I’m a little distracted today… ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

My neighbor is outside, listening to Sabrina Carpenter and dozing in her new hammock. A couple of bunny rabbits are chasing each other around outside my window. The Mariners are playing day baseball in a sun-soaked San Francisco ballpark. And I’m in my dang basement writing a dang newsletter!

Hello, by the way. Andrew, here, from the Too Beautiful To Live podcast. I hope this email finds you well.

Animated gif from an old Mattress commercial showing a woman laying on her back with animated red arrows pointing at painful areas of her back. Text says HOW YOUR EMAIL FINDS ME

I’m not really complaining, here. I love my job, including its newsletter-related responsibilities. I just want to apologize in advance if I seem a little distracted today. 

(A Steller's jay just landed on Genevieve’s bird feeder and is rocking back and forth noisily. The Mariners just allowed two runs and are now letting the Giants reload the bases.)

Okay, down to business! I wanted to let you know that our Ten-Friend Krista is organizing another series of TBTL gatherings in the Seattle/Tacoma area. She says:

It's time for Seattle area Tens meetups: Spring Edition! Our winter meetups were a big hit! These are informal meetups where you can drop in to connect with other Tens and build community. 

Lynnwood
Sunday April 13th, 3pm-5pm
Peace of Mind Brewing

Tacoma
Saturday April 26, 4pm-6pm
Sig Brewing Company

Seattle
Sunday April 27, 4pm-6pm
Stoup Brewery

Please RSVP! You can do this on the Facebook event page or by emailing me at TBTLSeattleTens@gmail.com. Also feel free to email with questions or to be notified of future events.

Now, one thing that Krista didn’t mention in her note (but I’m sure she would like you to know), is that a motorcycle just roared down my street and scared the bunnies away. And the Mariners just tied up the score 3-3 in the top of the third after a 12-pitch at-bat by Cal Raleigh.

Animated gif of a young child in a yellow jacket eating blue cotton candy at a Mariners game and FREAKING OUT!

Let’s see here. What else did I want to tell you? Oh, I know! Luke and I haven’t announced it on the podcast yet, but we’ve settled on a date for our special Saturday morning “tradio” show! That’s right, we are broadcasting a live, special episode of TBTL on Saturday, April 19th at 10:00 am Pacific Time! Tune into our YouTube channel to watch and listen along as we take your phone calls. But keep in mind, these aren’t just any phone calls! This show is an on-air marketplace. If you have something you are looking to sell or give away, or if you are looking to buy something, you can call in and let the other listeners know about it. (If you’re unfamiliar with the “tradio” format, we have more details here.) 

Oh, and don’t forget, Bingo the cat just jumped up on my windowsill to watch “his birdies” (as Genevieve calls them), and the Mariners just gave up two more runs and are trailing 5 to 2. 

Okay, you know what? I need to wrap this up and get outside. Clearly I’m not focused enough to bring you the newsletter you deserve today. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Jorge Polanco just hit a 2-run home run and tied up the game! Luke and I will talk to you Monday! 

— Andrew

Hey Dummies

YouTube still image of Andrew holding a talking heads album cover up to the camera. It's "More songs about buildings and food" and shows the band members recreated in a collage of smaller photos of their bodies.

Music For Your Weekend

Animated gif of a sketch of a woman in a blue sweater dancing a little and clapping her hands. It's a black-and-white ink-style sketch, and only her light-blue sweater has color.

Andrew: The Good Thing by Talking Heads

As I mentioned in the Hey Dummies video above, a friend of mine recently turned me on to the classic Talking Heads record More Songs About Buildings and Food. One thing that stood out to me on my first listen was the backing vocals on “The Good Thing”, which are attributed to a group called Tina and the Typing Pool. Intrigued by this name, I looked them up and discovered that (apparently) producer Brian Eno gathered a bunch of the administrative assistants at the recording studio to sing the backup vocals, led by bassist Tina Weymoth. Tina and the Typing Pool has just one recording credit to their name, and it’s this song. 

Listener Ryan: Portland Water by Michael Hurley

Michael Hurley, one of the best songwriters ever, died on Tuesday. Mississippi records, which was a huge champion of his, released his albums for the last 15 or so years. He's from Pennsylvania originally but lived in Astoria, OR, for a long time, and he wrote Portland Water, one of the great songs period, but also one of the great songs about Portland and the Columbia and the Gorge and more. I really love him and think you guys might, too, so just wanted to share this sad news and celebrate the work he left behind.

Ten Of The Week

Photo of listener Amber, holding a small white (VERY CUTE) dog in front of a floral shower curtain.

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Amber Mills. Beaverton, Oregon.

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
I was looking for new shows around 2015. I believe it was recommended by someone who also listened to My Favorite Murder. I was a Murderino at the time mostly because I enjoyed the beginning of the show when the hosts would talk about what was going on in their lives. Thanks to that 10 whoever you are!

How would your friends describe you?
Probably as someone who has made her love of the sitcom Parks and Recreation her personality.

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid? Is it still your fav? 
I was not allowed to have the good (sugar-filled) cereal at home (or white bread, which is so much tastier for making cinnamon toast). I loved getting to spend the night with my cousins so I could eat Froot Loops, Lucky Charms or Golden Grahams. But the parental influence is strong and my favorite is still a bowl of Cheerios with banana slices.

What food do you love to eat the most of?
My family was not adventurous when it came to food. I went to Thailand in 2004 having never eaten Thai food before. Let’s just say that set the bar very high when I got back and tried to find good Thai food in podunk Tennessee. Moving to the PNW has made my taste buds so happy. (I do miss authentic artery-clogging Southern cooking though.)

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
Amber T. Peabody Contraire. I still don’t know where he got this, but my uncle would call me this all the time. I guess I wasn’t obliging enough for him as a child?

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be?
I am not a music connoisseur. The best music I know is all thanks to TBTL. Because my husband and I like to randomly song slap each other with Waterslide by The Bonedaddys, I guess I’ll go with that.

What’s a special skill that you have?
I have a movie or TV quote for almost all situations.

What’s a skill you *wish* you had?
Cooking amazing meals with whatever I had in the kitchen without a recipe.

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?
Jalapeñ-jah!


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

GIF of an old-style transistor radio with little illustrated sound waves coming out of it.

#4434 Resident Allium
March 31, 2025
Luke regales Andrew with many stories from his trip to the mustard museum this weekend. 

#4435 I Saw The Sign
Tuesday, April 1
Luke and Andrew discuss the single-shot feats of Netflix’s Adolescence, the best/worst new commercial for a local casino, the troubling legacy of a famous sign along I-5, and NPR’s reporting on the “slow internet movement.”

#4436 Stupid Head And The Other One
Wednesday, April 2
Luke and Andrew turn to each other for help understanding some local TV commercials. They also discuss vampires and immortality, Cory Booker’s record-breaking speech, and Taffy Brodesser Ackner’s profile of Val Kilmer, who passed away yesterday. 

#4437 Today’s My Flursday
Thursday, April 3
Luke and Andrew call Coach Ben for a preview of the upcoming TBTL Junior Sluggers little league season. Plus, Luke describes his Mission Impossible-esque adventure trying to use the first-class restroom while flying coach. And Andrew has a big issue with a kiss kam commercial.

#4438 Don’t Throw The Bread Out With The Basket
Friday, April 4
Luke and Andrew break down the sublime and the not-so-sublime moments of John Mullaney’s latest live broadcast. Plus, Luke found the misleading CPAP commercial he was looking for, and it’s even more confusing and bizarre than he originally thought. And Andrew challenges Luke with a riddle for the ages (“the ages” being the early 2000s.)

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

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