That Sounds Fun by Annie F. Downs - Book Talk

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Join us at the Lazy Girl Library as we reminisce about the fun and joy inspired by Annie F. Downs' "That Sounds Fun." We dive deep into childhood nostalgia and how our definitions of fun and creativity have evolved over time. Through personal stories, we discuss the societal pressures of turning hobbies into side hustles and the importance of enjoying creativity without the burden of monetization. Emphasizing the beauty of embracing amateurism, we share tales of pottery classes and crafting with friends, highlighting how these experiences can foster joy and mindfulness. Our conversation morphs into a discussion about the joys of life's little details, from sunsets to unexpected connections in books and movies. Indulge in some fun with us while we  explore how nostalgia, gratitude, and embracing the amateur spirit play significant roles in fostering joy in everyday life.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the Lazy Girl Library, the podcast, where
reading is a pleasure andcaptivating adventures happen
from the comfort of your couch.
I'm your host, darby, and I'mMikayla, and if you've ever
spent more time rearranging yourbookshelf than your priorities,
then you, my friend, are in theright place.
Hi Darby, hi Mikayla, how wedoing.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
We're doing good First book talk of 2025.
I'm excited.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Whoa jinx Did you so?
Growing up I never really didthe jinx.
You can't talk like I only didlike jinx.
You owe me a soda.
But when I met my husband, whenthey say like I think it's my
husband, um, when you say jinx,at the same time you can't talk
until someone says your name orsomething like that or something

(01:02):
along.
That I don't really rememberI've heard of that.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
We don't do that.
It's just more of the fun, likehey, yeah, anywho, welcome back
everybody.
This is a fun one.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
So literally because we are going to be talking about
that sounds fun by annie fdowns heck yeah before we get
into it, though, how about alittle check-in what's your five
star and one star moment of theweek?
So how about a little check-inwhat's your five star and one
star moment of the week?

Speaker 2 (01:27):
So we were talking a little bit about this before we
started recording.
I'm going to start in the oneand we'll end on the good note
with the fives.
My one star right now weddingflorists.
Florists are driving me crazythis week, next week, week, into
all of the weeks.
It's so hard trying to researchwho's in budget, what like

(01:48):
floor flowers cost, like justthe whole bundling and
everything like that.
A lot of them require you tolike set up phone call
appointments to talk about itspecifically so they can give
you a specific quote.
But if you have a minimum oflike three thousand dollars,
then why can't you like justsend me the brochure like every
other vendor, stating that butthen also specifying like prices

(02:12):
are variant on like what youwant and like, depending on all
that, let's let's chat to figurethat out.
But at least I know at thatpoint whether you're in my
budget or out of my budget, sothat way, like we're not wasting
either of our times by settingup a call if you're out of my
budget, it's driving me crazy.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Also, you know what I'm thinking about too, which,
because we were discussing thisbeforehand, I hadn't thought
about.
It's almost valentine's day too.
This is like peak season forflorists.
Yeah, they're probably so busythat their prices are hiked up
anyway, because floral pricesare, which that probably
wouldn't affect you for yourcontract, but yeah, it's just
not a good time to be talkingwith florists.

(02:53):
No, you're so right, I didn'teven think about.
Yeah, I didn't either.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah no, it's crazy and, being I'm introvert, I hate
talking on the phone.
It's like the bane of myexistence.
So the fact that to get anyinformation from anybody, I have
to schedule all these phonecalls is just.
I don't have the time.
They're not even available onthe weekends anyway, so you have
to schedule it within like thework day, exactly like I don't
want to have to talk to morepeople on the phone on that time

(03:16):
where it's like my quietsilence time in my car, like no
real frustrating.
That's been my one star, floris, you're on my list, my five
star, though.
This week the voice octavechange.
We're on a positive, happylight note now.

(03:38):
I feel like this week has beenreally filled with fun
friendship things going on.
So our friend Madison we gettogether like once a month
because we're watching the harrypotter series together, so we
just had that this past friday.
Love that, which was really fun.
Um, and she got me a guess who?
Akatar edition for our secretsanta and we played.

(03:58):
That was so much fun.
Okay, we have to play before Ileave absolutely it's so much
fun, so that was really nice.
Maybe we'll post a photo onleave absolutely.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
It's so much fun, so that was really nice.
Maybe we'll post a photo on theinstagram.
It looks so cool.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, we should.
I'll, I'll see.
I think they have the artist onthere too, so we'll try to tag
them or shout them out.
Um, but the art's really cool.
So that was really fun.
And then I had a little likecheck-in heart-to-heart with our
friend sarah, just over text,but just kind of like a love you
, miss you kind of thing.
That was really nice and reallysweet.
And then we got to go and hangout together this weekend on a

(04:30):
double date, which is super fun.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
The most magical place on earth.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
I'm so happy that you guys got Disney passes, now
Makes fun of us.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
I'm not typically a big Disney person, but we're
giving it a go.
I did have fun on Saturday.
I did have a good time.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
If anything just means we get to go drink around
the world more.
But that was really fun.
So I feel like, yeah, my fivestars just like fun friend
moments this week.
That just like kind of filledmy cup.
So what about?

Speaker 1 (04:59):
you, darby Great.
I'll start with my one star aswell.
It's not really a one star forme, but justin is really sick.
He's not feeling well so I'mplaying dr derbs um, so yeah,
it's just like it's sad when youknow someone is sick and you
can like physically see it,you're like, yeah, like feel
better.
Yeah, I don't know so, becausethere's like nothing you can

(05:21):
really do for him.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
I'm such a helper that I'm like I can only like
nothing you can really do forhim.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
I'm such a helper that I'm like I can only like
get you advil and refill yourwater so many times and then I
feel like I'm not doing anythingbut, just trying to be there
for him, yeah I'm not thereright now I'm doing great, it's
okay.
um, yes, that's my one star.
Hope he feels better.
My five star I didn't really, Idon't know, I think.

(05:46):
So, work, I'm entering eventseason, which can sometimes be a
one star because it's like alot, but at the same time it's
also five star right now becausewe're getting into all of the
fun stuff and, um, I planfundraising events for those who
might not know, and so it'sreally impactful when the event

(06:07):
actually happens and that'swhere a lot of fundraising
happens and you can it just hassuch a big impact on our mission
.
So it's really cool and it'sreally fun to get into like the
logistics that are closer to theevent, because, you know, it's
less like emailing and more likesite visits and ordering
collateral and the signs and theshirts.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
All starting to come together, yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, so that's really exciting.
A little stressful, butexciting, so it's a five star
this week.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Love that.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
I see it again in like two weeks Might be a
different answer.
Yeah, right now it's a fivestar.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
Well, that's exciting .
Sounds fun.
We're going to talk about fun.
So in this episode we're goingto be talking about that Sounds
Fun by Annie F Downs, which wasour book club book for this
month.
So we're going to answer somebook club-esque questions about
the book and give our final starratings.
If you're on our fable, youprobably have a good idea of our

(07:00):
thoughts on this book already,and if you're not on our fable,
you should definitely come andjoin us.
The Lazy Girl Library, that'swhere we'll have every book for
our month.
Then we'll add all of ourthoughts as we're reading and
we'd love to connect with moreof you.
So come join us there.
But other than that, let's getinto it.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yes, let's do that.
Okay, so we'll do a littlereading recap.
So, yes, let's do that.
Okay, so we'll do a littlereading recap.
So I'm going to read the bookdescription on the back of the
book.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
It's kind of hard to do a reading recap with this one
, like we normally do, becauseit's nonfiction, yeah, so I
think the back of the book isprobably the best description of
it.
I agree.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
All right.
We know there are certainthings we must have to survive
Food, shelter and safety, toname a few but there are also
aspects of life that truly allowus to be joyful and fulfilled.
For popular podcaster andbest-selling author, annie F
Downs, fun is close to the topof that list.
Few would argue that having fundoesn't enrich our lives, but

(08:00):
so much gets in the way ofprioritizing it.
Tough days, busyness andfeelings that are hard to talk
about keep us from the funthat's out there waiting to be
found.
With that Sounds Fun.
Annie offers an irresistibleinvitation to understand the
meaning of fun, to embrace itand chase it, and to figure out
what exactly sounds fun to you.

(08:20):
Then do it, exploring someresearch and sharing some
thoughts behind why fun matters.
She shows you how to findexperience and multiply your fun
.
With her signature storytellingstyle and whimsical
vulnerability, annie is thefriend we all need to guide us
back to staying true toourselves and finding the fun we
need.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
I could listen to you read all day.

Speaker 1 (08:41):
Thank you.
I really, I really appreciateit.
It I love, I love doing ityou're so good, there's a reason
I do the book readings for allof our listeners out there.
I'm obsessed with it.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
I love to talk and I could listen to you all day.

Speaker 1 (08:57):
So it works um.
What were your initial thoughtson the book?

Speaker 2 (09:01):
so I enjoyed the general messaging of this book,
but it was kind of a letdown forme.
Um, I think there were some funtidbits that I kind of took
away and there were a few goodlike hard-hitting quotes that I
definitely highlighted.
To go back to that just kind oflike hit you really well, um,
but yeah, overall it was justdisappointing.
I can see why she's asuccessful podcaster, because I

(09:26):
felt like it was written verymuch like that, but that kind of
like didn't work for mepersonally when I'm reading a
book.
It didn't give me as much likehelpful tips that I was looking
for.
It felt more like I'm readingher diary than it did like this
is how to make more time for funor how to find things that are
fun for you kind of thing that Iwas expecting going into it.

(09:47):
So what about you?

Speaker 1 (09:48):
yeah, I completely agree.
I liked it, but my expectationswere just so much higher,
especially because I actuallyhave listened to her on a
podcast before and she's.
She is a great podcaster and Ireally like her um, but yeah, I,
I got some good nuggets, but Iwanted to be fed.
Yeah, I didn't want just likelittle side dish, like I was
wanting a full meal.

Speaker 2 (10:08):
I love that.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
Thank you and I feel like it.
Like you said, we just got sometidbits, a couple of nuggets of
sentences, whereas the like thefull meal wasn't served is my
best analogy for that.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
No, I get that.
Did you have a favorite part ofit?

Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, that, no, I get that.
Did you have a favorite part ofit?
Yeah, so I really liked how shediscussed gratitude and God and
like showing glimpses of Eden,which I felt like worked really
well in the beginning she kindof focuses on Eden.
So in like a spiritual sense,like faith wise, but then if
you're not spiritual, just kindof like that place of peace, I
think is how you could relatethat Nirvana kind of.

(10:45):
Yeah, and so I really liked howshe talked about gratitude and
how, like God shows you glimpsesof.
Eden and you can like to takethem.
And I was talking with mytherapist a couple weeks ago
about gratitude and she wassaying that that's been proven,
like, like, that's like one ofthe or the only thing that you

(11:07):
can do to like make your brainhappier is like practicing
gratitude.
Interesting, yeah, so that wasjust fun.
Um, I liked that.
And then I also really likedhearing the definition of a
hobby, um, and how it's likewhat you do when you have
leisure time, and it really mademe reflect with scrolling,
which I'm not doing this year,I'm not doing social media, but

(11:30):
it just makes me think of, like,in my leisure, in my downtime,
what are my hobbies?
And then thinking, like I'mliterally going to say I scroll
on and like I use my phone as ahobby, like that's totally fine
if you do, I definitely have aswell.
But to me I was like, oh, I'mcringed out by that, like I
don't want that to be my hobby.
So it just it put it in adifferent perspective of

(11:51):
thinking like this is my leisureand downtime and this is
something I'm choosing to do,and it's a like that's what a
hobby is, is like what you do inyour leisure and, and I don't
want to scroll, so anyway, yeah,those are two parts that I
really enjoyed.
What about you?

Speaker 2 (12:04):
I definitely, when I was reading this, I definitely
thought about you a lot, becauseI feel like she had a lot of
the same ideas and mentalitiesthat you kind of already had.
And we talk about all the time,or like the leisure time.
You're such like a trying newthings kind of person, so I
thought about you a lot when wewere reading this.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
Annie girl we're twins about you a lot while we
were doing this.
Annie girl, we're twins.
Have me on your podcast, haveus both on your podcast.

Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yes, let's talk.
My favorite part I enjoyed.
I really enjoyed the beginningof the book.
Like you said, I think that wasprobably the best part of it.
She really found like hergroove and like starting it off
and I really especially like thepart about childhood nostalgia.
That was really good, yeah, andlike how that ties into fun and
like finding joy and how thatties into fun and finding joy.
It's definitely a part that Irelated to, and it's sad that as

(12:50):
we grow older we kind of loseout on that mentality that we
have when we were younger forfun, and so trying to find your
way back to it and how nostalgiakind of ties into your
definition of fun, because beingnostalgic also is like
nostalgic for that feeling ofpeace that you found when you
were younger and doing thingsthat were fun, and so that's

(13:11):
what you kind of like try to gotowards more.
I liked that sentiment a lot.

Speaker 1 (13:15):
So I think it goes back to the gratitude thing too,
of like being grateful for thatnostalgia of like, oh, like I
got to do that, like oh I havethese memories like that's a
good way to put it yeah, so yeah, that was my favorite part.
And what about your leastfavorite part?

Speaker 2 (13:31):
The love section.

Speaker 1 (13:33):
The whole book.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
She kind of like separated it into like different
sections and like, yeah, shekind of does like blend into all
of them, but specifically thereis like there is like a
specific like love section andit was just way too diary for me
.
Um it, she very much like lostthe point and the connection she
was making at the start of thebook, especially it's like the
eden part.

(13:56):
Um, I started to like notunderstand her definition
anymore, the way she was usingit and um, like, even if I was
single because I know that waslike a lot of her struggles that
she was talking about beingsingle and like trying to live
an adult life, that you know youwant to get married and have
kids, but like not having thatand how much you save versus how
much you keep saving who knowswhat the future will hold.

(14:19):
So like do it now be, have funand be spontaneous, kind of
thing.
Even if I was single, I feellike there weren't very many
actual items that I could havetaken away to help me with it.
It was more just like somethingyou're relating to because
somebody's going through thesame thing as you.
So that was kind of a meh partfor me.
What about you?

Speaker 1 (14:37):
I would agree, being freshly married, it was hard to
relate to her singleness, um,and I think I wouldn't have
disliked this section so much ifshe hadn't had said that, like,
she doesn't want to be definedas, like the single, like girl,
but then you go on to like talkabout that all the time, yeah,

(14:58):
um.
So it was just kind of like, uh,like a catch-22 type of
situation and maybe if I wassingle I would have enjoyed that
part more.
But at the same time I feellike the pacing and the
multitude of stories likepersonal stories just made the
plot hard to follow.
I agree, like you were saying,I didn't really know where she

(15:20):
was going, especially in thatlove section.
I was what is like we are thetrain's moving and we're off the
rails like I don't know likewhat.
I really don't know what thathad to do with hobbies and fun I
don't either.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
Um, it was, yeah, she really lost me and like she
would try to tie it back in thevery, very end, but like it was
in within like two to threesentences, so definitely wasn't
enough, yeah, of a full thoughtto like connect it by any means
because I've read a lot offaith-based books that are story
based.

Speaker 1 (15:51):
You know where it is, you relate to them in some way,
but I just it's kind of likethe grace thornton book.
Yes, yes and the um, the lovedoes by Bob Goff.
He does a really good job.
There was one story where hewas talking about like I don't

(16:12):
remember if it was him or hisson, but like someone had to
like fly an airplane and do likean emergency landing.
Oh my gosh, this section, likeat the end, that ties it back
together.
I so related to it andunderstood what he was saying,
right, but it was less like likeI don't know if she was trying
to make her stories like sorelatable.

(16:33):
That's like it could happen toyou like, but it just, yeah, to
me, I think I don't want to bemean, but it just like wasn't
done well in comparison to otherfaith-based books I've read.

Speaker 2 (16:45):
I agree with stories I think it was like she was.
I think she was getting toomuch in her feelings almost when
she was writing it that shekind of like lost her right
author hat in the process of itand like really didn't make it
more of like a diary and like,yeah, dumping your emotions into
it, kind of thing because it'sgreat to be vulnerable.

Speaker 1 (17:05):
I will tell anybody.
I'm an open book.
Ask me anything, I'll tell youanything.
And like I think that's a greatattribute, but it has to go
with the plot.

Speaker 2 (17:16):
Like it has to.

Speaker 1 (17:17):
if you started out talking about like pandas, you
can't start talking about likeCheese danishes, yeah exactly, I
don't know, and then try to saythat your cheese danish was in
the shape of a panda.
Right, it's not working, that'sexactly what happened.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (17:35):
No, I totally agree.
But to kind of talk about thefun parts of the book, because
that is the whole point of thebook, I think we think, because
that is the whole point of thebook, I think, yeah, we think,
how do you define fun in yourown life, and has that
definition changed for you asyou've gotten older?

Speaker 1 (17:53):
This was hard for me to define because I kept being
like well, actually when I wastrying to define it.
But I think doing something funis something that typically
doesn't make me feel sad, whichI guess is just saying like the
opposite, like of what fun wouldbe, is something sad Anyway,

(18:14):
but I do think that like fun can.
Like fun can bring a bit offear or anxiety.
Like that can come with doingfun things Kind of like what I
was saying my five star moment,like work, it can be so fun but
it can be scary.
These are really big events andthey do have such an impact on

(18:35):
our community and on our mission.
Um, but like it's still fun,like the events are so fun and
um, yeah, so I, I don't know,it's kind of hard, yeah, the
definition of it for me.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
But it's something you don't think about being hard
, like if somebody just askedyou up top.
You're like yeah, like fine,but then, like you said, when
you start really thinking aboutit and trying to, it is hard
because it's more complex thanjust like happy, sad kind of
yeah I think too fun can beconsidered like accomplishing,
like a want, like this isn'tsomething I need to do, but
something I want to do so that,I guess, is kind of my

(19:10):
definition of like, doingsomething fun is doing something
I want to do I

Speaker 1 (19:15):
don't have to do.
Um.
I'm realizing that I didn'twrite notes on the second half
of this question, but thinkingabout if my definition
definition has changed growingup or as I've gotten older.
I'm sure it has, but I don'tknow if I can like pinpoint away
.
I think I find things fun nowthat I wouldn't have thought

(19:38):
were fun when I was younger, butthen, at the same time, um as
later on some other questionswe're talking about, there are
lots of fun things that I didwhen I was younger that I still
love to do, right, um, like,yeah, like performing is a big
one of those, whether it's likebeing the person that gets to
read the back of the bookbecause I get to speak, um stuff

(19:58):
like that.
So it's definitely changed, butI'm also still like a kid at
heart and I still think I have alot of the same like sense of
fun, um that I had I think funwhen you're a kid is something
that's just like second nature,inherent, you don't have to
think about it, just is versuslike.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
When you get older you kind of lose that time and
so therefore you become moreaware of like what's fun, and so
like, you don't necessarilyhave a definition when you're a
kid because everything can befun exactly like when you're
older, like that's when you likeit's the nostalgia part of it
and you're going back andreminiscing and like that was
fun and like so that thenostalgia kind of helps you

(20:37):
create the definition of fun oh,I like that, michaela thank you
tell me more.

Speaker 1 (20:42):
Tell me more about your definition of fun.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
And um, so fun to me if I had to think about it would
be something that doesn't feellike a chore.
Like if I feel like I have todo something, even if it's
something that I enjoy, thenit's not fun to me because, like
, if it's like reading, like Ilove to read, that's fun to me
most times, but if I feel like Ihave to read something, it

(21:05):
takes away that fun for me.
So I think it's like the freewill part of it, that like if it
feels like a chore it's not fun, but if I'm choosing to do that
, then like that kind of likeadds to the fun of it.

Speaker 1 (21:16):
Yeah, it's like when you have to do home, like when
you're in school and you had todo homework and you're like I
don't want to do this.
But then you're playing teacherwith, like your sibling and
you're like doing math problems.
You're like this is so fun.

Speaker 2 (21:26):
Yes, exactly, exactly it's all like the context of it
or like like the, you plan ongoing to do the dishes, but as
soon as your mom asks you to dothis, you're like well, now I
don't want to do the.
It's the same kind of mentality.
Yeah, so that's like fun for meand I think as I've gotten
older, um, it's kind of like thedouble-edged sword, because it
has kind of become a chore tomake time for fun.

(21:48):
So that can be kind of hard tolike separate the fun from like
the chore of making time for funitself.
But I still think like the coreof what's fun has been the same
for me.

Speaker 1 (21:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:00):
Like from a kid to now.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
I think too, as you were saying that, a challenge.
Sometimes there's a lot of funthings that you want to do with
other people and the challengewhen you get older it's harder
to plan out those things, so Ican totally see that.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, or it's like you only have so many hours in a
day and so then it's stressfultrying to like delegate all of
that, to like yourresponsibilities, things you
have to do, and like carving outthat you have to be more
mindful, to carve out that timeas an adult, which can be
stressful because you know thatyou need to and you want to,
because you want to have thatfun, but it can be hard to like

(22:35):
actually put that in place.
Um, but it's so worth itbecause then once you get to do
the fun, then obviously that'sthat brings you the joy and the
happiness.

Speaker 1 (22:43):
Yeah but then sometimes, like fun things can
be, because I feel like too,when we're talking about this,
I'm thinking of like you have tomake time for it, just like I
have to make time to go outsomewhere, go do things with
people.
But it can be just like, well,I can do a face mask, like I can
paint my nails, like that'sfine, just like taking time for
yourself to do fun things, yeah,yeah, something I want to do so

(23:07):
, speaking of joy, annie writesabout the importance of
rediscovering joy and fun.

Speaker 2 (23:12):
What's an activity or hobby that you loved as a child
, that you haven't done in likeyears, and what's stopping you
from doing it now?

Speaker 1 (23:20):
Yeah.
So I kind of like teased this,but performing whether that be
any sort of like acting ordancing.
I grew up cheerleading all mylife, and so there was a lot of
dance involved in that, and Ithink what's stopping me is the
busyness right now, but I amhoping so.

(23:41):
This is like more of a recentdevelopment, but I'm trying to
do like a new hobby each year,just like try something new.
So I am hoping to incorporatesome sort of like performance
sport into my summer or fallLove.
So I'm thinking this year it'llbe either like ice skating or
aerial silks, which I know isnot acting or dancing and I
actually did look into actingand improv classes, but the one

(24:03):
I want to go to is on Thursdaynights and I play soccer on
Thursday nights, so there willbe a time for that and I think
that was, you know, anintervention saying like no
stick to the stick to the iceskating and aerial.

Speaker 2 (24:15):
So yeah, but it's still kind of within the same
realm of it and like theperforming aspect.

Speaker 1 (24:19):
Yeah, yeah.
So definitely like acting anddancing and it's so hard because
it's not even that I like I doenjoy attention, but not even
just like that.
But it's not even that I like Ido enjoy attention, but not
even just like that.
But it's like I want to learnchoreography and then I want to
do it Right and.
I cannot make Justin and my dog, dogi, sit there while I'm like

(24:39):
look at this YouTube video.
I could, but it's not going togive me the same feeling as I
want.

Speaker 2 (24:45):
So you can show me anytime Perfect.

Speaker 1 (24:48):
And then also one more I was thinking of is crafts
, which I still would considermyself like a crafty person.
But I think now what's changedfrom doing crafts for fun back
then and doing it now is I feellike there needs to be a purpose
for the craft, Like why am Imaking this?
What am I going to use ittowards?
Or I feel like I have to liketry and make money off of it

(25:11):
somehow.

Speaker 2 (25:12):
um, like, like it's like the culture now, like
everything has to be like a sidehustle yeah, like how am I
going to make this like passiveincome, yeah you know.

Speaker 1 (25:20):
Or it's like okay, well, just do it, because like
it looks pretty and it's fun,you're doing something with your
fingers right I don't know,yeah, yeah I hate the this is
kind of a tangent.

Speaker 2 (25:30):
I hate the notion of like find something that you're
passionate about or love andyou'll never work a day in your
life.
That is such a lie because itgoes back all to the thing where
it's like if it feels like achore and you have to do it, it
takes away the fun.
So it could be like somethingthat you absolutely love, like
macrame at derby's designs.
Don't go there.
I won't respond.
That does not exist, but it'slike.

(25:53):
It's like fun in the moment.
But as soon as you add thatlike monetary value, that
everybody tries, like adding theside hustle aspect to it, it
almost makes it a chore.
It takes away from the fun ofit.
So no, I totally get that whatabout you?

Speaker 1 (26:06):
what are?

Speaker 2 (26:07):
um similar kind mindset.
I was a very creative drivenchild so I loved like dance, you
know creating art, doing craftprojects.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
What I'm hearing is we need to go take dance classes
together.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
I don't know about dance, but like pottery I know
you were on the pottery kick fora while that's something that
like I might go do with you kindof thing, because that is
something that it's like hardfor me at least to find time to
set aside for those things now,and a lot of times too, like my
creativity gets turned off.
If my brain is too stressed out, like I have too many

(26:40):
responsibilities or things thatI'm thinking about or like I'm
just like too much going on,then my brain can't like breathe
, like feel that creativeprocess to create something,
which I think, even if I docarve out the time, makes it
even more frustrating, becauseit's like I don't even know what
I'm doing anymore.

Speaker 1 (26:58):
Yeah, sometimes I think I've found as an adult
it's almost like you have toomuch autonomy sometimes with
some of these creative thingsLike I loved pottery and I'll
definitely go back and take moreclasses but one of my like, one
of my uh cons of it was thatthey weren't telling me what to

(27:19):
make and so it was like, okay,cool, I can make anything.
I don't know how to makeanything, like what?

Speaker 2 (27:23):
so versus like when you're a kid, you like you don't
even think about it.

Speaker 1 (27:26):
You just yeah, yeah, or because you need to learn,
like the fundamentals.
It's like, okay, let's make aghost because it's halloween,
like but yeah, so I can totallysee that too.

Speaker 2 (27:37):
It's just yeah, it's hard, it makes it, yeah, it
makes it challenging.
But I think something that Iwas trying I'm going to try to
start this year is like beingmore mindful and like meditating
, at least, like taking 10minutes to like try it out,
because my brain is sohyperactive, like I need a
breath sometimes.
So I'm gonna try that out andI'm hoping maybe like I can make

(27:59):
it a tandem thing where if Imeditate and then try to do
something creative, it'll startcoming back to me a little bit
because I have to carve out thetime for it anyway.
Then maybe like the two canwork in tandem for one kind of
thing.

Speaker 1 (28:11):
What's so funny is I'm thinking about this book you
got me for my birthday one yearand it was like a breath and
prayer type of book and I haveused it.
I haven't like I'm not like adaily person to use it, but I
have used it and it talks about,like the different breathing
techniques and I'm almost likelike, well, let me get you the
same book because I've reallyenjoyed it and if you're trying

(28:32):
to meditate, I think you wouldreally enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (28:34):
Yeah, maybe I'll check it out.
I'll have to go back and findit.
Um yeah, so that's kind of likewhat I'm trying to like.

Speaker 1 (28:41):
Rediscover, at least for myself, is like get back
into the creative well, even foryour birthday, when we made uh
bookmarks like that was fun andcreative but like, even so, with
that I got, oh you so much inmy head remember well, it's hard
.
We have a like super artistfriend that like we're crafty,

(29:01):
we're not artists, that I saythat all the time.
Like my sister's an artist, ourfriend shelby's an artist we're
craft girls Shelby Swigert.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
Go check her out on Instagram.
She's amazing, does it?

Speaker 1 (29:13):
all, but she was doing bookmarks with us, so
that's hard too Just seeing likeher, whip out something and
you're like, should I do onepolka dot or two polka dots?

Speaker 2 (29:21):
She was already through like five of them and I
was still on like my second andI'm like I don't and I'm still
struggling to try to evenconceptualize what I'm doing for
the second one and like they'reso intricate too, and she
didn't even have to look onPinterest.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
I'm on Pinterest.
Like what does a bookmarksymbol design look like?
Yeah, exactly, fantasy bookmarksymbol.

Speaker 2 (29:40):
I think I just get too much in my head about it,
because I think I think what Istruggle with the most is it
used to come so easy and now itdoesn't, because, like, the
adult mind is so different thana child's mind, and so I think
it's like reconciling with thatand finding, giving myself grace
from where I'm at, and likefinding a new way to get back to
like that creative space as anadult and stop trying to go back

(30:03):
to that creative space that Iwas at as a kid, because it's
not going to be the same and Ithink I'm just going to keep
getting frustrated in that way.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
I used to watch brain games in like middle school and
this one up.
Sorry, I'm having lots oftangents.
No, yeah, I love it, but, um,there was one episode and I
don't remember all of it, but itwas on like creativity, and
they had like like a circle andtwo blobs on a sheet of paper
and they asked, um adults, likehow many things can you make
with this?
Like, basically, like um,finding pictures in the clouds,

(30:36):
like uh, what's that calledagain cloud watching?
Yeah, yeah, basically likecloud watching on the paper,
like how many things can youmake out of this?
And they made like three, five,maybe seven, and like all of
the kids made like 23 differentthings that they could see.
And it did show that, like, asyou get older, creativity like
lessons.

Speaker 2 (30:55):
I was like crazy make me a kid again.
Yeah, I know it is.
It's just nostalgia for it.
I miss it, but I need to likeget out of that, trying to go
back to it, because you grow outof it and that's okay but I
also think it's something thatlike can be stretched out in
practice.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
So look, look at the clouds more like try and see
something, Try to find shapes.

Speaker 2 (31:15):
Yeah, yeah.
I need to connect back with myinner child, don't we all so?
In the book, annie, speaking ofconnections, connects fun to
gratitude and faith.
So what's one way that you'veseen joy deep in your faith or
appreciation for life?

Speaker 1 (31:32):
Yeah, I think the fact that my faith brings me joy
and that knowing like I'm here,I'm safe, I'm loved, and like
there are just endless reasonsto be grateful every day, even
in the times, Like there's athing in, like the Christian
community which I hope I'm notlike butchering things, I am not

(31:53):
like a preacher, but where youknow you find joy in the sadness
and when you're in like thesedark episodes, you're finding
you're still finding joy withthe Lord and it's not because of
what you're going through butit's just because of, like your
faith in him and like he, likeGod is, who breathed life into

(32:13):
us.

Speaker 2 (32:13):
Without him we would be nothing um, or even like on a
non-christian side of that Ijust immediately thought of
inside out.
And the entire plot of thefirst movie is like you, you
have to have sadness to find joyand you have to have the joy to
like.
You can't have the joy withoutthe sadness to feel too, because
you can't have the joy withoutthe sadness to feel too, because
you can't appreciate the onewithout the other exactly yes,

(32:33):
thank you for saying that side.

Speaker 1 (32:35):
Welcome, um, but yeah , so I think, just for me faith
is definitely more likereligious, but no, absolutely I
think just knowing that likehe's the reason why I'm here,
he's the reason I know you, he'sthe reason I get to read books.
I like it.
He's the reason I know what funis.
It just makes me like moregrateful for him and just more

(32:55):
faith-filled.
But absolutely so.
That's like that's myvulnerable, deep side of that.
I love it.
What about love getting deep?

Speaker 2 (33:04):
um, I think, on like kind of like a faith religious
side of it, um, joy kind ofhelps me, at least personally,
like slow down my like life andlike time, and so I appreciate
more of the details and thelittle things.
Um, so, like if I had like agood day at work and I'm driving
home, um, I'm more happy andsatisfied.

(33:26):
So I'm more like aware of likethe gorgeous sunset when I'm
driving home and like I take amoment to be like thank you know
, thanking God for like thisbeautiful sunset and blessing my
day in this way, versus like ifI'm stressed out and like
distracted and I'm like notpaying attention to those things
.
So I think joy really helps melike slow down, take a breath
and like look outside and likeappreciate like the wonders that

(33:49):
god has created for me, butkind of like going back to the
other side of that too.
Um, that's not necessarilyfaith-based for all of our
friends who aren't as religious.
Um, you just need the balance,because you truly can't
appreciate like good dayswithout the bad days they always
have.
Like the cheesy saying like youcan't have a rainbow without

(34:09):
the rain, but like it's so truelike you have showers, bring me
flowers?
Yeah, exactly so.
Like you can't know what joy iswithout feeling like that
sadness or the grief with that,because otherwise, if you just
feel happy and joy all the time,then you kind of become numb to
it.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
It doesn't have that same meaning that it does yeah,
kind of like how you have faith,like when you go to bed you're
gonna wake up and the sun willbe there like that type of thing
too.
Exactly yeah, I love how youarticulated your thoughts with
that question.
Thank you, I appreciate that.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
Really enjoyed that.
So, yeah, it's all about thebalance, though that's kind of
like my, my takeaway.
I like that so annie talksabout embracing the freedom of
being an amateur.
Is there something new you'vetried recently where you allowed
yourself to not be perfect?
And I have to say when I waswriting this question I really

(35:01):
thought of you, because thiswhole part of the book I feel
like you do so well.
Okay, that's so nice with thatthe floor is yours, Darby.

Speaker 1 (35:11):
Okay, well, kind of already like talked about it
just a little bit, but so lastyear I did pottery.
I've never done pottery andthis was like we worked on the
wheel and then also just likehand crafting as well.
But I think going into it withan amateur mindset made it so
much more fun.
To fail Like I don't reallylike anything I made like at all

(35:33):
, but that's okay, because Iwent into it knowing like I
wasn't necessarily going to likeanything Like.
These all were just likepractice pieces, yeah, and so
there are some that I literallyjust threw away.
The wheel is really hard and Ineed to take more classes
because I'm still an amateur anda novice.
But when I was doing the wheel,I made like the smallest pots

(35:57):
ever.
Somehow all of this clay turnedinto this tiny little like
warped shot glass is what itlooks like, but justin uses it
as his ketchup holders andthat's so cute.
But, um, so I think just goinginto it with that mindset of
like I'm not doing this to sellthe pottery, I'm not doing this

(36:19):
to showcase it, like I'm justdoing this to learn and play,
yeah, like that made it so muchmore fun to be like oh, shoot,
like that's uglier, like thathas a crack.
I'm like, all right, well,we'll try again on the next one,
right?
So that, yeah, I really reallyliked the freedom that it gave
me.
I, I think I it's all about theexpectations going into it.

(36:40):
I'm just for me at least oflike, okay, I'm not not trying
to be a professional.
Um, if that happens one day andI become a pro pottery person,
that's so cool, but I'm so newand I'm just trying it out.
Um, and like I mentionedearlier, ice skates, ice skating
or aerial silks that will be mynew challenge this year.
I can't wait to see how it goesfor you.

(37:01):
No, I'm excited.
I think I'm gonna do iceskating.
That'll be fun.

Speaker 2 (37:05):
yeah, I'll come watch .
I'll perform for you.
I love it.
What about you?
So I'm the complete opposite ofyou.
I struggle with this so muchpersonally.
But that's why I think like Iam so appreciative of you
because you are so good about it, like you're constantly trying
new things and you're just likeI'm good at it.

(37:25):
I'm good at it.
If I'm not, then like I'mhaving fun doing it, and like my
brain does not work that way.
I am an all or nothing.
I'm either really good at it tostart off with and if I'm not,
well then we're done and I'm notdoing it again, kind of thing.
And I think like part of it islike it's like ego gets in the
way.
Pride, like you feel likeembarrassed because you're not
good at it, but it's like youhave to give yourself that grace

(37:47):
and remind yourself that it'sokay, like everybody is an
amateur at something and likeit's meant to be fun, like it's
not.
You're not meant to like makemoney off of it or do it
professionally, like, and evenprofessionals like had to start
somewhere, kind of thing.
So I need to be better abouthaving that mindset and it helps
having a friend like you toremind me of that and they give

(38:09):
me like the confidence when wego to try new things that like
it's okay, it's just for fun.

Speaker 1 (38:13):
So I appreciate you for that one.
I think you've gotten bettersince I've known you.

Speaker 2 (38:16):
Thank you.
I feel like I am definitely notall the way there.
I have a lot of work to go, butI do think that I've gotten
better than I was for sure it isa lot of like, at least for me,
because I don't and I'm notperfect either.

Speaker 1 (38:32):
There are lots of things that I'm still so like
embarrassed to try, or like Idon't want to do certain things,
but I think it really helpedgrowing up.
Um, like one thing that shiftedmy mindset is I always used to
be like, well, what if peoplesee me like fail, or what if,
like, everyone else is so goodat this and I'm not going to be?
But like, 99% of the time noone's thinking about you.

(38:57):
They're thinking aboutthemselves doing the same exact
thing.
So, like this is like made up.
But say I'm going to go playgolf with Justin, I'm like, oh
my gosh, I hit it once.
It went in the water.
Like, now I'm going to try andhit it again.
Justin could care less.
He's probably like dang, I hitit.
It went two degrees to the left.
I wanted it.
He's analyzing his own shot.

(39:17):
Yeah, so that used to help mewith like public speaking, to
like speeches or presenting inclass, because it's like, oh,
what if I stutter?
And it's like everyone'sthinking about their speech that
they have to do so, even if,like you're like with a pro at
something and you know nothing.
They're not like thinkingpoorly on you.

(39:38):
They're probably criticizingthemselves, or they're just
excited that you're out theredoing something that they love,
you know right.
So I don't know there doingsomething that they love, you
know Right, so I don't know.
That was something that likehelped me, because I definitely
like most people are like whatare other people going to think?
Yeah, and it sounds so easy tobe like, well, don't care what
they think, but it's differentin the moment.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
It's something you have to continually remind
yourself.
And it is something I have tocontinually remind myself is
like as much every time I startgetting in my head about things
like even if it's not stuff thatyou're amateur but like, how
many times do like especiallywomen have like anxiety after a
group outing and you're likethinking about oh, that was such
a stupid thing to say, like Ihope people didn't take this
wrong way and it's like, but I'monly thinking about me.
So it's kind of like having totake yourself out of it and

(40:20):
think, if I'm only thinkingabout me and my interactions,
then like obviously everybodyelse is only thinking about that
too and nobody's thinking aboutthe things that I am I think
every time we have a girl hangout with our full group of girls
, we all hang out, and then it'slike 30 minutes later we're all
like hey, sorry if I was beingweird.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
Like all of us are like hey, sorry if I said
something, and everyone's likeno, you weren't weird at all,
I'm sorry if I did.
And it's like no one, everyonewas fine.
Yeah, everyone was fine.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
And it's like no one everyone was fine, everyone was
fine, but it's like we all justget too much in our heads about
it.

Speaker 1 (40:48):
It's crazy the insecurities that can come out
when you're just when like it'sa fun evening, like we all had
so much fun together, and thenyou leave and it's like the
enemy or something inside of youis telling you like oh,
remember when you said that youliked this, they all know Right,
bl, you like this, they allknow.
Like right, blah, blah, blah,blah.
And you're like what, yeah, andthen you're like none of them

(41:09):
actually like me.

Speaker 2 (41:09):
None of them are my friend, yeah, well, and I think
like I'm sure this is somethingI need to unpack in therapy, um,
but like hey, that's what thispodcast is for.
Um, but it's like the maybe wehave a therapist listening uh,
honestly, if we do love I wouldlove your thoughts and analysis
on this um, we'll send you a 20for your thoughts, um, but it's

(41:31):
the like also.
I love like words ofaffirmation or like being
praised for being good atsomething, and so when you're an
amateur and you're likeobviously not doing like as
great, then you're not receivingthat like those words of
affirmation that you're doingwell.
So therefore, I'm like okay,but I don't want, like I'm not.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
If I'm not being praised, that means that like
I'm not perfect and that means Idon't want it at all like I'm
done okay, but on another sideof that, I feel like if we were
to do something and I wouldstill praise you, you would
still be hypercritical ofyourself, absolutely that's a
problem with myself, like Idon't know, in that scenario,
like even if the praise wasn'tnecessarily like um, like

(42:11):
analytical, but more just likethis is so great that you're out
here doing this, yeah.
Or like like you're, it's so funthat we're actually out here, I
feel like then you're like butI'm not doing good.

Speaker 2 (42:21):
You're absolutely right, because that happened at
the bookmark night too.
So no, I didn't.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
I didn't think you were being I forgot.

Speaker 2 (42:28):
See, you're the only one who remembered that you were
struggling with the bookmarks.
Yeah, uh, no, that's a totallyfair point, but on that note,
something that knew that I'mgiving myself grace with that I
feel like we had like a talkabout too.
Is this podcast?
We are amateur podcasters andI'm so sorry I don't post it.
No, no, this is not no, no, Iknow, I know, I know um, but,

(42:51):
like we're, it's like one ofthose things that when I, when
we started it, it was like, uh,I did like part-time work for
somebody who's starting apodcast.
So immediately my brain wentthere and it's like everything
we have to do to like make thisviable and like patreon, yeah,
we're all the different things,like being like boss girlies and
like trying to make it a like aside hustle instead of a hobby.

(43:15):
Yeah, it's the ultimate, it'sthe societal norm now that you
have to like train your brain toget out of.
And so I was in that mindset andthen I was stressing myself out
so much because, like,obviously we're the only ones
that are doing like the editing,the posting, anything like that
which is 99% my game but liketrying to meet, like trying to

(43:37):
like find the time to editthings, to schedule it, to put
it all out on, like the websites, and like finding time to sit
down and record too, um, andread the book all within like a
certain time frame.
It can get really stressfulwithin life and so trying to
like I think 2025 is like thatnew chapter and we've had like

(43:58):
good talks about it where we'relike this is supposed to be for
fun, this is a hobby.
If it turns into a side hustlelater, that's great, but that
wasn't the point point.

Speaker 1 (44:06):
Girls, this is the lazy podcast you get what you
get and you like it exactly so.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
It's like, obviously we still want to be consistent
for our listeners and so I'm notsaying that you're gonna get
two episodes a month, I promise,but like if something happens
and life gets in the way, likeit's okay, take a breath,
because we're unlike otherpodcasters who, like, actually
have production companies behindthem, like we do everything
ourselves.
So you have to give yourselflike that grace with it too,

(44:35):
while you're still learning andan amateur Tying that up in a
bow.

Speaker 1 (44:39):
And I'm having fun.
Yeah, me too.
This is so fun.
Yeah, it brings me a lot of joy.
Yes, and speaking about joy,what is something seemingly
small in your life that bringsyou a surprising amount of joy?

Speaker 2 (44:51):
I love the little details of everything.
I am one of those people thatwill always notice like the
smallest little things or findthe pleasure and like the joy
and the little things.
Like an example with josh justgot a new truck and when we were
in there, uh, I love how bigthe windows are, like that's my
favorite part of the truck.
And our friend zach thoughtthat was hysterical when josh

(45:13):
told him he's like oh, didmichaela like the truck?
And she's like, yeah, she lovesthe big windows.
He's like out of everything forthe truck, like all the like
bells and whistles, because it'slike a new, like 2023, like
truck.
He's like the windows are thething that like I noticed and so
so it's always the littlethings for me.
Um, like the way, like if peopleare like tying in a bow a

(45:36):
certain way, like I noticed that, or like the easter eggs and
books and movies, I love findingthose.
That's why I love emilymcintyre.
Books so much is less for likethe dark romance of it and more
books so much it's less for likethe dark romance of it and more
because of all the connectionsshe ties to like the fairy tales
she's retelling.
Oh, I live for that.
So those are like the smallthings that just like bring me
joy.
So if you have little detailson your page or things like that

(45:57):
Hidden Mickeys at Disney I willfind them and notice and I will
appreciate them.

Speaker 1 (46:01):
So what about you?
I love that about you and Ithink, before I get into mine, I
think that's so fun too,because for some people who do
put in the effort to dosomething hidden or
detail-oriented like you'remaking their day like finding
out, like or figuring it out,you know yeah like it's so cool
it's something I had to explainto my mom for, like, the wedding
, because, um, I do get wrappedup in the details sometimes,

(46:22):
sometimes too much and Iunderstand, and so it's like
kind of taking a step back.

Speaker 2 (46:27):
But what I had to explain to her is, like the
details don't matter for peoplelike her, who like they aren't
going to notice you're right andlike they're more there for the
day itself.
But it's something that I willremember about the day that
makes it that much more special,like for me and like because
it's the things that I noticethat bring me the joy.
That's good, oh, that's good.
Thanks.
What about your joy, Darby?

Speaker 1 (46:48):
There are so many.
I like wrote down stuff and asyou were talking, I was thinking
of more things.
I love it.
I'm just going to like rattleoff a bunch Mexican food.
Dancing in my living room tomusic, belly laughs with my
sister, hearing baby laughs andgiggles oh that brings me so
much joy.
I'm not ready for one, but itbrings me so much joy.

Speaker 2 (47:07):
A friend, Samantha, though, got a baby tape coming.

Speaker 1 (47:10):
I'm so excited when someone like gives you a high
five or a thumbs up.
Like that's small, but I wasjust like oh my gosh, like
thanks, yeah, I don't know.
It's so fun when a book cancause me to like make an audible
sound like you know, like oh mygosh, and the list just like
goes on and on.
There are so many fun littlejoys in life.

Speaker 2 (47:34):
I feel like you're somebody who is really good
about like being able to findgratitude for the little things
like that and like recognizingthe joy that the little things
bring you.
I don't know like kind of likethinking outside of yourself,
because I feel like so manypeople me myself included can
get wrapped up like in ourselves, in our own little world, but I
feel like you're really goodabout like being outside

(47:55):
yourself and noticing thosethings that like spark joy for
you yeah, I think part of it.

Speaker 1 (47:59):
Thanks for saying that.
Um, I think part of it is likeI'm a super big optimist,
sometimes too much of like apositive person.
My younger sister will tell youthat I play devil's advocate a
bit too much.
She'll be like venting about,like someone who was mean to her
, and I'm like maybe they had abad day.
And she's like Darby, can yoube angry with me?
And I'm like yeah, of course,sorry.

(48:28):
So I don't know if and I don'tknow how I'm wired that way,
because this is my biggest pepsorry, I'm going on a tangent my
biggest pet peeves is whensomeone says like you're too
nice.
I'm like what does that mean?
Like I don't.
Literally, what do you want meto do?
Like I don't.
How am I supposed to fix that?
Like you want me to be rude toyou?
Like right, no, you're just notnice enough anyway.
So I don't know why I'm wiredthe way I am.
I don't know if I just was likea big people pleaser and now I

(48:48):
just like want everyone to behappy and I want myself to be
happy.
So I'm like everything ispositive, which it isn't always,
like I'm not always happy, but,um, yeah, I don't know if that
just ties into being able tolike find the positives and all
the little things I think,translating to like finding joys
your faith helps a lot with ittoo.

Speaker 2 (49:06):
I feel like yeah, I think so yeah, at least like the
way when we have theseconversations and things like
that.
I think like your reminders forme.
When it comes to stuff likethat, it like helps you like,
like I said, see outside thebigger picture of it all one of
um one time.

Speaker 1 (49:24):
I love doing questions and asking questions,
as you know, but one time wewere doing like questions and
someone was asking me somethingthat was like seemingly like a
lighthearted question, but a lotof times like it kept getting
like brought back to like faith,and one of our guy friends was
like no, no, really, give uslike the real answer.
And I'm like, well, that is thereal answer, like I can give

(49:44):
you like the silly answer thatyou want, but like it all ties
back to that for me, like that'swhere the root of everything
goes.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (49:53):
That is just interesting.
I was like huh.

Speaker 2 (49:54):
Yeah, yeah, back to the book, yeah.

Speaker 1 (49:59):
I'm loving these discussions Me too.
They're fun.
I love the tangents and this islike a good book for tangents.
Because we're having fun.
Yeah, because we're having funand the book wasn't that fun.
Yeah, I'm just kidding, nooffense, annie.
I really did get some good,like little nuggets.
Yeah, but um, would you readanother book by her again?

Speaker 2 (50:17):
no, I don't think I would.
But I might give her podcast atry because, to give Annie
credit, as much as I didn'tenjoy necessarily her writing in
the book, I can see how itwould make for a good podcast
and how she liked that or howlike how her podcast would go.
So I might give that a try.
But what about you?

Speaker 1 (50:35):
um, same, no, but I would listen to her podcast
again.
Um, yeah, she's seems like sucha sweet, happy individual and,
like you said, we've definitelyhad some similarities in
listening to her life storiesand the way she viewed certain

(50:56):
things in the book.
I really enjoyed that, but Idon't think I would read her
written work again.

Speaker 2 (51:00):
Yeah, and that's okay .
What about your final thoughts?
Star rating.

Speaker 1 (51:05):
I gave it a three stars.
I just didn't really get enoughout of it.
Yeah, I didn't dislike itbecause I did get some
highlights and those couplenuggets they were fun to mull
over, sure, but yeah, it justwasn't enough for me.
What about you?

Speaker 2 (51:27):
Same.
It was a 2.75 for me justbecause there was too much of of
the.
I really wanted to try to giveit a three star because it
wasn't bad, but too much of thebook I didn't enjoy compared to
to get be able to give it thatfull three.

Speaker 1 (51:36):
Um too many personal stories then I didn't get as
many didn't relate well, becausepersonal stories can relate
well, right yeah?

Speaker 2 (51:43):
and, like I was, I guess I was expecting more like
tips and tricks and like how shemakes time for fun or like how
she finds things fun, and thatkind of regard for the book that
we just like didn't get.
It was more of the personalstories that just didn't end up
connecting.
So yeah, two point seven, fivefor me, yeah, but now we're done
with that one and on to thenext.

(52:05):
So you want to tell them whatour new book club book is for
darby's birthday month?

Speaker 1 (52:11):
yes, it's my birthday month, um, so it's gonna be
february and I did think, youknow, a romance would be good
for yeah, that'd be right, andwe haven't done a romance in a
while.
So we are gonna read secretlyyours by Tessa Bailey, which
I've never read any Tessa Baileyromance books.
But I'm a big Emily Henry andAbby Jimenez fans and I looked

(52:34):
it up and Tessa Bailey issupposed to be writing to them,
so I'm hoping that I really likethis.
But I'll read the book summaryon the back.
So this is Secretly Yours byTessa Bailey.
Holly Welch fell hard for JulianVoss at 14, after they almost
kissed in the dark vineyards ofhis family's winery.
Now the prodigal hottie hasreturned to their small town.

(52:57):
When Hallie is hired to revampthe gardens of the Voss estate,
she wonders if she'll finallycatch that smooch.
But the grumpy professor isn'tthe teenager she remembers and
their polar oppositepersonalities clash
spectacularly.
One wine-fueled girls' nightlater, hallie can't shake the
sense that she did somethingreckless.
And then she remembers thedrunken secret admirer letter

(53:20):
she left for Julian.
Oh shit, on sabbatical from hisIvy League job, julian plans to
write a novel, but having Halliegardening right outside his
window is the ultimatedistraction.

(53:40):
She's eccentric, chronicallylate, often literally covered in
dirt, and so unbelievablybeautiful.
He can't focus on anything elseUntil he finds an anonymous
letter sent by a woman from hispast.
Even as Julian wonders aboutthis admirer, he's sucked
further into Hallie's orbit.

(54:01):
Like the flowers she plants allover town, hallie is a burst of
color in Julian's gray scalelife.
For a man who irons his socksand runs on tight schedules, her
sunny, chaotic energy makeszero sense.
But there's something sofamiliar about her, and her very
presence is turning his worldupside down.
Cute, I'm sensing some grumpysunshine.

Speaker 2 (54:23):
Yep, that is definitely being given from the
book description.

Speaker 1 (54:27):
But I'm excited to read this one and I hope people
will join our Fable Book Clubthrough the link in the show
description so that you can alsojoin us in reading this and our
live thoughts.

Speaker 2 (54:39):
Yeah, get our thoughts and opinions as we read
it, instead of waiting for theepisode.
You can also find that link inour instagram bio at lazy girl
library so now on to borrows andreturns what we've actually
been reading up until this point.
You want to take us away there,darby?

Speaker 1 (54:57):
sure we did not stop by wendy's this time around, um,
but so for my returns,obviously that sounds fun.
But annie f downs we alreadytalked about that.
Three stars, um, another threestars.
I read guild, which is part ofthe plated prisoner series by
raven kennedy.

(55:17):
I did not think I was gonnalike this, um, I'm not really
into super dark, like romanceand fantasy, um, but I like
didn't hate it.
So I'm not like itching to readthe next book.

Speaker 2 (55:31):
But I think, if I'm like looking for something or
like in like a rut, like I'dmaybe, you know, continue the
series yeah so yeah, it was, itwas all right, I read it a while
ago and you kind of revamped my, you piquiqued my curiosity
again.
I'm like I might go back andread the second one of that.

Speaker 1 (55:47):
Yeah, so it was.
It was like good it was.
It was average Three stars.
Right now I'm reading RedRising by Pierce Brown, which
I've heard a little bit of mixedreviews.
Most of them have been likesuper positive.

Speaker 2 (56:01):
I mean, that's what I've heard.

Speaker 1 (56:02):
Yeah, and then I positive that's what I've heard,
yeah, and then I've heard justlike a couple that weren't into
it.
So I'm only like 30 pages inand I'm not hooked yet.
Um, the world building for mehas been a bit difficult, so
it's feeling like crescent citya little bit.
Um, I'm just he's introducingthings and then not necessarily

(56:23):
like explaining like what theyare, what they mean, gotcha,
which I get.
Like there has to be that inworld building where you just
kind of have to keep reading andyou'll figure it out.
But this feels like a lot of itlike I just don't know um.
But again, I'm still super earlyon, sure we're gonna keep
reading.

Speaker 2 (56:38):
I'll be curious to see what you think.
Yeah, what about you?
Um, for my returns, I finishedfinished Wretched by Emily
McIntyre and that was a fourstars.
So this one was based off ofthe Wizard of Oz, kind of like
Never After Retelling, where thevillain, the Wicked Witch of
the West, gets the happy endingAgain.

(56:59):
These books.
Are they the best written booksI've ever read?
Absolutely not.
Were there a lot of plot holesin it?
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (57:11):
Did I still eat it up ?
Yes, yes, I did Well,especially with like Wicked.
Yeah, it was perfect timing.

Speaker 2 (57:13):
I didn't even like pick it out that way.
That was just like just sohappened to be the next one in
the series for me to read.
Now they're standalones, butlike I still like to go in order
.
But it was perfect because Idid just watch wicked, like the
week before, um, so I wasalready in that mood and, like I
already talked about, I lovethe little easter eggs and the
little details that tie in,because it's um, uh, urban, uh

(57:36):
retelling, so it's like not likemagical fantasy at all, um, so
it's kind of fun it is.
It's.
It's fun how you take a fairytale and make it real and like
how they tie in thoseconnections and things like that
.

Speaker 1 (57:48):
Um it reminds me of the show once upon a time yes,
very much.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
So it's like if once upon a time didn't have any of
the magic in it.
That's what these books arewith, like the dark romance, and
I eat it.
Yeah, so that was really good.
Uh, for my borrows, I did startcarval by stephanie garber and
I'm loving it.
So far I'm like 70 the waythrough.
I thought I might be able tofinish it by the time we

(58:14):
recorded but alas, I did not.
But I am really enjoying it.
Just like you said, it's likevery different than like your
typical setting for a fantasybook, which I really really
appreciate.
Yes, so it's so fun.
Yes, I already bought next touh or the last two in the
trilogy.
So really excited to finishthat and continue on in that
journey.
But I will be taking a breakafterwards to read a book called

(58:37):
the lion women of tehran bymarjan kamali.
I really hope I didn't butcherthat name.
This one is a special one forme because I got it for my
grandma for Christmas Cute, soshe was finally ready to like
sit down and read it.
So we're going to do like ourown mini book club with it.
Oh, I love that.
So, yeah, I'm excited for thatone.
So once I finish Carvel.

(58:58):
I'll go on to that, and thenwe'll hop back into the Carvel
series.

Speaker 1 (59:01):
Yay.

Speaker 2 (59:01):
So those are my borrows and returns.
A little short and sweet for me.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
I love that.
I mean same amount as me.
So short and sweet, we love it.
We love you listeners.
Let us know if you read thebook, what you thought or if we
went on lots of tangents.
Let us know just if you relatedto anything we said or if you
have thoughts on what we weretalking about.

Speaker 2 (59:21):
Yeah, you can catch us on Instagram at Lazy Girl
Library or website,lazygirllibrarycom.
Yeah, Leave us a review Cometalk to us.
We love new friends.
I love to talk.

Speaker 1 (59:33):
That brings me joy.
All right, have a great night.
It's a night for us.
Have a great night, guys, or?

Speaker 2 (59:39):
day or morning.
Have a great life.
Bye guys.
Bye, have a great life.
Bye guys.

Speaker 1 (59:50):
Well, dear listeners, we find ourselves at the end of
another episode.
And remember, the Lazy GirlLibrary is not just a podcast,
it's a community.
We absolutely love hearing fromfellow book lovers, so don't
forget to share your thoughtsand your favorite reads with us
on our social media.
You can find us on Instagram atLazy Girl Library.
Make sure to check out ourwebsite, lazygirllibrarycom,

(01:00:13):
your one-stop shop for allthings Lazy Girl.
Before we go, we want to take amoment to thank all of our
wonderful listeners, whetheryou're listening from your cozy
bed, on your way to work oranywhere in between.
Thank you for making us a partof your day and for being a part
of our Lazy Girl family.
So keep those pages turning,keep those imaginations

(01:00:34):
flourishing and remember thebest stories are yet to be
discovered.
Until next time, stay lazy andhappy reading.