The sun is in the sky, the birds are singing, and according to my Far Side Page-a-Day calendar, it’s officially the first day of May. Sounds like the perfect day to share some YAYs and NAYs!

Hello, by the way, and welcome to the TBTL Friday Newsletter. My name is Andrew. I hope this email finds you well.

New readers may be unfamiliar with this particular TBTL newsletter tradition, so let me explain: YAYs and NAYs is an occasional segment where you, the Tens of Listeners, have an opportunity to share the things that make you smile and the things that make you scowl as you go about your daily life. Maybe you want to offer a YAY to the kind stranger who gave you their seat on the bus. Maybe you want to throw a NAY at the person who spit on the floor of the bus right in front of everyone. Or maybe, in some almost comical twist of fate, it’s the SAME PERSON and they deserve both anonymous praise and anonymous ire in the  pages of the TBTL newsletter. Whatever the case, we are here for you. 

To submit your own YAYs and NAYs, just email me here, and I’ll keep your identity between us. Meanwhile, let’s check in with this week’s submissions from your fellow readers: 

YAY to the lady sitting next to me on the flight who not only shared her cookies with me, but moved her iPad over so we could watch a show together. I have never experienced such generosity from a total stranger :)

NAY to the guy who walked right past me without so much as a nod -- let alone a “thank you” -- when I held the door for him when we were both going into the Jersey Mike’s. Not only did he end up getting ahead of me in line because of my door-holding, but he ordered 4 sandwiches while I seethed behind him. We live in a society! 

NAY to my local grocery store for no longer carrying my beloved monk fruit sugar in bulk. It’s twice the price in pre-packaged bags. Get out of here with that!

NAY to everyone who’s putting “New Driver” stickers on the bumpers of their cars. We know you aren’t all new drivers, you’re just bad drivers, and you want us to give you grace. Well, I for one am out of grace. Learn to use your dang turn signal and drive like an adult already. 

YAY to the middle-aged woman in the small SUV with a single bumper sticker that said “Please be patient. I have rabies.” I have so many questions, but I’m pretty sure we could be best friends. 

YAY to Coach Ben and his team updates on the TBTL Junior Sluggers (aka, the Parkside Jalapeños)! What are the chances that I, who have no experience or interest in Little League baseball, would hang on his every word about the team? He stays absolutely positive and brings edge-of-the-seat excitement no matter what the team has gotten up to. I want him to know his efforts are a highlight of the podcast, and I hope he keeps it up. Thanks Coach Ben, and Go Jalapeños!

And YAY to you, the Tens of Readers who are keeping this fine tradition rolling. Again, I’d love to share your grins and gripes in a future email, so please reach out if you have anything on your mind. 

Also, NAY to me for not naming this feature “Grins and Gripes.” That’s so much better. 

Anyway, I hope you have a YAY-filled weekend. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday! 

-- Andrew

Lucy’s new bed came with instructions on how to unpack it properly. 
It did not, however, come with instructions on how to *use* it properly. 

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Avalon Hernandez. Glasgow, Scotland. 

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
I started listening in 2008! An OG Ten, who has even successfully converted a sibling Eleven to a full Ten!!!

How would your friends describe you?
I have been described as wise, outrageous, and glamourous all in one breath.

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid?Is it still your fav? 
I loved plain Cheerios, eaten dry. It's insane I know but as a kid I didn't really like milk, nor soggy food. I still love them, but I can't buy the same kind in the UK. =(

What food do you love to eat the most of?
I could eat beef jerky specifically from Francisco's Fruits in Southern California all day, forever. Besides that, cheese. I love cheese.

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
Best nickname: Glamalon. Worst nickname: Evil-on. Given to me by some demon children that lived down the street from me as a kid.

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be?
This is the Day by The The

What’s a special skill that you have?
For inexplicable reasons I can do the splits despite not keeping up with stretching.

What’s a skill you *wish* you had?
I wish I could play the accordion. I love it so much. But I am not musically inclined.

If you were driving down the street and you saw Luke and Andrew on the sidewalk, what would you yell at them as you drove past?
Is it too early to get a fish sandwich???

Can other Tens find you on social media?
No, but I am about to make a big move to Houston Texas and I'd love to connect with local Tens in the area. How does one do that without social media?

Hey, it’s Andrew here again. Just a reminder that you can find our Ten of the Week form here! If you’ve never been a TOTW before  (or if it’s been a really, really long time) fill out our little questionnaire. And check out our Ten of the Week archive here!