When you are Engulfed in Flames

[RickyMaveety]

I have just started reading it, and it's one of the most hysterical books I've ever read.

Just that, really seriously funny. The kind of book that, I really hate to put down once I've started it.

Just thought I'd share that.

Oh, and it's by David Sedaris. I'd heard of him, just hadn't ever read anything by him. I'm going to be buying a lot of his books (if they make them available in Kindle format, that is.)

[daffy4u]

He's one of my favorites. I'm going to see him in San Diego at the end of the month.

I know you're reading the book but if you get a chance, get one his audiobooks. When you have his voice in your head it will really make you fall out laughing.

This one I'm listening to as an audiobook but I have the ebook as well.

[zelda_pinwheel]

oh yeah, David Sedaris is brilliant. you should try Dress your family in corduroy and denim and Me talk pretty one day as well.

[daffy4u]

Here's a clip of him on The Daily Show, in case you don't want an audiobook.

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchiv...d_sedaris.html

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

oh yeah, David Sedaris is brilliant. you should try Dress your family in corduroy and denim and Me talk pretty one day as well.

Oh, and I understand that he and his boyfriend live in Paris?? He "sounds" (or reads rather) like he would be a great person to talk to. Although he says he's rather shy ... not too fond of crowds.

I've always been a fan of his sister, Amy. She's a hoot and a half. I really bought the book because I figured, she's funny ... so her brother must be too .... right?

So very right.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Oh, and I understand that he and his boyfriend live in Paris?? He "sounds" (or reads rather) like he would be a great person to talk to. Although he says he's rather shy ... not too fond of crowds.

I've always been a fan of his sister, Amy. She's a hoot and a half. I really bought the book because I figured, she's funny ... so her brother must be too .... right?

So very right.

reeeeeally.... hmmm.... very interesting... (me decides to do a bit of research starting with the telephone directory tomorrow...)

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Here's a clip of him on The Daily Show, in case you don't want an audiobook.

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchiv...d_sedaris.html

Great interview!! I was put in mind of Truman Capote, but without the overdone mannerisms and annoying voice pitch.

I so wish he'd move into my neighborhood. Not going to happen, but I can wish it .....

[zelda_pinwheel]

i just watched the hilarious interview... damn, if only i had know about the japanese method of quitting smoking a few months ago !! it would have been the perfect excuse to go visit my friend in tokyo. now it's too late, since i actually did manage to stop smoking without moving.

although, there are a lot of birthdays coming up among my friends, and apparently even if you quit you're expected to smoke then. so maybe i could start smoking again for the birthdays, and *then* go to japan to quit again. of course, my method is a LOT cheaper than the japanese method. but it doesn't come with charmingly mild and vague cautionary slogans, or diagrams of adorable children with cigarettes in their eyes, either...

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i just watched the hilarious interview... damn, if only i had know about the japanese method of quitting smoking a few months ago !! it would have been the perfect excuse to go visit my friend in tokyo. now it's too late, since i actually did manage to stop smoking without moving.

although, there are a lot of birthdays coming up among my friends, and apparently even if you quit you're expected to smoke then. so maybe i could start smoking again for the birthdays, and *then* go to japan to quit again. of course, my method is a LOT cheaper than the japanese method. but it doesn't come with charmingly mild and vague cautionary slogans, or diagrams of adorable children with cigarettes in their eyes, either...

As your doctor, well as a doctor, I strongly urge you to not take up smoking again, even as a fillip to your friends. Quitting is hard and the reinforcement of the dopamine resptors that you get when you take it up again is brutal. Just say non!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

As your doctor, well as a doctor, I strongly urge you to not take up smoking again, even as a fillip to your friends. Quitting is hard and the reinforcement of the dopamine resptors that you get when you take it up again is brutal. Just say non!

pshrynk, as a doctor of my acquaintance, you may be very proud of me ; the other day a friend of mine offered me a cigarette and i waved it away without hesitation ; in fact, without even thinking about it. i stopped smoking about 4 or 5 months ago (not good at remembering dates, but i know it was sometime in february) and although i have smoked the very occasional cigarette of a friend near the beginning, this time is definitive. the fact that all bars are now non-smoking in France has definitely helped a lot ; no more temptation, you see.

this is actually about the eleventy hundred and first time i've quit. the first time i found it suprisingly easy, and didn't smoke for 2 months. after i idiotically started again i quit every week for at least one day, and frequently several (those would be the attempts 2 through eleventy hundred). it seemed a lot less easy.

this time, i had no choice, since i had to have a small operation. it was a minor intervention, which went perfectly, but its success depended primarily on my never smoking again*. that's a remarkably effective impetus, since i am such a giant baby that the thought of potentially having to go through that ordeal again was more than i could bear.

also, stopping smoking is actually remarkably easy, despite what you may think after reading this post. just ask Allen Carr (i read his book ; it's not great litterature, but it sincerely helped me).

*EDIT : well... in any case, not during the several weeks immediately following it, anyway.