TBTL #4569 “Say Yes To The Stress”
October 6, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Episode Overview
In this engaging and characteristically long (2hr+) episode of TBTL, Luke and Andrew navigate the chaos and anxieties of daily life—pet sitting for unpredictable neighbors, a contentious cat potty-training experiment, Mariners playoff stress, and the emotionally fraught world of sports fandom text chains. They blend personal storytelling, self-deprecating humor, and tangential deep-dives on everything from blood pressure scares to the moon in autumn skies. The episode’s unifying theme: coping with stress—both real and invented—while trying to keep it fun (and at least moderately functional) as modern adults.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Pet Sitting Chaos & Domestic Confusion
[03:30–15:36]
- Andrew’s Dog-Sitting Saga: Andrew recounts an awkward exchange at a restaurant supply store where he accidentally instigated a neighborly conversation about watching their dog, Maggie, only to discover a new puppy (with incomplete vaccinations) had also been added to the mix without his knowledge or consent.
- Quote, Andrew [08:27]: “The addition of that [the unvaccinated puppy]...complicates things...Genevieve, can you get your arms around this?...we’re now, I do think, doing double the work, and double the fun. Potentially. But I don’t know.”
- Genevieve’s Feline Innovations: Frustrated, Andrew describes Genevieve’s unilateral decision to toilet-train their cat, Bingo—with new gadgets and techniques—disrupting a litter box routine that Andrew is already peacefully managing.
- Quote, Andrew [15:36]: “Having an animal that is trained to go into a little box that you clean once with, like, in literally 45 seconds is like, that is perfect already. Like, I don't see a need to improve on that.”
2. Rituals, Anxiety, and Household Negotiations
[17:17–32:51]
- Andrew’s Apprehensions: He voices a sense of overwhelmed resignation: not consulted on recent household changes, dreading looming responsibility, and feeling like chaos is stacking up (dogs, cats, uncertain instructions).
- Luke’s Reassurance: Luke empathizes, suggesting ways to divide dog/puppy duties, stay positive, and “divide and conquer.”
- Memorable Moment: The hosts riff on dog bathing, the science of poop bags, and household division of labor, all underscored by Andrew’s self-aware grumpiness.
- Quote, Andrew [21:14]: “I don't think I've ever just come off as such a goddamn grump in my life...I have not had this conversation....Suddenly, I'm talking to literally tens of people...I feel a little bit bad grumping about Genevieve.”
3. Sports Fandom, Rituals, and Mariners Playoff Anxiety
[32:51–79:06]
- Baseball Stress: Both hosts process the all-consuming anxiety brought on by the Mariners' playoff run. Luke likens the emotional toll of playoff baseball to a physical burden.
- Quote, Luke [41:14]: “I was going to tell you that I don’t know if my blood pressure can handle these games…”
- Strategies for Coping:
- Andrew and Luke share their personal playoff-watching rituals (superstitious behaviors, intentional distractions like TikTok or walks, the therapeutic impact of a baby as an “emotional support” device).
- The unique pain and intensity of playoff baseball is dissected—“Every single batter that comes up is the highest stress moment, until the next batter.”
- Andrew’s TV/bar calculus: weighing the comfort of home-vs-public viewing, and the importance (and peril) of “watching with your people.”
- Text Chain Drama: The emotional undertow of pessimistic group texts is discussed.
- Quote, Luke [112:45]: “I had to look at my phone and I just saw...the most negative stuff you could ever see...I gotta jump off that train. Because it might be...I didn’t like that I had to live with it.”
4. Health, Blood Pressure, and Self-Diagnosis Spiral
[41:14–52:19]
- Luke’s Blood Pressure Journey:
- Because of physical sensations and “bad readings” from home devices, Luke visits his doctor only to find his BP is perfect (“Olympic-level”). The anxiety and symptoms vanish.
- They discuss medical device calibration, the anxiety-self-diagnosis feedback loop, and coping with middle-aged health baggage.
- Quote, Luke [48:22]: “Since she [the nurse] did that reading…not once have I felt that...whatever that feeling was...I think it might have been an anxiety.”
5. Podcasting Marathon & Donor Acknowledgments
[32:51–41:12]
- A meta-moment: marveling at their streak of daily episodes, the uniqueness of their five-day-a-week format, and the vital role of listener supporters.
6. Is This Even Fun? The Philosophy of Sports Misery
[59:03–82:11]
- Andrew highlights the paradox of playoff fandom, referencing social media debates: Is the agony of watching high-stakes baseball actually enjoyable, or just stress with short-lived payoff?
- Luke notes, “I guess I don’t know…the answer to that.”
- Anecdotes underline that being “locked in” with other committed fans can buffer the lows (or compound them), and that distractions (babies, partners, walks, TikTok) are invaluable for emotional regulation.
- Quote, Luke [60:29]: “Having [family] there was really good for me...every time I would get too stressed, I’d just go play peekaboo with [the baby].”
7. Good-Luck Charms, Ritual Blocking, and Open Relationships?
[117:10–118:26]
- Luke crafts new Mariners rituals: posting a niece’s photo above the TV as a good-luck totem, and “blocking” negative friends from group texts during important games. The etiquette of “openly” managing sports relationships is praised.
8. Review: “Inherent Vice” & The Neo-Noir Mindset
[118:33–129:24]
- Luke attempts Paul Thomas Anderson’s film “Inherent Vice” but bails out 40 minutes in—thrown by a geographical mispronunciation (Arteza vs. Artesia) and losing the noir thread.
- Andrew argues it rewards repeat/wired viewing, is intentionally convoluted, and fundamentally a "vibe” movie, not a plot movie.
- They riff on Joanna Newsom’s narration, Gillian Bell’s cameo, and the TBTL ethos of giving difficult art (or chaos) another shot.
9. Embracing Autumn, Weather Anxiety, and Letting Joy In
[132:08–137:09]
- The hosts romanticize the current season—moons over the river, walks with moody soundtracks—while pledging to only let “the blues” in for the small window of deep winter, not to spoil the pleasures of fall.
- Quote, Luke [136:49]: “I don’t want to feel sad about February 11th...until it’s February 11th. Because today is Monday, October 6th, you and I are talking...it’s lovely outside.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Andrew [10:22]: “Yeah, you know me, I love chaos. That sounds great.”
- Andrew [15:15]: “[Genevieve]’s obsessed with trying to better—not mouse trap—but poop trap, I guess.”
- Luke [31:22]: “It’s not like we have to constantly mine our own lives and endanger our own relationships just to keep the needle moving on this show, but...it’s relatable.”
- Luke [135:26]: “I just don’t see the need to expect the worst...if things turn out bad, deal with it then.”
- Andrew [134:13]: “I was just in a bit of a malaise...and I was realizing I was feeling really anxious about whether or not the sound is going to be on for this game.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Time | Segment/Topic | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:30–15:36 | Pet sitting, dog chaos, “toilet training” the cat | | 17:17–32:51 | Overwhelm & coping; dividing labor; dog bathing; household gripes| | 32:51–41:12 | Donor thanks, podcasting meta, reflecting on the show’s format | | 41:14–52:19 | Luke’s blood pressure/health spiral, anxiety unspooling | | 52:19–59:03 | Mariners playoff stress, group text woes, block/unblock rituals | | 59:03–82:11 | The agony/ecstasy of playoffs, sports fandom as self-punishment | | 82:11–99:53 | Mariners roster, X’s and O’s, relievers, hope vs. doom spiral | | 117:10–118:24| New playoff rituals: photo as totem, friend blocking practices | | 118:33–129:24| “Inherent Vice” review: art, vibes, and why it didn’t click | | 132:08–137:09| Embracing autumn, weather & joy, controlling future dread |
Tone & Style
- Conversational, self-deprecating, “frenemy” banter
- Tangential, digressive storytelling with persistent callbacks
- Wry, emotionally honest reflection on adult anxieties
- Fandom-driven, but with universal resonance (of feeling overwhelmed and making attempts to cope, laugh, and foster hope anyway)
For the Uninitiated Listener
This episode is a classic TBTL blend of personal storytelling, meandering comedy, and sports therapy with plenty of sidebars: from potty-training cats and neighborly awkwardness to the crucible of Mariners fandom. It’s about creating order (or at least, narrative) out of chaos, and, importantly, letting yourself enjoy the good days—despite, or perhaps because of, all the stress.
Power out.