Day What?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Day What?" – The Book Lisp with Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna
Episode Date: March 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this humor-filled and candid episode of The Book Lisp, married hosts Jon Ryan and Sarah Colonna kick off the March book club pick: One Day by David Nicholls. As per their usual format, they don’t dive directly into the book’s plot, but instead riff on life topics inspired by the novel—particularly the impact of small decisions over time and the idea of revisiting significant days in one’s life. The episode is peppered with personal anecdotes, playful bickering, and a dose of existential musings, embodying the quick-witted and relatable tone fans expect from Sarah and Jon. Sarah also announces her April book pick, and the hosts promote their respective projects and upcoming events.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Domestic Banter & Life Updates (00:00–04:28)

• The episode opens with Sarah's comedic confusion over the podcast's name (“The Book List” vs. “The Book Lisp”) and casual chatter about their cat Ruby and LA weather.
• Sarah details her comedy tour dates (Boston, Wisconsin, Arlington VA, upcoming shows) and urges listeners to join the Facebook group and follow on Instagram.
• Jon plugs the upcoming seasons for the Portland Cherry Bombs (women’s soccer), Portland Bangers (men’s soccer), and details the unique, community-driven design of their new DIY stadium with picnic tables, drawing inspiration from German soccer culture.

  "Instead of having like all these like bleachers everywhere, we have like big bleachers at the end line ... and then all around the whole entire stadium, we're having like 200 picnic tables." – Jon (03:09)

2. Announcement of April’s Book Pick (04:38–07:23)

• Sarah announces April’s selection: Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier—a psychological thriller exploring grief, loss, and secrets within a marriage.
• She reads the book's synopsis and Jon tries out (and is gently heckled for) a dad joke.

3. Private Investigators, Trust, and Infidelity Tangents (07:27–12:56)

• Jon recounts a PI anecdote (a PI never finding a husband innocent when hired by suspicious wives), prompting a discussion on intuition, trust, and past relationships.

  “Women know. When women know. Women know.” – Jon (08:11)

• Sarah reminisces about her own intuition in a past relationship and their mutual trust within their marriage.
• The pair gets sidetracked trying, with comic frustration, to recall the name of a female-led reality show about infidelity investigations in Arizona or Vegas.

4. Personal Anniversaries and Reflections on Time (13:06–16:09)

• Jon realizes they’re recording near the 12th anniversary of their first date at an Italian restaurant (Ago) and they reminisce—Sarah candidly shares they slept together that night, making a case for following one's gut.

  “So if you're wondering if you can get married after having sex, giving it up, as they say, on the first date. Yes, you can. Go with your gut.” – Sarah (14:27)

5. Short Stories on Patreon and Book Talk (15:00–18:38)

• Sarah plugs their Patreon, highlighting short story episodes and bonus content.
• She confesses difficulty getting into One Day (having restarted multiple times and struggling with the audiobook’s English accents), sparking a playful but honest discussion on reading habits and preferences.

  “I'm having a real hard time getting into this book ... I am giving it. I just ... I've had to go back and start it over again ... It's not the book's fault. That's a Sarah Colonna problem.” – Sarah (16:31, 17:45)

6. How Small Decisions Shape Our Lives (20:11–33:07)

• Inspired by One Day, Jon raises the question: how do small decisions transform your life?
  • Jon shares NFL career stories: turning down better offers (e.g., NY Giants) due to gut feelings, and how this changed his path and led him to the Packers.

    “Something's just not right ... I called him. I'm like, I got to get out of here.” – Jon (23:12)

  • Sarah emphasizes hers are less about pinpointed moments and more about broad life choices (moving to LA, etc.).
• Jon and Sarah discuss the “Sliding Doors” phenomenon—both negative (“if only he hadn’t left early”) and positive (“all the disasters we avoided and never knew about”), illustrating this with personal and tragic stories.
  • Sarah tells the impactful story of losing a friend in an accident (who left early instead of going out with her and Chelsea Handler).
• They muse on fate, timing, and existential “what ifs,” with both humorous and somber reflections.

7. 'One Day' Inspired Hypotheticals & Fun Frustrations (33:16–42:12)

• Jon tries to pose the book-inspired hypothetical: if you could revisit the same day every year for 20 years, which would you choose?
  • Playful misunderstanding follows, as Sarah interrogates the rules (is it Groundhog Day? Do you relive the day, or just visit it?).

  "Are you saying I'm going to ... Is it fucking Groundhog Day? Where I relive it every day?" – Sarah (38:21)

  • Jon tries to clarify, referencing A Christmas Carol and “visiting” the same calendar day in different years, but frustration ensues, making for a hilarious exchange as Sarah admits she’s not fun with hypotheticals.

    “You're sometimes not the funnest person with hypotheticals.” – Jon (39:20) “I'm not fun with hypotheticals ... I don't do hypotheticals.” – Sarah (39:26)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Trust in Marriage:
  “I'm saying you're the most trustworthy person, and when you know you have a trustworthy person, you know you're trustworthy and incredibly boring. No, I'm saying you're trustworthy, period.” – Sarah (09:42)

• On Sliding Doors:
  “If I hadn't moved to Los Angeles and just kept going, just hit the gas on that Mustang and driven across country, I don't know what would have happened or if I'd given up.” – Sarah (27:14)

• On Revisiting Days/Time Travel (Book Talk):
  “You keep on changing the rules until it's not even a thing anymore.” – Jon (39:54)
  “I'm immediately recognizing that about myself. ... I'm not fun with hypotheticals. I don't do hypotheticals.” – Sarah (39:26)

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Important Episode Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |-----------|---------------| | 00:07 | Show name banter, intro, living room chat, cats, weather | | 00:52 | Sarah’s comedy dates & show plugs | | 02:11 | Jon’s Portland soccer teams & new stadium details | | 04:38 | April book pick reveal (Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier) | | 07:23 | Private investigator, infidelity stories | | 13:15 | Wedding anniversary reflection | | 14:27 | First-date intimacy & relationship advice | | 15:57 | Patreon, short stories, trouble getting into One Day | | 20:27 | How small decisions affect your whole life (NFL story) | | 28:11 | Sliding doors moments, tragic and serendipitous | | 33:16 | Hypothetical “one day every year” question, comedic miscommunication | | 39:26 | Admitting struggles with hypotheticals | | 42:18 | Episode wind-down, plugs, closing banter |

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Final Thoughts & Tonal Notes

While they promise not to spoil One Day before the deep dive later in the month, Sarah and Jon skillfully use themes from the book to explore real-life "what ifs," poignant memories, and daily rituals. The episode delivers classic married-couple banter, open-hearted storytelling, and lots of laughs—even (and especially) when communication breaks down over hypotheticals.

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Next up:

• April book pick: Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
• Book club discussion of One Day by David Nicholls coming later in the month

Participate:

• Share your own "sliding doors" moments or guesses about the unnamed PI TV show on their Facebook group or Instagram.

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Transcript

[A]

Hi, I'm Sarah Colonna.

[B]

And I'm John Ryan.

[A]

And you're listening to the Book List. The Book List.

[B]

The Book Lisp.

[A]

Oh, that's right. You're listening to the Book Lisp. Oh, hello, Book List spinners. Welcome to the Book Lisp with John Ryan and Sarah Colonna. John, what up, dude?

[B]

Ruby just pulled up right beside me.

[A]

Oh, that's our tortie cat. If you're, like moving.

[B]

Oh, she looks very. She looks very tired for no reason on her heated blanket.

[A]

All right. She's always tired because she's a cat.

[B]

Exhausted.

[A]

Yes. Even though she's been sleeping all day. But. Hello. How's the living room?

[B]

It's good. It's warm. It's a warm day over here in la.

[A]

I know, but I feel like we shouldn't say that right now too much because it's. It's rough on the west coast or east coast and Midwest, weather wise. Right now it's very cold or by the time they hear this, maybe it won't be quite as cold. Hopefully we're recording a bit in advance because I am off to Iowa tomorrow. So we are recording this previous the week before that. So if you are hearing this now that you're too late. You missed me in Iowa, unless you were there. But you can come see me this coming weekend, March 6th and 7th at Laugh Boston. In Boston, you can see me the 26th through 28th March at Skyline Comedy Club. You can see me in Arlington, Virginia, April 10th and 11th at the Arlington Drafthouse. John will probably be with me for those shows we were just discussing today. And then more dates to be added. I have some later dates like Batavia, Illinois in September, but. And more will be added in between all that. But those are what you can get right now. Join the booklet spinners on Facebook and follow us at the booklets on Instagram. This is our first week of March.

[B]

It is.

[A]

And we are onto a John Ryan pick.

[B]

Well, can I plug my stuff too? I haven't plugged my stuff for a while.

[A]

I'm sorry, I forgot that you were here.

[B]

In May, we have coming up, the inaugural season of the Portland Cherry Bombs women's soccer team, member of the usl. We also have the Portland Bangers FC men's soccer team, which is also in the usl and it's our second year and right now, as we speak, we're building a brand new stadium right beside our baseball stadium to host those two teams.

[A]

That's pretty exciting. I cannot wait.

[B]

It's going to be so at Such a cool stadium because we're like, we're doing it our way, which is like DIY till you fricking die is what we believe in. So we're having like, instead of having like all these like bleachers everywhere, we have like big bleachers at the end line, which would be cool for like the supporters, the, you know, the fan club type people. And then all around the whole entire stadium, we're having like 200 picnic tables.

[A]

So fun.

[B]

Like 200 picnic tables. So it's like you just buy a picnic table and be there. You're still overlooking the game and you're still having fun. It's like a very sense of community. And then it's how we have it designed. If you ever been to a Portland Pickles game is you to enter. You walk through the baseball stadium and you probably can't pitch this even as we have because we're moving all the fences and building new fences. And then you turn left around the third base side and then there's the whole new soccer stadium right there. So it'll be really, really fun. I'm really looking forward to. It's going to be unlike. I have a guy that I'm kind of friends with when I went to Germany that works for the Leverkusen team, who's obviously a massive, massive soccer team. And I showed him our design. He's like, wow, that's like so cool. Because it's like such. You're building like, such like a sense of community and like, it'll be so intimate. It'll be so much fun. So I think it's going to be really, really cool. I'm pumped for it.

[A]

I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait to go to a Cherry Bombs game. Inaugural season. I can't wait. I like. Come on. Badass. Women's sports, we love it. Men's sports, we love it. We got the Bangers and the. And the. And Pickles. It's going to be a fun Portland summer. So all that's on. On Instagram. Portland Bangers, Portland Cherry Bombs, Portland Pickles.

[B]

And we have some awesome merch for both teams, by the way, if you want to go check it out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Sorry, I just wanted my plug. I'm putting.

[A]

No, I'm soccer. I'm glad you did. I think. I can't wait. I just thought. Well, I. You. When is opening day? Because I want to go.

[B]

Yeah, it's in May.

[A]

Okay. Date. Not say yet. Yes, we'll keep you posted. Well, speaking of not May, but April, which is the next month. So right now we are reading the next one after one day by. Well, yeah, because I need to bring up April because I have to announce my book pick. So right now we're reading one day by David Nichols. David Nichols. It is John Ryan's pick from March. We, as you guys know, are going to not talk about the book until week four of this month. The fourth Monday of this month up. Until then, we will just have kind of random talk at topics. Good lord. Inspired by the book. But they will not spoil anything. You don't have to be reading at this moment. Blah, blah, blah. You'll just hear us talk this episode. However, go ahead. I had to pick my April pick, and I'm ready to announce it. Is everybody ready? Can I get a drum roll, please?

[B]

Drum roll, please.

[A]

That was not a drum roll. That was just you. Oh, you are real stupid. Okay, so my book for April. I have not read read it yet. I've been wanting to read this author. Her name is Jennifer Hillier. The. The. The book is called little secrets. Would you like me to read for you what it's about? I don't think we've done this before where I read a little synopsis. When I announced the book, I was

[B]

gonna make a dad joke in there, but I'm not gonna do it.

[A]

What? What were you gonna do?

[B]

Well, I was gonna say if your name is not April, you can also read it. Cause you said this month, this book is for April. And I was gonna say if it's not. If your name's not April, you can also read it.

[A]

You should have just not done it.

[B]

I love a dad joke, babe.

[A]

I know, but it would have been better if you just didn't say anything.

[B]

These are things that I can't just leave in my head. They're too good.

[A]

I know. No, it's true. No, it's not that they're too good, but it's just better that them in your head, because then I would have to hear them on my own later, you know? Okay.

[B]

Go ahead.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Read us, April. April, are you listening?

[A]

April, if you're listening. Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is a psychological thriller about Marin, a woman whose perfect life unravels after her young son Sebastian disappears from the crowded market. A year later, while grieving and desperate, she hires a private investigator and and discovered her husband is having an affair with a younger woman, which reignites her drive to find her son and take drastic action against the woman she believes is involved.

[B]

Nice. I'm into it already. This is. Has nothing to do with anything other than you said the private investigator. I was watching a show the other day, and it was about this woman who's a private investigator, and she investigated cheating spouses. And the question.

[A]

Was it the documentary that we watched?

[B]

No, it was something different. And the interviewer asked her, she goes, how many times has a woman hired you to investigate their husband and it turns out he wasn't cheating?

[A]

Oh, what she said.

[B]

I guess her answer was, it's never happened. Oh, like, if that's what I've done. I grew up with two older sisters and a mother, and I know women know. When women know. Women know.

[A]

We do. I will say that because I had suspicions about someone in my past, and they were correct. I don't have direct proof of actual cheating, but I have a lot of correspondence that I saw.

[B]

Didn't you have, like, a bunch of text messages, though?

[A]

Yes, that's what I mean. I had a lot of. I had plenty of correspondence.

[B]

You're talking about.

[A]

Okay, now with John Ryan, that's proof. I know, I know, but there wasn't. There was never. He did. He denied penetration, if you will. He said it was. It was just emotional, but he was full of shit. Listen, that's. We're not together. That's why.

[B]

I hope not.

[A]

Oh, this podcast is so stupid. Yeah, well, but my point is, and I've said this a few times I met you. Yes, I could give a shit about your phone. I don't want to look at it.

[B]

You know the password.

[A]

I know, but I don't need to see how many Christmas Story Houses you look up or whatever it is.

[B]

I sleep soundly three and a half to four hours a night. You can go in there and do whatever you wanted for those three and a half hours.

[A]

I could. And you've given me your password a million times while we're driving. Like, when you're driving and then you need to look at something and you're like, oh, and I have to look up. And I have to look up something on your phone. Never once have I bothered, because again, I. All I'd see is, like, how many. How many hours he's watched Christmas movies. And I don't want to know that.

[B]

You sound so lame.

[A]

No, I'm not. I'm saying that you're the most trustworthy person, and when you know you have a trustworthy person, you know you're trustworthy and incredibly boring. No, I'm saying you're trustworthy, period. That's the period after that. But, you know, you just reminded me of. Was. Remember that we watched that show? Or did I just watch it? Because sometimes I mix together our years together. Because we do watch a lot of fun reality shows together. But remember the one at the PI in Arizona?

[B]

No.

[A]

Desert. Well, it's on here. It says it was called Desert Law. That's not it. No, no, no. Because that says 2024. That's not right. It was a private. See, here's the problem is I'm trying to Google it and it's. It's all that's coming up is stuff about me and see gallery. Because I put in private investigator Arizona show. So. Yeah, yeah. So I'm trying to. It was. It was this woman, she was blonde. And that's all I got. How does it. How does a private investigator in Arizona found Cheaters? I think she found cheaters. Caught in the act. Unfaithful. No, that says 2024. No, it was this blonde woman. Shit. I need you guys. I know it was in Arizona because

[B]

I just was like a Netflix thing or something.

[A]

No, it was. I think it was. I want to say. I don't want to say it was pre Netflix, but it might have been pre Netflix or pre Netflix getting to be the biggest thing there was. Maybe. Was it Cheaters? Cheaters is an American syndicated reality. One partner who's Cheaters Detective Agency. No, it was this woman. It was this one woman. She was blonde. And I want to say she was a little Susan Powder. Like, I want to say that she looked a little bit like Susan Powder. And I might just be making Susan Powder look like this woman in my head or vice versa. I wish that I could think of it right now because it's driving me crazy. But if for sure or maybe. Oh, no, you know what it was? It wasn't in Arizona. I think it was in Vegas. Hold on. Let's see if that helps. They just want to say cheaters again.

[B]

Oh, that cheater show. Is that. Is that show real? It always seems so fake when they find, like the Cheater. Like it seems like over the top. It's gotta be set up, right?

[A]

I don't know. I think so. I. But. Because I remember the Cheaters show, but this one was like, it was this flipping blondes woman and she. I can't believe I can't find it. Oh, well, I guess I'm not going to find it. I really thought it was Arizona, but now I'm thinking it might have been Vegas, but either way, none of it's coming up, which is crazy. So if any of you remember what I'm talking about, and I'm sorry that we just wasted four minutes or whatever it was on this, but if any of you remember what I'm talking about, please get back to me.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

And, yeah, tell me on our Facebook, on the book list spinners, or on the booklist Instagram, where I post when I post about the show. Anyway, I just.

[B]

I just looked at the date. The date in the top corner. We're recording this on February 25th. You know what February 24th was?

[A]

What?

[B]

It was the day we went on our very first date 12 years ago.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Went to ago.

[A]

We did go to ago.

[B]

12 years ago, baby.

[A]

Italian restaurant, delicious food. Yeah. 12 years ago. That's right. Wow, how time drags.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I feel like we feel different about this marriage. I feel like you're just like. You're just like you're trying to ride it out to death, and I'm just.

[A]

I love it, so I am riding it out to death. I'm not trying to.

[B]

No, but you're like, you're. No, you're grinding it out. There you go. You're grinding it out.

[A]

No, we did. Yes, that's right. It was February 24, 12 years ago. So whatever year that was. 2014. 14. And John and I went on our first date to Ago, which is an Italian restaurant. I'm not sure if it's still open. I believe Robert De Niro was an owner.

[B]

Covid. Got it.

[A]

Delicious, delicious Italian food. And we had sex that night. So if you're wondering if you can get married after having sex, giving it up, as they say, on the first date. Yes, you can go with your gut. Yeah.

[B]

And your penis and vagina.

[A]

Okay. Nobody turned into the book list to hear you say penis and vagina.

[B]

Well, it's time to be proper.

[A]

What?

[B]

Ruby,

[A]

Listen, Cat. Dad over there talking to Ruby. We're talking about our sex on our first date. We will.

[B]

She. She has not moved until I said penis and vagina. Then she just stared right in my eyes like, dad, how dare you?

[A]

How dare you know that we have a Patreon? We have fun over there. We do. Right now. We do three episodes a month because it's only $5. We do video podcasts, and one of them, which is on the 15th of the month, is always a short story, and we make them very short. 50 to. I'd say 80 pages or so. Sometimes a hundred, but usually not that long. Something you can listen to quickly. Something that usually costs a dollar on Audible and it. And usually they're free on Amazon. But it is a great way to discover new authors or read something short by an author that you really like. So we really like doing our short stories on Patreon, if you would like to join us there. It's only $5 a month and the link is in our book Lisp Instagram profile. And then the other podcasts that we do on the 5th and the 25th are just silly sort of catch up. Sometimes we talk about books. This last one, I don't wanna repeat what we said on Patreon just cause the crossover listeners. But I did tell John that I was having a little bit of a hard time getting into one day, his book this month that we're about to talk about. I know, don't get. He gets so offended. Like it's a personal. I'm not.

[B]

No, I'm not getting offended. You're like, I'm having a real hard time getting into this book. I said, okay, because we read it on Kindle. I go, how far into it are you? And she said 6%. I'm like, the opening credits, the author's name is still, probably still on the page. Like this is the opening credits of the book. But you have to give it a little bit more than that.

[A]

I am giving it. I just, I. Here's when I. Can I explain it?

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

So when I say I'm having a hard time getting into it and I'm only at 6%, it's because I can't. I'm. I'm. I've had to go back and start it over again. And this is. I'm not shitting on the book. You said you couldn't put down. I know I, I know it's going to be good. I know I'm going to like it. It's have. It's not grabbing me at the beginning. And I'm. I'm. I'm one of those people. I. Not everyone is like this, right? I'm a little. I'm impatient. You know this about me. I walk fast. I huff and puff behind people in grocery lines. I'm a quick mover. So the reason I'm at 6% is because I can't get past that so far. I'm going to.

[B]

I know that the letter writing is

[A]

only the first chapter and second chapter.

[B]

Okay. It's the first couple chapters, but that's all.

[A]

Okay. I'm just, I'm not. This is not a Negative thing towards your pick. I know it's gonna be good. And you've had a hard time getting into some of the books that I've picked. Cause you're like, what's wrong with you? It's not about. And then you end up liking it. I know. I'm getting into it.

[B]

I tried to read it longer than 45 seconds before I said that.

[A]

Okay. I think what happened was, for me is I was on the treadmill, so I decided to start it over to try to get audible interest in it. Okay. And the woman is doing. The woman reading is doing a very good job, but she's. She's doing. You know, she's trying to make sure you know who's talking when. So she changes her English accent for each character. And it's really good. But I don't. I can't. I'm not good with audibles. I do. I get a little zoned out. So now I had to go back and start it back over on the Kindle again because of whatever I was listening to I kind of forgot about. And that's not the book's fault. That's a Sarah Colonna problem. Okay.

[B]

When I was in Arizona last weekend, I listened to an entire podcast, a crime podcast. And then I realized I didn't listen to any of it. I'm talking, like, six episodes because I was like, you know, I spent a lot of time in waymos, a lot of time walking around. I really try not to talk to anyone while I'm in Arizona, literally. I take cars. There's no drivers in. I sit. I have season tickets to the Cub spring training, and I just leave the seat beside me. I don't sell it. I just leave it open so I don't have to talk to anybody. So I'm just. I'm really by myself for three days, and I listen to this podcast, and then I realized I didn't listen to any of it. I was just trying to block everyone else out. So I just had my air pods in. So I started re listening to it today when I was working out. So I know exactly what you mean.

[A]

What was the podcast? Can you tell the friend Felt Tell the family.

[B]

Yeah. Something about Carrie. It's a Dateline.

[A]

Okay, let me see.

[B]

Something about Carrie. It's a Dateline. I remember seeing this episode on Dateline, but it's, like, definitely an extended version, because I think there's at least six episodes of it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Something about. I like the name. Something about Carrie they're playing with.

[B]

There's Something about Mary?

[A]

Yeah, Right.

[B]

I think so.

[A]

Okay. Okay. So we are now going to pivot back to talking about subjects. Yeah. Our podcast about the One Day by David Nichols. Again, we are not going to spoil it or discuss anything about the book right now, but things that we've pulled from the book, that won't spoil anything if you're not reading it yet or if you've already finished it doesn't matter. John, what do you got for us?

[B]

Well, this book, it covers, even if you're. It says right on the back of it, it covers 20 years of these two people's relationship. Friendship, relationship. It covers 20 years of their lives. So one of the questions that when I went onto AI and I worked together with AI to come up with this great question, how do small decisions shape your entire life? And I thought of this because I think of this, like, all the time.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because of where my life has gone and how many different things could have happened, I think about this question all the time. Do you? Small decisions I made in my life that transformed my entire life.

[A]

No, I think I can see that that's something you think about a lot. Because I know you well enough after these 14 years that it's tough in that head sometimes. Right? Where you think about. No, but I mean, in a good way. It's A, you overthink things and B, you also, in a good way, look back on things and think like, thank God I made this decision. Thank God I made this decision. If I hadn't made that decision. Listen, this is coming from someone who's. It's real tough to be in this head. That wasn't an insult. I'm just saying I know you well enough to know that. Yeah, you probably do think over the small moments in life. I don't necessarily do that. I think more of, like, long. I think, I think more in the long term, like, oh, if I would have done this during this period, does that make sense? Like, I don't think of a specific day or specific moment. I'm more like, oh, if somebody would have been working with me during this period of time, at this period of time, maybe this would have changed this for me. And it's usually career based. Anyway. Go ahead.

[B]

Before I have a meltdown, I can, I can, like, pinpoint, like, probably a hundred different moments in my life that changed my entire life that I can, like, think about. One of the ones that I always think about is when I was trying to make the NFL, I had a workout with the Green Bay packers. And right Away. They offered me a contract. I was like, no, I want to, like, see a bunch of other teams are interested. Went to Cincinnati. That didn't work out. Then I went to New York and things started kind of heating up. Like a bunch of teams wanted to talk to me. I go to New York, I work out for the Giants. Had a great workout. I come into the office like, we want to sign you. We want to give you X amount of dollars, which was more money than the Green Bay packers were going to give me. Like, our punter is. We think he's going to retire. So you're going to be our guy. Like, awesome. So I was sitting there in the office talking to my agent. We're going back and forth, and I was like, something's just not right. But I remember, I remember even being like in that moment, being like. Like 99% of people would have just signed with the Giants. More money. You're in New York and you're fricking. You have a. Basically have a job because the punter is going to retire. And I was like, something's just not right. Something's not right. And they sat there and I was like, I called him. I'm like, I got to get out of here. I got to leave right now. He's like, okay, I won't say anything. Whatever. Ended up blowing up. The gm, like, was yelling at me like, get the fuck out. Basically, the whole thing blew up.

[A]

Wait, they yelled. He yelled at you?

[B]

Yeah. So my agent's like, I'm like this. He goes, just so you know, the packers just signed, just called us, and they upped their offer. Not as high as the Giants offer, but they upped their offer from the original offer. Like 350% on the original offer.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But it still wasn't as big as the Giants. And I was like, okay, I just, like, I just did something right. Something doesn't feel right here. And he goes, okay, I'm gonna call them and just say, you're gonna go to the airport and think about it. I'm like, okay. Well, he calls them and something blows up. And he's just like, well, he's not signing with you. Signed with the Green Bay Packers. Like, he's leaving. And so I'm sitting in his office, I didn't know any of this. He comes in, he shakes my hand, he goes, congratulations, you're a Green Bay Packer. Sorry I wasted your fucking time. And I walked out. And so I'm just like this 24 year old kid who looks like he's 12, sitting in the New York Giants office by himself, trying to, like, find a way to get out. And so you go on, who was it?

[A]

Can you say?

[B]

I forget. I forget. It was the GM at the time.

[A]

Sounds like a dick.

[B]

Yeah. And then he called. He actually called my. My agent, Gil, back after. He's like, never send me a player ever again. Anyways, so I left there. So I went back to Green Bay, who they had. They had drafted a punter two years prior in, like, the third round or something like that. I go there. When I get there, you know, four or five months later, as I'm there, it comes back. The punter from the Giants comes back, comes out of retirement, decides not to retire, and he's one of the greatest punters ever comes back. So I would have been fucked. Automatically, I go to Green Bay, Adam winning the job over this guy, and it's like, that was, like, the start of, like, a bunch of things that happened that changed my life. Like, if I'd gone the other way, my whole. I maybe never would have played in the NFL.

[A]

Yeah. And then that asshole that was being a dick to you for making a decision based on, like, what you could see it was happening in front of you. He went and signed that guy, or knew that guy was gonna play again, ended up, and he would have had to cut you, and then you would have been like, fuck you. But not really. You would have just been cut, and he wouldn't have felt bad at all.

[B]

Right. But it's. There's a lot of things, like, another big one, obviously. It's like, what? Like, what if Ross Matthews hadn't come to that football game and I would have talked to him, and then we would have got hooked up and got married and lived happily ever after. For me, like, I think of that just like that one moment. If you have a moment and you don't take it. That's what I was thinking about. Like, I had a moment and I just took it. I'm like, oh, that's Ross Matthews. I have a crush with Sarah Colonna. I'm just gonna talk to him. I have to play in the NFC Championship in 30 minutes, but I don't care. I'm gonna go talk to him. Like, if I hadn't taken that moment, who knows what would have happened?

[A]

True. That's how we met, in case anyone doesn't know. And since you guys are readers, you can read all about it. And Has Anyone Seen My Pants? A book by Sarah Colota that you can find on Amazon. That I wrote. And there's a whole chapter or two about us meeting. So, yeah, I mean, I wish I could think of little things like that. I mean, I guess I can think of moments in time in a way where I can say, oh, if I hadn't moved to Los Angeles, or. Yeah, right. They don't feel as specific as an exact gut feeling during an offer. Things like that that you're saying. But, yeah, if I hadn't moved to Los Angeles or if I had, you know, I think we could all do that. That's a little more broad. So it doesn't feel as interesting as what you're saying. And I don't boil down moments, maybe quite as well, but I think, yeah, if I hadn't decided to move to Los Angeles and just kept going, just hit the gas on that Mustang

[B]

and

[A]

driven across country, I don't know what would have happened or if I'd given up. But those aren't. That's not as specific as the things that you're saying, so. Mine aren't. I just.

[B]

I literally feel like I have, like, a hundred, like, little moments like that that everything could have went the other way or different, but then. Then again, I could have been sitting somewhere else being like, oh, well, maybe if I hadn't done that, like, you know what I mean? Like, you never know what didn't happen could have happened, and you'd have been saying the same thing, but on a different side that you don't even know exists in an alternate universe that you didn't know exist.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know what I'm saying? It's like. Well, because I said, like, I put down here. But this is kind of like the sliding doors thing. It's like, oh, if this didn't happen, would have that ever happened? And I always see, like, people. People always. People always talk with those sliding doors thing when things go shitty. Like, oh, if. If. If I hadn't had that one extra piece of pizza at the parlor, I wouldn't have been this time and got hit by this car.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Do you ever, you know, do you ever have any of that?

[A]

Well, I do have one. It's a little depressing, probably, but this guy that I. We weren't. I don't. I mean, we were dating, but we weren't. There wasn't. We weren't intimate. You know, we were like most. We were kind of more friends. And then we wanted to. I mean, I thought we wanted to date. There was maybe a little kissing, but we weren't intimate. But when I was Gosh, it was in the 90s. I was in my 20s and we were in improv class together. And I was in that improv class with Chelsea, which, if I hadn't been in that improv class, I don't know that I would have known Chelsea, even though both of us hate doing improv. And then we started doing standup together. And because I knew her, I was given the opportunity to be on her show, which led to me being able to prove myself as a writer and all these things. So there's all that. But the story I'm talking about, there was a guy in our improv class, his name was Neil and he was from. He was from Florida. He was living in Florida at the time. And he. Or no, no, no, he was living in Florida before he came out to la, but then he was, I think Illinois and maybe Chicago, some in between. He lives somewhere else. Doesn't matter. All these things. See, this is why I can't do sliding doors moments, because I have too many details. But point is, we were hanging out and he. We went to go see Chelsea perform at the improv, at the Hollywood Improv. And then afterwards, Chelsea wanted to go out, I wanted to go out. We were going to go have a couple drinks, do something. He didn't drink. He didn't feel like going out. It was kind of like 11 o'. Clock. I think she had a late set or something. So he decided to go home. And on his way home, he got killed by a drunk driver.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And I mean, you know this story already, but I'm just sharing it. And. And you know, the guy was sober, like, didn't drink at all. And then, of course not, of course, but just the irony of getting killed by a drunk driver. But he was going up this very curvy road in, in Los Angeles called Laurel Canyon. So he was coming home from the improv. So of course, what we're talking about here is the moment where I go, oh, if you just would have stayed and hung out with us, that wouldn't have happened. Him and his friends. His friend, I think his friend was driving, who was also sober, and then they got hit by someone that was not sober driving down the canyon, so killed two people. And both of them, I'm just like, oh, if they would have stayed and hung out with us, that wouldn't have happened. And then my friend Carl, who, you know, Carl, who's a. Who is one of our friends, Chris Frangola, who a lot of you probably know, Chris Frangola, one of his Best friends. His name is Carl. I worked with both of them back at Mirabel. And this. At this point, we were all working at the restaurant called Mirabel and Carl was driving home from work at like 2 o' clock in the morning. He had to go over Laurel Canyon and the road was still all closed off. And he basically saw the remnants of that accident.

[B]

Oh, geez.

[A]

So the next day, when he found out that it was someone I knew, he was like, Sarah. I was driving home and Laurel Canyon was closed off and I saw them pulling the bodies and all this stuff. So he had seen some of it. It was pretty crazy. It was all this weird. Anyway, timing wise. There you go, John. You asked for it, I gave you one.

[B]

No, that's awful. But I also think of, like, all the moments that we don't even know about, like, as a positive thing. Like, you know, we always talk about, you know, if that didn't happen, that, you know, obviously, obviously terrible story you just told. But I'm saying there's so many things like, oh, like, like I came home at 1112 and where a guy at 1109 just ran a red light, that if I was two minutes behind, even though no one got hurt or no one even got hit, I would have died. But no one ever thinks of those. Like, there could have been hundreds of times where you could have died that you didn't know about.

[A]

Oh, of course. I mean, I could have gotten. I was almost gonna ride home with them too. So there's that. But, like, I would never think to myself, oh, thank God I didn't ride home. No, no, no, that's not.

[B]

But I'm just saying, like, even, like instances that nothing happened where we don't know.

[A]

Right? Absolutely.

[B]

You and I just drove home and someone could have ran a red light. Like, right now, no one even got hurt. I just ran a red light. But if we had just been exactly eight and a half minutes behind, our car would have been in the middle of intersection. Stuff like that I think about all the time for it gets you nowhere and there's no answers and I don't know what's wrong with her.

[A]

Yeah, we got, we got deep all of a sudden, 30, 33 minutes into this podcast. So let's lighten it up for the next 10 or so.

[B]

All the suggestions on AI were so deep. And then, you know, you keep on, like, as I always say, you keep on working AI and you're like, no, like, I want it a little more this way, more that way. And I kept on going for, like, 10 minutes. And then finally they're like, what kind of podcast is this? I'm like, oh, it's a husband and wife. And they gave us all these suggestions. They're like, oh, it's a husband and wife. And like, oh, these are things you can talk about. And it was, like, the worst. It was like we were watching Love is Blind last night, and they're on, like, their second date outside of the cocoons that they live in, and the one girl's like, let's play Never have I ever. I'm like, that's fucking. And that's basically what all these questions were on. They're like, if you had met your wife today, would you still have said yes? Like, questions like that. I was like, oh, my God, AI is trying to get us divorced.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, I. First of all, that we were watching Love is Blind, and anyone that thinks it's a good idea to ask a bunch of strangers that are trying to date each other, let alone marry each other, which I don't believe any of them are actually trying to do at this point, to play Never have I ever. It's just gonna spark problems. Like, I don't wanna play that with you. You don't wanna play that with me? No, no. It. It's that flipping show. We watched too much Love is Blind last night, so now I'm gonna be watching.

[B]

Yeah, we really did a marathon last night. Okay, so getting back to our book, one of the questions that. Because they revisit every July 15, they kind of revisit that day, and you kind of get caught up. And I actually asked this earlier, but if there could be one day every year we, like, go back to visit. What do you have a day that it would be like? Obviously, you're supposed to say, like, oh, our anniversary the day we got married, and then our anniversary every year.

[A]

Sure. Our anniversary, July 9th. The one that we had our. Our wedding ceremony. Because we did get.

[B]

I'm saying that'd be a good answer.

[A]

I'm saying that's my answer.

[B]

I feel like I had to kind of poke you to say it.

[A]

No, I said it because it's a good answer that you gave me.

[B]

It is a good answer, but I would.

[A]

No, it's a good answer because we had a really fun time. We had a family and friends. We were on a beach in Mexico. We got to profess our love to each other. There was a lot of good food.

[B]

We're not going back to that day every year. We're going back to that day of the year. The day of the year. Every year.

[A]

Well, okay, so I'm just saying, like,

[B]

this year, we'd go like, July 9, 2026. The next year, you. You'd go back to the same day, but not that the same day. The same day of the year.

[A]

So that was misleading. It's what you're saying.

[B]

No, no, no. I'm saying because in the book, they don't go back to the same day. They go back to the same day of the year. So it starts off, I think, like July 15, like 1988 or 1889. And it keeps on going all the way up until, like, 2010 or whatever.

[A]

Okay, so I don't know how to answer that.

[B]

Then I'm saying pick, because every year that we'd go, it'd be our anniversary. Every day we'd revisit would be our anniversary. So that'd be. It's a good pick.

[A]

So why do they pick the 15th of 2020?

[B]

They don't. The author. The author of the book does.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

It's not like you haven't read it yet, so I'm still trying to. It's not like same day next year. You know, they have.

[A]

The same time next year.

[B]

Yeah, same time next year. It's not like that. It is that the story picks back up every July 15th.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

For 20 years. So you kind of get filled in on what. What was happening, where they're at. Some years they're talking. Some years they're not. Some years they're dating. Some years they're not.

[A]

Okay, so do you have an answer?

[B]

Christmas. If you only be alive for one day a year, Christmas would be a great day.

[A]

Oh, wait. You could only be alive.

[B]

No, that's just what I'm making in my head. I'm making a new question.

[A]

Oh, okay. So you would just. Yeah. If you could only repeat one day a year, you would repeat Christmas every year? Sure.

[B]

I think.

[A]

Do you repeat it every day or do every year?

[B]

I don't know. The question the AI just said is if you can revisit one. Okay, here it is. If right now, I had a time machine. 20, 26, I had a time machine, they go, you can go back over the last 20 years and pick one day, and I'll just go to that same day for you. 20 days you get. And it's all on the same day of the year. Pick the date December 25th. Boom. I go back every December 25th for 20 years and revisit it.

[A]

But when a hot Top time machine. But do you go back every day for it or do you go back whenever you want to for it?

[B]

Babe, just you make the rules. Now I fucking give up. Just you make the rules on what we're talking about and then I just need to open a bottle of wine.

[A]

Now you can see how it's a little confusing.

[B]

It's not at all. I don't think. I think you're just overthinking it.

[A]

I just am asking, are they saying I'm gonna. Is it fucking Groundhog Day?

[B]

No.

[A]

Where I relive it every day.

[B]

Okay, right now. Right now. You can go back for the last 20 years. Right now. Right now.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I'm gonna let you revisit 20 days. But they all have to do the same day of the year. You're gonna go revisit it. It's like the ghost in the, you know, the Christmas carol.

[A]

You think that cleared it up for me?

[B]

You're going to go revisit 20 days. You're going to go revisit them. But it has to be the same day calendar day of the year for 20.

[A]

And I'm doing it every day. Or I'm doing it once a year.

[B]

I'm doing it in a time capsule where time does not exist. Okay, you're doing it right now. And then you're going to go on this 20 day escapade and you're going to come back and it's going to be 5:24 on Wednesday, February 25, on an escapade.

[A]

Baby, baby, baby, let's get away.

[B]

You're. You're sometimes not the funnest person with hypothetical.

[A]

Oh, that's a good point. I'm not very good with hypothetical because

[B]

you asked me questions.

[A]

I do, and I'm sorry, I'm. I'm immediately recognizing that about myself. And I'll be honest, it's not something I've ever thought about or considered about myself. But when you said rang true. I'm not fun with hypotheticals. I don't do hypotheticals.

[B]

No, because. No, because then you keep on changing the rules until it's not even a thing anymore.

[A]

Well, I didn't change the rules. I just asked what the rules were and you weren't clear.

[B]

I was crystal clear.

[A]

I want to know if any of the book list spinners on just maybe agree with me. And it's okay if you don't. I'm just saying it's more fun to agree with me because John's headlewood's foot. But it don't you understand where I'm coming from? Where? I don't understand. If you're saying I get to relive the day, it's like the Ghost of

[B]

Christmas Past you to relive 20 days of your whole. The last 20 years. But it has to be the same calendar day each year. So, for example, the first year would be 2006. So I picked December 25th. So the first day I'd visit was December 26th, 26.

[A]

And then what? And then you live the rest of the year normal.

[B]

No, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not living there. I'm just visiting it.

[A]

I know, but. So you visit it, and then the rest of the year, the other 364 days of the year, you live normal. And then the next year you go back and you live one day in the past.

[B]

I really, I just. I pray most of the listeners are on my side here. I just pray because this.

[A]

I think they already turned off this podcast right now.

[B]

I love you and you're so smart, but I feel like I just got dumber. You don't believe my time, my time traveling continuum.

[A]

I feel a little bit stupid because I don't understand it. And this might be why I haven't been able to get into the book so far. Maybe I don't know what the fuck's going on.

[B]

You're just visiting. It's like if I said to you, let's go visit Cabo one day a year. And then you're like, well, what do I do the other 365 days a year?

[A]

Well, yeah, that's an. That's what I would ask. Why do I do the other. Why can't I be in Cabo all 365 days?

[B]

It's a good point, baby.

[A]

That's a good point. Are you done with me yet?

[B]

Yeah, no, I'm not done with you, but I'm just. I'm done with this podcast, I guess.

[A]

Well, this one was probably one of my favorites. Even though it is possible that it made no sense.

[B]

All the way off the fucking rails.

[A]

It was. And we are very having a lot of fun doing this. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the book list. If you give us a rating, a five star rating, don't be rude. Then it helps sort of elevate our little podcast to more people knowing about it. And we appreciate that. Join us on Patreon. Only $5 a month for some nonsense. Plus the short stories that we do. My April pick, once again is Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier. I'm very excited to announce that I'm very excited to read the rest of this book. One Day by David Nicholson, Revisit days of the year and stop it. All the years and the days.

[B]

Oh, boy.

[A]

And if anyone can remember the name of that show that I was talking about earlier with the private investigator in either Arizona or Vegas, let me know. Join the Book List spinners. Follow us on the Book List on Instagram and we'll see you next week.

[B]

Bye.

[A]

The Book List.

[B]

The book Lisp.

[A]

The book List.

[B]

The book lisp.

[A]

The book lisp.