The Problem: John ate the minnows for two weeks.

(Recorded on Monday, January 13, 2025.)

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The Problem: People almost have an accident all the time.

(Recorded on Monday, May 19, 2025.)

The Problem: John just wants one big card.

(Recorded on Monday, May 12, 2025.)

The Problem: You can only put so much ham on the boat.

(Recorded on Monday, March 3, 2025.)

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The Problem: John is a pile of dirty clothes.

(Recorded on Monday, February 10, 2025.)

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The Problem: A friend could be a duck.

(Recorded on Monday, February 3, 2025.)

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The Problem: It was something they had a fifth-hand memory of.

(Recorded on Monday, January 20, 2025.)

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The Problem: John put eggs in the ravine.

(Recorded on Monday, May 5, 2025)

The Problem: John and Merlin are bookends.

(Recorded on Monday, April 28, 2025.)

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The Problem: Nobody puts John in a corner.

(Recorded on Monday, April 21, 2025.)

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The Problem: The Oregon coast’s lousy with grandchildren of loggers.

(Recorded on Monday, April 14, 2025.)

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The Problem: It’s a little late for a clean open.

(Recorded on Monday, April 7, 2025.)

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The Problem: You can only tape it back together once.

(Recorded on Monday, March 24, 2025.)

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The Problem: She gave John Social Security glasses.

(Recorded on Monday, March 17, 2025.)

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The Problem: The Scottish Pound is not a euphemism.

(Recorded on Monday, March 10, 2025.)

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The Problem: Another one of John’s classic hamburger choking parties.

(Recorded on Monday, June 30, 2025.)

The Problem: Cynical always sounds smart.

(Recorded on Monday, June 23, 2025.)

The Problem: Somebody was trying to nail John to the carpet.

(Recorded on Monday, June 16, 2025.)

The Problem: She was watching basic-ass cable.

(Recorded on Monday, June 2, 2025.)

The Problem: Merlin doesn’t know how to make a bird horny.

(Recorded on Monday, May 26, 2025.)

The Problem: He commutes on a magic carpet.

(Recorded on Monday, August 25, 2025.)

The Problem: What are you prepping for?

(Recorded on Monday, August 18, 2025.)

The Problem: John is one of the happiest dads.

(Recorded on Monday, August 11, 2025.)

The Problem: John couldn’t make lawn bowling.

(Recorded on Monday, August 4, 2025.)

The Problem: They fix the problem they feel like solving.

(Recorded on Monday, July 28, 2025.)

The Problem: Doesn’t John have Merlin today?

(Recorded on Monday, July 14, 2025.)

The Problem: Nobody smokes anymore.

(Recorded on Monday, July 7, 2025.)

The Problem: John had one child.

(Recorded on Monday, September 1, 2025.)

The Problem: You don’t expect it to be sharp where it is.

(Recorded on Monday, September 22, 2025.)

The Problem: He had eaten all the cool.

(Recorded on Monday, September 8, 2025.)

The Problem: John has a very curious tongue.

(Recorded on Monday, September 29, 2025.)

The Problem: John is more than a large cat.

(Recorded on Monday, October 6, 2025.)

The Problem: There’s no there there.

(Recorded on Monday, October 20, 2025.)

The Problem: It was like sitting on two Reubens.

(Recorded on Monday, October 13, 2025.)

The Problem: We were slender then.

(Recorded on Monday, February 16, 2026.)

• “Against the Wind” — Bob Seger (1980) — “What to leave in? What to leave out?”
• Dave Nanian — Mastodon post about his original ’81 copy — the friend who sparked the dB’s conversation
• The dBs — “Black and White” (Repercussion, 1982)
• Don Dixon — “Girls L.T.D.” — solo track from the guy who co-produced early R.E.M.
• Sneakers (band, ~1975) — early NC power pop band featuring Dixon, Easter, and Stamey before they were famous
• Movies with Mikey — “But, did you knowwww?”
• Richard Hugo — “Degrees of Grey in Philipsburg”
• Candide — Voltaire (1759) — third episode running where Merlin has mentioned Cunegonde
• Claudine Longet — French singer who shot Olympic skier Spider Sabich; married to Andy Williams
• “Spicks and Specks” — Bee Gees (1966) — Merlin: “one of the purest pop songs ever written”
• “You Give a Little Love” — These crazy kids and their pies. From Bugsy Malone (1976)
• Marshall Brodien’s TV Magic Cards — Merlin bought his trick cards at Walgreens
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) — Roderick cites Cameron Crowe on the film’s tragic subtext about being pressured to lose virginity
• Groundhog Day (1993) — “what a fucking great movie”; Ned Ryerson as “one of the all time great character actor appearances”
• Nut Tree (Vacaville, CA) — roadside attraction with amusement park and small airport; Roderick and his dad flew there in a small plane

The Problem: cats are not afraid to send a message.

(Recorded on Monday, February 9, 2026.)

The Problem: John is the most left-alone person in the whole region.

(Recorded on Monday, December 8, 2025.)

The Problem: You can feel the sheep.

(Recorded on Monday, December 1, 2025.)

The Problem: They’re already having enough trouble getting the shrimp out of the rice.

(Recorded on Monday, November 24, 2025.)

The Problem: John wasn’t made to leave it.

(Recorded on Monday, November 17, 2025.)

The Problem: It felt like a future dream.

(Recorded on Monday, November 3, 2025.)

The Problem: John was in dignity emergency mode.

(Recorded on Monday, October 27, 2025.)

The Problem: John took an impact

(Recorded on Monday, February 2, 2026.)

The Problem: John had to enter the order portal.

(Recorded on Monday, January 26, 2026.)

The Problem: John doesn’t see an apple.

(Recorded on Monday, January 19, 2026.)

The Problem: They just want you mad.

(Recorded on Monday, January 12, 2026.)

The Problem: His family was run on guilt.

(Recorded on Monday, January 5, 2026.)

The Problem: There are people who always want to know things.

(Recorded on Monday, December 29, 2025.)

The Problem: it was the nadir of hand chocolate.

(Recorded on Monday, December 22, 2025.)

The Problem: All the people with taste died.

(Recorded on Monday, December 15, 2025.)