A Drink With a Friend

Why do we need to make things? Because we need to be people who make things (more than we need things that are made by us). Why? The reason is simple: because making things makes us more into who we’re meant to be. We’re made to make. * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Create Your Rule of Life * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Ira Glass’ The Gap Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Why does localism matter? What does a need to know our local farmers have to do with our souls? Why are our neighborhoods better when we buy and invest as locally as possible (even when it’s a small amount)? Tsh and Seth talk to Hadden Turner, a 20-something British agrarian writer, who has a few things to say about living locally. * Hosts: Tsh Oxenreider and Seth Haines * Guest: Hadden Turner * Where You Are Is Where You Are * Refuge of Authenticity * And the Fields Fall Silent * Tir: The Story of the Welsh Landscape, by Carwyn Graves * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Living within your 100-mile radius means living small and local—choosing to, as best possible, participate, buy, and invest our time in only that which is immediately around us, within roughly a hundred miles. There’s no way to do this perfectly, and that’s okay. But is it worth the effort? Probably. * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Create Your Rule of Life * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Acedia is our modern-day dragon — the desert fathers and mothers named it “the Noonday Devil.” What is it, really? And how do we fight it? Tsh talks with Harrison Garlick, a Deacon with the Diocese of Tulsa, to unpack the ladder of love we have to climb to slay our dragon. * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Guest: Dcn. Harrison Garlick * Harrison’s podcast, Ascend: The Great Books Podcast * The Intellectual Life, by AG Sertillanges * The previous episode: Flourishing & Acedia * Create Your Rule of Life * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

We've talked about rootedness; now we're moving up the plant stalk to flourishing: thriving, growing well, and generally being who we're supposed to require good roots in good soil. But what's possibly the biggest threat to said flourishing? The ol' noonday devil acedia. What is it? How does it affect us so much? And how do we fight it so we can get back to flourishing? Let's talk about that. * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Bitter & Sweet: A Journey Into Easter * First Light & Eventide: A Gratitude Journal * Create Your Rule of Life * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

You are a tree. You are also not a tree. You are on a journey. You are also not on a journey. We use metaphors all the time to describe life, and funnily enough, so does the Bible. Joy Clarkson unpacks why we use metaphors, and she and Tsh also get into why we need to be rooted — and open to change. * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Guest: Joy Clarkson * Joy’s new book, You Are a Tree * Create Your Rule of Life * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Comment on this episode (for Commonplace subscribers) * LAMY Fountain Pens * Michael & Michelle * p.s. Here's the previous episode, which bypassed quite a few podcast feeds! Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

We’re starting a new season with a few changes — Tsh Oxenreider unpacks what you can expect this spring by way of the season’s theme: rootedness. What does it mean to know who you are, whose you are, and where you belong? How do we become more rooted in an ever-digitized world? * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Create Your Rule of Life * Ascend: The Great Books Podcast * Young Heretics (another good but unmentioned resource for unpacking old texts) * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Come to Greece this summer! (just a few spots left) * Comment on this episode (for Commonplace subscribers) * Send an email: adrinkwithafriend@gmail.com Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

In this final chat of the year, Seth and Tsh work through a few of her end-of-the-year questions—and you’re invited to do the same. They’re tougher than they initially seem! * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Tsh’s end-of-the-year reflection questions Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

In this final chat of the year, Seth and Tsh work through a few of her end-of-the-year questions—and you’re invited to do the same. They’re tougher than they initially seem! * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Tsh’s end-of-the-year reflection questions Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

‘Tis the season to have more options than possible to read, watch, and listen to. Authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider share what they're currently imbibing in this department, along with what's in their queue for the holidays. * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Tsh's 2023 Holiday Gift Guide * Six Reads for Advent on Tsh's Substack newsletter * Winter Fire, by Ryan Whitaker Smith * Christmas Karol, by Faith Moore * Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis * This Hideous Strength, by C.S. Lewis * Ben Rector's holiday playlist * Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald * Pray with C.S. Lewis on Advent * It's a Wonderful Life * All Creatures Great and Small on PBS * Vikings on Hulu Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Whether you're a seasoned Advent adherent or a barely-even-heard-of-it curious onlooker, Advent really is for everybody. Writer Tsh Oxenreider shares why Advent, as well as the rest of the liturgical calendar, really is a gift to us, even in (especially in?) our insanely busy and information-packed world. She also shares a brief introduction to the season, as well as a few ideas on how to get started (sharing an excerpt from her Advent book!). * Host: author Tsh Oxenreider * Tsh’s Advent book, Shadow & Light * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Tsh’s 2023 Gift Guide Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Why hope? Because we have no other choice. A few years ago, Amber Haines entered a season of pain and despair when she resigned from her role as church curate and walked out those doors for the last time. Since then, she and Seth have been learning that hope requires a recognition of the deep-down things. Writers Seth, Amber, & Tsh Oxenreider talk about why we HAVE to hope, even when (especially when?) things are bleak. * Guest: Amber Haines * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Seth & Amber’s new book, The Deep Down Things: Practices for Growing Hope in Times of Despair * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Merch * Go to Greece with Tsh * Why We’re Required to Find Beauty * Orthodox Farmhouse Brewery * Patty Griffin: her self-titled 2019 album * God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson * Ask a question! Email adrinkwithafriend@gmail.com Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Social media isn't great for us, neither individually nor collectively. Know what's better? Substack. Not just for writers or creators — for readers and listeners, too! That means you. Writers Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider share why they dig this bright spot on the internet, and why you should, too. It's not perfect, but it’s doing a good thing. * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Merch * Go to Greece with Tsh! * Buy Seth’s new book! * Over the Field, by Hadden Turner * La Beef, by Anonymous * The Blue Scholar, Nate Marshall * Flak Photo, by Andy Adams * School of the Unconformed, by Ruth Gaskovski * A Pilgrim in Metropolis, by B. Christof Wachtel * Hearthstone Fables, by Kristin Haakenson Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

We officially live in a world with AI, like it or not. It’s been around quite awhile, but its ubiquitous presence is escalating, and quickly. How shall we then live? Is there ethical space for AI? Writers Tsh Oxenreider and Seth Haines have thoughts. * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Merch! * Come see Tsh next Thursday, October 5 at Fabled Bookstore * Tsh’s latest: First Light & Eventide * Seth’s upcoming: The Deep-Down Things * Ask Tsh & Seth a question! Email adrinkwithafriend@gmail.com * Anna Tivel’s Outsiders: Live in a Living Room * Joan Chittester’s The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Why is adding beauty to our everyday lives worth the time and effort? Tsh Oxenreider talks with fellow writer Katy Carl about why the ongoing, noble pursuit of beauty (in its truest form) is essential for ALL of us. They also chat about grad school while raising kids, AI (of course), and other such sundry. * Guest: Katy Carl * Host: Tsh Oxenreider * Katy's new book, Fragile Objects * Tsh’s latest: First Light & Eventide * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Merch! * Mariane Moore’s poem, “I too dislike it” * Katy’s essay on AI * Middlemarch, by George Eliot * Reading Adventure playlist * Ask a question! Email adrinkwithafriend@gmail.com Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

We’re back for a new season of chatting over drinks! Writers Tsh Oxenreider and Seth Haines discuss the old idea of Ignatian examen and how it applies to us moderns. Also, why morning and evening bookends are a great idea. * Hosts: authors Seth Haines and Tsh Oxenreider * Buy a round of drinks * Recommended reads * Merch! * Tsh’s latest: First Light & Eventide * Seth’s upcoming: The Deep-Down Things * How to pray the examen * Scientifically proven benefits of gratitude * “The Want of Peace” by Wendell Berry * Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

No need to panic; the podcast isn’t ending! It's simply time for a summer break. In this episode, Seth and Tsh chat about some of their favorite finales: the last lines of books, the final songs on an album, the ultimate episodes in a TV series. What makes a good ending? And what helps us forgive a story's less-than-ideal finale? Drink episodes will take a brief hiatus for some offline summer revelry, but never fear—episodes will pick back up again soon! * Seth’s Newsletter & Website * Tsh’s Newsletter & Website * Pick up a round of drinks * Our recommended reads * The Observationalist, by Seth * Pre-order Seth & Amber’s new book, The Deep Down Things * Pre-order Tsh’s journal, First Light & Eventide * Summer 2024: Go to Greece with Tsh! * Damien Rice’s album, My Favorite Faded Fantasy * A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles * Typhoon, Offerings * A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean * Chuck (on Max and Amazon Prime) * Battlestar Galactica (on Peacock) * The Common Place, Vol. 5 Playlist Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Stories (the good ones, anyway) tell us more than an entertaining tale—they tell us why the world is the way it is, as well as the way it should be. In this way, fiction is often more real than non-fiction. Everyone should read fiction, especially folks who want to know how the world works and how we're called to make it better. Seth & Tsh unpack why good stories do just that. * Seth’s Newsletter & Website * Tsh’s Newsletter & Website * Pick up a round of drinks * Our recommended reads * The Observationalist, by Seth * Pre-order Seth & Amber’s new book, The Deep Down Things * Pre-order Tsh’s journal, First Light & Eventide * The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway * Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë * Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr * The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett * It Can’t Happen Here, by Lewis Sinclair * The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera * Free class: The Rise & Fall of the Roman Republic * Tsh’s essay on leaving Instagram, one year later Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Is reading good books, watching good movies, and preferring good art a matter of subjective taste or objective reasoning? And if it’s objective, does that mean there’s a wrong preference for these things? Even a …moral wrong? Tsh talks with one of her favorite current thinkers and writers, Joshua Gibbs, about what it means to wisely know the difference between mediocre, common, and uncommon things, and why it matters beyond mere taste that we love that which lasts. * Love What Lasts, by Joshua Gibbs * Joshua’s annual summer conference * Joshua’s podcast, Proverbial * Joshua’s blog for CiRCE, The Cedar Room * Joshua’s articles on ChatGPT and terrible family films * Tsh’s Newsletter & Website * Pick up a round of drinks * Recommended reads * The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri (plus Dorothy Sayers’ notes) * The Once and Future King, by T.H. White Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe

Both Seth and Tsh's oldest children are graduating high school this month, and just like the cliché, they can't believe how fast time has flown. Here are a few things they'd tell themselves when they were younger and in the early, exhausting stage of parenting younger children. * Seth: Newsletter | Website * Tsh: Newsletter | Website * Pick up a round of drinks * Our recommended reads * There’s ONE spot left for Ireland — will you claim it? * Ted Lasso * The Lord of the Rings trilogy (1, 2, 3) audiobook, narrated by Andy Serkis Get full access to The Commonplace at thecommon.place/subscribe