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Dis
neyl
and
with
my
fam
ily J
ILL
| Mar
ryin
g m
y be
st f
rien
d, J
ustin
JO
RD
AN
| N
apa
with
gir
lfrie
nds,
win
e, c
hees
e N
IKI |
Tra
vel t
he w
orld
with
fri
ends
ME
ND
Y |
Col
lege
fo
otba
ll Sa
turd
ay w
ith fa
mily
SC
OTT
| A
nyth
ing
with
my
peop
le in
volv
ed A
MY
| Pi
lotin
g a
bipl
ane
and
hang
glid
ing
SAR
A |
Sing
ing
with
life
long
fri
ends
JE
NI |
Day
s sp
ent a
t the
lake
AM
Y |
Bru
nch
with
frie
nds
REB
ECC
A |
Trav
elin
g th
e w
orld
for
one
year
ALI
SON
| Fu
ture
trav
els
whe
n w
e’re
mar
ried
CA
RA
| Tr
avel
ing.
Rea
ding
. Bea
ch.
Coff
eeho
use.
Qui
et. A
SHLE
Y |
Eatin
g fo
od a
nd lo
ving
peo
ple
LEA
H |
Men
tori
ng t
een
girl
s B
ETH
| P
uppi
es, fl
ower
s, s
unsh
ine,
laug
hing
, con
fett
i CA
ITLY
N |
Tim
e w
ith
daug
hter
and
hus
band
KAT
IE |
Coo
king
din
ner
with
my
husb
and
JEN
NE
E |
A f
un fa
mily
tri
p W
HIT
NEY
| Lo
ng d
rive
s lis
teni
ng t
o po
dcas
ts R
AC
HA
EL
| Wor
ship
ping
at
chur
ch T
YLE
R |
Snug
gles
with
my
new
est
baby
MO
NIC
A |
Bei
ng c
row
ned
quee
n of
bir
thda
ys R
AC
HEL
| H
ikin
g in
a n
atio
nal p
ark
AN
DR
EA |
A t
rip
arou
nd t
he W
OR
LD
LISA
| Fu
ll ho
use,
food
, fam
ily, f
rien
ds H
OLL
Y |
Doi
ng L
IFE
with
my
Eddi
e B
RO
OK
E |
Sum
mer
vac
atio
n in
Ava
lon,
NJ
AM
AN
DA
| B
eing
with
my
favo
rite
peo
ple
AB
BEY
GR
AC
E |
Seei
ng m
y pa
rent
s be
gra
ndpa
rent
s B
RIT
TAN
Y |
Win
e ni
ght
with
my
girl
s JU
LIE |
Min
iBFF
tim
e M
EL
| Hik
ing
a ne
w t
rail
MEG
. | T
rave
ling
acro
ss t
he c
ount
ry
JAM
IE |
Gir
ls’ t
rip
with
my
frie
nds
JASM
INE
| Bea
ch v
acat
ion
with
my
husb
and
AM
BER
| G
elat
o in
Rom
e w
ith B
FFs
KAT
IE |
Eatin
g pi
zza
in b
ed K
AIT
LIN
| D
isne
y w
ith m
y hu
sban
d JE
NN
IFER
| Ro
ad t
rip w
ith fa
mily
BET
SY |
Witn
essi
ng m
y oh
ana
expe
rienc
e JO
Y K
IM |
Trip
to
Mai
ne in
fall
SAR
AH
| A
sec
ond
hone
ymoo
n to
Eur
ope
JOR
DA
N |
Bea
ch, g
olde
n re
trie
vers
, hus
band
, mai
tai
KAT
E |
Read
ing
book
s w
ith
a ca
ppuc
cino
JE
NA
| Re
adin
g a
book
aft
er s
leep
ing
in K
RIS
TIN
| W
atch
ing
an in
cred
ible
do
cum
enta
ry A
NN
A |
Cam
ping
& s
occe
r w
ith s
on N
ATE |
Qui
et c
offee
with
a v
iew
BE
KA
H |
Chr
istm
as in
New
Yor
k C
ity E
MIL
Y |
Vani
lla c
hai a
t E
bene
zer’s
CA
LLIE
| C
urlin
g up
by
a fir
e A
BBY
| Le
arni
ng s
omet
hing
new
MA
RY |
Irel
and
with
my
who
le fa
mily
JEN
ICE
| Vac
ay in
New
Yor
k G
ABY
| N
o-sm
artp
hone
fam
ily g
ame
wee
kend
SU
SAN
| Re
adin
g at
the
bea
ch R
AC
HE
L | S
atur
day
mor
ning
run
s w
ith M
ark
MA
RC
IE |
Hik
ing
to b
eaut
iful w
ater
falls
SA
M |
Kic
king
thr
ough
fall
leav
es A
MY
| Tr
avel
ing
with
my
fam
ily P
OLL
Y |
Win
dow
-sho
ppin
g w
ith ic
ed c
offee
JO
RD
AN
| B
akin
g w
ith m
y gr
andc
hild
ren
CAT
HY
| Te
a &
a g
ood
book
LIS
A |
Lead
ing
Youn
g Li
fe w
ith m
y hu
sban
d E
MIL
Y |
Get
ting
bubb
le t
ea w
ith f
rien
ds R
ILLI
AN
| H
eadi
ng o
ut t
o th
e la
ke A
LI |
Wee
klon
g fr
amily
bea
ch v
acat
ion
CRY
STA
L | R
idin
g ho
rses
with
my
frie
nds
ME
RE
DIT
H |
Read
ing
on a
rai
ny d
ay C
AIT
LIN
| Te
x-M
ex p
atio
din
ner
with
fri
ends
PA
IGE |
Pla
ying
pra
nks
on m
y hu
sban
d B
RE |
Kaya
king
with
my
neph
ews
EVO
NN
A |
Wat
chin
g su
nset
s at
the
beac
h B
RIT
TAN
Y |
Spen
ding
tim
e w
ith p
eopl
e LA
UR
A |
Rid
ing
bike
s al
ong
the
beac
h R
OX
AN
N |
Goi
ng to
Dis
ney
Wor
ld R
AC
HEL
| St
rolli
ng a
roun
d a
bota
nica
l gar
den
JILL
AIN
E | D
eboa
rdin
g ai
rpla
ne, p
assp
ort
in h
and
CA
ITLI
N |
Esca
pe r
oom
with
frie
nds
CO
UR
TNEY
| G
oing
for
a ru
n JA
CK
IE |
Trav
elin
g w
ith fr
iend
s H
EATH
ER |
Seei
ng a
n O
scar
mov
ie to
geth
er M
ICH
AEL
| Tw
eedl
ing
with
my
best
frie
nd M
AR
IAN
NE
| Thr
u-hi
king
the
App
alac
hian
Tra
il C
IND
Y |
Trav
elin
g an
d ex
plor
ing
the
wor
ld K
YLI
E | W
ine
and
chee
se w
ith fr
iend
s K
AEL
YN
| W
atch
ing
Ala
bam
a fo
otba
ll in
Tus
calo
osa
LAU
RA
| D
oing
cra
fts
with
my
niec
e R
ENEE
| B
akin
g da
y w
ith fr
iend
s K
AYLI
| Sp
endi
ng q
ualit
y tim
e w
ith fr
iend
s N
ATA
LIE
| Chr
istm
as. C
ampfi
res.
Sco
oter
s. B
each
trip
s. K
AYLA
| A
nnua
l sis
ters
’ wee
kend
s si
nce
200
6 A
MY
| A
lone
tim
e an
d So
nic
tea
SAR
AH
| B
FF, m
e, N
YC
boo
ksto
re c
raw
l MIC
HEL
E | C
ooki
ng fo
r sp
ecia
l fam
ily m
eals
CIN
DY
| R
idin
g bi
ke a
t th
e be
ach
DO
NN
A |
Goi
ng h
ikin
g w
ith m
y fa
mily
A
ND
REA
| H
avin
g a
kitc
hen
danc
e pa
rty
OLI
VIA
| B
each
es, f
amily
, boo
ks, f
riend
s, c
ooki
ng C
ATH
RYN
| G
oing
to
the
beac
h R
OX
AN
NE
| Cud
dlin
g w
ith m
y ad
orab
le b
aby
LEA
NN
A |
Spen
ding
tim
e w
ith m
y bo
ys P
AM
| Tr
avel
with
out
fear
s or
hes
itatio
ns S
TAC
EY |
Chr
istm
as li
ghts
& H
allm
ark
mov
ies
LIV
| G
oing
on
a hi
ke J
ESS
ICA
| M
eetin
g D
ansb
y at
Sun
Trus
t JI
LL |
Goi
ng o
n an
Ala
skan
cru
ise
STA
CY
| W
atch
ing
@ly
diat
aylo
rr d
ance
SU
SIE |
Coff
ee w
ith K
ayla
AU
BR
EY |
Snow
y da
y an
d ch
ai la
ttes
SO
FIA
| C
offee
with
fri
ends
BR
ITTA
NY
| C
heer
ing
on M
K n
ext
wee
kend
KR
IST
YN
| La
ughi
ng a
bout
life
with
oth
ers
GIN
NY
| A
boo
k on
the
bea
ch C
OU
RTN
EY |
Tryi
ng a
new
re
cipe
ALL
EA
| Fa
bulo
us fo
rty-
year
fri
ends
pod
cast
JU
LEE |
Bei
ng w
ith a
ll m
y pe
ople
ME
LISS
A |
Bei
ng c
alle
d A
unt
Ban
ana
AN
NA
MC
CO
LLU
M |
Them
ed d
inne
r pa
rty
with
frie
nds
AN
NE
| Hav
ing
frie
nds
over
for
dinn
er G
ABY
| A
rel
axin
g ho
t ba
th L
IZZI
E | D
inne
r an
d th
eatr
e w
ith g
irlfr
iend
s N
ICK
Y |
Tim
e w
ith m
y ad
ult
daug
hter
s JE
N |
Padd
lebo
ardi
ng w
ith m
y pe
ople
KAT
IE |
Runn
ing
a fu
ll m
arat
hon
KAT
| Sp
a da
y w
ith g
irlfr
iend
s M
ARY
GR
AC
E | S
wim
min
g on
a s
unny
day
KY
LIE
| Ass
istin
g in
a h
eart
su
rger
y EM
ILY
| H
ot c
hoco
late
and
a b
ook
NIC
OLE
| W
ine
tast
ing
with
bes
t frie
nds
MEL
| Tr
avel
ing
with
my
husb
and
AN
AB
EL |
Coff
ee, f
riend
s, c
ake,
and
cha
ttin
g B
RIT
TAN
Y |
That Sounds
Fun
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 3_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 3 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
Coff
ee w
ith
my
best
fri
end
MIK
AYLA
| Tr
avel
ing
the
wor
ld w
ith
fam
ily L
IESL
| H
oldi
ng a
bab
y ch
imp
LOR
I | N
urse
fri
ends
dri
nkin
g w
ine
toge
ther
SA
RA
H |
Skiin
g do
wn
a m
ajes
tic
snow
y m
ount
ain
PAM
| H
uggi
ng m
y m
ini d
onke
ys A
SHLE
Y |
Trav
elin
g th
e U
S an
d w
riti
ng A
LEYA
H |
Goi
ng t
o th
e be
ach
RU
TH |
90s
danc
e pa
rty
JEN
| Tr
ampo
line
exer
cise
cla
ss t
o m
usic
AM
AN
DA
| Ju
mpi
ng o
n tr
ampo
lines
AM
AN
DA
| P
layi
ng in
Wal
t D
isne
y W
orld
CA
RO
LYN
| Se
win
g qu
ilts
for
love
d on
es A
NN
E |
Bei
ng w
ith m
y pe
ople
CA
RR
IE |
Man
U g
ame
@ O
ld T
raffo
rd M
ELIS
SA |
To m
eet y
ou o
ver
coffe
e EM
MA
| B
ook,
bla
nket
, coff
ee K
AR
LA |
Expl
orin
g na
tiona
l par
ks S
AR
AH
| W
ine,
che
ese,
fri
ends
KA
RLA
| C
onne
ctin
g w
ith
othe
rs t
hrou
gh p
hoto
grap
hy A
NN
A |
Long
bat
h on
rai
ny d
ay T
AR
A |
Mee
ting
bel
ieve
rs a
t cr
aft
show
s B
RIT
TNE
Y |
Tim
e w
ith m
y pe
ople
RA
CH
EL
| Wat
chin
g el
epha
nts
in L
ake
Kari
ba S
TAC
EY |
Gam
e ni
ghts
with
my
frie
nds
AB
BY |
Todd
ler
toot
s an
d be
lly la
ughs
SA
RA
H |
Spen
ding
tim
e w
ith G
ram
ercy
Hop
e R
AC
HEL
| G
oing
to
coun
try
conc
erts
: ) J
OR
DA
N |
Unl
imite
d St
arbu
cks
in t
he b
each
BET
HA
NY
| Tu
bing
dow
n ou
r fa
rm r
apid
s ST
AC
EY |
Offi
ce
supp
ly s
hopp
ing
HE
ATH
ER
| Fr
iend
s &
food
aro
und
the
tabl
e H
OP
E |
Snor
kelin
g. R
eadi
ng. P
aint
ing.
Kay
akin
g. S
LEE
PIN
G. L
AU
RA
| W
atch
ing
Hal
lmar
k m
ovie
s w
ith
my
kitt
ies
JESS
IE |
Trav
elin
g w
ith m
y w
ife J
EFF
| Sw
imm
ing
with
dol
phin
s in
Mau
ritiu
s ST
AC
EY |
Wat
chin
g fo
otba
ll w
ith m
y fa
mily
SH
ELB
Y |
Com
bine
rid
es w
ith D
ad
ELI
ZA
BE
TH |
Snow
ski
ing
wit
h m
y hu
sban
d JE
SSIC
A |
Hos
ting
din
ner
part
ies
for
frie
nds
KAT
IE |
Enj
oyin
g th
e Te
xas
Hill
Cou
ntry
CH
ASI
TY
| C
hasi
ng L
uca
and
Jack
TI
FFA
NY
| C
hasi
ng d
ream
s w
ith m
y fa
mily
AM
AN
DA
| Lo
ng s
low
wal
ks o
n be
ach
AM
Y |
Dea
r on
es g
athe
r ar
ound
tab
le L
EA
NN
E |
Con
cert
s w
ith m
y w
ife B
EN
| Fa
mily
tr
ip t
o H
awai
i KR
ISTA
| Fa
rm-t
o-ta
ble
dinn
er a
t su
nset
JE
N |
Glo
bal i
ce c
ream
tas
ting
tour
LE
IGH
AN
N |
Puz
zlin
g w
ith m
y be
st f
rien
ds C
LAIR
E |
A M
urde
r, Sh
e W
rote
m
arat
hon
RA
CH
EL |
Hor
seba
ck ri
ding
ASH
LEY
| Ru
nnin
g be
side
a tr
ickl
ing
stre
am K
AEL
A |
Trav
el, f
amily
, foo
d, s
unri
ses
SAR
AH
| Ea
ting
food
and
doi
ng k
arao
ke C
AIL
YN
| Pl
ayin
g so
ngs
on in
stru
men
ts C
OLI
N |
Kitt
ens—
lots
of
kitt
ens
LEE
| Pla
ying
with
LEG
Os
LIA
M |
Der
by m
atch
at
Old
Tra
fford
BIL
L | M
ount
ain
biki
ng in
cri
sp w
eath
er
PO
LIN
A |
Read
ing
by t
he fi
repl
ace
RA
CH
EL
| A g
irls
’ tri
p to
Nas
hvill
e JO
NI |
Vac
atio
n w
ith m
y ne
w f
amily
EM
ILY
| W
indo
ws
dow
n, m
usic
up
ALI
| La
ughi
ng w
ith m
y bo
ys S
TEP
HA
NIE
| Ic
e-sk
atin
g pa
rty
with
frie
nds
AB
IGA
IL J
OY
| Q
ualit
y tim
e w
ith m
y be
stie
(s) W
ALL
Y |
Star
ting
and
grow
ing
my
busi
ness
CH
ERY
L | P
layi
ng w
ith L
EGO
s LI
AM
| A
long
wal
k on
bea
ch L
AU
REL
| Li
ving
on
a go
at fa
rm J
ENN
A |
Surfi
ng a
nd y
oga
TAY
LOR
| G
ood
book
& a
fter
noon
nap
BET
H |
Hik
ing
with
my
ups
EMM
A |
A t
rip
to A
lask
a SA
RA
H |
Padd
lebo
ardi
ng in
the
oce
an B
ECK
IE |
Trav
elin
g ab
road
with
incr
edib
le fr
iend
s C
AR
LY |
Bes
t fr
iend
s be
ach
trip
MEG
AN
| H
ot V
inya
sa y
oga
befo
re
cock
tails
PAT
IEN
CE |
Wal
king
bar
efoo
t in
the
gra
ss E
RIN
| A
vat
of
heal
thy
choc
olat
e K
IM |
Cha
sing
wat
erfa
lls a
roun
d th
e na
tion
TY
LER
| Fi
ndin
g ne
w lo
cal c
offee
sh
ops
BET
HA
NY
| C
reat
ing
fun
reso
urce
s fo
r fa
mili
es A
MA
ND
A |
Aub
urn
foot
ball
with
my
hubb
y M
AR
ISSA
| Sh
arin
g a
tabl
e w
ith fr
iend
s TA
YLO
R |
Pret
ty m
uch
anyt
hing
w
ith H
eath
er R
EB
EC
CA
| A
bea
ch v
acat
ion
ALA
INA
| Re
adin
g a
good
boo
k K
ATIE
| C
eleb
ratin
g th
e C
hris
tmas
sea
son
BE
TH |
Road
tri
ps w
ith m
y hu
sban
d SH
ELL
EY |
Ente
rtai
ning
peo
ple
in m
y ho
me
CA
SEY
| Lo
ng c
onve
rsat
ions
with
old
frie
nds
JESS
ICA
| St
rolli
ng b
y th
e En
o R
iver
OLI
VIA
| A
goo
d re
stau
rant
with
fam
ily H
OLL
Y |
Tim
e w
ith f
rien
ds a
nd fa
mily
LIS
A |
Scoo
ter
scav
enge
r hu
nt w
/ B
FFs
LISA
| M
akin
g pu
mpk
in p
ie w
ith fa
mily
KRY
STLE
| La
unch
ing
a pe
rson
or
idea
TIF
FAN
Y |
Floa
ting
on
the
lake
AU
TUM
N |
Long
wal
k on
the
bea
ch A
NN
E | S
ound
of M
usic
bik
e to
ur L
ILY
| Pi
cnic
king
on
an a
utum
n da
y K
AR
EN |
Trav
elin
g w
ith m
y fr
iend
s C
ALL
IE |
Kent
ucky
ba
sket
ball
win
ning
ano
ther
cha
mpi
onsh
ip S
AR
AH
| Fa
mily
hik
ing
in t
he m
ount
ains
LIS
A |
Bei
ng F
OR
the
nex
t ge
nera
tion
ALI
CIA
| C
ross
-cou
ntry
roa
d tr
ip A
MB
ER
| Sh
oppi
ng w
ith m
y da
ught
ers
VIC
KI |
Mou
ntai
ns. C
olle
ge f
rien
ds. T
oget
hern
ess.
Lau
ghte
r. ST
EPH
AN
IE |
Goo
d co
ffee
with
goo
d fr
iend
s C
HR
ISSY
| A
day
on
the
wat
er
KE
LLIE
| Tr
avel
ing
with
mom
and
aun
t K
ELS
EY |
Pla
ying
soc
cer
anyw
here
, any
time
AD
DIS
ON
| A
mov
ie m
arat
hon
snow
day
PA
IGE |
Cha
rcut
erie
boa
rd a
nd M
umm
ch
ampa
gne
NIC
HO
LE |
Road
trip
with
my
fam
ily B
RIT
TAN
Y |
Seei
ng a
sky
full
of s
tars
ELI
ZAB
ETH
| D
ark
choc
olat
e an
d re
d w
ine
BET
O |
Enjo
ying
the
Texa
s H
ill C
ount
ry
CH
ASI
TY |
Coo
king
goo
d fo
od fo
r fr
iend
s A
SHLE
Y |
Road
tri
ppin
g w
ith f
rien
ds K
AIL
YN
| Re
adin
g, r
elat
ions
hips
, gra
ndki
ds, b
ubbl
e te
a K
ATH
Y |
Teac
hing
6-y
ear-
olds
TA
YLO
R |
Sing
ing
in a
mod
ern
choi
r KAT
E | B
eing
a b
acku
p si
nger
MEG
AN
| G
athe
ring
with
fam
ily a
nd fr
iend
s JE
SS |
Read
ing
on th
e be
ach
MEG
AN
| G
radu
atin
g nu
rsin
g sc
hool
CA
SSEY
| Lo
rd o
f the
Rin
gs m
arat
hon
MIC
HEL
LE |
Runn
ing
with
my
sist
er L
isa
DA
NA
| Va
catio
n w
ith fa
mily
CH
ERI |
Wor
king
with
my
5th
grad
ers
BO
BB
I | S
ingi
ng
in t
he s
tree
t SA
M |
Sipp
ing
tea
in Ir
elan
d M
CK
EN
ZIE
| Tr
avel
ing
wit
h m
y hu
sban
d/fa
mily
KA
RLY
| Fl
orid
a G
ator
s fo
otba
ll ga
me
KAT
IE |
Hik
ing
in t
he r
ain
AB
IGA
IL |
That Sounds
FunTHE JOYS OF BEING AN AMATEUR,
THE POWER OF FALLING IN LOVE,
AND WHY YOU NEED A HOBBY
Annie F. Downs
O_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 5_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 5 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
© 2021 by Annie F. Downs
Published by Revella division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287www.revellbooks.com
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means— for example,
electronic, photocopy, recording— without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication DataNames: Downs, Annie F., 1980– author. Title: That sounds fun : the joys of being an amateur, the power of falling in
love, and why you need a hobby / Annie F. Downs. Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Revell, a division of Baker Publishing
Group, 2021.Identifiers: LCCN 2020024913 | ISBN 9780800738747 (cloth) Subjects: LCSH: Amusements— Religious aspects— Christianity. | Play—
Religious aspects— Christianity. | Hobbies— Religious aspects— Christianity. | Christian life. | Christianity and culture.
Classification: LCC BV4597 .D69 2021 | DDC 248.4/6— dc23LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024913ISBN 978-0-8007-4030-6 (ITPE)
The author is represented by Alive Literary Agency, www.aliveliterary.com.
Interior design by William Overbeeke.
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 6_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 6 9/18/20 2:23 PM9/18/20 2:23 PM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
To the That Sounds Fun podcast listeners.You show up, you love our guest friends so well,
and you always remind me that what we are making matters.
You taught me, and continue to teach me, how to chase the fun,
knowing I won’t be alone when I find it. Thank you.
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 7_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 7 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
Layi
ng o
n gr
ass
with
frie
nds
TOR
I | B
oatin
g w
ith fr
iend
s &
fam
ily J
ULI
E | I
ce s
katin
g or
sw
ing
danc
ing
KAY
LEA
| M
akin
g a
posi
tive
diffe
renc
e ev
ery
day
RIC
HIE
| C
lean
co
med
y sh
ow w
ith fa
mily
LES
LIE
| Hik
ing
with
my
frie
nds
CO
NN
IE |
Latt
es a
nd d
eep
chat
s ST
EPH
AN
IE |
Kaya
king
with
my
sist
er S
ue P
ENN
Y |
Tubi
ng th
e riv
er w
ith fr
amily
N
ICO
LE |
Wat
chin
g gr
own
sons
pla
y to
geth
er M
AR
CIA
| N
ight
aw
ay w
ith m
y hu
bste
r K
AR
OLI
NE
| Fac
e-to
-face
tim
e w
ith m
y pe
ople
AN
NE
| Cro
chet
ing
and
mee
ting
new
fr
iend
s ALY
SSA
| C
omm
unity
, cre
ativ
ity, f
riend
s, a
nd o
bvio
usly
, foo
d M
AC
KEN
ZIE
| Lau
ghin
g w
ith th
e gr
andk
ids J
AN
ET |
Fam
ily tr
ips J
AN
ET |
Jeep
ing
in th
e m
ount
ains
ALE
XIS
| M
eetin
g fr
iend
s at
Fiv
e80
Coff
eeho
use
CH
LOE
| Coff
ee, f
riend
s, w
orsh
ip, l
augh
ter,
Ore
os A
UD
REY
| D
ance
par
ty w
ith th
e gr
andk
ids
JAN
ET |
Wal
king
dow
n M
ain
Stre
et
in D
isne
y M
ARY
CO
LE |
Play
ing
socc
er w
ith m
y so
n A
UST
IN |
Goi
ng o
n a
beac
h pi
cnic
CLA
UD
IA |
Goi
ng t
o th
e H
oly
Land
TH
OM
PSO
N |
Cam
pfire
und
er t
he s
tars
TIF
FAN
Y |
Serv
ing
Jesu
s’s B
ride
loca
lly G
RA
CIE
| H
angi
ng o
ut w
ith m
y ni
ece
SIER
RA
| Ro
ad tr
ips
with
bes
t frie
nds
KAT
IE |
Satu
rday
mor
ning
bre
akfa
st o
ut A
NN
E | D
isne
y W
orld
at
Chr
istm
as M
ELIS
SA |
Pet a
n el
epha
nt K
ENN
EDY
| W
arm
sun
. Bib
le o
pen.
Lis
teni
ng. C
RYST
AL
| Spe
ndin
g un
inte
rrup
ted
time
with
frie
nds
ALL
Y |
Dat
e ni
ght w
ith m
y hu
sban
d D
AN
IELL
E | V
isit
all m
ajor
zoo
s LI
ZZY
| Th
e be
ach
with
my
peop
le J
ESSI
CA
| Im
prom
ptu
patio
par
ties
MEL
ISSA
| W
alk
beac
h w
ith w
hole
fam
ily L
AU
RA
LEE
| Hav
ing
a H
arry
Po
tter
mar
atho
n LY
DIA
| Ta
king
long
, hot
bat
hs K
IMB
ERLY
| Fa
mily
vac
atio
ns o
n Sa
nibe
l Isl
and
LYN
NE
| Hal
lmar
k m
ovie
s an
d C
hris
tmas
coo
kies
AM
Y |
Laug
hing
with
my
frie
nds
JEN
NIF
ER |
Goi
ng t
o a
coun
try
conc
ert
KAT
IE |
Bei
ng w
ith m
y fa
mily
EST
HER
| Ta
king
a n
ap K
RIS
TIN
| Va
catio
n in
Cal
iforn
ia w
ith fa
mily
SA
ND
Y |
Adv
entu
res
with
aw
esom
e fr
iend
s M
AD
ISO
N |
Clim
bing
and
soc
cer w
ith fr
iend
s M
OR
GA
N |
Vis
iting
Dis
ney
Wor
ld w
ith fa
mily
JULI
A |
Wat
chin
g A
fric
an s
unse
ts w
ith fr
iend
s R
OSI
E | D
anci
ng
in r
aini
ng c
onfe
tti B
REE
| Tr
avel
to
Dis
ney
with
fam
ily B
ECK
Y |
A g
ood
gam
e of
rug
by K
YLE
| Ta
king
a c
ross
-cou
ntry
roa
d tr
ip E
MIL
Y |
A s
leep
over
in a
cas
tle K
ATEL
YN
| La
ughi
ng w
ith m
y co
wor
kers
AM
AN
DA
| H
ot b
ath
and
cele
brity
mag
azin
e M
ON
ICA
| C
ard
gam
es w
ith fr
iend
s TE
SA |
Doi
ng p
hoto
grap
hy fo
r a li
ving
HEA
THER
| A
dven
ture
s w
ith m
y ki
ds &
wife
JO
HN
| A
dven
ture
s w
ith m
y hu
sban
d H
EATH
ER |
Road
trip
ping
coa
st to
coa
st A
RIE
L | B
eing
deb
t fre
e in
20
20 B
ECK
Y |
Youn
g Li
fe c
amp
LESL
IE |
Tim
e at
the
bea
ch C
AR
OL
| Mak
ing
sand
cast
les
with
gra
ndso
ns A
NG
IE |
A t
ea p
arty
with
frie
nds
KER
RY |
Slee
ping
, rai
n, r
eadi
ng, m
usic
& fr
iend
s SA
RA
H |
Win
e on
ver
anda
w
ith f
rien
ds A
LIC
IA |
S’m
ores
bro
wni
es. R
eadi
ng. D
anci
ng. L
YN
N |
Trav
elin
g th
e w
orld
BR
IAN
NA
| A
cru
ise
with
my
fam
ily J
ULI
E |
Bea
ch w
ith m
y fiv
e bo
ys K
ASS
Y |
The
beac
h an
d fr
iend
s JO
RD
AN
| Lo
ving
JW
and
Mar
y M
ac B
ETH
| D
isne
ylan
d at
nig
ht w
ith fr
iend
s JE
SSIC
A |
Hik
ing
mou
ntai
ns w
ith m
y fa
mily
JO
Y |
Tim
e w
ith m
y ne
w h
usba
nd M
OLL
Y |
Paja
ma
day
with
my
fam
ily N
ICO
LE |
Tea,
cro
chet
, fire
plac
e, C
hris
tmas
mov
ies
AM
AN
DA
| D
oing
cra
fts
with
my
daug
hter
s KAT
E | R
oad
trip
with
my
girl
frie
nds
BIL
LIE
JO
| V
isiti
ng P
acifi
c N
orth
wes
t w
ith G
len
LYN
DSE
Y |
Fam
ily g
ame
nigh
t E
RIN
| Sl
eepi
ng—
infa
nt/t
oddl
er m
om li
fe
CH
ELSE
A |
Snug
glin
g w
ith m
y tw
o ca
ts A
SHLE
Y |
Bak
ing
cook
ies
and
eatin
g th
em R
AC
HEL
| PE
AC
E at
the
bea
ch J
ULI
| Ti
me
alon
e w
ith
my
husb
and
STEP
HA
NIE
| Re
nova
ting
our o
ld fa
rmho
use
ERIN
| A
ll m
y pe
ople
laug
hing
toge
ther
AB
BY |
Ba
king
for
my
frie
nds
ASH
LIN
| G
oing
hik
ing
BET
H-A
NN
E | E
atin
g ne
w fo
ods
with
fam
ily R
EBEC
CA
| W
atch
ing
Ast
ros
base
ball
with
Jo
sh K
ALA
N |
Hik
ing
on a
sun
ny
day
KR
ISTI
N |
Hot
coc
oa b
y th
e fir
e C
HR
IS |
Trip
s w
ith f
rien
ds a
nd fa
mily
AN
DR
EA
| Re
adin
g w
hile
w
atc
hing
the
ra
in C
UL
LE
N |
Eatin
g tr
opic
al f
ruit
in H
awai
i LEO
RA
| C
ooki
ng B
BQ
for
fri
ends
& f
amily
BR
EN
T | P
hoto
grap
hing
w
ildlif
e in
Yel
low
ston
e R
EBEK
AH
| V
isit
ing
all t
he M
LB p
arks
DE
NIS
E |
A w
eeke
nd in
the
mou
ntai
ns K
ATIE
| H
angi
ng w
ith
my
kids
R
OBY
N |
Hik
ing
with
my
child
ren
& g
rand
child
ren
LIN
DA
| Ru
nnin
g w
ith d
ogs
& b
aby
CA
REY
| Im
prov
ing
proc
esse
s fo
r Fe
dEx
SAR
AH
| Si
ppin
g co
ffee
with
my
frie
nds
EMIL
YAN
N |
Expl
orin
g G
od’s
glor
y JU
LES
| A w
eeke
nd w
ith c
olle
ge g
irlfr
iend
s R
EBEC
CA
| Sn
uggl
ing
my
peo
ple
dri
nkin
g c
offee
A
SHLE
Y |
Serv
ing
with
my
fam
ily M
AR
IA |
Cam
ping
in t
he A
diro
ndac
k M
ount
ains
LIZ
| G
oing
on
a pi
cnic
BEC
CA
| B
eing
a m
irror
of
Trut
h SH
ER
RI |
Coo
king
and
eat
ing
with
fam
ily C
ATA
LIN
A |
A d
ay a
t th
e be
ach
KE
RA
| W
orld
tra
velin
g w
ith m
y hu
sban
d SA
RA
H |
Han
ging
w
ith C
arte
r an
d G
race
BU
NN
I | H
ealin
g, g
row
ing,
and
feel
ing
aliv
e E
MM
ALE
E |
Hik
ing
with
my
husb
and
JEN
NIF
ER
| Li
ving
fear
less
and
fre
e A
NN
A |
Enjo
y C
hris
tmas
mus
ic b
efor
e Th
anks
givi
ng K
AM
I | G
oing
to
a B
road
way
sho
w L
IZ |
Adv
entu
re
wit
h p
eop
le I
lo
ve C
AR
OL
INE
| Ph
otog
raph
ing
peop
le’s
extr
aord
inar
y liv
es T
IM |
Drin
king
tea
in a
tre
e N
AD
IA |
Fam
ily r
iver
adv
entu
re
tim
e A
LYSS
A |
Tim
e at
hom
e be
ing
crea
tive
JULI
AN
NE |
Shop
ping
for
a g
reat
dea
l EM
ILY
| Tr
avel
ing
with
hus
band
and
dau
ghte
r A
SHLE
Y |
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 8_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 8 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
9
Layi
ng o
n gr
ass
with
frie
nds
TOR
I | B
oatin
g w
ith fr
iend
s &
fam
ily J
ULI
E | I
ce s
katin
g or
sw
ing
danc
ing
KAY
LEA
| M
akin
g a
posi
tive
diffe
renc
e ev
ery
day
RIC
HIE
| C
lean
co
med
y sh
ow w
ith fa
mily
LES
LIE
| Hik
ing
with
my
frie
nds
CO
NN
IE |
Latt
es a
nd d
eep
chat
s ST
EPH
AN
IE |
Kaya
king
with
my
sist
er S
ue P
ENN
Y |
Tubi
ng th
e riv
er w
ith fr
amily
N
ICO
LE |
Wat
chin
g gr
own
sons
pla
y to
geth
er M
AR
CIA
| N
ight
aw
ay w
ith m
y hu
bste
r K
AR
OLI
NE
| Fac
e-to
-face
tim
e w
ith m
y pe
ople
AN
NE
| Cro
chet
ing
and
mee
ting
new
fr
iend
s ALY
SSA
| C
omm
unity
, cre
ativ
ity, f
riend
s, a
nd o
bvio
usly
, foo
d M
AC
KEN
ZIE
| Lau
ghin
g w
ith th
e gr
andk
ids J
AN
ET |
Fam
ily tr
ips J
AN
ET |
Jeep
ing
in th
e m
ount
ains
ALE
XIS
| M
eetin
g fr
iend
s at
Fiv
e80
Coff
eeho
use
CH
LOE
| Coff
ee, f
riend
s, w
orsh
ip, l
augh
ter,
Ore
os A
UD
REY
| D
ance
par
ty w
ith th
e gr
andk
ids
JAN
ET |
Wal
king
dow
n M
ain
Stre
et
in D
isne
y M
ARY
CO
LE |
Play
ing
socc
er w
ith m
y so
n A
UST
IN |
Goi
ng o
n a
beac
h pi
cnic
CLA
UD
IA |
Goi
ng t
o th
e H
oly
Land
TH
OM
PSO
N |
Cam
pfire
und
er t
he s
tars
TIF
FAN
Y |
Serv
ing
Jesu
s’s B
ride
loca
lly G
RA
CIE
| H
angi
ng o
ut w
ith m
y ni
ece
SIER
RA
| Ro
ad tr
ips
with
bes
t frie
nds
KAT
IE |
Satu
rday
mor
ning
bre
akfa
st o
ut A
NN
E | D
isne
y W
orld
at
Chr
istm
as M
ELIS
SA |
Pet a
n el
epha
nt K
ENN
EDY
| W
arm
sun
. Bib
le o
pen.
Lis
teni
ng. C
RYST
AL
| Spe
ndin
g un
inte
rrup
ted
time
with
frie
nds
ALL
Y |
Dat
e ni
ght w
ith m
y hu
sban
d D
AN
IELL
E | V
isit
all m
ajor
zoo
s LI
ZZY
| Th
e be
ach
with
my
peop
le J
ESSI
CA
| Im
prom
ptu
patio
par
ties
MEL
ISSA
| W
alk
beac
h w
ith w
hole
fam
ily L
AU
RA
LEE
| Hav
ing
a H
arry
Po
tter
mar
atho
n LY
DIA
| Ta
king
long
, hot
bat
hs K
IMB
ERLY
| Fa
mily
vac
atio
ns o
n Sa
nibe
l Isl
and
LYN
NE
| Hal
lmar
k m
ovie
s an
d C
hris
tmas
coo
kies
AM
Y |
Laug
hing
with
my
frie
nds
JEN
NIF
ER |
Goi
ng t
o a
coun
try
conc
ert
KAT
IE |
Bei
ng w
ith m
y fa
mily
EST
HER
| Ta
king
a n
ap K
RIS
TIN
| Va
catio
n in
Cal
iforn
ia w
ith fa
mily
SA
ND
Y |
Adv
entu
res
with
aw
esom
e fr
iend
s M
AD
ISO
N |
Clim
bing
and
soc
cer w
ith fr
iend
s M
OR
GA
N |
Vis
iting
Dis
ney
Wor
ld w
ith fa
mily
JULI
A |
Wat
chin
g A
fric
an s
unse
ts w
ith fr
iend
s R
OSI
E | D
anci
ng
in r
aini
ng c
onfe
tti B
REE
| Tr
avel
to
Dis
ney
with
fam
ily B
ECK
Y |
A g
ood
gam
e of
rug
by K
YLE
| Ta
king
a c
ross
-cou
ntry
roa
d tr
ip E
MIL
Y |
A s
leep
over
in a
cas
tle K
ATEL
YN
| La
ughi
ng w
ith m
y co
wor
kers
AM
AN
DA
| H
ot b
ath
and
cele
brity
mag
azin
e M
ON
ICA
| C
ard
gam
es w
ith fr
iend
s TE
SA |
Doi
ng p
hoto
grap
hy fo
r a li
ving
HEA
THER
| A
dven
ture
s w
ith m
y ki
ds &
wife
JO
HN
| A
dven
ture
s w
ith m
y hu
sban
d H
EATH
ER |
Road
trip
ping
coa
st to
coa
st A
RIE
L | B
eing
deb
t fre
e in
20
20 B
ECK
Y |
Youn
g Li
fe c
amp
LESL
IE |
Tim
e at
the
bea
ch C
AR
OL
| Mak
ing
sand
cast
les
with
gra
ndso
ns A
NG
IE |
A t
ea p
arty
with
frie
nds
KER
RY |
Slee
ping
, rai
n, r
eadi
ng, m
usic
& fr
iend
s SA
RA
H |
Win
e on
ver
anda
w
ith f
rien
ds A
LIC
IA |
S’m
ores
bro
wni
es. R
eadi
ng. D
anci
ng. L
YN
N |
Trav
elin
g th
e w
orld
BR
IAN
NA
| A
cru
ise
with
my
fam
ily J
ULI
E |
Bea
ch w
ith m
y fiv
e bo
ys K
ASS
Y |
The
beac
h an
d fr
iend
s JO
RD
AN
| Lo
ving
JW
and
Mar
y M
ac B
ETH
| D
isne
ylan
d at
nig
ht w
ith fr
iend
s JE
SSIC
A |
Hik
ing
mou
ntai
ns w
ith m
y fa
mily
JO
Y |
Tim
e w
ith m
y ne
w h
usba
nd M
OLL
Y |
Paja
ma
day
with
my
fam
ily N
ICO
LE |
Tea,
cro
chet
, fire
plac
e, C
hris
tmas
mov
ies
AM
AN
DA
| D
oing
cra
fts
with
my
daug
hter
s KAT
E | R
oad
trip
with
my
girl
frie
nds
BIL
LIE
JO
| V
isiti
ng P
acifi
c N
orth
wes
t w
ith G
len
LYN
DSE
Y |
Fam
ily g
ame
nigh
t E
RIN
| Sl
eepi
ng—
infa
nt/t
oddl
er m
om li
fe
CH
ELSE
A |
Snug
glin
g w
ith m
y tw
o ca
ts A
SHLE
Y |
Bak
ing
cook
ies
and
eatin
g th
em R
AC
HEL
| PE
AC
E at
the
bea
ch J
ULI
| Ti
me
alon
e w
ith
my
husb
and
STEP
HA
NIE
| Re
nova
ting
our o
ld fa
rmho
use
ERIN
| A
ll m
y pe
ople
laug
hing
toge
ther
AB
BY |
Ba
king
for
my
frie
nds
ASH
LIN
| G
oing
hik
ing
BET
H-A
NN
E | E
atin
g ne
w fo
ods
with
fam
ily R
EBEC
CA
| W
atch
ing
Ast
ros
base
ball
with
Jo
sh K
ALA
N |
Hik
ing
on a
sun
ny
day
KR
ISTI
N |
Hot
coc
oa b
y th
e fir
e C
HR
IS |
Trip
s w
ith f
rien
ds a
nd fa
mily
AN
DR
EA
| Re
adin
g w
hile
w
atc
hing
the
ra
in C
UL
LE
N |
Eatin
g tr
opic
al f
ruit
in H
awai
i LEO
RA
| C
ooki
ng B
BQ
for
fri
ends
& f
amily
BR
EN
T | P
hoto
grap
hing
w
ildlif
e in
Yel
low
ston
e R
EBEK
AH
| V
isit
ing
all t
he M
LB p
arks
DE
NIS
E |
A w
eeke
nd in
the
mou
ntai
ns K
ATIE
| H
angi
ng w
ith
my
kids
R
OBY
N |
Hik
ing
with
my
child
ren
& g
rand
child
ren
LIN
DA
| Ru
nnin
g w
ith d
ogs
& b
aby
CA
REY
| Im
prov
ing
proc
esse
s fo
r Fe
dEx
SAR
AH
| Si
ppin
g co
ffee
with
my
frie
nds
EMIL
YAN
N |
Expl
orin
g G
od’s
glor
y JU
LES
| A w
eeke
nd w
ith c
olle
ge g
irlfr
iend
s R
EBEC
CA
| Sn
uggl
ing
my
peo
ple
dri
nkin
g c
offee
A
SHLE
Y |
Serv
ing
with
my
fam
ily M
AR
IA |
Cam
ping
in t
he A
diro
ndac
k M
ount
ains
LIZ
| G
oing
on
a pi
cnic
BEC
CA
| B
eing
a m
irror
of
Trut
h SH
ER
RI |
Coo
king
and
eat
ing
with
fam
ily C
ATA
LIN
A |
A d
ay a
t th
e be
ach
KE
RA
| W
orld
tra
velin
g w
ith m
y hu
sban
d SA
RA
H |
Han
ging
w
ith C
arte
r an
d G
race
BU
NN
I | H
ealin
g, g
row
ing,
and
feel
ing
aliv
e E
MM
ALE
E |
Hik
ing
with
my
husb
and
JEN
NIF
ER
| Li
ving
fear
less
and
fre
e A
NN
A |
Enjo
y C
hris
tmas
mus
ic b
efor
e Th
anks
givi
ng K
AM
I | G
oing
to
a B
road
way
sho
w L
IZ |
Adv
entu
re
wit
h p
eop
le I
lo
ve C
AR
OL
INE
| Ph
otog
raph
ing
peop
le’s
extr
aord
inar
y liv
es T
IM |
Drin
king
tea
in a
tre
e N
AD
IA |
Fam
ily r
iver
adv
entu
re
tim
e A
LYSS
A |
Tim
e at
hom
e be
ing
crea
tive
JULI
AN
NE |
Shop
ping
for
a g
reat
dea
l EM
ILY
| Tr
avel
ing
with
hus
band
and
dau
ghte
r A
SHLE
Y |
Contents
Hello 11
WHAT SOUNDS FUN TO YOU?
East Pole Coffee Company 15Ebenezer Road 23The Movie Theater 31
THE JOYS OF BEING AN AMATEUR
The High Line Hotel 43That Sounds Fun Podcast Studio 53Disneyland 61Dollywood 67The Dock 77
THE POWER OF FALLING IN LOVE
Haggart’s 1801 91Onsite 95
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 9_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 9 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
10 Contents
Harvest House 103The Little White Kitchen 113Lost Valley Ranch 123New York Tattoo Company 133Ryman Auditorium 141The Pet Shop 149Sevier Park 159
WHY YOU NEED A HOBBY
Neighbors Restaurant 173Book Club 179Tim’s House 187TPAC 195Alliance Soccer Complex 203
CHASE THE FUN
Harvest House Porch 215Goodbye 223
The Sounds of That Sounds Fun 225Thank You 227Notes 231
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 10_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 10 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
11
Hello
Hi friends.Welcome to a very special episode of That Sounds Fun.
I’m your host, Annie F. Downs, and I’m so happy to be here with you today.
This is a little different from the normal episodes we share, as this conversation is a whole book instead of a one- hour sit- down between two friends that you can listen to as you walk or drive or work or play.
But my hope is the same. My hope is that you feel like you are sitting at the table with me or that we are out on a walk together or that I’m a fellow passenger on your commute to work, or that I’m on the treadmill beside you as we dig deeper into this little word. F—U—N. Fun. How to find it, what it looks like, and why you long for it. And maybe, just maybe, by the end of this time together we’ll both be a bit different, a bit lighter, and a bit more understanding toward ourselves and each other.
By the way, throughout the book you will see pages of small font turned sideways (as a matter of fact, you’ve already passed a few of them!). When I asked my podcast listeners to tell me what sounded fun to them, these were their answers!
_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 11_Downs_ThatSoundsFun_RT_wo.indd 11 9/15/20 9:02 AM9/15/20 9:02 AM
Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
Rela
with
frie
nds
and
fam
ily H
EATH
ER |
Seei
ng H
amilt
on o
n B
road
way
LA
UR
EN |
Han
ging
with
#m
yfav
orite
tinyh
uman
KAT
IE |
SKIIN
G e
spec
ially
with
fres
h po
wde
r D
ON
NA
| G
oing
on
a m
issi
on t
rip D
AR
CI |
Fro
nt p
orch
sw
ing
talk
s JO
HN
| Ra
iny
days
and
riv
etin
g re
ads
SAVA
NN
AH
| G
ood
food
with
frie
nds/
fam
ily S
HER
EE |
Swim
min
g in
sun
with
CO
KE-
ICEE
KAY
LA |
12So
uth,
Rym
an, F
roth
y, C
raft
Sou
th, A
then
ian
JESS
ICA
| B
ooks
and
mov
ies
and
frie
nds
KA
REN
| D
ate
nigh
t with
my
husb
and
LIN
DSA
Y |
Trav
elin
g an
d ex
plor
ing
new
pla
ces
CA
ITLY
N |
Bay
lor
foot
ball
win
s na
tiona
l cha
mpi
onsh
ip R
AN
DA
L | G
ettin
g m
y M
aste
rs in
MFT
RIL
EY |
Trip
acr
oss
Am
eric
a w
ith
teen
ager
s D
ALL
AS
| Pho
togr
aphi
ng w
ildlif
e in
Yel
low
ston
e R
EBEK
AH
| G
o on
cru
ise
with
hus
band
ALI
CIA
| B
ecom
ing
“Mom
” vi
a m
atch
ed a
dopt
ion
BO
NN
IE |
Trav
elin
g th
e w
orld
with
frie
nds
DA
RC
Y |
Wat
chin
g H
allm
ark
with
col
d ch
ampa
gne
KIM
MY
| H
earin
g m
y gr
andc
hild
ren
laug
h B
ETH
| B
akin
g cu
pcak
es K
IM |
Hav
ing
mor
e ba
bies
K
ATIE
| Ea
ting
at C
ooko
ut w
ith M
akay
lah
FAIT
H |
Bak
ing
Chr
istm
as c
ooki
es S
AR
A |
Goi
ng t
o D
isne
ylan
d w
ith fr
iend
s A
MA
ND
A |
Trav
elin
g th
e en
tire
wor
ld S
AM
AN
THA
| M
edic
al m
issi
on t
rip
ALL
IE |
Goi
ng fo
r a
run
KAT
ELY
N |
Tim
e w
ith m
y ni
eces
/nep
hew
s LI
SA |
Gol
fing
on a
sun
ny d
ay A
SHLE
E |
Pod-
bath
with
a fa
ce m
ask
CA
RO
LIN
E |
Frie
nd a
nd m
iniB
FF t
ime
ASH
TON
| Su
rpri
se p
arty
for
my
Ma
TAY
LOR
| Re
laxi
ng w
ith m
y hu
sban
d K
RIS
TEN
| Fa
mily
, fri
ends
, win
e, c
harc
uter
ie t
able
ALI
SON
| B
akin
g an
d da
ncin
g to
mus
ic S
AR
AH
| W
atch
ing
my
babi
es g
row
TR
AC
I | A
dven
turin
g w
ith fa
mily
and
frie
nds
ALL
ISO
N |
Alll
lll o
f the
mus
ical
s ST
EPH
| M
ount
ain
geta
way
with
fr
iend
s LI
ND
SEY-
BET
H |
Coff
ee ti
me
with
frie
nds
VALE
RIE
| Re
adin
g, e
atin
g, c
reat
ing,
and
wor
ship
ing
STEL
LA |
Drin
king
coff
ee w
ith s
wee
t frie
nds
MO
NTA
NA
| Li
ving
my
best
bo
okis
h lif
e B
ETH
| La
ughi
ng w
ith p
eopl
e I l
ove
DO
RIE
| Sp
endi
ng C
hris
tmas
with
my
fam
ily LY
DIA
| G
oing
dow
n w
ater
slid
es H
EATH
ER |
Pain
ting
ALI
CIA
| Tr
avel
ing
to P
aris
w
ith fr
iend
s VA
L | A
ll-in
clus
ive
reso
rt in
Mex
ico
SAM
AN
THA
| H
ikin
g in
the
mou
ntai
ns A
BB
EY |
Read
ing
in m
y co
zy b
ed K
RYST
A |
Laug
hing
so
hard
I cr
y K
ATE
| Pho
nele
ss
adve
ntur
es w
ith m
y pe
ople
GA
BR
IELL
A |
Ark
ansa
s Ra
zorb
ack
spor
ting
even
ts L
IND
SEY
| D
isne
y Sp
rings
Sta
rbuc
ks o
utdo
or s
eatin
g C
AR
OL
| Goi
ng to
Dis
ney
with
fam
ily
NAT
ALI
E | R
eadi
ng in
bed
, all
day
ASH
LEY
| G
ettin
g lo
cked
ove
rnig
ht in
Tar
get P
ATTY
| B
onfir
e w
ith m
y ho
me
team
RH
IAN
NO
N |
Laug
hing
with
my
fianc
é C
IND
Y |
Hea
lthy,
st
imul
atin
g co
nver
satio
ns w
ith f
rien
ds H
AIL
EY |
(Gift
ed) s
pa v
acat
ion
with
fri
ends
MA
RTY
| St
andi
ng-r
oom
onl
y co
ncer
t tic
kets
SH
ELB
Y |
Cat
chin
g up
with
col
lege
fr
iend
s K
IRST
EN |
Hot
tub
whi
le it
’s sn
owin
g C
ASS
I | E
xplo
ring
coffe
e sh
ops
with
frie
nds
BR
ITTA
NY
| Ex
plor
ing
a ne
w c
ity w
ith fr
iend
s EL
ISE
| Frie
nd t
ime
AM
Y |
Read
ing
book
s an
d w
atch
ing
mov
ies
JESS
ICA
| Tr
avel
ing
som
ewhe
re n
ew. W
ith c
offee
. ALY
SSA
| A
dven
turin
g in
the
mou
ntai
ns C
OU
RTN
EY |
Adv
entu
res
with
my
kids
HEI
DI |
God
. Fr
iend
s. B
each
. Foo
d. T
ea. M
AR
SHA
| H
ikin
g in
the
mou
ntai
ns A
MA
ND
A |
Wor
ld tr
avel
with
my
trib
e EM
ILY
| M
akin
g lif
e m
omen
ts m
atte
r gl
obal
ly L
AU
REN
| G
oing
on
my
hone
ymoo
n M
AD
ISO
N |
Intr
over
ting
with
cra
fts,
coff
ee, c
hoco
late
TR
AC
Y |
Trav
elin
g, c
onne
ctin
g w
ith m
y pe
ople
AM
AN
DA
| C
ampi
ng w
ith h
usba
nd a
nd d
ogs
BR
AN
DI |
Ju
mp
into
a h
idde
n la
ke S
HER
RI |
Mak
ing
mem
orie
s w
ith m
y pe
ople
REB
ECC
A |
Expl
orin
g co
untr
ies
with
my
husb
and
LAU
REN
| C
ooki
ng w
ith m
y be
st fr
iend
RA
CH
AEL
| Ri
ding
hor
ses
with
my
daug
hter
s C
ALL
IE |
Play
ing
“Spi
cy U
no”
with
frie
nds
ALL
IE |
Cha
rcut
erie
boa
rds
and
Mon
opol
y D
eal M
AR
IA |
Cam
ping
with
fam
ily a
nd fr
iend
s R
AC
HA
EL |
Mar
ionb
erry
cris
p an
d ic
e cr
eam
STE
PHA
NIE
| Fr
ont s
eat r
olle
rcoa
ster
rid
e gi
ggle
s A
LIC
IA |
Cru
ise
with
my
best
frie
nds
DO
NN
A |
Swim
min
g in
Lak
e M
ichi
gan
KAT
IE |
Swin
ging
on
any
beac
h JA
CK
IE |
Goi
ng th
riftin
g w
ith m
y m
om S
AR
AH
| A
ctin
g on
sta
ge A
BBY
| G
et a
bac
k m
assa
ge G
REE
R |
Snor
kelin
g D
AN
IELL
E | G
oing
hik
ing
in
the
Rock
ies
MEG
AN
| Fr
ont
porc
h si
ttin
g M
ande
ville
, LA
LIS
A |
Laug
hing
with
frie
nds
REN
EE |
“Rac
e-ca
tion”
trip
s w
ith fr
iend
s M
AR
GA
RET
| W
atch
ing
my
gran
dson
gro
w
DO
NN
A |
Adv
entu
res
with
my
swee
t m
an C
AR
A |
Gam
e ni
ght
with
my
fam
ily T
AN
NA
| Pl
ayin
g dr
ess
up w
ith m
y da
ught
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What Sounds
Fun to You?
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
15
East Pole Coffee Company
It’s fall, and I’m grounded from flying and traveling for work for a few months. By choice. By invitation from God. Though I’m not sure what I think about that.
Over the last seven years of this career, I have racked up miles in the air like a professional, which, according to my status with Delta, I pretty much am. I love to travel. I love seeing places and being places. I love flying.
Travel has always been one of the best parts of my job. But about a year ago, I felt God whisper to me, “You’re going to want to be home next fall.” It felt like an invitation from Him, and with time in prayer, for me and my team of employees and managers and agents, we decided that I would spend fall in Nashville. What? Fall is my busiest time of year— conferences and events typically keep my travel schedule fully booked in autumn. And God wanted me off the road?
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
16 What Sounds Fun to You?
But I heard what I heard and I agreed to obey. And so as I write these words, here I am: grounded.
For a change of scenery, I drove south from Nashville to see my family and I’m posted up at my favorite Atlanta coffee spot: East Pole Coffee Company. It’s bright and beautiful, and it looks like it seats about thirty people. In the corners, there are green plants hanging from the ceiling, and the vines are dangling down to the floor, almost camouflaging the electrical outlets. The coffee bar is made of a long and dark maple, and there are these really lovely scalloped white tiles climbing from the white floors to the bar.
I’m sitting with my back to the windows. I like the hubbub of a busy coffee shop, and this one has constant traffic. Also, across the room at a little table for two are my cousin and his wife, who are home from abroad for just a few weeks. I like being able to see them in the same space.
I have a chai with oat milk (which, come on, milk made of oats is ridiculous and hilarious and so bougie but also delicious). The playlist I found on Spotify is a collection of instrumental classics called “refreshing pieces,” and I’m switching between it and Jon McLaughlin’s instrumental music. Still, all I want to do is slam my computer shut and escape. As I was driving here, my mind started dreaming of all the places I could run to and drive to and fly to and be right now. All the other places but HERE. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that even if I did run away, there is no getting away from my insides. It’s as if the sadness has taken residence, and it’s not going to be left behind just because I leave.
And leaving isn’t an option right now anyway. I’ve stopped traveling for work for a couple of reasons, one of them being
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
17East Pole Cofee Coomann
my physical health. A few months ago, I started getting mi-graines on almost a daily basis, and I was almost guaranteed to get one every time I flew on a plane. After months of this, my doctor put me on bed rest. Two full weeks of bed rest.
The decision to take the second half of the year off the road was sealed before I started getting daily migraines, but God knew. He knew before I did that the winter would be the winter of migraines and that a full fall calendar probably would have continued to feel invasive. While my body and heart would have been up for it, I worry my brain would not have. But there’s lots more to this season off the road. I know there is.
At the start of this season, my friend Matt asked me how I was feeling about being grounded. Matt and I have similar personalities and he told me, “Don’t be surprised by a sense of mild depression in this season.” WHAT? THAT IS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. But even his short message whispered something to me that I haven’t been able to ig-nore. It amplified the chorus that had been singing in the background of my brain for the last few months, leading up to the season of no travel, so quiet it was barely audible. But when someone else called out the lyrics, I heard them clearly: There is something scary to me about months at home without anywhere to go. I haven’t done this in almost a decade— been in my own house every night of the week for a lot of weeks.
Fast- forward to spring 2020. If I had only known that just a few months later, we would all learn what it would be like to spend endless amounts of time in our own homes as we col-lectively experienced the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first global pandemic of our lifetime. Everyone
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
18 What Sounds Fun to You?
at home. No one in school or church. Most professionals no longer going into the office but working from guest rooms and couches and dining room tables. Some friends of mine thrived; some did not. We began to ask big questions of our world but also big questions about ourselves.
What happens to me when I can’t go? When I can’t get away from here?
Truth? I wish I were flying away right now. This has been a tough year. It included migraines and heartbreak and quaran-tine and really hard decisions. And as I think about all those things, something makes me feel like being in a different city would feel better. (It wouldn’t. I’ve done this— tried to fix my problems by hopping on a plane— enough times before. But the whisper is still there. Run from this and you will feel better. But I won’t feel better. I never do.)
How often do we call escapism “fun”? That’s the real ques-tion for me. When I’m looking to define fun in my own life, to figure out how to handle the thing I don’t know how to handle or how to process the pain I don’t know what to do with, I wonder if I’m actually planning fun or just using fun to describe running away.
Today, I want to run. I’ll pack a bag with my stuff and a bag with my feelings, then I’ll leave the feelings bag behind, grab the other one, and board a plane that will fly me somewhere.
Anywhere.
I feel like I’m a good person to tell you about fun and to tell you why you absolutely need fun in your life. For those who don’t know, I am the host of a podcast called That Sounds Fun. Episodes release twice a week, Mondays and
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
19East Pole Cofee Coomann
Thursdays, and in every episode, I get to interview a friend or someone I wish I were friends with. Sometimes they are authors or musicians, and other times they are chefs or ath-letes or actresses or doctors or anyone who says something I think my listener friends will love.
Because we do need fun. We all have to find it. My friend Emily P. Freeman and I will often tell each other to “chase the fun.” Whether your life looks exactly the way you thought it would— financially, spiritually, emotionally, relationally— or one or more of those categories feels out of sync with what you thought today would look like, fun is an integral part of what God has in store for you.
And the pursuit of fun will actually bring you some of the answers you hope exist, answers to some of the deep ques-tions rooting around inside you.
A weird thing has happened to me since people started listening to the podcast. When people come up to me in public, whether it be at the airport or in a restaurant, at a coffee shop or at church, they often tell me what they do for fun.
Because we always talk about fun on the show. At the end of every episode, I ask each guest the exact same ques-tion: “What sounds fun to you?” And because listeners hear me ask that question twice a week, they want to answer it too.
It’s hilarious, really, how much we want to talk about fun. I usually have to interrupt people and ask for their name because they are so quick to tell me their story that they forget to tell me what their parents put on their birth cer-tificate the day they entered the world. So I stop the friend, ask their name, then tell them to continue. And once we’ve
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
20 What Sounds Fun to You?
finished the conversation, their next question is “Can I tell you what I do for fun?”
And my answer is always yes.Because I love fun.
We feel something lacking in our lives. We sense that this place in us that used to be filled just isn’t anymore, even on our best days. It may just be a squeak sometimes, but other days it is a roar in our ears that something has been lost and we don’t know how to find it and won’t be able to find it. But we miss it. Because we know it used to be filled.
What is that thing? What are we missing that makes us feel its loss? You think I’m going to say fun here, and while that isn’t wrong, I’ve realized that it’s actually too simple an answer. But you know that, don’t you?
You know that like I know that because it doesn’t matter how hard we try or where we look, we can’t seem to find that thing we’ve all lost. That buzz you get from a glass of wine won’t get it back. His hand around your waist, while it feels awesome, doesn’t return to you what you’ve lost. Even the best day lined up from start to finish still leaves you won-dering if it’s all going to crash down around you tomorrow. Because that thing, whatever it is, is still missing.
I saw a video on Instagram the other night (when I should have been sleeping) of an outdoor event where multiple massive games of Jenga were stacked on tables beside each other. You know the ones I am talking about? Where each Jenga piece, instead of being the size of a finger, is the size of a forearm. They were set all up and down two sides of a sidewalk in the middle of a grassy knoll. They were stacked
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
21East Pole Cofee Coomann
and being carefully played by multiple groups of people. Everyone seemed to be having a great time playing these large versions of a fun group game. Suddenly, a college- age girl ran by the camera and shoved all five Jenga stacks, sending pieces flying. A drive- by (run- by?) destroying of everyone’s good time. In the video, a woman screamed and people threw their hands in the air and everyone was super frustrated that they were playing a game until this girl came and crumbled everything.
After I watched that video, I couldn’t fall asleep because I kept wondering if a cosmic version of that was going to happen in my life the next day.
I’m not here to tell you to carpe your diems. That’s not the solution. To me that is just the other side of the same coin, asking where to find the thing we have lost and what’s the quickest way to escape from here or fill in the gap of what is missing with anything we can find.
I think the truer statement is that what we have lost is real. That thing we know is missing is no joke. It’s legit. While the world may look at your life and tell you that you have everything, you know the quiet, nagging whisper of truth. We have lost Eden, we have lost peace, we have lost the foundation upon which genuine fun can be built. And we have to go search for it.
So that’s why we are here. That’s the journey I’ve been on in my own life. A journey of sobriety (in more ways than you’d think), a rapelling trip into the depths of my own pain, a search for understanding. I thought I was writing a book about fun, but I realized we both need more than what that
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
22 What Sounds Fun to You?
could offer. We need a way to find hope, to believe what we have lost can be found.
I think it can. But only if we will go where this story asks us to go. We cannot be afraid here— or at least, we cannot let the fear win. Let’s all be brave, right? If we have to walk into our pain on the way to Eden, then so be it. Let’s rebuild a foundation that used to exist just under our feet, so we can add layer upon layer of the good stuff, the heartbeats, the loud laughs, the tears of joy. Because, this won’t surprise you, that sounds fun to me.
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Annie F. Downs, That Sounds Fun Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2021. Used by permission.
