People often come up to me and say, “Hey, Andrew, whatever happened to that thingy you were telling us about?” 

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

It’s not uncommon for me to use this newsletter to ask for your input on something, only to never follow-up. Case in point: A couple weeks ago, I told you about our friend Houser (aka “Jonathan”, aka “J-dog”, aka “Sweet Baby J”) and how we were brainstorming together. Houser, a filmmaker here in Seattle, is teaching a lighting class and needs the students to remember the five fundamentals of lighting design: 

Intensity 
Direction
Color 
Quality 
Falloff 

I told Houser I had the perfect mnemonic device to remember “I.D.C.Q.F.”

“Just tell your students to memorize this simple sentence,” I said. “Immortal Ducks Can Quack Forever.” 

“Yeeaaahhhhhhh,” Houser said. “Maybe we can also get some more ideas from the TBTL Tens?”

“Why?” I said. “I just gave you the perfect solution. Our work here is done!” 

“I know, I know,” Houser replied. “Obviously, we don’t need any other options. But maybe it would be fun for folks to come up with something less….perfect?” 

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll ask. But I hate to waste everyone’s time.” 

And ask I did! Thank you for all your creative, inspired replies. I forwarded them all to Houser as they rolled in, and Houser has this update for you:

A NOTE FROM HOUSER
(AKA “J-DOG”, AKA “LIGHTING MCQUEEN”) 

Please thank all the listeners for their wonderful, weird, and thoughtful submissions for the lighting mnemonic. Considering that this is a first year class teaching students about the inverse square law, the listener submission winner is….

I Don’t Care Quite Frankly!!

I’ve also compiled a list of the others that tickled me. Special mention to Levi for a stack of great ones. Thank you all!!

I Don’t  Care Quite Frankly
(from April, Bob, Jessica, Karen, and Christina)

Iffy Dog Collars Quickly Fail (Levi)

I Do Consider Quilting Fun (April)

Independent Cinema Directors, Quit Failing (Kevin)

It’s Difficult Choosing Quality Floodlights (Andrea)

Intestinal Distress Causes Quiet Farts (Levi)

Imaginary Dieters Commonly Quaff Fanta (Tim)

Idiots Don't Celebrate Quaker Farms (Levi)

Indignant Dads Call Questionable Fouls (Anna)

Igloos Don't Cause Quick Fires (Levi)

If Dinosaurs Cause Quakes, Flee (Levi)

Illegitimate Dictators Champion Questionable Falsehoods (Levi)

Iced Donuts Can’t Quell Flatulence (Tim)

I Don’t Consider Quince Fruit (Mimi)

I Drive Cars Quite Fast (Anand)

Iconoclastic Dictators Constantly Quarantine Flamboyantly (Tim)

Hey. It’s Andrew again. I’m a little confused by Houser’s note, since it doesn’t seem to even mention my flawless and inspired contribution. I don’t know if Houser has something against ducks, something against me, or just wants to watch the world burn. But I guess it’s not my decision at the end of the day. 

However, I should note that I am teaching my own class this fall about the five fundamentals of podcasting (Introspection, Defensiveness, Chagrin, Quarrelling, and Fabrication), and I think I have just the mnemonic device to help my students achieve greatness. 

Speaking of great, I hope you have a great weekend. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday!

- Andrew

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Ben Kirkpatrick. St. Louis.

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
My brother turned me on to the Show in 2015. During the first episode I listened to, Andrew was reporting on his “tub-o-salad” meal prep method and Tonight Pants habit. Needless to say, I was completely hooked from that point on.

How would your friends describe you?
Always hard to say. Despite my efforts to seem aloof and interesting, people would probably describe me as something closer to a teddy bear.

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid? Is it still your fav? 
Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I still buy it anytime I find it on sale.

What food do you love to eat the most of?
Spaghetti bolognese.

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
Binky.
EDITOR’S NOTE FROM ANDREW: This was also one of my more unfortunate nicknames in school. It was not a term of endearment. 

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be?
That’s why I Love Like I Do by Roger Miller

What’s a special skill that you have?
I’m pretty good at fixing things.

What’s a skill you *wish* you had?
Put simply - think before you act.

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?
“Power out!”

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!

#4384 You Could Have Banned It Longer
Monday, January 20
Luke was on TikTok when it went dark this weekend, and his feelings about the app might be shifting. He and Andrew also discuss their pal, Chris Hayes, being portrayed on Saturday Night Live. And Andrew’s addiction to the NFL playoffs is creating more scheduling problems.  

#4385 Bar Keepers Situationship 
Tuesday, January 21
Luke and Andrew process their feelings after a very tough day of very awful news. They also discuss the unstoppable force known as “anxiety cleaning,” and Luke gets some good news about Dick Butkus. 

#4386 Caricature Study 
Wednesday, January 22
Andrew is excited to see that there’s a new Hollywood Squares on CBS, but he has a lot of questions. He and Luke also swap stories about their experiences with caricaturists. 

#4387 It’s A Wet Heat
Thursday, January 23
Luke is in Hawaii, but he might not be exactly where he’s supposed to be in Hawaii. He and Becca also almost missed their flight out there after a series of bad decisions. Also, Andrew finally tells the travel-related bathroom story nobody asked for. 

#4388 Whale Tales 
Friday, January 24
Andrew breaks down his favorite moment of Chris Hayes’ appearance on the Dan LeBatard Show and why he feels like he personally influenced it. He and Luke also discuss Luke’s  plans to go whale watching and Andrew’s trippy experience on dramamine in 1996.