TBTL #4567: It Takes One To Knoll One

Podcast: TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Date: October 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, winding episode, Luke and Andrew dive deep into the world of home organization, the oddly satisfying art of "knolling," and the strange cultural signals of backyard fire pits and Adirondack chairs. They reminisce about their public radio days (including the lost art of “out cues”), make each other laugh with personal stories and home improvement woes, and celebrate the rituals that keep us grounded—even (or especially) when the world feels wobbly. Listeners are treated to an extended, relatable banter about mugs, clutter, and midlife nesting, all served with TBTL’s trademark blend of gentle ribbing and affectionate absurdity.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

Opening Banter & Accidental Poetry

• [00:01–01:15]
  The show opens with spontaneous, playful banter between the two hosts and a brief, comedic reading of a poem.

“I like writing poems, but I wonder whether I will ever get any better at them.” – Luke (00:14)

Luke’s Obsession with Organizing (A.K.A. Knolling)

• [02:03–03:37]
  Luke talks about getting deep into home organization, discovering "knolling" (the art of arranging related objects in parallel or 90-degree angles), and how a single organized drawer led to a household-wide campaign.
• He references iconic films like ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ and Wes Anderson's work for that knolling aesthetic.
• Andrew chimes in with support and a quip:

“Now I’m knolling on a river, folks. Clean as your mama’s son!” – Luke (02:32)

Statues That Go Wrong & The New York Times Changes

• [02:40–03:42]
  The hosts tease a future discussion about badly made statues and lament the imminent removal of a feature from the New York Times, which Luke describes as “really bunk journalism.”

Reminiscing on Public Radio & The Art of the “Out Cue”

• [03:42–15:41]
  Andrew reminisces about his days in public radio, especially the lost craft of writing “out cues” (the last words of a tape piece to signal hosts when to come back on air).
• The guys riff on the many layers of radio production, sometimes to an absurd degree.
• Luke laments how public radio sometimes propped up hosts with too much support, coddling those not naturally suited to "think on their feet" live.

“I feel like a lot of people back in the day got into public radio, people who were not actually wired for the fact that it is both an entertainment medium and something where you’ve got to think on your feet when the microphone is open.” – Luke (11:02)

• Andrew recalls his own goal to bring more authenticity and improv to radio hosting:

“You’re trying so hard not to fall. You can fall. Just learn how to get back up.” – Andrew (14:21)

Life Lessons from a Wisconsin Waitress

• [15:41–17:15]
  Luke recalls advice from a “Jackie” in Friendship, Wisconsin, about the secret to carrying a large tray without spilling: "Don’t look at the ground—keep your head up. Your feet know.”
• This becomes a metaphor for confidently navigating broadcasting and life.

Organizing Mania: Drawers, Hearts of Palm, and the Allure of Order

• [19:10–26:04]
  Luke shares how organizing one drawer spiraled into an obsessive mission:
• Stockpiling “20 cans of hearts of palm” as aspirational cooking, not actual consumption.

“For some reason, I feel like hearts of palm represents… a lifestyle I want to be in or something.” – Luke (21:45)

• Overbuying dish and hand soap due to hidden stockpiles, prompting a solution with “clear plastic tubs.”
• The domino effect: organizing Tupperware/glassware lids leading to a full-scale declutter army.

Andrew’s Organizing Realities & Clutter Commonalities

• [21:45–25:38]
  Andrew empathizes, noting the challenge of maintaining order while sharing space with a partner and the inevitability of “floating” tools and Allen wrenches for furniture assembly:

“We have so many floating tools that are just for one chair.” – Andrew (27:23)

Adirondack Chairs & Cultural Coding

• [28:15–37:08]
  Luke describes buying “hybrid Adirondack” chairs (upright, not reclined) for his new fire pit, riffing on how the marketing and associated imagery feels politically “coded” (i.e., certain products giving off a “conservative vibe” without overt signals).
• Andrew relates to not relaxing easily and jokes about his preference for straight-backed seating:

“Those chairs are always… If I see them, I’m like, oh, I see. I only have one choice here. You’re going to force me to relax, aren’t you, chair.” – Andrew (28:41)

The Dilemma of Unnecessary Tools & Assembly

• [38:14–39:34]
  Luke laments the abundance of “bonus” screwdriver tools coming with each flat-pack chair:

“Because there was four of these chairs and four boxes, I have four of these black handle grip Phillips head screwdrivers that I cannot bring myself to throw away...” – Luke (39:08)

Listener Participation: Rehoming Craft Supplies

• [39:34–41:27]
  Andrew asks listeners for suggestions on donating leftover beads and friendship bracelet supplies to a Seattle-area community group or school.

The Coffee Mug Conundrum

• [43:33–50:05]
  Luke explains his decision to streamline and reorder his coffee mug collection, transitioning from a random, sentimental assortment (“looked like the skyline of Manhattan”) to a set of matching, “adult” ceramic mugs in preparation for houseguests.
• Andrew reflects on the emotional importance of certain mugs, such as one given by a late friend:

“My favorite mug right here… was given to me by a friend who's no longer on this earth. So every…every day when I grab this mug, you know, I think of Matt.” – Andrew (49:09)

Home Care, Contractors, and the Shame of Booties

• [51:09–54:27]
  Luke debates whether to ask an HVAC contractor to wear protective booties to keep his new white carpet clean, rehearsing the social awkwardness in his head:

“I’m already embarrassed about the fact that I’m going to ask this guy to put those booties on over his boots.” – Luke (53:14)

Thanking the Donors & Community Shout-Outs

• [54:43–58:32]
  The hosts call out the day’s donors, weaving in personal memories and running jokes about NPR’s Libby Lewis and the similarly-named (and infamous) Scooter Libby from the Bush era.

Public Radio Lingo & “Sock Outs”

• [60:06–61:14]
  The pair riff on public radio lingo, debating “sock out,” “SOQ,” and “SOT,” revealing more about the sometimes comically bureaucratic world of radio scripting.

Blursday Shoutouts

• [62:32–70:59]
  Listeners and their loved ones get “blursday” (birthday) shoutouts. Andrew and Luke weave in more classic TBTL inside jokes and regional references (from Seattle’s Pike Place Market to Manhattan Beach to the movie ‘Inherent Vice’).

Closing Moments: Reflections on Happiness in a Wobbly World

• [69:54–71:26]
  The episode closes on a moment of real talk, as listeners and hosts alike acknowledge the “wobbly world” of today but encourage holding onto small joys and routines.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Public Radio Coddling:
  “You can fall. Just learn how to get back up.” – Andrew (14:21)

• On Organizing as Coping:
  “I’m clearly trying to organize parts of my life because other parts of my life feel out of my control.” – Luke (26:04)

• On Conservative-Coded Furniture:
  “For some reason I might be the only Democrat who has one of these in his yard.” – Luke (36:15)

• On the Emotional Life of Mugs:
  “Literally every day when I grab this mug, I think of Matt.” – Andrew (49:09)

• On Navigating Joy During Unrest:
  “My partner of a decade is still not a convert to TBTL but perks up at the sound of Strong Bad. Still, she’s the best thing that's ever happened to me and I’m really feeling good fortune in a wobbly world right now.” – Listener Sean (69:28)

Key Timestamps

• 00:01–01:15 – Cold open, accidental poetry
• 02:03–03:37 – Luke’s knolling obsession
• 04:07–15:41 – Public radio out cues, nostalgia, and authenticity
• 19:10–26:04 – Organizing spiral: hearts of palm, dish soap, and glassware lids
• 28:15–39:34 – Adirondack chairs, home assembly, and political coding
• 43:33–50:05 – Coffee mug reformation
• 51:09–54:27 – Contractor etiquette, booties debate
• 54:43–59:48 – Donor thanks, community shoutouts
• 60:06–61:14 – Public radio script jargon discussion
• 62:32–70:59 – Blursday messages, pop culture tangents
• 69:54–71:26 – Reflections on happiness in a “wobbly world”

Tone & Language

• Warm, self-deprecating, meandering, and affectionate
• A blend of practical life talk and knowing, inside-baseball media banter
• Reliably irreverent—sometimes moving, often laugh-out-loud funny

TL;DR

Luke and Andrew “knoll” their way through life’s messiness, both literal and existential. From organizing tubs to the awkwardness of asking for booties on carpet, they find meaning in the mundane and comfort in connection. The episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves relentless, hilarious detail and finds solace in the rituals of home, memory, and community.