Open Mic: Steady Wells

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. Cover art by Ellen Stubbings. Additional music by Nikita Kondrashev and Pocketbeats Music from Pixabay.

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 and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠.    Additional music by Vlad Krotov and Krzysztof Szymanski from Pixabay.

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 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.  Additional music by ONALDIN_Music and soundoffreedom from Pixabay.

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 by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠.    Additional music from Pixabay. Music by Universfield and DELOSound from Pixabay.

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 by Ellen Stubbings. Additional music by Vincent and Pocketbeats Music from Pixabay.

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 Stubbings. Additional music by royalty_free_music and Musinova from Pixabay.

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 ⁠Emily Case-Buskirk⁠. Theme song and ending credit music by Keith Wess. Cover art by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠.  Additional music by Reza Alvin and DELOSound from Pixabay.

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. Cover art by ⁠Ellen Stubbings⁠.   Additional music by Oleksii Holubiev and Gavin Nellist from Pixabay.

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.