Know Any Very Social Introverts?

And a new generation appreciates Closer to Fine

Aug 2

I haven’t seen the Barbie movie yet. (I KNOW! Don’t yell at me! I will soon.) Nevertheless, I’ve managed to listen, nonstop, to Brandi Carlile’s and Catherine Carlile’s slow version of Closer to Fine.

I’m listening to it right now, and it’s magical. Not only is their take gorgeous and soulful, but now I have some hope I can get my daughters to sing it for me.

What is the point of being a Gen-x woman with daughters who can sing and play instruments if they won’t learn an Indigo Girls song and play it for you as a surprise on your birthday!?

Yes, I’ve been asking them for years.

The Indigo Girls song I’d prefer they learn is Love Will Come to You because it’s the most perfect song ever written. But that seems like an impossible wish, so I will accept current, Barbie-made-it-cool Closer to Fine because I am a reasonable mother.

I am a social introvert. Anyone else?

Are you outgoing, enjoy meeting new people, and love spending time with friends/family, but suddenly hit an intense and shocking need to restore your energy by being alone for hours?

You’re a social introvert! You’re not the only one out there. I get you! I AM YOU!

And if this doesn’t describe the way you engage with people, but you’d like to understand why your otherwise fun and chatty friend has a desperate look in her eyes as she describes her escape plan, now you will understand that friend more—and not take her wilting away too personally.

This week’s podcast guest, author Heidi Shertok, spoke with me about the social introvert trait we have in common. She also shared the most original “how I got my literary agent” story. And I’ve heard many!

Heidi, an Orthodox Jewish woman who wrote a romantic-comedy starring an Orthodox Jewish woman and a secular Jewish man, landed a mainstream agent and publisher with her very niche novel, Unorthodox Love.

FIND EPISODE #66 ANYWHERE YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS!

Episode #66 with Heidi Shertok, “Introvert Energy in Friendships”

Latest TV Shows I’m Watching and Books I’m Reading

My updated 2023 reading list is here.
I visited the famous Parnassus Books in Nashville and it was everything I hoped it would be in a bookstore—full of personality and well-curated. I even made a little video for it on TikTok. It’s quite cool to be in a store where a literary author is a local-celebrity. I picked up a signed pre-order of Tom Lake, by co-owner Ann Patchett.
I also pre-ordered a signed copy of R. Eric Thomas’s newest collection, which I already read and adored on Netgalley for free as a review arc, but I wanted my own print copy and wanted to support him. The chapter on Oprah’s Favorite Things is one of my favorite essays ever.
The third thing I purchased at Parnassus was What Now?—a print version of a commencement speech Patchett gave at Sarah Lawrence College. (published in 2008)
I finished season two of The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem on Netflix and absolutely loved it. So well done! If you watched season one and aren’t feeling sure about season two, rest assured season two is significantly better.
Does season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty get better? I’m in the middle of episode two and it’s meh so far.
I did a little (embarrassing but shockingly techie) video on TikTok and Instagram about how I feel about the new season of And Just Like That.

Articles and Episodes About Friendship I’ve Liked Lately

I see so many friendship-related things, either because I find them myself or listeners send them to me. I love hearing from listeners and readers!

Pam Wilson did an interview for StoryCorps about the friendships that started through a random “Babes in Arms” class in St. Louis for moms, 27 years ago, then became an important lifelong source of friendship and support for this group of women. Find the interview here. And more about these wonderful friends on Pam’s website here.
This is a great story on Today by Olivia Savoie about a friendship that defies expectations of who “should” become friends. “I’m 28. He’s 85. Our time together has taught me a valuable lesson about friendship.” Thanks to Diana Daniele for sending the article to me.
An interesting point-of-view by Leonard Felson in The Washington Post on reconnecting with friends after too many years of pandemic isolation and being out of the habit of reaching out. “Like many men, I had few close friends. So I began a friendship quest.” Thanks to Pam Moore for posting this in the Dear Nina Facebook group.

The latest anonymous question

Sometimes I receive friendship dilemmas where the answer is already baked into the question. I’m happy to help anyway. This month’s question is in that category. → “You’re Already Not Friends”

Have an anonymous question for the newsletter or an episode idea you want to share with me?

You can do that here, and I will never know it was from you.

Have a great week everyone!

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