← From the Front Porch
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- [00:02]
Annie Jones
Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with podbean. Podbean Podbean podbean podbean the AI powered all in one podcast platform.
- [00:14]
Ashley Sherlock
Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts.
- [00:18]
Annie Jones
Launch your podcast on podbean today. My school uses Podbean. My church, too. I love it. I really do. Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South. A flower delivery truck with the back open, bouquets spilling out into the street. I walk right over them. Tulips and roses and little white sprigs of baby's breath. Nobody needs flowers at the end of the world. Emma Patty Tilt I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week I'm chatting about wintry off the shelf topics with my cousin Ashley Sherlock. If you are a new or newish listener, you might not realize that from the Front Porch is a production of the Bookshelf, a small, independently owned bookstore in rural South Georgia. By listening to our show and recommending it to your friends, you're helping to keep our indie bookstore in business. And if you like what you hear, one way you can financially support us is through Patreon. Last year we read the classic American novel Lonesome dove with over 1,000 Patreon supporters, and in January we kicked off our 2025 reading of Don Quixote. For $5 a month, you can access our monthly Conquer A Classic recaps as well as our porch visits monthly live Q&As where we talk about everything from pop culture to nail polish to what books you should take on your next vacation. To learn more about our other Patreon tiers and Benefits, just visit patreon.com from the FrontPorch. Now back to the show. Welcome back, Ashley.
- [02:21]
Ashley Sherlock
Thank you so much.
- [02:23]
Annie Jones
Long time no talk. Except we talk. Just not on air.
- [02:28]
Ashley Sherlock
Right on air. I can't look at you when you're doing the intro because it's like laughing in church. Even though I've seen you do it before, it makes me laugh a little.
- [02:38]
Annie Jones
Bit every time I hide my face. I don't look at myself. When I do, I move it off screen. I always feel sorry for people who have to watch me do it. And at the same time I'm like, I'm not recording this separately. I'm not doing. That's too much additional work, so you all will have to suffer through it just like I do. I'M also always cognizant of my hands. Like, I put my hands behind my back because I don't want to make noise. Anyway, we're back. If you are a new listener in the new year, welcome. Our off the Shelf series is a recurring episode series where, yes, we talk about books, but we also talk about articles, TV shows, pop culture, and how we're handling life in a given season. So this week we are talking about surviving winter. And the reason we do these episodes is. Yes, Ashley is my cousin. She's my friend. She is also a former bookshelf staffer. Now, many moons ago.
- [03:39]
Ashley Sherlock
So many moons ago. How many moons do we think?
- [03:43]
Annie Jones
Years. Years.
- [03:45]
Ashley Sherlock
It's hard to believe.
- [03:46]
Annie Jones
Yeah. So she still will show up sometimes.
- [03:49]
Ashley Sherlock
They never left.
- [03:50]
Annie Jones
I was about to say she'll still show up from time to time. She'll show up at reader retreats and.
- [03:56]
Ashley Sherlock
Behind the register once a year.
- [03:58]
Annie Jones
Yeah. And family decorating weekend.
- [04:02]
Ashley Sherlock
There we go. And market.
- [04:03]
Annie Jones
That's right. And market. Ashley, before we get into our reading, watching, listening, tell me, how are you surviving your North Carolina winter? I will not call this your first, because it's really not. You moved. Interestingly, your life decisions led you to move in the dead of winter a year ago. So how are you handling your second winter in North Carolina?
- [04:26]
Ashley Sherlock
Much better than the first. First winter. It was 17 degrees the day I got here and I slipped on ice, didn't fall, like, didn't go all the way to the ground, but, like, it wasn't great. Everything was dead. But now it's snowed like three times. I've seen the snow and I have learned how to dress properly and I'm happy, feeling good, which is weird for Ashley in the winter.
- [04:51]
Annie Jones
I think the key is dressing appropriately. And I also think the shock has worn off. Like, you're not shocked anymore. Like, you've already, you experienced it last year, so you kind of knew what to prepare for this year. I think last year was just a shock to the system.
- [05:10]
Ashley Sherlock
Totally. And I mean, the shock this year was snow. One time I was, like, away from my apartment and it started snowing, like, while I was gone. So I was going to have to drive in the snow. And so I had to text people and be like, is this okay? Can I do this? Because I had always said I refuse to drive in the snow. Fortunately, it was just a light dusting and I made it safely. But that was new.
- [05:35]
Annie Jones
I posted about snow to Instagram because it snowed here for the first time. I am, I mean, I'm Glad you are getting magical snow where you are. I am sorry you missed that because it. It was historic. Like, I was trying to explain to someone. I think people either loved my enthusiasm or were a little put off by it. And I was trying to explain, like, no, I mean, we got a light dusting in 2018, and then prior to that it was 1989 and I was three years old. And when I tell you my father, at 73 years old, went sledding on a boogie board in his neighborhood. That's because we don't see this. This is not. We don't get this. This is not usual. Well, and it's.
- [06:20]
Ashley Sherlock
It's different. Like, we've all seen snow before, but it's different when it's where you live. Yes, you have a boogie board. That was one of my favorite parts, was all of the Florida State posts, all these college kids just sliding around on boogie boards and whatever else they could find as a sled. Because who has a sled in Florida?
- [06:40]
Annie Jones
That's what I loved seeing out of Pensacola and Destin were, you know, those boardwalks that go down to the beach and then they were covered in snow so people were, like, sledding down them. It was so novel and weird. And the enthusiasm I had was the same enthusiasm I saw on everyone because it was Florida and South Georgia, like, the deep, deep South. I think we got snow and Birmingham didn't. And if you live in Birmingham, you see snow. Like, Jordan is from Birmingham originally, and he said something about, oh, man, I loved snow days as a kid. And I was like, oh, how many did you get? And he was like, oh, probably a handful. And he described them to me, and I said, oh, that really does sound magical. And he was like, how many did you get? I was like, what, 00 days? No, any day we got off from school due to weather, it was because the fear of God was in us and a hurricane was headed our way. Like, no, we did not get off. So my point is, I'm sure people might think, oh, silly Ashley, you can drive in the snow. No, I can't. The city of Thomasville had a curfew for two days. And maybe that feels patriarchal to you, but it was because they did not trust, nor should they, any one of us on the icy. It was very. It was genuinely very icy. And Thomasville is a small town and is not equipped, like, doesn't have enough personnel to rescue a bunch of dumb Southerners who insist on driving in the ice. Like, Jordan was scraping snow off the. Off the Windshield of his car with a coffee cup.
- [08:21]
Ashley Sherlock
Like, because you don't have a scraper.
- [08:25]
Annie Jones
No, we. No. And so anyway, it was novel and fun and I am sorry you missed it, even though I'm so glad you're getting it where you live, because there was something about, even for me, seeing mom's pictures. My mom's pictures of my childhood house covered in snow was like. It was shocking.
- [08:42]
Ashley Sherlock
It was. I. I still kind of have to try to not be sad that I wasn't there. I did. Because my mom's pictures were of our backyard with the orange trees or the citrus trees with snow on them. And I think the citrus is still okay, which is why I'm happy about it.
- [08:57]
Annie Jones
Yeah.
- [08:58]
Ashley Sherlock
But that has never happened before.
- [09:01]
Annie Jones
No.
- [09:01]
Ashley Sherlock
And I. I am a little sad that I have moved to North Carolina and then it snowed in Florida.
- [09:07]
Annie Jones
The timing is odd, but, you know, it's okay. That's right. And we've gotten to live vicariously through you because it snowed. You and Chet, my brother, your cousin, who lives in Chattanooga, like, he had sent. I think you and he were sending snow pictures at the same time.
- [09:22]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [09:22]
Annie Jones
And so listen, we're all jealous at one point or another. I'm sure we were like, oh, they got snow. Or that's how I feel. I love snow. Somebody asked me, they were like, was this your first snow? And it's such a weird question to answer because. Yes. But also, I've been to Chicago and Boston and New York, all in the wintry off season. And so I've seen snow. Probably when the two of us went to New York was some of the most active snow I've ever seen, if that makes sense. Like, it was actually snowing. Whereas one time I went to Colorado and snow was on the ground, But I don't remember it snowing while I was there. So anyway. But yes, locally, sure. I think this definitely counts as my first full fledged, you know, blanketed yard.
- [10:06]
Ashley Sherlock
Snow at your house.
- [10:08]
Annie Jones
Yes. That's stuck. That's stuck for more than, you know, three hours, which is typically. Which has been what it's been. So I do think that's one way to survive winter is getting to enjoy for us the novelty of snow. I'm sure there are listeners who are like, yeah, yeah, we're over it. And to be fair, Jordan and I went to church on Sunday and we even talked to, like, some of our family, and they were over it. Like, five days, four days later. They were like, okay, we're done. And I do like being married to Jordan Jones, because we both were like, but we loved it.
- [10:40]
Ashley Sherlock
We're not tired of it.
- [10:41]
Annie Jones
And I like that we are similar in that way. But like my dad, who had been boogie boarding sledding two days prior, he looked at me and he was like, I didn't like shoveling snow out of my deck because of course, he lives in Florida.
- [10:55]
Ashley Sherlock
Right.
- [10:56]
Annie Jones
Why would he want to do that? So I do think the novelty wore off as the days progressed. But we really loved it at our house. Okay, let's talk about some of the things we are reading. I only brought one, so I'm gonna let you kick us off because I think you have more than I do this time.
- [11:14]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. Wow.
- [11:15]
Annie Jones
Can I. I know.
- [11:16]
Ashley Sherlock
I feel like I deserve an award or something, but I will preface this by saying we all know listeners. You. We all know that I'm just here to talk about what I am reading. Not necessarily what I recommend people read, because I don't.
- [11:32]
Annie Jones
I don't read enough for that.
- [11:33]
Ashley Sherlock
I just read enough to tell you that I am reading things.
- [11:35]
Annie Jones
Yeah, this is what you are currently invested in.
- [11:38]
Ashley Sherlock
Having said that, I actually do recommend this one. The Women by Kristin Hannah. We already talked about this at market, but. And I know a lot of people have already read it themselves, but please let me tell you, when the words historical fiction are involved, I am not. But I loved this book so much, I cried three times by chapter six, and I wanted to throw my phone across the room because I listened to the audiobook by the end of it. And I finished this book, I think, on my way to market at the beginning of this month. And I haven't stopped thinking about it or talking about it since.
- [12:13]
Annie Jones
It's a great conversation starter. I think we've talked about it on the podcast a little bit before. It's not something I would have normally picked up either, but Nancy read it and loved it. Really, though, I think it was my parents, mom in particular, who was like, annie, you have to read this. And then one of our customers, I don't think Kathy listens, but Kathy, hi, if you're here. Some customers. It was one of those books in store that customers wanted to talk about. And one of the things I liked about it was a lot of the women who wanted to talk about it were women who were alive during the Vietnam War and who had distinct memories. And it was good to sit at their feet and listen to them and hear how the book made an impact on them. Like, I talked to my parents about stuff that I'd never talked to them about. So yeah, I loved it for that reason. It is so much stuff happens in that book. So many twists and turns.
- [13:09]
Ashley Sherlock
So many things. Yeah, but good ones.
- [13:12]
Annie Jones
Was this your first Kristin Hannah, or have you read her before?
- [13:15]
Ashley Sherlock
I believe this was my first.
- [13:17]
Annie Jones
It was my first too, which is probably unpopular amongst readers because she's got some big fans at the bookshelf. But this was my first Kristin Hannah experience and I liked it.
- [13:27]
Ashley Sherlock
Same.
- [13:28]
Annie Jones
Was the audiobook good?
- [13:31]
Ashley Sherlock
You know, it was. I can't remember who did it, but yeah, it was really good.
- [13:35]
Annie Jones
Okay. I do have one that I did not write down, but I will tell you about it. Cause I read it months ago, but it's a great winter book. So I read the Favorites by Lane Fargo. I read this months ago as an arc. And the reason I read it was because I don't know if you remember this about me, but In, I believe 2018, during the Winter Olympics, I became obsessed with two ice dancers from Canada, Scott Moore and Tessa Virtue. Virtue and more. And they did a. An ice dance that actually I probably will watch as soon as we're off this call. They did this ice dance to Moulin Rouge. Like to a Moulin Rouge medley. It's still, I'm telling you, it still lives in my brain. Like, there's a part of my brain where that video resides. And I went on a deep dive. And really, so did the rest of the Internet. This was like peak fun Internet. I don't think that exists really so much anymore, to be honest.
- [14:30]
Ashley Sherlock
Probably not.
- [14:31]
Annie Jones
But I was back in that time. I was on Twitter and it was fun to, like, see this fandom and to see that, like, oh, Canadians loved them. Like, I wasn't the only one. There was fan fiction written about them which I did not indulge in, but definitely could have at any given point. And anyway, the Favorites released earlier this month, it was my January shelf subscription. It released in January and I wasn't going to pick it for my shelf subscription because I almost felt like it was too fun to be an Annie shelf subscription. A lot of my shelf subscriptions kind of are sad or dark. But let me tell you something, this is like Taylor Jenkins Reid. I really think it's like Carrie Soto. But there's an oral history element that I think will remind folks of Daisy Jones. But it's about two ice dancers and they wind up, you know, competing together. So it's a lot about the sport of ice dancing. I did not realize when I was reading it, and this shows my ignorance. But Mallory at the bookshelf was like, oh, my gosh, It's a retelling of Wuthering Heights. And I was like, oh, is it? I just thought it was ice dancers. I just thought it was an homage to those Canadian ice dancers. I loved it. I don't know if the audiobook would be good, but because of the oral history element, I think it could be. And if you're looking for one more, like, wintry book to round out your winter. I adored the favorites. And I will say I'm pleased I stuck with it as a shelf subscription because I have heard back from folks who were like, this is just what I needed in January. Like, this was super fun. It was just what I needed to kick off winter reading. So if you're in the market for, like, a book that will hold your attention quickly and that you'll fly through, I think you'll like it. There's, like, there's a romantic element to it. But I. I liked it for more than just the romance.
- [16:22]
Ashley Sherlock
I love that. I can't believe I never got into those ice dancers.
- [16:25]
Annie Jones
Like, you know, it seems right up your alley.
- [16:28]
Ashley Sherlock
I know. It doesn't make any sense. I think I was young and immature.
- [16:33]
Annie Jones
You can go watch them at any time. They have some great. You just Google them. They're fun.
- [16:37]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah. Yeah. That'll probably be my newest obsession.
- [16:40]
Annie Jones
Yeah.
- [16:41]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. Next book, Play World by Adam Ross.
- [16:44]
Annie Jones
Okay. What you think?
- [16:46]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. Also, I did listen to this on audio, which is pretty much all I'm doing these days. I like it. It's a good story. I need it to be about 15% shorter at least, because, to be honest with you, I'm still listening to this audiobook and it feels like I have been for as long as January has been.
- [17:11]
Annie Jones
Well, you have, because it's an over 500 page book. I started reading this book in October or early November and did not finish it until January.
- [17:22]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [17:23]
Annie Jones
And I liked it a lot. Like, I wound up. I think he sticks the landing, which really helps. But it is a big book and it covers a lot of territory. Even though it's set over the course of a year. I am intrigued. Okay. When I was reading it, I was like, I wonder if I could read this faster if I listened to the audiobook in my downtime. Like, I did both reading the physical book and I couldn't do the audiobook of this one. And I'm whispering because the author narrates.
- [17:51]
Ashley Sherlock
It, which I normally like that I.
- [17:55]
Annie Jones
Like it in a memoir. I don't know if I've ever encountered that in fiction. I'm probably missing one, but I thought that was an interesting choice.
- [18:04]
Ashley Sherlock
That bothers me less than how forever it has gone on. There's just like a section, I guess, like three quarters of the way through that I don't think I need. And I'm 90% done with it at this point.
- [18:21]
Annie Jones
Okay. I do think he's doing something. This is what I'll say. He's doing something. I liked it. Is it meandering? Yes.
- [18:32]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [18:32]
Annie Jones
Is it meandering? Yes. Could some of the chapters have been chopped out? Yeah, probably. Yeah. But I'm impressed by your commitment. I've said this before. First of all, I'm in an audiobook slump. I've not finished one audiobook this month. I don't even know if I've attempted one. And then secondly, if an audiobook is longer than eight hours, I almost automatically discount it. I don't know what that says about my attention span, but I think that one, when I looked it up on Libra, was 15 hours long.
- [19:05]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah, it's a lot. I love the first part. Well. And I'm looking forward to this. The Stuck landing.
- [19:12]
Annie Jones
Yeah. I think you'd like the New York of it all. And the child actor stuff, for sure. Yeah.
- [19:18]
Ashley Sherlock
I would have liked more of that. Less of whatever that war story was. Unless that makes me sound terrible, then don't pay attention to me at all.
- [19:27]
Annie Jones
Oh, that. I forgot about that. That was like. Yeah, it was about his dad, I think.
- [19:32]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [19:32]
Annie Jones
Getting some more insight into his dad. Do you remember Claire Gibson, the author?
- [19:36]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [19:37]
Annie Jones
Who came to read Retreat. So she loves this book and she said she felt like it was a must read for mothers with sons.
- [19:46]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay.
- [19:47]
Annie Jones
I thought that was interesting.
- [19:49]
Ashley Sherlock
Very interesting.
- [19:51]
Annie Jones
Yeah.
- [19:51]
Ashley Sherlock
I hope I find out why pretty soon.
- [19:54]
Annie Jones
Okay. My last reading recommendation is one that is not out yet. And I know people are going to groan about this, but I have to talk about it because I finished it today and it's, like, fresh on my mind. And so you're going to get my genuine excitement, whereas in a few weeks it's going to be old news. I finished the book Tilt by Emma Patty. I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly. It's P A T T E E. This book does not release until March 25th. So again, everybody bear with me. But it's like the opposite. So playworld is over 500 pages. It's kind of meandering. Even though it only takes place through the course of a year, it's a Little bit epic. Feeling like big coming of age. Tilt is 225 pages. So it's. It's. I read it in physical format. It feels quite short. And it's set over the course of one day. And it's a woman named Annie who is nine months pregnant, and she's buying a crib at IKEA in Portland, Oregon, when an earthquake strikes. And it's like a catastrophic. Like the earthquake that they've all been waiting for but not preparing for, maybe like they should have. I think in the author's note, she even calls it the Cascadian. Is this, right, The Cascadian quake or something? So it's like this monster earthquake. That's how the book opens. And her husband is across town. And so she is trying to get to her husband. Nine months pregnant, trapped in an ikea, trying to get to him while also being very, very pregnant. I ate this up. I loved it. It reminded me of the road. It reminded me of maybe even something like Station 11. It was harrowing, a survival story. I absolutely loved it. Like, right at this moment, I'm like, oh, that'll be my top 10 of the year, for sure.
- [21:55]
Ashley Sherlock
Wow.
- [21:55]
Annie Jones
For what that's worth, I just. I am so impressed with what she conveyed in such a short little book. I loved it. Loved it. I can't wait for everyone to read it.
- [22:06]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay, station 11 is high praise, but tell me why. When you said Trapped in an ikea, my first thought was that one episode of Arthur where he's locked in the library.
- [22:20]
Annie Jones
I don't.
- [22:21]
Ashley Sherlock
Is that accurate? Like, is that appropriate or.
- [22:23]
Annie Jones
No, I feel like that seems more fun. When I told Bookshelf staff about this, they, like, I think Aaron and Caroline both said verbatim, well, we've all been there. Meaning, like, traps in ikea. Yeah. Like, where you can't get out of an ikea. And I just remember taking you to an IKEA for the first time, and the look on your face of just pure awe, but also overwhelm. And can you imagine trying to, like, navigate the aisles? There's this great depiction. She's borrowed maternity clothes, and so she's wearing a purple maternity romper. And she talks about her feet squishing out of her Birkenstocks.
- [23:03]
Ashley Sherlock
Oh, my.
- [23:04]
Annie Jones
And how she's, you know, she's very pregnant and, like, trying to navigate ikea and, like, she finds the crib she wants and then has to go, you know, to the Warehouse portion to, like, pull it out. Anyway, so much of the descriptions are going to stick with Me for a long time. Because even though I've never endured a catastrophic event to that level, I think a lot of us can imagine. Well, first of all, I think a lot of us are in the middle of living or imagining catastrophic climate events. And then I also think all of us, like Erin and Caroline pointed out, all of us have been stuck in an Ikea, and it does not feel great. No, it's not quite Arthur in the library. Dark.
- [23:46]
Ashley Sherlock
Dark Arthur locked in the library.
- [23:48]
Annie Jones
Yeah. So anyway, that's Tilt by Emma Patty. It comes out March 25, so you'll have to wait, but I think it'll be worth it.
- [23:56]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. Last one for me is Bark by Lori Moore, which I've been seeing go around. It's another collection of short stories. Again, back to what I said before we started doing this. I'm just here for participation, to let you know that I have read there were some memorable short stories. NPR called it Half of a good book.
- [24:25]
Annie Jones
Oh, interesting. Also shade. Npr. Oh, my gosh.
- [24:29]
Ashley Sherlock
Right. But I think that's accurate.
- [24:31]
Annie Jones
Okay.
- [24:32]
Ashley Sherlock
Very short, short, short stories.
- [24:34]
Annie Jones
Okay.
- [24:34]
Ashley Sherlock
Finished it. Finished it in a plane ride.
- [24:36]
Annie Jones
Oh, like that, though.
- [24:37]
Ashley Sherlock
I got it because the COVID has a dachshund on it, and that is it. And because I've heard of Lori Moore, but this is my first Lori Moore.
- [24:48]
Annie Jones
Yeah. Where'd you find it? Did you get it at an airport?
- [24:52]
Ashley Sherlock
Oh, no, it's still an audiobook, baby. The audiobook cover does not have a dachshund on it, but the real one.
- [24:59]
Annie Jones
Hilarious. Okay. Because I was like, yeah, you bought it to display in your house. No. No. You downloaded audiobook.
- [25:05]
Ashley Sherlock
No. And I totally would display it, but then people would ask me about it, and then I would have to say words.
- [25:11]
Annie Jones
It's half of a good book.
- [25:12]
Ashley Sherlock
It's half of a good book. That's what I'm gonna say.
- [25:15]
Annie Jones
Well, I'm pleased that you've had such luck with audiobooks in this season. I have not. And I don't. I don't know what to attribute that to. I'm having decent success with. January is hard. Like you're coming off. Your brain is come. My brain is coming off the busiest time of year, and so I try to be gentle with myself in January. So I've had decent success with physical books, but I've not read a single. I don't think I've read a single ebook, and I don't think I've read a single audiobook. All physical books this month or in January.
- [25:45]
Ashley Sherlock
I mean, good for you, because I'm not good. I've learned I'm not good at physical books. I'm very likely to fall asleep.
- [25:52]
Annie Jones
Yeah, it's life. I think it's life. Stage and learning all those things.
- [25:57]
Ashley Sherlock
Mm.
- [25:58]
Annie Jones
Okay, what are we watching?
- [26:01]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. Do you want me to go first?
- [26:03]
Annie Jones
Yeah, you go first.
- [26:04]
Ashley Sherlock
We have one overlap that I know about, but I will talk about no good deed. Oh, no, I forgot where it's playing. Maybe Netflix.
- [26:11]
Annie Jones
It's Netflix. I've not watched this, but it's with.
- [26:13]
Ashley Sherlock
Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano. Yeah, that's his name, right?
- [26:17]
Annie Jones
Yeah, it's.
- [26:20]
Ashley Sherlock
I'm not going to be like, oh, it's so good. But it's different.
- [26:24]
Annie Jones
Okay.
- [26:25]
Ashley Sherlock
Because it's two very funny people and very not funny scenarios.
- [26:31]
Annie Jones
Yes.
- [26:31]
Ashley Sherlock
So it was kind of nice to see them do this different type of thing also. Just like a super weird story. Some people on the Internet said it was predictable, but maybe it is. But I thought I was hooked and I binged the whole series in, like, a weekend.
- [26:50]
Annie Jones
Oh, wow. Okay. Because I hadn't seen a ton about this one. Like, I saw it come to Netflix, but it's one of those that I just didn't hear a ton of buzz about. I never know if it's because maybe the show isn't good or if it's just because there are so many shows releasing at any given time that, you know, there's no telling what's good and what's not anymore.
- [27:10]
Ashley Sherlock
Sure.
- [27:11]
Annie Jones
It's no Cheverance, but it's.
- [27:14]
Ashley Sherlock
If you need something to watch, I don't think you'll waste your time.
- [27:18]
Annie Jones
Have you started Severance Season two?
- [27:20]
Ashley Sherlock
I've seen the first episode.
- [27:22]
Annie Jones
Okay. I've put off watching that. Jordan keeps. Jordan literally asks every night, like, are you ready to do Severance Season two? And I'm like, first of all, I think I'm gonna. Did you watch a refresher? Season one finished forever ago?
- [27:34]
Ashley Sherlock
It's finished forever ago. I did. I just let. Is it on Apple? I just let Apple play the recap for me at the beginning of episode one.
- [27:44]
Annie Jones
Okay. And was that enough? Okay.
- [27:45]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [27:47]
Annie Jones
This wasn't on my list, but I do just want to ask, did you watch Netflix man on the Inside with Ted Danson?
- [27:53]
Ashley Sherlock
Oh, no. Okay.
- [27:55]
Annie Jones
We loved that. We loved it. Thought of it.
- [27:58]
Ashley Sherlock
My parents loved it.
- [27:59]
Annie Jones
Your parents loved it? I think my parents loved it. Just delightful. Absolutely delightful. We had a great time.
- [28:06]
Ashley Sherlock
Is it funny?
- [28:07]
Annie Jones
Yes, it is very funny.
- [28:09]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay, good.
- [28:10]
Annie Jones
I do want to say, because I just talked about Tilt. We also did just start this brand new show. I think by the time this episode comes out, there will be more episodes available. But we just started this Hulu show called paradise and it's starring Sterling K. Brown as a Secret Service agent and James Marsden as the President. And it is so good. It's by the guy who did Parenthood and this is us and crazy stupid love. And this feels like a departure for him in a great way. We're hooked. We're absolutely hooked. And there's a little bit. I do not want to spoil a thing, but there's a little bit of a post apocalyptic element to it. And basically the President is found murdered and they have to figure out what happened.
- [29:00]
Ashley Sherlock
How much post apocalyptic.
- [29:03]
Annie Jones
Why is this working for me right.
- [29:05]
Ashley Sherlock
Now is too much.
- [29:07]
Annie Jones
Yeah, I don't know why these things are working for me right now. But boy, we are like. It's to the point where Jordan texted today and he was like, I think an episode just dropped. Like, wow. Yeah, we're excited. So that's paradise on Hulu. The other thing we're watching, did you do Traders? Have you done Traders? No, I don't know that you have to, but we had like some house projects to do the other day and so we needed something like on in the background and I could watch Friends on the background all day, every day. But we put on Traitors Season 1, which I had already started and then kind of lost interest. It's a reality show, it's a competition show. But Jordan got super invested and I really did like it. So now we're watching season two. I can't tell if either of us is hooked yet, but Alan Cumming is the host and it's set in the Scottish Highlands and okay. Yeah, it's campy, it's fun. I think Knox McCoy on the popcast has talked about it some. It's on Peacock. So that is something we're watching with not quite a full attention span. So if you just need like TV on, I think Gotcha.
- [30:14]
Ashley Sherlock
Next. I haven't finished it, but the SNL documentary on Peacock, I know you've watched it. I love it so much. I cried in the first episode and I also didn't know it was a series.
- [30:25]
Annie Jones
Oh, it's so good. I want everybody to watch it and don't get disappointed because there's only four. I was so disappointed after I watched the fourth one because I was waiting for the new one to start and I was like, what? Any and all SNL 50th anniversary content. I'm devouring rightfully so. Did you see the mashup Questlove did?
- [30:48]
Ashley Sherlock
I don't think so. Where was that?
- [30:49]
Annie Jones
Okay. I posted it to Instagram, but I think you were in New York. You've got to go look for it. It's a mashup of all these SNL performances. It's stunning. It's all these SNL musical performances. Ooh, it's so good. So go look for that on Instagram. But the documentary is so fun. Jordan and I loved it.
- [31:09]
Ashley Sherlock
Give me. We all know. Give me anything behind the scenes. Behind the scenes with people that, like, we know who they are.
- [31:16]
Annie Jones
Yeah.
- [31:17]
Ashley Sherlock
It was so nice.
- [31:18]
Annie Jones
Can.
- [31:19]
Ashley Sherlock
Is this. It's. It's not a spoiler to say that former cast members watched their auditions?
- [31:26]
Annie Jones
No, I. That. That's the. The first episode is all about the audition process.
- [31:30]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay. It's just nice to know that we can all look back and see things that we would have done differently. Even Amy Poehler.
- [31:38]
Annie Jones
Yes. I. I have so many thoughts. Jordan and I had such an interesting conversation after that particular episode about, like, who looked ashamed or who wouldn't watch theirs or who. We thought it was lovely that, like, Stephen Colbert. We loved this. We like Stephen Colbert, but we loved that he was one of the only people who watched it. And he said, good for him. I think that was almost his exact words. He was like, good for him. I'm really proud of him. That was pretty good. And Jordan made the comment. He was like. Because we agreed, like, it was super refreshing to watch some of these big time celebrities be really humbled and, like, self deprecating. But there was also something lovely. I think we were just talking about looking back on our former self. Like, of course, Jordan. Of course we took it to the next level in talking about it. And we were like, oh, man, we hope we look back on our past selves with as much grace as Stephen Colbert, who just like, kind of looked sheepishly at the camera and was like, good for him. And the irony was he didn't even get cast.
- [32:43]
Ashley Sherlock
I know.
- [32:44]
Annie Jones
Like, these other. Amy Poehler was cast. These other people who were watching their auditions kind of with shielded eyes, they all made it. And we thought it was fascinating that Stephen Colbert, who did not, was like, aw, good for that.
- [32:57]
Ashley Sherlock
Good job, little buddy.
- [32:59]
Annie Jones
Yeah, it was sweet. It was really sweet.
- [33:01]
Ashley Sherlock
So sweet. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to watching the rest of that. But also now that I know it's only four episodes, I don't want it to end.
- [33:08]
Annie Jones
Yeah, really take your time. I binged it too. Fast, probably.
- [33:11]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay.
- [33:12]
Annie Jones
Okay. Shall we move on to listening to.
- [33:15]
Ashley Sherlock
Let's do it. Okay. I just have two songs. First one is I Will by Allison Krauss and Tony Furtado, I believe.
- [33:23]
Annie Jones
Is he related to Nelly Furtado?
- [33:25]
Ashley Sherlock
I couldn't tell you.
- [33:29]
Annie Jones
He does.
- [33:29]
Ashley Sherlock
He does the harmony, and I don't. I don't know if he does instrumental, but it's. I really only want the first minute and a half of this song because it is very beautiful. Calm banjo and other stringed instruments. The whole song is very nice. But that. It's the intro, the long intro that I super love. And I do actually think you will like it too.
- [33:51]
Annie Jones
Okay, listen, I don't have really anything to hear. I've already mentioned I'm kind of on a. I don't know, an audio slump. I'm not listening to too much. Except I did listen to the Popcasts deep dive on the Justin Baldoni Blake Lively debacle. I will not go into a ton of detail here because I promise, by the time this episode comes out, who knows what else could have happened, Right? I feel like something is happening with those two. Literally every time I turn on my phone or look at my Instagram, like, there is some new tidbit. And honestly, all I will say is.
- [34:27]
Ashley Sherlock
It makes me dislike them both at this point. I think you're right. But also, like, how interesting of a person can you be to have something new every single day? Do you know what I mean?
- [34:40]
Annie Jones
Well, and I'd like to be clear. I would like to not dislike them both. I would like for it to be black and white and for me be able to be like, oh, my gosh, this is horrible. And there are some horrible things that have come out and then. But also, here's what I mean. The wordiness of the texts between these two. I'm saying, what are we using texting for? Can I. I think we need to take a step back. Let's bring back the email. What are we doing? Texting. Do not text me. How you doing? No, no, that's a. Listen, this. Millennials won't like this, but that's a phone call. That's a phone call. That's a Voxer message. That's a Marco Polo. That is not a text. What are we doing? Why are we texting huge swaths of texts. No, what are we doing? I needed those two to have an editor.
- [35:32]
Ashley Sherlock
We have found the one thing Annie B. Drones will not read It. Is your text messages.
- [35:39]
Annie Jones
Actually really accurate? I am sure I have real life Friends listening to this right now, going, this is true. I am terrible at texting. And I have made an effort to try to be better at it, but the text between Justin and Blake and, like, Blake talking about her friends as dragons, you know what else it makes me? It makes me real. It makes me real sweaty. About if your texts ever become public knowledge. I know, it's terrifying. It is terrifying. Like, I do not want my texts out in the world.
- [36:14]
Ashley Sherlock
Well, no, neither one of us are texting anything like that. But.
- [36:18]
Annie Jones
But it still makes you think, doesn't it? Like, what do I say?
- [36:22]
Ashley Sherlock
I think about this all the time. We had a preacher. I don't even remember which preacher it was, but at the church we grew up at, he said that he doesn't text anything to anybody that he wouldn't feel comfortable having, like, read in front of everyone. I don't know why he said that. I don't know why I remember it, but it's tough. Stuck with me.
- [36:43]
Annie Jones
Yeah. And look, I try real hard. It's not like I'm. But like, what I'm saying is that's not even like, Blake is texting. Yeah. Like, that text about her dragon friends isn't bad. It's just weird. But it makes me think, how many weird things have I texted that? I don't know, it just. I thought, oh, dear.
- [37:01]
Ashley Sherlock
Listen, just. You can. If anybody ever gets a hold of our text messages, you can just lock me up right now.
- [37:08]
Annie Jones
That's what I mean. Like, it's dumb, Stu. I don't know.
- [37:11]
Ashley Sherlock
Again, it's like, not bad or illegal, just weird.
- [37:14]
Annie Jones
Right. I wouldn't want that out in the world. And, you know, it must be bad, at least for both of their perspectives that they're willing to basically filet themselves open.
- [37:25]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [37:26]
Annie Jones
Like, they must both truly believe they each are in the right to keep releasing this stuff. That doesn't really make either of them look great.
- [37:35]
Ashley Sherlock
I would love to be a fly on anybody's wall.
- [37:39]
Annie Jones
I would, too.
- [37:40]
Ashley Sherlock
Situation.
- [37:41]
Annie Jones
Because somebody probably is in the right.
- [37:43]
Ashley Sherlock
Right. But, like, how do you know?
- [37:45]
Annie Jones
Fascinating. So that's really the only thing I've listened to. I thought it was a great explainer. I've been listening to some big picture podcasts about the Oscars, but I'm not super excited about the Oscars this year. We' so that's really all I've been listening to.
- [37:56]
Ashley Sherlock
Last thing I've been listening to is Borderline by Ed Sheeran. And I can't remember if I have said this on this podcast before. Because I was listening to this song this time last year, but I guess it's like my January song. It's Ed Sheeran doing falsetto, which didn't really think I needed. But the harmony is good. And it's a. It's a sweet song.
- [38:15]
Annie Jones
You're a sucker for a harmony.
- [38:17]
Ashley Sherlock
I give me the harmony all day, every day.
- [38:19]
Annie Jones
Okay, what are we buying? What you buying?
- [38:22]
Ashley Sherlock
Aside from a plane ticket to New York on a whim? Oh, I will tell you. Did I already tell you this? I did, but I'll tell everybody else, too. This was not on my list to talk about, but left on 10th, the play, which I believe is closing soon. Oh, it's so good.
- [38:38]
Annie Jones
I think it'll be closed by the time this comes out, but maybe it'll. I don't know, maybe it'll revive or something. But you had told me about it and then posted about it, and then somebody else I follow. I don't remember if it was Jonathan Merritt or Annie F. Downs. Somebody post about that. And I was so jealous because I loved that book.
- [38:55]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah, me too.
- [38:56]
Annie Jones
And so I'm so glad you got to see it. But I was. I was so jealous. I was like, oh, I want to be there.
- [39:03]
Ashley Sherlock
It was, I think, my first straight play on Broadway and my first time openly weeping in this way, even though I already knew everything that happened. Yeah, it was very beautiful. Dare I say, better than the book. Or at least it did. It did great justice to the book.
- [39:21]
Annie Jones
We love to hear that.
- [39:22]
Ashley Sherlock
Anyway, what I'm actually buying is a product from market that I stole. Those pins that we stopped by and sampled all of. I don't know how to pronounce it. Is it grabby or graby?
- [39:35]
Annie Jones
I think it might be gray. Be. When I'm with you. I don't know. It's G, R, A, V, I, e. Yeah.
- [39:44]
Ashley Sherlock
$5 to anybody who can figure out who that was, whose voice that was.
- [39:50]
Annie Jones
Which voice, which voice. Cheer.
- [39:53]
Ashley Sherlock
But this pin. This is the only pin that I have used in my 2025 planner.
- [39:57]
Annie Jones
Oh, really?
- [39:58]
Ashley Sherlock
Yes.
- [39:59]
Annie Jones
I'm so annoyed you got one and I didn't.
- [40:01]
Ashley Sherlock
I should have gotten you one, too.
- [40:02]
Annie Jones
That's okay.
- [40:03]
Ashley Sherlock
It's really more like a marker, but. Or like a paint pen. It's like a paint pen with a fine tip, but better than a paint pen.
- [40:11]
Annie Jones
Does it bleed?
- [40:12]
Ashley Sherlock
Nope. At least not in my planner.
- [40:15]
Annie Jones
It's a beautiful sound effect.
- [40:17]
Ashley Sherlock
So, yeah, whatever those pins are called, look at the spelling in the show notes.
- [40:22]
Annie Jones
We're going to stock them. I want to say this summer, okay.
- [40:26]
Ashley Sherlock
Only buy them at the bookshelf.
- [40:27]
Annie Jones
So you can buy them online elsewhere. But if you want to wait, the bookshelf will have them. This should wait. Okay. I have been buying. We've got a lot of house. Project it. I do think the new year is when I feel most motivated to do stuff in my house. Like this time last year I was buying organizational tools for my pantry and like my bathroom cabinets. I bought some wallpaper, like doing a lot of house stuff. I also have been and they are hit or miss and I don't know that they're always worth the price. But I have bought a couple of free people pieces that I really like.
- [41:03]
Ashley Sherlock
Okay.
- [41:04]
Annie Jones
One of them is a pair of green and white striped overalls that I really like that are is great for layering. They're great for layering. Right now for the new year, I bought like this long sleeved sequin T shirt thing where it's like long sleeves, the sleeves are sequin, but then it's just a big flowy T shirt. So yeah, free people is not always my style and I don't think it's always worth the price. But the couple of things I have bought I have liked recently, so might be worth checking out. Also, can I give you my newest life hack that I've been doing for two years so it's not new, please. Okay. I forget who told me this. I don't know if I saw it at my best friend from childhood's house or my mother in law's first. But TJ Maxx is where you should be buying your hand soap because all of the hand soap has the prettiest bottles and good scents, but they're severely discounted. So it's like cheaper than buying your hand soap at Target.
- [41:59]
Ashley Sherlock
I just bought pretty expensive hand soap because it was at somebody's house and I took a picture of it and I bought it was cheaper to buy like the big old jug of it. So now I have a big old jug of really good smelling hand soap.
- [42:13]
Annie Jones
Well, and that way you can at least refill your dispensers, which is probably the more environmentally friendly thing to do. But I really do like the hand soaps that I've bought from Target. I mean from TJ Maxx. I think I said this on Patreon. I am not a Maxinista. Like I don't spend a lot of time at TJ Maxx. It's a little overwhelming to me as a concept.
- [42:30]
Ashley Sherlock
Yes.
- [42:31]
Annie Jones
But hand soap is one thing that I do go and get. And the other day I went in and there was a strawberry sweater on the very front, like, facing me right when I walked in the door. And I think Ashley knows this about me. Anyone who shops with me in real life, that's how I shop. I don't browse. It's. Do I see something? Right. The only place I browse, I think, is a bookstore or a stationery store.
- [42:55]
Ashley Sherlock
I mean, I don't shop. I couldn't tell you the last time I went to.
- [42:58]
Annie Jones
Yeah, you don't shop at all?
- [43:00]
Ashley Sherlock
No, I'd like.
- [43:01]
Annie Jones
Has Greensboro changed that for you?
- [43:03]
Ashley Sherlock
No, I still don't.
- [43:05]
Annie Jones
You've been shopping at Anthropologie?
- [43:07]
Ashley Sherlock
I had a gift card. Oh, that's why I got a gift card for Christmas.
- [43:11]
Annie Jones
Online shopping is hit or miss, and I'm not a huge shopper. But when I do shop, I like. Well, stereotypically, I think how I've described it is I shop like a man. Meaning I have a list. And so, like, I walked into TJ Maxx, I needed hand soap, a shower curtain liner, and I saw that strawberry sweater, and I was like, okay, done. I didn't try it on.
- [43:33]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah, no, no.
- [43:34]
Annie Jones
I just.
- [43:34]
Ashley Sherlock
Oh, man. If you. It's one thing to go shopping, and it is another for me to actually try something on that.
- [43:40]
Annie Jones
That's like a day. You have to know that that's what you're doing that day, in my opinion. Yeah.
- [43:44]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [43:45]
Annie Jones
I do miss the days when we used to shop as children. Our mothers would take us together, as I recall, and we would go buy a bunch of stuff from Parisian now.
- [43:55]
Ashley Sherlock
Parisian.
- [43:57]
Annie Jones
Parisian. And we would come home and we would do fashion shows for Aunt Nina.
- [44:01]
Ashley Sherlock
Oh, I. Wait, I remember this.
- [44:03]
Annie Jones
Oh, yeah. All the time.
- [44:05]
Ashley Sherlock
I do love a fashion show. Fashion show at lunch.
- [44:08]
Annie Jones
Yeah, it's fun.
- [44:09]
Ashley Sherlock
I will say I did walk into a thrift store over the. Over the weekend. Didn't buy anything because I prefer to be told what to buy via an ad or a need in my closet. But, I mean, one step closer. I walked in and I looked around.
- [44:24]
Annie Jones
I love a thrift store, particularly for home decor. I really do. But I feel like you have. No, you don't. But you have way better options up there, I think, than we do down here.
- [44:35]
Ashley Sherlock
Accurate.
- [44:35]
Annie Jones
Anything else you buy? Anything else you buy.
- [44:39]
Ashley Sherlock
I'll tell you my. I guess I'm doing, like, an object and then a food item on this series, but purely Elizabeth granola. Oh, delicious little queen. Probably has two dollar signs next to it.
- [44:54]
Annie Jones
Okay.
- [44:55]
Ashley Sherlock
I have no idea if it's affiliated with the queen. But they have a chocolate one. And they also have like a chocolate chip cookie dough type of one. But it's all like clean, healthy. I tend to buy the chocolate chip cookie dough one because it's in a bigger bag, but it costs the same amount as a smaller bag.
- [45:12]
Annie Jones
Oh, interesting.
- [45:13]
Ashley Sherlock
But it's good to like snack on, put some milk over it, whatever it is you do with granola. Delish.
- [45:20]
Annie Jones
Okay, that does sound good.
- [45:23]
Ashley Sherlock
Yeah.
- [45:24]
Annie Jones
Is that all?
- [45:24]
Ashley Sherlock
That's it.
- [45:25]
Annie Jones
Well, this has been delightful. I love catching up, love getting ideas. I'm going to add that song, I'm going to look at that song on Spotify and maybe I'll buy myself. Well, maybe I'll just wait till we get graby grabby gravy pens at the Bookshelf. But I love a new pen. Well, thank you, Ashley. Thanks for being on the show and good luck surviving the rest of winter.
- [45:45]
Ashley Sherlock
Much appreciated.
- [45:50]
Annie Jones
This week I'm reading I've Got Questions by Erin Moon Ashley, what are you reading?
- [45:56]
Ashley Sherlock
I'm reading the Magic of Knowing what yout Want by Tracy G.
- [46:03]
Annie Jones
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram ookshelftville and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through Our store website, bookshelfthomasville.com A full transcript of today's podcast episode can be found at. From the frontporchpodcast.com Special thanks to Studio Podcast Production for production of from the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. Our executive producers of today's episode are Cami Tidwell, Chantal Carle, Kate O'Connell, Kristen May, Linda Lee Drost, Jean Queens, Amanda Wickham, Martha Stacy Lau, Chance Combs, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Farrell, Nicole Marcy, Wendy Jenkins, Lori Johnson, Susan Mullings thank you all for your support of from the Front Porch. If you'd like to support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and helps us reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for from the Front Porch straight, scroll down until you see, write a review and tell us what you think. Or, if you're so inclined, support us. Over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support, each level has an amazing number of benefits, like bonus content access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to patreon.com from the FrontPorch. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.