Nerdlandia

Sarah Donovan-Cuomo is the owner of Gilded Gecko in Lincoln, an artist-run pop-up shop and event host. We discuss the process of creating her upcycled jewelry, our favorite local thrift stores and her leopard gecko Kiwi. Connect with Gilded Gecko on Instagram . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song by Keith Wess. Ending credit music by Keith Wess and Liz Case...

Keith Wess is a member of the River City Ringers in Omaha (and the talent behind Nerdlandia's music!). He shares what it's like to be a part of this unique type of ensemble, the group's upcoming holiday concerts, and other cozy winter activities. Connect with River City Ringers on their website or Facebook . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠ . Theme song...

Katie Nieland shares Great Plains-inspired art, apparel and more through her business Katie Nieland Art. She is also the Associate Director & Communications Coordinator at the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Katie talks about Great Plains identity, upcoming collaborations and her love of Dungeons & Dragons. Connect with Katie through her website or on...

Tory Hall is the owner of Sower Books in Lincoln. She shares her perspectives on opening and running an inclusive indie bookstore, some of her favorite reads of 2025 and why she chose the name “Sower” for the space. Connect with Sower Books on their website or Instagram . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠ . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art...

Heidi Martinez-Reyes is the owner of Kuro Neko desserts in Lincoln. She shares her experiences growing up around the Japanese community in Cuba, her involvement with ECHO Collective and her favorite flavors of daifuku. Connect with Kuro Neko on their website or Instagram . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art...

Jared Buskirk returns to the podcast to discuss bike events, bike commuting and new bike acquisitions. Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠ . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠ .  Additional music by  Geri Art and Francis MacDonald from  Pixabay . 

Andreas is an artist based in Lawrence, Kansas. We talk about his show Super Natural, the tufted rug class he taught at Lawrence Arts Center and what makes Lawrence an underrated creative hub in the Midwest. Connect with Andreas on his website or Instagram . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by Ellen Stubbi...

Wendy Beio is the co-owner of MW Climbing, a bouldering gym with locations in Lincoln and Omaha. We talk about building a gym from the ground up with her spouse Matt, her approach to both climbing and setting routes and how the sport helps build resilience. Learn more about MW Climbing on their website and connect with them on Instagram or Facebook . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠E...

Morgan Otte is a member of the Nebraska Swordfighters Guild. We talk about her introduction to the sport in 2019, the martial arts style the group practices and her favorite fantasy world inspirations. Connect with the Nebraska Swordfighters Guild on their website or Facebook page . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠ . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess...

This Open Mic bonus episode features Steady Wells, the personal project of Jordan Smith. He also shares updates on his band Twinsmith. Songs: "Battles" and "Open Fire" Connect with Steady Wells on Spotify and Instagram . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠ . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠ .  

Robert James Russell is an author and illustrator based in Lincoln. His graphic memoir Hard Body, out in 2026 by Simon and Schuster, focuses on toxic masculinity and body image. We discuss what makes graphic memoir a uniquely expressive form, his current creative inspirations and how anyone can start making diary comics. Connect with Rob on his Substack , website or Instagram . Nerdlandia is hoste...

Slow Your Dough owners Jon and Sam take us behind the scenes of their scone-themed bakery in Lincoln. We talk about flavor combinations, how to recover from baking fails and our favorite scone puns. Learn more about Slow Your Dough . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by  Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by  Ellen Stubbings . Additional music ...

Toby Burnham is the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum member & affiliate coordinator. We talk about the lessons he’s learned about gardening, his favorite recipes featuring garden produce and Spring Affair. Learn more about the Spring Affair plant sale. Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by Ellen Stubbings ....

Mackenzie Chapek is the director of Brave Animal Rescue in Lincoln, Nebraska. We discuss her backstory on rescuing animals, how Brave’s volunteer-based programs have grown over the past five years and tips on finding the best rescue pet for you. Learn more about Brave Animal Rescue .  Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess...

John Jasa shares his enthusiasm for and knowledge of thrifting vintage silk shirts. We discuss how they’re made, how to take care of them and why Goouch is his favorite brand. Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by Ellen Stubbings . Additional music from  Pavel Sivahrakau  and Michael Daniel  from Pixabay .

Today is a follow-up with a very special season 1 guest! Molly Chapple Roe moved from California to Germany with her spouse Mike and their cat Max in 2023. Last episode, we talked about her first six months living abroad. Since then, she’s gotten more comfortable with her German-speaking skills and has traveled to a few different countries including Ireland, Switzerland and Norway.  (Note: this ep...

Grace Gaard is an outdoor educator and artist based in Lincoln. We talk about our favorite parts of Nebraska nature, Robin Wall Kimmerer's newest book The Serviceberry and my plans to get a pet jumping spider. Connect with Grace on Instagram and Etsy . -- Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by  Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by  Ellen Stu...

Matel Rokke is an artist and co-owner of the boutique Tsuru in downtown Lincoln. We talk about what inspires her work, the importance of being a more conscious clothing shopper and why the shop is named “crane” in Japanese.  Connect with Tsuru and Matel's photography . Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by E...

Your favorite source of creative and nerdy conversations is back! Learn more about season 2 and the first full-length episode, which will be out January 8. Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by Ellen Stubbings .

Saving Fiona is a band based in Lincoln. We talk about the creative processes behind two original songs from their most recent album, What a Shame . Connect with Saving Fiona on Spotify or Instagram . --- Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk. Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by Ellen Stubbings.

Alma Cerretta is the owner of Mana Games in downtown Lincoln. We talk about building the business from the ground up, all of Mana’s various offerings and what it’s like operating a board game cafe in the Haymarket. Connect with Mana Games on Facebook and Instagram . --- Join the Nerdlandia creative challenge Choose Your Own Adventure and earn a Nerd pin by completing 10 side quests by September 1!...

Dan Vallier is a musician based in Nebraska, as well as a visual designer and tattoo artist. He was previously in bands including The Paper Melody.  Rüze is his first solo project.  Listen to his newest single “Blue” and connect with Rüze on Instagram. --- Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by  Emily Case-Buskirk . Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by  Ellen Stubbi...

Emma (aka Emforcer) is a skater on the No Coast Roller Derby team from Lincoln. We talk about how the group bounced back after the Covid shutdown, the sport’s advancements since its inception and her derby origin story. Connect with No Coast Roller Derby , Emforcer and her podcast The Track Talk for more derby updates. Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk. Theme song and...

Emily Cancelmo is the owner of Stray by the Bay, a cat rescue in Lincoln, and plans to grow the concept into a cat cafe. We talk about our pets,  the local partner organizations her rescue works with and what makes cats and coffee go so well together. Connect with Stray by the Bay on Facebook or Instagram . --- Nerdlandia is hosted, produced and edited by Emily Case-Buskirk. Theme song and ending...

Vempire combines catchy 80s synth beats with ethereal vocals for a nostalgic yet inexplicably modern listening experience. Band members Mikey Elfers and Lindsey Yoneda share their singles "Sunglasses" and "Electricity." Connect with Vempire on Bandcamp , Spotify and Instagram . You can also check out their other projects Ghostlike and Thirst Things First . --- Nerdlandia is hos...