Jen’s Weekend Drafts: Comfort Shows + Patsy from the Clerk’s Office.

Jen Shoop

11 hours ago

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+COMFORT SHOWS/COMFORT BOOKS: One thing I’ve learned about this Magpie community is that many of us are “repeat readers,” which — on principle, I love someone who identifies as a repeat reader. A repeat reader is a woman who knows her own mind, who is an expert in herself. She takes her own joy seriously! These are traits I love in my friends. Are you also repeat watchers? What are the comfort shows you turn on when you can’t find anything else to watch, or when you are feeling blue or anxious or sleepless? Please share in the comments! Mine are:

“Gilmore Girls” (mainly in the fall)

“Downton Abbey” (especially when I’m sick)

“Great British Baking Show” (something to fall asleep to)

“The Mindy Project” or “Arrested Development” for LOLs

“Veep” (when I want to be truly entertained — this is not a “drift off to sleep”/background noise show)

“Normal People” (when I’m in a big-feeling mood, and have the capacity for a big but sad love story),

“Emily in Paris” (frothy vibe)

But then, like all good millennials, Landon and I will watch “The Office” or “Seinfeld” (and, sometimes, “Parks and Rec”) if we are in a hotel room, or have nothing else to put on the TV. And I think we’ve watched PEN15 at least three times from start to finish. Comfort watches forever. What are yours?

+THE SLOW MAKING OF THINGS: Just a reminder that every overnight success story is ten years in the making. All good things take time. Hang in there! Todo a su tiempo. Are you the heirloom tomato now green on the vine, with its promising peak around the corner?

+RILEY SHEEHEY’S BOOK ART PRINTS: OMG! I had to have this print of the cover of Little Women that Riley Sheehey illustrated! There are four other covers to select from, too — how cute would these be framed in a girl’s room or your office? (Mine will definitely sit on my desk in a lucite block. Little Women is one of the few books I do repeat read, and the playlist I listen to while working on my book is titled JO MARCH ENERGY!)

+WHAT ARE YOUR DOORS? I found this excerpt from Women Who Run with the Wolves stirring. What gives your life texture, mystery, a good kind of ballast? Those are doors to meaningful things!

+BRILLIANT CHARACTER PORTRAIT: I can’t explain why, but you need to see this comedian’s portrait of Patsy from “Every Clerk’s Office in the South.” (Part I, Part II). It is on the nose – every detail. I would guess we’ve all met Patsy, one of the most powerful women in the county. (Comments are also really entertaining.)

+WINNER OF THE MAGPIE BOOK CLUB BAD BOOK GIRL HAT: I’ve been LOVING all of the AIM “reader” handles you shared in response to my Magpie Book Club 2.0 announcement. Some of my favorites: @onlymurderbooksinthebuilding, @rarebookgirl (her parents are rare book dealers!), @JoMarchsBestie, @PlaceHold98, and @half&halfreader (half serious reads, half ‘bad’ books), and @ireadbooksinbars. You all are so clever and charming! The winner of the Bad Book Girl hat is Lauren (AIM handle Libbyfan89)! Lauren, I’ll email you for your shipping address.

+EYEING + BUYING: I picked up some fun things this week: a watercolor book to make “bad art” with (doing anything creative is worth your time!), these butter yellow jeans (look for less here, here), and a new signature scent!