Chapter 34: This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg

We kick off this week with a lively catch up. Steph details the latest drama with the plumber at the renovation house (and makes a big reveal). She also tells us about volunteering at two different barns. Kaitlin recaps her re-retirement party from teaching and gushes about the recent Normal People viewing party with Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones. Molly insists everyone try the burrata and smashed avocado salad at Josephine and gets all the feels talking about the official start to summer in Hull. Then we deep dive on a book we all really enjoyed, This Golden State. We talk about the line between YA and adult fiction, the power of deep family bonds, the joy of first love, our hope that this becomes a TV series, and our wish for a second book to continue following these complex characters. To follow along with what we're currently reading, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. If you have a book you're like us to cover, write to us at [e-mail]. 

What is Plans Are Booked?

Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader, hosted by Molly Galler, Stephanie Blackburn, and Kaitlin Mattison. We're three friends who love to read, swap books, and count down until the film and TV adaptations of our favorites are released. Follow us on Instagram, @plansarebooked, or reach out to us directly at [e-mail].

Molly Galler (00:01)
Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader. I'm Molly Geller.

Stephanie (00:06)
I'm Stephanie Blackburn.

Kaitlin (00:06)
And I'm Caitlin Madison. Welcome to chapter 34. I think I liked being 34. Did you guys? I think it was pretty solid.

Stephanie (00:15)
I couldn't tell you. I was probably renovating a house, but I don't remember anything about 34.

Molly Galler (00:16)
34 was a good year for me.

Well, when Steph turned 35, sorry I'm skipping ahead, we did the most epic trip to Palm Springs, California, and I feel like for the six months before that, while you were still 34, we were planning, which was very fun.

Kaitlin (00:27)
We did the most epic trip to Palos Vegas, California and I feel like the six months before that one was still very, while we were planning, which was very cool. Yeah, I think we also traveled on a side trip too. We do. I'm sure that was a travel trip that year also. I think that's when we went to Tracks for the first time. Which.

Stephanie (00:34)
Yeah, I think we also traveled a bunch that year too. Didn't we do?

Molly Galler (00:41)
I'm sure there was a tropical trip that year also.

Stephanie (00:43)
I think that's when we went to Turks for the first time. Yeah.

Molly Galler (00:46)
which dreamy Turks and Caicos shout out to the Shore Club greatest luxury resort I've ever stayed at.

Kaitlin (00:47)
I know once we get Jackson Hole in books, I feel like we need to plan whatever the next tropical thing is going to be. I know.

Stephanie (00:50)
You don't have to threaten me with a good time.

Molly Galler (01:03)
First of all, not only do you not have to threaten her, she has 900 places bookmarked already.

Stephanie (01:06)
Yeah, I'm happy to plan it all.

Kaitlin (01:07)
I just I like always visit my parents in Florida and that's like all fine and dandy but like they live in basically a retirement community and I just could use a little more spice in my life. You know what I'm saying? Okay chapter 34 we are going to be discussing a book by Merritt Weisenberg called This Golden State. It is a I would say YA adjacent book because she

Molly Galler (01:13)
I'm basically a retirement coon, and I just could use a little more spicy.

Okay, chapter 34, we are going to be discussing a book by Merit Weisenberg called This Golden State. It is a, I would say, YA adjacent book because she has just finished high school or is she at? No, she's at.

Stephanie (01:20)
Okay, chapter 34, we are going to be discussing a book by Merit Weisenberg called This Golden State. It is, I would say, why the book, because she has just finished this book, or is it? No, she's in her senior year, I think, isn't she?

Kaitlin (01:36)
has just finished high school or is finishing high school? Is she entering her senior year? No, she should have finished.

Stephanie (01:46)
No, it's the summer.

Molly Galler (01:46)
It starts at what should be the middle of her senior year.

Kaitlin (01:51)
Got it. Because she's in like a summer school program. So I say YA adjacent because it's like a book that's really it's about first love, but it's also about all the people in her family. And we'll get into that in a little bit. But I think that similar to All My Rage, there's definitely like enough adult elements to this that I wouldn't only put it in young adult. I would say that it bends a little bit on genres.

Stephanie (01:52)
in like a summer school program. So I say YA adjacent because it's like a book that's really, it's about First World but it's also about all the people in her family and we'll get into that in a little bit. But I think that...

Molly Galler (01:55)
So I say my name is Jason because it's like a book that's really, it's about first love but it's also about all people in her family and we'll get into that in a little bit. But I think that similar to All My Rage, there's definitely enough adult elements to this that I wouldn't fully put it in young adult. I would say that it depends a little bit on genres. Would somebody like to start on our catch up?

Stephanie (02:07)
similar to all my rage there's definitely like enough adult elements to this that i wouldn't normally put it in young adult i would say that that is a little bit on genres would somebody like to start our catch up? well i got a lot to catch up on should we do happy first or sad first? not sad, anger i'm sorry we're doing roses and thorns this time

Kaitlin (02:20)
Would somebody like to start our catch up?

I'm sorry. We're doing roses and thorns this week. No, I'm just kidding. I didn't know we were categorizing it.

Molly Galler (02:26)
Whenever we whenever we go around the dinner table to do Rose and Thor and I always always Struggled to like pick just two things. I'm so bad at that game

Stephanie (02:35)
I didn't know you were categorizing it. Whenever we were on the dinner table to do the report, I always, always struggled to just do things. It was so bad that I did. I want to just shout out Erica Frank, who always calls it our daily pit and peak. So let's do, we'll do the pit first. I don't know if you guys know this about me, but my senior year of college, I found out through a mutual friend.

Kaitlin (02:45)
So let's do... we'll do...

Molly Galler (02:48)
So now let's do, we'll do the hips.

Stephanie (03:02)
on the track team that my boyfriend had been cheating on me with a freshman also on the track team. And this was back in the day of the first year of Facebook. So there was no Facebook messaging. Everything was done through AIM, if you remember. I found out the girl's instant messenger name and messaged her and was like, hi. This is the level of crazy that I am. Hi.

Kaitlin (03:03)
and this was back in the day, the first year of Facebook. So there was no Facebook messages, everything was back to normal.

Molly Galler (03:07)
And this was back in the day of the first year of Facebook. So there was no Facebook messaging. Everything was after the end. If you're in the...

I found out the little instant messenger name and message chart and was like, hi, this is the little crazy guy. Hi, I'm just off writing a text. I don't know the story and we went to books one day and you didn't know what we did.

Kaitlin (03:21)
I need you to stop right now. I don't know this story. And we were at a bookstore today and you didn't even want to like give them bookmarks from our podcast. I had to do it. And you're telling me you hunted a girl down on AIM?

Stephanie (03:38)
and you're telling me you hunted a girl down

Yeah. I thought she needed to... No. If you knew me basically before 25, I was a different stuff basically. Anyways, I messaged her and was like, hi, I hear that you are dating my boyfriend. I thought you should know. So anyways, along those lines...

Molly Galler (03:43)
Yeah. I thought you were going to say that. No. If you knew basically what I was trying to say, I was in different stuff, basically. So anyway.

Kaitlin (03:46)
I feel like there was like a whole stuff that I just never met.

And you guys I messaged her and was like, hi, I hear that you were dating my boyfriend. You should know. So anyways, along those lines, I was like, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I

I thought you should know you're dating my boyfriend.

Molly Galler (04:08)
I thought you could really see the difference. I mean, I thought we had four companies that I had done, but I need to do math, you know, for people. Yeah. You mean 21 year old to 18 year old.

Stephanie (04:11)
I mean at that point I was over the relationship. I was like done. But I needed her to know that. You know? Girl, like woman to woman.

Kaitlin (04:20)
Yeah. Girl to girl. Let's be real.

Stephanie (04:27)
Yeah, girl to girl. Side note, he didn't know I did that until I told him like a day later. He was like completely... I basically clotheslined him. It was fantastic. But anyways, along those lines, if I need to find somebody, I'm going to find someone. So as you both know, our... My plumber, who will no longer be my plumber after this house is done.

Kaitlin (04:33)
People might think you're nuts for this. I love this.

Stephanie (04:55)
...

care. You can call me crazy. The plumber ghosted me. So last Saturday, a week, a little over a week ago was the last time I had heard from him. And it was left that he was on his way to the house to finish up the three relatively small things that he had left unfinished for probably four to six weeks at this point. Sunday didn't hear from him when I texted.

Kaitlin (05:00)
The plan was to go to Sydney. So last Saturday, a week a little over, it was the last time I told him and he was left, he was on his way to the house to finish up the three relatively small things that he had left unfinished for probably four to six weeks at this point. Sunday didn't hear from him when I texted. Monday, as you know,

Molly Galler (05:04)
We had a week, a little over a week. That was the last time we had a four -week. And it was left, but he was on his finish class to finish up the three relatively small things that he had left unfinished for probably four weeks.

Sunday. Monday.

Stephanie (05:25)
Monday, as you know, I do not like to phone call people. I would rather text. Monday I started calling. I called twice on Monday, I think twice on Tuesday. Also texting at the same time because, you know, sometimes people don't like to... I think that was... Was it Wednesday or Thursday? Yes.

Kaitlin (05:26)
Then I volunteered to call. Was that Thursday? Wednesday or Thursday? I called and pretended we needed a plumber at the dental office I run.

Molly Galler (05:29)
Well, Monday, I'm going to college. I'm going to college twice. Monday, I'm going to college twice. Also, I'm going to college the same time. Sometimes people have a lecture. Then I'm going to the theater. I think that was us. You want to say Thursday? Yeah, I said Thursday. I was going to pretend to be a former presidential office. Because on my way home, I was going to go see a movie. Maybe I was going to see a song. I was going to go see a movie.

Stephanie (05:49)
Because in my mind I was thinking he's ghosting, maybe he would answer someone else's cell phone that he doesn't know.

Kaitlin (05:55)
It took like three or four days for him to return the phone call to me.

Stephanie (05:57)
Yes. So didn't hear from him, left messages and I left very neutral toned messages because in my mind, the worst thing that could happen is that he just does not respond and then we have to find another plumber. And this is something, this is something where a plumber has signed off. The plumbing inspector signed off on the rough, but he hasn't finished the second part of it. And a plumber is not going to want to step into this job.

Molly Galler (05:58)
So, I'm going to pass them left to right and I look very new to these health messages because my work in this path to that need just does not.

Kaitlin (06:11)
And this is something, this is something where I'm hard.

Molly Galler (06:12)
And this is something, this is something where.

Kaitlin (06:18)
The point is that I don't feel rough, but she has to finish the second part of it. And it's hard to not want to step into this thought and have fear in this also being sort of associated with his work. So it's just like a physical situation. So I could leave it on Ryan's work, where I do find his type of work, and found his white -hawntons, right? I've never met her. I also wasn't quite sure what her name was. The things I knew were that she doesn't.

Molly Galler (06:18)
The public inspector said I don't have to do rough, but he has to do the second part of it. And the owner is not going to want to step into this job and have their office also be for or associated with his work. So it's really hard to do that. So I did a video post on Friday, was it Friday, where I gave my two -time work, found it on my whiteboard on Instagram. I've never met her. I also have a place for what names and things I do when that person doesn't know.

Stephanie (06:27)
and have their business also be sort of associated with his work. So it's just like a messy situation. So I believe it was on Friday, was it Friday, where I did my detective work, found his wife on Instagram. I've never met her. I also wasn't quite sure what her name was. The things I knew were that she doesn't work and that they have pit bulls. And that's what I was going on.

Kaitlin (06:48)
And that's what I'm going to do. And that's what I'm going to do. Now, I'm going to start to define the status of their heads and their faces for the process. So also, I'm going to come up with a process of deciding what you can do to just write a natural review. And that's going to be one of the absolute factors that I want to be because it's his business. It's his life. He's covering all of your things. So I'm going to highlight the fact that I'm going to be actually starting off with this.

Molly Galler (06:48)
and that's what I'm trying to do now. Naturally Stephanie would find out the status of their pet ownership as part of this process. So.

Stephanie (06:56)
You

So also I was in the process of deciding, okay, maybe I do need to just write a nasty review. Maybe that's the thing that like gets his attention and he finally responds to me because it's his business. It's his livelihood. Like he's covering each child's ears. He's fucking with my livelihood. Maybe I need to start fucking with his. So I messaged her very nicely.

Molly Galler (07:10)
This is business. This is why I said that. He is a career. So I'm not sure if they are going to be the same.

Kaitlin (07:17)
So, I'm not sure if you're in the room. That's the spirit. This is where I would have been. This is where I've been sitting. Molly's been roasting on this as well. And we've just been waiting. I mean, I was like, Stephanie, give me the number. I'm fucking calling this guy. If he calls me back in 15 minutes, we will know he's a POS. I mean, we know he is, but now we really know. We would really know.

Molly Galler (07:22)
This is where I was in. This is where I was sitting. Molly's in the restaurant as well. And we just made, I mean, I was mixed up.

Stephanie (07:24)
This is where I was born. Weeks ago.

Molly Galler (07:34)
I also just need to say for any listener who's hearing this tale and has been following along or even if you're hearing it now for the first time if you're thinking yourself why not just find someone else who would be willing to finish the work this gentleman who they are working with already has been prepaid so it would be a completely sunk cost if they were to try to hire somebody else

Stephanie (07:35)
that we will help these people. I mean, I know I did. I know.

Kaitlin (07:49)
just find someone else who would be willing to finish the work. This gentleman, they are looking already at us in the pre -paid, so he would have some cost if they were to try to hire somebody else. He should do the right thing and finish the work. And because of the parts and all the parts he does, can be found on the internet. You're right, and you'll see that this is where we do this all the time.

Molly Galler (08:03)
He should do the right thing and finish the work. And then once he does, Caitlin and I are going to unleash on the internet and write the most scathing reviews of all time. And since I used to work in customer service, for those who don't know my first job out of college, I answered phones for two years in customer service at Fidelity Investments. I know all the worst things you can possibly say to get somebody to never touch a business again.

Stephanie (08:03)
And he has the parts.

Kaitlin (08:15)
And so I used work in the consumer service for those who are called by first -hand by a college agent or a transfer two years in customers, for example, or professors. Any of the four things you can possibly say to get somebody to network a business again. So I messaged her on, we know it was Thursday, Thursday afternoon was my first message. And then I waited until next morning.

Stephanie (08:26)
So I messaged her on... Wait, no, it was Thursday. Thursday afternoon was when I first messaged her account. And then I waited until the next morning and discovered she had another personal account. So then I copied and pasted the same message again. And I erred on the side of like, maybe she has no idea whatsoever. And since she doesn't work,

Molly Galler (08:35)
Wait, no, Thursday afternoon, I first.

Kaitlin (08:45)
and discovered for another personal account. So then I bought an in -case of the same mess again. And I get her on the side of like, maybe she has a different life, or whatsoever, and she doesn't work. This is their dual income that is effective in not responding. So I decided to feel like a nice price. And I was like, I just want to make sure that she has responded to this, feel okay. And it's also, you know, I'm not going to be able to grow through this.

Molly Galler (08:51)
And then we get her to the side of the room, maybe she has some sort of OX or what so ever, and she doesn't work. This is the rule of income that she was acting like not responding. So I decided to be like, nice, nice. And I was like, how do you make her like, have some sort of?

Stephanie (08:57)
This is their dual income that he is affecting by not responding. So I decided to be like nice, nice and was like, hi, I just want to make sure like he hasn't responded. Is he okay? Because also in my mind being the murderino, I was like, what if he actually like croaked or something and that's why he hasn't been responding.

Molly Galler (09:11)
I think he actually wrote it or something and that's why he hasn't been responding. That is what's heard on college. They dress it because stuff is like, what if something actually happened that they don't have a comma anymore and nobody can tell us that maybe it doesn't exist anymore. So we thought maybe that's what's being like, you know, giving them a sense of doubt. Yeah, maybe. So, you know, we're going to have to wait and see. So the second part is first, here's my theory.

Kaitlin (09:15)
That is what spurred on me calling with the fake message because Steph was like what if something like actually happened to him and like we don't even have a plumber anymore and there's nobody to tell us that he doesn't exist anymore and we were like maybe that I mean that's us like being you know giving him the benefit of the doubt like yeah, maybe he is dead. Let me give him a voicemail.

Stephanie (09:25)
Yeah. Yeah.

so the second time I messaged her, she responded immediately. And then within like three to four minutes, he texted and claimed that he was going to come yesterday. I have not followed up to see if he didn't. Well, I mean, I followed up yesterday and he said he hadn't been there yet, but he was on his way. I called BS. I mean, this is what happens every single week. So at this point, like he's the boy who crawled cried wolf and every other animal in the zoo.

Kaitlin (09:39)
You were talking about a...

Molly Galler (09:41)
And he had a great appointment. He texted me and he said he was going to come yesterday. I was like, I want to see if he did it. Well, I didn't call him yesterday. I said, I'm not going to come. He was on his way. I called him back. And he was fine. He was in the room. So at this point, he's the only one who's probably crying both in her breath and while he's in. So anyway, I hope you have a fine little day today.

Kaitlin (09:43)
He texted me and he said he was going to come yesterday. I haven't followed up to see if he didn't. But I followed up yesterday and he said he had to come here because he was on his way. I called the S. And he just went for a few weeks, so at this point he's gone.

Stephanie (10:07)
So anyways, I don't have a final update yet. Hopefully he has finished, probably not. I'm probably gonna have to hound him again all this week. But now I know that I could just reach around and message the wife and she's gonna be like, what are you doing?

Molly Galler (10:10)
If I were him, I would be so embarrassed that clients are like hunting down my wife's personal Instagram to reach me.

Kaitlin (10:14)
this week. But now I know that I can just reach around and message the white and she's happy. I feel like, what am I doing? If I look, it's so amazing. I feel like I'm just going to have a hundred thousand hopes for someone to come through.

I, before I got embarrassed about it, I would be afraid of you because you hunted down my wife on social media and messaged her. And I'd be like, I got to get this chick's shit done real quick because she is not messing around. And then afterwards I would be embarrassed. I think it would be that order. But since he still hasn't shown up, I'm like, does he even have a brain? Because we're like,

Stephanie (10:37)
Before I go to the air tonight, I'm afraid of you.

on social media. That's what's turning me on. I gotta get this chick's chick on real quick because the truth is not messing around.

Yeah. Yeah. No, he, he, what I am imagining from like overhearing him, he takes phone calls the entire time that he's, he's got earbuds in while he's doing his plumbing. So he's taking phone calls the whole time.

Molly Galler (10:55)
I didn't think that. Yeah.

Kaitlin (11:02)
saying he should have all these emotions about how you had to go about getting a hold of him and like I think he's too much of a dunce.

Molly Galler (11:02)
safe.

No. He, he, what I've met over here, he didn't take small part in your jargon. He's got your question.

Kaitlin (11:16)
He takes on the whole, the entire journey. He's got your advice and he's got his own little comic book. He's got his own plausible plan. And I think that he has over -spended himself, like, way beyond the picture that he also had at the end of his career. A whole series of things three weeks ago, and I quit. So my surprise. So I think that he probably over -spended himself assuming what it's not, because he's out of hands, and then realized what he had done.

Stephanie (11:22)
And I think that he has overextended himself, like, way beyond where he should have. He also had an apprentice up until, I think, three weeks ago, and the guy quit. Surprise, surprise. So I think that he probably over -scheduled himself, assuming he would have an extra set of hands, and then realized what he had done to himself. But also...

Molly Galler (11:43)
And I think a lot of these questions have results. But also, people.

Kaitlin (11:45)
but also you both are in the same school and also three houses are two houses private. So you don't not push the project out of your way or else you're going to have to pay the cost. I think that if you are a person who is highly apprehensive and you want to find a way out of that, then HAC, whatever it is, in your entire business, rests on all of that.

Stephanie (11:48)
You've been working with us since December and also three houses or two houses prior. So like you don't just not finish a project or else you're going to get really horrible Google reviews.

Molly Galler (11:58)
I think that when you are a person whose livelihood depends on something like plumbing, electric, HVAC, whatever it is, your entire business rests on people referring you. And the fact that he thinks you're not going to like warn every person you ever encountered not to use him is insane. And I've never seen something so simple drag on for so long.

Kaitlin (12:11)
And the fact that he thinks you're talking about war, every country, every country, every country, every country, every country, is insane. And I've never seen something so simple drag on for so long. And he is a very down -evaluated kind of person. I feel like he's, his reaction to that, I think, more than I think he is.

Stephanie (12:11)
And the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know is the next thing you want to know

And he is like a really dog -eat -dog kind of person. I think his family is like a board game. He's like 12 times bigger. He actually has a really good sense of humor. He's trying to be really nice and the things. But it's clear that he's not lying. He doesn't even have any...

Molly Galler (12:27)
And he is like a very dog ate my homework kind of person. I feel like he's his grandmother's died like four times. His car has broken down allegedly like 12 times. He always comes back with an excuse where he's trying to gain your sympathies, but it's clear that they're lies because they keep happening again. And listen, I had a lemon car. I actually drove a car with an overheating engine. I know what is the frequency that someone would need to have their car.

Kaitlin (12:35)
His car is broken down for literally like 12 times. But he always comes up with an excuse where he's trying to make a difference in the beast. But it's clear that they're the clinics because they keep happening. And listen, I had a limited car. I actually drove one of his old working cars. I know it is the frequency that someone would put their car in the shop or actually have it. It's just telling you to, it's kind of a break. All right, so we're going to have a...

Stephanie (12:48)
All right, so moving on my my peak if you will is that I got to spend two days at the barn two separate barns last week because the physical therapist that I've been volunteering with

Molly Galler (12:57)
in the shop of that were actually happening. He's just not telling the truth and it's enraging.

Kaitlin (13:05)
My peak, if you will, is that I got to spend three hours, two seven hours last week because physical therapy was my problem. I was so tired and I was so tired of having to do it against my medications and the loss of energy. So when you're away from the hometown, I found out that the barn, I was obsessed with it. It was like straight out of the drive for cattle farm. So I'm happy I could get it.

Stephanie (13:15)
one of her handlers happened to, I guess, go on vacation or something for last week and this week. So I drove out to my hometown. I found out that her barn, because I was obsessed with it, it looks like it's straight out of the Breyer, horse, catalog. It's from a company out of Connecticut called Barnyard. And I went online, sure enough, they also do houses. They're gorgeous. she has a

Kaitlin (13:34)
I was called on the phone, and I was like, I'm sorry, they also do have some. They're on. She had two monies in her horse's car, and I was like, I don't think I would call them. I was like, I know it. I also got two, four new kids. These are kids that only work for a woman. One of them, who might play possibly the biggest kid I've ever encountered, she wanted me to know.

Molly Galler (13:37)
They also do houses. They're bored. She had a two -pound horse.

Stephanie (13:44)
Two ponies and a horse of her own. I got to hang out with all of them for like five hours. I also got to meet four new kids. These are kids that only go to her barn. One of them might quite possibly be the cutest kid I've ever encountered. She warned me in advance, his voice is like Mickey Mouse. It's the tiniest little voice ever and it's high pitched. I'm not gonna go into like his personal stuff, but he...

Kaitlin (14:02)
His voice is like making us instantaneous emotions. I really, I really, I'm not gonna go into his personal stuff, but he sat me in a little child chair, had the belt put on, and didn't talk to us whatsoever. Got on the floor. He was like chatting with us all the time. He's not forming.

Stephanie (14:14)
He sat neatly in the little child chair to have the belt put on and the helmet, didn't fuss whatsoever, got on the horse. He was like chatting with us the whole time. He's not forming like complicated sentences, but you can sort of understand what he's trying to say. And he was just the happiest kid in the entire world. It was, we were all giggling afterwards. It was just delightful. I will say though that I got.

Molly Galler (14:20)
So I got on a boat and he was like a cat in a box full of things happening like common sense, but you would understand what he was trying to say. It was just a habit to sit in the entire world. It was, we were all getting on the boat. It was just delightful. And we'll say it out loud, but we got horrible seizures from wearing foreign boots for two days in a row and walking into the house in steps each day. So, it was really, not...

Kaitlin (14:26)
like, coughed up their senses, but you could look for it. That's what I was trying to say. It was just the happiest kid in the entire world. It was, we were all wiggling our horns. It was just delightful. I will say, I was actually got horrible listers on my car for two days in a row, and walking to and from classes every day. So, here we go.

Stephanie (14:40)
horrible blisters from wearing barn boots two days in a row and walking 10 ,000 steps each day. So, ARIET, not that anyone from ARIET is ever going to hear this, but maybe get some nicer barn boots that don't cause blisters.

Kaitlin (14:51)
Sure. So I had my last day of teaching this past week and then I packed up my classroom because as I have previously mentioned, I'm not teaching at my school next year.

Molly Galler (14:55)
Burn.

Stephanie (14:58)
You

Molly Galler (15:02)
Caitlin, do you want to chat about your celebration that we were all at and had a delightful time?

Stephanie (15:02)
I came with a partner years ago. So we talked about it. Of course. So I was the last day of teaching this past week. And then after my classroom, as I had said previously, I came back to teaching at my school next year. And I decided to form a self -help group for Target Party because in June 2020, I left teaching back September of 2023.

Kaitlin (15:19)
And I decided to throw myself a re -retirement party because in June of 2020, I left teaching and then I went back September of 2023 and now I'm leaving teaching again. So I said, I just like to celebrate. So I was like, and the Celtics were having a game that night and I was like, let's just get some people together and have some bevs and kick off the summer.

Molly Galler (15:22)
because in June 2020, I got teaching and then I got back September 2023 and now I'm doing teaching again. So I said, I just like to solve and create. I was like, and the second part of having these, I was like, I think I'll just get some of these and I'll have some of those and kick off somewhere.

Stephanie (15:31)
And now I'm teaching again. So I said, I just like to celebrate. And the celebration part, how do you keep that back in that place? I was just getting some people to come and have some baths and kick off the summer. And because typically, there's usually some kind of big like, and school year celebration with teachers. But since I'm leaving, and since they treat me like I'm talking to my house, I'm like, no.

Molly Galler (15:46)
And because students really like, there's just some kind of space like, in school year celebration with teachers, plus who's on TV, and I'm interested in like, every month and day out. I'm like, I know a lot of people from the school that they didn't come. So.

Kaitlin (15:46)
And because typically like there's usually some kind of big like end of the school year celebration with teachers, but since I'm leaving and since they treated me like garbage on the way out, I'm like, I invited a couple people from school, but they didn't come. So I just decided to throw a shindig. So we went to High Street Place. We were going to go to Cisco, but Cisco is all outside. It's a...

Stephanie (16:00)
I had a lot of people in my school that I didn't know. So I just decided to go to the ocean, but we went to a high school place, we were going to go to Cisco. But Cisco is all outside, it's like a beer garden from the Seaport. I also had somebody that I invited to come as a truck driver to the park, and then it was supposed to rain. But I was like, no, there's a lot of people out there. So the day started at 1 .30.

Molly Galler (16:05)
I just decided to go to a student's college. We're going to go to Cisco, but Cisco is always right into the heart of your life at the Seacourt. I also miss the night when it wasn't raining anymore, and it was supposed to rain, but I was like, you know what? There's a lot of people out there selling...

Kaitlin (16:15)
like a beer garden in the seaport. I also had somebody that I invited that doesn't drink anymore and I was and then it was supposed to rain and I was like, you know what, there's, there's a lot of things going on here. So the day started at 1 30. With two of my best friends, we went to legal harbor side, then we did get a drink at Cisco after it stopped raining. We barely finished our drink. I don't even know if I told you guys this, we barely finished our drink. It was so humid.

Molly Galler (16:27)
The day started in one day with two of my best friends. We went to the other side and we chased after Francisco after the talk screening. We barely had a chance to talk to him. It was so humid that the three of us were like up high. And we were like, is there a problem? And one of us, Ellie, was like, who is it that's going to help? We were like, no. We need to help.

Stephanie (16:29)
with two of my best friends, we went to the beach on the other side, and we took an exercise to go after Tom 3 and we barely had a chance to meet him. It was so humid that the three of us were like, apart. And we were in charge and one of us was like, Ellie is like, I'm gonna get that drink, and we were like, don't. We need to like, get a pair of fish and it is more wholesome outside.

Kaitlin (16:44)
that the three of us were like a puddle. And we were looking at each other and one of us, Ellie was like, I'm going to get another drink. And we were like, don't. We need to like get into air conditioning. It is repulsive outside because Cisco has these fake plastic grass mats on the ground. And so that it looks like you're on a lawn, even though you're like in the middle of the seaport with all these financial buildings. And they were just filled with water.

Molly Galler (16:56)
it is a bit of a surprise because Cisco has this fake classic grass map on the front and it looks like a model on a car in the middle of the sea floor with this right in front of it and they weren't just filled with water.

Stephanie (16:58)
Because Tisco has these fake plastic grass mats on the front. And it looks like a horrible common. In the middle of the seaport, they built these financial buildings. And they were just filled with water. And they have tents and canopies and stuff. And just like everything was just captured in the air. And it was like being in a sauna. It was disgusting. So we had to pull out of there. And the times three plays, the cell gets locked.

Molly Galler (17:13)
And then we had tents and canneries and stuff. And just like, everything was just like captured in the air. And it was like a meaningless sauna. It was disgusting. So we had a lot of beer. We went to ice cream places, we sold the socks, had great company, had great food. I'm a little bit, some people are like, I'm a little bit into like different parts of my life altogether. It's a lot of pressure. I'm like.

Kaitlin (17:13)
And then they have like tents and canopies and stuff and just like everything was just like captured in the air and it was like being in a sauna. It was disgusting. So we got the hell out of there. We went to High Street Place, the Celtics lost, had great company, had great food. I'm one of the, some people are like, I don't like it when my friends from like different parts of my life come together. Like it's just this, it's a lot of pressure. And I'm like,

Stephanie (17:28)
I've had a great company, I've had great food. Some people are like, I didn't make you a friend from different parts of my life come together. It's just, it's a lot of pressure. Yeah, but you're gonna have to stop. You know what I mean? It's just so much pressure. Like, all these people want for life and parents want for life. It's like, if your friends be real, then they should not be wrong.

Kaitlin (17:42)
Yeah, if your friends suck, I guess, you know what I mean? Like, I just feel like that's such a cop out, like, my gosh, and so much pressure to host something with like all these different walks of life that I'm friends with. And it's like, if you're friends with real adults, it should not be a problem, in my opinion. I love it. I love bringing people together. I think it's hilarious what people end up connecting about. And like a lot of the people that I invited to this are like people I met through Ellie or people I met through Mark, like.

Molly Galler (17:42)
Yeah, you're kind of soft. I guess. You know, I think it's cool that such a powerful, like, human -like facility can be a place that we're like always in for lots of life and health, but it's like, if you're such a great, like, such a powerful family, then what? I know. I know. Three people together, I think there's somebody really cool about connecting now. And like, a lot of people that are not excited for this, are like people like, there's more people in this population.

Stephanie (17:58)
I'm trying to get people to get me out of this because I'm very different from people I'm connecting with. And like a lot of the people that I've invited to this are like people I've met through that or people I've met through my life. And people are like, I don't even know someone's got like Seth. I know Seth because of Molly. I know Elora and Tori because of her. And I know Aaron because of them. Like it's, I mean, I actually made a family tree as a house for all the people that I've met.

Kaitlin (18:12)
And when people are like, how do you know so and so like Steph, I know Steph because of Molly. I know Laura and Tory because of Margaret, I know Karen because of Ellie, like it, like I could have made a family tree as to how I knew all the people that were at this thing. And I freaking love it.

Molly Galler (18:12)
And for like, I think I saw this, I like Seth. I know Seth does a lot of finding out Elmora, you know, Tori, has a heart. And I'm just hearing the truth out of it. It's, I mean, I can make a family story as to how I've been talking to people that are actually saying this, right? I love it. Can I say that, that, that she has a conversation that I always wanted to have? Okay, so take it away. I do!

Stephanie (18:28)
Can I just interject that the cutest moment was when Ellie wanted to have her picture taken with the plans are booked gals

Molly Galler (18:38)
We walked in and she was like, the hosts are here, the hosts are here, I need to get a picture.

Kaitlin (18:38)
She literally called you guys celebrities at lunch. And then when you guys got there, I'm pretty sure she was like, so lap time or something ridiculous like that. And I was like, my Lord. so shout out to Ellie for making us feel, you know, like we're part of E or something. it was, yeah. And we did get a picture and I will say high street place really decked the place out for pride and for the Celtics. They had like,

Stephanie (18:58)
It was a really nice place to ride and for the salt nests. They have balloons that smell like friables from the salt nests. They have adjacent canine life -size cutouts. They have all these beautiful rainbow balloons that are very flowery. They're sort of like the hot places for their photo ops. I feel like we got a pretty good one. And we posted it.

Molly Galler (19:04)
self -pride and for the subjects. They have a political somewhat behind those two subjects that have recently met type of lifestyle.

Kaitlin (19:08)
balloons that spelled out finals for the Celtics. They had adjacent Tatum life -sized cutout, green balloons, and then they had all these beautiful rainbow balloon and flower displays for Pride. They're just one of a lot of places for a good photo op. I feel like we got a pretty good one and we posted it on Plans Are Booked. I thought that that was really adorable. In other news, I just have been on the internet.

Stephanie (19:28)
I'm confident of all the things I've talked about. It's really adorable. In other news, I just have been on the internet all the time this weekend because I don't know if you guys know this, but the Marathon Street of Normal People was this weekend in England, in London. And it was like a...

Kaitlin (19:37)
a lot this weekend because I don't know if you guys know this, but the marathon screening of normal people was this weekend in England, in London. And it was like a charity thing that you had to like either donate or buy tickets to. And obviously I couldn't go to London on a dime, but if I could have, I would have. And...

Molly Galler (19:46)
And it was like a charity event. I was like, you know, go with your mind. It's due at this time.

Stephanie (19:51)
a charity thing that you had to like either donate or buy tickets to and obviously I couldn't go a bunch of times without the support of executives and I feel like grant was a lottery because then after you like made a donation they picked a certain number of people to attend and it just not showing up and now it's like

Kaitlin (20:02)
I think they like ran, it was like lottery based, like after you like made a donation, they picked a certain number of people to attend. And like Andrew Scott showed up and now there's all these like photos and like clips of it popping up on my Twitter. And it is just like an absolute delight hearing these people talk about one of my all time favorite shows. There are some pictures of Daisy and Paul that I'm just like, if you don't end up together, I literally give up.

Stephanie (20:13)
like

Kaitlin (20:31)
Like, I just don't understand. And some of the pictures are like the way that they're like holding each other and the way that they're like looking at each other. People on the depths of the internet have found mirror images of like when they were filming normal people, like behind the scenes photos. And I'm like, that was six years ago that they filmed this. It came out four years ago. And here we like, they're still looking this way at each other with each other.

Molly Galler (20:34)
So we have like a pooling center, like a big adventure. People are testing the internet. Now you're looking at things like when they come and they talk to people, like Bob used his photos. That was the experience that helped us. They came out four years ago. And we're still looking this way, adding further and adding further. It's just kind of like, almost all these areas.

Stephanie (20:39)
people on the internet have found your images of like one of your former people, like right in the scenes photos, I'm like, that was six years ago, I didn't know this. It came out four years ago. And you're still looking this way, I was out of here. It's just amazing that I almost felt these are the facts from my experience. And I hope you should look it up and see if you can do that.

Kaitlin (21:00)
It's just a magical thing. Paul Muskell, Daisy Anger Jones are magical to me. And you should look it up on the internet if you have any interest in normal people whatsoever, because it's bringing me a lot of joy.

Molly Galler (21:11)
Okay, just also need to go back to your re -retirement party for a second. For people who have not been to High Street Place in Boston, it's a very cool like food hall marketplace type situation. Steph and I walked in and this girl passed us holding something that immediately caught my attention. She was drinking bubble tea, but out of a teddy bear shaped cup. And I just tapped her on the shoulder and I was like, I'm so sorry to bother you. Where did you get that? And Steph and I...

Stephanie (21:36)
I swear it made my coffee taste better yesterday.

Molly Galler (21:40)
got the answer from her we turn right back around and found this place called Noble Castella. You can get any flavor of bubble tea, matcha, whatever in these teddy bear cups. It's expensive, it's eight dollars, but then you get to keep your teddy bear. Steph has already made iced coffee in hers.

I can't wait to use mine. I'm going to put for those who are local to the Boston area, I'm obsessed with this thing called the red dragon iced tea from Sofra bakery. And I'm going to put that inside my beer. And I also had two heavenly slices of pizza from tender onies, which is one of chef Tiffany Faison's many outposts around Boston. And I didn't get the giant pizza. It was unbelievable. I got slices because.

Kaitlin (22:16)
That pizza looked really good.

Stephanie (22:19)
It reminded me of like a gourmet version of Stouffer's French bed pizzas, which used to be like my go -to.

Molly Galler (22:32)
If you get a full -size pizza there, it comes as like this long rectangle almost and it's like eight huge slices. It's also $30.

Kaitlin (22:46)
So, you know, once I actually was young, I had a heart of peace, like crispy, and I could just put the cheese in the sauce.

Molly Galler (22:46)
Totally. So when I can go with enough people to actually share one, they have an eggplant parm pizza, like crispy eggplant on top of the cheese pizza. So I look forward to eating that in the future.

Stephanie (22:49)
pre gluten intolerance.

Molly Galler (23:02)
on other food related news. This week, I went back to this restaurant in Somerville called Josephine, which I've been to a couple of times now, and they had a new spring menu item, which was burrata with smashed avocado, and then this like delicious dressing situation. And I don't know why I was a bit hesitant, like, these are a lot of soft flavors. Is this gonna taste good together?

Stephanie (23:04)
This week I went back to the stress relief center in Baltimore, Jersey.

I was like, boom, rock, the smushed avocado. And then you see, don't get stressed in this situation. And I don't know why I was a bit hesitant. I was like, is there a lot of soft flavors? Is this gonna taste good to you? It was the best thing we've had the entire year. I have thought of.

Molly Galler (23:30)
It was the best thing we had the entire night. I have thought about it many times since. And I'm like, how soon is too soon to go back for burrata and avocado?

Stephanie (23:35)
Well isn't that the place that told us they didn't have mozzarella sticks and then we saw people have mozzarella sticks so we need to redo where I can have a mozzarella stick.

Kaitlin (23:44)
I don't think I told you guys that when I went to Brighton Bodega a couple weeks ago with Jen who had never been there before that we like ordered two things that we didn't really like. It was really upsetting. Okay. I know. Okay. One was a

Molly Galler (23:47)
Yes, they lied about the availability of the mozzarella sticks and I almost never went back again, but I'm glad that I did because now they keep adding more things.

What were the things? What were the things?

Stephanie (24:10)
for me.

Kaitlin (24:13)
burrata salad that was like, like absolutely covered in diced multicolor tomatoes, but it had like no sauce or like anything like they put oil on it and I was like, that doesn't do anything. So it was just super bland and we ate maybe half of it. And then the other thing was a peanut butter and jelly Rangoon, which can I just tell you,

Stephanie (24:16)
like absolutely covered in diced multi -colored tomatoes, but it has like no sauce or anything that you put oil on. I was like, I'm just gonna do my thing. So, super bland, and the heat really happened to it. And then the other thing was a peanut butter confetti, rain goom. Which, can I just tell you, it was a wonderful -

Kaitlin (24:40)
It was a wonton filled with warm peanut butter. And then they gave us like a sweet chili sauce to dip it in. And we were like, what's the jam part? And they were like, the sweet chili sauce. We each managed down one. And they were like, do you want to pack these up? And we were like, absolutely not. So don't get either of those things when you go. Everything else we ordered was amazing. And most of it was things that I've had before. But we like went out on a limb on those two other things. And I love burrata.

Stephanie (24:41)
And then they gave us like a sweet chili sauce to dip it in. And we were like, what's the jam part? And they brought like the sweet chili sauce. We each managed to get down one. And they were like, do you want to pack these up? And we were like, absolutely not. So, it's not me and I who are supposed to do these things. Everything else we ordered was amazing. And most of it was things that I've had before. But we like went out and did them.

Molly Galler (24:51)
no.

Stephanie (25:06)
I love burrata, so I was really excited to see a new burrata twist on the menu. So planned. And I love that place, but those two items are rich. So you should take me to Jessica's, because that's what I'm saying. My other favorite was that it was an old, huge student in Hollywood.

Kaitlin (25:09)
So I was like really excited to see like a new burrata twist on the menu. So bland. And I love that place, but those two items garbage.

Molly Galler (25:18)
I'm sad to hear that. I will also say. OK, great. Let's have the Burana at Josephine. My other update is that it is like full on beach season in Hull now. I'm coming to this recording after just having been in Hull for the last two days. My cousins are like in the mode where they're now like coming down every weekend and we like everybody packs their lunches for the beach and we hang out there for the full day and then we're like.

Kaitlin (25:22)
So you should take me to Josephine is what I'm saying.

Molly Galler (25:47)
walk off the beach and we're texting each other all the walk home like about where we're gonna have dinner. It's just like such a wonderful time of year where like the beach is just like full of all the people that I've known my whole life like the neighbors that we've seen a million times over. The ice cream truck returned today for the first time. I mean it's just like signs of summer and last night there was this like epically beautiful sunset. I posted one video of it on Instagram but there about 70 on my phone. It's just one of those nights where you're like

Stephanie (26:00)
the neighbors that we've seen in the valley lines over in the ice cream truck we tried today. It's just like science also, and lots of other sciences, like I have a great book called Sunset. I posted one book on this for about seven years. It's just one of those things where you're like, I want to just implement this on my creative so I'm delightful, and I'm just saying it's like beautiful summer.

Molly Galler (26:17)
I want to just like imprint this on my brain because it was so delightful and I'm just psyched to like move into full summer mode.

Stephanie (26:28)
I like to, when I feel like summer is gonna finally hit, which is kinda like ending this weekend because I don't have school tomorrow. I always like to watch the rest, mow back to summer. Like Sandlot. Or now and then. Sometimes it's just like, not easy. Like a banana bike needs to be involved. It's so, it's just so, and I'm -

Kaitlin (26:28)
I like to, when I feel like summer has finally hit, which it kind of hit me this weekend because I don't have school tomorrow, I always like to watch a throwback summer movie, like The Sandlot or Now and Then, something that's just like 90s summery. It's so great. It's just so great. And I watch those movies like...

at some point at the beginning of the summer and I'm just like It just it's like one of those like a pink lemonade You know what I mean? Like it just like hits you and you're like, this is just In the book we're talking about today takes place during the summer. So that's kind of a fun segue as well

So I don't know how I found out about this book. I was racking my brain. I think I literally just saw it at Brookline Booksmith and was like, this looks interesting. So this Golden State, I, nobody told me about it. I just found it. And then I was telling Molly and Steph, I was looking for a different book in my house because I have four or five to be read piles in my house.

Stephanie (27:13)
So I don't know how I found this book. I was racking my brain. I think I just saw it at Bookline Books. Nothing was like, this looks interesting. So this book is safe. Nobody told me about it. I just found it and then I was unknowingly sad.

Kaitlin (27:42)
I was looking for a different book and I saw this Golden State buried at the bottom of this pile and it's the last pile I looked at. I was like, what's this one again? Then I looked at it and I was like, this is like a YA mystery. I had just come off reading Good Girl's Guide to Murder. I was like, I would love another YA mystery. That sounds terrific. I started reading it and basically,

The very brief version of what you need to know about this book to know whether or not you would be interested in reading it is there is a girl named Poppy. And Poppy goes by a different name every place that she lives because her family is on the lam. And they have been since she was a little girl. And she has a younger sister whose name is Emma. And they're only allowed to use their real names within their house. They can't use...

their real names anywhere else. And from the start of the book, not only do you not have any clue as to what they're on the lam from, but Emma and Poppy also don't know. And Emma's at an age where like she's starting to get a little curious and Poppy is getting to an age where she is very sick of not being able to put down any roots. She's not able to like stay in touch with friends once they leave a town.

She's very smart and she's like, I want to go to college and like applying would be a problem because like, she doesn't even know where their family gets money from. Like they just pull up to certain places and her dad says that he's like picking up an envelope of stuff and then they get a new address and away they go. And she's turning 18 and she's like, I need to find out some things. And on a whim.

at the very beginning of the book, she does like a spit DNA test that you kind of are like waiting throughout the book for that to like come to fruition and like, find out what it is that's going on. This book has a bunch of different twists. It has a bunch of different things going on. So it's like, how do you trust people that basically, I don't want to say have lied to you your whole life, but have omitted the truth? How do you...

survive in a situation where it's like, if you go, like if you veer from the planet all you're putting your entire family at risk. Their entire motto is do whatever you need to do to keep us together. That's like, like their entire childhood, that's how they operate. And she's starting to have these like bigger dreams. And she doesn't really know what to do with them. Because she's like, if I have these dreams, I'm sacrificing everybody in my family.

And I don't even really know what the consequences would be because nobody even trusts me to tell me what it is that we're hiding. And then in the midst of that, she has her first love, which makes her like take some risks that she normally wouldn't take. And it's just this like really intriguing page turning story. And it sounds like, you know, like a big mystery and like there's going to be these reveals and twists and there are.

But in the midst of it, I also like cried. I cried reading this book because of the sacrifices that they're making, because of the unknown. When things are revealed, it's not what you think it's going to be. And it's just, and everybody in her family kind of has like a different reaction to having to hide all these things. And they like push it down and deal with it in different ways. And you watch that unfold and you just see how different people.

Stephanie (31:34)
You just see people react to having fear, knowing what the consequences are. And it just really surprised me. This book really surprised me a lot of ways. And I was shocked that I hadn't heard about it before because it's really good. And I love it. And everything I've been doing so far, I think, has also helped. I think having just come off of All My Rage, this, to me,

Kaitlin (31:37)
react to having fear and knowing what the consequences are. It just really surprised me. This book really surprised me in a lot of ways. I was shocked that I hadn't heard about it before because it's really good. I loved it. Everybody I've given it to so far, I think, has also loved it.

Stephanie (32:04)
this read like clear YA compared to that one because that one, I don't know if it was the writing style or somehow that felt more serious, even though they're both very serious topics. This one felt like to me it was very clearly in the YA genre. With that being said, one of my favorite, it's not like a trope, but it's like a plot.

discovery thing is when children realize the parents they thought they knew or not. There's some, even in adult literature, there's something about a character having to reconcile their self -image of their parent growing up with discovering the person is not who. Not even in necessarily this scenario, which this is like a very drastic scenario, but like, I can't even think of like a...

Molly Galler (32:47)
their self -interest growing up with discovering the person who's not even necessarily this scenario, just like a very classic scenario, but like, I can't even compare them. There's something so true about them. Maybe it's, you know, some sort of self -stopped, just a whole childhood versus having to go, you know, like, to the church.

Kaitlin (32:50)
with discovering the person that's not who. Not even necessarily this scenario, which is a very drastic scenario, but like, I can't even compare. There's some things that treat me as being a colleague. I mean, it's some sort of self stuff that just the whole childhood versus kind of adult kind of thing goes on the way that you thought they were.

Stephanie (33:01)
comparable one, but there's something so intriguing to me about, and maybe it's, you know, some sort of self -stuff that I've dealt with, just the whole childhood versus becoming an adult and realizing things are not the way you thought they were. I also... Yes.

Kaitlin (33:19)
It's like an awakening like you become an adult and you're like, they're actually not very good at adulting and they just fooled me this whole time

Stephanie (33:25)
I think it because in this story, you're it's like very drastic. You're learning the secrets that were kept and who the parents truly were before. So this is like the most extreme version of that. But I feel like maybe it's like primarily in women's literature. I just there's something about reconciling your parents aren't who you thought they were, you know, that I just love.

Molly Galler (33:53)
I love this book. I also had not heard of it until Caitlin was like, I read this and loved it and we should discuss it. I didn't know if it was a YA or not when I started it. And I think I was maybe one chapter in when I was like, I think this is YA, but also I would totally believe if it isn't because it just covers so many mature and intense topics. I agree with everything that both of you have said. There were two things that really stuck out to me. The first is that it was reminding me so much of Tara Westover's Educated because...

Kaitlin (34:11)
I really like that both of you have said there were two people that got started. The first is that it was her parents, so much of Tana's humor is educated because she's like with a dad, unless I'm a credit -based girl, they can't let you do. He's very, like, radical because you just don't know what's happening with her about you. Just the idea of being a good teacher as a young adult and just like your entire family.

Molly Galler (34:23)
She is living with a dad who has like incredibly strict rules about what they can and can't do. He's very like radicalized, which is different than what's happening here. But just this idea that like, you could be brilliant as a young adult and just have your entire potential squandered by your circumstances. So it reminds me a bit of that. But also there is a professor in this story. Poppy's taking a summer math class at Stanford.

she's naturally gifted, which I was like, my God, she's like good will hunting, but Poppy. And the professor really takes like a keen interest in her from the very first day. The professor definitely thinks she's being abused as she tries to figure out why she can't like, doesn't have a computer, she doesn't have access to email, she's not allowed to like do certain things. They try to get her an internship and she turns it down. Like there's a lot of things where the professor just sees like red flag after red flag after red flag, but she never gives up on her. She just continues to try to.

Kaitlin (35:14)
There's a lot of things that the professor just sees like right behind, right behind, right behind, which she never gives up on. She just continues to try to sort of like open things up, like see if she'll come off of it, like continually there's a lot of opportunities for her to think about things in a different light. And Gail and Prachi also have the first love story, so she meets a guy, he's not a scary, and they just like really have the blinding eye vision of something to each other. He has an interesting backstory to what it's not.

Molly Galler (35:22)
sort of like open windows for her and see if she'll crawl through them and like continually present new opportunities for her to think about things in a different way. And Caitlin mentioned this is also like a first love story. So she meets a guy in this math class, Harry, and they just like really have a like magnetism to each other. And he has an interesting backstory too, where his mom is a very public figure. She's a politician.

His dad is supposed to be the founder of like a Google like company. So he also is under a lot of pressure to behave in a certain way and not talk about certain things. And they just kind of find this like kinship in their isolation, I would say. And their relationship unfolded in a way that I wasn't expecting. I'm not going to say more because I want people to read it and enjoy it, but I am always rooting for a happy ending. That's just like how I'm hardwired. And in these stories, you just kind of never know where it's going to go. And I was.

prepared either way with them, that they could wind up together, they could not wind up together, but I was gonna be happy either way just because of how they impact in each other's like view of the world.

Stephanie (36:26)
and trajectory.

Molly Galler (36:30)
and trajectory. I also thought Steph is great at like predicting where stories are going. I really not. I didn't see the identity of the parents at all. Like when it finally got revealed, I was like, my God, this is like so much more involved and insane than I thought it was going to be.

Stephanie (36:37)
And clearly taken from true crime stories.

Molly Galler (36:51)
Yes, yes, but I also felt like it really paid off. Like the feeling you had the whole book where you were like, why are they always on the run? Why do they keep doing this to their daughters?

Kaitlin (36:51)
Yes.

Stephanie (37:01)
Can I just interject that at one point I did wonder what if one of them is having like a mental illness and it's all built up in their own head and it's not a real, you know?

Molly Galler (37:12)
Totally. Yes, yes. And also, I just want to say, I put a little sticky on this is page six of this book, like early, where she just says, this is Poppy's voice. Usually I saw it coming a month, a week, definitely a couple of days in advance. This one I hadn't sensed at all. I thought for sure I get to finish this school year. It's like you keep feeling her disappointment and also her desire to like keep her heart and mind open to new people and new experiences, but knowing she's just going to get.

like kicked down over and over and over again. I loved this. I thought it was really interesting and I didn't know where it was going so I just kept wanting to know what was gonna happen and also I love a short chapter. This book has really short chapters in a way where I would finish one and be like, I can do one more or I can do one more and then you wind up finishing the book faster anyway but I appreciated that there were these little like breaks to let you decide if you.

Kaitlin (38:08)
I don't want to always get off the spot on anything, but I actually was mad that I didn't get corrected. I'm going to finish up my time book where the parents' back story, because I was in love with America, was kind of...

Molly Galler (38:10)
had more time to keep going and I always wind up finishing faster when I don't have to read like 80 pages to get to the next chapter.

Stephanie (38:13)
I don't want, obviously I don't want to spoil anything, but I actually was mad that it ended where it did. I'm going to need her to write a second book where we get the parents backstory because I would love a narration of that. It obviously is explained, but like I want to know what they were thinking in their minds as they were living through that. But I also want to...

Molly Galler (38:33)
It's not just me, but I'm sure you and me in that as we go through that, but I also want to see you all. I've seen you.

Kaitlin (38:33)
I agree and also in my head like when I was reading the book you find out like

Stephanie (38:42)
see like five, 10 years down the road where everyone is.

Kaitlin (38:56)
when the traumatic thing happened that led to them being on the lam, like the mom was already pregnant with Poppy, but then she has Emma, her younger sister. And I'm like, on what planet did they think it was a good idea to have Emma when this is now you've got four people you've got to try and move around. And there just wasn't like really an explanation for that. And I don't think that spoils anything for anybody. It's just like that doesn't come around. And I feel like in a prequel or a sequel,

Molly Galler (39:10)
Now, we have four people who have signed this grant, and this wasn't a great explanation for that. That's what we're doing pretty good. It's just like, that's one thing that we're doing in a prequel. For example, we could get mid -prime time, and it also sounds bad, but it's been such a great career that I wanted to know more about. This is obviously relevant, and I think that that's a hot topic to stick in the DAP party. And it's just in the...

Stephanie (39:10)
And his choices in the

Kaitlin (39:23)
we could maybe get some information around that. And I also found the dad just to be such a rich character that I wanted to know more about him because he's obviously brilliant. And I think that that like the mom is artistic and the dad's a brain.

Stephanie (39:38)
minimal mention of his backstory, you're like, I need to know why he made that choice.

Kaitlin (39:42)
Totally. And I feel like I would like to know more about him and kind of how it all unfolded. And yeah, it just, there's, there's a lot there that she could dig into a little more. I think this would be an unbelievable short TV series. Eight to 10 episodes, I think would be brilliant.

Stephanie (40:01)
I'm seeing like 8 to 10 episodes.

I feel like you know who would do it fantastic? Cadley Mack.

Kaitlin (40:08)
Who? yeah, Karina Adley -Mackenzie. She's doing the adaptation for We Were Liars, which I believe that they're combining the prequel and the original. I don't know if they're doing like Flash, but I don't know how they're really doing it. But I feel like, yeah, she would be really good at. But I'm telling you, we need our listeners to pump this book out. Like, we're trying to, but we need...

Stephanie (40:19)
and the original? I think so. I don't know if you're going to flashback.

Yeah, she was really bad at that. But I'm telling you, we are in this together to pump this book out. Like, we're trying to, but we do. Everybody's been told, as a further point, that I saw the e -book store the other day and I was like shocked that it was like a copy of which else because I had no clue.

Kaitlin (40:37)
Everybody we've told has really liked it. I saw it in the bookstore the other day and I was like shocked that there was like a copy on the shelf because I literally haven't heard anything else about it. And I didn't look this author up, but I think I did look her up at one point and she doesn't have any other books, I don't think. Or if she does, they're not YA. Now I'm, now I'm backtracking on what I said, but I, I am pretty sure if she had other books, I would have already bought them.

Molly Galler (40:43)
I'm pretty sure it's...

Stephanie (40:47)
I think we did look around at one point and she doesn't have any of our books or anything. Or she does have a lot of my other books. But now I'm back to where I came off. I am pretty sure that she had a book set of cards often. I think this is her first book and also...

Molly Galler (41:05)
I think this is her first book. And also I thought the entire time this should make it to the screen because the characters, as you already said, are so rich, so layered, so flawed. Like I could just easily see, and also the natural tension from the fact that they're always on the run just sort of keeps your adrenaline up. but then you get the love story, you get the mentorship thing. There was really, it was so thoughtful and I loved it.

Stephanie (41:10)
I thought the entire time that this shouldn't be on the screen. Because the characters, as you said, are so, so, so, so, so, so, so

Kaitlin (41:29)
I can tell you right now I know why I bought this book. The epitaph at the beginning, California, I'm coming home, Joni Mitchell. Joni's my girl. Taylor and Joni are my girls, in case anybody was wondering. And so that would have sold me right there. If you have something about Taylor at the beginning of your book or Joni Mitchell, I'm probably going to buy it. Joan Didion is my third girl.

Stephanie (41:47)
Taylor.

Kaitlin (41:58)
If you mention any of those three people, I'm going to buy your book.

Sorry, not sorry. What are people reading?

Stephanie (42:03)
Sorry, I'm sorry. What is it? I am currently reading a book called The Murder After the Night Before by Katie Brent. It was the cover that got me. I got this at Belmont Books. It's a hot pink cover. This is a messy book in the best way. It is about a woman and now I'm blanking on her name, which is so embarrassing.

Molly Galler (42:31)
Her holiday party happened one day and she starts looking to follow the boy as she wakes up fully dressed in the night form with the strength and the men who those concocted her and she doesn't have to tell him that she shouldn't.

Stephanie (42:34)
Her company holiday party happens one night and we start the book the following morning when she wakes up fully dressed in the outfit from the night before with a strange man in her bed who knows things about her that she doesn't remember telling this person because she doesn't remember meeting this person. And she's on her way to work when she realizes people are kind of...

Kaitlin (42:52)
And she's on void work when she realizes people are looking at her, looking at her, laughing at her, and when she gets into work, how do we put our pulls into everything. And basically a direct video is only a picture of her giving a screen time because it's from a distance of look, and it's all the way in front. And so she is worked at as a public relations, also working as a job worker.

Stephanie (42:58)
looking at her, pointing at her, laughing at her. And when she gets into work, the head of HR pulls her into a meeting. And basically there is a video on the interwebs of her giving a strange man, because it's from a distance, a blow job, and it's all over the internet. And so she is mortified, has no memory of it, also might lose her job over it. And when she heads home, she soon discovers that her...

Molly Galler (43:21)
And when she was hence calling, she soon discovered that her best friend's last roommate has died of a disease in her bathroom. And she has it from remembering someone who had been living with her for a long time. And she thought it was her good son who had inflated them. That's what I thought was right.

Kaitlin (43:23)
This sounds like the flight attendant almost.

Stephanie (43:28)
best friend slash roommate has died overnight in her bathtub. And she has a memory of someone leaving the apartment that morning and she thought it was her. That's what I thought when I started reading it. It's messy in the best way. It's short chapters. There's, I mean, I'm not that far into it. I'd say I'm.

Kaitlin (43:47)
It's my school best friend. It's short chapter. I mean, I'm not a fan of it.

Molly Galler (43:57)
Very striking cover like a big time.

Stephanie (43:57)
80 pages in, so much action has happened. You feel for this person because her life is basically spiraling the drain. And you want to know what the heck happened at this party that she just got blackout drunk and has no recollection. But you also want to know what the heck is happening with the best friend. So it's a fun read.

Molly Galler (44:25)
I'm reading One Last Summer by Kate Spencer, who we mentioned last episode and possibly the one before. This is a story about a woman named Clara who is working at a startup. And in the first couple of pages, her boss, the founder, is making an all company announcement about how in order to help people have like great balance, work -life balance and mental health, they're going to start initiating what they call mini sabbaticals.

Kaitlin (44:36)
who is a U .S. citizen and a U .S. citizen. Her boss about her is a U .S. citizen. But she's a U .S. citizen. People at her street, about her family, about her friends, about her family. They're gonna start pushing for her to become a U .S. citizen. And she's a U .S. citizen.

Molly Galler (44:53)
And people can choose to take one or someone on their team can nominate them for one if they think they need a break. And she decides to pick on Clara in front of the whole company and say, like, you are the most burnt out person here and your sabbatical starts right now. So she uses the sudden time off to go to New Hampshire, to go to a summer camp reunion. So I am only 40 pages in, but.

Stephanie (45:02)
and you're a strange -ass person.

Molly Galler (45:21)
I'm very excited to see where this goes as is well documented here on this podcast. I'm a big summer camp person. I went for most of my life. The friends that I have from that time are still some of my best friends to this day. So I can't wait to like fall down this New England summer camp rabbit hole. and it opens just like on quite a dramatic note. And I also love on the very first page, Clara is standing next to her assistant as this announcement is being made.

Stephanie (45:38)
And it was just like a flight of drive. You know, and I also love, on the very first page, Claire is standing next to her assistant and has this announcement to give him. And the thought that he says the same as the lady, that we just can't start, you know? And I just love that it's all, you know, points and events on a personal level. And I can't wait to go out to live with him, because I think I'll finish pretty quickly. And then we'll go to the house and I'll do the house.

Molly Galler (45:49)
And in the book, the assistant's name is Lydia, which is Kate's daughter's name. And I just love these little glimpses you get into someone's personal life. And I can't wait to keep going. It's only 300 pages, so I think I'll finish pretty quickly. And then I hope to pass it on to you gals.

Kaitlin (46:07)
I'm doing my homework, which means the kid that I tutor got assigned summer reading books. He was given a very large list of books that he could choose his second book from, but everybody entering seventh grade at his school was assigned the first book, which is the graphic novel New Kid by Jerry Craft.

I find it very interesting that this is the book that was selected as the required reading for everybody going into seventh grade at his posh private school, because it is about a, it's based on the author's real life. He grew up in Washington Heights in New York city. He ended up wanting to go to an art school and instead his parents got him on a scholarship to this like she private school where he was one of like four non -white kids in the whole school.

Stephanie (46:43)
He grew up in Washington, NY. He ended up wanting to go to art school. And instead his parents got him on a scholarship to this like schmoozing private school where he was wanting to like fool art college like in high school. And so the book starts on the 12th and the kids are reading like, you know, passive aggressive comments about like, you're so much like the, you know, free algebra teacher.

Kaitlin (46:59)
And so the book starts when he's 12 and the kids are making like, you know, passive aggressive comments about like, you'll probably like the, you know, pre -algebra teacher. And then like, he gets to class and the pre -algebra teacher is black. So it's just like, it's these like aggressions that like the kids don't even realize that they're doing, but, and you know, it's just, there's like a lot of things going on there.

Stephanie (47:13)
black. So it's like, it's these like, aggressions that like, you know, it's just, there's a lot of things going on there. And I found it interesting because the kid that I tutor is not white. And so I was very excited to see what his perspective is because he goes to a predominantly white private school. So this pool was like,

Kaitlin (47:27)
within the book. And I just found it really interesting because the kid that I tutor is not white. And so I will be very interested to see what his perspective is because he goes to a predominantly white private school. So the fact that this school was like, everybody going into seventh grade has to read this graphic novel. I'm like, this is like, did they roll up their sleeves? Because this could really

Molly Galler (47:27)
with the club and I found that the same events, the kids and I, too, have probably, and so I was interested to see what his perspective is because he goes to a predominantly private school. So, the fact that this school was like everybody's open, so I was very happy to read his graphic output. I'm like, this is, did they learn first -leave? Is this good or bad? And also, I found that the school was too hard for me to get in.

Kaitlin (47:51)
And also I found it really interesting that they told everybody to read it over the summer where they're not getting any guidance. Like I know that they'll follow up in the fall about it and like they will obviously talk about it as their like one shared read. But like it's got a lot going on and like he didn't get a lot of information about it beforehand. He had never even read a graphic novel. I had to like explain to him how you go through the panels and like how to look at it and how to think about it.

Stephanie (48:03)
I'm not sure if we read, but it's kind of luck to a young man. He didn't get a lot of information about it. And he never even had the practice of a whole head of this. I mean, then I could look at the panel, like how to look at it, how to think about it. And he's like, we want us to do, like, stick these very contradictions. We want us to do stick notes to report our thinking, because we're going to be doing a bunch of activities when we go back to school. A little bit of a lot of it. He's like, there aren't that many words here. Like, I'm not even aware of that.

Kaitlin (48:18)
And he's like, they want us to do like sticky is very conscientious. And he's like, they want us to do sticky notes to record our thinking. Cause we're going to be doing a bunch of activities when we go back to school. Blah, blah. And he's like, there aren't that many words here. Like, what am I going to write about? And I was like, we will work on that. I was like, you really have to look at the pictures. I was like, everything's dialogue. There's no. And he was like, I didn't really think about that. And I'm like, yeah, you have to look at where these speech bubbles are coming.

Stephanie (48:33)
like, we work. I was like, we work. I was like, everything's died off yourself. And you just say, it's so sad.

Yeah, you have to look at where these speech bubbles are coming from. Like, did somebody find the details that I had to go over with because he had never read a graphic novel before? I think I actually taught someone how to approach this before. So that was really interesting. The book so far is really good. I'm about halfway through. It's won a bunch of awards. It's been on the site two or three times for a long time. I've never really...

Kaitlin (48:47)
Like there were just so many finite details that I had to go over with him because he had never read a graphic novel before. And I was like, I've never actually like taught someone how to approach this before. So that was really interesting. The book so far is really good. I'm about halfway through it won a bunch of awards. It's been on my to be read list for a really long time, but I've never really, I've never taught a graphic novel before actually. And so.

Stephanie (49:11)
I haven't taught a lot of technology before actually, and so there are a lot of times that I'm trying to be in line to see if I fit in something. And so this was kind of like a shrug to the bottom of my list because it never was a good spot. So I'm not going to have fun in it because I have to do really good things. And I'm going to be doing some writing activities to kind of get you thinking about what's going on.

Kaitlin (49:15)
There are a lot of times that like I'm, I'm reading YA books to like, see if it might fit in somewhere. And so this just kept like getting shoved to the bottom of my list because it never really like had a spot. So I'm glad that I'm like finally reading it because I have heard really good things. and he and I will be doing some writing activities to kind of get him thinking about. I doubt that he really is that carefully looking at the pictures and there's like one particular scene.

Molly Galler (49:19)
So I'm glad that I can find a meeting because I have to look at good things. And I do some writing activities to kind of get some thinking about this. I doubt that you really decide to look at a connection. There's like one particular scene where one of the kids gets called an Oreo. And then like a picture of the Oreo.

Stephanie (49:40)
I kind of doubt that he really is that careful looking at the pictures. There's like one particular scene where one of the trans guys called an Oreo and then they took a picture and the main character's name is Jordan and the other character's name is Jerry. So Jordan is like, I know exactly what that means and then he draws a self -portrait of himself where his head is an Oreo. It's like white on the inside, black on the outside. Anyways, there's just a lot of interesting things going on and Grout is picking up on that.

Kaitlin (49:45)
where one of the kids gets called an Oreo. And then there's like a picture, like the main character's name is Jordan, the author's name is Jerry. So Jordan is like, I know exactly what that means. And then he draws a self portrait of himself where his head's an Oreo and it's like white on the inside, black on the outside. anyways, there's just a lot of interesting things going on. I doubt he's picking up on very many of them because he's probably rushing through it and it's the summer and he's 12.

Molly Galler (49:49)
I think the main character's name is Jordan, the author's name is Jerry. So Jordan is like, no, exactly what that means. He draws a self -portrait of himself with his heads in Oreo. He's like, my audience and I, fucking outside. Anyways, there's just a lot of interesting things going on. I doubt he's picking up on great things. This is probably the most interesting thing, but it's in some other case as well. So I would first take a look at that, what the difference is going to have.

Stephanie (50:10)
So I look forward to David getting to that and I think that he's going to have professional and I call him a lot of evidence in my project called The Go -Shit Moments. So I'm looking forward to that because I think it'll be good. We'll have some good moments and some bad stuff. It's not the bad stuff that I feel because I feel like, yeah, this is happening to me. I just have a feeling that there's going to be some connections there.

Kaitlin (50:14)
So I look forward to digging into that. And I think that he's going to have professionally, I call them aha moments in my real life. I call them shit moments. so I'm looking forward to that because I think it'll be good and he will have some, some good moments and I'm hoping he's some of it, not the bad stuff, but I feel like he's going to be like, yeah, this has happened to me before. You know what I mean? Like I just have a feeling that there's going to be some connections there that we're going to unpack a little bit and it'll be good. I think it'll be really good.

Molly Galler (50:44)
I hope you'll give us an update when you guys get to the end. If you want to follow along with everything that we're reading and loving, you can give us a follow on Instagram at PlansAreBooked. And if you have ideas for books you'd like us to cover or you think we should read, you can send us a note to plansarebooked at gmail .com.

Kaitlin (51:03)
And until next time, our plans are booked.