1 00:00:01,242 --> 00:00:04,882 Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader. 2 00:00:04,882 --> 00:00:06,224 I'm Molly Geller. 3 00:00:06,384 --> 00:00:07,901 I'm Stephanie Blackburn. 4 00:00:08,302 --> 00:00:09,842 And I'm Caitlin Madison. 5 00:00:09,842 --> 00:00:13,382 Welcome to chapter 37. 6 00:00:14,282 --> 00:00:15,062 37. 7 00:00:15,062 --> 00:00:17,022 I don't have anything to say about that number. 8 00:00:18,002 --> 00:00:23,462 I think it was, I think that was a COVID time for me and I think nothing special 9 00:00:23,462 --> 00:00:24,322 happened. 10 00:00:24,976 --> 00:00:27,556 I can't think of anything to report for 37. 11 00:00:28,416 --> 00:00:32,116 But we are recording today on Stephanie's actual birthday. 12 00:00:32,116 --> 00:00:33,916 So, happy birthday. 13 00:00:34,253 --> 00:00:35,896 Happy birthday! 14 00:00:35,896 --> 00:00:41,046 We had brunch, she opened gifts, we're drinking bubble tea, we went to one of her 15 00:00:41,046 --> 00:00:42,238 favorite stores. 16 00:00:42,238 --> 00:00:44,031 We didn't go to a bookstore! 17 00:00:44,172 --> 00:00:45,035 Darn it! 18 00:00:45,035 --> 00:00:45,766 it. 19 00:00:45,832 --> 00:00:47,459 The day is not over. 20 00:00:47,459 --> 00:00:51,320 my gosh, we should have put that into this morning's itinerary. 21 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,342 feel like the center of Maynard is missing out on having a bookstore. 22 00:00:55,962 --> 00:00:56,983 You know? 23 00:00:57,883 --> 00:00:58,844 Hey. 24 00:00:59,604 --> 00:01:00,765 Thought idea. 25 00:01:01,817 --> 00:01:04,126 Business opportunity anyone? 26 00:01:04,126 --> 00:01:07,729 Well, because Acton, the town next door used to have Willow books, it doesn't have 27 00:01:07,729 --> 00:01:08,729 that anymore. 28 00:01:08,729 --> 00:01:15,984 So I think the closest bookstore is probably Concord, which is nothing against 29 00:01:15,984 --> 00:01:17,835 that bookstore, but it's small. 30 00:01:17,835 --> 00:01:18,666 It's very small. 31 00:01:18,666 --> 00:01:22,132 Just food for 32 00:01:22,132 --> 00:01:24,750 is the year we finally become booksellers. 33 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:25,512 Right? 34 00:01:25,512 --> 00:01:27,396 I mean, you never know. 35 00:01:28,442 --> 00:01:31,189 So what's everybody been up to? 36 00:01:33,723 --> 00:01:39,096 I volunteered to drive a shift to pick up a puppy on Wednesday. 37 00:01:39,096 --> 00:01:45,500 the week before I saw, well, you guys both know the two sets of puppies that I 38 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:49,073 fostered this past year came up from Puerto Rico. 39 00:01:49,073 --> 00:01:53,786 And so I started following the rescue down there that had sent them up here and, 40 00:01:53,786 --> 00:01:57,008 Giselle who runs Obra PR, 41 00:01:57,518 --> 00:01:59,345 had put out a request for 42 00:01:59,345 --> 00:02:03,298 volunteers and I thought I'm not doing anything on Wednesday so I could for sure 43 00:02:03,298 --> 00:02:04,339 help out. 44 00:02:04,359 --> 00:02:09,943 So I spent basically my entire afternoon, I drove down to Douglas Mass, which I had 45 00:02:09,943 --> 00:02:14,687 never been to, didn't know where it was or that it existed, picked up this adorable 46 00:02:14,687 --> 00:02:18,660 puppy, Nina, who was such a sweetie, didn't make a peep, slept the entire time 47 00:02:18,660 --> 00:02:21,391 in the car, drove her up to New Hampshire. 48 00:02:21,952 --> 00:02:24,814 She's doing well in her new rescue up there. 49 00:02:25,118 --> 00:02:28,639 And hopefully she gets adopted soon. 50 00:02:28,780 --> 00:02:29,266 And then 51 00:02:29,266 --> 00:02:30,026 on... 52 00:02:30,270 --> 00:02:31,870 Thursday, I was at the barn. 53 00:02:31,870 --> 00:02:36,150 was, it probably wasn't 90 degrees, but it felt like it was 100. 54 00:02:36,150 --> 00:02:37,770 It was also humid. 55 00:02:37,770 --> 00:02:43,790 We sweated through our shirts after the first lesson and there were three, because 56 00:02:43,790 --> 00:02:45,430 it goes until 1130. 57 00:02:45,690 --> 00:02:48,890 I was not wearing my normal barn shoes, which are steel -toed. 58 00:02:48,890 --> 00:02:51,550 I was wearing just these other shoes I had. 59 00:02:51,550 --> 00:02:55,070 And Mickey, who has a pony, she's not a horse, but she's still 60 00:02:55,598 --> 00:02:57,819 of pounds stuck to her toe. 61 00:02:58,060 --> 00:03:02,232 And you know that kind of pain that like steals your voice from you? 62 00:03:02,232 --> 00:03:05,133 Like you can't even scream because it is so bad. 63 00:03:05,133 --> 00:03:07,035 I for sure I'm gonna lose this toenail. 64 00:03:07,035 --> 00:03:08,665 I think I'm actually okay. 65 00:03:08,665 --> 00:03:10,066 It looks okay. 66 00:03:10,506 --> 00:03:13,868 Have you watched a children's report? 67 00:03:16,147 --> 00:03:18,283 if I have, I blocked it out of my head. 68 00:03:18,566 --> 00:03:19,608 I want. 69 00:03:19,787 --> 00:03:21,528 I have from ski boots. 70 00:03:22,649 --> 00:03:28,794 It just rubbed my pinky toe a certain way and it would, know, snow, snow boots, ski 71 00:03:28,794 --> 00:03:31,216 boots are just really uncomfortable in general. 72 00:03:31,216 --> 00:03:32,517 So I didn't really think anything of it. 73 00:03:32,517 --> 00:03:37,821 And also like where I go skiing is like regularly single digit degrees. 74 00:03:37,942 --> 00:03:40,864 So I was just like, my feet are really cold. 75 00:03:40,864 --> 00:03:41,455 Like whatever. 76 00:03:41,455 --> 00:03:48,030 And then I like took my sock off and I was like, and it's gone, but like it didn't 77 00:03:48,053 --> 00:03:50,205 or it didn't, it's so calloused. 78 00:03:50,205 --> 00:03:54,348 Your toes are so calloused that like a piggy toe is no biggie. 79 00:03:54,348 --> 00:03:57,090 If it was like my big toe, that'd be 80 00:03:57,136 --> 00:03:59,928 Yeah, I'm looking at it right now and it looks okay. 81 00:04:00,038 --> 00:04:04,931 but that was, that was our, I mean, the boots that I normally wear have been 82 00:04:04,931 --> 00:04:05,862 rubbing my heels raw. 83 00:04:05,862 --> 00:04:08,253 And so I was like, I'm going to give them a break. 84 00:04:08,494 --> 00:04:10,735 And instead, then I hurt a different toe. 85 00:04:10,735 --> 00:04:13,817 it's sort of like pick and choose. 86 00:04:13,817 --> 00:04:14,948 but we had a really great day. 87 00:04:14,948 --> 00:04:22,453 I got to use a horse named Monty, who was this behemoth, but like the slowest guy 88 00:04:22,453 --> 00:04:22,833 ever. 89 00:04:22,833 --> 00:04:24,584 So he was perfect. 90 00:04:24,845 --> 00:04:27,146 we used him because there was 91 00:04:27,238 --> 00:04:29,219 summer camp for horse girls going on. 92 00:04:29,219 --> 00:04:33,583 So they were using the ponies we normally use. 93 00:04:33,583 --> 00:04:34,343 It was wonderful. 94 00:04:34,343 --> 00:04:35,974 They took me out for lunch afterwards. 95 00:04:35,974 --> 00:04:39,917 We were all so gross in our outfits, but it was really lovely. 96 00:04:39,917 --> 00:04:43,049 So I think that's all I've done this week. 97 00:04:43,950 --> 00:04:45,211 I couldn't tell you. 98 00:04:46,552 --> 00:04:49,474 One day leads into another and I've just lost track of time. 99 00:04:49,538 --> 00:04:50,838 That does happen. 100 00:04:53,780 --> 00:04:58,702 Well, I was at the Cape for like five days for the 4th of July. 101 00:04:59,282 --> 00:05:00,683 And that was really nice. 102 00:05:00,683 --> 00:05:05,915 We did all the Cape Cod things, walked to the beach, went to the Dennis bracelet 103 00:05:05,915 --> 00:05:12,588 place, went to a Cape Cod baseball game, ate a hot dog, you know, all the things. 104 00:05:13,109 --> 00:05:16,270 Went to some bars, saw two former students. 105 00:05:16,398 --> 00:05:20,458 They did not see me or if they did, neither of us acknowledged each other. 106 00:05:21,218 --> 00:05:26,438 I saw them when I was going to the bathroom and I was like, no, I don't 107 00:05:26,438 --> 00:05:28,678 really want to deal with this. 108 00:05:28,678 --> 00:05:31,698 And also they were with like a big group of people and I was like, I don't think 109 00:05:31,698 --> 00:05:34,658 they want to deal with me and I don't want to deal with them. 110 00:05:34,678 --> 00:05:39,678 And because they just turned 21 or maybe they're 22, like they're right, right on 111 00:05:39,678 --> 00:05:41,958 the cusp of like being able to go out. 112 00:05:41,958 --> 00:05:45,238 And so I was like, I think I'm all set. 113 00:05:45,670 --> 00:05:49,383 But it was just kind of funny to see them out and about and like think about the 114 00:05:49,383 --> 00:05:52,284 fact that that's like a thing that's probably going to happen a little more 115 00:05:52,284 --> 00:06:00,119 often because my students are getting older, even though I am not. 116 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,062 So yeah, so that's the thing that I get to keep an eye out for now. 117 00:06:04,123 --> 00:06:07,084 But it was a really nice week, played golf a couple of times. 118 00:06:07,084 --> 00:06:07,965 It was great. 119 00:06:07,965 --> 00:06:08,599 And 120 00:06:08,599 --> 00:06:14,984 And then I came back, worked for few days, and then Wednesday, Saturday, to New York 121 00:06:14,984 --> 00:06:21,539 City with my friend Jack because I got off the wait list to go to see a TV show 122 00:06:21,539 --> 00:06:24,311 called Cool Bear Show. 123 00:06:24,672 --> 00:06:28,655 Which, you know, tickets to the play are free. 124 00:06:28,655 --> 00:06:32,613 You just have to sign up and you basically just have to show. 125 00:06:32,613 --> 00:06:35,814 because they release the tickets in windows. 126 00:06:36,244 --> 00:06:43,068 So like they'll get free visa and vote and get a list and so I'll get a list. 127 00:06:43,068 --> 00:06:45,898 Which is why I'm here today. 128 00:06:45,898 --> 00:06:50,658 the middle of July, which wouldn't be like my first choice, but that's what happened. 129 00:06:50,658 --> 00:06:53,258 It was very, very hot while we were there. 130 00:06:53,338 --> 00:06:55,398 It was like overcast two of the days. 131 00:06:55,398 --> 00:07:01,238 And one of the days it was sunny, but all of them, was like 87 or higher, plus 132 00:07:01,238 --> 00:07:02,418 humidity. 133 00:07:04,002 --> 00:07:06,964 which I don't think I've ever really been there when it's that warm. 134 00:07:06,964 --> 00:07:11,406 I usually try to go in the fall or the winter for just that reason. 135 00:07:11,546 --> 00:07:15,208 But Colbert was really cool because it's at the Ed Sullivan Theater, which is 136 00:07:15,208 --> 00:07:16,369 obviously really famous. 137 00:07:16,369 --> 00:07:18,060 It's where Letterman taped his show. 138 00:07:18,060 --> 00:07:25,734 But you have to line up outside, which like when I went to Fallon and Conan, 139 00:07:25,934 --> 00:07:30,774 Those were both like line up inside the NBC experience store at 30 rock. 140 00:07:30,774 --> 00:07:32,894 And then they like let you in a secret door. 141 00:07:32,894 --> 00:07:37,594 And this was not that this was like wait outside where it's hot and people are 142 00:07:37,594 --> 00:07:38,674 cranky. 143 00:07:38,674 --> 00:07:40,834 Um, but it ended up being fine. 144 00:07:40,834 --> 00:07:46,754 So we were in line from like three to four 30, and then you get like let in and they 145 00:07:46,754 --> 00:07:51,814 have like a comedian that like warms up the audience and Conan comes out and 146 00:07:51,814 --> 00:07:52,814 introduces himself. 147 00:07:52,814 --> 00:07:55,194 The band plays a couple of songs. 148 00:07:55,295 --> 00:08:01,492 And then a beer comes out, talks about what our thought is with the audience, and 149 00:08:01,492 --> 00:08:02,923 it's a live, big show. 150 00:08:02,923 --> 00:08:09,906 And we end up taking from the five versions of and then five versions 151 00:08:09,906 --> 00:08:12,006 it's on the TV that day. 152 00:08:12,826 --> 00:08:17,786 So there it's like very polished and very like. 153 00:08:19,342 --> 00:08:22,943 There were like two times that he stopped and was like, I don't like how I phrase 154 00:08:22,943 --> 00:08:23,184 that. 155 00:08:23,184 --> 00:08:25,875 was kind of clunky or like it didn't come out the right way. 156 00:08:25,875 --> 00:08:27,916 Or he said a little bit of the wrong thing. 157 00:08:27,916 --> 00:08:32,267 And he was like, let's, you know, wind it back and I'll do it again. 158 00:08:33,668 --> 00:08:38,300 but it was like so much, like the, was so, so minor that like, I'm not even sure any 159 00:08:38,300 --> 00:08:39,990 of us would have figured it out. 160 00:08:40,071 --> 00:08:47,194 He also does a Q and a before he starts taping and somebody asked him a question 161 00:08:47,194 --> 00:08:48,234 about, 162 00:08:49,334 --> 00:08:51,926 I guess, what's his name? 163 00:08:51,926 --> 00:08:54,838 Peter Jackson, who does the Lord of the Rings movies. 164 00:08:54,839 --> 00:08:59,252 I guess he came out saying that he's going to like do a reboot of something or other. 165 00:08:59,252 --> 00:09:04,497 And so somebody in the audience was like also a Tolkien freak because Colbert is 166 00:09:04,497 --> 00:09:08,930 like a premier, trivial person for Tolkien. 167 00:09:08,930 --> 00:09:11,492 Like he is obsessed with Lord of the Rings. 168 00:09:11,632 --> 00:09:13,954 And so somebody asked. 169 00:09:14,018 --> 00:09:15,718 like, what do you think of this? 170 00:09:15,718 --> 00:09:19,278 And like, you're gonna reboot anything, so it's like, you do it? 171 00:09:19,278 --> 00:09:20,209 blah, blah, blah, blah. 172 00:09:20,209 --> 00:09:25,283 And he went off on like a five minute tangent about how there are like six 173 00:09:25,283 --> 00:09:31,128 chapters that were like never used in any of the movies and how he would do it. 174 00:09:31,128 --> 00:09:35,111 And then he was like quoting lines from those sections of the books. 175 00:09:35,111 --> 00:09:38,864 And it was like, I was like in awe. 176 00:09:38,864 --> 00:09:43,358 I was like, this is, and he was like talking so fast and getting it all out and 177 00:09:43,852 --> 00:09:46,534 And then at the end, he was like, clearly I haven't thought about this at all. 178 00:09:46,534 --> 00:09:49,967 And then he also was like, and also I was on the phone with Peter Jackson, like a 179 00:09:49,967 --> 00:09:51,558 week ago, like talking about this. 180 00:09:51,558 --> 00:09:53,269 And I was like, whoa. 181 00:09:53,449 --> 00:09:58,152 So he was like in hog heaven that somebody had asked him a Tolkien question. 182 00:09:59,534 --> 00:10:00,474 and. 183 00:10:00,575 --> 00:10:05,088 You know, the, the guests were not people that I really knew, but one of them was a 184 00:10:05,088 --> 00:10:06,229 political correspondent. 185 00:10:06,229 --> 00:10:10,465 And so there was a lot of chat about Biden and whether he. 186 00:10:10,465 --> 00:10:12,026 should we look about? 187 00:10:12,026 --> 00:10:15,729 Is it just a money at this point? 188 00:10:15,729 --> 00:10:19,932 is it just a question of providing to be taken off the balance? 189 00:10:19,932 --> 00:10:25,636 Because they're worried that the combo can't do it, or they're worried they're 190 00:10:25,636 --> 00:10:27,764 not going to reach enough money. 191 00:10:27,764 --> 00:10:28,264 November? 192 00:10:28,264 --> 00:10:32,596 You know, like all these different kind of like scenarios and how it plays out and, 193 00:10:32,876 --> 00:10:37,138 you know, and this was taped on Thursday. 194 00:10:37,570 --> 00:10:40,630 we were in the studio at like 6 p .m. 195 00:10:40,630 --> 00:10:42,270 and like at 8 or 9 p .m. 196 00:10:42,270 --> 00:10:44,410 we did a press conference. 197 00:10:44,910 --> 00:10:46,850 So that didn't happen yet. 198 00:10:46,850 --> 00:10:51,030 We're just going to solve it off with his delayed performance. 199 00:10:51,470 --> 00:11:00,450 And I'll carry on to see what is said on his email folder because I had a few worse 200 00:11:00,450 --> 00:11:04,070 phone calls and just generally is acting like an old person. 201 00:11:04,070 --> 00:11:05,810 not with the program anymore. 202 00:11:07,140 --> 00:11:10,932 this in a political debate. 203 00:11:10,932 --> 00:11:19,246 It's just like, the whole, whole thing is talking about, like, this is like a 204 00:11:19,246 --> 00:11:23,210 playwright cocktail, and there are things that are funny, but 205 00:11:23,210 --> 00:11:25,201 were moments that were crap. 206 00:11:25,201 --> 00:11:29,502 It's like, this is like pretty depressing because he's so old. 207 00:11:29,502 --> 00:11:31,522 He's so old and like. 208 00:11:32,272 --> 00:11:37,245 there were all sorts of haircuts before, his lab was for head and not, like, is 209 00:11:37,245 --> 00:11:39,629 supposed to be coming up, like, it's all sort of 210 00:11:39,629 --> 00:11:43,171 where we can't even poke fun at it anymore because it's like that. 211 00:11:43,171 --> 00:11:47,273 So there were just like some more somber moments than that. 212 00:11:47,273 --> 00:11:52,285 was, I guess I was sort of expecting, but like it was more than I was expecting. 213 00:11:53,436 --> 00:11:55,057 but it was still really cool. 214 00:11:55,057 --> 00:11:58,338 And we ate so much good food. 215 00:11:58,664 --> 00:12:01,543 And that's when I was sure we went home. 216 00:12:01,543 --> 00:12:05,205 Museum of Modern Art, which is one of my favorite museums and Jen, my friend that I 217 00:12:05,205 --> 00:12:06,976 went with had actually never been there before. 218 00:12:06,976 --> 00:12:08,566 So that was cool. 219 00:12:09,167 --> 00:12:14,259 And, you know, New York City is one of those things where like I hit day three 220 00:12:14,259 --> 00:12:15,640 and I'm like, hey, I want to go home now. 221 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:20,132 And like that was really hitting by day three for me because I was like, I'm just 222 00:12:20,132 --> 00:12:21,232 so sick of being hot. 223 00:12:21,232 --> 00:12:22,593 Like I don't want to be hot anymore. 224 00:12:22,593 --> 00:12:25,794 Like I don't want to be walking around in and out of Ubers and 225 00:12:25,794 --> 00:12:29,685 I'm at the hotel rinsing off to be able to go to dinner because I smell and you know 226 00:12:29,685 --> 00:12:29,936 what mean? 227 00:12:29,936 --> 00:12:31,506 Like I just was like, I'm ready. 228 00:12:31,506 --> 00:12:33,457 I'm ready to be home. 229 00:12:34,157 --> 00:12:36,428 and that's also kind of a nice feeling, right? 230 00:12:36,428 --> 00:12:39,239 Like of being like, I actually want to go to my home. 231 00:12:40,099 --> 00:12:44,211 so yeah, so I just like, I feel like I haven't been home a lot, which also 232 00:12:44,211 --> 00:12:47,162 probably contributed to me wanting to be 233 00:12:47,928 --> 00:12:52,904 I would also feel after three days in New York City in the height of summer that I 234 00:12:52,904 --> 00:12:53,555 would want to go home. 235 00:12:53,555 --> 00:12:57,069 I feel like it's an intense place to be generally, but even more so if you are 236 00:12:57,069 --> 00:13:00,222 like sweating from every orifice. 237 00:13:01,645 --> 00:13:06,961 My update this week is a slightly bigger update than usual, which is that I quit my 238 00:13:06,961 --> 00:13:07,749 job. 239 00:13:07,749 --> 00:13:08,832 Woo woo! 240 00:13:10,092 --> 00:13:13,391 I don't wanna say it's been a long time coming, but boy, it's been a long time 241 00:13:13,391 --> 00:13:14,236 coming. 242 00:13:14,236 --> 00:13:18,656 this is your first time listening to Plans Are Booked or you aren't as familiar with 243 00:13:18,656 --> 00:13:20,376 my kind of work history. 244 00:13:20,376 --> 00:13:25,496 So I've worked in public relations for the last 15 years, almost actually always in 245 00:13:25,496 --> 00:13:30,456 an agency setting, which has pros and cons, which is a topic for another day. 246 00:13:30,456 --> 00:13:35,516 But I've been thinking for a long, time about transitioning out of this current 247 00:13:35,516 --> 00:13:35,756 role. 248 00:13:35,756 --> 00:13:40,396 I had been in this job for nine and a half years, which is just a long time. 249 00:13:40,516 --> 00:13:42,264 Steph worked much longer at her last company. 250 00:13:42,264 --> 00:13:42,988 You 251 00:13:42,988 --> 00:13:46,111 the longest tenure of anyone sitting around this table, but for me quite a long 252 00:13:46,111 --> 00:13:46,931 time. 253 00:13:47,272 --> 00:13:52,836 And there were a host of reasons why I waited until now, but I think you have to 254 00:13:52,836 --> 00:13:55,639 feel ready to make the leap. 255 00:13:55,639 --> 00:14:00,442 And in my case, I'm not leaving for like another agency role or an in -house job at 256 00:14:00,442 --> 00:14:01,123 another company. 257 00:14:01,123 --> 00:14:03,725 This is really like a huge life change. 258 00:14:04,326 --> 00:14:08,969 So I feel mostly happy, excited, relieved. 259 00:14:09,690 --> 00:14:12,560 Steph and I actually went yesterday to buy my new computer. 260 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:16,382 for this next chapter of my life, so that felt like a big moment. 261 00:14:16,722 --> 00:14:20,573 And I will keep all of you posted as things sort of move forward, but for now, 262 00:14:20,573 --> 00:14:24,546 the short -term plan is just to enjoy the back half of the summer. 263 00:14:24,647 --> 00:14:27,348 I have a couple vacations, including with these girls. 264 00:14:27,348 --> 00:14:32,151 I'm hosting a bunch of family at the beach house and hall, so I'm gonna relax, 265 00:14:32,151 --> 00:14:37,734 decompress, get my ducks in a row, and then I'm sure I'll give a more formal 266 00:14:37,734 --> 00:14:41,806 update here to all of you listeners about the next chapter, but I am feeling 267 00:14:42,224 --> 00:14:47,074 pumped to finally have made this decision and to be charging towards my own 268 00:14:47,074 --> 00:14:48,207 enterprise. 269 00:14:48,230 --> 00:14:50,662 I'm really proud of you for choosing yourself. 270 00:14:50,662 --> 00:14:52,025 That's all I want to say. 271 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:53,941 Thank you, appreciate 272 00:14:55,048 --> 00:15:00,782 I am just so excited for you to do things your way. 273 00:15:01,403 --> 00:15:07,418 And I think that you have been in a lot of professional settings where you have had a 274 00:15:07,418 --> 00:15:14,874 lot of influence on how projects are being done and how, you know, things are being 275 00:15:14,874 --> 00:15:15,515 decided. 276 00:15:15,515 --> 00:15:20,638 But I think the autonomy that you're going to get working for yourself is going to 277 00:15:20,859 --> 00:15:22,800 just be such a high. 278 00:15:23,241 --> 00:15:24,331 And it's a shit ton of 279 00:15:24,331 --> 00:15:29,032 work, working for yourself and having an LLC and setting it all up and 280 00:15:30,496 --> 00:15:33,377 it's a lot of work, but you're not allergic to that. 281 00:15:33,377 --> 00:15:38,870 And you also have been working so hard that now if you know, all of the time and 282 00:15:38,870 --> 00:15:43,271 energy that you're putting into it, you're going to get every dollar that that you 283 00:15:43,271 --> 00:15:43,592 earn. 284 00:15:43,592 --> 00:15:49,094 I think you've spent so much time earning money for other people and that you have 285 00:15:49,094 --> 00:15:54,786 not gotten an appropriate proportion of how much you've worked. 286 00:15:55,646 --> 00:15:59,929 that it's going to feel not much more satisfying and that you are going 287 00:15:59,929 --> 00:16:02,904 be able to build relationships with the right people. 288 00:16:02,904 --> 00:16:06,185 that may be working for an agency that hasn't allowed. 289 00:16:06,665 --> 00:16:10,186 and I think that you have built a lot of really good relationships despite there 290 00:16:10,186 --> 00:16:13,897 being like an agency and a contract and a deadline and a whatever. 291 00:16:13,897 --> 00:16:19,359 And I just think that you are going to be like so much more hands on with how these 292 00:16:19,359 --> 00:16:23,390 companies like launch themselves into the atmosphere and that it's going to 293 00:16:23,783 --> 00:16:25,984 feel a little better and good. 294 00:16:26,367 --> 00:16:31,610 you're going to be able to take on projects at a pace that feels good for you 295 00:16:31,610 --> 00:16:37,452 as opposed to like, we need more clients, we need more clients, book them. 296 00:16:37,452 --> 00:16:41,124 I'll be at the meeting, I'll be at this meeting, I'll be there, I'll drive here, 297 00:16:41,124 --> 00:16:42,014 I'll do, you know what I mean? 298 00:16:42,014 --> 00:16:47,647 Like you'll be able to like really focus on one or two at a time and like really 299 00:16:47,647 --> 00:16:50,098 see them through what it is that they want to do. 300 00:16:50,374 --> 00:16:54,376 coming back, and that's kind of like... 301 00:16:56,174 --> 00:17:04,284 cookie cutter, agency priced, uninviting, not so warm experience. 302 00:17:04,284 --> 00:17:05,971 like, yeah. 303 00:17:05,971 --> 00:17:10,204 for people who maybe aren't as familiar with the PR or marketing agency universe, 304 00:17:10,204 --> 00:17:13,796 I think the difference between working inside of an agency versus working for 305 00:17:13,796 --> 00:17:18,250 yourself is when you work in an agency setting, ultimately everything you do is 306 00:17:18,250 --> 00:17:19,560 what's best for the team. 307 00:17:19,621 --> 00:17:22,533 Even if it's not something you're personally interested in, even if it's not 308 00:17:22,533 --> 00:17:24,588 a client that you get along with. 309 00:17:24,588 --> 00:17:28,470 even if you're having a tough time sort of like selling their story out in the world, 310 00:17:28,470 --> 00:17:31,090 if it's what's best for the team, you move forward. 311 00:17:31,251 --> 00:17:35,773 And I think what's exciting about this new chapter is like, I will have complete and 312 00:17:35,773 --> 00:17:40,274 total say over the types of people I work with, the types of stories I want to tell, 313 00:17:40,274 --> 00:17:42,195 the lengths of the projects. 314 00:17:42,315 --> 00:17:46,817 And you know, when you are inside of someone else's company, someone can always 315 00:17:46,817 --> 00:17:49,138 veto you, as it should be, it's their company. 316 00:17:49,658 --> 00:17:54,050 But I'm looking forward to kind of being the master of my own domain, if you will. 317 00:17:54,905 --> 00:18:01,394 So big thanks also to these gals who have listened to a lot of venting and sitting 318 00:18:01,394 --> 00:18:04,909 on the fence and all kinds of other conversations over the last couple years 319 00:18:04,909 --> 00:18:08,723 while I tried to like get the courage to do this and I'm excited that it's 320 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,605 Really excited for you. 321 00:18:13,312 --> 00:18:20,545 It's going to be major and also like I don't I don't want to like say, my God, 322 00:18:20,545 --> 00:18:22,106 the podcast is going to get even better. 323 00:18:22,106 --> 00:18:23,917 But like I think the podcast might get better. 324 00:18:23,917 --> 00:18:31,329 I know listeners probably think that that's not even possible, but I just think 325 00:18:31,330 --> 00:18:33,771 that we are going to. 326 00:18:35,151 --> 00:18:38,763 Steph and I already have like pretty flexible schedules and I feel like Molly's 327 00:18:38,763 --> 00:18:41,554 going to have a more flexible schedule and. 328 00:18:41,942 --> 00:18:48,136 it's just going to make things like things just get better in so many ways. 329 00:18:48,136 --> 00:18:53,350 And like, as somebody who was in a very high stress environment job for a decade 330 00:18:53,470 --> 00:19:03,047 and stepped down, can't, I'm so like the anticipation for me of what your life is 331 00:19:03,047 --> 00:19:06,649 about to be is like, I'm going to, you know how there's like secondhand 332 00:19:06,649 --> 00:19:07,220 embarrassment. 333 00:19:07,220 --> 00:19:09,021 I'm going to get like secondhand euphoria. 334 00:19:09,021 --> 00:19:10,843 I'm going to be like, I remember. 335 00:19:10,843 --> 00:19:11,263 know. 336 00:19:11,263 --> 00:19:14,128 I just want that to be my work. 337 00:19:14,128 --> 00:19:19,060 went from five days to three and I didn't have to like grade papers on the weekends 338 00:19:19,060 --> 00:19:23,083 anymore or answer parent emails or do any of that stuff that I couldn't stand. 339 00:19:23,083 --> 00:19:27,124 And I don't know what the equivalent of that is for you, nor do I need to know. 340 00:19:27,124 --> 00:19:30,887 But like, I know that there's gonna, there's a laundry list of things that 341 00:19:30,887 --> 00:19:34,489 you're going to be like, like Sunday scaries, probably not going to really be 342 00:19:34,489 --> 00:19:35,800 much of a thing for you anymore. 343 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,542 And like, you know, being able to 344 00:19:39,726 --> 00:19:41,246 Start your meetings at 10 a .m. 345 00:19:41,246 --> 00:19:44,026 because that's what you feel like doing and that's what's best for your dog 346 00:19:44,026 --> 00:19:44,466 schedule. 347 00:19:44,466 --> 00:19:48,326 Like there's gonna be so many things that you're gonna be like, I didn't even know 348 00:19:48,326 --> 00:19:51,139 that this was gonna make me happy and it does. 349 00:19:51,139 --> 00:19:55,452 Let me just say that for years now I have like texted her every once in a while 350 00:19:55,452 --> 00:19:58,694 being like, I wish you could come have lunch with me or something. 351 00:19:58,694 --> 00:20:02,226 And like now we could go get so for breakfast before work and 352 00:20:02,650 --> 00:20:03,070 Totally. 353 00:20:03,070 --> 00:20:05,771 Steph and I, as you may know if you've been listening for a long time, live 354 00:20:05,771 --> 00:20:07,001 around the corner from each other. 355 00:20:07,001 --> 00:20:10,412 And so every now and again, when there's like a beautiful weather day, I would text 356 00:20:10,412 --> 00:20:14,513 her and be like, I can't believe that I'm chained to my computer right now and I 357 00:20:14,513 --> 00:20:17,664 can't like do anything fun with you or like come out and play. 358 00:20:17,724 --> 00:20:19,274 It's like, can Molly come out and play? 359 00:20:19,274 --> 00:20:21,125 The answer was always no. 360 00:20:21,365 --> 00:20:23,025 So I'm very excited about that. 361 00:20:23,025 --> 00:20:26,616 And also to what you were saying, Caitlin, I know there's going to be so many changes 362 00:20:26,616 --> 00:20:30,307 that I like don't even know yet and things I'm going to discover as I start like 363 00:20:30,307 --> 00:20:32,688 decompressing is really the work because 364 00:20:32,794 --> 00:20:35,785 The work situation has really been a pressure cooker for the last couple of 365 00:20:35,785 --> 00:20:39,207 years, especially for reasons that I don't need to get into here, but like it's been 366 00:20:39,207 --> 00:20:42,988 very intense and very emotionally taxing. 367 00:20:42,988 --> 00:20:48,180 And I think as I like move out of this, I'm sure there's just going to be so many 368 00:20:48,180 --> 00:20:52,622 new things I discover, whether it's about how to organize my day or like ability to 369 00:20:52,622 --> 00:20:56,194 see people with more frequency or like just go to like the F and dry cleaner 370 00:20:56,194 --> 00:20:59,815 before it closes, like things that I just normally can't do. 371 00:20:59,815 --> 00:21:02,476 So I think that's going to be awesome. 372 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,680 Um, and just having more like flexibility and who I work with, how I work with them. 373 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,460 Obviously when you work for an agency, there are certain requirements in order to 374 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:13,320 take them on because it's not just you, it's the team. 375 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,780 Like I said, it's the team versus your own independent decision -making. 376 00:21:16,780 --> 00:21:25,360 So, um, this is a big, big new chapter and I am turning 40 in September and I really 377 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:28,120 committed to myself that I wanted to make this change before my birthday. 378 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:32,174 And I'm just so happy that I'm going to go into this new decade. 379 00:21:32,174 --> 00:21:33,431 on my own terms. 380 00:21:35,192 --> 00:21:36,112 Hooray. 381 00:21:36,843 --> 00:21:39,864 it's going to be, it's going to be awesome. 382 00:21:40,124 --> 00:21:44,276 And I just feel like Thursdays and Fridays, like, hello, the three of us are 383 00:21:44,276 --> 00:21:48,278 going to be like, footloose and fancy, not footloose and fancy. 384 00:21:48,278 --> 00:21:53,420 Obviously we all have obligations, but like, you know, if we want to meet midday 385 00:21:53,420 --> 00:21:58,372 and like grab lunch and record a pod, we can freaking do it. 386 00:21:58,372 --> 00:22:02,124 It's going to be, or if we want to go to Molly's Beach House on a day that's not 387 00:22:02,124 --> 00:22:03,067 the weekend. 388 00:22:03,067 --> 00:22:03,724 Amen. 389 00:22:03,724 --> 00:22:04,506 You know what I mean? 390 00:22:04,506 --> 00:22:05,729 Or go to a matinee. 391 00:22:05,729 --> 00:22:07,564 How about a matinee mall? 392 00:22:07,564 --> 00:22:08,667 How about 393 00:22:08,667 --> 00:22:12,939 I feel like you're like talking dirty to me right now. 394 00:22:13,164 --> 00:22:17,637 I have to tell you all of the errands that you're like, my God, like the pharmacy or 395 00:22:17,637 --> 00:22:20,850 like any of those things that you like dread doing. 396 00:22:20,850 --> 00:22:23,672 Now you can do them like the grocery store. 397 00:22:23,672 --> 00:22:26,725 You don't have to go into the grocery store on the weekend ever again, if you 398 00:22:26,725 --> 00:22:29,316 don't want to, because you don't have to. 399 00:22:29,517 --> 00:22:35,602 And just those like little freedoms are like, at even booking like doctor's 400 00:22:35,602 --> 00:22:36,703 appointments. 401 00:22:36,703 --> 00:22:37,383 Amazing. 402 00:22:37,383 --> 00:22:40,866 When you have a weekday that you can like do that kind of stuff. 403 00:22:40,989 --> 00:22:47,514 have a golf pin and a cell phone or whatever, but I don't think it is hard. 404 00:22:47,575 --> 00:22:50,337 And having dates where you can like, 405 00:22:50,421 --> 00:22:53,243 actually book things that are important for yourself. 406 00:22:53,243 --> 00:22:57,345 Like, Ooh, Mo, we got to get on the schedule for a mammogram. 407 00:22:57,646 --> 00:22:59,187 Have you booked yours yet? 408 00:22:59,607 --> 00:23:00,728 Yeah, I got a book. 409 00:23:00,728 --> 00:23:04,641 I'm going to book mine because mine's coming in the spring, but it probably is 410 00:23:04,641 --> 00:23:05,411 like far out. 411 00:23:05,411 --> 00:23:07,372 So have you had one yet? 412 00:23:08,454 --> 00:23:09,134 Okay, good. 413 00:23:09,134 --> 00:23:10,862 doctor was like, you need to do 414 00:23:10,862 --> 00:23:11,862 Yeah. 415 00:23:11,862 --> 00:23:12,082 Yeah. 416 00:23:12,082 --> 00:23:15,102 I should probably just get mine booked now for when I turn 40. 417 00:23:15,102 --> 00:23:19,102 But yeah, Ellie is turning 40 in October and she just booked hers too. 418 00:23:19,102 --> 00:23:21,442 So it's all happening, but it won't be hard. 419 00:23:21,442 --> 00:23:23,600 You'll have so many days to pick from to do 420 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,702 Freedom and squishing of the boobs. 421 00:23:25,702 --> 00:23:27,444 It's all happening. 422 00:23:29,154 --> 00:23:31,279 Listen, this is what we have to do. 423 00:23:31,279 --> 00:23:34,766 this is you want to go to Costco on a Friday morning? 424 00:23:34,766 --> 00:23:36,279 Go to Costco on a Friday morning. 425 00:23:36,279 --> 00:23:37,000 Amazing. 426 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,507 I like never run errands on the weekend anymore because like why? 427 00:23:40,672 --> 00:23:42,464 It's punishment on yourself. 428 00:23:42,464 --> 00:23:43,404 Yeah. 429 00:23:43,945 --> 00:23:47,328 When given the opportunity, pick the weekday. 430 00:23:47,469 --> 00:23:48,410 Seriously. 431 00:23:48,410 --> 00:23:49,631 Market basket. 432 00:23:49,631 --> 00:23:52,354 It's a dream if you go like when people are at their jobs. 433 00:23:52,354 --> 00:23:53,314 the peak. 434 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:57,780 I'm sure you guys will advise me on what are the peak times of day to be doing all 435 00:23:57,780 --> 00:24:00,880 of my errands that used to be at like 7 a .m. 436 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,300 or 9 p .m. 437 00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:05,700 Well, I did have a business idea once upon a time that I was gonna call midnight 438 00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:10,100 manicures where manicurists would come to your house between 9 p .m. 439 00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:13,920 and midnight to do your nails because those of us corporate girlies really can't 440 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:15,700 do it any other time. 441 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:17,440 I think I would have crushed. 442 00:24:18,622 --> 00:24:20,185 I feel like you still could. 443 00:24:20,185 --> 00:24:20,999 yeah. 444 00:24:22,632 --> 00:24:24,142 Copyrighted, no one take this. 445 00:24:24,142 --> 00:24:29,042 Um, I don't know how often my friend Natasha listens to this, she would 100 % 446 00:24:29,042 --> 00:24:30,041 take you up on 447 00:24:30,041 --> 00:24:33,525 everyone I know who works a traditional corporate job like when I would float that 448 00:24:33,525 --> 00:24:36,718 by them they're like yes done where and how much do I pay 449 00:24:37,870 --> 00:24:38,770 It's a good idea. 450 00:24:38,770 --> 00:24:40,370 It's a really good idea. 451 00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:41,270 Okay. 452 00:24:41,270 --> 00:24:47,450 We're getting into a book this week called, Even If It Breaks Your Heart by 453 00:24:47,450 --> 00:24:48,990 Aaron Hahn. 454 00:24:49,190 --> 00:24:52,750 And Even If It Breaks Your Heart is a line from a country song, if you don't know 455 00:24:52,750 --> 00:24:53,730 that. 456 00:24:53,730 --> 00:25:01,010 And so this book is, it's young adult, but the, the young adults that are in it are 457 00:25:01,010 --> 00:25:02,910 like 18, 19 years old. 458 00:25:02,910 --> 00:25:06,110 And they're dealing with some like really adult stuff. 459 00:25:06,502 --> 00:25:10,955 I was at the library and I always check out the young adult section because I like 460 00:25:10,955 --> 00:25:12,145 young adult lit. 461 00:25:12,145 --> 00:25:19,069 And this was in the like new book section, which is like where I always start. 462 00:25:19,610 --> 00:25:26,184 And because I've been reading Steph's book over and over again, as she edits it and 463 00:25:26,184 --> 00:25:33,008 has other iterations of it, I was like, okay, so this cover and this title kind of 464 00:25:33,008 --> 00:25:33,858 has 465 00:25:33,966 --> 00:25:37,086 Steph's book Golden Hour like written all over it. 466 00:25:37,086 --> 00:25:41,566 And I feel like I'll get this and I'll just give it to her and she can read it 467 00:25:41,566 --> 00:25:44,386 for like her own research. 468 00:25:45,526 --> 00:25:51,326 And then I was like looking at the inside cover again, and I was like, I haven't 469 00:25:51,326 --> 00:25:52,986 read a YA book in a minute. 470 00:25:52,986 --> 00:25:56,646 I was like, maybe I'll just sit down and look at this. 471 00:25:56,646 --> 00:26:00,126 And I sat down and read like 130 pages is what happened. 472 00:26:00,126 --> 00:26:01,526 That's how this went down. 473 00:26:01,526 --> 00:26:03,706 I think I read it in two sittings. 474 00:26:04,599 --> 00:26:06,120 this often before. 475 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:08,080 She has a bunch of other books. 476 00:26:08,201 --> 00:26:10,302 Some are old, some are new. 477 00:26:10,682 --> 00:26:20,527 And this book has so many different things going on within me. 478 00:26:20,627 --> 00:26:24,098 This is a pretty good point. 479 00:26:24,098 --> 00:26:27,049 boy that lives on a ranch in Texas. 480 00:26:27,489 --> 00:26:31,771 And he and his best friend Walker were like on the trajectory of being like 481 00:26:31,771 --> 00:26:35,471 professional, like rodeo competitors. 482 00:26:36,232 --> 00:26:42,764 And Walker, it's never said what he has, but I felt like he had cystic fibrosis or 483 00:26:42,764 --> 00:26:44,150 some kind of lung disease. 484 00:26:44,150 --> 00:26:45,558 a cancer feel to me. 485 00:26:45,558 --> 00:26:50,302 Okay, so he had some kind of disease with his lungs during COVID. 486 00:26:51,103 --> 00:26:55,206 And yes, he had been ill for a while. 487 00:26:56,428 --> 00:27:02,392 And he passes away and he has already passed away when the book starts. 488 00:27:02,593 --> 00:27:07,577 And case is like reeling from that and is trying 489 00:27:09,062 --> 00:27:11,053 who he is about to get rid of. 490 00:27:11,053 --> 00:27:16,134 And often it's also about him, this place would like to not get rid of the saints. 491 00:27:16,134 --> 00:27:22,366 Like it's often the case that not a single saint you should try to get rid the 492 00:27:22,366 --> 00:27:22,956 saints. 493 00:27:22,956 --> 00:27:24,666 for him. 494 00:27:24,666 --> 00:27:28,937 And other saints like the friend who's home with him. 495 00:27:28,937 --> 00:27:31,217 And he is like, who she is. 496 00:27:31,217 --> 00:27:33,798 to find out she's a ranch hand. 497 00:27:33,984 --> 00:27:35,365 on his family's farm. 498 00:27:35,365 --> 00:27:36,806 And this is like not any farm. 499 00:27:36,806 --> 00:27:39,519 This is like supposedly one of the biggest ranches in Texas. 500 00:27:39,519 --> 00:27:43,952 And they like, you know, they have like a touristy aspect to it where like people 501 00:27:43,952 --> 00:27:48,146 come and like, you know, get taken on tours where they ride horses around this 502 00:27:48,146 --> 00:27:50,247 property, et cetera, et cetera. 503 00:27:50,668 --> 00:27:57,854 And Case is an only child and you know, his mom passed away when he was a baby. 504 00:27:57,854 --> 00:28:02,938 And so it's just him and his kind of like rugged ranch. 505 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:04,460 old crudad. 506 00:28:04,901 --> 00:28:10,663 And there just aren't really a lot of people around until a guy, Case, a 507 00:28:10,663 --> 00:28:17,106 mentally healthy way, processed this rape of his best friend one. 508 00:28:17,587 --> 00:28:20,514 And so he's just like, being ready. 509 00:28:20,514 --> 00:28:26,094 Like he's being like an 18 year old boy, like he's kind of fucking around like, 510 00:28:26,094 --> 00:28:31,454 isn't going to college right away, drinking too much, seeing a bunch of 511 00:28:31,454 --> 00:28:32,610 different girls. 512 00:28:32,610 --> 00:28:37,481 then he realizes that this wood here apparently works in that ranch and that 513 00:28:37,481 --> 00:28:39,872 off it is trying to get out and be like. 514 00:28:39,905 --> 00:28:41,766 didn't know anything about her. 515 00:28:42,086 --> 00:28:48,950 And there are just all these like signs pointing to like they both need a friend 516 00:28:48,950 --> 00:28:51,971 because she works at the ranch. 517 00:28:51,971 --> 00:28:53,802 Her family has a lot of stuff going on. 518 00:28:53,802 --> 00:28:57,654 I don't want to give too much away because it's kind of like revealed throughout the 519 00:28:57,654 --> 00:28:58,025 book, 520 00:28:58,025 --> 00:29:03,658 but her life situation and her life situation are like the complete opposite 521 00:29:03,658 --> 00:29:12,402 of case, but they both love horses and they both love like rodeo life, and he has 522 00:29:12,402 --> 00:29:16,040 the opportunity to rise to the top and she was 523 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:20,334 really have any opportunities because she doesn't even own her own horse. 524 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:21,210 herself. 525 00:29:21,210 --> 00:29:25,351 So if you want to be more careful with your career concepts, go hold her out if 526 00:29:25,351 --> 00:29:28,542 you're sure she doesn't really know how to resolve her problems. 527 00:29:28,542 --> 00:29:32,153 Make sure you're just saying, I'm disappointed with my life. 528 00:29:32,153 --> 00:29:38,334 We need find the responsibilities to help ourselves to get our thoughts out about 529 00:29:38,334 --> 00:29:39,995 any of stuff. 530 00:29:39,995 --> 00:29:41,835 And then of course, there's a family aspect to it. 531 00:29:41,835 --> 00:29:44,128 You can talk about love. 532 00:29:44,128 --> 00:29:46,910 But I thought this was. 533 00:29:48,264 --> 00:29:50,787 Such a refreshing story. 534 00:29:50,787 --> 00:29:57,254 Like I really felt like case's grief and that whole storyline made it like a 535 00:29:57,254 --> 00:30:03,290 richer, more complex story than a typical like YA ranch cowboy romance. 536 00:30:04,773 --> 00:30:10,474 Can I start by saying I think this is the first library book I have read in like 20 537 00:30:10,474 --> 00:30:12,074 something years. 538 00:30:15,482 --> 00:30:19,495 I was wondering, and I really didn't know what to do with it. 539 00:30:19,495 --> 00:30:27,019 It came to me, you know, I just thought, which is a problem. 540 00:30:27,022 --> 00:30:32,362 And it made me think that maybe I should actually go to the Watertown Library and 541 00:30:32,362 --> 00:30:33,401 get a library card. 542 00:30:33,401 --> 00:30:37,942 And maybe this is the year at 41 that I will actually do that. 543 00:30:38,242 --> 00:30:43,782 Although I did want to like, not worry about the, you know, I read it at the 544 00:30:43,782 --> 00:30:44,002 beach. 545 00:30:44,002 --> 00:30:46,044 So I was like concerned about like getting... 546 00:30:46,044 --> 00:30:47,517 suntan lotion on it and all that stuff. 547 00:30:47,517 --> 00:30:52,065 But I think maybe this is the year that I get a library card because I haven't had 548 00:30:52,065 --> 00:30:54,528 one since I was maybe in my teens. 549 00:30:56,194 --> 00:30:58,880 That is capital B bonkers to me. 550 00:30:59,263 --> 00:31:01,667 Capital B bonkers. 551 00:31:01,970 --> 00:31:02,491 It's free. 552 00:31:02,491 --> 00:31:03,753 I don't know if you knew. 553 00:31:04,629 --> 00:31:08,481 I was gonna say to when I buy books I just tell myself that I'm stimulating the 554 00:31:08,481 --> 00:31:10,692 economy and that's how I like get over 555 00:31:10,938 --> 00:31:15,946 And I'm always saying like the germaphobe in me has really tough time touching these 556 00:31:15,946 --> 00:31:19,632 pages, but I got, I got past it. 557 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,365 I should have thought of that, but I didn't. 558 00:31:21,365 --> 00:31:24,853 She who doesn't want outside clothes sitting on her couch, of course doesn't 559 00:31:24,853 --> 00:31:26,486 want to hold a library book. 560 00:31:26,516 --> 00:31:32,481 I worked in this school for so long that if I had any concerns over germs, I would 561 00:31:32,481 --> 00:31:34,362 have perished a long time ago. 562 00:31:36,750 --> 00:31:42,194 I wanted to read a section because when I read this I was like, my god, it's me. 563 00:31:44,356 --> 00:31:47,678 There's another section too, but this is the one that I really wanted to share. 564 00:31:47,999 --> 00:31:51,022 This is at the beginning of the book, and it's not giving anything away. 565 00:31:51,022 --> 00:31:53,543 This is from the perspective of Winnie. 566 00:31:54,184 --> 00:31:56,096 There are two types of people in this world. 567 00:31:56,096 --> 00:32:00,919 The ones that think quote unquote barn is the best smell ever invented and those who 568 00:32:00,919 --> 00:32:01,948 are wrong. 569 00:32:01,948 --> 00:32:05,820 Joanna Gaines could bottle this up, combine it with beeswax, drop it in a 570 00:32:05,820 --> 00:32:09,911 refurbished tin can, and make the target crowd go spare. 571 00:32:09,911 --> 00:32:11,162 It's that good. 572 00:32:11,162 --> 00:32:12,242 And it doesn't change. 573 00:32:12,242 --> 00:32:14,443 English style, Western style. 574 00:32:14,563 --> 00:32:18,525 North or south, mountains or plains, a stable is a stable is a stable, and it 575 00:32:18,525 --> 00:32:20,406 always smells like coming home. 576 00:32:20,406 --> 00:32:22,946 Getting your shit together, finding your center. 577 00:32:23,147 --> 00:32:25,357 I will say though, it's actually my second favorite smell. 578 00:32:25,357 --> 00:32:29,129 My first favorite smell is my cat's, which I know is weird, but if you have animals, 579 00:32:29,129 --> 00:32:31,250 you know that that is your favorite smell. 580 00:32:31,730 --> 00:32:37,102 There is something about, I think it's because like Thursday mornings, I'm often 581 00:32:37,102 --> 00:32:39,593 the only one in the barn when I'm like tacking up the ponies. 582 00:32:39,593 --> 00:32:43,945 And there's something about like the darkness of like the sun is outside, but 583 00:32:43,945 --> 00:32:48,287 inside it's still dark and everyone's quietly in their stall. 584 00:32:48,287 --> 00:32:50,918 there's, you don't really smell the manure. 585 00:32:50,918 --> 00:32:53,739 think people often think like it's going to smell like poop in there, but it 586 00:32:53,739 --> 00:32:54,640 doesn't. 587 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:55,860 It's the hay. 588 00:32:55,860 --> 00:32:59,982 And it's also like the worn, worn leather. 589 00:33:00,732 --> 00:33:06,208 little bit of metal, something about the like animal horsehair smell. 590 00:33:06,208 --> 00:33:09,172 I know that like some people are like, this sounds horrible. 591 00:33:09,172 --> 00:33:13,957 It is like if I could actually bottle it, not that I would rub myself in it or 592 00:33:13,957 --> 00:33:18,092 something, but if it came in a candle for sure, a legitimate candle, I would be 593 00:33:18,092 --> 00:33:20,524 buying that by bulk. 594 00:33:20,866 --> 00:33:21,806 Anyways. 595 00:33:22,224 --> 00:33:26,504 We did buy a candle called Gallop that we used to burn here quite a lot. 596 00:33:27,504 --> 00:33:29,844 I have so much to say about this book. 597 00:33:29,924 --> 00:33:32,124 Also, I don't tend to read that many library books. 598 00:33:32,124 --> 00:33:35,124 So I also, as I was holding it in my hand, was like, oh my God, the library. 599 00:33:35,124 --> 00:33:36,604 Like, this is wonderful. 600 00:33:37,424 --> 00:33:39,284 I don't read that much YA. 601 00:33:39,284 --> 00:33:42,284 I really only started reading it because of these gals. 602 00:33:42,364 --> 00:33:46,804 And I was not even like 10 pages into this book when I was like, this is so good. 603 00:33:46,804 --> 00:33:50,164 And I feel like there are many people like me that tend to be like, oh, YA, I don't 604 00:33:50,164 --> 00:33:50,844 know. 605 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,723 I just feel like people should ignore that label. 606 00:33:54,723 --> 00:34:00,007 If you think that that makes somehow a less sophisticated or less interesting or 607 00:34:00,007 --> 00:34:03,570 less complex, this book was so funny. 608 00:34:03,570 --> 00:34:05,711 I laughed out loud so much. 609 00:34:05,806 --> 00:34:09,399 She kept, she was reading it on the beach as well and she kept like pausing and 610 00:34:09,399 --> 00:34:13,737 turning to me and like making like her like, my god, I can't believe this face. 611 00:34:13,737 --> 00:34:16,458 And I didn't read out loud to Steph because she had already read it, but I was 612 00:34:16,458 --> 00:34:17,779 just like, I just got to this part. 613 00:34:17,779 --> 00:34:19,100 just got to this part. 614 00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:20,802 The banter in this book is excellent. 615 00:34:20,802 --> 00:34:23,714 Like we've talked a lot about Lynn Painter as kind of being like the master of 616 00:34:23,714 --> 00:34:26,245 banter, but this was very close second. 617 00:34:26,426 --> 00:34:32,309 I also felt like, and Caitlin said this already, but the kind of undercurrent of 618 00:34:32,390 --> 00:34:36,233 coping with grief, how that impacts somebody's life long -term, the way it 619 00:34:36,233 --> 00:34:39,415 impacts your decision -making, how you view yourself in relation to the person 620 00:34:39,415 --> 00:34:39,945 that you lost. 621 00:34:39,945 --> 00:34:41,436 There was just a lot 622 00:34:42,096 --> 00:34:44,257 complex feelings around that. 623 00:34:44,658 --> 00:34:48,841 I think their romance is also very real. 624 00:34:48,841 --> 00:34:50,932 There are real differences. 625 00:34:50,932 --> 00:34:54,985 know, Caitlin talked about sort of the haves and the have -nots, but there's more 626 00:34:54,985 --> 00:34:55,345 than that. 627 00:34:55,345 --> 00:34:59,358 There's ways about sort of the way Winnie has all these obligations, a thing he can 628 00:34:59,358 --> 00:35:00,829 never really understand. 629 00:35:00,829 --> 00:35:04,251 There's ways he's experiencing this deep loss, which like she can't really 630 00:35:04,251 --> 00:35:05,311 understand. 631 00:35:06,262 --> 00:35:09,174 Just, I don't know, I keep coming back to the word like sophisticated. 632 00:35:09,174 --> 00:35:12,996 It feels so much more to me than what I think most people would think of when they 633 00:35:12,996 --> 00:35:14,657 think about a YA book. 634 00:35:14,657 --> 00:35:19,120 We've talked on this podcast about the book Done and Dusted, which is another 635 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:20,801 sort of Westerny story. 636 00:35:20,801 --> 00:35:23,383 I love this setting for books. 637 00:35:23,383 --> 00:35:29,127 Like, I think there's something really, just that like anchors the story when 638 00:35:29,127 --> 00:35:31,628 things are set in this kind of universe 639 00:35:31,983 --> 00:35:33,723 horse riding, ranching, rodeo. 640 00:35:33,723 --> 00:35:37,723 It's just like, kind of know what the environment is that you're dropping into 641 00:35:37,723 --> 00:35:38,923 for the story. 642 00:35:39,003 --> 00:35:44,503 I also agree with Caitlin that this is so similar to your manuscript, which just 643 00:35:44,503 --> 00:35:47,683 deepens my belief that it's going to find a home at a traditional publishing house 644 00:35:47,683 --> 00:35:48,703 and get out into the world. 645 00:35:48,703 --> 00:35:52,843 Because I feel like the people who love A Done and Dusted or will read this book, 646 00:35:52,843 --> 00:35:54,603 even if it breaks your heart. 647 00:35:54,763 --> 00:35:58,823 Golden Hour by Stephanie Blackburn, hopefully coming to press in 2025 is also 648 00:35:58,823 --> 00:36:01,483 going to blow your mind because it's very similar. 649 00:36:02,848 --> 00:36:06,169 yeah, I would just say above all, if you think you're not a YA person, read this 650 00:36:06,169 --> 00:36:12,011 book because you will love it like you loved any other romance book. 651 00:36:12,091 --> 00:36:17,973 And there are great side characters here, other family members, coaches and mentors. 652 00:36:17,973 --> 00:36:22,644 Like there's lots of strong people in the community that she created. 653 00:36:22,874 --> 00:36:26,015 and I hope that there can be more of their story. 654 00:36:26,015 --> 00:36:29,146 I don't know if there will be another book, but I would love to read it if there 655 00:36:29,146 --> 00:36:29,816 is. 656 00:36:30,472 --> 00:36:36,564 I think many years ago, YA was sort of positioned as like, or maybe this isn't 657 00:36:36,564 --> 00:36:40,195 true and it's just in my head, but it was positioned as like, if you're this age, 658 00:36:40,195 --> 00:36:41,996 this is what you read. 659 00:36:42,116 --> 00:36:46,237 And I think people are realizing now that like you don't have to be in your teens to 660 00:36:46,237 --> 00:36:48,772 appreciate a story about teenagers. 661 00:36:48,772 --> 00:36:51,123 And I can tell you when I think that started to shift. 662 00:36:51,123 --> 00:36:53,434 I think it started to shift with Harry Potter. 663 00:36:53,735 --> 00:36:56,076 Like I think that got the ball rolling. 664 00:36:56,316 --> 00:37:00,849 I think Hunger Games really pushed that agenda of who should be reading this and 665 00:37:00,849 --> 00:37:03,200 who's the audience and what's it for. 666 00:37:04,701 --> 00:37:11,084 I think that Divergent also like reeled some people in and I think Twilight 667 00:37:11,465 --> 00:37:14,386 because all those books are YA but 668 00:37:14,782 --> 00:37:18,054 managed to capture huge adult audiences. 669 00:37:18,054 --> 00:37:22,607 And then when they came out as movies, who's paying to see these movies? 670 00:37:23,088 --> 00:37:24,829 Teenagers, but also adults. 671 00:37:24,829 --> 00:37:28,111 Like you had people that were like, I'm going to take my mom to go see Katniss. 672 00:37:28,111 --> 00:37:30,773 Like, this is what I'm going to do with my Saturday. 673 00:37:30,773 --> 00:37:37,708 So I think that really pushed a lot of it and made people way more aware of young 674 00:37:37,708 --> 00:37:39,699 adult books. 675 00:37:39,759 --> 00:37:43,382 you know, think about how many adults watch teen movies, right? 676 00:37:43,382 --> 00:37:44,141 And 677 00:37:44,141 --> 00:37:49,805 I love TV movies and I think people are gonna watch them. 678 00:37:49,805 --> 00:37:53,457 Pie, there's like no reason why I can't like pick up a YA book, you know? 679 00:37:53,457 --> 00:37:58,851 And so I think a lot of those like dystopian series really caught the 680 00:37:58,851 --> 00:38:00,001 attention of a lot of people. 681 00:38:00,001 --> 00:38:02,773 And then more people were like, I love YA. 682 00:38:02,773 --> 00:38:05,514 Like I can read whatever I want, whenever I want. 683 00:38:06,495 --> 00:38:09,977 Another thing that I think that this book does really well is 684 00:38:13,206 --> 00:38:17,189 It's charming and it's funny, but I also got teared up at a couple of points. 685 00:38:17,189 --> 00:38:22,634 And it's not because Walker is dead and his best friend is like gone, which is 686 00:38:22,634 --> 00:38:23,754 upsetting. 687 00:38:24,315 --> 00:38:32,502 But there are real moments of adulthood and coming of age happening and Winnie and 688 00:38:32,502 --> 00:38:37,506 Case both make pretty big decisions towards the end of the book about what the 689 00:38:37,506 --> 00:38:40,999 next chapter of their lives are going to be and what that's going to look like and 690 00:38:40,999 --> 00:38:42,250 what they want. 691 00:38:42,484 --> 00:38:48,137 And Case in particular, the decision that he makes like really made me teary because 692 00:38:48,318 --> 00:38:50,619 it wasn't what his dad would be expecting. 693 00:38:50,619 --> 00:38:52,880 don't, I think he surprised himself. 694 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:59,244 And I think that his friendship with Walker really motivated a lot of it in a 695 00:38:59,244 --> 00:39:01,375 really like beautiful way. 696 00:39:01,375 --> 00:39:08,259 And I feel like in YA in particular, we don't see a ton of really close guy 697 00:39:08,259 --> 00:39:09,690 relationships. 698 00:39:09,782 --> 00:39:14,231 and so that was a great connection even it sounds like talking about often past tense 699 00:39:14,231 --> 00:39:15,052 like 700 00:39:17,297 --> 00:39:18,838 I would give this book to a guy. 701 00:39:18,838 --> 00:39:20,520 I'd be like, give this a shot. 702 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:25,594 Like it might not totally be for you, but the main character really is Case. 703 00:39:25,594 --> 00:39:26,985 It's not Winnie. 704 00:39:27,265 --> 00:39:32,870 And I feel like most YA books, particularly romance ones, are not based 705 00:39:32,870 --> 00:39:33,401 on the guy. 706 00:39:33,401 --> 00:39:34,572 They're based on the girl. 707 00:39:34,572 --> 00:39:37,524 And this was really like different and interesting. 708 00:39:37,804 --> 00:39:41,224 Molly, did you read the acknowledgments and did you find anything interesting 709 00:39:41,224 --> 00:39:41,675 about them? 710 00:39:41,675 --> 00:39:43,394 Because I had a couple comments. 711 00:39:43,394 --> 00:39:45,871 I did read the acknowledgments, but you begin. 712 00:39:46,070 --> 00:39:50,814 Okay, so Aaron Hahn lost... 713 00:39:51,695 --> 00:39:55,398 It's either a friend and a family member or two family members. 714 00:39:55,842 --> 00:39:57,845 of his or two family members. 715 00:39:57,845 --> 00:39:59,547 I think it was two family members, wasn't it? 716 00:39:59,547 --> 00:40:02,471 Father -in -law and someone else. 717 00:40:02,471 --> 00:40:03,645 Yeah, I can't remember. 718 00:40:03,645 --> 00:40:09,316 let's call it two close people to her got COVID pre -vaccine and died. 719 00:40:09,476 --> 00:40:14,058 And she was in the midst of writing this book when that happened. 720 00:40:14,258 --> 00:40:18,429 So she says, everybody says they have a book that almost killed them when they 721 00:40:18,429 --> 00:40:19,079 were writing it. 722 00:40:19,079 --> 00:40:20,620 And she's like, this was mine. 723 00:40:20,620 --> 00:40:26,581 And she also said that she thinks she's going to step away from YA for a while and 724 00:40:26,581 --> 00:40:28,782 focus more on adult books. 725 00:40:29,174 --> 00:40:32,716 I'm not sure if those things are related to each other for any reason. 726 00:40:33,437 --> 00:40:35,148 But I thought that that was interesting. 727 00:40:35,148 --> 00:40:38,130 She has another book coming out in the fall that looks really good. 728 00:40:38,130 --> 00:40:42,642 And I also have another one of her books from the library in my stack right now. 729 00:40:43,363 --> 00:40:46,425 In addition to that, she herself has cancer right now. 730 00:40:46,645 --> 00:40:51,038 And she has been tweeting photos on her Instagram of, you know, this is today's 731 00:40:51,038 --> 00:40:51,949 bandana. 732 00:40:51,949 --> 00:40:53,009 I'm feeling good. 733 00:40:53,009 --> 00:40:54,290 I'm on the up and 734 00:40:54,949 --> 00:40:59,142 You know, whenever you feel tired, I'm going to try to get a drink and I'm going 735 00:40:59,142 --> 00:41:01,314 to say, I'm going say good -bye. 736 00:41:01,314 --> 00:41:05,487 And I'm going to calibrate with the bucks. 737 00:41:05,487 --> 00:41:06,553 So, good. 738 00:41:06,553 --> 00:41:10,505 vibes and also to your point about her mentioning how hard it was to get through 739 00:41:10,505 --> 00:41:10,885 this. 740 00:41:10,885 --> 00:41:17,049 remember when I read that section thinking to myself, if this is what it's like when 741 00:41:17,049 --> 00:41:21,261 she feels like she's struggling through a draft, like goddamn, because I thought 742 00:41:21,261 --> 00:41:24,233 this book was so good and so strong. 743 00:41:24,233 --> 00:41:27,914 And if, if she felt like she just needed to get to the end, which happens, like 744 00:41:27,914 --> 00:41:30,996 many of the authors we love and admire have talked about 745 00:41:31,096 --> 00:41:33,181 especially like the curse of the second book. 746 00:41:33,181 --> 00:41:38,732 But I couldn't get over learning that this wasn't like something that flowed from the 747 00:41:38,732 --> 00:41:40,816 fingertips because it sure didn't read 748 00:41:41,218 --> 00:41:48,151 I I just want to look and see what the other book is by her that I am. 749 00:41:49,341 --> 00:41:50,341 shoot. 750 00:41:51,582 --> 00:41:54,783 Yeah, it's about a country music star. 751 00:41:54,784 --> 00:41:57,465 thought there might be a list at the beginning of this, but there wasn't. 752 00:41:57,465 --> 00:42:02,577 It's about a country music star and she has a fall from grace because something 753 00:42:02,577 --> 00:42:05,318 scandalous happens to her and it has to be cleaned up. 754 00:42:05,318 --> 00:42:11,200 And I saw it at the library and was like, and on to the next one. 755 00:42:12,994 --> 00:42:14,655 What are you guys reading right now? 756 00:42:15,514 --> 00:42:20,935 I just finished reading this book, A Love Like the Sun by Rhys Nielsen. 757 00:42:21,136 --> 00:42:27,117 I pre -ordered this because I get the weekly newsletter from Belmont Books and 758 00:42:27,117 --> 00:42:30,808 months ago they had posted that it was like coming soon so I went in, pre 759 00:42:30,808 --> 00:42:35,080 -ordered it, got it when it came out and then it sat for a few weeks unfortunately 760 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:35,870 on my TBR pile. 761 00:42:35,870 --> 00:42:38,881 But anyways, I read it, I loved it. 762 00:42:38,881 --> 00:42:41,391 I had some back and forth with the author. 763 00:42:41,391 --> 00:42:42,872 I'm now following her. 764 00:42:42,872 --> 00:42:44,322 She sounds awesome. 765 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,272 so this is a, this is sort of two tropes. 766 00:42:47,272 --> 00:42:48,972 is friends to lovers. 767 00:42:48,972 --> 00:42:51,163 It's also fake dating, which you know is my favorite. 768 00:42:51,163 --> 00:42:57,256 It is about two childhood friends, who it takes place in, in Rhode Island in 769 00:42:57,256 --> 00:42:58,357 Providence. 770 00:42:59,057 --> 00:43:03,789 so Linnea grew up across the street from Isaac. 771 00:43:03,789 --> 00:43:08,922 He was in a foster home and she was in a tiny apartment with her parents and, 772 00:43:10,470 --> 00:43:14,593 In flashbacks, you kind of see her parents' relationship, which was a 773 00:43:14,593 --> 00:43:19,727 beautiful, loving one, and her father was dying when she was a teenager, which also 774 00:43:19,727 --> 00:43:21,919 strengthened her friendship with Isaac. 775 00:43:21,919 --> 00:43:25,821 But in present day, he is now a famous artist. 776 00:43:25,821 --> 00:43:28,484 He has very big Instagram following. 777 00:43:28,484 --> 00:43:34,338 People adore him for his positive messages and just his entire vibe. 778 00:43:34,338 --> 00:43:37,508 And she and her mom have a haircare. 779 00:43:37,508 --> 00:43:40,820 store in Providence that is struggling. 780 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:44,622 And they're about to shut down because they cannot afford to lease the space 781 00:43:44,622 --> 00:43:45,542 anymore. 782 00:43:46,983 --> 00:43:49,165 he goes and he like finds out about it. 783 00:43:49,165 --> 00:43:50,655 He tried to like offer money. 784 00:43:50,655 --> 00:43:53,047 She was like, no, we are not taking money from you. 785 00:43:53,047 --> 00:43:59,360 And instead he goes and posts a picture of her doing his hair, like in the privacy of 786 00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:05,024 her apartment and like very intimate photo and instead basically makes as if they are 787 00:44:05,024 --> 00:44:06,034 together. 788 00:44:06,086 --> 00:44:08,919 And so people who are fans of him start showing up at her store. 789 00:44:08,919 --> 00:44:13,834 So then they don't have to close, but they need to maintain this facade of the two of 790 00:44:13,834 --> 00:44:14,615 them dating. 791 00:44:14,615 --> 00:44:16,536 then, go ahead. 792 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:21,581 This, think because. 793 00:44:21,581 --> 00:44:24,510 Laura and Peter, anyone? 794 00:44:25,716 --> 00:44:29,790 I think because they're now adults and they have this intense friendship that 795 00:44:29,790 --> 00:44:34,855 they've had for like over a decade, it just made me love their story more. 796 00:44:34,855 --> 00:44:38,228 It made me cry at the end. 797 00:44:38,228 --> 00:44:44,494 And then the author note about the aspect of this story that is real to her life 798 00:44:44,494 --> 00:44:47,917 made me cry further, which is why I messaged her in the first place. 799 00:44:49,126 --> 00:44:53,071 I'm excited to read everything else by her because this was just a really fun, 800 00:44:53,071 --> 00:44:54,906 beautiful story about love. 801 00:44:58,602 --> 00:45:02,153 I just finished a book that I'm not going to say too much about because our next 802 00:45:02,153 --> 00:45:04,204 episode is going to be about it. 803 00:45:04,204 --> 00:45:07,665 And it is called Home is Where the Bodies Are. 804 00:45:07,966 --> 00:45:09,366 It's a mystery. 805 00:45:09,567 --> 00:45:14,779 It's got three siblings that have all come home because a parent has died, which I 806 00:45:14,779 --> 00:45:19,310 feel like is always a good premise for fucked up stuff to happen. 807 00:45:20,191 --> 00:45:21,762 It was very good. 808 00:45:21,762 --> 00:45:25,963 I read most of it on the train to and from New York City, and I'm looking forward to 809 00:45:25,963 --> 00:45:28,214 talking about it in a few days. 810 00:45:30,020 --> 00:45:32,672 So I'm reading a that Stefan Katelyn already read. 811 00:45:32,672 --> 00:45:35,924 It's called Ninth House by Lee Bardugo. 812 00:45:36,145 --> 00:45:41,229 I was trying to think earlier today, like what genre you would say that this book 813 00:45:41,229 --> 00:45:44,551 is, because it's a little bit like... 814 00:45:44,551 --> 00:45:46,980 academia is what the kids like to call 815 00:45:46,980 --> 00:45:47,961 Dark Academia. 816 00:45:47,961 --> 00:45:50,302 Okay, I was gonna say it's like a little bit mystery. 817 00:45:50,302 --> 00:45:52,463 It's a little bit culty. 818 00:45:52,463 --> 00:45:54,374 It's a little bit paranormal. 819 00:45:54,374 --> 00:45:55,835 It's like, there's a lot going on. 820 00:45:55,835 --> 00:46:00,527 This is extremely outside my usual selection of book. 821 00:46:01,068 --> 00:46:04,289 But in addition to these gals loving it, I also know there are a lot of Goodreads 822 00:46:04,289 --> 00:46:05,850 folks who raved about it. 823 00:46:05,850 --> 00:46:08,958 I'm about, gosh, I think I'm like a hundred 824 00:46:08,958 --> 00:46:12,752 Yesterday you were like 50 pages in and ready to tuck it out the window. 825 00:46:12,752 --> 00:46:17,092 I'm at, Steph's just blowing up my spot right now. 826 00:46:17,472 --> 00:46:19,812 I'm on page 146. 827 00:46:19,812 --> 00:46:25,572 I would say that if I didn't know that you guys loved this, I probably would have 828 00:46:25,572 --> 00:46:27,472 quit it yesterday. 829 00:46:27,725 --> 00:46:29,047 You can quit it. 830 00:46:29,891 --> 00:46:30,836 You can quit it. 831 00:46:30,836 --> 00:46:34,696 figure out like what it is that everybody loves about it. 832 00:46:34,696 --> 00:46:39,996 Not just the two of you, like more broadly, because I know that it's beloved 833 00:46:39,996 --> 00:46:42,736 and I'm feeling like maybe I'm just not far enough in. 834 00:46:42,736 --> 00:46:45,636 I'm on 146 out of 450. 835 00:46:46,630 --> 00:46:52,100 know if I would say that I loved it, but it was definitely something I had not read 836 00:46:52,100 --> 00:46:52,521 before. 837 00:46:52,521 --> 00:46:54,264 So it just like held my interest. 838 00:46:54,264 --> 00:46:56,689 But I'm not offended if you if you decide to give up. 839 00:46:56,689 --> 00:46:57,810 I just want to say 840 00:46:58,006 --> 00:46:59,947 Yeah, you can give up if you want to. 841 00:46:59,947 --> 00:47:05,149 And the reason that I say that is because the tone isn't going to change from where 842 00:47:05,149 --> 00:47:06,390 you are in the book. 843 00:47:06,390 --> 00:47:10,811 And there is no like real romantic interest that occurs. 844 00:47:11,312 --> 00:47:16,164 And the story doesn't really get resolved. 845 00:47:16,164 --> 00:47:18,515 Like you're going to have to read the second one probably. 846 00:47:18,515 --> 00:47:23,587 And but this is the book that my student, my former student Martha said changed her 847 00:47:23,587 --> 00:47:25,217 brain chemistry. 848 00:47:25,918 --> 00:47:26,930 And she's like 849 00:47:26,930 --> 00:47:27,732 why I read it. 850 00:47:27,732 --> 00:47:28,993 like a real reader. 851 00:47:28,993 --> 00:47:33,224 Like she reads a lot and like this is, I've read other Leigh Bardugo books 852 00:47:33,224 --> 00:47:34,834 because she does a lot of YA. 853 00:47:34,834 --> 00:47:40,426 This is either her first or one of her first truly adult books. 854 00:47:41,647 --> 00:47:43,977 and I thought her other books were okay. 855 00:47:43,977 --> 00:47:48,859 I was like, these aren't really meant for me, but the writing is really strong for 856 00:47:48,859 --> 00:47:50,419 YA and it's very creative. 857 00:47:50,419 --> 00:47:51,707 But like, this is not 858 00:47:51,707 --> 00:47:52,817 my... 859 00:47:53,219 --> 00:47:54,440 Like, Z -BAR is a good one. 860 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,203 I feel like it has such a fan -call. 861 00:47:56,203 --> 00:47:58,558 that people like have tattoos from her books. 862 00:47:58,558 --> 00:48:01,913 Like it's, she's, you know, a big deal. 863 00:48:02,315 --> 00:48:04,118 And I read it. 864 00:48:04,118 --> 00:48:06,702 And if you are not somebody that likes 865 00:48:08,782 --> 00:48:09,963 How do I want to say this? 866 00:48:09,963 --> 00:48:15,198 She plays around with how you can structure a story in a way that I think 867 00:48:15,198 --> 00:48:16,929 the Night Circus did. 868 00:48:17,490 --> 00:48:21,593 And her world building is really, really good. 869 00:48:21,613 --> 00:48:26,688 But if that is not like a turn on to you as a reader, then I would say pull the 870 00:48:26,688 --> 00:48:27,420 plug on 871 00:48:27,420 --> 00:48:31,340 Yeah, what I was saying to Steph when I was around page 50 was I could tell I was 872 00:48:31,340 --> 00:48:33,940 still in the world building initial phase. 873 00:48:33,940 --> 00:48:38,062 I had not yet gotten to the point where there could start to be real action. 874 00:48:38,062 --> 00:48:42,217 because there was still so much explaining of how everything works and the rituals 875 00:48:42,217 --> 00:48:46,922 and all these things, which is why I've kept going because I feel like perhaps I 876 00:48:46,922 --> 00:48:51,787 haven't gotten to the rising action section of the book and maybe that will 877 00:48:51,787 --> 00:48:53,058 change my mind. 878 00:48:53,424 --> 00:48:57,089 But also, you have so many books at home. 879 00:48:57,089 --> 00:49:01,075 like, if it's not fully worth your time, then it's okay to move on, you 880 00:49:01,075 --> 00:49:03,637 gotten to her backstory yet? 881 00:49:03,698 --> 00:49:06,722 Do you know how she ended up in this position at Yale? 882 00:49:07,241 --> 00:49:11,774 Yes, but that was revealed pretty early 883 00:49:14,216 --> 00:49:15,308 I honestly don't remember. 884 00:49:15,308 --> 00:49:19,704 I will some of its revealed and then there's more like have you gotten into 885 00:49:19,704 --> 00:49:21,226 like why she knows Spanish yet? 886 00:49:21,226 --> 00:49:25,961 Okay, remember that bit with her grandmother and her mom. 887 00:49:25,961 --> 00:49:28,052 Like I feel like I want to keep going. 888 00:49:28,052 --> 00:49:32,085 And if I go another hundred pages and I'm still not into it, I'll stop. 889 00:49:32,085 --> 00:49:33,275 But I just want to see... 890 00:49:33,275 --> 00:49:39,188 I like understanding what those mega fandoms are about. 891 00:49:39,209 --> 00:49:43,541 And I feel like we do a lot of kind of dancing around the same, you know, seven 892 00:49:43,541 --> 00:49:45,282 or eight genres with stuff that we share. 893 00:49:45,282 --> 00:49:47,114 And this feels very different. 894 00:49:47,114 --> 00:49:51,776 from like expanding my own horizons perspective, I'm interested. 895 00:49:51,961 --> 00:49:56,775 Can I tell you that I forgot because Caitlin gave it to me months before I 896 00:49:56,775 --> 00:49:59,357 actually picked it up, I forgot the paranormal aspect. 897 00:49:59,357 --> 00:50:03,611 So I went in just being like, we're going to talk about like the secret societies. 898 00:50:03,611 --> 00:50:04,391 I'm so excited. 899 00:50:04,391 --> 00:50:07,023 And then the paranormal aspect happened. 900 00:50:07,023 --> 00:50:08,174 And I think I texted her. 901 00:50:08,174 --> 00:50:14,080 was like, ugh, like I was ready for one thing and got something else and was like 902 00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:15,150 not okay with it. 903 00:50:15,150 --> 00:50:17,062 But then I had to just like, okay, 904 00:50:17,062 --> 00:50:19,331 I'm forgetting that and moving on. 905 00:50:20,586 --> 00:50:24,628 I think if you can stay open -minded about the paranormal stuff, that it has a lot of 906 00:50:24,628 --> 00:50:31,124 like similarities to like, my God, why can't it? 907 00:50:31,124 --> 00:50:32,515 The secret history. 908 00:50:32,676 --> 00:50:34,838 Like it's got, did you guys read that? 909 00:50:34,838 --> 00:50:35,818 What? 910 00:50:36,139 --> 00:50:36,759 I'm sorry. 911 00:50:36,759 --> 00:50:39,701 You haven't read the secret history by Donna Tartt? 912 00:50:40,332 --> 00:50:40,922 my. 913 00:50:40,922 --> 00:50:41,353 Okay. 914 00:50:41,353 --> 00:50:44,625 Well, I'll be getting that from the library for you guys, since you guys don't 915 00:50:44,625 --> 00:50:45,380 go to the library. 916 00:50:45,380 --> 00:50:51,587 did that come out before or after the goldfinch okay because I hate read the 917 00:50:51,587 --> 00:50:54,760 goldfinch another one that I finished because I wanted to understand what 918 00:50:54,760 --> 00:50:56,866 everybody else was like buzzing about 919 00:50:56,866 --> 00:50:57,437 it out. 920 00:50:57,437 --> 00:50:58,668 I never figured it out, though. 921 00:50:58,668 --> 00:51:00,917 read it because you hated it so 922 00:51:00,917 --> 00:51:04,319 like every now and again on book talk bookstagram. 923 00:51:04,319 --> 00:51:08,843 There's like that prompt like what book did you just hate read and Number one for 924 00:51:08,843 --> 00:51:09,803 me is the goldfinch. 925 00:51:09,803 --> 00:51:11,775 I'm like anytime I see someone holding it. 926 00:51:11,775 --> 00:51:16,168 I'm like Praise yourself Anyway, so Ninth House. 927 00:51:16,168 --> 00:51:22,363 I'll report back On where I land, but I have another book that I'm gonna start 928 00:51:22,363 --> 00:51:26,436 after this That we got as one of our arc 929 00:51:26,500 --> 00:51:29,262 blind date books when we went to independent bookstore day a couple weeks 930 00:51:29,262 --> 00:51:29,453 ago. 931 00:51:29,453 --> 00:51:32,525 So I'm excited to start that. 932 00:51:33,126 --> 00:51:37,229 So if you're not already following us on Instagram, please join us over there at 933 00:51:37,229 --> 00:51:37,950 Plans Are Booked. 934 00:51:37,950 --> 00:51:41,633 We share all kinds of fun content and memes and giveaways for books. 935 00:51:41,814 --> 00:51:45,817 And if you have an idea for a future episode topic, we would love to hear from 936 00:51:45,817 --> 00:51:46,097 you. 937 00:51:46,097 --> 00:51:49,300 Shoot us a note to plansarebooked at gmail 938 00:51:51,286 --> 00:51:56,235 And until next time, happy birthday Steph and our plans are booked.