DIY, But Why? Homemade Butter, a $7,000 Laser and 40 Birdhouses

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DIY, But Why?

Why make butter when four sticks cost a few dollars at the store? In this episode of The Absurdists, Mary Murphy brings a different kind of show: DIY and homemade everything, and the moment you wonder why you’re doing it at all. Mary is on her third batch of homemade butter (and $60 of gear) and still only has whipped cream, while Marlo Anderson confesses to a homebrew beer kit living in a box, a $230 phone stud finder that loses to the $8.99 one, and a $7,000 laser that sat for a year.

They get into mozzarella made tableside, sourdough starters with names, homemade pasta, 3D printers (need a birdhouse? Marlo has 40), an embroidery machine that just sits, kitchen gadgets, reupholstering a chair, AI and YouTube for DIYers, and the $8 thermostat that cost Marlo a motor.

Then it’s crate-box furniture, IKEA instructions (spin three times), Mary’s Nest thermostat win, her mom’s crocheted hats, classic car shows and Mary’s ’68 Camaro, boiled peanuts, farmers market soap and Mary’s Willy Wonka pinstripes. So, is DIY worth it?

The Absurdists, where logic takes a back seat. Season 2, Episode 7 with Marlo Anderson and Mary Murphy.