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TL; TR: If You Feel Too Much

June 2, 2015
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Suggested by my sib, Jenna, I ordered If You Feel Too Much by Jamie Tworkowski. By reading the title, I knew this was going to begin and end in tears- color me sensitive.

If You Feel Too Much is a collective of stories about moments, holidays, people, feelings- I’m 100% sure there will be a story that you will resonate with. Life, death, love, happy, sad- it’s all there, it’s real and raw. I admire you, Jamie, for being so vulnerable so publicly. It is one facet of bravery that I have yet to open the door to. I might have cracked and peeked at it, but being that vulnerable…woof.

If you’re into “feeling the feels,” this is your book. It really did make me think about how I am with people and my own story. If anything, this book is a reminder. A reminder that you’re alive, you’re not alone and thank God everyday when you get to walk through life with incredible people. Thank those incredible people, especially.

Quotes, quotes, quotes:

Love is a thousand things, but at the center is a choice. It is a choice to love people.

You have made known your request for a hundred different yesterdays, but the sun keeps rising on this thing that has never been known…Today is the best day to live.

We are not perfect. We are not machines. We make mistakes. We need compassion. We need grace. We need help sometimes. We need other people.

TL; TR: An Abundance of Katherines

May 27, 2015
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So I read a lot of John Green books. He’s one of the few authors I make an exception for because I generally read nonfiction booksTL; TR.

You get to book 4 of John Green, and you kind of know how it goes. You would think that I would get tired from reading the similar patterns.. John Green never ceases to surprise me with the careful and meticulous research he puts into every book he writes. Maybe this is why I read them. They are fictional, yet the research is so real- it’s close to nonfiction. Or maybe I just like to read them. Every book has a lot of research background, right? Right.

Anyhow, An Abundance of Katherines goes along the same lines of boy-likes-girl, girl-likes-boy, high-school-drama-esque. There’s the underage drinking, road trips and general store hangouts. But there are other things that come into play, like a Theorem. The Theorem that theoretically predicts the longevity of a relationship. And other things like shooting guns, visiting warehouses and a pink mansion. Your typical young adult novel.

What I loved about An Abundance of Katherines, and maybe love is a strong word…I thoroughly liked this book is that it’s not just about teenage love drama. It never is. John Green books are always reflective with not just your boy-girl relationships, but relationships with people around you in general. As I usually do, here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book (sorry if this gives any spoilers!):

What matters to you defines your mattering.

Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you? But I always wonder about that. If people could see me the way I see myself- if they could live in my memories- would anyone, anyone love me?

You’re not boring. You’ve got to stop saying that, or people will start believing you.

The future will erase everything- there’s no level of fame or genius that allows you to transcend oblivion. The infinite future makes that kind of mattering impossible. But there’s another way. There are stories.

What has this book taught me? Go on a road trip.

TL;TR: #GIRLBOSS

October 22, 2014
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GIRLBOSS

I’m extending the “Too Long; Thu Reads” category to books from now on. You could label this is a book review, but it’s more of a book summary with notes and thoughts. …Wait, did I just define “book review?” Whatever, go with it.

I just finished reading #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso, CEO and founder of a little company called Nasty Gal. It’s just an online fashion retail store that’s known to all millennial girls and some big-time businesspeople, no big deal. With release (May 2014) of #GIRLBOSS and general badassery, she’s been the talk of the town. She has that story: girl steals stuff, girl starts eBay store, girl turns into CEO and girlboss of her own multi-millionaire company. Typical, right?

As some book reviews have mentioned, it’s not much of an entrepreneurial book and I agree with that. It can be paired with one, but it’s not an entrepreneurial book on its own. This book is more of a memoir/guide/motivational tool/straight-talk-type book. Sophia shares her personal story- slip-up’s, steals, victories, and all. She’ll get real with you (i.e. KNOW yourself before going into an interview, shitty jobs can teach you something, hone your craft). And at the end of each chapter, there’s a portrait of a girlboss like Leandra Medine, blogger of Manrepeller or Jenné Lombardo, founder of the Terminal Presents. They also share their story, how they find themselves to be a girlboss, and share some advice like…

Get excited for the mistakes you’ll make.

Be humble. Never forget where you come from. And always be polite. Good old-fashioned manners can get you very far.

I respect Sophia, and I respect all of the girlbosses featured in this book. Sophia is a girlboss and she works damn hard to be a girlboss. This is something she conveys throughout the book. She thinks about her customers a lot, she pays attention to the details, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. I may or may not have geeked out because she references Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin. It’s clear she does her homework, and knows her stuff.

TL;DR? It’s a quick read, will sometimes feel like a slap in the face, and definitely fits the target of millennials (aka me).

The world loves to tell you how difficult things are, and the world’s not exaggerating…But difficult doesn’t mean impossible, and out of the bajillion of things in this universe that you can’t control, what you can control is how hard you try, and if or when to pack it in.

Stay awake and stay alive.

The holy grail is yours for the taking.