Oh my gosh, don’t look now, but today is July 11th! That makes the date 7/11. And that obviously can only mean ONE thing: We’re exactly two weeks away from the TBTL summer picnic in Friendship, Wisconsin! 

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest installment of the TBTL newsletter. I hope this email finds you well.

As I hope you know by now, Luke, Jon and I are soon decamping to the village of Friendship for a week of TBTL-a-Thon live broadcasts, virtual meetups, and the age-old tradition known as “staring at our own faces on a billboard." And once we wrap things up on the afternoon of Friday, July 25th, we’re headed to the park for a casual barbecue with anyone who cares to join us. Here’s what you need to know:

WHEN:
Friday, July 25th. 5pm. 

WHERE:
The Castle Rock County Park Shelter
2397 County Rd Z, Friendship, WI, 53934
Enter the park in between the office and woodshed as indicated on the map below. Once you enter the park, it’s very easy to find — just ahead of you on the left. 

PARKING:
Tell the attendant you are with the gathering at the shelter, and parking is free (otherwise it’s $5 for a parking day pass.) Park in any open space or along the side of the road next to the shelter.

There’s no need to bring anything; We will grill and serve hot dogs, hamburgers and vegetarian options along with beverages and standard picnic fare. 

This is going to be a very chill, laid back get together. We paid the Adams County Park Service a little something extra to guarantee good weather on the 25th, but if for some reason it rains anyway, we do have a shelter to protect us from the elements. Oh, and dogs are welcome, too, as long as I’m allowed to pet them (or, if they’re too anxious for that, they have to let me make goo-goo eyes at them from across the park.)

Any other questions? You can email Jon here. And if I’m missing anything big, keep an eye out for updates in upcoming newsletters. 

There you have it! I can’t believe how close we are to kicking-off TBTL-a-Thon 2025. I also can’t wait to share with you all the special gifts we’ve been cooking up to thank you for your ongoing support of TBTL. This is going to be a fun adventure!

In the meantime, I hope you have a fun, safe weekend. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday. 

-- Andrew

Andrew:  The Greatest Love by Hugo Montenegro

When I was a kid, one of the records in our family’s humble vinyl collection was Hugo Montenegro’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It never occurred to me to wonder if he’d ever recorded anything else….until someone shared this song on Bluesky the other day. Talk about a different vibe! I’m in love with this track. In fact, loving this song may be my new personality. You’ve been warned.

Listener Linh:  Bella Ciao by Pink Martini (ft. Storm Large)

I wanted to suggest Pink Martini's version of "Bella Ciao", featuring Storm Large on lead vocals. Given the political environment and that the song has been used as an anthem against fascists and authoritarians, their cover was released at the right time. It has also been used as the basis of Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters chants.

If you’d like to submit a “Music For Your Weekend” recommendation, just email me here!

#4504 Don’t Psalt My Game
Monday, July 7
Jon joins the show from Friendship, Wisconsin, where he’s getting a scouting report for the upcoming TBTL-a-Thon. He’s got eyes on the new TBTL billboard and the historical society building where he and Luke and Andrew will be broadcasting in a couple of weeks. Also, Luke shares his new Tiktok obsession, which involves an AI-generated Bigfoot preacher. 

#4505 Restoring The Raisin Sun Glitch 
Tuesday, July 8
Luke took the most dangerous nap in the world this morning. He also got to interview Bridget Everett and didn’t even cry once. He and Andrew also hear from a listener who had her own “Code Brown” experience during a Thanksgiving jog. 

#4506 Fantasize Mas
Wednesday, July 9
Luke went into the lion’s den of Yankees stadium yesterday and had one heck of an adventure. And Andrew has questions about the folks who knocked on his front door during his lunch break yesterday. 

#4507 For The Greater Glory Of Toomgis
Thursday, July 10
Andrew begrudgingly admits that a listener was right about something. Luke speculates on Oliver Stone’s football fandom. And one of TBTL’s favorite babies gets surprisingly political. 

#4508 A Boy Named Zoo
Friday, July 11
Luke introduces Andrew to a 25-year-old U2 video that stars John Madden and a frustrated place kicker. They also discuss Luke’s adventures in (and trying to get to) Manhattan, KS. And Andrew might pet a dog later today.

This space is reserved for you! If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming TBTL Newsletter, just click here, answer a few fun questions, and you’ll be a podcast newsletter star! 

You can check out prior Tens of the Week in our archives.