Episode 428 || Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley: Summer
This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley! 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's books:
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Monsters by Claire Dederer (Libro.fm)
Ashley's books:
Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee
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 reading The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. Ashley is reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. 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...Ashley Ferrell, Cammy Tidwell, Chanta Combs, Chantalle C, Kate O’Connell, Kristin May, Laurie Johnson, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Stacy Laue, Stephanie Dean, Susan Hulings, and Wendi Jenkins.
Thank you to this week’s sponsor, Visit Thomasville. Summer is a wonderful time to see Thomasville, Georgia! If it’s time to hit the road for a quick getaway, we’re exactly what you’re looking for! You can rekindle your spark, explore historical sites, indulge in dining out, shop at amazing independent stores, and finally relax and unwind. There’s no better getaway than Thomasville! Whether you live close by or are passing through, we hope you'll visit beautiful Thomasville, Georgia – it’s worth the trip! Plan your visit at ThomasvilleGa.com.
Transcript:
Annie Jones [00:00:01] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South.
“Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. What would you think of me doing a project on religion? You wouldn’t mind, would you God? I’d tell you all about it. And I won’t make any decisions without asking you first. I think it’s time for me to decide what to be. I can’t go on being nothing forever, can I?” ― Judy Blume, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
[as music fades out] 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 — including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and, of course, the Eras Tour — with my cousin Ashley Sherlock. Do you love listening to From the Front Porch every week? Spread the word by leaving 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, scroll down until you see ‘Write a Review’ and tell us what you think.
Here’s a recent review from Jan: Rowing on the Front porch! I look forward to hopping on my rowing machine to listen to your podcast! I enjoy your comprehensive and insightful book reviews and all the guests ' comments and reviews as well. I frequently reference your selections at my monthly book club meetings. As a former “Speech and Theatre" college professor, I particularly enjoy the sound of your voice and your pleasant and genuine attitude. Thank you for bringing me so much joy! Thanks to you, I have loads of books waiting in the wings! Once the weather breaks here in the Midwest, I'll be taking you with me outside on walks! 🌞📚
Thank you, Jan, and thank you to all of the reviewers who’ve left kind words and thoughtful reviews over the last few months. We’re so grateful any time you share From the Front Porch with your friends; thanks for spreading the word about our podcast and our bookstore.
[00:02:23] Now back to the show! Welcome, Ashley.
Ashley [00:02:28] Thank you.
Annie Jones [00:02:30] You know, this was supposed to be a Off the Shelf summer chats, and we may still do one of those down the road, but it became apparent from the DMs that people really wanted to know about a couple of big things that we've done in the last month.
Ashley [00:02:47] Thank goodness, because I have stuff to say.
Annie Jones [00:02:50] So this is our episode series called Off the Shelf where we talk about books, yes, but really also about articles, TV shows, pop culture and more. Ashley is a former Bookshelf staffer, my literal family member and friend. And normally we discuss what we're reading, watching, listening to and buying, and we're going to do some of that lightning round style really quickly today. Before we talk about two must be discussed issues: the film adaptation of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and our visit to Taylor Swift's ERA's Tour, because we talked about it on the last episode of this podcast we did together because we just knew we weren't going. And then we went and the Internet was appalled, and now they need to know everything. Okay, so before we dive into these two very important topics, let's just briefly touch base on what we're reading, watching and listening to. Can you tell me what you're reading right now? Are you reading anything right now?
Ashley [00:03:54] Okay. I'm sort of reading Pomegranate by Helena Elaine Lee. I saw this on the podcast in Cap the last time I was in the store. Is this one that you have read?
Annie Jones [00:04:03] Yes, I read this a couple of months ago. I really liked.
Ashley [00:04:06] Okay. I'm still in it, but I really like it too. It's a nice character driven story. It makes me feel things.
Annie Jones [00:04:15] It does make you feel things. It's about, yeah, incarceration and life after incarceration. It'll make you have some questions.
Ashley [00:04:25] For sure.
Annie Jones [00:04:27] Which I love. I like books that do that. I just got this ARC on Friday-- no, I think it was on Saturday, and at first I was not going to pick it up. It is called Bright Young Women. It's by Jessica Knoll. It's not out till this fall. I knew Jessica Knoll, she wrote-- I think you were at the bookshop at this time. She wrote a book called Luckiest Girl Alive. That was this thriller that kind of took the world by storm, but I read it and did not like it. And so, when I saw this ARC, I thought, oh, probably somebody on staff will read this. But then I flipped it over and realized it is a fictionalized account of the Ted Bundy murders in Tallahassee and the subsequent trial. Yes, that breathy awe was my response as well. And I immediately told Olivia, "Just kidding. I do want this. I'm taking it now, but I'll bring it back." And that's what I've been reading for the last three or four days. Part of the reason I wanted to read it is because I had heard rumblings of this book because of Ted Bundy's connection to Tallahassee and to FSU. I had heard an FSU connected friend say that there was a book like this coming out, but I did not know it was by Jessica Knoll and she was worried. My friend was worried it was going to romanticize and kind of do a disservice like true crime or fictionalized true crime sometimes can. I don't think this book does that. I actually think it's trying hard to undo the romanticization of Ted Bundy. It never names him. It only calls him the defendant. You might not even know it was Ted Bundy if you weren't as familiar with that case as maybe we from Tallahassee are. I hesitate to say if I'm liking it, but I've been very compelled by it. And I think it's really trying to center women at the root of that story instead of making it all about the defendant and all about his crimes and kind of fetishizing those crimes. It's really about the women and the aftermath, which I think is unique.
Ashley [00:06:57] Yeah, that's an interesting take.
Annie Jones [00:06:58] Yeah, I thought so too. I've been very, like I said, compelled by it. I've read it over the past four days. It's held my attention. I'm not sure yet, star rating wise, what I'll give it. But that book comes out this fall and I think I'll have been glad to have read it. Okay. What are you watching? Last time we talked, you weren't watching much.
Ashley [00:07:20] Okay. Still not watching a ton, but I do have two things to recommend today. The first is the scroll that I found on TikTok actually named Tess Sinatro, but she's also on Instagram @TSinatro11. She posts recipe videos. They're very easy to follow, aesthetically pleasing, very calming, I believe. I find her voice to be calming and the recipes are delicious. She made a cucumber sandwich one time and it's like my new favorite thing. I take it to lunch and it's great. So Tess Sinatro for recipes. But also I watched a couple of weeks ago, Carol Burnett turned 90 and there was a special on TV for her, and I cried several times and I recommend the special. And I haven't yet, but I believe you can stream The Carol Burnett Show on Peacock and I will be doing that.
Annie Jones [00:08:11] Oh, that's fun. What a great idea. I love a special. I really do. I love a legacy special. Sounds like I need to go back and watch that one.
Ashley [00:08:19] Oh, it was so sweet. I can't even tell you how sweet it was. You're going to cry. Julie Andrews was there. They're best friends. It's cute.
Annie Jones [00:08:27] Oh, my gosh. [Inaudible]. I did not know that. That is very exciting. I will plan to watch that on a day when I need to let some emotions out. Speaking of something that unexpectedly did make me cry, I binged Queen Charlotte, the new Netflix show. I guess it's a Bridgerton prequel. My history with Bridgerton is as follows. I hated season one. I don't even remember if I finished it. I could not get over that young woman's baby bangs and it was too much sexual content for me. And then season two, for whatever reason, I decided to try again. Loved it. Loved the slow burn romance. Loved the sexual tension. Love the chemistry. I had no intention of watching Queen Charlotte. I didn't really think I needed a prequel. But as happens when you come home after a long day at work and you turn on Netflix and it shows you what's new, you kind of are like, sure, I'll try this as I doze off and take a nap. No, I did not doze off and take a nap. I was immediately hooked. The casting is perfect, but what really got me is, y'all, this is historically accurate. It's pretty historically accurate. I did not know. It's about the real life Queen Charlotte and her real marriage to King George. The George, you and I know from Hamilton that King George.
Ashley [00:09:58] Yes. Wow!
Annie Jones [00:10:04] There's historical speculation his descent into madness is what history has termed it, but there is speculation perhaps he either had some kind of blood disorder or disease or he had bipolar disorder that we didn't have language for. Anyway, it's really about their marriage. And I was deeply, deeply moved by the story of their marriage, by the story of Queen Charlotte's friendships. As my Enneagram five self wants to do, I immediately Wikipedia’d (sic) all the things to learn more about King George, to learn more about Queen Charlotte. I just thought it was fascinating and really well done. I went in not really with any expectation and wound up really, really liking it. It's pretty steamy. It didn't feel as steamy to me as season one, but maybe that's naive, partly because they're trying to have a baby because she's got to produce an heir. So I found it all steeped in history, which helps me with my prudishness. So I really liked it. I highly recommend if you're looking for a good Netflix show to binge. It had been a minute since I'd bench something good. All right, next step. What are you listening to?
Ashley [00:11:23] Okay, so first of all, I have a condition where if I see somebody in concert, I can't listen to their music for quite some time afterwards. That is not the case with Taylor Swift. I can't stop listening to Taylor Swift. So first and foremost, that's what I'm listening to. But also, I will recommend the song Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac, specifically Silver Springs Live at Warner Brothers Studio on Spotify.
Annie Jones [00:11:54] Oh, okay.
Ashley [00:11:54] It's a lovely song.
Annie Jones [00:11:55] I don't always love a live rendition, so that's good to know.
Ashley [00:11:57] Me either, but this sounds really good.
Annie Jones [00:12:00] Okay, good. I'll try that. I just finished listening to the book and I probably at this point will have already talked about it ad nauseum on a podcast episode or two, so I'll keep it brief here, but I just finished listening to the book Monsters by Clair Dederer This is a cultural critique, pop cultural criticism, all about what do we do with the artist when the artist is terrible, but the artist is beautiful, and what are we supposed to do with that? And I really thought she was so thoughtful about it. And it's the kind of book that makes me want to talk about it with everybody I know. So I highly recommend. And I really liked the audiobook experience. I thought she was a great narrator, actually. Okay. Speaking of listening, should we start with Taylor or start with Margaret?
Ashley [00:12:49] I have more to say about Taylor. So should we end with that one?
Annie Jones [00:12:52] Yeah, let's end with Taylor. Let's start with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. And several people saw my-- I'm not just saying that, you know when people are like, "Several people DM'd me," but I really do mean this. Several people DM'd me because a couple of years ago, Olivia, Lucy and I did a young adult book club. We had done the Baby-sitters Club and then we followed it up with some classic young adult lit and we read, Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret. And I did not really enjoy that book. I never read it as a pre-teen, not because Chris and Susie didn't let me, I just didn't want to read it. I don't like talking about my body now. I certainly didn't like talking about my body as an 11-12 year old. Other than American Girl magazine and their body books, that's about it. I did not really want to do anything about growing up or puberty or whatever, so I never read that book as a kid, but I read it as an adult and did not really enjoy it, except I loved the religious aspects of it.
Ashley [00:14:00] Shocker.
Annie Jones [00:14:01] Right. Just on brand. I did not like it so much that I even went on a podcast-- and I will link to it in the show notes, but I went on a podcast as a guest. The podcast is called Everyone Loved It But Me, and you could pick whatever book you wanted and I picked Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret. I would be fascinated to go back and listen to that episode. You all can go back and listen to that episode. But I love Judy Blume. I have loved other Judy Blume books. I loved All of the Fudge and Super Fudge books. It's nothing against Judy Blume. I think she's an icon. That book just didn't do it for me, probably because I didn't have the nostalgia attached to it, and because the first time I got a bra, it was a sports bra that I slingshot into my ceiling fan out of rage. That is a true story. And so, no, I did not relate to Margaret very much at all. And then I saw the previews for the movie. And from the moment I saw the previews, I was like, I'm going to see that. I'm going to see it on opening night. I'm going to see that. I think you, me, and Caroline, (your sister, my cousin) we all were in a theater, saw the preview, and we all said we're going to watch that together. We're going to see that together. And we went two weeks ago and I loved that movie. Now, you and I have not talked about the movie. So I am curious about your history with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret the book. Like, if you were familiar with it at all? And then I'd love your initial thoughts on the movie because we have not really even talked about this.
Ashley [00:15:48] Okay, so my history is not vast. I read the book sometime in elementary school, having gone to a Christian elementary school. I read other Judy Blume. I like Judy Blume. Doesn't hold the same place in my heart as the woman who wrote Junie B Jones.
Annie Jones [00:16:07] Barbara Park..
Ashley [00:16:10] Jeez! Everybody leave me alone. I know who it is. Okay. But Judy Blume, we like her. She's not Judy B Jones. My main affiliation with Are You there God? It's Me, Margaret, is you walking around the Bookshelf when something dumb happened, you would say, "Are you there God? It's me, Annie." Do you remember doing that?
Annie Jones [00:16:31] Yeah. I said it all the time.
Ashley [00:16:35] When a lot of dumb things happen. So I always think of you [inaudible]. So I wanted to see the movie straight from the preview. First of all, the font, fantastic.
Annie Jones [00:16:49] Just great branding. Great marketing all the way around.
Ashley [00:16:52] Right? So good. And then watched the movie and absolutely loved it. I guess it's just a good movie because I cannot relate with these children at all.
Annie Jones [00:17:03] No.
Ashley [00:17:03] Praying to become a woman or whatever. No, absolutely not. If I could have at whatever age I read The Care and Keeping of You, I would have burned that book and buried it in the backyard.
Annie Jones [00:17:17] Listen, that's what was so funny about going to this movie, the three of us, because we were all raised by similar women who I think our grandmother was very private about those things. I think our mothers did like one better. Do you know what I mean? Like generations improving upon the other generation. But the three of us kind of all I think felt the same way about encountering puberty. And I sat in between you and Caroline at the theater, and there's a scene, basically, Margaret is begging God to get her period. That's part of what she's praying for. And I don't know if you heard Caroline sitting next to me, Caroline goes, "You don't want it." It was hysterical. It was so funny. And so, it was very funny to me that the three of us went to go see this together because body talk is not something we really engage in, although I think we have more as adults than we ever did as teenagers. We've gotten more comfortable with it. But I just thought from the moment the movie opens with this really great soundtrack, it's girls at a summer camp, which immediately made me think of Parent Trap, of Now and Then of other movies I like that are just movies about girlhood. I feel like especially in the nineties, we got a lot of those movies for boys. I don't know if you were as into like Sandlot or Little Giants or things like that, but I feel like we only get a handful of those that are about girlhood and about girls experiences. And so the moment the movie opened with like laughing and giggling and splashing in a lake and taking part in summer camp, I thought, "Oh, I think I'm going to like this." And Rachel McAdams I think is phenomenal. I've always loved her. I've loved her since Mean Girls and The Notebook and all that. But the little girl who plays Margaret, I don't even know the last time I've seen a child actor do such a phenomenal-- I could not take my eyes off her.
Ashley [00:19:32] I was really impressed with her. She was good.
Annie Jones [00:19:35] Wasn't she amazing?
Ashley [00:19:37] For the way she handled the script, I thought was really impressive for an 11-year-old.
Annie Jones [00:19:42] Yeah, I just thought she handled all of that so well. To me, as somebody who felt kind of ambivalent about the book, I actually think the movie improved upon the book. The movie is set in the seventies, just like the book is, but the movie felt even more timeless to me. Partly, it's because you and I are talking about Judy Blume. Her books were really like for Gen X, and you and I are slightly younger than that. And I think that's why somebody else listening to this, Judy Blume might be their Barbara Park. But I think we skew a little younger than the average Judy Blume fan. That being said, I think Judy Blume's books are timeless. Because the way they were able to adapt this into a movie I thought was so well done. I just thought it was so good. It felt like even though I am well past puberty, I felt a kinship with the mom character. I don't movie cry except for, as you know, the 2019 Little Women. I don't movie cry but I did tear up when Margaret has like a little spend the night with her grandmother. And as somebody with no living grandparents left, I found that deeply moving. And the I, man, I tried so hard to keep it together because I went and saw it with y'all, and then I went and saw it with two of my girlfriends. And with you guys, I feel pretty comfortable crying because that's fine. We've seen each other cry.
Ashley [00:21:16] Because I'm probably already crying.
Annie Jones [00:21:18] Yeah, you're blubbering. One tear down. And then Caroline's just laughing. But to go with my girlfriends, there's a part in the film where Margaret has been considering religion and she's trying to figure it out and she's praying to God. And this is the way it is in the book too. But she's praying to God and she says something like, "I've tried synagogues, I've tried churches, I've tried temples. How come I can only hear you best when I'm by myself?" And I burst into tears both times. I tried so hard to keep it together. I just think it's a deeply, theologically moving film. And I know that makes me sound like a Christian nerd, but I don't understand why more people aren't talking about the truly deep theological elements to this movie.
Ashley [00:22:09] You could have your own podcast episode about all of that.
Annie Jones [00:22:13] I just thought it was so great. I got a lot of DMs that asked-- which I don't have children, so this is always a risky thing to ask. But a lot of people ask me how old I thought somebody should be, like, could their daughters go? What do you think?
Ashley [00:22:29] I guess around the same age, probably middle school. Whatever age they start showing you those videos.
Annie Jones [00:22:40] Okay, that's one thing I really liked, and maybe it's because I'm an adult person, but I watched that movie and I thought this could have really made fun of what girls go through. This could have really almost talked about puberty in a shameful way. And instead I felt like it celebrated it without over celebrating it. Like, without making it like this is all that matter. All that matters about a girl is what her body becomes. And instead I just felt like it really honored-- one of my friends when we left the theater was like, I don't know how they captured how truly awkward it is, but they really captured like the boy-girl birthday party. In the book this is so striking too, but the little girl, Nancy, who's so braggy and wants to be the first girl to wear a bra and stuff like that. And then you find out she's really not as adult as she has been acting like she is. That scene is really well done. So, yeah, I really thought if your little girl is enduring puberty, this movie will be enjoyable for her because it made it fun without poking fun.
Ashley [00:23:53] Yeah, I think that makes sense.
Annie Jones [00:23:55] I just thought the whole thing was really charming, and Jordan asked me and I said I would put it up there in my, like, it's in my top 10 movies of all time, I think.
Ashley [00:24:05] Wow.
Annie Jones [00:24:07] That's true.
Ashley [00:24:07] Fast jumped to the top 10.
Annie Jones [00:24:10] I know. Well, I felt the same way at the end of the Greta Gerwig's Little Women. I mean, I was openly weeping to the point where you had to ask me if I was okay. And this movie did not make me weep in that way. But I just think I like movies that tell the story of girlhood well.
Ashley [00:24:29] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:24:30] This one does.
Ashley [00:24:30] Agreed.
Annie Jones [00:24:32] And just all the little girls just looked like normal little girls. The one thing about movies now, it almost feels like movies are made with an Instagram filter where nobody has pores anymore. And I'm like, surely, we have pores. And so, I just felt like all the characters looked like people.
Ashley [00:24:51] Yeah, because these are just kids.
Annie Jones [00:24:52] Yeah.
Ashley [00:24:53] Even the parents, though.
Annie Jones [00:24:54] Yeah. Gosh, I hope we get more out of Rachel McAdams. Do you think she's going to be more things?
Ashley [00:25:00] I do too. I hope so, because I don't think I was as big a fan of hers as you were, not for any reason. But after this, I actually really like her.
Annie Jones [00:25:09] Yeah. You know who she reminds me of? Did we already talk about this? Her mouth and the way she talks, it reminds me of Lucy. He used to work at the Bookshelf.
Ashley [00:25:19] Oh, my goodness. Yes.
Annie Jones [00:25:19] Yeah, totally.
Ashley [00:25:21] Yeah, you're right.
Annie Jones [00:25:24] Okay, so if you are on the fence about going to see. Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret or if you are like I used to be, and you thought, "Well, I've not read the book. Could I enjoy the movie?" Both of my friends that I went with had never read the book and loved the movie. You read the book in elementary school but didn't revisit it to see the movie. I just think this is a movie you can watch on its own and really enjoy it. All right. Are you ready? Are you ready for it?
Ashley [00:25:51] Are you ready for it. Geez!
Annie Jones [00:25:53] I got it. I got the reference. Look, do you want to tell people? I think people are mostly confused because when we recorded our spring episode of Off the Shelf, we were lamenting not having Taylor Swift tickets, and I was having serious FOMO. You I think were just desperate still thinking there was a chance. I really was just kind of resigned because I had looked up resale tickets, they were $600 apiece, which I could not justify. Do you want to tell the story of how it happened?
Ashley [00:26:30] Allow me. So the last time we recorded, we did not have Taylor Swift tickets and I just assumed all hope was lost. But I had never experienced such FOMO in my entire life. And then so we recorded on whatever day. And then the next day or the next two days or sometime within that week, I got a text from Ticketmaster because back in November when she announced the tour, I had become a verified fan or whatever with Ticketmaster. So they texted me that time to join the queue and get my tickets, whatever. And that didn't work out for reasons we can share later. But I got another text from Ticketmaster while I was at work and I hopped on and I was like, I really hope this is real because they're about to have all my debit card information. I was hovering over a couple and they were bought right out from under me, and so I just picked a couple more. That happened to be really great seats and here we are. I called you and you didn't answer, and which I never call anyone ever. So I called you, you didn't answer. And so, then I had to text you and say, everything is okay, but please call me when you can.
Annie Jones [00:27:48] Phone calls in our family-- well, this is probably true for anybody, but they often mean bad news. And so, when I saw that you had called-- and I sometimes call you; I'll face time. Or I'll tell you I'll face time you.
Ashley [00:28:02] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:28:03] But you do not call. And so you texted. And my heart-- even though you said everything is fine, I thought, oh my gosh, is it fine? And I had already had-- this was a not great week in April. We had gotten some bad news. And I just thought, I don't know if I can handle one more thing. And I called you back and you said, "Hey, when's independent bookstore day." I was like, "It's April 29th." And you said, "What are you doing on the 30th?" And I was like, "Well, I don't know. Let me look at my calendar." And it really didn't occur to me. But then as I was scrolling, I was like, "Could this be?" And then when you told me, I was so excited. It was such profound gratitude.
Ashley [00:28:51] I almost bought the tickets for Indie Bookstore Day and I was like, no, I have to take Annie. I'm pretty sure this is Indie Bookstore Day, so we're doing the next day. I don't care if it's a Sunday, we're going.
Annie Jones [00:29:03] So we got tickets to Atlanta. I'm going to tell my perspective just about Taylor Swift prep, because to me and what I have told my friends is this. First of all, I don't know. Ashley has the luck of the Irish. I'm not sure what happens. We got great tickets, great seats, thanks to Ashley's waitlist. I don't know. But some other friends I know have gotten tickets in Atlanta and in Nashville the day of. They hopped on Ticketmaster and got tickets. So it is possible. So if you are out in the world without Taylor Swift tickets, don't be without hope. There is hope for you. But what perhaps to me was the unexpected blessing and joy of Taylor Swift tickets was who knew how much fun concert preparation could be? Because I did not know that. But the night after you had gotten our tickets, all of a sudden I was like, "Oh, I've been seeing people on Instagram, they dress really fun. Do I need an outfit for this?" And my friend Erin, who already had tickets, was like, "Yes, I'm wearing a sequined skirt." And I thought, okay, if Erin is wearing a sequin skirt, I got to get on it. And so I regret to inform everyone. I'll just confess here now. I went to Jeff Bezos' website, and was like, "What can Jeff Bezos deliver to me quickly? And quickly leather shorts and a metallic shirt that, by the way, stunk for days after I wore it. The smell, oh, man. Smelled up my entire rest of my laundry.
Ashley [00:30:48] We did hard work that day.
Annie Jones [00:30:50] We did hard work. So bought an outfit, bought lipstick, never worn red lipstick in my life except that time I was Rosie the Riveter for Halloween. I went and bought bracelet making supplies from Michaels. Like, all of this stuff that I guess the through line between. Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret, and Taylor Swift is I just felt like a little girl. I felt girlhood fun. American Girl Magazine taught me how to make friendship bracelets, and now I'm making them for Taylor Swifties. Like, that's what we're doing. And it was just so much fun. I cannot stress to everyone. The concert itself was amazing. We'll talk about it. But the prep was so enjoyable. I was not expecting that. Please tell me if you agree.
Ashley [00:31:42] I mean, I was expecting it because I have never been so deep into anything on TikTok. So I have been seeing people prepping their outfits and making their friendship bracelets and everything. My outfit I also tried to order from Jeff Bezos's website. It did not arrive in time. It was a fantastic rainbow striped sequined romper still sitting in my bedroom, crumpled up because I need to return it. Where else am I going to wear that? So I actually bought three different outfits. One of them halfway came and I ended up having to go to Forever 21 the day before we left. Bought a pair of white shorts with some tassels on the sides, and I painted on glitter that you couldn't even see in the picture.
Annie Jones [00:32:33] They were so stiff, they could have walked out of this house all by themselves.
Ashley [00:32:38] Did I tell you this? I hung them up with clothespins in my laundry room. We have this little rack type thing, and I hung them up to paint and left them overnight. And I took the clothespins off and the shorts stayed like nothing was holding them up there but the glitter fabric paint.
Annie Jones [00:32:58] They looked so hard.
Ashley [00:32:59] Listen, I put in the work. I bought $30 worth of bracelet supplies and a lot of clothes that did not come in time or that I had to paint. But it was so fun. I wasn't mad about it.
Annie Jones [00:33:12] It's just so fun. I think I told you this already, but I bought an outfit and was kind of giddy about it. And I told Jordan, I was like, "I just got an outfit for Taylor Swift." And he looked at me and he said, "I think that's the girliest thing you've ever said in our whole marriage." I will be honest. Of the two of us, one of us is more likely to do that and it's not me.
Ashley [00:33:37] Yeah. That's fair.
Annie Jones [00:33:40] I think fandom comes more naturally to you.
Ashley [00:33:44] It's just so easy for me to get caught up in the things.
Annie Jones [00:33:48] You have been to so many concerts. I guarantee you, you have worn cowboy boots more than I have.
Ashley [00:33:55] A thousand percent. Oh, yeah. It's weird because Halloween, I don't know her, I'm not dressing up for Halloween.
Annie Jones [00:34:04] I only did for that one party I went to where I was Rosie the Riveter. Yeah, but when it comes to the two of us, one of us is more likely, I think, go hard into a fandom. And it's not me. You really did contribute to my excitement. Also to some of my nervousness. You would text me TikToks about chants we were supposed to sing. And I was like, I am going to be an elder Swifty who is incapable of understanding anything that's happening around me.
Ashley [00:34:36] I mean, I feel like you were probably in the majority honestly. I feel like I was in this niche little TikTok group because everybody that was there, you're either nine years old and not on TikTok. You're a millennial who is not on TikTok and know these things or are you, which there were a lot of like moms and the 30 somethings and honestly that was the best part. You would see the range in age and it was just it was all girls. It was fantastic.
Annie Jones [00:35:09] Yeah, my friends went to Tampa and she said it was the safest she'd ever felt.
Ashley [00:35:14] Did I say that? Did I say this to you? As a very kidnapable (sic) person, I have never been less scared of being kidnapped.
Annie Jones [00:35:20] Let me tell you guys, as somebody who's traveled extensively with Ashley now, I feel like I can say that she is a highly kidnapable person. I don't know how you went to Greece and came back. I really I don't know how you did it.
Ashley [00:35:39] The lord.
Annie Jones [00:35:39] Because you are highly kidnapable, but you're right that at that concert we all were just dressed in our sequins and lipstick and nobody was going anywhere, like everybody was safe.
Ashley [00:35:53] Yeah. It was beautiful
Annie Jones [00:35:54] On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely did you think it was that our tickets were fake?
Ashley [00:36:04] Six.
Annie Jones [00:36:06] Okay, I'm a seven.
Ashley [00:36:08] In my heart of hearts, I knew they were real. But in this day and age, you just never know.
Annie Jones [00:36:17] Yeah. Look, my general thought is every ticket I buy is fake. I just assume. And you were asking me, you were like, "Why do we think that?" I think I've always thought that. But let the record show a few years ago, my parents had tickets to the NCAA basketball tournament in Orlando, and they got down there and their tickets were fake. And so, there is precedent in my family. And I don't think my parents are scam susceptible. But just kidding, yes, they are.
Ashley [00:36:48] The amount of times your mom has to text us about whether or not an email or a text is spam. Every time, except for this last time, it is spam.
Annie Jones [00:36:57] The last time it was real. Do you remember when you mailed my dad a card telling him he won the lottery? Yeah, like I was first.
Ashley [00:37:10] Wait, wait, wait. I was in first grade. I wanted to pull a prank on somebody, so I sent a letter in the mail to shop dad Chris, before he was shop dad, saying that he won the lottery.
Annie Jones [00:37:25] Which is not how you win a lottery.
Ashley [00:37:29] I was in first grade. I was creative.
Annie Jones [00:37:32] let me remind everyone. The year was 2001 or 2002. Tensions were high because my father definitely thought it was an anthrax letter, and put it on our front porch under a glass bowl. Just kidding. My family is susceptible to scares.
Ashley [00:37:56] Your family, not mine.
Annie Jones [00:37:59] No, just the Butterworths. Okay, so I thought our tickets were fake. And the day of the concert-- I think that's what nobody tells you. My friend and I were texting back and forth, and we agreed that the only equivalent in adulthood is preparing for your wedding. I think you gave a great example, which is prom.
Ashley [00:38:21] Oh, yeah.
Annie Jones [00:38:23] I don't know any other time where you just have hours where you're not doing anything, but you know the big event is coming and you're going to have to put on make up for it. There's just not many instances in my life where that has been the case. And so, it was very funny to be in a hotel room together because we came to Atlanta, spent the night of Indie Bookstore Day, the next morning went to a DJ'd brunch, never forget, and then stayed in the hotel room and just watched, like, nineties movies.
Ashley [00:38:57] Impractical Jokers and old movies.
Annie Jones [00:38:59] Yeah, until it was time to get ready. We stayed outside of Atlanta, drove into Atlanta to, like a Mart station, took a bus. We literally did planes, trains and automobiles. And the atmosphere was exactly what you would hope, like just tons of sparkly sequined. The first person I exchanged bracelets with was a delightful probably eight-year-old in heart-shaped glasses and a tutu that blinked like lights. It was so fun. Yeah, just the whole experience. And then we got to the stadium and they scanned our tickets clear, and I literally ran and jumped.
Ashley [00:39:38] Literally jumping for joy. I have never seen such a joy come out of this particular person.
Annie Jones [00:39:44] It was so exciting. I was so relieved because this is what you and I talked about on the way to Atlanta, to have fun in adulthood requires so much effort.
Ashley [00:39:57] It's so hard.
Annie Jones [00:39:58] It's so hard. We had to drive to Atlanta, drive through traffic, get a hotel room, budget. It requires so much effort. But when it is worth the effort, it feels so good. And so when we got into the stadium and our tickets were real, I think I was filled with like, oh, now I can enjoy this.
Ashley [00:40:18] Yeah, for sure.
Annie Jones [00:40:18] No more worrying, no more stressing. I don't have to worry about Ashley getting kidnapped. I don't have to worry about us finding our way here. We did it. Okay. Tell me your favorite era from the concert. Now that we're about a month out, you've had time to reflect.
Ashley [00:40:35] From the concert. Listen, I think about this. I have thought about this every day. But I think my favorite area from the concert had to have been reputation. First of all, I don't know why I didn't go to the reputation tour, so I don't know what she did then and how this was different from that. But the dances, her dances and the dancers, and then that transition from Don't Blame Me to Look What You Made Me Do, made my soul leave my body. I just think it was insanely brilliant and beautiful and a great time.
Annie Jones [00:41:18] I always say reputation isn't one of my favorite albums. That may not be accurate. I don't know. At post Taylor concert, I have decided I'm going to do that thing where you rank all her songs. I'm ready. I'm going to do it.
Ashley [00:41:29] I have a link that I want to send you because there's a Tumblr account that has like a quiz where you just like choose between two songs. It took a very long time to do, but do you want to know what I think apparently is my favorite album?
Annie Jones [00:41:46] Yeah. Tell me.
Ashley [00:41:47] Lover.
Annie Jones [00:41:49] Oh, okay. I was going to guess Lover.
Ashley [00:41:51] All of the top songs are Lover, and I am shocked.
Annie Jones [00:41:54] Okay, that's fascinating. Ok I want to take that because I've always said my favorite album is 1989.
Ashley [00:42:01] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:42:02] Folklore is close behind, but then you listen to albums like Red and you're like, "Wait, is Red one of my favorite albums?
Ashley [00:42:08] I know.
Annie Jones [00:42:09] So Reputation, I've never really considered one of my favorites, but there is no denying that in a stadium concert setting, that segment of song was perfection.
Ashley [00:42:22] Absolutely.
Annie Jones [00:42:23] It was so good live. It was excellent. Reputation was up there, but 1989 was mine because those are some of my favorite songs. I think she performs them really well. Look, I love Folklore and I like Evermore. I don't know those songs as well. I feel like I can't sing along, but I can sing along to all the words on a 1989 song.
Ashley [00:42:52] Folklore and Evermore, as lovely as they are, and they're still great live, they're just not as conducive to that kind of environment as 1989 or Reputation.
Annie Jones [00:43:07] And I say this as somebody who adores Betty, but there's a vibe shift during Folklore and Evermore on the tour. I'll tell you another song that I was surprised. Now, you know I love this song, but it's not necessarily one of my favorites on an album. But it was delightful to sing 22 with 70,000 people. It was so fun.
Ashley [00:43:32] That's why I love the old songs is because that's when we started to love her. But that song for me is I Knew You Were Trouble. I can't stop listening to I Knew You Were Trouble. This show has rekindled that love. And I never really had a love for it to begin with because it was single and I had my fill on the radio and whatever, but now I can still listen to it because the harmonies-- like, I didn't even know the harmonies were that good. But here we are. It's great.
Annie Jones [00:44:02] Okay. You had gone into the concert. You had already watched the whole thing. Is that true?
Ashley [00:44:08] Actually, not the entire thing, because there were some parts that did surprise me.
Annie Jones [00:44:13] Okay. What surprised you?
Ashley [00:44:15] Namely, I think, was it the 1989? It was whenever she had the fire show. Was not expecting that. It was during Blank Space.
Annie Jones [00:44:26] Yeah, I think that was Blank Space.
Ashley [00:44:28] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:44:29] Was there any particular moment? Should we talk about surprise songs? I thought we had great surprise songs.
Ashley [00:44:35] Oh, man, I was so thrilled and relieved with our surprise songs. I was terrified that we would get something that I didn't know and not that it would matter, but it would matter to me. And for us to have How You Get the Girl, that was like my anthem in college. I don't know why, but it was. It was so good. And I knew the other one, wasn't my favorite, but I still knew it. It was so good to hear it.
Annie Jones [00:45:00] What is that song called about?
Ashley [00:45:02] I Bet You Think About Me?
Annie Jones [00:45:05] Yes. I had just watched that music video because I was trying to remember a detail about Miles-Taylor's career. And so, went back and watched that video. And so, that was fresh of mind. And when she said something about 3 a.m., I was like, oh, I'm going to know it.
Ashley [00:45:24] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:45:24] I think singing Blank Space, singing 22, singing Shake It Off-- which Shake It Off is not one of my favorite songs-- but live, it's so much fun to sing.
Ashley [00:45:33] So fun.
Annie Jones [00:45:33] With everybody else.
Ashley [00:45:35] Yeah, the party vibe. You're just all there doing the same thing.
Annie Jones [00:45:37] I am not a screaming jump up and down kind of person, but there is something about being in a stadium with 70,000 screaming, jump up and down kind of people where you just are no longer inhibited. It's probably the closest to drugs I'll ever get.
Ashley [00:45:58] Okay. So I have a video on my phone of You Belong With Me. I can very clearly hear myself voice cracking, trying to hit those high notes and absolutely butchering, sounding the worst I have ever sounded. But in the background I can hear somebody scream singing it. I think it's you, but I'm not 100% sure because it sounds like it could be you but I have also never heard this come out of your body before.
Annie Jones [00:46:39] Did I tell you I was showing my parents a video you had sent. So it wasn't my video of Blank Space. It was some other song and you're videoing. I was showing it to my parents and my dad goes, "Well, she sure is getting a lot of that girl next to her." And I was like, "Dad, that's me." And my mom was like, "Chris, that's your daughter." And dad was like, "No, it's not." I was like, "Yes, dad. That's me." And it was so funny that he did not even recognize me jumping up and down next to you. He was like, "What?" He could not believe it.
Ashley [00:47:20] Listen, I noticed this. I can't remember when I first noticed it in the show. I mean, probably the very first song when everybody was going nuts. But you and I are who we are, which is generally very quiet, reserved people. And then the music started and we were two completely different entities.
Annie Jones [00:47:39] Before the music started, which it was so loud-- I'd like to say as an older millennial, it was so loud. Before it even started, Ashley looked at me and she was like, "I feel like you're about to see a version of me you've never seen." I was like, "Calm down. I think it's going to be fine." And it was fine because this is something important to know about me. I do whatever is required of me. And so, this was a concert with 70,000 screaming fans where people were red lipstick and sequins. Okay, I'm going to do it. You know what I wasn't going to do? Show up and be a party pooper. Absolutely not. That is not my brand. I will show up and I will give you what the situation needs.
Ashley [00:48:22] You are the definition of understanding the assignment.
Annie Jones [00:48:26] Correct. You want me to get a gold star at this? Okay, I will. I will get a gold star having fun.
Ashley [00:48:34] A-plus.
Annie Jones [00:48:35] A-plus at having fun. Look, it was delightful. It was one of my favorite concerts of all time. I don't go to concerts as much as you do. Where does it rank for you?
Ashley [00:48:44] Number one. The best concert ever.
Annie Jones [00:48:48] There are few things in life for me personally that are worth the hype. Hype often makes me nervous. Everything you've seen is true. Everything they've told you it's true.
Ashley [00:49:02] Not kidding. It's a fantastic show.
Annie Jones [00:49:05] It's just so good.
Ashley [00:49:06] Can I ask you your opinion on this? Is this the age of social media? Taylor Swift is doing shows three nights in a row to 70,000 people a night, so 210,000 people. But there are also literally 20,000 people outside of these stadiums. Have you seen these videos?
Annie Jones [00:49:26] Just hanging out in the parking lots?
Ashley [00:49:29] Yeah. Covered the bridge in Nashville. Listening, dancing, singing along, trying to see what they can see. What in the world? I've never seen this before.
Annie Jones [00:49:40] Jordan was like, "Do you think she could lead a cult?" And I was like, "I think she does this."
Ashley [00:49:45] Yeah. I'm a proud member. Would vote for her for president if she ran.
Annie Jones [00:49:56] I think I already told you this. I wish that I remembered this person's name, but after I posted a recap to Instagram, somebody DM'd me and said I was trying so hard to explain to my husband what this was like. And I told him it was like attending a national championship game, but where everyone is rooting for the same team and the team is sequins. And I thought that was so perfect because I think that's what it was. There is something really all inducing and just truly magical about being with 70,000 people, all of whom are different from you, none of whom you really know, but you all love the same thing and you're all just having a great time. There really is something special about that. I really can't name anything else like it.
Ashley [00:50:46] No, but I also don't know of any other performer who has done that before.
Annie Jones [00:50:51] No, I mean, we went to Paul McCartney last year and that was truly a phenomenal show. He was amazing. Part of the amazing part about that to me was just the nostalgia factor. And getting to see a Beatle live was just something I could not have predicted for my life and was just pretty amazing. I have gone to see Hamilton plays on Broadway. All of those things are comparable, but this is just something totally outside my norm. I think it's just nice sometimes for me to have fun that's not bookish fun.
Ashley [00:51:25] That's fair.
Annie Jones [00:51:27] Nice to have something like non-book-related that's just utterly enjoyable. But, yeah, I don't really know that there's anything like this. Even a big stadium concert like Paul McCartney, which was an amazing show in its own right, it just doesn't really compare to whatever it is that we witnessed a month ago.
Ashley [00:51:44] I think it's the demographic, honestly.
Annie Jones [00:51:47] Maybe. Yeah. Or how her fans are. Yeah.
Ashley [00:51:51] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:51:52] And maybe it's like a Beatles concert with screaming girls back in the sixties that we did not get to experience. Maybe this is as close as we come.
Ashley [00:52:01] Yeah, maybe.
Annie Jones [00:52:02] I don't know. Even the glowing wristband of it all I couldn't get over. I got home and my Enneagram five brain was telling Jordan, like, "How do you think she did these glowing wristbands?" [Inaudible] I just couldn't get over it.
Ashley [00:52:16] It was like a 4D experience. Have you seen those things? It was just like every single detail she nailed.
Annie Jones [00:52:26] Yeah. So great. Well, thank you for taking this trip down memory lane. If you guys listened to this podcast for the books, so sorry.
Ashley [00:52:35] Not today.
Annie Jones [00:52:36] So sorry. I do think there's a through line between Margaret and Taylor, but you might have to look for it. You might have to dig deeper for it. But this was a blast. Thank you for one of the most memorable experiences of my life. And thank you for reliving it with me today.
Ashley [00:52:50] Oh, any ol' time.
Annie Jones [00:52:54] This week. What I am reading is brought to you by Visit Thomasville. Summer is a wonderful time to see Thomasville, Georgia. If it's time to hit the road for a quick getaway, we are exactly the town you're looking for. You can rekindle your spark, explore historical sites, indulge in dining out, shop at amazing independent stores and finally relax and unwind. There's no better getaway than Thomasville. Whether you live close by or are just passing through, we hope you'll visit beautiful Thomasville, Georgia. It's worth the trip. Plan your visit at ThomasvilleGA.com.
[00:53:31] This week, I'm listening to the Celebrants by Stephen Rowley. Ashley, what are you reading?
Ashley [00:53:37] I'm reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Annie Jones [00:53:42] Thank you again to our sponsor, Visit Thomasville. If you want to plan your next getaway, visit ThomasvilleGA.com.
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…
Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle C, Kate O’Connell, Kristin May, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Stacy Laue, Chanta Combs, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Ferrell
Executive Producers (Read Their Own Names): Nicole Marsee ,Wendi Jenkins, Laurie Johnson, Kate Johnston Tucker, Susan Hulings
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.