Office Ladies – Friday Chit Chat 8 (January 16, 2026)

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Producer: Cassie Jerkins (final episode), introducing Matt Beegel
Guests: Sam Kieffer, Cassie Jerkins

Episode Overview

The first Friday Chit Chat of 2026 finds Jenna and Angela in a reflective and lighthearted mood as they discuss New Year’s resolutions, small life “fixes,” and answer listener questions about romantic date nights and grocery store etiquette. The episode is also bittersweet, bidding a heartfelt goodbye to longtime producer Cassie and welcoming new producer Matt. In true Office Ladies spirit, the hosts blend funny personal anecdotes with thoughtful listener engagement, keeping things friendly and fun.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New Year’s Resolutions & "Little Fixes"

[01:26 – 05:10]

• Jenna and Angela share their BFF resolution: “Get off the hamster wheel and do one thing at a time.”
• Angela introduces the idea of “little fixes, little wins”: not setting massive goals, but making small improvements that make life smoother.
  • Jenna’s "Little Fix": Replacing dingy hand towels in her guest bathroom.

    “They're just green striped towels. They're not a big deal, but I like them.” ([02:34])

  • Angela’s "Little Fix": Swapping out a difficult spring-loaded toilet paper holder for an easier one.

    “No more springy thing. I'm done with the springy thing.” ([04:30])

  • Both underscore how small changes can have an outsized positive effect and require minimal effort.

2. Listener Chit Chat – Ideal Romantic Dates

[05:12 – 11:35]

• Listener Freya (Phoenixville, PA): Asks hosts (and producers) to share their ideal date night.
• Jenna’s Ideal Date:
  • Movie Monday Matinees with her husband, Lee.

    “Maybe we'll go to lunch and then see the movie, or maybe...the kids will meet us up at the mall where we see movies for dinner, and we'll have dinner in the food court. And it's fun.” ([06:29])

    • It reminds them of young dating days and is made easy by their flexible work and the kids being in school.
• Angela’s Ideal Date:
  • A weekend away with Josh, featuring hiking/walks in nature, lunch at a local spot, relaxing movie in the afternoon, and “lights out by nine.”

    “We love...getting up in the morning and going for a hike...and then stop off some little spot local for lunch...then picking some random movie and being cozy and watching a movie, and then lights out by, like, nine o’clock.” ([07:25])

  • When they can't get away, even just a neighborhood walk counts.
• Other Shared “Date” Activities:
  • Grocery shopping together as a couple, “errand days,” and making meals as small but meaningful forms of connection.

    “Sometimes our married dating is doing chores together or errands together, but we're in the car alone, and then we go grocery shop, and then we come home and make a meal together.” – Jenna ([09:26])

• Sam’s Ideal Date (Audio Engineer):
  • Wasting time together: Watching all three Lord of the Rings extended cuts with partner, taking breaks, just enjoying each other's company.

    “It took 12 or, like, 20 hours to watch 11 hours of movies, but it was great. It was just nowhere to be. No set schedule…just spending time with someone you love.” ([10:27])

• Cassie’s Ideal Date (Producer):
  • Early morning coffee spot, walking along LA River, LA Sparks game with good seats, Taco Bell on the way home.

    “The LA river is really nice because they have those coffee shops that are always popping up...later...would love to see an LA Sparks game...and then pick up Taco Bell on the way home.” ([10:59])

  • Signature Taco Bell order: Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos – “They're so good. And they're only, like, a dollar.” ([11:30])

3. Listener Chit Chat – Shopping Cart Morality

[11:47 – 17:35]

• Listener Peter (Chandler, AZ): Asks about etiquette for returning shopping carts, referencing the “shopping cart theory of morality.”
• Hosts’ Responses:
  • Both always return carts and feel it’s a “litmus test” for self-governance and good citizenship.

    “You unload the groceries and like the apples are in the little baggie. Go the extra mile, finish it, lady.” – Angela ([13:11]) “Don't half ass it. This is something I say to the kids all the time.” – Jenna ([13:07])

  • Touch on variations: Sometimes stores have less cart returns/long walks, which makes it harder but doesn’t relieve the obligation.

    Angela: “...Am I obligated to walk it [my cart] back up to the store if you've removed all the cart returns?...It's more inconvenient for me.” ([14:32]) Jenna: “I think you are.” ([14:53])

• Sam & Cassie: Both always return carts and get “mad” when others don’t ([13:56])
• Instagram Account Shoutout: “Cart Narcs” – someone who shames people who don’t put carts away, Dwight Schrute-style ([13:30])
• Self-checkout Side Topic: Angela loves it, Sam not so much, leading to a tangent about childhood grocery games and nostalgia ([15:28-16:37])
• Mike Schur’s Book Reference: “How to Be Perfect" — mentioned as inspiration for the shopping cart discussion and other moral dilemmas ([12:19], [16:44]).

  “It's the how to be perfect. The correct answer to every moral question. And Mike talked about this. This is like a litmus test.” – Jenna ([12:19])

4. Behind-The-Scenes News: Goodbye Cassie, Hello Matt

[17:44 – 20:26]

• Emotional Farewell to Producer Cassie:
  • Cassie is leaving after five years, having started as a transcriber in the Earwolf days, promoted to producer in 2020.
  • Hosts express deep gratitude and sadness at her departure, calling her “family.”

    “Cassie, you've meant so much to us, but this is also an exciting time for you.” – Angela ([17:53]) “There's so much of your job that is behind the scenes and you just showed up for us so many times time and time again.” – Angela ([19:11])

  • Cassie: “It's been an absolute pleasure working with you and Sam for the past five years and we've had a lot of adventures.” ([18:25])
• New Producer Introduction:
  • Matt Beegel is introduced as new senior podcast producer

    “Really big shoes to fill. Cassie's been amazing…” – Matt ([20:10])

• The hosts promise continuity and look forward to continued listener engagement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On small wins:

  “I wanna look for these, like, little things and the effort that it took, it was minimal.” – Jenna ([04:45])

• On date nights:

  “I think the thing I love about our little Movie Mondays is they make me feel kind of like we're back in our young dating lives again.” – Jenna ([08:07])

• On grocery store etiquette:

  “It's a litmus test…an individual's capacity to self govern depends on whether or not they are the type to return a shopping cart or leave it next to their car or elsewhere.” – Jenna ([12:37])

• On teamwork in relationships:

  “Sometimes our married dating is doing chores together or errands together…but we're in the car alone, and then we go grocery shop, and then we come home and make a meal together. Like those moments. I love that.” – Jenna ([09:26])

• On Cassie’s departure:

  “Your office ladies family is always gonna be here for you.” – Angela ([19:01])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:26 — BFF New Year’s Resolutions: “Little Fixes”
• 05:12 — Listener Freya: What’s Your Ideal Date Night?
• 11:47 — Listener Peter: Shopping Cart Etiquette & Morality
• 17:44 — Farewell to Producer Cassie & Welcome Matt Beegel

Tone & Language

The tone remains upbeat, friendly, and conversational throughout, with personal anecdotes, laughter, and warmth. The hosts are supportive of each other, welcoming listener contributions, and sentimental as they say goodbye to Cassie. The language is casual, humorous, and inviting—true to the dynamic that Office fans have come to expect.

Summary

This episode of the Office Ladies is a blend of practical life advice, delightful personal stories, and genuine listener engagement. Jenna and Angela’s “little fixes” theme encourages not just big resolutions, but celebrating small, feel-good wins. The listener segment on date nights is a treasure trove of cozy, relatable ideas—ranging from Movie Mondays to extended Lord of the Rings marathons—while the debate over shopping cart returns playfully dovetails into broader questions of morality. The episode wraps by honoring producer Cassie’s five-year legacy and looking forward to working with Matt, both with affectionate humor and sincerity.

For fans of The Office and the podcast alike, this Friday Chitchat reaffirms the joy of simple moments, everyday improvements, and the enduring power of friendship—on-mic and off.