Episode 412 || Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley: Winter

This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley, formerly known as Kids' Table! It's the same banter and book talk you love with a fresh new name. Annie is joined by friend, cousin, and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock, to chat about what they’re reading – but also what they’re watching, listening to, and buying.

To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website:

Annie is reading:

Ashley is reading:

Annie watching:

  • Poker Face

  • Shrinking

  • Tár

  • A Man Called Otto

Ashley is watching:

  • The Menu

Annie is listening to:

  • Mo News podcast

  • The Big Picture podcast

  • Let’s Read the Gospels podcast

Ashley is listening to:

  • Dover by the Westerlies

Annie is buying:

  • Cozy comfy reading chair (Walters chair from Birch Lane)

  • Clothes from August Cloth

Ashley is buying:

  • Beachly subscription box

  • Synergy kombucha (lemon berry flavored)

This week, Annie is listening to Black Ball by Theresa Runstedtler (releases 3/7/23). Ashley is reading She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.

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. 

Thank you again to this week’s sponsor, Visit Thomasville. Spend Christmas in Thomasville! There is something truly special about the holiday season in Thomasville. From shopping for those must-have presents for everyone on your list, to the twinkling lights, sparkling window displays, and tempting smells wafting from restaurants all add to the festive feeling of the season. From downtown hotels, to delightful vacation rentals, book your getaway to Thomasville and add a little more sparkle to your holidays! Learn more and plan your trip at www.thomasvillega.com or @thomasvillega on Instagram.

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, Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle C, Kate O’Connell, Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins, and Laurie Johnson.

Transcript:

Annie Jones [00:00:01] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South.  

[00:00:24] ”She strains her eyes on the distance and waits for the anger to seep away. Where does it go? Does it swirl into the atmosphere to take the shape of the island's gnarled branches and hungering shrubs? Does it settle as fine dust on eyelashes and windshields? Or does it build in your fingertips, in your heart, seizing on a moment where everything collides and your body becomes an engine of rage?"  

  • Balli Kaur Jaswal, Now You See Us. 

[00:00:56] I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. And this week, I'm back chatting about Off the Shelf topics with my cousin, Ashley Sherlock. Don't forget that over on Patreon we're not only discussing Bleak House by Charles Dickens this year, we're also hosting our monthly from the Front Porch Book Club, hosted by various members of the Bookshelf staff. This month, Olivia and bookseller Kaela led a conversation about Everybody in my Family has Killed Someone, which was Olivia's January Shelf Subscription selection. Next month in March, I'll be hosting a discussion with marketing manager Caroline. We will be talking about one of my favorite books of the year, Stealing by Margaret Verbal. For $20 a month on Patreon, you'll become a book club companion, able to access our Bleak House podcast episodes and our monthly Q&A sessions, plus our monthly book club meetings. Just go to Patreon.com/fromthefrontporch to find out more about our Patreon memberships and benefits. We'd love if you joined us there. Now back to the show. Welcome back, Ashley.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:02:04] Thank you.  

Annie Jones [00:02:05] It feels weird to say Happy New Year. You and I have seen each other multiple times since the New Year, but this is our first time to record post-holiday season. So, welcome.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:02:15] And I still hope you have a happy New Year.  

Annie Jones [00:02:18] I do, too. Give me a brief tweet length update on your life. How are you? How's it going? We're mid-February. How do you feel?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:02:28] February is going better than January so far. I'll give you that much. It was a struggle in the beginning, but things are looking up.  

Annie Jones [00:02:34] I feel the same way. Do you think it's because today felt like spring?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:02:37] Yes, I do. I think it's because it felt like spring and because I've been eating more food during the work day. Turns out that's pretty important.  

Annie Jones [00:02:46] Yes, eating is vital for me for many reasons. I did something that I rarely do, which is I left a board meeting today and it was downtown-- and typically I work from home on Wednesdays-- but I walked to George and Louise and had lunch by myself and read a book. And it was delightful.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:03:05] That sounds amazing.  

Annie Jones [00:03:07] It was so great because the weather was so-- it really did feel like spring today.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:03:11] Yeah. It really did. I walked from my office up to the Florida State Capitol to get a free cup of coffee and I got sweaty and it was really nice.  

Annie Jones [00:03:19] Yeah, I just think it gives me hope that we're going to survive winter. And I, unlike most people, love the month of February for maybe obvious or not so obvious reasons, I don't know. But I do love February. And so, the fact that it was beautiful today and that I could sit outside and have a reading lunch was icing on the cake.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:03:38] Love it. No pun intended.  

Annie Jones [00:03:40] No pun intended. Okay. Everybody, including Ashley, listen up. New Year, new name. I personally loved our Kids Table episodes and so do listeners. We get mostly positive reviews, except sometimes people don't like our giggling and-- whatever. That's fine.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:03:57] That's the first I'm hearing of this. It's fine. Whatever. Sorry for being happy. 

Annie Jones [00:04:06] So sorry we're a jolly bunch, but our Kids Table episodes are pretty popular. But the name which I loved and came up with was confusing to people. We were never talking about kid literature. Our Kids Table episodes were all about the kinds of conversations that you have around your family's holiday kid's table like at Thanksgiving or Christmas or whatever. So, our brilliant Bookshelf staff sat down at the beginning of this year and kind of rebranded, renamed a lot of things, podcast episodes, some events. Turns out we used the word lunch in like an inordinate number of bookshelf events and that was confusing to people, including confusing to me. So, the Bookshelf staff sat down, brainstormed together, and from henceforth, our conversations together will be part of our Off the Shelf Series. These are going to be episodes where we talk about books, yes, but also about articles, TV shows, pop culture and more. All the things we're reading, watching, listening to and buying. Ashley will be joining me in those conversations. She is a former Bookshelf staffer, my literal family member and friend. Do you like the new name?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:05:14] Love it. I may have forgotten about it, so thank you for reminding me.  

Annie Jones [00:05:19] It will appear in everybody's feeds today as Off the Shelf with Annie and Ashley instead of Kids Table. So, it's officially different and new. I like it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:05:29] We love change.  

Annie Jones [00:05:31] I actually hate change, but I do really like this name and I thought it was very fun. Caroline helped our staff kind of brainstorm and then she sent out polls and she made a reference to Pokémon Go to the polls, which was very exciting to me. And so, we all voted and kind of talked about it, and I do like this change. I think it is a good change and I hope it will be less confusing for listeners. That's the goal.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:05:57] I do hope that. So new name and less giggles. Got it.  

Annie Jones [00:06:01] I'm going to keep giggling. I'm a happy person. 

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:05] I can't help it.  

Annie Jones [00:06:06] If people don't want to giggle, that's fine. I think that's what NPR is for.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:12] There you go. Problem solved.  

Annie Jones [00:06:14] Okay. So, we're going to talk about what we're reading, what we've been reading, and we do these conversations seasonally. So, this is our winter Off the Shelf conversation. Ashley, do you want to start with something that you've been reading?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:26] Sure. I picked up The Sun Walks Down by Fiona Mcfarlane. Have you read this one yet?  

Annie Jones [00:06:32] I have not. This is fun.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:34] Okay. It came out in January. Picked it up because I saw it on Libro fm and then I saw that former Bookshelf staffer Kate also read it, and that's pretty much all I knew about it. But it's historical fiction, which is not something I typically go for. But it's historical fiction set in southern Australia. It's about a six-year-old boy who goes missing.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:58] Oh! Yes.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:06:58] But he ran away because he heard a story about a bad spirit and he thought the bad spirit was going to catch him or something. And it's basically about this whole town searching for him. It's got a pretty diverse cast, very descriptive writing. So, if you're into that kind of thing, you would really like it. I'm listening to it and I think I would recommend reading the actual book.  

Annie Jones [00:07:23] Okay. And once you started talking about the description, Erin read this and I think loved it. And I can't remember if she did the audio book or the e-book or the physical book, I don't know. But she did really like this one. I wondered, based on her description and your description, if it was at all like Room? Did you ever read that by Emma Donoghue? God, that book is so good. It's a great movie too, actually, but it just sounded slightly reminiscent of that. I don't know how far you are in it. I don't think Erin spoiled anything, but Erin I think was talking about how while you're reading like the boy sees, for example, flashlights but he thinks it's like spirits and you, the reader, are like, "Please, they're flashlights." You find yourself kind of telling him, "Please, go toward the light." Like you're very invested, I think, in this little boy and getting him to safety.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:08:18] For sure.  

Annie Jones [00:08:19] Okay. One of my first five-star books of the year is The Sweet Spot. This is by Amy Poeppel. Did you read Musical Chairs or Limelight by Amy Poeppel?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:08:31] I read Limelight. Yeah.  

Annie Jones [00:08:32] Limelight is right up your alley. I feel like that was like Justin Bieber meets Broadway.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:08:36] Yeah.  

Annie Jones [00:08:39] So, that seems like Ashley all over it. The sweet Spot was slow to start. I'd like to stress that. I picked this book up, it's a paperback original released at the end of January, and I started reading it months ago and liked it. But there were so many characters that I felt like I couldn't quite settle in. And I really like Amy Poeppel. I think she's a really funny writer who writes about family dynamics and relationships really beautifully. And so, this is about this group of people that live in this neighborhood in New York. It reminds me a little bit of like an Emma Straub novel. And I think I looked at the page count, once I hit page 74, I was like, okay, I know who all these people are now. And then I kind of hated some of them, one of them in particular, and I thought, "Am I going to like this if I hate one of these characters?" And I do not know how she did it, but by the end of this book I loved the character that I loathed. And I think that takes some real talent to be able to develop a character so much that you go from hating them and wondering why they're in this book to feeling like, oh, I could have kept reading about her forever. I think you would like it actually. It's about like these three different families, kind of groups of people, and you don't know how they're all connected. It's almost like love actually or something where then you realize how they're all connected. But there's like a social media component that I thought was actually really well-done and thoughtful. And I just wound up loving all the people. It's Katherine Heiny meets Emma Straub set in New York. The Sweet Spot, the title of the book, is the name of a neighborhood bar that I just fell in love with. I loved it. I thought it was great.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:10:32] It sounds great.  

Annie Jones [00:10:34] What else are you reading?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:10:35] One that you gave me. Have you read BFF by Christie Tate? 

Annie Jones [00:10:40] Okay, I have not yet. Esmie [sp] read it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:10:43] Okay. It came out on February 7th. It's a memoir about friendship, obviously. I accidentally fell off the memoir train. Forgot how much I love them.  

Annie Jones [00:10:54] Yeah, you do love them.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:10:54] They were actually my favorite thing.  

Annie Jones [00:10:56] Yeah.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:10:56] This is the first one I read and I don't even know in how long, but it's funny. And what's the word I'm looking for? It's like friendships they ebb and flow, but it's kind of about the ones that don't, you know, the ones that stick. I guess kind of like your core circle. So, it's funny, but it's also validating and warm maybe.  

Annie Jones [00:11:22] Esmie read it and really liked it. I was going to say a few years ago, that's a joke. Probably 15 years ago I read the book MWF Seeking BFF.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:11:32] Yeah, I even borrowed that book too, but I never read it.  

Annie Jones [00:11:35] Yeah, I might have been younger than you are now, but it's that post-college how do you make friends in adulthood season of life that you think will get better but it really-- it does get better, but friendships remain kind of hard work. I think even now that I'm well into my thirties, I just think adult friendships are worth fighting for but they do require you to fight for them. And so, I like books that kind of acknowledge that. And I also like books that talk about friendships that kind of stand the test of time. And I think you and I both are really fortunate we have some of those in our lives.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:12:17] Yeah.  

Annie Jones [00:12:17] Okay. I'm going to talk about one more work of fiction, and then I do have a couple of nonfiction books, but I read the book Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal. It's the quote that I started the episode with. I loved this book. So, this is three women, Cora, Angel, and I want to say-- oh no, I don't have my notes in front of me-- Donna Tia or something like that. I can't remember. But basically, these three women they were from the Philippines and then they emigrated to Singapore where they were domestic workers and they worked as maids, caregivers, house cleaners. And you kind of get their fictional story told from varying perspectives, from all three perspectives. And I liked that each of these women are kind of from different generations. They range in age and so you kind of get what feels like a wide range of perspectives on their work and their relationships. But then a fellow Filipino worker is accused of murdering her employer. And so, these three women don't know that woman super well, but they consider her kind of one of them. And so, they try almost to exonerate her or to figure out who might have really killed this woman. And it's all about kind of the politics in Singapore. The publisher is billing this one as Crazy Rich Asians meets The Help, which is a very interesting description especially how we feel about The Help now.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:13:56] Yes.  

Annie Jones [00:13:56] But I understand where the publisher was coming from. I'm not sure that's the best comparison to go with, but I do get it because these three women are so vibrant and so interesting and the culture of Singapore and the women that they work for does very much remind me of kind of Crazy Rich Asians and that culture that's portrayed in that book. I fell in love with these three women and their varying points of view. The mystery element is kind of fun because you want to know is this woman really a murderer or not? And the setting is great, like, all about a culture that I know very little about. So, I absolutely loved it. I thought it was great. The bad news for other people is that this book does not come out until March 7th, but it's a great time to preorder. I wonder if the audio book would be good because of the varying viewpoints. If you liked How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, I think you might also like this one. I really liked it and I think it would be great for book clubs. I really do. I think book clubs would really like this one and it's super easy to read. Like, I flew through it. I really enjoyed it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:14:59] Nice. Should I read How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water? Because I've been thinking about that one.  

Annie Jones [00:15:03] Yes. You should listen to it. Great audiobook.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:15:06] Okay. Good to know. That's all for my reading.  

Annie Jones [00:15:08] Okay. I just have two other books that I want to mention because I've been reading a lot of nonfiction which I'm thrilled about, but nonfiction does take me longer which sometimes makes me feel like I shouldn't read it because I'm trying to read for the store. But I am reading Orphaned Believers by Sara Billups. I'm reading that just on my own. I'm about halfway through it. Did you read Jesus and John Wayne?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:15:33] No, I never did. Should I?  

Annie Jones [00:15:35] Yes, I do think it's valuable and interesting. If you looked around in 2016 and were like, "Wait, what?" particularly from a Christian perspective, if you looked around at churches and perhaps people you loved and you were like, wait, why did you do that? Then I think Jesus and John Wayne attempts to explain that from a really well-researched journalistic kind of perspective. Orphaned Believers, to me, feels like it could be a follow up to that. Where my dad and I both read Jesus and John Wayne, and I remember my dad telling me, "Yeah, I liked it, but what are we supposed to do, though?"  

Ashley Sherlock [00:16:20] Yeah.  

Annie Jones [00:16:21] And so I think Sara Billups is kind of offering up. It is very journalistic. There is some slight memoir aspects to it where she's writing from her personal perspective as a Christian woman who grew up with a dad who really believed in the rapture and things like that. And so she, I think, is offering up one path forward which is this idea that do you feel like an orphaned believer? Like, do you feel like a believer without a home? Well, you kind of are supposed to be.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:16:57] There you go.  

Annie Jones [00:16:58] Well, the news for you is that's probably a little bit how you're supposed to feel. So, I really am liking it. It is dense. Not dense in that it's hard to read. Dense as in it is full of really well constructed arguments, super well researched. I think I started reading it assuming it was going to be a memoir, and instead it feels like Jesus and John Wayne to me feels really well researched. A journalistic approach that sometimes also incorporates Sarah's personal story. I'm liking that a lot. I'm about halfway through it. And then locally, the Jack Hadley Black History Museum is reading The 1619 Project, which-- yeah, isn't that great?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:17:40] Yeah. Wow.  

Annie Jones [00:17:42] So they're doing this book club and they're doing it for the next nine weeks. And The 1619 Project is something I read when it came out as a New York Times special in 2019. I'm pretty sure I still have that magazine floating around here somewhere, but I had not yet dived into the book and the text of the book. Plus, it's a new series on Hulu that I haven't tried yet either. Anyway, when I got the email that said that the History Museum was doing this, I thought, oh, well, that would be a good time to try to read it. And I liked the fact that I'll be reading it alongside members of my own literal community. I think there's a lot of value in that. So, I'm reading The 1619 Project. I'm just a couple of chapters in, no surprise that I'm really enjoying it. But again, super dense, not hard to read, just chock full of information. I'm marking a lot. I'm making a lot of notes. Tomorrow is our first book club meeting and I'm a little nervous, but also excited like the first day of school. [Inaudible] of the questions. The questions for discussion. And I'm really excited. I think it'll just be so good to be in conversation with local readers about this book. So, if you are local, I'm pretty sure you can go to the Jack Hadley Black History Museum website, and I think there could be information. I don't think it's too late to join, and I'm really excited. I'm excited to read this. So, I'm reading The 1619 Project as well.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:19:08] I love it.  

Annie Jones [00:19:10] Okay, let's talk what we're watching.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:19:13] Let's do.  

Annie Jones [00:19:15] What are you watching?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:19:16] Okay, so I'm not going to lie to you. This is kind of a skeleton list for me because I'm watching much, but the one that I wanted to talk about is the movie The Menu. Did you watch that?  

Annie Jones [00:19:29] You bet I did. I watched it twice.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:19:31] Really? Okay, I need to watch it again. I went into it like I do most things. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but my 9 to 5 involves a lot of food and so I tend to watch a lot of food related things. I also have been watching Somebody Feed Phil. It's great. I'm immersed in food and I do not hate it at all. The Menu; however, went a very different direction than Somebody Feed Phil.  

Annie Jones [00:19:56] Yes, very different.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:19:58] I was not prepared. But this movie made me think about this movie for so long after watching this movie, because I kept realizing things that were going on. And I also was just disturbed by the whole thing and I can't stop talking about it.  

Annie Jones [00:20:20] That's the thing about this movie. I watched this movie while all of you and Jordan and our whole family had COVID, and I was like holed up in a room by myself. And I watched this movie one night and looked around and there was no one to tell. There was no one to experience this with. So then when Jordan came out of quarantine, I made him watch it. We went to a wedding last weekend where I asked the question like, hey, what has anybody been watching? And the husband of one of my friends was like, "Oh, I watched The Menu." And I thought, "Here we go. Now we can talk." Like, when you're at an event like that and you're, like, what is some commonality I can find with these people where sometimes the only thing you might have in common are the bride and groom? And so we started talking about The Menu. What a great movie experience, because it does what a good or interesting movie should do, which is it makes you want to see it again or it makes you want to talk about it. There is so much to talk about this movie.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:21:20] Man, it's so layered. I wish I had watched it again before this podcast because I know there's a bunch of stuff that I missed and forgot, but it's absolutely genius. I am still wilding.  

Annie Jones [00:21:34] And it is also I, like you, went in kind of blind. I think I, for some reason or another, thought there would be some cannibalism involved.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:21:44] Okay, I did too.  

Annie Jones [00:21:46] I don't know why I thought that, but I started watching and there's about a halfway point-- I'm sure you know what I'm talking about-- where I thought, oh my gosh.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:21:56] Yeah, we're not really recovering from this.  

Annie Jones [00:22:00] Yes. It's like, okay, we're in this now. There's no turning back. I loved it. It would not be something Susie-- shop mom Susie-- would enjoy at all in any way shop or form.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:22:08] Absolutely not.  

Annie Jones [00:22:10] But I really liked it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:22:13] Yeah, I'm going to watch it again after this.  

Annie Jones [00:22:15] It's good. It's worth watching twice, I think. Okay. Similarly-- now, I don't know if I could watch it another time just because it is so long. Although, it did not feel long while I was watching it. Only at the end when I looked at my watch and Jordan and thought, oh my goodness, it's midnight. I watched Tar. Have you heard of Tar? Do you know about Tar?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:22:34] No, I don't.  

Annie Jones [00:22:36] I'm trying to work my way through the Oscar nominated films as I do. And Tar is starring Cate Blanchett, and it is about a woman named Tar who is a composer of classical music, and she's reached the top of her field. It is so good. I really liked it. There were multiple points where I was, like, where is this movie going? I was not particularly bored. I've heard that some people may have been bored. I was not bored. I was interested. Cate Blanchett's performance is astounding. I have not watched all the other films, but I believe that her nomination for best actress-- I believe it's for best actress-- is well earned. She is phenomenal. It kind of immerses you in the world of classical music, which is not something I would have thought I would have cared very much about. It also to me has a lot of interesting things to say about, I don't know, the current culture. It's like a movie for 2022, 2023. Does that make sense? It feels like of our time.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:23:42] Okay, interesting. Where can I watch it?  

Annie Jones [00:23:44] I really liked it. I watched it on Peacock because I don't think it's out in theaters yet anywhere. Can I recommend to you two TV shows?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:23:55] Please. I need something.  

Annie Jones [00:23:57] Okay. I did too. I was in a real watching rut all January long and now I just feel like it's an abundance of riches that I don't quite know what to do with. So, Jordan and I are watching Poker Face, which is also on Peacock. Who knew Peacock would be like the outlet for me? Out of nowhere. Poker Face stars Natasha Lyonne. You might recognize her. Did you watch Orange is the New Black?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:24:20] Nope.  

Annie Jones [00:24:22] Did you watch Russian doll?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:24:24] Nope. It's so embarrassing. Stop asking me things.  

Annie Jones [00:24:28] I'm so sorry. It stars Natasha Lyonne. Here's what I like. Each episode is kind of standalone. And Natasha Lyonne is a woman who has this innate ability. She can tell if you're lying, hence the name Poker Face. And so, she accidentally becomes this solver of real-life mysteries, even though she doesn't intend to. She's kind of on the run-- this is all set up in the first episode. She's on the run. She's on this road trip across America and fleeing from some people. I won't spoil it for you. But anyway, so each episode stands alone and is like Natasha Lyonne figuring out why someone was killed or murdered, and she's doing it because she can tell when someone is lying automatically.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:25:18] Okay. Kind of like-- what's that show with Dr. Lightman? Lie To Me. This is a show I was on years ago, but I loved it.  

Annie Jones [00:25:28] Okay, I think you will like this. Actually, I think your parents would like it. We are absolutely loving it. And a new episode drops every Thursday. I kind of like it because it actually doesn't feel like you have to binge it because each episode tells a story all its own.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:25:43] I like that.  

Annie Jones [00:25:43] Yeah. Okay. And then Jordan and I also started watching Shrinking because I still love Harrison Ford all these years later. And Harrison Ford and Jason Segel are in this Apple TV show. I have some qualms. I've not read a single review. I think reviewers universally love Poker Face. I don't know what reviewers think about Shrinking. I don't really care. I'm having a good time. I have some qualms with some of the characters and character developments. I just feel like their relationships to the main character are a little confusing, but otherwise having a blast. The music is great. It's about Jason Segel, who is a therapist, a psychologist whose wife has died and he kind of went off the deep end.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:26:32] Oh, I know this.  

Annie Jones [00:26:33] Yeah. And Harrison Ford is his boss. His daughter is portrayed really well. I love his coworkers. His neighbor is interesting. She, I'm pretty sure, was on Scrubs back in the day. I think the writer of the show is-- who's the guy who cusses all the time on Ted Lasso?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:26:52] Roy Kent?  

Annie Jones [00:26:55] Yes, I'm pretty sure one of the writers of the show is Roy Kent.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:26:58] No.  

Annie Jones [00:26:59] Yeah. Interesting, right?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:27:00] Very interesting. I've seen some ads for this somewhere.  

Annie Jones [00:27:06] It's great.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:27:06] Okay. Harrison Ford, has he been deemed legally handsome, or no?  

Annie Jones [00:27:11] Okay. I think he's blandly handsome. The world may think he's just handsome, but I think he's blandly handsome. I mean, he is old in this show, but I-- I've been accused of being ageist. But it's just a truth universally acknowledged that Harrison Ford is now old. I feel like that's okay to say. But I think he still is a good actor. I am enjoying him in the show. He's kind of got that gruff persona that he is I think pretty well known for at this point. I still find him handsome. My favorite Harrison Ford performance is in Working Girl. If you have not seen Working Girl, anyone and everyone, please go do yourselves a favor. And it was really enjoyable to watch him on screen and to think, wow, he's had a really lengthy career. And I wish for the women of Hollywood the long career that men in Hollywood can have. You know what I mean?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:28:10] I do. I wish Harrison Ford upon all the women.  

Annie Jones [00:28:14] Yes. Although we did see 80 for Brady and those women still got it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:28:18] You know what? That was a surprising delight. I also recommend 80 for Brady.  

Annie Jones [00:28:23] We had a great time. So, Ashley's sister, Caroline, my other cousin, she went through a spate where she was like, I don't like movies. I don't like going to the movies. A spate of time where she just was very insistent. And then all of a sudden, she surprised us with a trip to go see A Man Called Otto.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:28:49] Another surprising delight.  

Annie Jones [00:28:50] I was about to say I loved it and I don't care. I did not look up critic's reviews. I don't care what critics thought. I had a great time. I mean, a great time in which I sobbed, but a great time.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:29:02] A great cathartic time. I didn't read the book, so I really had no clue what to expect.  

Annie Jones [00:29:06] You really went with it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:29:07] And I was not prepared.  

Annie Jones [00:29:11] Yeah, I thought it was great. Then we went and saw 80 for Brady where I also went in knowing nothing. And I've kind of decided maybe that's the secret to life.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:29:22] That's how I consume my media. I don't know anything. And it's great.  

Annie Jones [00:29:26] That is great. I'm so Enneagram five. I feel like I do all this research and I read all these reviews, and now I'm kind of like maybe I shouldn't-- or read them after.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:29:37] Try being a nine for some time. That's what I do. I read stuff after if I'm interested, but mostly we're just winging it and going in blind.  

Annie Jones [00:29:50] Yeah. Anything else you've watched this season?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:29:52] I've been watching Star Struck off and on HBO and that's because you told me to. I started it when I had Covid. And sometimes I just pick it up when I feel like it or have time. But it's really nice. It's cute.  

Annie Jones [00:30:05] Are you still in season one or are you in season two?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:30:07] I think I'm on season two. I'm in the beginning of season two.  

Annie Jones [00:30:10] Please tell me if you continue. For some reason I did not keep- - I don't know why. I don't think I did it on purpose, I just accidentally stopped watching mid-season two.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:30:19] Okay. I'll keep an eye out, but I'm not binging it by any means. It's just fun to have when I need something.  

Annie Jones [00:30:30] Yes, I feel that. So those shows I mentioned I've been watching with Jordan, but he's already starting to work late. So, I've been watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine in the background, just as something for me. But I also really liked-- I think I finished it during the COVID time-- Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:30:53] That's another show that I keep wanting to watch and then I just forget to watch it.  

Annie Jones [00:30:57] It's great. I liked it a lot.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:30:59] Good to know.  

Annie Jones [00:31:00] Okay. What are you listening to?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:31:03] Okay. This is the one I've been waiting for. I have literally been thinking about this since we recorded the last Off the Shelf. There is a song called Dover by a group called The Westerlies. This will show up on my Spotify repped for 2023 probably as the most played song of the year. I cannot get enough of it. The westerlies.  

Annie Jones [00:31:31] She's so excited. People can't see her face, but she's so excited.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:31:35] I love it so much. Makes me feel things. Okay. I worked with someone one time who said a good song makes you feel nostalgic for something that never happened, and that is what this song does for me. It makes me feel happy and sad at the same time, and it's all instrumental. The Westerlies are a brass quartet. And I love a good instrumental song. Brass is not my go to instrument. I'm normally a piano or strings girl. This song is not going to have the same effect on everybody that it does for me, but I do think you'll like it. I hope it makes you feel at least a little bit of what it makes me feel. It's very nice.  

Annie Jones [00:32:18] This is so exciting because normally you will recommend a song and I will say, "Oh, should I add it to my playlist?" And you will say no.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:32:26] I think you should. And I want to look up other songs by the Westerlies, but I just can't stop listening to this song.  

Annie Jones [00:32:35] All right. I'm going to look at it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:32:35] I'm not kidding. Over and over again.  

Annie Jones [00:32:40] On repeat. Okay. I will look it up. I have not been listening to a lot of music and honestly have not been listening to a lot of audiobooks. There's a couple, but I haven't quite finished them, so I wasn't going to recommend them. Instead, I have a new morning routine. Would you like to hear it? 

Ashley Sherlock [00:32:58] Please. I love a morning routine.  

Annie Jones [00:33:00] Okay, so every morning-- and knock on wood, because I don't want to spoil it by telling everyone about it. Do you know what I mean?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:33:08] [Inaudible] jinx yourself.  

Annie Jones [00:33:09] Right. It feels like something I've been able to do for 30 days and I'd like to keep doing it. So, every morning when I get up, I listen to Let's Read the Gospels, which is a new podcast by Annie F Downs.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:33:20] Yes, I've heard of it.  

Annie Jones [00:33:21] And I have never listened to any of Annie F Downs' other podcasts. I just happened to see that she was doing this thing where she was going to read aloud the Gospels every month, like all four in a month. And I thought that sounds interesting, maybe I'll try it. And so, we did it. I did it in January. I did it and have done it so far in February. And so I listened to Let's Read the Gospels, and then I listen to the MO News podcast. Do you follow Mosheh?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:33:59] No. 

Annie Jones [00:34:04] I think your and my Venn diagram overlaps so much. Would you say that news is where our Venn diagram stops?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:34:15] Yes. I cannot follow the news like you do for mental health reasons.  

Annie Jones [00:34:22] Yes. Okay. So, I used to listen to the Daily Podcast every day and stopped, I kid you not, I think in March of 2020. I think I was just, like, I can't do this. And so, I stopped listening to that podcast. All due respect to the hosts and creators of that content. I just could not do it anymore. I follow Mosheh on Instagram for the same reasons I follow Sharon Says So. It just feels like it's almost like a news aggregate. Like, here are the headlines for the day. There's very little commentary. When there is commentary, it feels more kind of elder millennial humor. I really like it. I discovered that he had a podcast and I thought I don't really know if I want to listen to a podcast, but I'm not spending as much time on Instagram these days. And so, this is how I get my morning news. It's like listening to a 20-minute morning news show. It doesn't deep dive anything. It's very different from The Daily, but it is like here's the news for the day. And I love it. I think Jordan on his drive to work listens to NPR. That's great. My commute is 2 minutes. I don't get in the car and listen to NPR. So instead, while I'm getting ready every morning, I do Let's Read the Gospels and then I do the Mo News podcast. And I really am liking it.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:35:43] Okay, that sounds digestible. Also, did you know it only takes 28 days to create a habit? So I think you're safe.  

Annie Jones [00:35:49] Yes, I think I might be too. I still I'm afraid I'm going to jinx it, but I really like it. It may not be what I do for the whole year, but it is what I'm doing this winter and I really do enjoy it. Is there anything else you're listening to?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:36:05] Okay. I will say I finally read Lessons in Chemistry via audiobook and I understand [Crosstalk]  

Annie Jones [00:36:15] Okay. I was worried. Your tone.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:36:17] No, I just feel bad because everybody else has already read it [Crosstalk].  

Annie Jones [00:36:21] No, never too late.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:36:22] It was fantastic. So, if you haven't read it yet, then it's worth your while.  

Annie Jones [00:36:27] Yay! Oh my gosh, I loved that book so much. The only other listening that I've been doing is, like I said earlier, I'm trying to watch the Oscar nominated films, at least as many as I can before the Oscars in March. And so, I really love the Big Picture podcast and I find those people to be really fun and enjoyable and knowledgeable about the craft of filmmaking. Sean Fennessy is the host often with Amanda Dobbins. It's part of The Ringer Podcast Network, which I like a lot of the podcasts that they do. But the big picture is one that, especially this time of year, I find myself listening to often because they're talking about the Oscars and all the things that kind of go into the Oscar nominations and things like that. So, I love that kind of stuff a lot and I like finding other people who like it. Okay, what are you buying? Tell me everything.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:37:20] Okay. I have been racking my brain trying to think of anything that I've been buying. But to be honest with you, the main thing that's bringing me joy is a drink. It can be found at Publix. Well, it's a kombucha but also it doesn't taste like Kombucha. I actually don't know what Kombucha tastes like, but I imagine it tastes pretty bad. This is delicious because it has a lot of sugar in it and it's become my once a week little treat.  

Annie Jones [00:37:55] I'm already sold. The sugar. Please tell me more.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:37:58] It's like sugar and carbonation. What else could you want? The brand is called Synergy and it's the flavor lemon berry. I actually do think you would like it. It's packaged like kombucha. I don't think it has any health benefits because of how much sugar it's in it, but it makes me happy.  

Annie Jones [00:38:18] Look, I think I'm sensing a theme for winter and it is what is making us happy.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:38:24] Yes. 

Annie Jones [00:38:27] What is helping? And I'm hearing sugar.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:38:32] Yes. Synergy Kombucha.  

Annie Jones [00:38:34] I think a lot of people spend their money in other quarters of the year. But I think because of my birthday falling in February and because I'm recovering from the holidays, this is when I spend my money.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:38:47] That makes sense.  

Annie Jones [00:38:48] This is the quarter in which I’m going to buy all the things. One of the things that I've been on the hunt for-- the Instagram people know-- is a cozy, comfy reading chair. I have looked at local furniture stores. I have sat in so many chairs and I had a favorite chair that I absolutely loved at a local furniture store. I felt like I could not justify for myself and my personal budget 1500 dollars for a chair and then an additional $400 for the Ottoman. I just felt like I couldn't do it. I want to buy grown up furniture, but also, I still really like my IKEA couch-- so whatever. I finally bit the bullet and I did buy-- I really wanted to buy a chair that I had sat in, but alas, I went with a chair that gets like excellent reviews. It came recommended through Country Living magazine, I think, and it is called the Walters Chair. It's from Birch Lane. I hesitate to tell anyone about it because I've not sat in it. It has not arrived at my house. But I did buy it and I will definitely report back. I'm still looking for one other super comfy chair. You know the great chair in our living room?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:40:05] Yes. [Crosstalk]. 

Annie Jones [00:40:07] Yeah, it's the main one you would sit in. That chair is not comfortable and it is one of the main chairs we sit in all the time. And I think Jordan would really like a recliner. Maybe not like Papa's big blue chair recliner, but a recliner. And so, I think we're going to get a comfy chair for there. And that was part of the reason I was like I don't really want to spend 1500 dollars on one chair. I'd rather we really need two comfy chairs. And the one that I was looking for will be my reading chair that I sit in this office and read in. But it's also not like a main chair in our living room, so it felt silly to spend-- anyway, everybody's got their own budgets. Everybody's got their own cash flow, whatever. I found the chair. I will report back if it is worth it. I think it was like $850 or something. It looks great. I hope it looks great in person. It got really good reviews. I felt like I did so much research and finally I thought, I got to stop. Do you ever reach that point where you're, like, I can't keep researching this. I need to just buy this.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:41:09] Yeah, you just got to do something. Make the move.  

Annie Jones [00:41:12] Yes. So, I made the move. And then I also bought myself, as I told Ashley before we started recording, a bunch of birthday clothes from August Cloth, which is one of my favorite little small businesses, and then had them all shipped and delivered to my nephew on accident for his four-year old's birthday.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:41:33] Happy birthday.  

Annie Jones [00:41:34] I had a birthday present shipped to him and I guess Shopify remembered the last address. And so, all of my birthday clothes just got mailed to my five-year-old nephew. It's fine.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:41:41] So sad.  

Annie Jones [00:41:44] My sister-in-law will ship them to me and I will be eternally grateful. So that's what I've been buying. But this is really the time of year when I do the most work in my house. I do the most spending because I feel like I finally have some bandwidth to do that.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:42:00] Yes. It makes sense. I thought of one more thing that I've been buying.  

Annie Jones [00:42:04] Okay, tell me.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:42:06] I succumbed to the Instagram ad universe because I've been repeatedly getting served these ads for a subscription box called Beachley. And I am not a subscription box kind of girl. I don't like FabFitFun. Not for me. Pretty much anything else. Not for me. But they kept showing this windbreaker that was really cute. And I don't really need a windbreaker, but I wanted this one. And so, I went to the website and I subscribed to the box because I knew I would get the windbreaker in the box. But you can also pick out other stuff. There's like five or six categories. They've probably set up the same way as FabFitFun. That's what it's called, right? I haven't thought about that for ever. 

Annie Jones [00:42:59] Yeah.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:43:01] You can pick out like five or six items. There's like three kinds of big-ticket items and then a couple of smaller ones. I got the windbreaker. It's adorable. It fits perfectly. I love it so much. I also got a pair of lightweight joggers which I'm wearing like after a day at the beach or on a date where you want to be cozy but not sweaty. I got a bunch of other stuff too that I can't remember what it is. This is really my two favorite things from the box. And it's honestly a delight. I love anything beach related, obviously, and I haven't decided if I'm going to get a second spring subscription. This was their winter one, but I'm very happy in it. If it makes me happy, maybe I'm going to do it one more time.  

Annie Jones [00:43:46] I think you should do it one more time because it's also getting to be the-- I love to go-- and you too-- we like to go to the beach in the winter, but soon it's going to be your time. You know what I'm saying? Like spring and summer is your time.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:43:57] Yeah.  

Annie Jones [00:43:57] So I think you should do it again. That sounds fun. Look, I love a subscription box. Anything that I can get mailed to me. Razors, feminine products, anything that I can get mailed to me and I don't have to go somewhere, great.  

Annie Jones [00:44:12] And there's like a fun surprise element I feel like too, or at least like a happy mail element to a subscription box.  

Ashley Sherlock [00:44:19] Yeah, that's true. They have really good packaging too. And also, if anybody from this podcast goes and buys a Beachly subscription, please tell them that I sent you because I would love to be a brand ambassador or something.  

Annie Jones [00:44:30] Do you have a referral code? Can we put it in the show notes?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:44:36] No, not yet.  

Annie Jones [00:44:37] We got to get [Inaudible] so we can put a referral code in the show notes.  

Annie Jones [00:44:40] Please.  

Annie Jones [00:44:41] Okay. Does that feel like a good encapsulation of what our winters have been like so far?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:44:47] I think so.  

Annie Jones [00:44:48] Yeah. I think so too. Look, I feel good. To me, February is like where we're just getting the slightest glimpse that spring is around the corner and I think that's what we've talked about today. Hope, happiness, good TV shows, fun things in the mail, what more could you ask for?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:45:05] Not much, honestly.  

Annie Jones [00:45:07] This week I'm listening to Black Ball by Theresa Runstedtler. Ashley, what are you reading this week?  

Ashley Sherlock [00:45:14] I'm reading She Gets the Girls by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.  

Annie Jones: [00:45:20] From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, 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: bookshelfthomasville.com 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. Our Executive Producers are… 

Donna Hetchler Cammy Tidwell Chantalle C Kate O'Connell 

Executive Producers (Read Their Own Names): Nicole Marsee Wendi Jenkins Laurie Johnson 

Annie Jones: 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. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us over on Patreon, where we have 3 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.    

Caroline Weeks

a weekly conversational podcast on books, small business, and life in the South