Hi! I’m on vacation right now. OK, I’m actually just struggling with luggage and dog kennels and a kid with an ear infection, busted teeth and a swollen mouth. And I get to get on an AIRPLANE with him. I’m so lucky.
Please enjoy this post I wrote a while back. I won’t be around to answer comments or emails, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t LEAVE comments or emails, as I will likely read them while hiding in an airport bathroom, alternately sobbing and wondering who will pee on me on the airplane. (And they say that motherhood is tough. Bah!)
My friend sent me an article on J. Franz (that’s Jonathan Franzen to you, but I think he’d appreciate being called J. Franz more, don’t you?) and his many hates. She knows how I adore his books. In addition to believing the ebook is killing society, he also hates smartphones, facebook, the Internet in general, and cats. Oh, and puppies, rainbows, love, world peace and happiness.
But none of this is surprising. The real question is: what does J. Franz LOVE?
1. Admiring His Art
“Perfect!” he’d exclaim (but only in the privacy (that’s pronounced the British way, “priv-uh-see”) of his own home).
2. Proving His Art Is Better Than Others’
3. Admiring Other Forms of His Art
And I believe that’s the exhaustive list of J. Franz loves. But enough talking about that. Now tell me what YOU love about J. Franz.
I read the Corrections when I first got sober and had NOTHING to do but read. It helped me. The crazy and the intracacy of his story helped me focus on something other than how much it sucked to be not drinking. I’ve read everything else he’s written since then and am a HUGE raving fan. I am so tickled that you love him. Makes me feel I’m doing something right. Have fun with all that bullshit you are dealing with, hope it passes quickly and relatively painlessly.
Hope your boy feels better soon and thankful it was not worse.
Ha! I was just thinking about you as I read J. Franz’s critique of Edith Warton in the New Yorker. Awful.
Oooooh I was wondering if your kids were going with you. Hopefully his face will heal nicely with a fun, relaxing vacation to distract him….
Good luck on the trip! Flying with an ear infection is the worst
If you give him an airplane bottle of whiskey, it may help 
<— yes, I would be a crappy parent 
i’m not familiar with JFranz, but from this post i believe i know some people he would like to hang out with. coincidentally, they are also people i do NOT want to hang out with, and this way they could occupy each other and i wouldn’t have to hang out with any of them. perfect!
Have a great vacation! I would like to read but I have a 400 page limit on the books start… Although if you like… Funny post!!!