TBTL Episode #4683: Friggatriskaidekaphobia

Date: March 13, 2026
Hosts: Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh
Main Theme: Enjoying life’s weird little moments—a snowstorm in March, childhood go-karts, and the peculiar fear of Friday the 13th—while navigating ordinary, often hilarious, challenges.

Overview

In this Friday episode, Luke and Andrew embrace the snowy, wintry weather (remarkable for March in Seattle) and dive into stories about childhood vehicles, personal resilience, and the unexpected logistics of adult life. The episode’s threads weave together the spirit of TBTL: part deep dive into odd topics like “friggatriskaidekaphobia” (fear of Friday the 13th), part warm celebration of listeners’ milestones, and part wandering nostalgia trip about old go-karts and homemade dune buggies.

Key Discussion Points

1. Friggatriskaidekaphobia & Friday the 13th

[01:45, 68:35]

• Luke introduces the term Friggatriskaidekaphobia, reading it with some comedic difficulty, and explains it refers to the fear of Friday the 13th.

• 2026 has a peculiar number of Friday the 13ths, which they analyze with playful skepticism, referencing a NYT article by Sopan Deb.

• Andrew explores calendar “symmetry,” relishing the way February 2026 lined up perfectly on the page—a treat for calendar nerds!

  Quote:
  “I feel like in these troubled times, we will take whatever we can get. And as a person who doesn’t suffer from… Friggatriskaidekaphobia—I can’t pronounce it or experience it—I welcome every Friday the 13th.”
  —Luke [72:31]

2. Snow in Seattle in March: Weather Memories

[02:49, 03:34]

• Both hosts marvel at the ongoing snowstorm:
  “It is like real snow coming down from… snow, snow, and more snow. But it’s practically June!” —Andrew [02:49]
• Luke reminisces about an unseasonal April snow in his Seattle childhood, trying to verify it online, uncovering how memory gets foggy around weather events.
• Digression into dated, local online news sources (and their paywalls).

3. Listener Ezra’s Big Day

[08:27]

• Shoutout to 6-year-old listener Ezra, who is finishing 15 months of cancer treatment! His dad, Ty, writes in to share Ezra’s journey—and how TBTL episodes helped lift their spirits during hospital drives.

• The hosts are genuinely moved and send heartfelt congrats to Ezra, with Luke joking about missing golf due to the weather but promising better days ahead.

  Quote:
  “Ezra is wearing a business suit for his final treatment today.”
  —Andrew [09:11]
  “We will see you on the links in no time once the snow melts.”
  —Luke [10:03]

4. Golf: Then (and Now)

[10:03, 11:56, 13:02]

• Luke ponders picking up golf again and describes the generational shift in how people play (“walking 18 holes” vs. the ubiquity of golf carts and even motorized scooters for carrying golf bags).

• Andrew weighs in with a “fancy vs. regular” cart breakdown, and Luke shares a favorite (maybe apocryphal) Twain quote: “Golf is a good walk spoiled.”

  Quote:
  “I really do think of it as a good walk spoiled… like you’re walking 18 holes with your Alex P. Keaton suit, stepping through the snow.”
  —Luke [12:35]

5. Andrew’s Childhood—Go-Karts, Dirt Bikes, and Dune Buggies

[15:54, 19:14, 20:00]

• Andrew unpacks a rich tapestry of youthful exploits: driving golf carts at his dad’s shop (“Walsh Manufacturing” on the grounds of Lake Erie Screw), whip-sawing around the family property on go-karts and dirt bikes, and riding in the family-made dune buggy.
• Luke is hilariously envious:
  “You left out the—I would have literally traded any of my siblings for a go-kart.” [22:58]
• Discussion of their different upbringings—Andrew's “moto riches” versus Luke’s more limited access to motorized fun.

6. Homemade Resilience: Braces & Casts Edition

[28:22, 30:17, 31:28]

• Genevieve, Andrew’s partner, once famously removed her own braces with pliers (“That really puts people on notice.” —Luke [28:48])
• Luke counters with a story about prying off his own cast to play kid football in the Kingdome, noting that his parents never mentioned its disappearance.
• Both tales underscore the era’s DIY/problem-solver ethos and the scruffier side of '80s/'90s parenting.

7. Nostalgia, Childhood Photos, and Sharing the Past

[46:48, 49:08, 51:01]

• Andrew multitasks through Tumblr to send Luke old photos of his go-kart and golf cart days.
• A mutual reverence/roasting session:
  “You were a snack. You were a whole snack.” —Luke, about young Andrew in a ride-on car [50:00]
• Genuine affection for childhood memories and the way listeners’ stories intertwine with their own.

8. Dazzling Donor Thank-Yous

[54:21, 59:44, 66:14]

• Gracious acknowledgements of donors Nancy Martin (a mental health/leadership coach in Media, PA) and Irene Park Hill in snowy Seattle—both get personalized gratitude and tangential jokes about their professions.

• Listener shout-outs double as mini-PSAs for mental health support and a chance to riff about orthodontists vs. dentists.

  Quote:
  “What you do is so important. You offer a vacation from worry each day, which is so needed right now.”
  —Nancy [55:19]

9. Pizza Economics & Delivery Culture

[77:32, 82:13]

• The hosts bemoan the soaring costs and logistical oddities of food delivery—$50 for a medium pizza in Seattle!—and riff on the pros/cons of “apps” vs. direct ordering.
• Luke tells of getting “toasted” sandwiches delivered by bike in the Chicago winter, wishing the app had warned him the food would chill en route.

10. Miscellaneous Marvels & Memorable Moments

**- [75:30]: Luke’s empathy for an LA delivery robot being bullied.
**- [74:02]: Shoutout for grocery store clerks, with a vignette:
“There was a reason there was no one in this guy’s line… It was probably a 15-minute adventure of him needing to ask, what’s the code for white onions.”
—Luke

**- [87:04]: Blursday shoutout to Katie Beck, late but heartfelt, compared to the “sweetest bite” of a meal.

Notable Quotes

• “Seattle is just snow, snow, and more snow. But it’s practically June. Not when spring training is happening. Not during World Baseball Classic!” —Andrew [02:49]
• “Genevieve removed her own braces. That is some David Cronenberg ass shit.” —Luke [28:39]
• “That is why I have a little bit of dirt bag… a combination of both privilege, because look at all these amazing toys, but also in this kind of dirt bag era.” —Andrew [52:04]
• “I think there was a circle on the calendar from before the season started… I’ll be gosh darned if I am not going to get to play on the astroturf of the Kingdome.” —Luke, remembering the football cast story [32:33]
• “You were a snack. You were a whole snack. I love this for you.” —Luke, reacting to Andrew’s childhood photo [50:00]
• “It does make the dirt bike thing make so much more sense because I don’t think of you as a dirt bike guy, but I know that’s a thing you have a little thing…” —Luke [51:09]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:45] – Friggatriskaidekaphobia and the roots of Friday the 13th
• [02:49–04:54] – Snow in Seattle in March & weather memory sleuthing
• [08:27] – Listener Ezra finishes cancer treatment; special listener moment
• [10:03] – Luke’s rekindled interest in golf, “good walk spoiled”
• [15:54] – Andrew’s golf cart and go-kart memories
• [28:22] – DIY medical procedures: Braces and casts
• [46:48–51:09] – Photo nostalgia: go-karts, trikes, and golden youth
• [54:21, 59:44] – Dazzling donor Thanks: Nancy Martin and Irene Park Hill
• [77:32] – Pizza delivery economics in Seattle
• [68:35] – Deep dive: Three Friday the 13ths in 2026
• [87:04] – Listener birthday (Blursday) shoutout for Katie Beck

The Tone and Vibes

Warm, nostalgic, and a little mischievous—the hosts riff, reminisce, poke fun at themselves (and each other), and let tangents bloom into full stories. The tone remains irreverent and conversational, with affectionate jabs (“You were a snack!”) and deadpan confessions (DIY cast removal, self-surgery on dental appliances, $50 pizzas that don’t hit right). Listeners’ landmarks and hardships are honored with genuine care.

Bottom Line:
This episode exemplifies TBTL at its best: meandering, heartfelt, and funny. It’s about snow and luck and the weirdness of childhood, but mostly it’s about how little things—good and bad—add up to a life worth laughing about, especially with friends.