on all of them. There were even books we didn't know, which is rare. What were some of the omissions from the lists? Listen and find out where your favorite classic ranks. Cast: Scott, Howie, Craig Running Time: 80 Minutes Intro and Outro music: "Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The views, information or opinions expressed on the podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and do not represent the views of Niagara's Watercooler or anyone associated. Where guests appear on the podcast, the views expressed by such guests are solely their own.