14 Comments

As an unabashed super fan of the parenthetical, this shit right here is my mfing jam! 

Expand full comment

As writers we require empathy, but having to think about every possible way someone could misconstrue our words, even by being wilfully obtuse, is incredibly stifling. Both you and Roxane Gay have written about it in the past week. It's a fucking problem.

Expand full comment

"I’ve never seen a man’s work called a personal essay. jesus christ how had I never noticed this

Expand full comment

Yet another amazing good read and it’s completely relatable. Dealing with people who read way too much into what is being said or typed is exhausting.

Expand full comment

When you can't win for losing.

or

No good deed goes unpunished.

Expand full comment

I've watched a beloved friend struggle all day with an obnoxious instagram brigading on her small business page. And I want to give them advice because they are a sweet summer child and I'm a super-online person and know everything about ON HERE. But I would only tie myself in knots explainering that you can't say this, you have to qualify that, and on and on and on and end up seem like an absolutely insane person.

So I loved this personal essay (did I just say that?) especially today. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Better than David Foster Wallace’s interminable footnotes. Love wife people too.

Also: Assume everyone on the internet is a troll until/ unless they prove they are human. (But, be nice about it.)

Expand full comment

Fucking hilarious. Even though there's a serious message here...😂🤣👍👊

Expand full comment

I'm thankful you can put your thoughts onto paper. Your stories always send my mind to something relatable and then I'm writing my own story in my head and it's always a rollercoaster and yeah thanks ❤️

Expand full comment

Omg this was good. I grinned my way through the whole thing. Thank god you didn’t offend anyone. Whichever god anyone wants to thank 🤣

Expand full comment

Goddamned outstanding piece of writing here. Thank you!

Expand full comment

I love this so much. And yes, we don’t know how to read.

Expand full comment

🤣✌

Expand full comment

This spoke to me (especially the parentheticals) Thanks for writing!

Expand full comment