This week, Scarlet and Mitchell wander from ginger beer reviews to existential time audits—with a pit stop at Costco’s sample aisle (arguably the most dramatic place in retail). What starts as a casual chat about feeling “off” turns into a surprisingly deep exploration of how we spend our time… and why it never quite feels like enough.

🛒 In This Episode:

The Costco Sample Social Experiment™Why do people perform a full Broadway monologue for a free meatball? Mitchell and Scarlet break down the unspoken etiquette, the sample hoarders, and the mysterious lives of the sample employees.Spoiler: “Enjoy” is the only acceptable script.

The “Minimum Effective Dose” Life StrategyScarlet explains her rotating self-improvement eras—skin, gut, hair—and how she goes all-in before scaling back to maintenance mode. Mitchell wonders if this approach could apply to… everything.

Toothbrush Time Machine ReflectionsMitchell shares his nightly ritual of mentally replaying the day and questioning whether he actually did anything meaningful—while comparing himself to celebrities who also had the same 24 hours (but probably didn’t fold laundry).

Time, Money, and the Illusion of ProductivityDo people with more money actually have more usable time? And is that the real cheat code to accomplishing more? Or is it about simplifying life instead?

Dreamer vs. Realist: The Core DebateScarlet and Mitchell unpack their fundamentally different worldviews:

Mitchell: endless ideas, creative pursuits, and a desire to “do more”

Scarlet: grounded, practical, and content with stability (with less chaos, please)

Is one better than the other? Or do they balance each other out?

The Curse of Too Many InterestsBaking, piano, podcasting, reading, projects… Mitchell wonders if having too many passions is actually what’s holding him back from focusing on what matters most.

Scarlet's key vibe:

You’re a dreamer… and I’m a realist. And somewhere in the middle is probably where sanity lives.

🧠 Takeaways:

Not everyone measures a “successful day” the same way—and that’s okay

Chasing more time might actually mean cutting things out, not adding more

Contentment and ambition aren’t opposites… but they do argue like siblings

Costco samples reveal more about human nature than we’d like to admit

😂 Also Discussed:

Ginger beer “burn zones”

Drooping microphones (a recurring character this episode)

Why sample food tastes better in-store

The eternal garage project

The fantasy of having summers completely off

🔗 Connect With Us:

Email: [email protected]

Website: scarletandmitchell.com

DM us your thoughts: Are you a dreamer or a realist?

🎧 Listen If You:

Have ever felt like you wasted a perfectly good day

Secretly judge people at Costco sample stations

Struggle to balance creativity with real life

Are trying to “do the most”… without losing your mind

This week, we’re going old school—no cameras, just conversation. What starts as a story about a surprise DJ controller purchase quickly spirals into something deeper: the gap between who we think we’ll be when we buy something… and who we actually are once it’s sitting in the corner collecting dust.

We unpack the “DJ Deck Effect”—that universal experience of buying into a vision of ourselves (artist, musician, photographer, gardener extraordinaire) only to face reality: time, effort, skill… and sometimes just plain disinterest.

From unused painting supplies to hypothetical bird photography careers, we explore how consumerism, creativity, and adulthood all collide—and why we keep falling for it anyway.

Then, we pivot into a different kind of stress: vacation planning. What is the ideal vacation? Relaxation? Adventure? Escaping your house but bringing your chaos with you? With a week off approaching, we wrestle with expectations vs. reality (again), and whether you can ever truly “relax” with a four-year-old in tow.

As always, it’s a mix of humor, honesty, and trying to figure life out… while doing the most.

🎧 Key Topics & Moments

🎚️ The DJ Deck RevealA $300+ surprise purchase sparks a bigger conversation about hobbies, identity, and unused potential.

🧠 Buying the Idea of YourselfAre we purchasing items—or the fantasy lifestyle that comes with them?

🎨 Adult Hobbies vs. RealityPainting, photography, music… why do so many passions stall out after the initial excitement?

⏳ Time vs. Money ParadoxKids have time but no money. Adults have money but no time. Cool system.

📸 The Nikon Commercial in Your HeadImagining your future self vs. actually becoming them.

🌱 Where Creativity Still LivesCooking, gardening, music—finding realistic outlets that stick.

✈️ Vacation Expectations SpiralWhat are we actually trying to get out of time off?

🏡 Airbnb vs. Hotels DebateOnce you go Airbnb… can you ever go back?

🌧️ Oregon Weather ExistentialismFalse spring hits different when you know the rain isn’t done with you yet.

💭 Quote of the Episode

“You’re not buying the thing—you’re buying the version of yourself you think you’ll become.”

🔥 Takeaways

We’re all guilty of the “DJ Deck Effect” in some form.

The fantasy is often more exciting than the follow-through.

Creativity isn’t gone in adulthood—it just needs realistic outlets.

Vacations don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

Sometimes the best move is lowering expectations… just enough to actually enjoy things.

📣 Call to Action

What’s your version of a DJ deck?That thing you bought (or almost bought) imagining a whole new life?

Let us know—DM us, comment, or send us a message. We promise we won’t judge… we probably own one too.

In this episode of Doing the Most, Mitchell and Scarlet spiral through clutter, change, grocery store anxiety, toxic masculinity, existential dread, and… toenails.

Yes. Toenails.

What starts as a reflection on a year of “maybe we should move” energy turns into a deeper conversation about stuff, memory, boundaries, emotional labor, and the repetitive tasks that quietly drain us.

It’s thoughtful. It’s a little chaotic. It’s very real.

Episode Highlights

Are We Craving Change?Looking back over the past year, there’s been a pattern:

RV life dreams

Arizona talk

Virginia talk

Apartment fantasies

Burn-it-all-down energy

Is it wanderlust? Restlessness? Or just the human need for evolution?

Stuffocation™ (New Word Alert)Mitchell coins the term Stuffocation — the suffocating feeling of being overwhelmed by your own possessions.

From toothbrush domino disasters to piles of unopened mail, the conversation explores:

Are memories in the object or in our minds?

When does sentimental become suffocating?

What actually deserves to be kept?

Minimalist vs. HoarderlineScarlet shares her upbringing between two extremes:

One parent who keeps everything

One parent who lives with almost nothing

How does that shape your relationship to stuff as an adult?

Grocery Store BoundariesScarlet opens up about feeling uncomfortable during routine grocery trips and deciding she’s done adjusting her behavior to accommodate unwanted attention.

The takeaway:You don’t have to shrink yourself to make someone else comfortable.

Patient Behavior & Workplace RespectA powerful discussion about:

Male patients speaking disrespectfully to female nurses

Why behavior shifts depending on who walks into the room

Setting boundaries without sacrificing professionalism

Mitchell reflects on witnessing different treatment dynamics as a male nurse.

Repetitive Tasks We Hate

Mitchell:

Trimming toenails

Sorting mail

Making appointments

Scarlet:

Washing and styling hair

Making dinner

Cleaning up dinner

Calling offices

Why do small tasks sometimes feel enormous?

Repetitive Things We Love

Scarlet:

Walking pad + podcast routine

Morning coffee ritual

Sleeping

Mitchell:

Feeding squirrels

Afternoon sun naps

The ritual of shaving

Small joys matter.

AI: Helpful Tool or Overhyped Intern?Can artificial intelligence reduce mental load?Or is it just impressive until you actually need it to do something useful?

Big Themes

Change & reinvention

Clutter psychology

Emotional labor

Boundaries & respect

Mental load

Tiny rituals that keep us sane

Quote of the Episode

“The memory is not in the item, it’s in your head… but the guitar reminds me of it.” 

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who:

Has a pile of mail they’re avoiding

Dreads making phone calls

Needs a reminder that boundaries aren’t rude

Or has strong feelings about leftovers

Thanks for listening to Doing the Most.See you next week.

In this episode, Mitchell and Scarlet return with classic Doing The Most energy: slightly tired, heavily caffeinated (tea counts), and fully prepared to unpack everyday absurdities. What begins with cozy restaurant observations spirals into backyard wildlife diplomacy and eventually lands in a full investigative breakdown of… hospital pillows.

Yes. Pillows.

From overheard restaurant feedback nobody asked for to squirrels forming suspiciously friendly alliances, this episode explores the strange places where normal life quietly becomes doing the absolute most.

☕ Episode Highlights

🍽️ The Restaurant Feedback Phenomenon

A casual meal at a cozy Portland diner turns into an accidental sociology experiment when a nearby diner decides to offer unsolicited culinary “feedback.” Mitchell and Scarlet discuss the curious confidence of public critics, the etiquette of eating out, and why sometimes the best review is simply enjoying your meal and moving on.

🐿️ Backyard Wildlife: Who’s Training Who?

The household’s growing collection of bird feeders has officially escalated into squirrel relations.

Meet Buster, the brave peanut-accepting squirrel

The suspicious hierarchy between gray squirrels and the “CJ Brothers”

The emotional milestone of hand-feeding wildlife

Are the humans training squirrels… or being trained themselves?

Bonus appearances include scrub jays, neighborhood cats, and a surprise raccoon sighting that sparks debate about future domesticated animals

🛏️ Pillow Talk: The Hospital Mystery

The main event of the episode dives into a workplace saga that sounds fictional but absolutely isn’t.

A simple laminated sign reading “Please keep pillow with stretchers” launches a deep investigation into:

The mysterious disappearance of hospital pillows

Administrative overcorrection gone wild

The creation of an actual pillow committee

When bureaucracy collides with real patient care

How a small policy becomes a symbol of larger system dysfunction

What starts as a confusing sign evolves into a hilarious yet revealing look at how complex systems sometimes lose sight of common sense.

😂 Running Themes This Episode

Everyday moments turning unexpectedly philosophical

The fine line between helpful and “doing the most”

Workplace absurdity and institutional logic loops

Animals gaining emotional leverage over humans

The unintended comedy of laminated signs

🫖 Featured Beverages

North Star tea from Matolius

Hibiscus Rose & Sweet Berry tea from Good Earth

Because every serious discussion about squirrels and hospital logistics deserves proper tea.

📣 Join the Conversation

Have you ever fed a wild animal and immediately questioned your life choices?Witnessed unnecessary feedback in public?Worked somewhere where a minor problem became a full committee?

Send your stories and you might hear them on a future episode.

🔔 Listen & Follow

Find Doing The Most wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full episodes on YouTube at Less Cats Please.

Mitchell and Scarlet are back for Episode 25, marking just over a year of Doing the Most. This episode trades chaos for contemplation as the conversation turns toward time, clutter, consumerism, work, purpose, and the quiet urge to live with more intention… even while surrounded by piles, guitars, and a suspicious number of Uno decks.

With a literal timer ticking, the two attempt to do less while unpacking why that’s so hard in a world that rewards excess. From minimalist philosophy and decluttering rules to work burnout, parenting rhythms, and spiritual awakenings, this episode is part reflection, part therapy session, and part accidental manifesto.

🧠 In This Episode, We Talk About:

Hitting the one-year mark of the podcast and what themes keep resurfacing

Why time feels like the most precious and most stolen resource

Parenting schedules, daycare timers, and why efficiency isn’t about productivity

Loving your work vs. loving your role (and when those don’t align)

ICU nursing, caregiving identity, and feeling useful in meaningful ways

The tension between minimalism and “but this still works”

Consumerism, Amazon burnout, and wondering where the money actually went

Letting go of objects once they’ve “served their purpose”

Fixing things vs. replacing them (and why that matters emotionally)

A deep dive into minimalist rules from Very Very Simple by Joshua Fields Milburn, including:

The Hate That Shirt Rule

The Wouldn’t Repurchase Rule

The Didn’t Know Rule

Decluttering duplicates

Junk drawer challenges

“Clutter coffins” in basements and garages

Monthly maintenance routines

Setting the stage for calmer mornings

Asking better questions before buying future clutter

Choosing experiences over stuff

Preparing for future life changes (and future moves)

Why even musical instruments become complicated when you’re minimizing

Doing the Most… by trying to do less

📚 Books & Ideas Mentioned:

Very Very Simple by Joshua Fields Milburn

Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose by Martha Beck

Minimalism, intentional living, and resisting lifestyle inflation

🏠 Big Takeaway:

Minimalism isn’t about empty rooms or owning nothing. It’s about choosing with intention, protecting your time, and letting go of what no longer adds value, even when it’s hard, sentimental, or “still perfectly good.”

🔗 Follow & Support the Show:

Instagram: @LessCatsPlease

YouTube: youtube.com/@LessCatsPlease

Tell a friend, subscribe, leave a review, or just quietly listen while reorganizing a drawer you’ve been avoiding.

As always, thanks for listening.They’re not doing the least… just trying not to do the most.

In Episode 24 of Doing the Most, Mitchell and Scarlet settle in for a long, winding, very familiar conversation about clutter, Costco misadventures, food opinions that spark debate, and the constant tension between wanting a simpler life while continuing to do… the most.

This episode blends everyday chaos, thoughtful reflections, and plenty of restaurant talk, with moments that feel funny, honest, and quietly introspective.

Episode Highlights

Welcoming new listeners and explaining what Doing the Most actually is (and isn’t)

Two nurses, too many cats, too much stuff, and ongoing efforts to scale back

The difference between doing the most and aspiring to do the least

Why every podcast episode feels like controlled chaos

Decluttering, Cars, and Good Intentions

Decluttering plans that start strong and stall in the garage

Boxes destined for Goodwill that live in cars for months (or years)

Old iMacs, recycling dreams, and why follow-through is hard

A pickup truck full of junk and jokes about drastic solutions

The reality of owning older, well-worn cars

New car fantasies vs. appreciating functional, paid-off vehicles

Costco Adventures & Parenting Reality

A “quick” Costco trip that turns into an event

Lunch dates at Costco and navigating a confusing food court layout

Parenting a four-year-old with sudden bathroom emergencies

The universal experience of asking “do you need to go potty?” one too many times

The Cheesecake Factory Debate

Why the menu feels overwhelming rather than impressive

Turkey burgers, skinny menu items, and unmet expectations

Avocado egg rolls that sound better than they taste

Drinks that disappoint and food that lands at about 80%

Has the restaurant changed, or have our tastes evolved?

A dream cheesecake concept focused almost entirely on graham cracker crust

Restaurants That Actually Delivered

Ox (Portland)

Bone marrow clam chowder

Perfectly cooked skirt steak

Thoughtful portions and a memorable dining experience

Khao Moo Ding

Curry noodles with crispy pork belly

Why ordering the house favorite usually matters

Hong Phat Market (82nd Ave)

$5 bánh mìs with a free drink

Fresh, crunchy, satisfying Vietnamese street food

A perfect low-cost lunch date

Nourishment, Food, and How It Feels

Feeling nourished instead of bloated

Why Asian cuisine has been especially appealing lately

Soups, broths, ginger, turmeric, and bone marrow

Cooking as care and comfort

Homemade pho nights and shortcut wins

Drinks, Caffeine, and Small Experiments

Thai iced tea experiments and dialing in the right strength

Condensed milk vs. evaporated milk confusion

Cutting back on caffeine and noticing energy shifts

Letting go of habits that no longer serve

Meaning, Time, and Intentional Living

Wanting more time and feeling like there’s never enough

Creativity through cooking, reading, and small rituals

Walking, meditation, and being present outdoors

Accepting that peace often exists only in the moment

Letting meaningful moments be enough without forcing permanence

Closing Reflections

Episode 24 is a classic Doing the Most installment: food-heavy, slightly chaotic, deeply relatable, and quietly reflective. It’s about noticing patterns, questioning habits, laughing at everyday struggles, and continuing to search for a life that feels a little lighter.

Thanks for listening, and as always, we’ll see you next time—still doing the most.

What started as a casual New Year’s Day recording turned into an accidental one-year reflection on habits, holidays, clutter, burnout, and the strange little rituals of adult life.

Mitchell and Scarlet look back at how much has changed since Episode 1 and what stubbornly hasn’t. The result is a cozy, chaotic, and painfully relatable conversation about tea journeys, stuff accumulation, hospital culture, introvert holidays, and why a snowman cookie jar should never be trusted.

☕ From Coffee to Loose Leaf

• The hosts reflect on their tea evolution from bagged blends to full loose-leaf devotion• Mitchell is officially coffee-free• Bone broth, mushroom adaptogens, and CBD drinks enter the chat• The kitchen quietly becomes an apothecary

🏠 The Great Stuff Experiment (and the Vacuum Census)

• Last year’s minimalist dreams meet present-day reality• A full audit reveals approximately 11–12 vacuums currently living in the house• The couple explores why getting rid of stuff is harder than not buying it• “Stuffmas” is born as the official name for modern holiday clutter

🎁 Holidays Without the Hallmark Glow

• Why neither host is really a “holiday person”• The emotional pressure of gift-giving even when you agree not to• Introversion, family expectations, and sensory overload• A simple but powerful realization:

It’s better to wish you had something than to wish you didn’t have so much

🏥 Nurse Life, Break Room Law, and Hospital Babies

• Why the break room should be treated like sacred ground• The universal rage of speakerphone conversations in public spaces• The invisible labor of being socially “on” all day• Why hospitalized men often revert into Victorian-era helplessness• The forbidden topic: patients asking nurses for massages

🧠 Looking Back at 2025

• Dreams of RV life, Bend, Arizona, and downsizing• Why “thought experiments” are still part of a healthy relationship• 2025 wasn’t the golden year—but it wasn’t meaningless either• Finding joy in imagining even when plans don’t move yet

🚗 The Snowman Cookie Jar Incident

• A roadside emergency• A Goodwill snowman cookie jar• A moment that will live forever in family legend• Some objects are never meant to know certain truths

💬 Listener Love

Mitchell shares heartfelt messages from a listener who has been binge-listening the show, reminding everyone why Doing the Most exists: quiet community, shared experience, and realizing we’re not as alone or strange as we think.

🌿 Closing Notes

This episode feels like sitting in the living room on January 1st with the decorations coming down, the tea steeping, and your nervous system finally exhaling. It’s funny, reflective, chaotic in the best way, and full of moments that land because they’re painfully real.

In this deeply personal, wildly meandering, and unexpectedly heartfelt episode, Scarlet and Mitchell take listeners on a winding ride through home repair victories, surprise workplace cake, grief, faith, family history, and the true story behind Scarlet’s journey out of fundamentalist church culture.

From laughter over shower straddling techniques to raw conversations about death, belief, and betrayal, Episode 22 is equal parts cozy living-room hangout and emotional documentary.

✨ Episode Highlights

🛠 The Shower Drain Saga Finally Ends

After weeks of ceiling leaks, creative engineering fantasies, and questionable brownie-pan backup plans, Mitchell declares victory in the Great Shower Drain War. The tub is firm, the straddle shower era is over, and household peace is restored.

🎂 A Workplace Surprise & Birthday Reflections

Mitchell turns 51 and gets ambushed in the best way possible by coworkers armed with an Everything Bundt Cake, sparkly candles, and genuine affection. Cue reflections on birthdays, aging, and why celebrating yourself can feel both awkward and wonderful.

🖤 Grief, Loss, and the Quiet After the Storm

Mitchell shares a moving story about attending the funeral of a young man close to his daughter and reflects on how grief can ripple through people who weren’t directly connected, yet feel deeply impacted. The conversation opens into a tender meditation on empathy, remembrance, and what it means to truly value the people still here.

🎶 The Song That Stirred Something Deeper

A memorial song called In Your Midst unexpectedly cracks something open in Mitchell’s inner world, leading to reflections on longing, belonging, spiritual curiosity, and what humans really search for beneath belief systems.

🔥 Scarlet Begins Her Exvangelical Exposé

Scarlet launches what may become a recurring series detailing her upbringing inside a fundamentalist Baptist church in Mount Airy, NC. She unpacks:

Fear-based religious culture

Hypocrisy and manipulation

Church politics, money, and control

A deeply personal family betrayal involving the pastor and his inner circle

The moment she finally walked away from organized religion

This segment is raw, honest, and illuminating, offering a powerful look at how institutional faith can shape and scar real lives.

🎧 Notable Topics & Tangents

Meemaw’s legendary Christmas card & bonus cash

Listener stickers and the gospel of “Let me overthink this”

Funeral traditions versus movie myths

Why humans crave being fully known

The difference between spirituality and religion

Why Scarlet will never casually “just try a church again”

🕯 Closing Thoughts

This episode blends humor, grief, faith, family lore, and healing into one sprawling, intimate conversation. It’s messy. It’s sincere. It’s deeply human.

And it’s Doing the Most at its most meaningful.

In Episode 21 of Doing the Most, Scarlet and Mitchell dive head-first into the whirlwind of late-November life: holiday overeating, chaotic family traditions, questionable restaurant behavior, and the multi-day saga of their missing cat, Kennedy. This episode is a cozy mix of humor, chaos, and real-life family moments.

⭐ Episode Summary

Scarlet and Mitchell open the show reflecting on the post-Thanksgiving exhaustion—specifically the nonstop cycle of indulgence that begins at Halloween and doesn’t let up until Valentine’s Day. They share their mutual fatigue around heavy holiday foods, family expectations, and the attempt to reclaim healthy routines. 

They also vent about a shared pet peeve: people who blow their nose in restaurants and over-slurp their ramen. (Yes, it happened. Yes, they were sitting right next to him.) 

A major part of this episode centers around the dramatic story of Kennedy, one of their five cats, who went missing for several days—only to be found after some deeply coordinated, borderline-military-level cat-tracking efforts. The emotional rollercoaster of searching, the relief in finding him, and the chaos that followed (including another cat, Beans, getting stuck in the Christmas tree at 1:30 a.m.) all make for an unforgettable story. 

The episode closes with some reflections on reinventing family holidays, minimizing stress, and imagining future Thanksgivings with more simplicity…and maybe a smoker.

📝 Key Topics Discussed

• Gluttony Season & Holiday Food Fatigue

Why the holiday eating cycle feels endless, from Halloween candy through New Year’s snacks.Scarlet and Mitchell talk candidly about trying to stay healthy in the midst of constant food events. 

• Thanksgiving Expectations vs. Reality

Romanticizing past holidays vs. the logistical stress of preparing, hosting, or waiting around for food.Scarlet talks about childhood memories at her Meemaw’s, while Mitchell reflects on wanting his kids to have their own cherished memories. 

• Dining Etiquette Crimes

The man who blew his nose at the table and the loud ramen slurper sitting inches away.Scarlet’s visceral reaction and Mitchell’s “hold your breath and pray” strategy both make an appearance. 

• The Lost Cat Saga

Kennedy goes missing for up to five days, triggering a neighborhood search with posters, late-night flashlight sweeps, and reviewing camera footage.The emotional payoff when he reappears in the garage is pure gold. 

• Beans vs. The Christmas Tree

The same night Kennedy returns, Beans manages to get stuck in the artificial Christmas tree, injuring Scarlet in the process. Midnight chaos ensues. 

• Rethinking Holiday Traditions

From soups on Christmas to dining out on Thanksgiving, they explore how to simplify holidays and reduce stress. 

🐾 Cat Roll Call This Episode

Kennedy – Missing, found, covered in leaves, instantly forgiven.

Beans – Got stuck in the Christmas tree, clawed his human, still on thin ice.

Hammy – The vocal spokesperson of the feline crew.

The rest – Chaotic as always.

🎧 Notable Moments

“Halloween launches the beginning of fat season.”

“Why are we STILL talking about turkey?”

“He blew his nose right next to me.”

“I need you to get Beans… he tore up my face!”

“Hold your cats a little tighter next time.”(All drawn from the transcript.) 

📬 Listener Interaction

Scarlet and Mitchell invite listeners to share their holiday stories, dining etiquette pet peeves, and smoker-vs-grill opinions via email or social media.

Welcome to Episode 20 of Doing the Most!Scarlet and Mitchell are back — caffeinated, chaotic, and fresh off a “staycation” that went absolutely nothing like planned. From dreams of productivity to real-life drywall sagging, leaks, existential crises, and a whole lot of straddling in the shower (context matters, people), this episode covers it all.

In This Episode

• Staycation Expectations vs. Reality

Mitchell begins hopeful: tidy the garage, clear the studio, fix a leak, maybe even relax.What actually happens? …Not that. At all.

Scarlet, ever the realist, focuses on laundry, exercise, meditating, drinking less, and tackling the infamous kitchen ceiling stain.

• The Great Shower Leak Saga

The shower has been leaking for months — but only if you stand in the middle (Mitchell’s “straddle technique” has been masking the problem).Cue:

Misdiagnosed drain issues

ABS pipe mysteries

A two-day battle with a corroded nut

A ceiling cut open slightly larger than intended

Mitchell and his son tag-teaming tools in a cramped ceiling cavity

Still leaking? Yes. But less leaking. Progress?

• The Bathtub That Hasn’t Worked Since 2021

A flashback to Scarlet pregnant, taking a bath, and water cascading into the basement.Mitchell thinks he has it solved… until a new leak appears above the fix.Cue despair.

• Homeownership vs. Renting — A Debate

The couple dives into the philosophical and financial purgatory of maintaining an aging home:

Is owning actually worth it?

Would renting be easier?

Is equity overrated?

Why does every home repair require cutting a hole in something?

Why does Kohler call within 0.0003 seconds of you clicking submit?

Scarlet: Wants simplicity, maybe a rental in Portland.Mitchell: Wants someone else to deal with leaks, wiring, ceilings, roofs, and the existential dread of homeownership.

• The Psychology of Stuff-itis

Mitchell’s term for the overwhelming accumulation of things — especially in the garage.

Symptoms include:

Narrowing pathways

Boxes that stare at you accusingly

Emotional spirals

The Peter Penguin Dance to navigate clutter

Romantic fantasies of a tidy workbench lifestyle that may never come

Scarlet, meanwhile, is unbothered: “This is a lived-in home.”

• Holiday Spirit (Sort Of)

They put up the Christmas tree early because their son remembered a promise.Does it feel festive? Hard to say.Does the house still leak? Yes.

• What They’re Watching

PLUR1BUS on Apple TV+ (Rhea Seehorn + Vince Gilligan)Four Seasons — comedy perfection for couples who argue about chores and plumbing.

• Haircut Anxiety: The Final Act

Mitchell vents about:

Barbers who don’t use enough clipper pressure

The sacred ear-crease hairs

The delicate dance of returning to a barbershop without offending anyone

The elusive search for someone who cuts firmly and consistently

The emotional trauma of switching stylistsScarlet: “Maybe just… tell them what you like?”

Favorite Moments

“Straddle the drain so it doesn’t leak!”

“Do the Peter Penguin Dance to get to the workbench.”

“This staycation stole my soul.”

“You romanticize everything.”

“If you know a good plumber… please send help.”

Call to Action

Have thoughts on renting vs. owning? Send us your feedback!DM us on Instagram or TikTok: @lescatspleaseFind full episodes and clips on YouTube: @lescatsplease