You're So Welcome For Me
Happy belated Thanksgiving! I’m sure you all said a prayer of gratitude for everything I’ve done for you since I began this newsletter six months ago, and for that, you’re welcome. As a vegan who keeps a daily gratitude journal, Thanksgiving is a bit anticlimactic, but I’m happy you all got to enjoy yourselves.
I’ve had a really fun month! This is an insane thing to say, but I’m starting to think I might be…happy? I don’t know - give Omicron a few weeks to sour that. I started doing a lot more stand up, which is a big mood-booster. If I have any readers in Baltimore, I got three shows there this weekend, all at the Lou Room. Friday 7:30 & 9 and Saturday at 8. I also have a bunch of shows in NYC that I’ll be posting on social media, but what I’m really gearing up for is my hour-long one-woman show that I hope to perform this winter. I’ve started rehearsing it to friends, but I need to book a venue, make a flier, talk myself into being vulnerable in front of strangers etc. Stay tuned!
Like literally everyone else, the highlight of my month was the re-release of Red. I hate to create conflict, but I don’t actually love love Taylor’s two newest albums. I do love them, but I love love her older ones. I think pop-Taylor is my favorite Taylor. Also, I preferred Evermore to Folklore, which everyone tells me is insane, but it’s because of songs like Long Story Short and Gold Rush, which feel poppier to me. Anyway, I only included this paragraph because Taylor Swift has felt like the elephant in the room in this newsletter so far. Like, why have I never mentioned her, you know? Hi Taylor, Love You. I’ve started going on 40-minute jogs just listening to All Too Well four times, so I thank Taylor for the improvements in my cardiac health.
I wrote a story for the Atlantic this month about dating when you live with your parents. I actually do not live with my parents at the moment, but I did live with them until I was 28 (It was so humiliating. They should have moved out. (Just kidding - they did)). I also wrote this very fun New Yorker piece with my pals Dan Rosen & Alex Connolly. I’m all about personal boundaries, so I was pretty into this one. I’ve begun TikTok-ing all the time. It’s humiliating. My sister asked if I thought I reminded the rest of the users of their impending mortality, which was A) rude and B) spot-on. Please follow me at ginnyhogan. Just don’t watch the videos. They are - as I mentioned - humiliating.
Finally, I’ve begun my annoying marketing campaign for my new book - I’M MORE DATEABLE THAN A PLATE OF REFRIED BEANS. You can pre-order now or wait for me to ask you individually (because I will). I do this fully insane thing where I send the pre-order link to any man who slides into my Instagram DMs, but I think it’s a win-win. Either it annoys them and they rethink the DM-slide, or they consider buying my book. I’m moving forward with another project once I get enough pre-orders on this one, so if you like my writing & want to support me, or want to read a funny book about dating and beans - please pre-order! I know it’s expensive, so if you’re tight on cash I’m also happy to send you the galley for free when the book is out, just drop me your email address.
My book rec for the month is “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Yes, it’s been out for years, and yes, it’s a children’s book, but it’s a goddamn delight nonetheless. My best friend sent it to me in the depths of quarantine, saying she read it whenever she was sad. I’m not sad right now, and I wouldn’t consider this the depths of quarantine, but I needed a new book and picked this one up, and it’s so charming and sweet. It’s a really quick read to lift your spirits. I’ve always thought children’s books were better, because people, like, care about children. So they write them nice books, you know?
Love you friends & happy holidays!
xoxo
Ginny