Bossypants by Tina Fey [A Really, Really Short Review]

In an effort to actually review all of the media that I consume, I have made the executive decision (for myself) that, henceforth, I will only write really, really short reviews. This will also allow you, the presumptive reader, to suffer my rusty writing skills for the shortest amount of time possible (unless you just choose to not read my reviews at all - which, let's be honest, might actually be preferable at this point).

I recently downloaded and 'read' Tina Fey's 2011 autobiographical comedy book via audiobook FOR FREE from my local library. For anyone who has not yet discovered the rarely marketed delights of Overdrive and your local library (or, in my case, up to 5 local libraries...woo DMV area!) - you poor, deprived soul. Or, you sickeningly energetic soul who actually walks/drives to the library instead of downloading your book while lazing on your couch.

Even though some reviews of the book noted Fey's apparent inexperience with prose, the audiobook displayed none of those purported weaknesses. In fact, I would go as far to say that Bossypants should only be read via audiobook because Tina Fey is absolutely hysterical as a reader. Her comedic timing cannot be matched. Bonus points that NBC allowed her to utilize various SNL and 30 Rock clips in the audiobook. Take that paper and eBook copies! Although, you can't see any of the embarassing photos she published when you're listening to the audiobook so I guess you win some and you lose some. Bossypants documents Ms. Fey's formative moments from childhood and teenagerhood (growing up Greek and brunette in Pennsylvania, working at the Delaware County Summer Showtime, climbing Old Rag Trail in the dark with no water or flashlights while studying at UVA in the hopes of getting laid), early career choices (working at a YMCA in Chicago, acting in The Second City, meeting Lorne Michaels for the first time and writing for SNL), and recent career and family decisions (almost dying on a cruise on her honeymoon, producing the critical success and ratings failure '30 Rock', becoming THE Sarah Palin lookalike of the 2008 presidential election cycle, having baby number 1, thinking about having baby number 2). Every chapter has a moral punchline at the end but is so infused with her trademark sarcastic and self-deprecating humor that, as I was listening to this primarily at work while performing tedious tasks, I had to reprint documents numerous times because I laughed (quietly) so hard that I choked on my tea and coughed everywhere. My unfortunate cubicle neighbor must have been terrified that I would infect him with my 'illness' before the holidays.

Ranking: 5 Stars (would and should read many times!)

Next up: Amy Poehler's 2014 "Yes, Please"



Actually, next up might be a trashy, fantasy romance novel, but I swear I'll still get to Amy Poehler in 2017!

Postcard from California

Hello from California!

While it's been a lot of beautiful sights and delicious food (I am officially a boba tea snob and can no longer go back to sub-par boba, just sayin'), I have to admit my first year here has been overall tough on many fronts, not just intern year.

First, moving to California was tough. No family or close friends nearby to help, but I was lucky enough to have a family acquaintance relatively close by who kindly accommodated me for a few days while I hunted for an apartment, and then my dad came over for a few days to check my sanity and to help me move in literally for a few hours. I didn't even have a mattress/bed for the first month (or 2 months) of residency, and slept on an air mattress that was actually terribly uncomfortable and in retrospect sleeping on the ground would've been kinder on my back. But somehow I got through it. And now I share a pretty nice junior 1 bedroom apartment with my boyfriend (!!! I know!), and we're still slowly decorating it, making it as swanky as swanky can get on our measly salary.

I think the toughest part of this year though has been figuring out what this next part of my life is really supposed to be about. California's culture, which is pretty different from East Coast culture, is turning out to be the perfect instigator for this change. I realize that back at home, I had a pretty cookie cutter life, and when I arrived here, especially after starting a pretty serious relationship with my boyfriend, I got into the mindset to set up my East Coast life on the West Coast. However, as I painfully realized, Los Angeles just wasn't taking that set up. I wanted it all, right now. The same network of friends I cultivated over a decade, I wanted it ASAP through my barely there efforts made on my sleepy days off every month or so. It just wasn't working out. I blamed the people I was trying to mold into my "best friends," I blamed myself, and I am still kind of blaming the city, ha. I've been such a whiner. But a conversation with a long time friend who's now living in Japan has been so enlightening. When we move to a new place, we have so many expectations, but that's not healthy. We think that the worst case scenario is when we don't end up making lasting roots, and we "fail" and move back home. But, worst case scenario is really not letting yourself enjoy the moments and the adventures that are actually laid out for you. Even if I don't cultivate the same kind of life that I had back on the East Coast, even if I don't come out of this with life long friends, even if I do move back east, the greatest pity would be to leave the place not having made any memories - even if it's with people you only hung out with once, not taking advantage of what this city has to offer, not having lived to the fullest.

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ― Joseph Campbell

Have a great week! :)