TBTL Episode #4593: Nap Judgement – Snorytelling With a Beat

Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Episode Overview

In this Friday edition of TBTL, Luke and Andrew continue their delightfully rambling tour through listener-submitted Top Five lists, with an extra focus on the art (and science) of napping. They reflect on the quirks of social etiquette (are you really allowed to drop a dog poop bag in someone else's garbage?), explore the subtle failings of the golden rule, and take loving detours through Seattle moviehouse nostalgia, family oddities, and the philosophical nuances of the perfect nap. Listener submissions drive the episode, leading to energetic discussions, unexpected self-revelations, and more than a few classic TBTL tangents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dog Poop and Social Norms: The Golden Rule Gets Complicated

• [03:11] Luke recounts disposing of his dog's poop in a stranger's garbage can after a walk—justifying it because he wouldn't mind if someone did it to him.
• Andrew objects, using it to launch a meta-discussion about the flaws of the golden rule:
  • Andrew: "If I treat other people the way I like to be treated... then I'm never wishing anybody a happy birthday. I'm ignoring them on their birthday. I'm giving them extra space." [05:17]
  • They agree that "do unto others" needs an asterisk for social outliers and acknowledge the complexity of social expectations (especially with freaky outliers: "That's a structural error with the golden rule." – Luke, [07:51]).

2. Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Top Five Lists

• [09:00] The hosts explain the show’s concept: listener-generated top five lists.
• List options from Luke’s brother David (DFTB) are previewed, ranging from "Top Five Coffees" to "Top Five Ways to Watch a Movie."
• The hosts opt for the "movie watching" list, with much brotherly banter about David’s work ethic and creative output.

3. Top Five Ways to Watch a Movie: DFTB’s List and the Cinematic Experience

• [13:09] The list, as voiced by David, sparks vivid reminiscence and debate:
  • #5: Watching a Movie on a Plane:
    • "Something really... emotionally gratifying about watching a movie on a plane. Something about your emotions when you're up in the air, movies hit you differently..." – David [13:30]
    • Luke and Andrew both resonate with how air travel amplifies a film’s emotional impact.
  • #4: Midnight Release Premieres:
    • The unique community and excitement ("Everybody's clapping and cheering..." – David [14:08]) of opening-night showings.
  • #3: In a Small Art House Theater:
    • The "highfalutin," intimate feel of a showing at a place like Bellingham’s Pickford; nostalgia for Seattle’s lost indie moviehouses ensues.
    • Luke recalls sobbing through Blaze Foley at the Pickford [15:17].
    • Andrew reminisces about seeing movies at the Harvard Exit, Seven Gables, and going solo to matinees.
  • #2: Movie Night at Home:
    • The ritual of popcorn & pausing, dovetailing with new-parent routines ("It's just our little time together and that is really, really special." – David [17:27]).
  • #1: Alone at the Theater (the Matinee):
    • Both hosts agree: this is an almost religious experience for introverts and cinephiles. Andrew notes, "I love not being responsible for anybody else." [20:13]
    • Luke describes the joy of total autonomy—snacks, seat, silence.

4. Seattle’s Movie History & Shared Experiences

• [24:02 onward] The conversation takes frequent warm detours into collective memory:
  • Remembering now-closed Seattle indie theaters (Grand Illusion, Harvard Exit, Seven Gables).
  • The particular magic of going to an art house matinee, either solo or with friends.

5. Listener-Driven Nap Rankings: The Top Five (Plus!)

• [41:32] Listener Heather calls in with her Top Five Favorite Naps (actually six, with honorable mention):

  • Honorable Mention: The Camping Nap
    • Fresh air and “no-judgment” sleep—“You sometimes running around playing or doing something, maybe you've taken a swim." – Heather [41:36]
  • #5: Post-Breakfast Nap
    • The luxurious post-rowing/early-brunch nap: “It’s really way too early in the day to nap but you’re going to do it anyway.” [41:50]
  • #4: Very Long Nap (When You Roll Over and Keep Sleeping)
  • #3: Post-Mommy-Daddy Times Nap
    • Luke, with classic TBTL frankness: “It’s nature’s trazodone.” [59:03]
  • #2: Between-Two-Kids Nap
    • A unicorn for parents—with both daughters asleep at once: “That tells you how exhausting the process is, how rare that nap is.” – Luke [43:47]
  • #1: The Couch Nap with Sports on TV
    • The ultimate backdrop: “Sports playing on the TV. Couch nap... Maybe someone’s in the kitchen making something good for dinner later. It’s probably a Sunday. Number one nap forever.” – Heather [44:59]
    • Both hosts agree: nothing beats the gentle drone of a baseball or golf broadcast for prime napping.

• [45:44] Listener Chelsea from Iowa adds: The Summertime Outdoor Nap

  • On a porch or screened couch-bed, napping in the open air.

• The hosts compare napping techniques and psychology:

  • Andrew: An “accidental” napper, prone to dozing with a book on the couch, but admits to a subtle shame (“I never really acknowledge that I'm gonna nap. We're all adults here, Andrew. Don't piss on my head and tell me it's raining." – Luke [50:25]).
  • Luke: A deliberate napper—goes to bed, changes into pajamas, uses white noise.
  • Both discuss the generational and emotional baggage around napping, with Luke crediting his mom for normalizing it.

6. Memorable Music and More Listener Lists

• Quick asides about Houston music legends (Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, Devin the Dude) prompt classic TBTL genre-hopping.
• Near the close, they read donor messages (with entertaining geography banter) and encourage listeners to keep sending in lists on any topic.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Golden Rule:
  • "Treat other people as they deserve to be treated or want to be treated. You know? Your wants and freaky ass desire should never enter the calculation." – Andrew [08:07]
• On Alone Matinee Movies:
  • "God, I love that. I just love not being responsible for anybody else." – Andrew [20:41]
• On Sunday Sports Naps:
  • “Sports playing on the TV. Couch nap. Maybe someone’s in the kitchen making something good for dinner later... Number one nap forever. I will stand by this.” – Heather [44:59]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dog Poop/Garbage Can & the Golden Rule: [03:11] – [08:24]
• Intro to Listener Top Five Lists: [09:00]
• DFTB’s ‘Top Five Ways To Watch a Movie’: [13:09] – [25:42]
• Seattle/PNW Movie Theater Memories: [24:02] – [28:31]
• Listener Naps Lists (Heather & Chelsea): [41:32] – [49:07]
• Discussion: Types & Psychology of Napping: [49:07] – [54:30]
• Music/Napping Crossover – Houston Artists, Devin the Dude: [64:38] – [66:27]
• Closing Encouragement for New List Submissions: [67:14]

Overall Tone

Warm, self-deprecating, and deeply conversational—TBTL is as much about gentle absurdity and affectionate ribbing as it is about the ostensible topic-of-the-day. The episode perfectly showcases the show's unique blend: everyday minutiae elevated by thoughtful banter, intimate nostalgia, and joyful diversion.

For First-Time Listeners

Even with no prior TBTL experience, this episode is a relatable, gently hilarious meditation on the everyday: why do napping rituals matter? Why does alone-time at the movies feel so exultant? And what does it say about us that we argue about who can use the garbage bin? It’s communal, confessional radio at its best.

Power out!