For anyone not familiar with Jenny Lawson, she is an internet blogger who goes by “The Bloggess.” She’s known for getting a picture of Wil Wheaton collating paper, surprising her husband with a giant metal chicken named Beyonce, and for talking about her struggles with depression and anxiety. I credit her with one of my favorite quotes, “depression lies.”
Furiously Happy is Jenny Lawson’s second book, giving readers a glimpse into her life as a blogger with often crippling anxiety and depression. And it is funny as anything I’ve ever read. I started reading Furiously Happy in the middle of my own depressive episode. I have been on a downward spiral ever since the election (no surprise there), Carrie Fisher died on my birthday, and I developed a constant and persistent migraine on New Year’s Day. I couldn’t watch tv, and my time dealing with a computer screen was limited, but I found I could read with the brightness setting lowered on my Kindle. I hit the low point of my depression last Sunday, and let me just say that Furiously Happy made absolutely cackle madly out loud, even through some of the worst darkness I have felt in years.
Jenny Lawson describes her decision to live life outrageously and furiously happy in between anxiety and depression. She can’t always manage to make it out of her house, or when she does make it out of the house she does sometimes end up under a table hiding from people, but she continues to push herself to live. She recognizes that depression is a big, na
sty liar, and she will continue to fight and to
be vocal for all of us who sometimes (or even a lot of times) live in the darkness. If you’ve read her first book or her blog, it’s more of the same. For me, it was having the voice of a familiar friend at a time I needed it. I would highly recommend it if you need a ridiculously messed up geeky friend in your life. And here are a few gems of wisdom…
“Some people might think that this ‘furiously happy’ movement is just an excuse to be stupid and irresponsible and invite a herd of kangaroos over to your house without telling your husband first because you suspect he would say no since he’s never particularly liked kangaroos. And that would be ridiculous because no one would invite a herd of kangaroos into their house. Two is the limit. I speak from personal experience. My husband, Victor, says that ‘none’ is the new limit. I say he should have been clearer about that before I rented all those kangaroos.”
“Everything after George Washington’s dildo was a blur.”
“There will be moments when you have to be a grown-up. Those moments are tricks. Do not fall for them.”
aaaaaand, added to my amazon cart!
I’m so very sorry to hear about what a horrible time you’ve been having. As several of my friends said: “November 2016 was the 2016 of all the months of an already horrible year”. I think most people had a pretty dark time after the election and in the run-up to New Year’s. Carrie Fisher’s death broke the dam of my emotions and I cried about everything horrible in my 2016 up until that point (so for days and days, pretty much).
Jenny Lawson is a treasure and a star, and while I myself haven’t had to struggle with deep depression since I was at University, my husband is bipolar and that can be a real struggle to live with (so much worse for him than for me, but I have still had to support him through thick and thin for the last 16+ years). Both of her books have really helped me get perspective on my life and I’m only sorry that it took me so long to discover her. I now visit her blog multiple times a week. I’m so very glad this book made your dark time a bit brighter.
Also, hang in there. As you already know, depression lies and if you just keep going, even when it’s super hard, it WILL get better eventually. Don’t give up, accept help if you can and good luck getting through it.
This is a well timed reminder that I have this book on audio waiting for me… moved up the queue.
Hang in there you, and if you need us we’re here.