C (3:02)

Yeah. And one thing I love about it is it's so goofy and it's so funny, but it's never mean. And I feel like nowadays it's so easy for humor to be trying to take people down a notch or try to, you know, do things in a not kind way. And I feel like the show has such a kind heart to it.

A (3:21)

I completely agree that the show has such a kind heart, but I also think that one of the things about it that is so special is that Greg, as the taskmaster can be really mean about the contestant's performance, but it's so controlled and contained that it's very fun for him to be like a kind of like a specific bully. You know what I mean? Like, he is never cruel. He's just mean about, like. Oh, so you thought you were going to.

C (3:56)

You thought that Rake was a good hiding spot?

A (3:58)

Yes, exactly like that. Like, it's always mean about that and never mean about something that people are, like, actually hurt or insecure about, which I think is such a gift.

C (4:08)

Yes, exactly. Exactly. It's not that he won't criticize, but he's not going to undermine your feelings or anything like that.

A (4:16)

Right. It's mean in the way, like, it's fun to watch the Roadrunner be mean to Wile E. Coyote.

C (4:25)

You seem like the perfect person to be involved with this show, Josh.

A (4:28)

Oh, thank you.

C (4:29)

Because that's kind of how I think of you two. Just like a big heart.

A (4:32)

That's really nice.

C (4:33)

And your humor punches up, it doesn't punch down. It's always so funny.

A (4:37)

Oh, that's such a kind compliment. Yeah. It's been really fun to hang out with them, and it's been a really nice fit. I've been worked with them a couple times in a very similar capacity. And I made the mistake of, like, wading into their Reddit because their fans are really, really, really sweet, but they also have, like, extremely high standards and expectations. And so it is like, you're like, oh, okay, sure, yeah. Duly noted. How have you been?

C (5:08)

I've been doing great. I have been. Maybe you can help me with this, Josh. I have been in the early stages of putting together my 50 States books project, which I'm not the first person ever to do this. This has been done many times before. But it's this challenge where you try to read one book from each state in the U.S. a book that could really take place nowhere other than that state. A book that really, you know, it's almost like the state as a character in the book, or it really epitomizes something about the character of that state. And so I'm the very early stages. I think I've only read four books so far. But, Josh, if you have any suggestions for books for states or listeners, any of you out there.

A (5:53)

Oh, I love this.

C (5:54)

Oh, my gosh. Our listeners are so smart. Listeners. If you have ideas, can you write to us and tell us what books best epitomize various states? Maybe a state that you grew up in or went to college in or whatnot?

A (6:05)

That's such a great idea. Send those suggestions into thenightlyatch.co.

C (6:11)

Yes, please. Yes, please do that. Thank you. So, Josh, do you have any ideas for any states?

A (6:18)

I have a few.

C (6:19)

Thank you.

A (6:20)

Where did you start, though?

C (6:21)

Okay, so I started with Maine. I read Olive Kittredge, which that book was so excellent. I loved it. I've read other books by Elizabeth Strout before, but I'd never read Olive Kittredge. And it's so quintessentially Maine. And they talk about Maine a lot. It's an imaginary small town in Maine that everything happens in. And, you know, they're looking out at the coast. Nothing's as pretty as Maine. And everything's so quiet, and it's so isolated, and it has specific populations of people. Like, you know, ever since the 90s, there's been a Somali population, and ever since this era, there's been this population. And it talks about the different folks who live there and the different gossipy things that happen in a small town. And it just feels in my imagination like it couldn't be anywhere other than Maine that it takes place.

A (7:14)

Oh, that's wonderful. Are there any states that you're like, how am I gonna get this one done?

C (7:19)

Oh, my gosh, so many. Because I just don't know enough about, like, Delaware. Joshua and I live so close to Delaware, but I'm like, I know what's a good Delaware book.

A (7:29)

I don't think I know any offhand any Delaware books. But it's so funny, too, because I feel like so many books, books that I'm thinking of that have a real sense of Place are rooted in, like, a few places. Like, I can think of so many Mississippi books.

C (7:44)

Oh, yes, Interesting. Like, any in particular you think I would like?

A (7:50)

Yeah. So, I mean, like, Faulkner was a big Mississippi guy, right? Like, that's all.

C (7:55)

Of course. Yes.

A (7:57)

But I want to say this was everything smart that I know is a recommendation from my wife, who's, like, a genius reader and writer. And the book that I will recommend for Mississippi, if you haven't read it, is Trees by Percival Everett.

C (8:15)

I love Percival Everett. I love James.

A (8:18)

Yes. So good. And he wrote if People who don't know James, which is his recent book, which is like a retelling reimagining of Huckleberry Finn, Right, from the point of view of Jem. Is that correct?

C (8:33)

Yes.

A (8:34)

Also, almost as famously, depending on the media you take in, he was the author of Erasure, which was the basis of American fiction, the Jeffrey Wright film that Cord Jefferson wrote and directed.

C (8:44)

I love that movie so much. I saw it twice in the theater because I loved it so much.

A (8:49)

Whoa. It's so good. And Trees is, like, really kind of, like, bleak, but also really funny. And there's this kind of light supernatural thread, but it's also really grounded. I don't know, it just, like, really, really rules. It's so good.

C (9:06)

Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited. I just jotted it down now, so I think that might need to be my Mississippi book then, because I trust you. You're smart. You and your wife are both smart, and you'll have great recommendations.

A (9:18)

I trust her.

C (9:20)

Yes. And we already know personal efforts. A genius.

A (9:24)

So, yes, like, truly a genius writer. What a great project. That's so cool. Wait, real quick. We only have limited time to chat, but I really want to hear what are the other ones you've read so far? Or what places, too?

C (9:38)

Okay, so I read the God of the woods by Liz Moore, which takes place in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. And I thought it would be interesting to read a New York book that doesn't take place in New York City, you know, and it really explores old money and classism and a different version of New York that people don't often think about. Like, all the rich people who have giant plots of land and have servants, who have houses by the Vanderbilt Mansion, up by the Roosevelt mansions and so on, and what are their lives like, and what is it like for the townies who live near there? So I thought that was an interesting book to just try to take things outside of New York City.

A (10:23)

That's so smart.

C (10:24)

Yeah. And a. I keep getting recommendations from friends of other New York books, though, because there are so many New York books, so.

A (10:31)

I know. Well, that's the thing, right? It's like, there's so many. Like, I mean, I'm from Massachusetts originally, so that always sticks out. Like, oh, this is a Boston thing. And it has always stuck with me. But, like, so many Mississippi books, so many New York books, but I'm like, gosh, I don't know that many. Like, I can't think offhand of, like, a. Like a South Dakota book.

C (10:53)

Yeah, that's hard. I mean, I have a North Dakota book on my list already that I plan to read, but South Dakota. I don't know, folks out there, if you have South Dakota recommendations. My North Dakota author, I think I'm gonna read a Louise Erdrich book. I've read several of her books over the years, and her books take place in native communities, usually in North Dakota, sometimes popping over to Minnesota, but usually North Dakota and. Yeah. But South Dakota, folks, if you have some ideas, let me know. But maybe we'll touch base about this, you know, in a few weeks as I keep going along, we'll see how things go. Yeah.

A (11:33)

Cool. And are you trying to do it? Like, do you have a time frame, or is it just like, your next 50 books will be?

C (11:38)

This project, I just want to finish it by the end of the year. Last year, I read over 240 books, so I think I can do this book project, the specific one, and still read other things in between, you know, just because I do like reading popular suspense books. I love reading celebrity memoirs and so on, and I don't think I'm going to stop doing that. But I think I'm going to add this to my pile, too. Just. Just as a fun thing to, you know, research to learn about parts of the country I haven't been in to discover new authors. I think it'll be a fun exercise.

A (12:15)

Oh, awesome. I can't wait to hear how it keeps unfolding.

C (12:18)

Yay. And yeah, again, folks out there, if you have suggestions for your state, for any other state, let us know. We'd love to hear from you.

A (12:27)

It's so funny, too, to think about, like, what are the famous books from a place where you're. Like, when you said Maine, I was like, oh, Olive Kittredge, of course, huge Maine book. But there's Stephen King himself has written 70 books about Maine or whatever.

C (12:41)

Yes. I actually mentioned this project to a couple of friends who are like, why would you not Read Stephen King. And I'm like, I guess I could have. And who knows? Maybe if the project goes really well, maybe I'll eventually circle back around and read more than one book from each state. I'm not sure. We'll see.

A (12:57)

Oh, that's so exciting.

C (12:58)

Well, this part of our conversation, Josh, has me smiling and jolly. But I think it's time to shift now to things that make us shake our fists and feel grumpy. Because tonight we're gonna air some grievances.

A (13:25)

Thank goodness I have some things to get off my chest. But I would like to open the floor to you first, Kristen. What is a grievance you would like to air?

C (13:32)

Okay, so I have this grievance with the gym across the street from me. When the gym first opened a couple years ago, they had these giant like billboard size banners on the outside of like, join the gym. You can take spin classes. Join the gym. You can get personal training. Join the gym. We have a giant pool. Well, guess what? I finally decided to go over to that gym and say, maybe I want to join you. And they said, oh, oh, madam, you're too old to be in the pool. Only children are allowed in the pool.

A (14:04)

What?

C (14:04)

And I'm like, well, why did you have these giant billboard sized posters on the outside of your building showing people my age in the pool? And by my age, I mean not a child.

A (14:14)

There were illustrations of adults in the pool.

C (14:18)

Yes, the advertisements showed full grown adults in the pool. People your age and mine, Josh. And I'm like, okay, those aren't children. Those are clearly adults in your posters, in your pamphlets, in your advertising materials. Why am I not allowed in the pool? I want to be in the pool too. This is false advertising.

A (14:38)

It sounds false.

C (14:39)

So yeah, here's the thing. I love Aquazumba classes. I love hanging out with some 80 year old gals doing some dancing underwater to the top 40 hits, some K pop demon hunter soundtrack with me and the 80 year olds. And that's what I wanted to do and that's what it looked like in the advertisements I could do across the street. But I just, I don't want to say it's discrimination, but it just, it seems so unfair that I cannot go in that pool. Only children can.

A (15:09)

I don't like that at all. What did they say when you said, like, why do you have all these promotional materials featuring adults?

C (15:16)

Oh, because they said they are a chain of gyms and they were recycling images from the other gyms. But this particular gym, because the neighborhood has so many Families in it. They wanted a pool only for swimming lessons and kiddie activities where the water's like 97 degrees at all times and where they could really cater to that and charge special fees just for kid activities.

A (15:44)

So you'd think they would then, at that point, make up a specific sign for that.

C (15:50)

Yes, you would think so.

A (15:52)

You can't be the only person who is tricked.

C (15:54)

No, I just. I know that other people had to have gone in there and thought, I want to swim laps or I want to do an Aquazumba class. I'm sure there were other people besides me. And I just feel like, not fair. Really. Not fair. Yeah.

A (16:08)

Especially where you live. And where I live in New York City, there are some pools, but it's not like you have numerous options for, like, a local indoor pool. There's like, a couple that are probably convenient to any one neighborhood.

C (16:27)

Yes. Yeah. And I just wanted this one cause it's across the street from me and because of the posters. And I just. It really gets my goat. I know that there are much bigger problems in the world, other injustices, but to me, this feels like an enormous injustice to me. Who wants to do Aquazumba?

A (16:47)

Thank you for voicing this, because this is also. This is one of those things. I'm really focused on the signage, and I am sorry for bulldogging this so hard, but it feels like one of those things of, like, good enough. You know what I mean? They go, we have the sign. It misrepresents what we offer. But, like, we would rather inconvenience and annoy the people of our community than print up a new sign or, like, have hire a designer to do the work. And that, to me, I feel like there's so much of that attitude ambiently lately of like, we're going to make our sloppy work everyone else's problem. And when they complain, we're going to be like, I don't know. We just don't care that much.

C (17:29)

And I get it. I'm sure to print up a new sign would probably cost hundreds of dollars. But they're a gym. They're making money hand over fist from people who signed up in January. Horn not going to go back for the rest of the year. That's right.

A (17:41)

Until about a year ago, I was paying. This is so embarrassing. I paid monthly for a gym that I hadn't gone to in. Your gym's going to drop over a decade in a state that I hadn't lived in in over a decade.

C (18:06)

Oh, my gosh.

A (18:08)

Yeah. And it was, you know, it was one of those cheap gems. So it was only like, really? I think it was like, $150 a year, which is a lot of money to just throw in a hole. But it wasn't, you know, the $10 a month coming out of a bank account that I, like, don't really investigate that thoroughly because I'm like, oh, I don't really use this. It just kind of sits there. And over a decade, because I assumed the gym closed and it was bought by new owners. And I was like, well, that solves my problem. Certainly this new thing can't just keep billing me wrong. They can and they did.

C (18:46)

My gosh. Oh, my gosh.

A (18:50)

I closed the account. I was like, there's not even that much money in the account. I'm gonna close it. Stop. And then the gym called me, and they were like, well, you owe us for this month. And I couldn't call them and close the. You know, you can't do it over the phone. You have to go to the gym and do it in person. And they called me and were like, well, you owe us for this month because the account stopped working. And I went, I think you've gotten quite enough gym membership from me, a person who has lived 200 miles away from this gym for 13 years. And they stopped calling.

C (19:29)

They.

A (19:29)

Honest to goodness, like, they. They just kind of accepted it and wiped away the final, like, $30 fee. And we're like, okay, our business is concluded.

C (19:37)

Oh, my gosh. And you know what? You're not kidding when you say it's so hard to quit a gym. You were saying you can't. You. You couldn't just do it on the phone. I've been in that situation before, too. They're like, no, you have to come in person. I'm like, I haven't lived in that neighborhood. And, oh, my God. Do you know how long it's been since I've lived there? Can't do it on the phone. Nope. Gonna make it as hard as possible.

A (19:56)

It's not like you had something you have to return. Like when we canceled my cable, when I lived in a different neighborhood with roommates, and we canceled the cable subscription, they're like, you actually have to come bring the cable box back. And I was like, I don't know. It sounds like your problem, but I did and brought it back to their place. And I was like, I understand that. That you have to finish this transaction by returning the apparatus to them, but when you quit a gym, they just, like, delete your name and it's not like your key still lets you go in and work out. They can just disable it.

C (20:30)

Oh, my gosh. I'm so glad you're not a member of that gym anymore, but it's a huge relief. It sounds like quite a 13 year run, Josh.

A (20:37)

Yeah, was really bad. I think I. I think I spent, like eighteen hundred dollars over a period of thirteen years.

C (20:46)

God. Oh, my gosh. You know what the. Your story. I know you didn't mean it to be a comfort to me, but this is becoming a comfort to me because I'm thinking if I even were allowed to join this gym across the street and be in that pool to do the Aquazumba, if they had it, the same thing would probably happen to me where I would go to the gym a lot in the beginning, and then 13 years would pass where I hadn't gone to the gym, and I'd be in your spot now, just like, why am I still paying for this?

A (21:14)

Yep, it's tough for the gym.

C (21:17)

Maybe your story is the one I needed to hear to remind myself I don't need to be a member of that gym. Gyms are famously something that most of us don't do very good going to anyway. It's okay. Let the kids have the pool.

A (21:32)

I think. I bet that there's, like, a place nearby that if you're really craving that kind of workout, maybe there's a place you can do a one off and go. Like, is this something that I want to try? And if you're like, if you feel like you have that momentum, maybe it's worth going to the gym a little further. And if not, then maybe the convenience of the gym right across the street was a false convenience to begin with.

C (21:54)

Oh. Oh, Josh, you're good. You're good.

A (21:58)

Okay, thank you.

C (21:59)

I'm gonna look into that. I'm gonna see if such a thing is possible. Just. Is there a way to do a one off or a package of three at another pool?

A (22:07)

Yeah. And a wet class pass.

C (22:10)

Yes, exactly.

A (22:13)

A splash pass, if you will.

C (22:14)

Oh, okay. You need to trademark that. That's a trademark. That's a trademark name for Josh.

A (22:18)

We trademarked it. This is trademarked. If you're a gym, you can't use that. That's ours.

C (22:24)

Okay, well, Josh, thank you so much for helping me with this grievance tonight. I am feeling way better about it. I have a game plan I'm gonna look for. Splash pass. We know what needs to happen.

A (22:37)

This is truly my pleasure. I'm sorry that you were thwarted by your local gym. But I think there's a way forward after all.

C (22:48)

Love, that sense of hope. There is a way forward. We can. We can make it through this.

A (22:53)

I believe in you.

C (22:54)

Well, Josh, after all that, I'm feeling so much better. So much better about life. So much more. Ready for bed? Feeling pretty sleepy, actually. So I'm gonna turn in.

A (23:05)

I'm gonna pass out myself. So I'll talk to you soon. Good night, Kristin.

C (23:09)

Good night, Josh.

A (23:15)

It. Sam.

B (24:16)

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