Unlimited tacos or unlimited coffee? An AI boss or no job? And is sending your boss a heart reaction really that big of a deal? Joe and Billy have opinions.

In Episode 32 of The Open Tabs Podcast, Joe shares why his latest Drury Hotels stay has him questioning his Hilton loyalty, while Billy talks about visiting family more often without turning every trip into a major production. We’ve also got Caribbean plans, hotel perks, and a story about landing celebrity interviews with nothing but a phone and the nerve to ask.

Then a round of “Would You Rather” takes us through midnight Taco Bell, airplane seating nightmares, reply-all disasters, and a surprisingly heated debate about heart emojis at work. Joe isn’t flippant with his emojis. Billy might get a heart tattoo just to make a point.

As we wrap up Season 1 and get ready to take a short break, we revisit favorite moments, Joe’s least favorite pizza, and what we’re hoping to bring to Season 2.

💬 Your turn: unlimited free tacos or unlimited free coffee? And are heart reactions at work harmless or awkward?

Subscribe for more conversations, questionable choices, and whatever tab we open next.

#TheOpenTabsPodcast #WouldYouRather #TravelStories

One storm. Two very different adventures. And somehow, potlucks are where Billy draws the line.

This week on The Open Tabs, Billy’s plans to clean his apartment turn into a last-minute BABYMETAL concert and a $400 hotel workaround. A late-night scooter ride takes a serious turn when he stops to help a badly injured stranger on the Atlanta BeltLine. Later, he has his own close call with a car while riding to Shaky Knees.

The festival delivers unforgettable performances, a standout set from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and a lightning evacuation that sends Billy and his friend into torrential rain. Meanwhile, that same storm sends thousands of ants into Joe’s camper. His family heads home. Joe stays behind with the dogs and some very unwelcome roommates.

Then comes the real disagreement: potlucks. Joe loves them. Billy has a detailed list of objections. From mystery casseroles to hosting standards, we unpack a difference of opinion that somehow took 25 years of friendship to uncover.

We finish with “Choose Your Adventure,” a rapid-fire round about concerts, camping, friendship, and trying something new.

Tell us in the comments: What experience made you come home and say, “Well, THAT was an adventure”? And are you team potluck or team absolutely not?

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to Episode 31
02:43 The $400 Cost of Not Cleaning the Apartment
03:56 Discovering BABYMETAL on a Whim
06:50 A Late-Night Ride Becomes a BeltLine Emergency
16:05 A Car Hits Billy’s Scooter
19:18 Shaky Knees Highlights & Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
21:46 Lightning, Evacuation & a Soaked Ride Back
25:20 Joe’s Camper Gets Invaded by Ants
29:18 The Great Potluck Debate
42:13 Other People’s Kitchens & the Burrito Story
47:11 Rapid Fire: Choose Your Adventure
54:24 Your Turn: Potluck or Not Luck?

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#TheOpenTabsPodcast #ShakyKnees #Podcast

Thirty episodes deserves cheesecake. But what about finally canceling that unused subscription, making a phone call you’ve been avoiding, or actually putting away the laundry?

Billy and Joe celebrate episode 30 with a little gratitude, some questionable adult milestones, and plenty of detours. Billy shares how the Guest Services team at his first Atlanta United game made the night unforgettable, sparking a conversation about recognizing great service, giving honest feedback, and making people feel welcome.

Then we get into Shaky Knees, discovering music at festivals, fall adventures in Georgia, Tallulah Gorge camping, and Joe’s upcoming family cruise. Along the way, Joe reveals how choosing a famous phone number turned into hundreds of unwanted calls.

We wrap up with “cake, certificate, or absolutely nothing” and a surprise anniversary tribute from our completely fictional sponsors. Apparently, even the office printer has something to say.

🍰 What’s an everyday accomplishment you think deserves cake? Tell us in the comments!

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to episode 30!
00:59 Cheesecake and showing up for each other
03:16 Do you tell people when they get it right?
09:38 Breaking up with a pharmacy
16:20 Billy’s first Atlanta United game
18:12 The Guest Services surprise
23:51 Can you enjoy sports without understanding them?
28:40 Fall in Georgia and Shaky Knees excitement
34:43 Festival lineup favorites and Rick Springfield
36:55 Joe’s famous phone number backfires
38:49 Concerts, travel plans, and a family cruise
42:48 Tallulah Gorge camping and water releases
46:04 Cruise food, second dinner, and childhood freedom
51:40 Cake, certificate, or absolutely nothing?
56:08 A surprise from our fake sponsors
59:26 What accomplishment deserves cake?

Subscribe to The Open Tabs Podcast for more conversations with Billy and Joe about friendship, everyday life, and whatever tab opens next.

#TheOpenTabsPodcast #CelebrateSmallWins #Atlanta

Joe and Billy went to Dragon Con and somehow came away with completely different experiences. Billy was defeated by the heat, enormous lines, and crowds, while Joe volunteered for the technical operations team and discovered that he enjoyed working behind the scenes more than attending the convention itself.

Then we introduce Open Tabs Show & Tell, a new segment exploring the stories hidden inside the objects we keep. Billy and Joe share a mysterious anniversary music box, a collection of travel shot glasses, a coin discovered inside the wall of an Austrian castle, a guitar transformed into a work of art, a handmade drum from Ghana, and a small necklace connected to an unforgettable Puerto Rican artist.

We finish with a rapid-fire round of “All Weekend, One Day Only, or Never Again,” covering music festivals, high school reunions, Renaissance festivals, business conferences, destination weddings, cruises, and more.

What single object would you bring to an adult show-and-tell, and what story would it tell? Let us know in the comments!

ARTIST FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

Sandra Jusino on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sandrajusino/

View Sandra Jusino’s artwork:
https://sandra-jusino1.artelista.com/en/

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCHLOSS HEROLDECK

https://www.schlossheroldeck.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 One of us loved Dragon Con
00:44 Same convention, completely different experiences
01:01 Why Dragon Con was a flop for Billy
04:01 Joe’s 18-hour volunteer commitment
07:09 Working behind the scenes at Dragon Con
09:47 Is a “free” convention pass really free?
13:26 Music festivals, jungle, and aging DJs
17:12 When your favorite music becomes “the oldies”
19:50 Introducing Open Tabs Show & Tell
20:29 A mysterious 70th-anniversary music box
22:54 Joe’s collection of travel memories
27:39 The coin Billy found inside an Austrian castle
33:13 Confronting and redeeming a dark history
37:09 The guitar Joe’s wife transformed into art
41:57 Billy’s unforgettable encounter with Sandra Jusino
51:40 A handmade drum with a story
55:52 Rapid fire begins
56:07 All Weekend, One Day Only, or Never Again
1:03:10 Events alone, celebrity encounters, and costumes
1:05:31 What would you bring to adult show-and-tell?

#DragonCon #ShowAndTell #OpenTabsPodcast

What strange household rule did you grow up believing everyone followed?

In Episode 28, Billy and Joe revisit the unwritten rules, questionable foods, and outright myths that shaped their childhoods. From mandatory shower-curtain closure and ketchup on rice to sweet grits, Miracle Whip sandwiches, childhood side hustles, and the supposed illegality of driving with the dome light on, it turns out we were all raised a little differently.

The conversation eventually goes deeper as Billy and Joe discuss allowance, earning their own money, parenting like their parents, and the important difference between genuine respect and control.

What weird rule, food, or childhood belief did your family have? Tell us in the comments!

Visit us at https://opentabspc.com or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Welcome to Episode 28
3:18 Weird household rules we thought were normal
9:27 Foods our families prepared differently
15:36 Store brands versus name brands
19:26 Condiment loyalty and the Miracle Whip controversy
25:19 Artichokes and regional food rules
28:21 Does sugar belong in grits?
31:54 Beans or no beans in chili?
33:08 The right and wrong ways to eat pizza
38:34 Scrambled eggs and boiled peanuts
41:01 Allowances, jobs, and earning your own money
46:33 Billy’s childhood business empire
54:25 Freedom, consequences, and parenting
59:20 Connection versus obedience
1:02:41 The difference between respect and control
1:14:28 Rapid-fire childhood myths
1:21:22 Is driving with the dome light actually illegal?
1:24:17 Can you swim immediately after eating?
1:25:14 Closing thoughts

#OpenTabsPodcast #ChildhoodMemories #Podcast

Why do tiny bottles of hotel shampoo become priceless the moment they’re free?

In Episode 27, Billy and Joe unpack the strange world of business travel: the hacks that actually help, the habits that make no sense, and the horror stories that somehow become funny years later.

Joe shares the exciting news about his new role with Mitsubishi Motors, followed by stories from Billy and Joe’s road trip to Franklin, Tennessee. Along the way, they compare an e-bike with an electric scooter, reveal their favorite hotel and airport tricks, revisit Billy’s unforgettable business trip to Manila, and remember some of the sketchiest motels they’ve ever survived.

They also make an emotional pilgrimage to In-N-Out Burger, explore why certain restaurants become tied to our memories, and finish with a Road Warrior Rapid Fire covering airport opinions, hotel breakfasts, airplane etiquette, travel snacks, and the behaviors that should probably be illegal.

What is your best travel hack or worst travel horror story? And be honest: Do you take the tiny shampoo bottles?

CHAPTERS

0:00 Road Warrior Rewards welcomes you
0:56 Welcome to Episode 27
1:32 The tiny hotel shampoo mystery
3:37 Joe reveals his new role at Mitsubishi
8:45 E-bike versus electric scooter
11:36 Did Billy and Joe nearly die?
15:46 The Business Traveler Survival Guide
20:10 Receipts, cancellations, and airplane tricks
25:39 Travel adapters, airline apps, and steam ironing
30:28 Billy’s Manila travel horror stories
38:15 Joe’s sketchiest motel experiences
46:20 The pilgrimage to In-N-Out Burger
54:36 Restaurants, nostalgia, and food memories
58:54 Road Warrior Rapid Fire
1:03:53 Travel behaviors that should be illegal
1:07:45 Tiny shampoo and final thoughts

👍 Like the episode
💬 Share your favorite travel hack in the comments
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#TravelHacks #BusinessTravel #OpenTabsPodcast

What does a boy need to hear as he begins becoming a man? Billy shares the story of a coming-of-age weekend with his two nephews and the message at the center of it: You do not have to earn our love, and no failure can make us love you less.

Recording from a hotel in Franklin, Tennessee, after a road trip from Atlanta, Billy and Joe explore what healthy manhood actually looks like. They discuss rites of passage, fathers and mentors, responsibility, resilience, bullying, emotional honesty, protecting vulnerable people, and the words boys need to hear from the men in their lives.

Billy also shares how being bullied shaped his commitment to protecting people who feel excluded. Joe reflects on raising three sons, learning to recognize when his words have caused hurt, and making sure his children know that disappointment never changes his love for them.

This is not a conversation about appearing tough or becoming an “alpha male.” It is about integrity, self-control, courage, compassion, responsibility, and continuing to grow throughout your life.

What do you believe marks the transition from childhood into adulthood? What is something every boy deserves to hear from the adults in his life?

CHAPTERS

00:00 Recording from the road in Franklin
02:10 Billy’s coming-of-age weekend in Texas
05:29 The symbolic gift presented to the boys
06:51 Did we receive guidance growing up?
08:25 The approval boys spend their lives chasing
10:33 Love that does not have to be earned
13:38 What actually makes someone a man?
18:48 Strength, protection, and responsibility
24:30 Would you lay down your phone for your child?
27:00 How bullying created a protector
36:09 What we misunderstood about manhood
44:50 Why male mentors need to be vulnerable
48:47 Teaching boys resilience
50:57 Coming-of-age traditions around the world
55:00 What Joe wants his sons to hear
58:24 Fathers need to say the words
1:02:12 When a father realizes his words caused hurt
1:06:16 What we would tell our younger selves
1:10:00 Rapid-fire questions about growing up
1:13:08 What society gets wrong about masculinity
1:16:34 Manhood is a lifelong journey
1:18:06 Men teaching and learning from one another
1:21:36 Closing thoughts

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Website: https://opentabspc.com

The Open Tabs Podcast
Ctrl + Alt + Discuss

#ComingOfAge #HealthyMasculinity #Fatherhood #RaisingBoys #OpenTabsPodcast

At 44, Billy somehow pulled off the impossible: he joined an already-established adult friend group.

In Episode 25, Billy tells Joe how one invitation led to a 5K, an EDM festival, kayaking, pickleball, admission to the group chat, and something that is surprisingly difficult to find as an adult: a genuine sense of belonging.

They talk about the strange initiation process of entering an established group, why making friends becomes harder after 40, and Billy’s trick for getting himself out of the apartment when staying home feels much easier. Joe also shares how marriage, parenting, and raising four children have changed his social world.

Then the episode takes a more emotional turn when Billy asks whether he and Joe would still become friends if they met for the first time today. After nearly 25 years of friendship, is compatibility what keeps people together, or do longtime friends actually help create the people we become?

Finally, the guys open a nostalgic tab about the old internet. They revisit eBaum’s World, MySpace Top 8 politics, homemade websites, abandoned blogs, Billy’s inexplicable Teletubbies page, and the days when learning HTML was simply part of making your profile look cooler than everyone else’s.

Was the old internet genuinely better, or do we just miss who we were when it still felt new?

Tell us in the comments:

• Have you successfully made close friends after 40?
• Would you still become friends with your oldest friend if you met today?
• Which old website would you bring back?

🌐 https://opentabspc.com

Subscribe for more conversations with two friends, zero structure, and entirely too many open tabs.

Ctrl + Alt + Discuss.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome to Episode 25
01:11 Billy accidentally joins a friend group
05:48 Friendsgiving and an invitation from the past
08:31 Friends from completely different worlds
12:42 The group-chat initiation ceremony
15:32 Does having a social life become exhausting?
17:03 Billy’s trick for making himself show up
22:08 Unicycles, scooters, pickleball, and trying new things
27:34 Does Joe envy the single life?
29:43 How marriage and parenting changed Joe’s social world
36:07 Adult children, empty nests, and failure to launch
41:33 Would Billy and Joe become friends today?
45:23 Which old website should come back?
47:15 MySpace, custom profiles, and Top 8 politics
50:26 Billy’s terrible homemade website
53:53 The abandoned blogs we left behind
56:27 AI, short videos, and shrinking attention spans
58:03 One unfinished tab and the outro

#OpenTabsPodcast #AdultFriendships #InternetNostalgia