Thursday, August 14, 2014

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

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Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)
by Jenny Lawson

Since reading Let's Pretend This Never Happened, I feel like I can now call Ms. Lawson, Jenny; I'm sure she feels the same way.  It's as if we've been friends for years, I mean if we haven't, why would she share all her business with me?  And I must say, I'm a good friend, I have broad shoulders to cry on - through the thick and the thin!

This memoir is both hilarious and heart-breaking.  Throughout all Jenny's escapades - a crazy-ass upbringing, her chance romantic encounter in a book store, the struggles of fertility and her battle with both physical and mental health - she tackles them all with wit and bravery.  I immediately thought of one of my other BFFs, Jimmy Buffet, whose words of wisdom ring true:  "if we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."

Some highlights.  One of my favorite lines stems from an eternal debate that rages in the Haas house; is crap a curse word?  Well of course it is!  I mean, it's what I promptly yell when I stub my toe!  And would you say it to the Queen?  No, of course you wouldn't!  Anyway, Jenny has introduced me to my new favorite swear phrase - "crap on a crap cracker,"  now doesn't that just sum it all up?

Another favorite is that if you are gay and living in Texas, you own a gun armoire, not a gun cabinet!  This reminds me of the time that the Haases were vacationing with my gay Dad and realized that we had forgotten our son's special soap for his eczema.  My Dad announced that he had some French-milled soap!  What?!

But I think that what touched me the most was Jenny's honest and brutal description of her battle with anxiety and depression.  On the heels of the death of Robin Williams and having experienced some of the same blue spells, I can appreciate the vulnerability that it must have taken to share those moments with a bunch of folks that aren't her BFFs!

If you don't mind cursing (and I'm talking more than crap here!) you should most definitely read Let's Pretend This Never Happened!  You're going to want some post-it notes and make sure to have a box of tissues on the ready, and just maybe a box of wine!




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