It’s a philosophical question as old as time: How do you win a frog jump competition without ever actually touching a frog? 

Hello, by the way. It’s your buddy Andrew from the Too Beautiful To Live podcast. I hope this email finds you well.

It has been, without a doubt, an amazing week here in my hometown of Valley City, Ohio. Luke, Jon, and I have had a blast streaming the show live from my old elementary school, dining at wizard-inspired restaurants, and going on all kinds of frog-related adventures with everyone named Dave in the tri-county area. We literally couldn't have asked for a better TBTL-a-Thon week. 

But our biggest challenge is still ahead of us. As you know, the Valley City Frog Jump festival is this Sunday at Mill Stream Park, just around the corner from our temporary broadcast studio. It is our intention to enter one of our frogs in the competition, and it is our intention to win. 

But the biggest complicating factor is my own squeamishness. I don’t like touching squiggly, squirmy things like worms, snakes, lizards, mayonnaise and -- you guessed it -- frogs. So how the heck can we Win It All if I can’t even muster the courage to carry our frog (also named Dave) to the starting line? 

Well, I'll tell you how: Through teamwork! Luckily, I am not in this alone. I have my buddies Luke and Jon here with me. They aren’t as scared of amphibians as I apparently am, so I’m counting on them to handle that part of the job. As for me? I’m a known motivator. My plan is to be nearby, whispering encouraging words to Dave the Frog and bringing out his best hops. 

And that, Friendos, is the perfect analogy for this entire week. Because Luke, Jon and I aren’t just out here to play with frogs and sample boxty. We are out here for this year’s TBTL-a-Thon, where we raise the money we need to keep the podcast going strong for the year to come. We  rely on you, the Tens of Listeners, to donate whatever you can to the cause. Because you are our friends, and our teammates, and you are carrying our proverbial frog not just to the starting line, but all the way to the finish.

If you haven’t contributed yet and want to lay eyes on our cool thank-you gifts we’ve made for you, you can do that here. It means the world to us. THANK YOU so much for everything you do to make TBTL possible. You know how special this community is; I just hope you also know how much we appreciate you. 

And for those of you in driving distance, we’ll see you at the Valley City Frog Jump this Sunday. We’ll be the three adult men championing one little frog. We look forward to hoisting the trophy…as long as it’s not too slimy. 

Sincerely, 
Andrew

Your regularly scheduled Moment of Lucy has been postponed due to geographical difficulties. Please enjoy this Moment of Dave instead.

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Max McDaniel. Seattle.

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
I met Luke at a football game in 2014 and decided to try a listen to the podcast he mentioned he hosted. Twelve years later I’m still listening daily, for some inexplicable reason. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How would your friends describe you?
Their tallest friend. Most likely to try and 3D print you something, or bake you a scone.

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid? Is it still your fav? 
I was allergic to anything with corn in it so I was limited to boring stuff. I longed for Honey Nut Cheerios and Special K Red Berry. They still hit home, but not so much of a cereal guy these days.

What food do you love to eat the most of?
Burritos. Multiple per day, if possible.

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
In high school I was called Big Max to differentiate myself from my best friend who was also named Max. You’d think he could have at least been Little Max!

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be? 
Even Flow by Pearl Jam as sung by Opera Man from SNL

What’s a special skill that you have?
Empathy and compassion.

What’s a special skill that you wish you had?
Playing the piano.

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?
“Keep up the good work!”

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