Episode 378 || Summer Kids' Table
This week on From the Front Porch, Annie sits down with her friend, cousin, and former colleague Ashley Sherlock. Together, they make up members of their own family’s kids’ table. They talk about what they’re reading, watching listening to, and buying this season.
To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our new website:
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Flying Solo by Linda Holmes
Cultish by Amanda Montell
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Happy Go Lucky by David Sedaris
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
Watching:
The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+
Stranger Things season 4
Somebody Feed Phil
Top Gun
The Circle
Listening To:
The Big Picture podcast (Top Gun episodes especially)
Playlists by Fran Dorsey/Coppertone & Sarah Tolzmann/Note to Self/Chill Summer
Wilder Mind by Mumford and Sons
A Place to Call Home by Michael Ottosson
Buying:
Dresses from Target’s Universal Thread line
August Cloth
The Olive & June summer collection
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found below.
Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
This week Annie is listening to Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Ashley is reading Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
Our Executive Producers are... Donna Hetchler, Angie Erickson, Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle C, Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins, Laurie johnson, and Kate Johnston Tucker.
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Transcript:
Annie Jones [00:00:01] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South.
[00:00:25] "Anyway, the host ends every episode by saying, 'Joy is coming.' I think it's a quote from a book or something. I don't know. But she says it every week. Joy is coming. That's the fall. You just got to keep your eyes open and look for it. Make sure not to fall." Emma Straub. This Time Tomorrow.
[00:00:45] I'm Annie Jones, owner of the bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. And this week, we're chatting around the Kids Table. One of our main goals, as you know, for 2022, is to grow the show to 10,000 listeners. And each week we're getting closer and closer to that goal. Right now, we are a community of about 7 to 8000, which is amazing and honestly, about 8000 more than I ever envisioned. The best way to grow the show, though, is to have all of you lovely listeners leave a review on Apple Podcasts. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, look for our pretty new logo. Then scroll down until you see 'Write a review' and tell us what you think.
[00:01:25] Here's a recent review from a listener in Colorado. "Annie and her crew at the Bookshelf, something I look forward to every week. So many book recommendations that I never would have discovered without their thoughtful, fun and witty reviews. Thank you for being a bright spot in my week." Thank you, Colorado. I am so grateful to all of our lovely listeners who have begun to leave their reviews. Your kind words mean a lot, and they help us to remember why we do what we do. Now, back to today's conversation. The Kids Table is our seasonal episode series, where I am joined by my friend, cousin and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock. Together, we make up members of our own family's kids table, and we're bringing those conversations to you each season to tell you what we're reading, watching, listening to and buying. Hi, Ashley.
Ashley [00:02:12] Hello.
Annie Jones [00:02:13] Hi. Do you know that I think I had to explain to a listener a little while ago that the Kids Table episodes were not about kids literature.
Ashley [00:02:22] Oh, I hope they weren't disappointed.
Annie Jones [00:02:25] No, I think they were actually excited. And it occurred to me that maybe it was bad marketing to name this the Kids Table. But I really love the name.
Ashley [00:02:34] I mean, I think the name is fitting, but I do understand where this person might have been coming from as this is a book podcast.
Annie Jones [00:02:40] I totally do, too.
Annie Jones [00:02:43] Right. And then I thought, oh, really? That does make sense. And maybe we should talk about kid lit. But no, we just want to talk about what we're reading, watching, listening to and buying. That's it.
Ashley [00:02:54] I mean, I could just read a picture books and be perfectly happy and maybe one episode.
Annie Jones [00:03:02] I just love these episodes because they're really, like, sitting at our family's kids table.
Ashley [00:03:07] This is true.
Annie Jones [00:03:08] And so it's summer. This is our summer episode. Summer is your favorite time of year. How are you hanging in?
Ashley [00:03:14] Pretty good. I am working outside. Currently, we are recording in my parent's pool house where I had to turn the air conditioner off. So I am coming to you from sweaty Tallahassee, Florida with no air conditioning. But that's okay. It's better. I would rather it be too hot than too cold.
Annie Jones [00:03:33] Is that true?
Ashley [00:03:35] It's 100 percent true. Unless I'm sleeping, then I want to be cold so I can bundle up. Otherwise, give me the sun.
Annie Jones [00:03:43] Okay. Do you think I could survive in Minnesota?
Ashley [00:03:47] I've never been to Minnesota, but probably. I don't know. Minnesota I don't feel like is your vibe. But you could handle the cold.
Annie Jones [00:03:55] The only reason I say this is because I was watching Sharon's essays stories, but it's like her private little book club group that I joined and she was talking about Minnesota. And she pretty much sold me on thinking that I could live there because unlike you, I think I'd rather be too cold because you can do something about that. It's really hard. You can always add more clothes. You can't always take more clothes off.
Ashley [00:04:26] I understand that. But I'm like a reptile. I stop functioning in the cold.
Annie Jones [00:04:33] Yes. And I think I'm the opposite. I think it's why I'm low energy during the summer. Now, I've grown to really like summer because it's generally slower at the Bookshelf. We have a pool, which helps immensely. But I have said this many times, after my big July 4th trip I am-- oh, I am not here for it.
Ashley [00:04:54] Yeah, I have worked with you very closely in the late July and August months, and it's not your time of year. And that's okay. I do think Minnesota's more is like Midwest, right?
Annie Jones [00:05:11] Yeah.
Ashley [00:05:12] I do think you're more of a New England person.
Annie Jones [00:05:16] I think I am, too. Honestly, I'm not sure I'm nice enough to be a midwesterner.
Ashley [00:05:21] I didn't say it.
Annie Jones [00:05:25] Okay, so it's summertime. It's your time to shine. Why don't you tell me what you're reading right now?
Ashley [00:05:31] So my time to shine means it's time for me to be outside. Which means I'm doing a little bit less reading than normal. But I am excited about this one book called Cultish by Amanda Montel that I think both of our moms would be super interested in. It actually came out a year ago today. I thought it was new this year, but it came out today's it's birthday. Have I told you about this before? Have we talked about this before?
Annie Jones [00:05:56] You casually mentioned this, but now I want to hear more because this is a book I have been really intrigued by. It's got a great cover, too.
Ashley [00:06:01] Okay. So I hadn't heard about it until I was in a meeting with someone that I respect. And she mentioned that she was going to buy this book over the weekend. And I was like, okay, I'm going to get this book too so that we can have a conversation. We have not had the conversation yet, but it's fine. I read a really good book, but it's called Cultish. It's about the language of fanaticism and it's very well researched. Amanda Montel sources a lot of psychologists and other professionals and it's done in six parts ranging from Scientology and stuff like that to social media. She covers NLM fitness trends like CrossFit, Peloton, stuff like that. It talks about how these organizations or whatever you want to call them, these people use words to create fandoms basically, to create empires. It's fascinating. You know I like to go into things blindly, so I started reading it because I use language a lot for my job and I'm currently in the process of trying to create FOMO for people. So I was hoping this book could kind of help me with that a little bit and in a much healthier way than many of things she references.
Annie Jones [00:07:18] The cult?
Ashley [00:07:21] But that's another thing, too. She also talks about how Cult doesn't really have like a specific meaning. It can mean a lot of very different things, but yeah, super interesting. It's six parts that are pretty easy to break up if you want to, and I think you would actually really enjoy it.
Annie Jones [00:07:39] Did you listen to it or did you read the physical book?
Ashley [00:07:42] Physical book. And this girl, Amanda Montel, she also has a podcast which I have not listened to yet, but it's called Sounds Like a Cult. And I feel like if you're a fan of my favorite murder or something like that, you might also be a fan of this.
Annie Jones [00:07:58] Okay. I think I need to read this book because we had friends over this weekend and we literally spent half of our dinner conversation talking about Scientology.
Ashley [00:08:05] Yeah, you might want to pick this up. I think you might want this.
Annie Jones [00:08:09] Okay. My first one, I'm not going to spend too much time on because Hunter and I just recorded an episode about it that ran I think last week on From the Front Porch, and it is Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. But I finished this last week because of the podcast, and I immediately took a picture and sent it to Chet, my brother, your cousin. And then I took another picture and sent it to you and my mom and your mom, because I really do think this is a Butterworth, Jacobson family book. Like, I feel like Family Book Club could be reignited with this selection. It is not particularly easy reading. Have you read Annie Dillard before?
Ashley [00:08:48] I don't know that I've read any of her books, but like my mom, I really like her quotes.
Annie Jones [00:08:52] Yes. So this is the thing, right? Like, in high school-- I think it was high school, we read excerpts from Annie Dillard's work, including Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. But I had never read the whole thing. And so Hunter and I have been doing backlist titles that are Pulitzer winners. And so I picked this one up. And now, gosh, it took me 50 pages, I think, to really become accustomed to the language of it. I'm, I think, quite frankly, out of practice of reading super literary works. I read a lot of things quickly, and so it's hard sometimes to get back in the rhythm of reading something that's more dense. But, ultimately, this book was phenomenal, beautifully written about nature, about God, about philosophy, about theology. There are some scenes that I will never be able to unsee, including one in which a bullfrog was sucked dry by a water bug, which I didn't even know was something that was possible. Very, very, descriptive nature writing. Things I learned about praying mantises. Hunter and I joked that when we finished this book, we both-- like, Hunter said on his drive home from work, he stopped and like rolled down his window and was like, "Look at nature."
Ashley [00:10:15] And I remember seeing a ladybug on my front door and, like, stopped and watched it for several minutes.
Ashley [00:10:22] Oh, I love it.
Annie Jones [00:10:23] So I think you would really, really, like this book. Give it the 50 pages because it is dense. But I think you will really love the nature writing. And then I think you'll also like the philosophy and the theology. She's writing a lot about God and creation. She ties in a lot of works from a lot of words from other religious works, the Bible, the Koran. Anyway, I really liked it. Highly recommend. I think you especially would like it.
Ashley [00:10:48] Do you remember years and years ago, I must have been right after I graduated college and was working at the Bookshelf and you let me sell some paintings of quotes that I did?
Annie Jones [00:11:00] Yes.
Ashley [00:11:00] One of them was an Annie Dillard quote, and I cannot for the life of me remember which one it was. But I know it's on the Bookshelf Instagram feed. This had to have been in like 20-- no, this might have been before I graduated college. I think it was.
Annie Jones [00:11:14] Oh, my gosh. I need to go back and look. I'm sorry, but speaking of the Bookshop Instagram, Jordan and I've been finishing up John Green's Anthropocene Reviewed, which I think I recommended to you last time. Great audio book. But there's an essay in there about the notes app and in the essay he references going back through his notes app and, like, he doesn't know what half the notes are. Like, they're just random sentences. So I was inspired to go back through my own notes app and I found a note from 2017 that was Goals for the Bookshelf. And one of the goals was to reach 7000 followers on Instagram.
Ashley [00:11:48] Oh my gosh, from 2017. Wow.
Annie Jones [00:11:51] In 2017. And I thought, my gosh, we did that and more.
Ashley [00:11:56] Oh, yeah. We had no idea how high we would fly.
Annie Jones [00:12:01] We didn't. And I'm glad we didn't. Ignorance is bliss in many ways.
Ashley [00:12:05] It is. It is. Happy times.
Annie Jones [00:12:07] What else are you reading? Anything else?
Ashley [00:12:09] Okay, next thing is Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Did you read it?
Annie Jones [00:12:18] I did. I listened to it.
Ashley [00:12:19] Emily Henry, I don't think I've read her. I can't remember if I read Beach Read. I may have, but I truly do not remember. Not my typical thing, but I actually had a good time with this one. Kind of angsty. Had a really good waterfall lake, whatever, scene that I enjoyed. Sister friendship, which I loved. Small town, wanderlust and man who doesn't love a stone cold workaholic who finds out she actually has a heart?
Annie Jones [00:12:48] I do love that. And I also love that they didn't make her-- I mean, no spoilers. Fast forward 15 seconds if you need to, but I like that they didn't make her have to discover like, no, I don't want a job. Like, I'm going to work at a farm.
Ashley [00:13:05] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:13:06] No, she really was going to her job and liked her job and was excellent at it. But it did mean she had to make adjustments other place. I thought that storyline was pretty realistic actually. I really liked it.
Ashley [00:13:19] Yeah, me too.
Annie Jones [00:13:20] Okay. Another recommendation for you. I led the episode with a quote from This Time Tomorrow, the new Emma Straub. Have you read this yet?
Ashley [00:13:27] Okay, so I started it, but I don't think it's my thing.
Annie Jones [00:13:32] Okay. I don't know how far you got. I personally found it to be very slow going. And so then I put it down, and then I picked it back up again and then I fell in love with it. The reason I was recommending it for you is because of the New York of it all. So if you get going, the book is essentially a little bit of a time travel story, and once you get to that time travel moment and the main character becomes the high school version of herself, I think the New York setting-- and because we have been to some of those places, I really thought you would love the New York aspects of it. I find some of the story to be less compelling than others. I love the father daughter stuff. I felt ambivalent about the love story elements. There's some slight romance elements. I did not like those as much, but I loved the father daughter of it all, and I loved the New York setting. And I was like, Ashley should read this because it's like she goes to Grace Papaya and she eats hot dogs. Like, I just feel like because we've been to New York and because we want to go there every year together, because that is our new goal and our new vision for ourselves. I just think you might that part.
Ashley [00:14:44] Put that in your notes app.
Annie Jones [00:14:45] Put it in my notes app. Maybe my notes app is a way to manifest.
Ashley [00:14:50] You got to try it. You have to. I'll do it, too.
Annie Jones [00:14:53] Okay. Because we did talk about doing like a yearly [Inaudible] trip. And so, anyway, I think you would like the New York of it all. Give it another shot.
Ashley [00:15:01] That's good to know. I've stopped because I got a little lost with the time travel. And time travel is just not really my thing. But New York feels my thing.
Annie Jones [00:15:10] Yeah. I think you'd like that part.
Ashley [00:15:12] Okay.
Annie Jones [00:15:12] Any other reads for you?
Ashley [00:15:14] Yes. I forgot it was my turn. So I'm not going to go into this one because I have another one. I just wanted to tell you that I read, but I read Happy Go Lucky by David Sedaris. I enjoyed it not as much as his other stuff, but still classic David Sedaris. You can tell he's getting older, I think. Like, in his vintage writing.
Annie Jones [00:15:36] Honestly, not shocking. There's an excerpt of that book that was in The Atlantic, and I did laugh out loud, but I also thought, oh, he sounds a little bit like a crotchety old man.
Ashley [00:15:48] Yeah, that's accurate. And I think he's always done a good job of balancing, like, the struggles of life with humor. But I don't know, I guess as you get older, there's a little bit more struggles in life.
Annie Jones [00:16:02] Well, or the pandemic of it all. He wrote it during the pandemic, and all of us were crotchety old men during the pandemic, who wasn't?
Ashley [00:16:11] So I still think it's worth the read. Okay. But I wanted to tell you that today actually, I finished. Nora Goes Off Script.
Annie Jones [00:16:22] Okay, wait. Did you like it or did you not like it?
Ashley [00:16:25] I loved it so much. We're going from book lovers straight to Nora goes off script because both of those characters are named Norah and they're very similar stories.
Annie Jones [00:16:36] Oh, interesting. I forgot about that.
Ashley [00:16:39] Yeah. But I loved it.
Annie Jones [00:16:44] I have read a lot of rom-coms, some terrible, some great. Norah goes off script to me, weirdly went deeper than rom-com. Like, I just fell in love with her and her kids and her tea house. Like, I really want a tea house now. And her writing and her ambition. And yes, I very much loved the main character. Who did you picture as the main guy?
Ashley [00:17:11] I don't think I had anybody specific. His name was Leo, so I think I had a blond, some pointy face blond in mind.
Annie Jones [00:17:20] Okay. Look, this is my own personal problem slash taste, but I pictured Chris Evans naturally. But partly because Chris Evans in real life is a bachelor and has a good relationship, I think, with his brother. And there's a brother relationship in this book. But can I tell you something interesting? I interviewed Annabel Monahan for a bonus episode of the podcast and I asked her, I said, Who would you cast or who did you picture? And she said, "You know, I specifically left the description of Leo pretty bland, like pretty blank, because I wanted women to picture whoever they wanted."
Ashley [00:17:57] Interesting.
Annie Jones [00:18:02] I thought was genius because I think for women, the personal taste level runs the gamut. Not to be like gender specific, but I just feel like many men have like a typical ideal. And for women, I think it's much broader. That is me being very stereotypical. Please forgive me. But I thought it was really interesting that she was like, I specifically made it so that you really could picture whoever your ideal or your fantasy guy was.
Ashley [00:18:28] I love that. That makes me love it even more.
Annie Jones [00:18:30] I thought it was so clever. Can I tell you I pictured Chris Evans as Leo, Rachel McAdams as Nora, and Nancy Meyers as directing the film adaptation.
Ashley [00:18:42] Okay, I'm with you. I get that.
Annie Jones [00:18:46] Oh, I'm so glad you liked it. Did you listen to it or read it?
Ashley [00:18:50] I listened to it and I flew through it.
Annie Jones [00:18:53] Okay. So it was a good audiobook.
Ashley [00:18:55] It was a pretty good audiobook, I think. I don't know. If I were recommending it, I would recommend you read it just because of the type of book that it is. But I absolutely flew through it and I am not someone who flies through anything.
Annie Jones [00:19:08] Okay. Speaking of flying, my last reading recommendation is Flying Solo by Linda Holmes. This is another one that I really think you'd like. And I'm afraid people are going to go into it thinking it's a romantic comedy because Linda Holmes first book, Evvie Drake starts over is very rom-com. It's a rom-com I loved, but it's very rom-comy. Flying Solo perhaps you might even tell from the title itself to me is less about the romance of it all. There is a romantic storyline. There is a guy, there is a girl. They do fall in love. That's not spoilers, that's just the facts checks. But I'm here to tell you that book is not really about the romance aspect, and that's why I feel fine saying, yeah, there's a guy, there's a girl, there's some love there. But that's not really what it's about. It's about a middle aged woman who goes to clean up her aunt's house. Her aunt was single and died at the age of 93, and they had a really special bond. And so she goes to clean up the house and kind of take charge because her aunt did not have any kids-- her great aunt, I think. And, anyway, she finds a duck. And there's like this involving the duck that I know it sounds weird, but I really was here for it. And you really just learn a lot about I think love beyond romantic love. And you learn a lot about familial love and friendship love and what makes a well-rounded person. I really liked it a lot, but I think it's going to be different from what people expect. So I wanted to tell you about it because I think you would like it. And I also wanted to let you know, like, don't go into it thinking it's going to be Book Lovers. It's not. It's going to be really-- oh, it's a great main setting. It's going to be a really love main story about a woman and her aunt. Honestly.
Ashley [00:21:02] Nice. I'm into it.
Annie Jones [00:21:03] Yeah, we have lots of aunt relationships, so I thought you'd appreciate it.
Ashley [00:21:07] Alright.
Annie Jones [00:21:08] We have more aunts than your average person, I feel like. Sometimes I don't realize that, like, most people don't have 19 cousins, you know?
Ashley [00:21:17] Yeah.That's not normal.
Annie Jones [00:21:22] No, it's not. But it feels normal to me. And so, anyway, I just love the relationship. Okay. Any other reading for you?
Ashley [00:21:30] That's it for me.
Annie Jones [00:21:31] All right, let's talk watching. I'm very curious about this. Tell me what you're watching right now.
Ashley [00:21:36] Okay. There is almost nothing to be curious about. This section is a little bear for me because I am watching my comfort shows for some reason. But one thing, I don't actually know if you're going to like this or not because it's very dumb. But have you heard of The Circle on Netflix?
Annie Jones [00:21:59] Okay, I have. And don't ever underestimate my appreciation for dumb things. I do watch Love Island. Just remember.
Ashley [00:22:05] Okay. It's kind of along those lines, but not really at all. I've seen the first season and the most recent season. First season was interesting and I watched the most recent season because I knew of one of the guys who was going to be on there, and I find him very attractive and charming. Okay. But the show basically, it's you start off with like, I don't know, five or six people who do not meet. They each live in their own apartment, like, all in the same building. But they don't leave this apartment and they only meet each other online. And some of them are being themselves in this online chat situation. Some of them may also be catfishing the rest of the group. So there's this one guy, he comes in at the beginning. I forget his name, but he comes in as his mom. So you have a profile and everything, but the profile picture is his mom. Her name is Carol, I believe. And it's this 20-something year old guy talking like, acting like his 56-year-old mother and trying to make the rest of the group believe that she is actually there. And some people get drawn, some people don't, some people think someone else might be a catfish, but they're themselves. And the goal is to just not get voted out basically until the end. And everybodyat least votes for, I guess, basically the most likable person on the show. It's super weird. Very like millennial, Gen Z social media type thing. No value. No value at all. But I find it entertaining.
Annie Jones [00:23:55] Great. All right. That's good to know. I don't know if I will be partaking in that, but I have been curious about it. And, honestly, you just gave me everything I need to know to decide that that's going to be a no for me.
Ashley [00:24:07] You're welcome.
Annie Jones [00:24:07] Yeah, it just saved me a lot of time, so I really appreciate that.
Ashley [00:24:13] That's what I'm here for.
Annie Jones [00:24:15] Okay. I also have a recommendation that I do not know if it's for you. So it is the Essex Serpent. It's on Apple TV plus. I read this book years ago and loved the book. Did you read this book?
Ashley [00:24:28] No, but I remember selling it when it came out.
Annie Jones [00:24:31] Okay. I loved it. It's about a woman who I guess the year is probably-- I don't know, let's say 1800s, early 1800s. There's a lot of clothes that are fun. But, anyway, I think it's the olden times and I'm sorry, that makes me sound dumb, but it is what it is. So it's a bit of a different time. And one of the women, the main character, is Cora. She is a scientist and a naturalist. Her husband dies and she winds up seeing in the paper that this town in Essex believes there is a serpent like a giant sea creature kind of invading their town. And so she moves to Essex with her son and her friend/maid. And while they're there, she befriends the priest, local priest, who obviously is a man of deep faith. She is a scientist. So their relationship and friendship is really interesting. That is what I loved about the book when it first came out, and there is a lot of almost Salem Witch tribal vibes about what is the serpent? Is it a literal serpent? Is it the devil? There's a sense of hysteria. I loved the book. I was very excited about this show. I don't even care what the other reviews are. I'm liking the show. Jordan likes the show. We already have watched four episodes and we're going to finish, I think, in the next couple of days. So it's a six episode series on Apple TV plus, it stars Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes. I think Claire Danes is a great actress. I've never cared for Tom Hiddleston, but I kind of like him in this. So, yeah, I really like it. I don't know if you would or not, but it's six episodes, so it might be worth a shot.
Ashley [00:26:19] I might give it a try. We'll see. Side note, this is a random question that just popped into my head, but did you watch Squid Game?
Annie Jones [00:26:26] Okay. No, but Jordan and I just asked if we should because we just saw they renewed for season two.
Ashley [00:26:31] Yeah, that's what made me ask. And I also saw that somebody is making it into like a reality show. Someone is actually making a real squid game where nobody is going to die in this one.
Annie Jones [00:26:46] I don't know if I trust that fully. So I think I asked you or maybe I asked Chet about Squid Game and he was like, you might like it, but it is really violent.
Ashley [00:26:57] Yeah, it's very violent. It is absolutely not my thing. The only reason I watched it was because it was like the top performing show in Netflix for a time and it was really just one of those like you can't look away type of situations.
Annie Jones [00:27:14] Was it more or less violent than Stranger Things season four?
Ashley [00:27:19] I was not prepared for that violence. Goodness, I almost didn't make it through. I finally finished that though. I don't know how they compare. Violence in a different way. There's just a lot of blood in Squid Game.
Annie Jones [00:27:35] Okay. I don't know. I'm curious about it. I mean, we did The Hunger Games thing and that feels kind of sort of similar. I don't know. Maybe we'll try it again.
Ashley [00:27:44] I just want you to try it with Jordan just so I can know, because I have no idea if you'll actually want to watch this or not.
Annie Jones [00:27:51] Okay. I mean, look, stranger things is not actually-- I mean, other than the nostalgia factor of it all, like, that's not something I would have seen myself sticking with. Like, kind of the sci fi. It feels a little sci fi, but we love that. And I mean, this season was a lot. And so help me, I've not looked up spoilers. Don't anybody tell me anything. I've finished season four. They better not kill off Steve. I can't do it. Don't Kill off Steve. Don't you do it.
Ashley [00:28:21] Boy, do I love Steve. How old is he in real life? Do we know?
Annie Jones [00:28:26] Yeah, I looked it up. I want to say 29.
Ashley [00:28:31] Is he seeing anyone?
Annie Jones [00:28:37] You dragged out that question. No, I don't think so. I don't know. I don't think he's dating anybody. You know, I will have to warn you, I do think a lot of his attractive level is the hair.
Ashley [00:28:48] I know. I wish I could just date Steve whoever he is in real life.
Annie Jones [00:28:53] Do you remember when that guy-- whatever that guy's real name is Joe, I think his real name is Joe Keery? I don't know. But he got a bob. Do you remember that?
Ashley [00:29:03] No.
Annie Jones [00:29:04] Oh, I will text you a picture as soon as we hang up because it is a lot. But I do like Steve and I love his friendship with [Crosstalk]. Yeah, with the kids. But also the girl. What's the girl's name?Not Sadie Sink, the other girl. The Maya Hawke's girl.
Ashley [00:29:23] The redhead. I know who you're talking about. The older one.
Annie Jones [00:29:27] Yes. I can't remember her age.
Ashley [00:29:29] I can't remember either.
Annie Jones [00:29:31] I'd rather them kill off Nancy. You can quote me on that.
Ashley [00:29:35] That's fair.
Annie Jones [00:29:36] That's fair. Okay. I just want to quickly put in a plug for Somebody's Feed Phil. Do you like the show? Do you do the show?
Ashley [00:29:42] No, but you have told me about this show no less than probably nine times, which is okay.
Annie Jones [00:29:50] Because it's so feel good. And, look, I know you're A.D.D., and I'm here to tell you you don't have to pay full attention to this.
Ashley [00:29:59] That's helpful.
Annie Jones [00:30:00] You can pay half attention to this--
Ashley [00:30:03] And still feel good?
Annie Jones [00:30:04] Yes. And still feel good. I think you will think it's charming and funny. I heard about it from Sophie Hudson, Boomama, who's an Enneagram nine. You're an Enneagram nine. I just think you should try it. It saved me. This is not a joke. It was one of the pieces of pop culture that saved 2020 for me. And so now it holds a very special little place in my heart. And we've just been watching the new season, and I really like it.
Ashley [00:30:30] Okay. I'm rewatching New Girl right now and I'm going to need something after that.
Annie Jones [00:30:36] We've talked about this. When I have to watch New Girl, that's when I know I've reached new lows. Because New Girl is different from for me than The Office. New girl is like, we're in trouble. Danger Will Robinson. [Inaudible].
Ashley [00:30:54] No, I've only seen it one other time besides this. I think I may have watched it while it was coming out, but again, I am very swayed by the people I am around. We were having a discussion and everybody there was like, Oh yeah, my favorite show's, New Girl." And I was like, "Well, I haven't seen New Girl since it went off the air." I'm not sure I even saw the series finale. So I started it.
Annie Jones [00:31:18] I'd love to know what you think upon a second watch again. I watch that and just know things are dire. I like that show. I love the male friendships. Zooey Deschanel's character does things to me, and I do not mean that in a good way.
Ashley [00:31:35] No, I was talking to Olivia. I was like, "We're watching New Girl. And I hate to say that I think I might be Jessica Day." And she, like, almost cut me off and was like, "No, you're absolutely not."
Annie Jones [00:31:51] No, Jessica Day-- I can't even. I can't even. I just don't even know what to say about her. I find her so obnoxious. You are not Jess Day. We'd tell you.
Ashley [00:32:02] I also don't like her. But the one part that I really related to was her birthday episode when she-- like her thing that she does on her birthday is that she goes to the movies alone because her expectations are too high for everyone else. So she just takes the pressure off of her and everyone. I was like, oh, really? That's something I need to do as well.
Annie Jones [00:32:27] I think that's a genius move, actually. But she cried in a job interview and I was out.
Ashley [00:32:34] That's wild.
Annie Jones [00:32:34] I was like, no, ma'am. No. No, ma'am. They did not fight for our rights so that you could cry in a job interview. Okay. My last thing that I just want to tell you is you and I have to go see Top Gun.
Ashley [00:32:50] I am waiting. I was hoping I would have seen that in time for this episode, but I have not.
Annie Jones [00:32:55] Can we go see it? And very crucially, what is your call sign?
Ashley [00:33:01] Are you asking me that for real? Because I don't know what that means.
Annie Jones [00:33:04] Okay. Like, Tom Cruise is Maverick. The guy who dies in the original Top Gun is Goose. Your love of your life, Glen Powell, is hangmen. Like, you have to pick a name. So my friend Julianna, we named her Hollywood because of her princess hair.
Ashley [00:33:23] Okay.
Annie Jones [00:33:24] Mine is Alphabet.
Ashley [00:33:27] That's cute.
Annie Jones [00:33:29] I know. You need a name. You got to generate your own call sign.
Ashley [00:33:35] Do I have to come up with it myself?
Annie Jones [00:33:37] We did a call sign generator. But then my friend Courtney really helped us come up with ours and hone in on ours. We got to see what your call sign is.
Ashley [00:33:51] I'm going to be thinking about this for days.
Annie Jones [00:33:53] Sorry I looked you up. I'm going to try a different website.The first one that came up was Crud [Sp]. It's so bad.
Ashley [00:34:10] Why is that accurate, though? Crud. Just call me Crud.
Annie Jones [00:34:17] It's so bad. If you're listening to this and you see the Bookshelf Instagram post about this episode, just comment and say, what's up, Crud or hey Crud. Or this episode was Crud.
Ashley [00:34:36] Wait, don't call me that.
Annie Jones [00:34:39] Crud stole the show. Oh, gosh. Okay, well, I'm going to find the better website and send it to you so that you can come up with your call sign because I don't want you to be Crud.
Ashley [00:34:55] Me either.
Annie Jones [00:34:57] I just think you deserve better. And I wish I could find the call sign website that my friend Courtney found. Let's see. Cookie is my friend Courtney's because that's her grandmother name.
Ashley [00:35:09] Did she come up with that herself or did the website come up with that?
Annie Jones [00:35:12] That's her grandmother name. And she decided that was a good call sign for her. Here we go. I'm looking yours up. Here are some options. Are you ready?
Ashley [00:35:21] Sure.
Annie Jones [00:35:26] Salsa. Splinter.
Ashley [00:35:27] What?
Annie Jones [00:35:28] Smurf.
Ashley [00:35:32] Wait, no. Whose ideas are these? What information do you have to give this website in order to get a call sign?
Annie Jones [00:35:43] Elf.
Ashley [00:35:45] Elf. Oh, geez. My call sign is garbage because that is what all of these are.
Annie Jones [00:35:54] Sonic.
Ashley [00:35:55] No, that's a hedgehog.
Annie Jones [00:35:59] One of them was sad face.
Ashley [00:36:01] Are you kidding me?
Annie Jones [00:36:06] Wait. I think that's it. Ashley Sad Face.
Ashley [00:36:08] Oh, no. Get me out.
Annie Jones [00:36:12] Okay.
Ashley [00:36:13] This has been the last episode of From the Front Porch. Thank you so much for joining us in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. Please like and subscribe and give us a review.
Annie Jones [00:36:24] Ashley Sad Face Sherlock. Oh, I love it. Okay, moving on, we're going to go see that movie together. We're going to drag Caroline with us, too. What are you listening to?
Ashley [00:36:34] Listening to? Okay, there's a song. So sometimes I take evening walks, and when I do, a lot of the time, I can't help but listen to piano music. And one song that I have been loving in particular for actually quite some time is called A Place to Call Home by Michael Otterson. It's just a very beautiful song, and he's not a famous pianist or anything. And actually, I was trying to find the sheet music to it so I could play it. It's just one of those songs that I love it so much. Like, I have to know how to play it so I can just play it all the time. But I couldn't find it when I Googled it. And upon further research, like I tried to like find his website so that I could just reach out to him directly to see if he could sell me the sheet music. He's from Switzerland, I believe, but in 2020 or 2021, he actually passed away from heart issues. So I feel like that makes the song even more beautiful and meaningful. It's so sad, but it's such a nice song. It feels like a sunset.
Annie Jones [00:37:42] I think you just proved your callsign correct. Ashley Sad Face Sherlock indeed.
Ashley [00:37:48] Oh, please. Get me out. But it makes me happy.
Annie Jones [00:37:54] Please put that in the show notes because that sounds lovely. My first couple of ones, I feel like podcasts can almost be too much for me these days. I feel like-- I don't know. I'm listening to audiobooks a lot instead, but I've been listening to or I like-- not every episode, but I'll pick specific episodes of the Big Picture Podcast. This is part of the Ringer Podcast Network, but after I went and saw Top Gun, I listened to their Tom Cruise episode and their Top Gun Maverick episode, and I really liked them. I like the hosts on that show, Amanda Dobbins and Sean Fennessy and Chris Ryan would sometimes come in. Anyway, I really like that podcast a lot. I pick and choose which episodes I want to listen to. Their movie drafts are great, but I specifically listened to the Top Gun episodes recently and really liked them.
Ashley [00:38:39] Nice.
Annie Jones [00:38:40] What else? Anything else?
Ashley [00:38:42] There's another song called Wilder Mind by Mumford and Sons. I can't remember which album it's on. I feel like it's on one of their newer ones. But I don't have very much to say about that. I just like the song.
Annie Jones [00:38:58] Look, Mumford and Sons is still putting out or has put out recently pretty good music. Like, I feel like we don't talk about them anymore, but I still like them.
Ashley [00:39:05] Yeah, I do too, they've had some good stuff.
Annie Jones [00:39:07] Okay, I've got two playlists that I've been listening to off and on. As you know throughout the seasons I also add songs to my playlists so that I have like a time capsule at the end of the year. But two people whose playlists I really like, I follow both of them on Instagram and they consistently put out great playlist. One of them, her name is Fran Dorsey. The other one is Sarah Talzman. Fran's newest playlist is called Coppertone, and it's great summery songs. And then Sarah Talzman, her blog used to be called Note to Self. And anyway, so her playlist is called Note to Self Chill Summer. And I just really think they do a good job of compiling playlists. Like, I firmly believe that some people have that spiritual gift. I only do if I sit down and have the time to do that. And so I really like when it's been done for me. And so Fran is a great person, will play her playlist sometimes in the bookshelf. So if you listen to the bookshelf or like if you're walking around the store and you like some of our playlists, we have used some of hers in the shop and then Sarah Talzsman the same is true for her. So that's Coppertone and Chill Summer, and I like both of those a lot. Okay. Drum roll, please. What are you buying right now?
Ashley [00:40:18] Well. Cherry limeade supplies.
Annie Jones [00:40:25] You're on a Cherry limeade cake. And I do love it.
Ashley [00:40:27] I really am. I've been sipping on one.
Annie Jones [00:40:29] Is that what you're drinking right now?
Ashley [00:40:31] Yeah, I just finished it. Made it for this show. This was a new recipe. It was a frozen cherry limeade. And my next cherry limeade endeavor will involve a splash of vodka, because that was recommended to me. And I feel like it would make it even more of a poolside party.
Annie Jones [00:40:50] Can you start Instagram storying your journey? Can we call this your Cherry Limeade Summer and you walk us through the different iterations. Can you do that?
Ashley [00:41:05] Sure. It's not going to be interesting. But, yeah.
Annie Jones [00:41:08] It is interesting. I don't make my own Cherry Limeade, so maybe I would if I saw your Instagram posts.
Ashley [00:41:13] Yeah, we can do that.
Annie Jones [00:41:15] We go to market this thing, baby. Okay, I'm here to tell you that during the summer, my jeans, the humidity suctions them to my thighs, so that they're impossible to get off. And eventually it just becomes like there is no hope for us in the summer here in the South. And so I just invested air quotes, invested in some dresses from Target's universal thread line. I bought three of them. I think they were between $15 and $20 a piece because, I'll be real with you, I don't even need them to last me forever. I just need them to do the job this summer so that my jeans do not suction themselves to my legs. That's it.
Ashley [00:42:00] Your summer dress is my winter oversize sweater.
Annie Jones [00:42:05] Okay? Yes. The thing you have to have to get you through the season that is not your fave.
Ashley [00:42:11] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:42:12] Yeah, I'm wearing one right now. I don't love this new trend of kind of form fitting.
Ashley [00:42:19] Oh, no, me either.
Annie Jones [00:42:20] Do you know what I mean? So you might want to size up, but I felt pretty good in this one. They're all T-shirt material. It's a one piece wonder. Like, one one piece of fabric.
Annie Jones [00:42:34] Yeah, I like them. I also bought a dress. I wore it when you and I went to the ballet because last time we went to a social function together, you had a really cute dress and I had on a jumpsuit. And so I went and bought a cute dress from August Cloth and it was vertical stripes. And then I opened my door and I was in a cute dress and you were in a black jumpsuit and it made me laugh.
Ashley [00:42:56] I didn't even realize that. You didn't say anything, but that was a cute dress.
Annie Jones [00:43:00] Thank you. I really like it a lot. It's nicer quality than the Target dresses just as a heads up, so it is pricier. But I love it. It's a shirt dress. It's got a cute collar, great sleeves and a really lovely back. I really like it a lot. Great for 104 degrees with humidity. You know what I'm saying.
Ashley [00:43:16] It's the least amount of clothes you can wear.
Annie Jones [00:43:19] That's correct. Anything else you've been buying? What about what's on your nails?
Ashley [00:43:25] I bought Olive & June's summer collection, the whole thing, which I don't really normally do. I mean, I don't know if it was on sale, but you get six colors and I think one of them is usually free or at least like a percentage off. Plus they sent me two free colors, so I got eight different colors of nail polish.
Annie Jones [00:43:51] How'd you get two free?
Ashley [00:43:51] I have no idea. They must have been doing some kind of summer promotion. I don't know if they're still doing it. I didn't buy them that long ago. But these are summer colors. This is my first Olive & June purchase, I believe, and I am very happy with the results. I did five colors on my fingers and I put the sixth color on my toes.
Annie Jones [00:44:11] Cute. We can't all be big spenders. So I bought three of the Olive & June summer colors. I'm still waiting for them to come and I'm starting to get desperate. Like, I kept waiting for the colors to show up, and my toes and fingers are not looking great.
Ashley [00:44:28] Yeah, it's time.
Annie Jones [00:44:30] But I really do love these particular colors. I think I bought the blue, the green, and then pinky orange color.
Ashley [00:44:37] Yeah. They're really great colors for this time.
Annie Jones [00:44:40] Yeah. Okay. That's all, I think, for me. Anything else from you?
Ashley [00:44:43] I'm buying some plane tickets.
Annie Jones [00:44:46] Where you going and when?
Ashley [00:44:47] A strange amount of plane tickets. I am going to Nashville to visit my friends. I'm going to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Hope Writers Conference. And my mom doesn't know this yet, but I'm planning to go visit my friend Meredith in Greece.
Annie Jones [00:45:10] When are you going to do that?
Ashley [00:45:11] I'm trying to do it in September. We'll see.
Annie Jones [00:45:17] Oh, my gosh. I'm so excited for you.
Ashley [00:45:19] I know.
Annie Jones [00:45:20] Oh, that's so fun. Don't forget me. Don't forget New York.
Ashley [00:45:25] I'll think of you fondly.
Annie Jones [00:45:28] Oh, I love getting on a plane and going somewhere. Congratulation.
Ashley [00:45:32] I know. I'm so excited for all of them.
Annie Jones [00:45:34] Okay, sad face. That's it for me.
Ashley [00:45:39] How dare you. Rude. Bye.
Annie Jones [00:45:41] This is Alphabet. Over and out.
[00:45:43] This week I'm listening to Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Ashley, what are you reading?
Ashley [00:45:50] I am reading A Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton.
Annie Jones [00:45:57] From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the Bookshelves daily happenings on Instagram @Bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website. Bookshelfthomasville.com.
[00:46:13] A full transcript of today's episode can be found at Fromthefrontporchpodcast.com. Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of From the Front Porch and for our theme music which sets the perfect, warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
[00:46:27] Our executive producers of today's episode are Donna Hetchler, Angie Erickson, Cammy Tidwell. Chantalle C.
Executive Producers (Read their own names) [00:46:34] Nicole Marsee, Wendy Jenkins, Laurie Johnson, Kate Johnston Tucker.
Annie Jones [00:46:40] Thank you all for your support of From the Front Porch. If you'd like to support From the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, 'Write a Review' and tell us what you think.
[00:46:58] Or, if you're so inclined, you can support us over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support. Front porch friends, Book Club Companions and Bookshelf Benefactors. Each level has an amazing number of benefits, like bonus content, access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to Patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.