I shouldn’t be left up to my own devices͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 

We could publish more “Yays and Nays” today if we wanted to. We won’t, but we could. And that’s pretty dang great!

Hello, by the way, and welcome to this week’s TBTL newsletter. My name is Andrew, and I hope this email finds you well.

Animated black and white illustrated gif of the back of someone's head as they smoke a cigarette and the night sky filled with stars seems to move around them, like they're whipping through space

If you missed last week’s newsletter, you might not have any idea what I’m talking about. So let me explain. 

We’ve launched a new occasional feature where you, the TBTL newsletter subscriber, can share the moments of joy (“YAY!”) and frustration (“NAY!”) that you encounter in your daily life. We received some fantastic submissions right away, which you can read in last week’s newsletter, and the yays and nays continue to roll in! I’m looking forward to sharing some more with you in the coming weeks. If you have something you’d like us to include, email me and put “yay” or “nay” in the subject line. 

In the meantime, I’m more concerned with something much more personal going on in my own life: namely, that I have the house to myself this weekend while Genevieve is out of town. 

In  reality, this isn’t a huge deal; Genevieve and I get along splendidly, and there’s nothing I can do when she’s gone that I can’t do when she’s here. It’s not like we go around policing each others’ behavior. 

However, on a less practical, more intangible level, there’s something exciting about living alone for a couple of days. And if I’m being completely honest, there are a few things I like to do when Genevieve isn’t around, like play my jazz records at full volume (Genevieve’s stance on jazz is well documented and directly in line with Dickie’s dad in The Talented Mr. Ripley, in that they both refer to it as “insolent noise.”)

So, the topic of this week’s newsletter, dear friends, is a top ten list of things I like to do when I have the house to myself for the weekend: 

10. Play my insolent noise at top volume

9.  Sleep lengthwise across the bed.

8. Brush my teeth with the door open. 

7. Call the cats by the names that I originally wanted to give them (“Knuckles” and “Billy Corgan Jr.”,  respectively)  

6. Set-up Genevieve’s makeup brushes like little dolls and recreate my favorite scene from Dinner for Schmucks. 

5. Rent a bounce house, list it on Zillow, and give open house tours to interested parties.

4. Prank call the Vatican, ask if their refrigerator is running. 

3. Tear apart the house looking for the money belt that I just know Genevieve has hidden around here somewhere! 

2. Take the garbage bins on a playdate with other neighborhood garbage bins.

1. Boogie. 

So, now you know what I’ll be up to this weekend! It might not be the most romantic Valentine’s day you’ve ever heard of, but we all celebrate love in our own ways. 

I hope your weekend is peaceful and filled with love, too, whatever that may look like. Hang in there, friendos. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday!

- Andrew

Hey Dummies

YouTube still image of Luke and Bean Baxter talking and laughing in a booth at a pub or cafe

Ten Of The Week

Photo of listener Adrienne making a VERY INTENSE face as she gets ready to whip a dodgeball at someone

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Adrienne Camm in New York Citaaaaayyy as Matt Berry would say.

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
I hadn’t heard of the show back then, but my first intro to the personnel was hearing Luke on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, which I listened to religiously for years. I found out about the podcast through the Text Me Back crossover eps!

How would your friends describe you?
Here’s hoping they would describe me as a good egg with a good sense of humor and down for anything.

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid? Is it still your fav? 
Kix was my jam back when I was a tot, but as I get closer to the grave, I’m all about that #mueslilife.

What food do you love to eat the most of?
This is a tough one because I’m an equal opportunity eater, but one guaranteed way to put me in a good mood is to put a plate of pasta in front of me, any kind. My favorite place to go on vacation is wherever the good food is at.

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
I’m a big fan of giving and receiving nicknames, and I’ve had a few over the years. My mom and sisters call me A.D., my partner calls me B, our mail carrier calls me Dre…but back in the hell of middle school, I was The Frizz. Because of the curly hair.

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be?
My friend introduced me to this app Music League where strangers anonymously submit one song each for a playlist organized around a theme, and then you listen to and vote on which song is your fave or matches the theme best. I’ve gotten really into it because it’s exposed me to a lot of new music, but also the competition aspect speaks to me as I have an unhealthy competitive streak I discovered my TBTL song pick thru the league and have had it on repeat ever since: Filaou Bessame (Cerrone Remix) by Amadou & Mariam. Just a good fun dance track that has been giving me a lift during these dark times.

What’s a special skill that you have?
I’m an excellent gift giver, if I do say so myself. I really enjoy planning and selecting something special that I think someone will like.

What’s a skill you *wish* you had?
There’s a lot I wish I had, but just off the top I wish I was better at doing math in my head. Sadly my family and I are chronically right brained folk.

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?
”Hey Friendos! Love you guys!!”

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!

This Week On TBTL

Black and white old photo of a man behind anitquated radio equipment, possibly from the early 1920s?

#4399 Putting Some English On It
Monday, February 10
Luke successfully made his way to Europe, but unfortunately his luggage didn’t. He and Andrew discuss his journey and their very different experiences watching the Super Bowl yesterday. 

#4400 Tottenham Quadrangle
Tuesday, February 11
Luke visited some of London’s finest attractions yesterday, including a stop at the British Supreme Court. Unfortunately, he also had to go clothes shopping, since his luggage is STILL in Seattle…

#4401 Tottenham Two-Step
Wednesday, February 12
Luke is thinking about attending a soccer match in England, which makes Andrew a bit nervous. Plus, Andrew has been eating a lot of cookies lately, and he has some thoughts. 

#4402 Spewy Spewed So Chazmo Could Die
Thursday, February 13
Luke finds himself in Liverpool, where he took a Beatles tour that blew him away. He and Andrew also finally weigh-in on the Totino's Super Bowl commercial starring their two favorite guys. 

#4403 Just Some Barry That I Used To Know
Friday, February 14
Luke has a difficult decision to make regarding his trip home from London. They also weigh-in on a listener’s conundrum about splitting the fee for a rental car. And Andrew is looking forward to spending a weekend all by himself 

Too Beautiful To Live, P.O. Box 33687, Seattle, WA 98133, United States

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