Tessa Reads Books

The April Fantastic Strangelings pick, everyone!

I’m not far into this book yet, but I think it is very reasonable to go ahead and say that Samantha Irby is my spirit animal. Anyone that dedicates a book to Wellbutrin is family. The fact that she and I do not actually know each other, and the fact that we are never meeting in real life (anyone? anyone?), doesn’t change this fact. Sam- you are family. If you’re in town, just let me know- give me like at least ten minutes warning. I will make up the guest room bed and maybe sorta kinda tidy the room up for you. I dunno, it’s that one room everyone has that all the crap gets shoved in to be dealt with “later.”

The chapter on cellphone usage? Dead. Never has a stranger so completely understood me to my core.

Then I got to “late-1900s time capsule.” First of all, if you aren’t spending your pandemic time listening to the music of your youth, WHAT are you even doing.

Here is a sampling of the albums that I have listened to while at work in a 100k sq foot store with two, maybe three, other humans to keep myself entertained and/or crying:

1. Pieces of You- Jewel
2. Every album by Fiona Apple, over and over and over
3. Godsmack- Godsmack (Yes, I went to a Godsmack show. Yes, my shirt had safety pins on it. YES, they were across my boobs. Yes, my wallet had flames and a chain. Yes, I wore a frayed denim skirt. Are you done?)
4. The Amazon Music playlist titled “100 Greatest ’90s Alternative Songs”
5. Human Clay- Creed
6. Tragic Kingdom- No Doubt
7. The Hamilton original cast recording

I’m not ashamed. Again, I said I would never lie to you.

So I read about half of the chapter before I decided I needed to listen to every song listed while reading her thoughts on them for the full effect. And THEN I was like, “Man, I wonder how many other Fantastic Strangelings out there are thinking the same thing?!”

So here. I did the work for you. You’re welcome.

I’m not planning on providing a whole lot of commentary here, I mean it’s not MY mix tape, but some of them really tugged on the nostalgia heart strings and I won’t be able to resist the temptation to get a few words in.

Whatever, we’re all pals here. Except for me and Sam. Our relationship is deeper than that, she just doesn’t know it.