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- [00:18]
A
Hi, everyone, and welcome to Baton Paper Podcast. I'm Olivia Mentor.
- [00:22]
B
And I'm Becca Freeman.
- [00:23]
A
And today we are doing a holiday themed three Things episode.
- [00:28]
B
Just a festive little bonbon of an episode.
- [00:31]
A
Yes. But first, let's get into some highs and lows. What is your high?
- [00:37]
B
My high is just the general feeling of peace I have right now. I woke up on Wednesday morning. I feel like sometimes it takes me a few days to come down from a deadline. And I woke up and one of the first things I thought was how incredible it felt to not have this sense of pressure hanging over me or this sense of should hanging over me that I feel like I've been working on this book for almost three years, and even when I'm not working on it, there's something in the back of my head that almost says we should be working on it. You're not done yet? Like, I obviously know that I'm allowed to have rest and I want to have balance, but there's still this gremlin in the back of my mind saying should. And to wake up and not have that because the book is fully done. Oh, my God. I feel like a huge. That vest that they used to take X rays at the dentist just got lifted off of me.
- [01:34]
A
Yeah, it's like a whole new world.
- [01:36]
B
Oh, my gosh.
- [01:38]
A
The shape of every day feels different.
- [01:40]
B
I know I need to do some thinking between now and when I start my next book, which I think is probably in January, about how I avoid falling into that mindset again because I obviously knew there was some heaviness around finishing this book, but, wow, the absence of it has made it so much clearer how different I feel.
- [02:05]
A
And you're saying you don't want to go back to every deadline making you feel that overwhelmed or not overwhelmed, but I don't know. You tell me the right word.
- [02:13]
B
I think it's just the sense of pressure and the sense of guilt over whenever I'm not working on it and it's not finished that I have to answer for that to myself.
- [02:26]
A
So maybe it goes back to, like, the perfectionism thing.
- [02:29]
B
Oh. I mean, everything does. I just want to be a perfect robot who everyone likes.
- [02:37]
A
So going forward, are you worried that, like, with your next book, it will kind of be there from the first two draft? Is that what you're trying to avoid?
- [02:45]
B
No, I don't think so. I think this was really a cumulative snowball effect that really goes back to my expectations around that I thought I would be able to write a book in a year and then when I didn't, every month it got past that, the weight grew heavier to finish it. And so I think some of it is just resetting my expectations and also just resetting how I speak to myself internally. My inner monologue with myself, my inner dialogue with myself.
- [03:14]
A
I guess I agree. I think the next one will feel a lot different as every book, I guess feels different probably. But yeah, the inner dialogue, editing and revising and getting nicer to ourselves is so important.
- [03:27]
B
Well, what about you? What's your high?
- [03:28]
A
I have really small highs. One is I got a. A nicer advent calendar than usual this year. It was like a 40 ish dollar one from the Vermont Country Store. And I really wanted a nice one with chocolates. And it's been great. It has been great. I haven't liked every single chocolate. My only thing is next year I will get two. So Jake can have the full chocolate and I can have the full chocolate. Because like splitting a truffle is really just not. Yeah, it's like you're just nibbling on half of it. But I just, I love remembering that it's there every night and like just singing the little Christmas song as I eat my chocolate.
- [04:07]
B
When you said Vermont Country Store and I don't know if this is something they even have, but it reminds me of the state of Vermont, I thought for a second you were going to say that it was those maple candies. Do you know what I mean?
- [04:18]
A
Oh, I do. Yes, I do know what you mean. Yeah. Those are really good.
- [04:21]
B
I love those. Now I'm on their site trying to see if they have a maple candy advent calendar.
- [04:27]
A
Listen, once you go searching for an advent calendar, it is a wild, wild world out there. But I really just wanted chocolate. So I ended up with this one. It was in the right price range and I can recommend. And then. Yeah, my other high is that I bought this dresser at restore months and months ago. It's this pine dresser with these floral details. I loved it. It was like less than $104 months. Now it has sat in our what will be our dining room, but is now just a room that holds our bar and just a collection of items that we don't know what to do with. And I figured out the other day, oh, this would be a great side table. I don't know if you've ever seen like a dresser used as a side table, but I really like it.
- [05:13]
B
I don't know if I've seen that, but I've seen it use as a nightstand before.
- [05:16]
A
Oh, sorry. I mean a nightstand. I always get those two phrases. I mean a nightstand. And also, for three years now, Jake and I have been like, we're going to buy a new bed. We're going to buy a new bed. We've been. Our mattress has sat ATOP an Amazon $30 bed bed frame for six years now. So I was like, it's time to invest in a nice adult bed. We got the new bed, and then we put the dresser up there, and it just looks so perfect. And I really love when I thrift an item and I just hoard it. For months. I think I had a gut instinct that this is gonna look good somewhere. I had a gut instinct, and then it all comes together, and now I have, like, triple the storage in our bedroom, and I just love it. So I really. It's just. There's no better feeling than when you get something secondhand and it just fits in the right spot. And you weren't necessarily thinking of it for that, but it just works. And, yes, it's just a joy.
- [06:12]
B
Oh, I can't wait to see if you share photos.
- [06:15]
A
I will. What is your low?
- [06:17]
B
My low is that on the last episode, I was talking about how the tippy top thing I was putting off on my list that I needed to do after we recorded was go get my flu shot and my Covid booster, which I did, and it took me out. I seem to remember that the last Covid booster I got didn't hit me as hard, so I think I got a little cavalier. Oh, my gosh. I was down for the count for 36 hours. I.
- [06:48]
A
36 hours?
- [06:50]
B
Yeah, the first maybe 12 hours, I just felt weird. Like, not terrible, but just weird. And then I woke up in the middle of the night with such chills that I needed to go out into the living room and get the cozy earth blanket, which is so heavy. I would never sleep with that on my bed and put it on top of a duvet and a lighter blanket because my teeth were chattering. I had such bad chills. And then the next day, I just had such bad body aches. I felt like shit. However, I'm still glad I got it, because 36 hours of feeling crummy and being in bed is Nothing compared to 30 days with lingering bronchitis, which I somehow always manage to get after I get any kind of flu Covid situation. So I'm glad I did it. It's out of the way, but I turned in that book, and then I just punched myself in the face.
- [07:43]
A
But now you're set. That does suck. But it's good that you got it. It's a nice thing to check off the list, but yeah, that's. I've heard that from a few people. Although I heard that last year too. And I had no reaction. So, you know, it's just random, I guess, but important.
- [07:58]
B
It did make me feel slightly better when I was googling it that apparently having a strong reaction means that it's working. So I was like a little self congratulatory about feeling like absolute dogshit.
- [08:09]
A
Yes, you are protected.
- [08:10]
B
Yeah. What about you? What is your low?
- [08:13]
A
Well, I went to a concert on Friday and I almost committed crimes at that concert because.
- [08:19]
B
Wow. Crimes of what ilk?
- [08:21]
A
Come on this journey with me. So this was at a venue called Tubbies, which is a bar with a probably 50 person like venue in the back. It's a room. It's just a room. And I had gotten a notification for this concert months ago and it was kind of one of those things, like one of your favorite artists that you listen to all the time is coming near you. And it's this musician named Billy Martin. And I am obsessed with her. She was like my number three artist on my Spotify wrapped. And the concert was sold out. And it was this really intimate venue and because it was at a dive bar, it was kind of fun and cool. And she was just there like hanging out the whole time before. It was like very chill and casual and Jake and I were in the very back on these kind of like risers, but they're not very tall. And we're standing there and to our left was this couple and the entire concert, the entire show, they were facing each other and talking. And they weren't talking that loudly. But the fact that they. The entire show in this very small venue where like she can see the singer can see like every single one of us, the fact that you are in conversation with each other and facing each other and not facing the person who you've paid to come see, perform who. The concert was sold out. Maybe someone else would have liked to see it. You know, they were in conversation the entire time they. I think they were on like Molly or something because they were just acting very weird. At one point they were completely facing the back wall and just touching the wall a lot. And I don't know why I had like such a severe moral issue with that behavior. I just thought this is so disrespectful. Like, it's so disrespectful to go watch someone play Music and to not even face them the entire show. Like, to just be talking where other people are trying to enjoy and be like, touching each other constantly in each other's faces. It just wasn't that type of show, you know, this isn't an 800 person, like, venue where no one's going to notice. So.
- [10:30]
B
Did you say anything?
- [10:32]
A
No, I just stared at them. I was so close. But the thing is, if I had said something, I was afraid it would disrupt things more. So then I just got angrier and angrier and Jake was like, I thought you were going to actually just, like, punch them in the face. And I was. I was approaching a level of anger I have not known. I don't know. It was just something about the disrespect of it I couldn't deal with. And I don't know.
- [10:57]
B
Did other people seem to notice?
- [10:59]
A
Yes, but no one would say anything. But also they were right next to the sound guy who didn't say anything. And so I was like, well, I don't work here. I don't want to be the person who's doing this. But I just thought it was so rude. And, like, I just. I don't know, I just could tell also that she could see them sometimes, like, was looking at them. And I just can't imagine playing music for a room of like 50 people. And then there's two people just in, like, an intense conversation not paying any attention to you whatsoever. I don't know. There was something about it that just. I felt a moral anger about. I didn't do anything, though. I left hubbies. No one was hurt. And I hope they. I hope they know what they did. I hope they felt my glare.
- [11:41]
B
I'm glad your rap sheet's still clean.
- [11:43]
A
Yeah, me too. Me too. Don't talk at concerts, guys, okay? Or go to, like, Madison Square Garden if you want to do that. Please. This is my truth.
- [11:52]
B
Well, should we take an ad break and get to some holiday truth?
- [11:56]
A
Yes.
- [12:01]
B
This episode is sponsored by Wayfair. Even though I started feeling festive early this year, I am still alarmed by how fast Christmas is approaching. My tree is up. I've got some festive plans in the calendar, but I still have gifts left to shop for. If you're also feeling stressed about the imminence of the holidays, you can get what you need fast. Whether that's decor, gifts or hosting essentials with Wayfair. From a brand new tree to bedding, throw pillows and accent chairs to get your house ready for guests, Wayfair is Your One Stop shop.
- [12:32]
A
I was actually just talking to Jake as we were looking at that new nightstand and we were saying, well, we need different lamps now for these. And I said, I'm going to browse on Wayfair tonight. I'm going to do this right after we record. And I am actually very excited to do so because Wayfair makes it so easy to find exactly what you're looking for. You can use filters. I know for my floor lamp that I got for Wayfair for our library, I used I googled cottage core floor lamp and I found exactly the right thing right away. So you can use any combination of filters and I promise you you will find what you need and delivery is fast and free. This is the best time to check all those finishing details off your list so you can actually enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends.
- [13:17]
B
Or if you're shopping for gifts, Wayfair's huge selection of home items makes it easy to find something for everyone on your list. I was actually really, really surprised by how many gift items they have. Whether that's the perfect play kitchen set for a kid in your life. They have mahjong sets, they have record players, they even have candles and giftable mugs like my favorite book person mug that I've talked about here before. Get last minute hosting essentials gifts for all your loved ones and decor to celebrate the holidays. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home.
- [14:02]
A
What is the first thing you have brought to us on this the seventh day of Christmas?
- [14:08]
B
Well, is it the seventh day of Christmas or just the seventh day of December? When do we start counting the days of Christmas?
- [14:14]
A
I don't know. All I know is that when I open my little. My little window into my little chocolate. On the Advent calendar, I always say whatever day it is, I say on the seventh day of Christmas, even though it's it's the seventh day of December. So it's unclear. It's unclear. The song kind of fades after that.
- [14:29]
B
So sure.
- [14:30]
A
Not sure.
- [14:31]
B
No problem. My first question is I'm wondering if you are going to any type of white elephant gift exchange this year and if so, what you're bringing or if not, what you would bring to a white elephant.
- [14:47]
A
I am not. I kind of wish I was because I think these are fun.
- [14:52]
B
Me too.
- [14:52]
A
Oh, I know what I would bring.
- [14:54]
B
Okay.
- [14:54]
A
I know what I would Bring. It's my critter catcher. It's my bug. It's my. It's my bug catcher. I've talked about on here before. It is a handle, a long stick, and then sort of a catching mechanism in which you can catch insects and then you can flush them down the toilet. You can bring them outside at all times. You're keeping three solid feet between you and the creature. And it feels ridiculous, but we keep it everywhere. We refer to it only as the mechanism, which is really weird. Like, do you have the mechanism that sounds so strange, but I think it's technically called a critter catcher. And I just love that I don't have to feel the body of an insect in, like, a piece of tissue. You know, it's far from me.
- [15:42]
B
This would also be really great. I assume it comes in a box, but if you took it out, it would be such a strange shape that I feel like would be a very compelling gift to select because you would be wondering what it is.
- [15:55]
A
And I think we bought it because we have a stink bug issue in certain seasons, which is really common in old homes up here. But honestly, my parents need it. Like, if you're in the south, you have palmetto bugs. You don't want to get near those things. They're so fast. So it's not something I think most people by themselves. But there's gonna come a time where you're like, oh, my God, I got that really weird thing at the white elephant. This is what it's for. And you're gonna be so glad you have it.
- [16:23]
B
It's kind of a funny mix of joke gift, but also utilitarian.
- [16:29]
A
Yes. What would you bring or what are you bringing? I don't know if you're going to any.
- [16:33]
B
No, I have two Secret Santas this year, and I feel like I did a great job for both. I can't talk about it yet because I am concerned about the word getting out there within these Secret Santas who I have. But I don't have a white elephant. And, you know, some of the impetus for this question was that I saw a reel of a woman who brought a Costco rotisserie chicken as a white elephant. And I thought that was so funny.
- [17:00]
A
Cannot go wrong. I wish I had so funny, endless Costco rotisserie chickens in my life.
- [17:06]
B
I mean, I certainly wouldn't bring that because I don't have easy access to a Costco. But as long as you were, you know, observing food, food safety and storage rules in the lead up to the White elephant. This would be a hilarious gift.
- [17:19]
A
I agree, it's very smart. Unless there were vegetarians.
- [17:23]
B
Sure, sure. But I feel like an all vegetarian white elephant. I'm sure it could happen. Wait, I need to tell you one other wild white elephant gift I've observed in the world before. I tell you what I would bring. Years ago when I worked at Lola, this girl Anna, who Anna was so nice. She was. Not that she was super quiet, but she was. I just would never have expected her to bring something this weird to a white elephant. She brought this gift and it was heavy. It was really heavy. And I think she'd written fragile on it too. So somebody picked it and inside it was a goldfish in a goldfish bowl. Oh, I think that's so funny. I mean, obviously it is carries a lot of responsibility, but it was just so the last thing you would have expected to unwrap. You do not.
- [18:18]
A
It was in a. Well, I have a. Much like my moral frustration with people being disrespectful to artists at concerts and those around them, I have a moral quandary with gifting pets. A goldfish is a lower level of pet. I feel like, please don't come for me goldfish people. It's not that I think they should be abused, but I think it's a little different than giving someone a dog is all I think.
- [18:41]
B
Yes.
- [18:42]
A
But it is unexpected.
- [18:45]
B
I thought it was so funny. I didn't get it. I might have felt differently had I chosen it, but I thought it was very funny.
- [18:52]
A
I will say that I have an uncle who every year would give all the cousins, like all 30 of us or whatever, everyone a gift. And one year he gave everyone betta fish and all and we were all like, wow. Our parents were not so happy. Yeah.
- [19:08]
But I feel like if you knew your audience, a goldfish could be a hit for sure.
- [19:13]
B
Okay, so my real answer. I think it would depend. So a few years ago, I went to a white elephant that was. I can't remember what the exact phrasing was. It might have been like best discovery of the year themed. So you were supposed to bring something that was your favorite thing. And you know, people brought beauty products, people brought.
- [19:33]
A
That's fun.
- [19:33]
B
I don't know, all types of utilitarian stuff. Like, I remember somebody brought a weighted sleep mask and there was a price limit on it. I don't remember what it was, but I ended up bringing a five year journal because it was 2023. I was the year I started mine and it got stolen.
- [19:45]
A
A lot.
- [19:46]
B
It got the maximum amount of steel. So I feel like it was a very popular one and right time of year too, because, you know, start in January, peak five year journal season. So I feel like if I was going to one among friends with a more earnest tone, I think that would go over well. If I was going to a random one. I mean, I've already talked about this, but I think I would bring the buffalo chicken ornament from Furbish. I think it's so funny. It's so funny. It's a little weird. I could see it appealing to different types of people. I don't know.
- [20:21]
A
I think ornaments are great gifts in general because I'm always looking for more ornaments, always. And I never have enough. And I only buy maybe one a year. It's not like I'm hoarding them out there. So I think that would be great. Yeah.
- [20:33]
B
This was mostly just because I wanted to tell you that I saw a video of a woman who brought a Costco rotisserie chicken to a wine elephant.
- [20:41]
A
Well, honestly, I think about Costco a lot because there's one being built 30 minutes from us when formerly we've been driving 90 minutes away. And I actually saw on the Internet the other day that they were hanging the sign on this Costco. So I am right there with the, like, construction workers just ready for this to be done and I haven't been in months and I miss it. So I fully appreciate that anecdote.
- [21:06]
B
You're ready to enter your Kirkland era?
- [21:09]
A
Yes. I buy three Costco chickens when I'm there. Wow, rotisserie chickens. That sounds like live chickens. Which honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Costco also had.
- [21:18]
B
I just bought a rotisserie chicken this week. It was from Whole Foods, not Costco, because I was making soup and I didn't want to deal with actually cooking the chicken. Oh, so convenient.
- [21:27]
A
So good. Delicious.
- [21:29]
B
Tell me your first thing.
- [21:31]
A
Well, you know, at first I had, let's just go with the classic, what's on your Christmas list. But then I was like, eh, I don't know. So I thought more broad. What are you, like, looking forward to this holiday season? We haven't really talked about that, actually. Are you looking forward to, like, is there something you want to make? Is there a party you're going to? Is there an outfit you're going to wear? Is there something you're going to buy yourself or you're looking forward to being gifted or something? Or giving, I guess you can talk about it. Top secret gifts but yeah, what's on your radar of like, that'll be nice.
- [22:02]
B
I'm extremely excited for both of my Secret Santas. First one is when this airs. It'll be tomorrow with my mahjong group first year doing it, but I think it's gonna be good. I was a little stumped on what to get, but I feel like I really nailed it once I sat down and started to think. So I'm excited about that. I'm so excited for my Secret Santa with my college friends, which has been a kind of like long term tradition. We hosted at my friend Julie's house and she kind of makes a spread of food and I think some of us will sleep over. And it has a high limit slash no limit. And you know, it's like instead of buying, it's my closest friend. So instead of buying individual gifts, it's like, you, you really go all out for one person. So, yeah, I'm really excited about that. I'm staying in New York this year and so I think I'm going to have a pretty calm actual Christmas. I was talking to my friend and her husband are also staying in town and we were talking about doing some kind of like, baller dinner somewhere for Christmas Eve because I think the city will be pretty empty. So I think you could kind of go almost wherever you wanted then. I'm excited for my traditional New Year's Eve in Maine. I haven't been to Maine in a while, so I'm excited to go up there and go to some of our favorite places. And like, I always love it when it snows up there. I just feel so cozy and cabin y. So, yeah, I'm excited. But to answer your question, I don't really have any foods that I'm looking forward to making. Actually, I take this back. I have foods I'm looking forward to buying but not making. I bought Williams Sonoma peppermint bark.
- [23:44]
A
Yum.
- [23:45]
B
And oh my gosh, it's so good. But I. As I was talking, I just remembered that I want to get peppermint stick ice cream at some point.
- [23:53]
A
Ooh. Mm, love. I love peppermint. You know, peppermint gets too much hate.
- [24:00]
B
Who hates peppermint?
- [24:02]
A
I hear a lot of it tastes like toothpaste. Slander. Oh, disagree to that. I say no.
- [24:10]
B
Yeah, I love. I love peppermint flavored things.
- [24:14]
A
Me too.
- [24:14]
B
What about you? What are you excited for this Christmas? What is on your gift list? What are you eating? What are you making? Tell me all the things.
- [24:23]
A
Oh, gosh. Well, lots of like movie and hot chocolate nights, which we've already been doing. We watched the Family Stone the other night, which we'll come back to in this episode, but Jake had never seen it, so. Really? Yeah. Never.
- [24:38]
B
That's one of my favorite Christmas movies, I think.
- [24:41]
A
Me too. It's. Oh, gosh. I hadn't watched it start to finish in a very long time. And I remember watching it like how much I loved that home. Just the coziness of that house. And there were certain parts of it that really reminded me of our house in some ways. And so I really thought of like younger me watching that and being like, oh, what a nice, cool old home, like one day maybe, you know. And so it was really special.
- [25:06]
B
But did it all still hit different because of Diane Keaton this year?
- [25:11]
A
You know, I was trying to not think about it, but yeah, that was really. It was getting me.
- [25:15]
B
That scene at the end always. You know what I'm talking about? That scene at the end always absolutely destroys me.
- [25:22]
A
I am sure it is a very tough watch. I definitely cried, but I don't know how you watch that. And don't cry. To be honest, Diane King just seems so like timeless, you know, like she. She just seemed like she has always been here. She will always be here. It's very, very sad that she's not now, but less sad, I guess. I used to really consistently make a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I kind of made my own, I guess over the years that featured a lot of butter and a lot of salt. They're salted chocolate chip cookies and a mix of semi sweet chocolate chips, dark and milk chocolate chips. And I haven't done it in so, so long. So I had the idea of maybe having a cookie baking day here and then dropping off cookies at friends houses and stuff.
- [26:08]
B
I like to be the recipient of other people's baking. I'm not a good baker.
- [26:13]
A
It's really hard. And actually I think part of the reason I haven't baked here is because the oven is so much weirder than my last oven and like, stuff like that, to your point, can really just change baking altogether.
- [26:25]
B
With baking, I don't find that much pleasure in it. I find it stressful. Rather than cooking is a little more loosey goosey, you can add salt, you can keep adjusting things as you go versus baking. Feels more high stakes.
- [26:41]
A
Yeah. Yes, it does. And it's in science actually, so sure is. What else? I've been taking lots of walks, even in the cold, which I really liked. I like a snow walk I find it very soothing. Just all that cold air in my lungs. And I also got a new winter puffy coat that goes to my calves, which will be nice. I'm very much looking forward to that. I got that on Black Friday. And then finally, I have had an intense craving for Taco Bell.
- [27:09]
B
So how do we loop this into Christmas?
- [27:12]
A
Well, I don't know.
- [27:14]
B
Christmas, Baja Blast.
- [27:16]
A
I just. It's all I can think about. So I was like, where can I talk about this? I just would like to go to Taco Bell at some point during this holiday season. I only get Taco Bell maybe once a year, so this is my time. I think that's it.
- [27:28]
B
Okay, great.
- [27:29]
A
All the basics.
- [27:30]
B
Yeah. Your standard festive Taco Bell. Diane Keaton.
- [27:36]
A
Diane Keaton. I don't think ever set foot in a Taco Bell. You know what?
- [27:39]
B
I think she might have.
- [27:41]
A
I could see it, you think, in, like, a bowler hat.
- [27:45]
B
You know, I don't know if she stepped foot in it, but I think she probably had some Taco Bell takeout. Like, she drove through.
- [27:52]
A
Okay, maybe she was a woman of surprises, you know?
- [27:55]
B
So, like, I could see her just being really open to any experience. And, you know, her assistant's like, you know, Diane, have you ever had a Mexican pizza? And she's like, I haven't.
- [28:06]
A
You know, I have to say that once I posted, like, what should I order at Taco Bell? Because I really have probably only been in my entire life to Taco Bell, like, maybe four times. Like, not.
- [28:15]
B
I used to go in high school quite frequently, but I haven't really had a revival and gone recently.
- [28:22]
A
You're not missing much, but everyone was like, you have to get the Mexican pizza. I got it. Are you all okay? It is not good. It is not something I would recommend. There were other things. I was like, this is good. A burrito, a taco, Doritos Locos, taco. Even the Mexican pizza. I simply can't see the point there. But who do you think is a celebrity who has never been to Taco Bell? You would put Bunny on it.
- [28:46]
B
Mariah Carey has never been to a Taco Bell.
- [28:50]
A
I was gonna say Kate Middleton.
- [28:52]
B
Oh, sure. Absolutely. Never been to a Taco Bell. I think Dame Judi Dench has never been to a Taco Bell, and I think they would turn her away. They would be like, this is not for you.
- [29:02]
A
Save yourself. Yeah, you're so right. Also, Eddie Redmayne, I. Basically, anyone British, I just feel like, would probably not enjoy it Anyway, what's your next Thing.
- [29:16]
B
Okay, so I brought some festive Fuck Mary kills.
- [29:21]
A
Oh. Oh, no.
- [29:24]
No.
- [29:24]
B
I think they're. They're easy. They're not. Only one is sexual. Okay.
- [29:28]
A
Oh. Oh, okay. Okay. I thought it was like elf or Santa, you know, I mean, one.
- [29:33]
B
One of them totally is, but, you know, the other ones.
- [29:36]
A
Okay, I. I can handle one. I couldn't handle, like a whole.
- [29:39]
B
No, the other ones are much tamer. Okay, so the first one is Christmas movies. Elf love, actually, or the holiday.
- [29:49]
A
Oh, this is sort of my final thing, so we have some overlap here. Oh, elf love actually, or the holiday? Marry elf the holiday and kill love actually.
- [30:00]
B
Kill love actually.
- [30:02]
A
No question.
- [30:03]
B
It would be harder for me, but I agree with your. Your ranking.
- [30:07]
A
Great.
- [30:08]
B
Okay. Holiday beverages. Coffee with peppermint mocha coffee creamer, eggnog, or some type of fancy, like, candy cane martini type cocktail.
- [30:23]
A
Okay. I'm gonna marry the peppermint milka coffee. I'm gonna kill the cocktail, and I'm going to fuck the eggnog. Oh, my God, look at us.
- [30:36]
B
We're aligned again. I agree.
- [30:37]
A
Again. Yeah, as I was saying, I just. Eggnog is so not sexy.
- [30:44]
B
But I like eggnog. But I only want a sip or two.
- [30:48]
A
I like it more than like, a festive cocktail, but enough to go to bed with it. I don't know.
- [30:55]
B
All right, ready for my third one?
- [30:57]
A
Yes.
- [30:58]
B
Let's see if we can go three for three on agreeing. Okay. This one is the semisexual one. I don't know. Take it however you want. Okay. Bernard the elf from the Santa Claus.
- [31:10]
A
Okay.
- [31:11]
B
Carl from Love actually, the hot ghost from the spirit of Christmas.
- [31:18]
A
Oh, okay. The love actually guy we're killing.
- [31:22]
B
Oh, poor Carl.
- [31:24]
A
Marrying the ghost in the spirit of Christmas and fucking Bernard. I mean, I probably have talked about the mug that they use for that hot cocoa on the Santa Claus here before, because it's that imprinted in my soul. And so if he could make me that hot cocoa every night, I like.
- [31:41]
B
He's got the recipe memorized.
- [31:43]
A
Yeah. Like, we're good. Okay, we're good. What about you? This might be the one we differ on.
- [31:48]
B
It is. It is. Yeah. I think I'm gonna marry Carl from Love. Actually. I thought he seemed like a really good guy. And he's smoking hot. Like, I. I think he got the short shrift.
- [31:58]
A
I'm gonna be honest. I don't actually know who this is. I just hate that movie. So I'm gonna look him up now.
- [32:02]
B
He's the guy. Oh, the office crush. Yeah. Okay, so I'm going to marry Carl, I'm going to fuck the hot ghost from the Spirit of Christmas, and I guess I'm going to kill Bernard the elf. Nothing against him, I just don't feel any type of like spark or compatibility with him. Nor do I care about hot chocolate.
- [32:27]
A
You don't care about hot chocolate? Wow. You know, if I had googled what Carl looked like, it might have changed things. I'll be honest, I'm. I'm but a human woman, but just based on my feelings about the movie, that's where I went.
- [32:40]
B
Well, let's take another ad break and let's get into some more holiday things when we get back.
- [32:49]
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. We've been talking a lot about our beloved Cuddle blankets lately, but I've got to tell you that I also did some damage at Cozy Earth on Black Friday I picked up a new set of their bamboo sheets. These are so soft and they truly get better the more you wash them. And I also picked up a couple of three packs of their socks which I am wearing right now, which are really really warm but also fairly packable without taking up a ton of space, which is a problem that I often have with Cozy socks. They're too big.
- [33:23]
A
If you have someone that is hard to gift on your list this year, I think Cozy Earth would be a great place to start to. There is the Cuddle blanket which we've talked about so much and it is luxe and perfect for snuggling up under during colder months. Or you could gift a pair of their bamboo pajamas because truly what is better than a gift that helps someone you love relax? And if there is a guy in your life that needs some wardrobe updates, I can personally recommend all of the Cozy Earth men's loungewear because I have bought it all for Jake over the years and he loves and wears all of it.
- [33:59]
B
With Cozy Earth you're giving a gift that's going to become part of their day to day well past the holiday season and you're giving something high quality. All of their bedding is backed by a 100 night sleep trial and they offer a 10 year warranty because that's how much they stand behind their products, give the gift of everyday luxury and make every moment comfortable. Head to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for up to 20% off. And if you get a post purchase survey be sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth on baton paper. Again, that's Code B O p@cozyearth.com for up to 20% off. Give the gift of comfort that lasts beyond the holidays and carries into a cozy new year.
- [34:42]
Okay, Olivia, what is your second thing?
- [34:45]
A
Well, I've been thinking so much about this admin Advent calendar thing you mentioned on the last episode, and I've been thinking about all of the many things that I have been putting off that I need to do. And I wanted to know a few of yours if you're willing to share them. And I will share a few of mine, even though they are slightly embarrassing.
- [35:05]
B
I feel like mine are also boring. But yeah, I'll definitely share. I mean, one of them was getting my flu and Covid shots. I've been putting that off for a while, so check that off. I have to call about this bill I have from NYU that came in the mail but isn't showing up in the portal. And so I'm not sure if I actually owe the money or not for blood work. And so I need to call somebody, which is always something that gets kind of shuffled down my to do list. I need to make a dentist appointment, which I don't want to go to, so I therefore don't want to make the appointment because then it'll make me have to go relatable. Oh, there are some bins under my bed with old clothing and I don't even know what's in them that I would really like to go through and get rid of to make more room for storage of things that I actually want to store instead of the things that have just been sitting in these bins for three to five years that I haven't opened or touched. That's a big one. Oh, I need to set up my hatch alarm clock. I got a hatch alarm for Black Friday, but I'm finding it kind of overwhelming to, like, figure out how it works and, like, all the instructions. So I do need to do that. I need to update on my website. There's like an Instagram carousel at the bottom and it's fake, so it doesn't actually update with photos. And so all of the photos are now about 2 years old, so I would like to do that. I'd like to update my substack welcome email. That's a selection. I need to send a thank you card to my friend's mom who had me for Thanksgiving.
- [36:36]
A
It's a good assortment.
- [36:38]
B
Yeah, I have a lot of things lingering on my list. I didn't actually make an official admin advent calendar for myself because I didn't want to put more shoulds on my plate going off of my high. But I did make a little list in my notes app that I would like to tick through by the end of the year.
- [36:59]
A
Yeah, you know, I did the same thing. Cause I was like, I want to put like a task on my calendar every single day until Christmas Eve, basically. And then I was like, I don't know if with everything else I have to do, I really want to be thinking about this stuff, but I probably should just do it maybe.
- [37:15]
B
Well, you know what I found to work really well in the past and I might do one day this week is doing a power hour and just setting a timer for an hour. And I'm always shocked by how much I can get in. Like, I could probably tick off every single one of those tasks that I just told you in an hour.
- [37:34]
A
Yeah, yeah, that's real. I don't know. I read some posts the other day about like the biggest lesson in adulthood that someone has learned. I don't know where this was. And someone said, like, never underestimate what you can get done in 10 minutes.
- [37:46]
B
Yeah.
- [37:47]
A
And it's the same concept, I think for like an hour, like you can probably get pretty much anything you really need to get done. Especially like that admin stuff, the calling much quicker than you think.
- [37:58]
B
Okay, what's on your list?
- [38:00]
A
First one is really embarrassing. I have a parking ticket that I have not paid for months and it is lingering. It's sitting here right next to me and I just keep forgetting about it like constantly. So I need to pay the parking ticket, which started as $10 and is now 45. So it's.
- [38:17]
B
And rising.
- [38:18]
A
Yep. Silly me. Silly, silly, silly me. But I keep putting it on my desk, like surely I will remember. But anyway, so I need to do that one big one that has been haunting me for the better part of a decade actually, is that when Jake and I got engaged, this brand approached me where they did like custom wedding dresses, basically. Okay, like affordable custom wedding dresses. We designed one together, I guess, which is what they did with every customer. And at some point between designing it and it arriving, I found a different wedding dress, which is the one I ended up wearing. And then when the dress arrived, I was like too freaked out by the fact that I had another dress to even try it on. So I have had a full, like pretty substantially sized, like full skirt, giant wedding dress sitting in my closet for. Well, it probably arrived in 2019, so a long ass time.
- [39:15]
B
So what's the plan? Are you just gonna donate it?
- [39:17]
A
I'm gonna go to a wedding dressed like consignment shop and give it to them and, yeah, let them do it. But for some reason, like, I couldn't bring myself to bring it to Goodwill because I was afraid I would. I don't know. Like, I find the idea that, like, maybe I should have worn that one really stressful. It's really confusing for some reason. It has just always given me so much stress that it's been sitting in my closet. And, like, I wish I had donated it four years ago, because, frankly, it would have been much more in st then. But I found the wedding dress consignment shop in Albany. I'm gonna bring it there. It's gonna have a new life and a beautiful home, and it's not gonna be taking up, literally, like, an entire.
- [39:54]
B
Closet and all the mental space.
- [39:57]
A
Yes, all the mental space. I think, you know what it is, is that it's, like, representative of this. I have so much, even still to this day, anxiety, thinking about our wedding because it was this, like, series of choices that felt so huge. And, like, if you make the wrong choice, you're gonna regret this forever because you only do this once, and everyone is looking at you, and the pictures will last the entirety of your life and then beyond your life. And anyway, I think it's, like, kind of representative of that feeling. So you know what? I need to send it on to someone else who's gonna love it, so I'm gonna do that.
- [40:29]
B
Great.
- [40:30]
A
I have a chipped tooth that I have not fixed for four months, and it is my front tooth. So I have half of one of my front teeth is fake, and the bonding that they use to fill it in is coming off. So, like, every day I'm like, this bad boy's gonna go any minute, but I have an appointment next week, so.
- [40:48]
B
Oh, you're already on it?
- [40:49]
A
Yes. I have done all of my appointments this year. I've gone.
- [40:52]
B
Oh, that makes me so happy. I just. I want everyone I love to get blood work.
- [40:56]
A
I did it. You know, I feel so much better. I. I'm very proud of myself. Cause I was very scared. And I also got it done at, like, one of the most. I can't remember now, of course, what I was really stressed out about, but I was very stressed out about something, and I did it anyway, and I'm very proud. So the dentist completes the set of medical appointments that I've been meaning to do for years. So proud of myself.
- [41:20]
B
I'm proud of you.
- [41:21]
A
I also have 350 unread text messages in my inbox.
- [41:25]
B
Olivia, I am. Whenever I see those.
- [41:31]
Memes where it's not usually texts, emails, where somebody has 60,000 emails, it actually makes my heart race. Even though it has nothing to do with me.
- [41:39]
A
I know every time someone sees it, they're like, what is wrong with you? And to be honest, a lot of it is like political texts that I never open or anyway, we're going to do it, we're going to clean it out and then I just need to do a solid closet clean out.
- [41:54]
B
Yeah. You know what I've been really into lately is Thredup bags.
- [42:00]
A
Oh, so you guys send it to them.
- [42:03]
B
Yeah. And, you know, I'm sure you could probably make more money doing it on Poshmark, but I know for myself, I am not going to do individual mailing things out. I'm just not. And so for brands that are kind of mid tier brands that aren't nice enough for the real real to take, you just throw it all in a bag, they mail it to you, and it can be up to £30. And you mail the bag back and they list it all. And you know, you get like $5 here, $10 there. But it's something.
- [42:35]
A
That is something. Yeah, I'm pretty committed to Poshmark, but it is a. A lot of work. Yeah, it's a combination of Poshmark and Goodwill.
- [42:45]
B
At this point, mailing is a task that overwhelms me to such an extent that Poshmark could never be for me.
- [42:52]
A
Yeah, I got a laser printer where it will print the labels and I have like a stack of packages that helps a lot, but even that is really tedious. So I feel you. That's a good solution though. The thread up. Well, what's your next thing?
- [43:06]
B
So my next thing. I thought you would be somebody very good to ask about this. I am looking to do some end of year, like reflection and then planning for next year. And I know you do some of this usually at the beginning of a new year, and I'm curious if you have any journal prompts or activities that you found to be really helpful. Because I feel like I'm usually kind of screeching into the end of the year on fumes. And I feel like this year I actually have more than just a week where I'm like, oh my God, I have to restore myself before the new year starts. And I'd like to be a little more thoughtful. And I've already started my list of goals for next year. I probably started that in October. I like to Try to just write things down as they come to me. But in terms of reflection, I'm looking for a little guidance.
- [44:02]
A
Well, I don't know if this is helpful, but for me, a question that I have found really useful this year is, what are the habits and situations and projects and behaviors that make me feel bigger, that make me stand up straighter, that make me enter a room more confident, that make me kinder to people, versus what are the behaviors or habits that make me feel smaller? Because I feel like, for me, that's a really easy thing to identify. Like, I'm like, oh, I know exactly what makes me feel like a worse version of myself. Like, I think spending too much time on scrolling is like, a great example. Like, I feel like a smaller, darker version of myself, whereas if I spend time doing virtually anything else, I feel like a brighter, lighter version of myself that stands up taller. So that's one thing I guess I don't know.
- [44:56]
B
Well, also, to the listeners, if anyone has journaling prompts that they've used in the past or creators that they follow who talk about these types of things, I would be very interested.
- [45:06]
A
Yes, me too. One of my favorite subjects. Sorry I don't have more for you.
- [45:10]
B
Oh, you know, the other thing I've been doing is I make a mood board every year, or a vision board. I don't know what we want to call it. We have Pinterest imagery, and I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest lately. I find it really soothing to do with coffee on a weekend morning. And I've been trying to save things as I see them, as opposed to, you know, on January 3rd or whatever, when I'm making it sitting down and being like, I need to find all the stuff for this. So, yeah, I think just doing that as an ongoing habit will hopefully make it a little bit more organic this year.
- [45:45]
A
I've been wanting to do, like, a vision boarding party, but it is a major plot point in Sky Daddy. And every time I think about it, I, like, can't bring myself to do.
- [45:55]
B
A plane if I do this. Like, it's a slippery slope vision board to, like, being in love with an inanimate object.
- [46:02]
A
There's one scene that is so, so painful that is about a vision board party. But, like, I really do like the idea of playing the holiday and everyone making their little collages. But Pinterest is also just excellent.
- [46:15]
B
Yeah, I feel like you're leaving too much up to chance, and maybe that's the point. By doing it with Physical magazines versus being able to seek out exactly what you're looking for on Pinterest. So my printer, which I do love, is not quite robust enough to print off photos, because I. I wish I could print some of this in real life and put it on an actual, tangible board.
- [46:37]
A
I actually did that for. I have a Pinterest board for the next book I'm working on, and I tried to print it off, and I guess, like, the laser printer doesn't really do well with photos because it looks like. It looks like if you squint and kind of imagine it, it is the same image, but it's only black and white, too. But I have it. I have it folded here. And it' so funny to look at the pictures because they're so, so horrible and they're all black and white. But I tried.
- [47:03]
B
Yeah, I did this exercise at one point for my book, and I printed out a bunch of things and I put them on a wall, and they were all such sad versions of the actual image.
- [47:17]
A
Yeah, it's tough. We're just trying to print things, you know? Why is it so hard?
- [47:22]
B
All right, take us through your last thing.
- [47:25]
A
We have a quick fire holiday movie battle.
- [47:29]
B
Let's go.
- [47:30]
A
Battles, I should say. Okay. The holiday versus the family stone.
- [47:34]
B
The family stone. I love the family stone. I love the holiday, too, but the family stone is really special to me.
- [47:42]
A
Yeah, I'm with you there. But it is close for me. The Santa Claus versus Home Alone.
- [47:48]
B
The Santa Claus. You know, I don't have a lot of nostalgia for Home Alone.
- [47:52]
A
I don't either. I don't like it that much. And I actually think a lot of Christmas movies that are advertised as, like, for the whole family are actually quite terrifying. And I have really scary memories of a lot of them. And this is one of them where, like, the idea of being home alone scared me so much. Like, I think it kind of traumatized me. Although he did fine, of course. Okay, so two oldies. White Christmas. It's the one with Bing Crosby versus It's a Wonderful Life.
- [48:21]
B
Ugh. Neither. I've never seen White Christmas, and I think It's a Wonderful Life is so depressing.
- [48:27]
A
It's a Wonderful Life is one of the movies that actually traumatized me. I found it so scary for some reason. I don't know why. Maybe it's the music, because it's, like, so dramatic. And the pool where they all fall in and the ice and the ear, and it's just like, I didn't like it. I don't know. Maybe I'm neither, too. Maybe It's a Wonderful Life just for the.
- [48:48]
B
You're like. It terrified me. I pick it.
- [48:52]
A
I think if I actually revisited it and watched it start to finish, which I can't even remember the last time I did, maybe I would appreciate it more. I've watched White Christmas very regularly for some reason. I don't know if my parents watch it or something, and I just don't like it. So It's a Wonderful Life, maybe. Okay. Christmas vacation versus A Christmas Story.
- [49:11]
B
Christmas vacation.
- [49:12]
A
Yeah, me too. A Christmas Story also scared the out.
- [49:14]
B
Of me because he was gonna. He was gonna blast his eye out.
- [49:19]
A
There's just something about A Christmas Story that is so dark I don't like. It just has this edge of darkness to it. I don't like. And the. I hated the pole. The. The tongue on the pole. I did not like that. I did not like that at all. Okay. Elf versus the Grinch with Jim Carrey.
- [49:39]
B
Elf, for sure. Elf is my favorite Christmas movie. I watch it every Christmas Day. I have such nostalgia for it, and I think it's so funny.
- [49:48]
A
I love Elf too. I think it's arguably the best Christmas movie ever made. But the Grinch is very close. I would choose Elf, but the Grinch is very, very close to Jim Carrey. Now, is there any movie that Christmas movie, holiday movie that would trump. I don't even like saying that word anymore. That would win over any of these that I forgot to mention.
- [50:08]
B
I mean, it's not in the same category, but I really like While you were sleeping. And so if you put that in the White Christmas and it's a wonderful Life category, I'd pick that in a heartbeat. Not similar.
- [50:22]
A
That's fair. That is fair.
- [50:24]
B
I love the Princess Switch movies. They are so bad.
- [50:30]
A
With Vanessa Hudgens.
- [50:32]
B
Yeah. However many Vanessa Hudgens you want to put in a movie, I think they're so funny.
- [50:36]
A
Wow.
- [50:36]
B
I don't know what that would win against.
- [50:40]
A
Yeah. Isn't there, like, a Lindsay Lohan Christmas movie on Netflix? What about against that one?
- [50:45]
B
Oh, yeah. I would definitely. I love Lindsay Lohan, but I would definitely pick the Princess Switch.
- [50:49]
A
Okay. Okay. All right.
- [50:52]
B
Do you have any new holiday movies that you have watched or you plan to watch this year?
- [50:59]
A
Is Hamnet considered a holiday movie?
- [51:02]
B
Sure isn't.
- [51:03]
A
No. That's the only movie on my radar right now that I'm trying to go see.
- [51:07]
B
Okay.
- [51:08]
A
I don't think there are any. I know there's a new Knives out movie that's coming Out. I haven't seen many other ones that are like holiday.
- [51:16]
B
There's one called oh, what Fun with Michelle Pfeiffer. And she plays the moment and, you know, she's the mom who's trying to make Christmas perfect for all of her adult children. And then I think the inciting incident is that they're all going to church or some pageant or something. They leave her behind and so she gets so fed up that she just leaves and she goes to, I don't know, some fake version of the Hallmark Channel is hosting this, like competition for the best holiday mom or something. But it's very star studded. It's Chloe Grace Moretz is in it. Her husband's Dennis Leary. Felicity Jones is in it. I can see that being good. I'm definitely gonna watch that one.
- [51:57]
A
Okay.
- [51:57]
B
I did watch the Jonas Brothers Christmas movie on Hulu. It was really funny.
- [52:04]
A
Under what circumstances? Just for fun.
- [52:07]
B
Yeah, just for funsies.
- [52:08]
A
Okay. And it was good. I've seen ads for this probably 600 times, so I am kind of curious.
- [52:16]
B
Am I going to watch it again? No. But on a Tuesday night it was a very enjoyable. I don't even know if it was 90 minutes, it might have been 75 minutes. And it was very self aware that they were all playing heightened versions of themselves making fun of themselves. And I thought it was really funny.
- [52:32]
A
That's great. Will you be watching Camp Rock 3?
- [52:37]
B
If it goes direct to streaming, yeah. If it's in a theater, no.
- [52:40]
A
Okay. Yeah, fair enough.
- [52:42]
B
Oh, you know what else? I'm interested in checking out the 12 dates of Christmas. The book by Jenny Bayless got adapted into a series, so it's on Hallmark and Mae Whitman is in it. And I'm interested in checking that out as well.
- [52:59]
A
I did see an ad for this too. That sounds good.
- [53:02]
B
Yeah. Yeah. I feel like the week of Christmas. I'm not at Christmas movie level yet, but I think maybe the week of Christmas I'll get into a routine.
- [53:11]
A
I think they're more in it because we've had snow on the ground for almost two weeks now, so it feels very full Christmas, you know, but it took me a bit to get there, too.
- [53:23]
B
Well, would you like to take another ad break and then we can get into some ED matter?
- [53:27]
A
Yes.
- [53:33]
B
This episode is sponsored by Caraway Home, who is in the midst of their major holiday sale where you can get up to 25% off our favorite cookware and food storage sets. If you're hosting this holiday season, maybe you're thinking about upgrading your cookware and Caraway's non toxic ceramic coated cookware can help you pull off any holiday meal with ease. And take that from someone who just used theirs to cook a 10 person Friendsgiving feast. Even with sticky cranberry sauce and a long simmering roast, cleanup was a breeze.
- [54:03]
A
I have been cooking with my caraway set for years and years now and I can vouch for how well they hold up over time. And this year I also added their food storage set to my collection. These glass lid containers make me feel like a meal prep wizard. I feel so great putting my berries there with a little paper towel at the bottom so they last longer every single time. Can't recommend enough. But don't just take our word for it. Over 100,000 people have given five star ratings to their Caraway kitchen products.
- [54:34]
B
The holidays are closer than ever, so make sure you order by December 15th. To get their gift or yours in time For Christmas, visit carawayhome.combop to take advantage of this limited time offer for up to 25% off your next purchase. Again, that's Carawayhome.com BOP to get new kitchenware before the holidays. Caraway Non Toxic Kitchenware Made Modern.
- [55:03]
A
Well, what are you obsessed with this week, Olivia?
- [55:06]
B
My obsession is like a level 155 alarm obsession. I am so obsessed with Heated Rivalry, the book adaptation on hbo. Have you heard about this?
- [55:21]
A
I have seen this. Oh, you've seen it?
- [55:23]
B
You've watched it?
- [55:24]
A
No, no, no. I've seen people talking a lot about this.
- [55:27]
B
I was gonna say I don't know how you would feel about it. I want everyone to watch and like it because I. It's all I can think about. It is based on a series of books. It's a gay hockey romance, which I was like, how dare you try to make me care about hockey. It is very spicy. It is very nsfw. The two leads in this have such intense on screen chemistry. Like it is like nothing I've ever seen.
- [55:57]
A
Wow.
- [55:57]
B
Oh my God. It is like a chemistry pheromone explosion. So the first two episodes came out the day after Thanksgiving and I saw everyone buzzing about it. I watched both of them. I was really into it. And then the third episode pivots and it's about two completely different people. And when I realized that, I was like, oh man. By the end of that episode, I was so into those two people too. Oh my God, this show is so addictive. The episodes come out on Fridays. I think there's six episodes. It was originally planned as a limited series. It Was supposed to just be six episodes and done, but it's been so popular that I've heard that they are discussing a season two which I co sign mightily with a bunch of different fake names just to give it all the signatures I can. Oh my God, it's so good. It also makes me really excited about just the state of book adaptations because it is such a. Well, I mean I haven't read the books, but the show is phenomenal. I am very upset that I have not been able to convince any of my IRL friends to watch it.
- [57:07]
A
Despite a lot of goading, it is everywhere. So I think that as the holiday season goes on and people are traveling and home and off work, I think you'll find your fellow viewers.
- [57:21]
B
I hope so. I mean, everyone in the book Internet community are losing their minds over it. So it's not just me, but I have definitely not in my real life outside of book people. Like I was at an event, a book event on Thursday night and all of the booksellers were like, we were all raving about it. But in my day to day life, I was out to dinner and I was like, has anyone watched the show? And people are like, no.
- [57:46]
A
Aw, that's the worst feeling. But you will feel so self satisfied when you watched it before everyone. You're like, I told you, I told you.
- [57:56]
B
I'm not even getting any satisfaction out of it. I want everyone to be in it with me. I want this to be the type of summer I turned pretty hysteria that we had over the summer.
- [58:07]
A
Have you brought this to the Geneva group? Sorry, excuse me? Yes, I have bff.
- [58:11]
B
Yes, I have. And of course the bop girlies are all over it.
- [58:15]
A
Great. I thought so. I thought so.
- [58:17]
B
Good taste. Okay, what about you? What are you obsessed with?
- [58:21]
A
Well, slightly different vibe. And that is?
- [58:26]
I am obsessed with this show called the incredible Dr. Pol, which is on Animal Planet. And it's about a 70 year old veterinarian that lives in rural Michigan.
- [58:37]
B
Okay.
- [58:38]
A
And he is a small animal veterinarian and a large animal veterinarian. Apparently this is a very rare combo. And so I don't know why Jake and I started watching this, but we are now addicted to it. And we all the time, we're like, oh God, I really want to watch Dr. Pol. It just, it hits you at these weird times where you're just like, nothing will satisfy this urge until I watch it. And for some reason it is so compelling to watch the different animal cases and how he solves different problems and he has this really sort of like intense. Not mean, but he's just very, no nonsense sort of attitude. He's got to be going on 80 and he is pulling a calf out of a cow, shirtless.
- [59:23]
B
Wow, I didn't see that coming.
- [59:26]
A
This man is gonna live forever. I'm completely convinced. So it's just about this is veterinary practice and Animal Planet or National Geographic or whatever channel it's on. They know because when they play an episode, they play like 25 of them all day. That's what I was wondering.
- [59:43]
B
Are you waiting for the new episodes or you're just going back and streaming or binge watching?
- [59:49]
A
It's on YouTube TV usually. So now, now that we have YouTube TV, it's kind of almost like. It reminds me a little bit of being like a teenager, like scrolling through the channels. I just haven't done that in so long. So I will turn it on if it's on. And we both. Although, gosh, sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's real sad, as you can imagine. But Anyway, my man, Dr. Pole is my obsession this week.
- [60:14]
B
I'm thrilled you have a new man in your life.
- [60:17]
A
Me too.
- [60:18]
B
And then he's a septuagenarian who's topless pulling calves out of their moms.
- [60:23]
A
Yep, yep, yep. He's a star. Well, what have you read?
- [60:28]
B
Okay, I read two things. The first thing I read was and Then There Was yous by Sophie Cousins. And I moderated an event with her at the Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn last Thursday. And she is so lovely. I am obsessed with her books, but I'm also just so charmed by her as a person. And this book is one of the more interesting romance premises I have heard lately. So this is about a woman who's in her 30s, she's single, she gets invited to go back to her college reunion, and she's feeling kind of insecure about where she is in her life, and she hears about this mysterious dating service, and she goes in for a consultation and she gets set up on a date with this seemingly perfect guy and he turns out to be an AI robot.
- [61:23]
A
Oh, I did. I. I was not expecting that.
- [61:27]
B
Couldn't have seen that coming. Couldn't have seen it coming. And it's really interesting about, you know, I. I don't know that it's necessarily taking on AI that much, but what it is taking on is the idea of, you know, how romance creates these perfect men who are written by women. And would you actually want this type of perfect romance hero boyfriend. And I thought that the book was so interesting, and it was such an interesting challenge to be like, because, you know, I see those stories all the time about people who are in relationships with ChatGPT, and I always kind of look down my nose a little bit. And so it was such an interesting writing challenge to be like, I'm gonna make you root for this protagonist who's dating an AI robot. And of course, like, typical Sophie Cousins fashion, the book is completely charming and lovely and British, and so I really enjoyed it.
- [62:25]
A
I'm actually very intrigued by this. I've read really, really good reviews of this, and it sounds very. For some reason, something about it really gets me. So I may check this out.
- [62:34]
B
It sounds like from talking to her that it's been quite polarizing and that some people are not willing to read it, even just on the basis of the pitch, but you should give it a chance. Like, I'm. You certainly know that I'm not pro AI, and I found the book really interesting, so I read that. And then I also read so Old, so Young by Grant Ginder, which I believe, Olivia, you might share a pub date with. Oh, no. It comes out February 17th.
- [63:01]
A
Oh, pub month.
- [63:03]
B
Pub month. And I can't remember if I said, this is by Grant Gender. And he wrote the People We Hate at the Wedding. He's written a few books, and this is about a friend group, which is what drew me to it. And I thought the pitch for it was so compelling because it's six friends told over the course of 20 years in five parties. So the only time you catch up with these people is at five different parties from right after they graduated college through their mid-40s. And this book is so well done. It's definitely a little spiky, but I thought the way it portrayed friend dynamics and aging was so fascinating. And if you do not believe me because you know I'm biased and I love a friendship novel, maybe we'll believe Ellen Hildebrand, who gave what is one of the best blurbs I've ever heard for this book. She said, grant Ginder has written the big chill of our times and possibly done an even better job. So Old so Young is a triumph. I will never forget these characters.
- [64:11]
A
Wow. Wow. I love the concept of this. Like, the structure of it being at these. I think that is genius.
- [64:18]
B
Yeah, same. It wasn't just, like a high concept premise. It was really well done. I found myself mapping the different personalities of people in the friend group to people in my own friend groups, and I found that I knew someone who is like, A lot of these people. Oh, I enjoyed this tremendously. It was easily five stars for me. I'm really excited for him and for people to read it when it comes out.
- [64:44]
A
Amazing.
- [64:44]
B
What about you? What did you read?
- [64:46]
A
I read Harmless by Miranda Shulman, which comes out in April. I was reading this for blurb consideration. I did give a blurb because I loved it. This is kind of like. It has a bit of a. Like a girl's vibe. Like the show.
- [65:01]
B
Yeah.
- [65:01]
A
But also you add in like a layer of suspense writing. I wouldn't call it so much thriller, but definitely suspense. And it has an ending that is thriller. Like, I will say that I did not see coming, but this is about a friend group of four women who grew up together. Two of them are sisters, and in their early 20s, one of these sisters dies. And the death kind of brings them all back together and they decide kind of impulsively they're going to open a dog kennel in the friend who's passed away's honor, sort of. And it's this kind of terrible, chaotic idea. It unravels in this really interesting way, but it is really about, I think, childhood friendships and getting older and the ways we attempt to care for each other that often aren't as selfless as we think or harmless as we think. And yeah, comes out April 14th. I really enjoyed it. Ooh.
- [66:01]
B
Well, we do not have a book club this December because we're taking the last two weeks of the month off to get some downtime. So there will be no new episodes on the 24th or the 31st, but we will be back the 7th talking all about goals for next year. In the meantime, if you want to chat about any of the things we've discussed here, you can come join us in the BFF Group, formerly known as the Geneva Group. We have our Facebook group under Batonpaper Podcast. We're on Instagram Batonpaper Podcast. I'm on Instagram ecamfreeman and my newsletter is at Becca freeman.substack.com I am on.
- [66:44]
A
Instagram and substack liviamentor and if you would like to pre order a copy of my novel Little One, you can pre order a signed copy as well. By the way, I would be so grateful. And if you have already pre ordered, you can submit a receipt of your pre order to a link that we will put in the show notes and I will put on my website and you will get access to an exclusive Zoom call with me where I will answer any and all of your questions. If you would like.
- [67:11]
B
Ooh, very exciting.
- [67:13]
A
That's all.
- [67:14]
B
We will see you next week for our Best Books of the Year episode.
- [67:17]
A
Bye.
- [67:21]
B
Ra.