Sometimes we think we understand technical audio terms, but we are really just clicking on buttons to see what happens. Today’s DahlCast covers a lot of territory, so hold on tight. You’ll hear about everything from drunken door to door magazine salesmen to winterberries to all-ladies’ psychic groups. We’re all looking for fun things to do this weekend, and today’s show should get the ball rolling for you.

Some new steroids have given Steve the energy to monkey around with the gear before the podcast. With a possible trivia night on the horizon, Brendan puts Steve and Janet through their paces with a wide-ranging series of test questions. Steve’s surprisingly knowledgeable about Sex & The City. Janet startled a protective Rosie when she got into bed last night. Recurring dreams are an epidemic amongst the Dahlcast staff, with ghosts of past tests, jobs, and partners abounding.

The carpet cleaners are in the neighborhood, so Steve closed the storm shutters to combat the noise. We discover some disturbing facts about Ziggy the Elephant. Florida scammers use prayer to dupe their victims. Also in Florida, a man fires some “ammunition” at protected birds in his backyard. A whippoorwill weighs in, and helps us rank bird smartness. Joe and Steve were communicating about bike repair via video messages. What should Steve’s afternoon haircut look like?

A party bus pulled up to The Fun Zone in Rosemont over the weekend, to whisk away a triumphant Brendan Greeley, and bring him to Medieval Times for Matt Dahl’s 40th birthday blowout. Matt Dahl, another year older, and with a new sword to show for it. Steve finds horse poop to be the least offensive animal feces. Hear this amazing tale on today’s DahlCast, lovingly brought to life by the Birthday Boy himself, on his actual 40th birthday.

Prayers and best wishes were heard, as Matt’s dog Roger returned home on his own. We hear all about this family effort today, as a relieved and grateful Matt Dahl joins us. Tom Thayer tuned in to the Masters before he watched Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs defeat the Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball. He also reports that he is frustrated by a syrupy Jim Nance, people who yell at golf tournaments and two-handed professional bowling.

Brendan is looking forward to his weekend gig at Zanies, where he’ll be warming up the crowd for Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project. It’s a live podcast recording, hosted by his good friends Lauren and Michelle. Steve has considered live streaming a round of golf, but he’s not sure if people want to see that. Did you happen to catch John Travolta’s 2016 film, I Am Wrath? No? Yeah, it was here and gone pretty quickly, but he stops by to talk about it finding a home on Roku. Join us for a dissection of the trailer and some behind the scenes tales.

It’s been a tense stretch for the Dahls, with the upsetting news that Matt’s dog Roger ran away, after breaking loose and being hit by a car. Janet has been working Facebook to spread the word. We also learn about some typical but uncool behavior from some wound-up teenage boys wreaking havoc in a movie theater showing the Minecraft movie. This is where we are introduced to the term Chicken Jockey. What’s the deal with roundabouts? Also, Steve gets some help at the Lee County Tax Collector, and was impressed by their offices.

Janet declares that her Florida world is far too beige, and puts the blame on Steve’s notoriously suspect couch-buying skills. He’s envisioning a life as well-kept Florida houseboy, but it might not be all it’s cracked up to be, ultimately. There’s also a flood of Pasadena memories for Steve, as we dig deeper into the origin of some famous local graffiti that he saw as a child and never forgot.

Three Naples youths bullied the Easter Bunny at a mall. Ranch dressing boasts a rich and creamy history. A FL McDonald’s Ranch throw down leads Dag to pick up his guitar for some CSI-inspired fun. Brendan has toyed with the idea of making his own ranch dressing, an idea which leads us to explore the homespun history of this popular salad dressing. It’s a Talk To Me Tuesday, and we’re not getting fooled again.

Steve planned a solo afternoon golf outing, but a pair of Minnesotan’ brothers foisted themselves on him and he had no option but to join them, however briefly. He did happen upon a nice family of New Yorkers who helped change his mood. Tom Thayer shares a great golfing story about coach Ditka, and he and Dag tell stories of baldness. Tom shaves his head out on the back deck of his house, which entertains the neighbors.Tom’s also got a great idea for a show, called ‘Fineable Offenses’. The queue for White Lotus was too long for Steve and Janet.

Steve’s accidental (or was it?) deployment of an affectionate name for Rosie troubles Pat Dahl. Pat joins us for a great discussion on soccer card collecting, fishing boats and fishing captains, previously unheard stories, and his wife Rachel’s introduction to Dahl Family hijinks. Shrimp, as it turns out, is to Pat what mayonnaise is to Steve. What should the octagon-shaped middle room be used for? Violet helped Grandpa Steve pick out a purple golf shirt to wear to dinner. And finally, details on a clown arrest in Florida.

Janet took a chair yoga class this morning and found it physically and spiritually beneficial. Charlie Dahl steps up to the mic at the podcast table. Steve kept Janet awake last night by trying to work out Freefallin’ on guitar. Once he gets the three chords worked out, it’ll be the sweet serenade he was hoping for. Charlie is currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The family went to dinner at Pezzo Pizza.

Steve was awakened by Janet’s 3:00 AM iPad use (she was responding to a listener), but he used meditation (breathing, and counting to 10) to get back to sleep. We’re populating the new subscriber community on dahl.com, and it’s already been a source for questions, answers, and even updates. There’s even an old video of an ABC-7 News piece on Steve from the late ‘70s, featuring a sympathetic Janet and a dismissive Joel Daly. We also chat with a vacationing Violet Dahl.

Today we are happy to be joined by food adventurer, world traveler, bookworm, newly-minted teenager, and deep sea fisherman Henry Dahl. He takes time from his busy schedule to let us know how the family vacation is going. It’s election day in Western Springs and school board hopeful Mike Dahl is hoping for a victory. His track record of leadership speaks for itself. Also, it’s a Talk To Me Tuesday, and we’re happy to find out what’s on our subscribers’ minds.

Steve rescheduled the family fishing trip from Friday to Sunday, and it was a rousing success. You’ll never believe what he *didn’t* need to do for four hours. Brendan had a dream come true on Friday after winning a chance to take a few swings at Wrigley Field. You won’t want to miss his pitch by pitch description of this epic showdown. Dag recounts his Thursday night show with Steven Page, describing it as just the thing he needed after some recent solo gig letdowns. Tom Thayer, prepping for PT explains a controversial football play called the Tush Push.

Does Steve have what it takes to join a Florida-based python huntress on an expedition? Janet knows it’s Steve on the line whenever the guitar solo from Hotel California plays on her cell phone (allegedly). Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider tweets his frustrations with American Airlines, after facing two flight delays in one day. A Florida father and son are going through some tough moments in their relationship, and the son expresses his feelings in unique way.

When it comes to last night’s dinner, it was nearly a clean sweep for pizza here on the DahlCast. Find out who the lone pizza holdout was. Pat Dahl and family are down in Florida with Steve and Janet, and Pat nearly stole a minivan at the airport. Steve designed a special T-shirt to commemorate the arrival of Patrick, Rachel, and the kids in Florida. Janet is arranging crafts to keep the kids busy. What do we keep on our kitchen counters? Johnny Depp and Corey Feldman are at odds.

Steve did some condensation-based tech work to start off his morning. He golfed at a closed course yesterday, but managed to get away with it. An alert on his golf cart made him think he was being reprimanded for throwing a club. He’s also booked a family fishing trip for Friday. Dag went to the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier to catch Sunny Afternoon. A Florida couple got swindled out of $2 million in gold, somehow. Oh, the lack of humanity!

This weekend was A Tale of Two Dinners for Brendan; a story of misordering, disappointment, charity, and ultimately, redemption. Steve was on hand when a heroic handyman helped solve an urgent problem. Steve tried to book a tee time at a golf course where he’s not allowed, and turned himself in. Looks like Dag’s trip to Vail isn’t happening this weekend after all. Also, we have a teeming bank of Talk To Me Tuesday phone calls to enjoy.

How would a private jet change your life? What about having an entire ear bitten off? Janet took Steve to the flea market, where painted rocks caught her eye. Steve wandered over to the CBD booth. For the very first time in his life, Tom Thayer is sleeping on his very own, brand-new mattress. Tom was watching over the weekend as one of the biggest upsets in college wrestling history took place. Will Steve be able to say “Ship Sticks” at some point?

Dag has questions about the Savannah Bananas. Steve doesn’t like filling out his March Madness brackets in a traditional manner. Harry Caray’s annual toast included the publicity of a brand-new century-old curse, this one for the Southsiders. Steve’s not buying it. Jim Fabbrini and Dag Juhlin may be headed for a showdown on the slopes of Vail, Colorado. Who will come out on top: the skier, the snowboarder, or a recently released pack of wolves?

Steve was watching the ABC-7 Chicago news from Florida and wondered if the storm hoopla was all it was cracked up to be. A new trend in zip-line pranks has to be one of the worst things ever. Janet answers listener email, and also tries to get a handle on Steve’s sodium intake. Steve ordered poorly at a fancy restaurant last night, but Janet got an amazing apple bisque. Steve, in a surprise move, ordered dessert to share. He also overheard some brag-heavy conversations between some Florida big-ballers. What is the proper means of delivering the garlic to garlic bread?

Steve got his EPA test exemption approved, meaning his car is drivable in Florida. A brown spot is appearing on Steve’s lawn due to a neighbor’s dog. Steve complimented the drive thru attendant at McDonald’s on her speaking voice. Joe had a great time at Dag’s concert in Milwaukee. Turner Hall is a classic venue near the Bucks’ arena. Dag shares a deep cut from one of his favorite films.

There’s a dumb Chicago sports radio controversy brewing, all because of a photo of a fish. Steve beckoned his virtual assistant constantly during the road trip to Florida, which bugged Janet. Buc-ee’s was a madhouse when the Dahl vehicle pulled into the parking lot. They split a sandwich, but Steve missed out on the jerky wall. Steve and Janet attended a cocktail party at the pool, and Florida Steve was surprisingly chatty. Baileys-infused brownies caught Janet’s attention, and a couple from Ireland even made the scene.