A Drink With a Friend

Why Cold Showers? And No Dairy?

The new year kicks off with Seth in bed with the flu, so even though he musters up the strength to chat, in this episode it's mostly Tsh. Last year they each gave themselves a six-month challenge, so she shares her plan for this year: ten challenges in ten months! Why? How? And what are they? Tsh gets into all that with Seth. 
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Our recommended reads
Join Tsh in Ireland!
Big Thief's new album, Dragon New Mountain I Believe in You
Season 3 of All Creatures Great and Small

Happy Holidays!

Seth and Tsh are offline for the next couple of weeks, but the show will pick back up in January. In the meantime, they've got a few thoughts for you — by way of other people's thoughts. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Seth's newsletter + website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!

Bonus: What’s it Like Writing a Book With Your Son?

Bonus! Tsh recently talked with Sam Smith and his teenage son, Josiah, about the fine art of writing a book together. Sam, often known as S.D., is the author of the beloved Green Ember series, and his son came up with an idea for his own story. So, he took him under his wing and together they published the first in a new book series! Sam and Josiah share with Tsh what it’s like to write together and how to cultivate a home life that loves good stories.
S.D. and J.C. Smith's new book, Jack Zulu
S.D. Smith
Tsh's newsletter + website
Listen to all the episodes
 

What’s Delighting Us?

With Advent in full force and Christmas on its way, Seth and Tsh keep it lighter-hearted in this episode. They share what's adding more joy to their days in the categories of movies/TV series, music, books, and habits. Bookmark this episode's show notes for your upcoming holiday downtime!
Seth's newsletter + website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Tsh's 2022 Gift Guide
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
Onyx Coffee
Spirited
Naughty or Nice
Every Hallmark Christmas Movie
The Man Who Invented Christmas
All Creatures Great & Small, Seasons 1 & 2
In the Bleak Midwinter, by John Van Deusen
Hark! A podcast about Christmas carols from America Media
If On a Winter's Night, by Sting
The Gospel of Luke
The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories
The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death, & A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz

What is the Liturgical Calendar?

We all have a liturgy to our lives, even if we don't call it that. So why bother with one that's old and global, too? Since Advent is the start of a new liturgical year, Seth and Tsh unpack what the calendar is and why it matters. Not so much a deep dive, this chat is more of a high-level perspective on why it's good to lean into a rhythm for marking time outside of ourselves.
Seth's newsletter + website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Tsh's 2022 Gift Guide
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
A 101 on Advent
Tsh's Advent book, Shadow & Light
The Liturgical Year, by Joan Chittister
Living the Christian Year, by Bobby Gross
Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite
The Comfort Crisis, by Michael Easter
Madison Cunningham

Why is In-Person Community Better Than Virtual?

Seth is joined by Myles Werntz, a professor of theology, and in this chat they unpack what's meant by community, a word we toss around a lot in our culture. What's the real difference between in-person and virtual communities? What do screens provide a community when they're needed, and what do they rob us of when they're not? And what's the takeaway for our day-to-day lives?
p.s. - Seth & Tsh will be back together next episode!
Seth's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
Myles' Substack
Myles on Twitter
Myles' book, From Isolation to Community
The Brothers K, by David James Duncan
The Candy House, by Jennifer Egan

Why Travel With Other People?

Tsh is joined by a good friend — her husband, Kyle! A late-night conversation, they reflect on how travel has affected their 20-year marriage and why you (yes, you!) should join them next summer in Ireland. ☘️
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
Create your Rule of Life
Come to Ireland!
Somebody Feed Phil in Ireland

Why is Seth Catholic? (part 1)

Both adult Catholic converts from a lifetime of Protestantism, Seth and Tsh each could do a 12-part series on why they swam the Tiber. In this chat, Seth unpacks with Tsh just a few items in his backpack worn on his journey to the Church. If you’re curious about what compelled him to walk this path, this episode’s for you.
Seth's Newsletter + Website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
Create your Rule of Life
Part 1 of Tsh’s journey to the Church ​
Seth’s books: Coming Clean and The Book of Waking Up 
Hipbillies, by Jared Phillips
Tsh’s Cozy Autumn playlist

Why Leave Instagram?

More and more folks are talking about the ills of social media, but the platforms remain hugely popular (and addictive). Seth asks Tsh about her recent decision to leave Instagram even though "they" say writers should be there if they want to sell books. She was willing to leave her large-ish following and decade-plus feed for something better — and she has zero regrets.
Seth's Newsletter + Website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
Tsh's micro.blog
Confessions, by St. Augustine (Sarah Ruden's translation)

What’s the Genesis of Gender?

What does it mean to be a man or a woman? And just as important in today's culture, how do we have civil, truthful, loving conversations about that topic? Seth and Tsh are joined by author and professor Abigail Favale to talk about those things. She's written a book that's taking off like wildfire about one of the most pressing questions of the day — who are we as men and women?
Seth's Newsletter + Website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
The Genesis of Gender, by Abigail Favale
Abigail on Twitter
Abigail's free video series, Cultivating Catholic Feminism
Endeavour
Father Elijah: An Apocalypse, by Michael D. O'Brien
 

Why is Travel (and Italy) so Great?

We're back! Seth and Tsh recap Italy, but don't worry, it's not done in a way that bores you if you weren't there... They reflect on why it's always true that ordinary conversations with new friends over gelato are more meaningful than touring even the most jaw-dropping cathedrals and monasteries (though that's great, too). They also share recorded thoughts from some of the folks who joined them in Italy.
We're all made for in-person connection, and this is why having a drink with a friend at your neighborhood cafe matters so much.
Seth's Newsletter + Website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks!
Our recommended reads
The Genesis of Gender, by Abigail Favale
CS Lewis’ space/Ransom trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength

What’s Good About Summer?

It's good to remember the good things in life, especially when the news is heavy (when is ever not anymore, right?). And since art has a season, Seth and Tsh share their summery music, movies, TV shows, and books they're into right now. Because good art tells good stories, even when they're lighthearted.
Also: it's time for their annual summer break! Seth and Tsh will return in mid-August — in the meantime, enjoy the treasure trove of Drink archives, listen to other good shows, or just take a break and go outside.
Seth's Newsletter + Website
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — next month!
Our recommended reads
Magnolia Workshops
The Collection's Entropy album
Michael & Michelle
Tsh's Summer 2022 playlist
Sean Hayes
Thor: Love and Thunder
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
The Hood Internet — top songs from each year
The Genesis of Gender, by Abigail Favale
A Curious Faith, by Lore Ferguson
Sea of Tranquility, by Emily St. John Mandel
Leisure: the Basis of Culture, by Josef Pieper
In Other Words, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Why Publish New Classics?

Tsh talks to her good friend, Sarah Mackenzie, about what makes good stories (especially for our kids). She's got a HUGE new project in the works: not only a new children's book, but a new publishing house! When it's hard to publish new classics that tell timeless truths, you gotta start the company yourself. Why do we need more stories that tell us things that were as true a thousand years ago as they are today? Listen in.
Tsh's newsletter + website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — next month!
Our recommended reads
Sarah Mackenzie's work: Read-Aloud Revival & Waxwing Books
A Little More Beautiful, Sarah's forthcoming picture book
Julia Cameron's morning pages
Ira Glass' The Gap
Tomie DePaola
Breaking Bread With The Dead, by Alan Jacobs
Breezy Brookshire on Instagram
Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney
You Can Draw in 30 Days, by Mark Kistler
I Miss My Cafe + The Hole & Corner playlist

6 Months in a 100-Mile Radius

It's now Tsh's turn to update us on her six-month challenge: what she's learned living as best she can in a 100-mile radius. She and Seth talk about the importance of subsidiarity, reorienting our priorities, finding community IN an actual community (vs. online), and doing it all imperfectly. Is living locally worth the effort? Tsh has thoughts.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
Seth's challenge: 6 months away from social media
The Life We’re Looking For, by Andy Crouch
Free online classes from Hillsdale College — Tsh is taking Aristotle's Ethics
Man and His Symbols, by Carl Jung

6 Months Away From Social Media

It's June, which means Seth and Tsh are at the end of their first of the year challenges. Seth updates us on what he's learned being away from social media for six months, what he'll do differently, and what he misses. Tsh chimes in on her reflections about using our phones as instruments instead of devices so that the internet returns to how it works best: as a bicycle for the mind. 
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
The Life We’re Looking For, by Andy Crouch
Digital Minimalism, by Cal Newport
Mohamed El-Erian on Twitter
Stephanie Duncan Smith on Instagram
Man and His Symbols, by Carl Jung
The Liturgy of the Hours, from Word on Fire

In Praise of Hobbies

Hobbies aren't just the things we do whenever we have spare time — they're actually important to our health. The things we do just because we enjoy them, staying at amateur status for the love of the craft, starting at the beginning and learning from zero, make us more of who we're made to be. Seth and Tsh each share some of their favorite hobbies and why they're so important to them.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
Leisure: The Basis of Culture, by Josef Pieper
Band of Brothers
Vivian Maier

Quick Announcement

Seth moseys by a river and sits among the birds to explain what's up this week. He and Tsh be back next week with a new episode! Stay tuned.

Why is Tsh Catholic? (part 1)

Both Seth and Tsh became Catholic just a few years ago, as adults after a lifetime of being Protestant. Why? ...That's the question they get asked by many of you ALL the time. In this episode, they dip their toes in the water of answering this massive question that doesn't have just one answer, focusing first more on Tsh's journey. (This will likely be an ongoing series, peppered throughout other chats...) 
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — $250 off when you register by May 31, 2022!
Our recommended reads
Pink House Alchemy 
Tsh’s Catholic research 
Fr. Mike on ‘why be Catholic and not just Christian’
How to Read (and Write) Like a Catholic, by Joshua Hren
Henri Cartier-Bresson

Six More Good Things

It's the end of the school year, and May is always nuts. When life feels flustered, it's grounding to remember the ordinary things adding beauty to our days. Seth and Tsh each share what they're currently reading, watching, and listening to that are bringing them more joy and insight.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — $250 off when you register by May 31, 2022!
Our recommended reads
Tsh's Summer 2022 playlist ​​ 
The Black Keys, Typhoon, Jason Isbell, & S. Carey's Paralyzed
Learning the Good Life, edited by Jessica Hooten Wilson & Jacob Stratman  
The Wall Street Journal
Principles for Dealing With The Changing World Order, by Ray Dalio
Cultivating Catholic Feminism video series
Inventing Anna on Netflix 
Under the Banner of Heaven on Hulu 
Under the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer 

Now What?

How do we connect with people when our differences are exacerbated by algorithms and echo chambers? Seth and Tsh are joined around the table by their friends Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart-Holland from the podcast Pantsuit Politics — together, they chat about what it looks like to listen and learn from others when it feels like we disagree on almost everything.
Beth and Sarah's podcast, Pantsuit Politics
Their new book, Now What?
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — $250 off when you register by May 31, 2022!
Our recommended reads
Conflict is Not Abuse, by Sarah Schulman
The Biggest Little Farm
i thank you god for most this amazing, by e.e. cummings
Southland in the Springtime, by Indigo Girls
Glow Up on Netflix

Why Travel Matters

Particular places in the world matter, whether they're your grandma's childhood home or the Sistene Chapel. Going to them matters, too, and it's a privilege and honor to do so because the journey, the arrival, and the conversations once we're there shape us for the better. Go to them when you can.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks
Come to Italy with us — $250 off when you register by May 31, 2022!
Our recommended reads
Tornado Trackers podcast
Station Eleven on HBO
Four Seasons in Rome, by Anthony Doerr

1,000 True Fans

You don't need all the people, you just need your people. This is the premise of an idea penned over a decade ago that still serves as a bellwether for Seth and Tsh's work, that they're on the right track. It can be applied in all parts of life, and is especially true when we're tempted to work like someone else.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks & help keep the show going
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
1,000 True Fans
Tsh's ideal reader, Julia
Stephanie Duncan Smith
Emily P. Freeman
The Science of Storytelling, by Will Storr
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, by V.E. Schwab

Slower

It's been a doozy of a week, so Tsh and Seth weren't able to chat — instead, they're re-sharing with you a chat from spring 2021. Perhaps you haven't yet heard it, or perhaps you're due for a re-listen. ...Either way, enjoy!
Walking is good for us, but it takes a while — it’s not the most efficient mode of transportation. But it’s not about efficiency; that’s not the point. What about the other stuff in our life that can benefit from slowness? Seth and Tsh talk about being slow to reply, slow to respond, and slow to assume, and how we all need to do more of it.
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks & help keep the show going
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth
Mark Sparrow’s tweet
@findinginterestingpeople
Atlas Obscura Podcast

A 100-Mile Radius: Update

Two episodes ago, Seth updated us on how his six-month challenge was faring, halfway through. Now it's Tsh's turn. Her challenge is to live as much as she can within her 100-mile radius — what does that mean, though? How do we live according to our unique values without being legalistic? And how do we gracefully handle the privilege that most of us have?
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks & help keep the show going
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
Create your own Rule of Life
A 100-Mile Life, Tsh's initial challenge explanation
1984, by George Orwell
The Science of Storytelling, by Will Storr 
On Writing, by Stephen King

I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet

There's something life-giving in uttering the phrase, "I guess I haven't learned that yet." Seth and Tsh talk with their friend Shauna Niequist about how she's learned to exhale and relearn how her life could be. Through moving to a new city, leaving known familiarity into uncharted territory, and questioning just about everything, Shauna found some much-needed freedom in the sacramentality of a learner's posture.
Shauna's new book, I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet
Shauna on Instagram
Seth: Newsletter | Website
Tsh: Newsletter | Website
Pick up a round of drinks & help keep the show going
Come to Italy with us
Our recommended reads
The Book of Delights, by Ross Gay
Walking on Water, by Madeleine L'Engle
Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William Stafford