Everyone's Upstairs Neighbors

I hate to speak in grandiose generalizations, but... it really sucks to have upstairs neighbors.

While ours aren't The Worst Ever, they certainly qualify for Pretty Fucking Loud. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they knowingly wait until 11:30pm before starting to move heavy furniture back-and-forth across their apartment. Or jump rope. (Yes, seriously.) Or barrel down the stairs -- which are conveniently located alongside my bedroom wall lol fml -- and slam the front door AT FULL FORCE when leaving the building, regardless of the hour.

Almost. Every. Night.

ANYWAY. After a particularly annoying evening, I sought out a funny video from 2015 called Everyone's Upstairs Neighbors in hopes of improving my mood. It worked! 

Stewing in a shitty mood doesn't solve problems, but a little levity will almost always make you feel better. It's nice to have something small (like a goofy Youtube video) to turn to for perspective and a good laugh.

Do you have noisy neighbors? Are YOU the noisy neighbor??

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What I'm Watching This Weekend

Even though Mercury is retrograde, the stars managed to align for me: Two projects I've been really excited to watch are coming out this week :)

The new season of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman was released yesterday, and the Borat sequel will be available tomorrow. Since the forecast is calling for rain in Montreal (again/still/will it ever end?) I'm obviously in for a doozy of streaming, guilt-free!

David Letterman will forever be my favorite late night host. He always seemed sharper, weirder and, well, funnier than the other guys. As a young kid, it was such a thrill to catch his show (when I could covertly swing a late bedtime) and an extra-special treat if Jack Hanna was a guest. Those early laughs evolved into major admiration and adoration that lasted well beyond Letterman's final appearance on The Late Show.

Needless to say, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction helps fill the void created by his retirement. The format is obviously different -- these are long form interviews, all released at once. He digs into deeper, more thoughtful conversations with his guests. Some episodes are very funny, others are more moving, but they all have oodles of charm and a lot of heart.

If you're cherry-picking content from past seasons, I would make sure to catch Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Tina Fey, Tiffany Haddish, and Lewis Hamilton.

TBH, I'm not sure what to expect from Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm -- largely because, after the first movie, there doesn't seem to be much new ground left for this character to cover. The sequel is already stirring up controversy (of course it is) and probably isn't for everyone. Am I looking forward to watching it anyway? Absolutely.

Image credit (top): goop

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3 Comedy Specials (To Get You Through A Rainy Weekend)

Look, the last few weeks have been challenging, if not outright rough. We can all benefit from a big belly laugh. Since Montreal is basically grounded for another two weeks, and this weekend's weather forecast is looking not-so-sexy, why not sidle up on the couch and stream some stand-up. (Don't forget the snacks.)

Here are three comedians whose work consistently has me lol-ing to the point of mild physical pain. Seeing them listed in a row, I definitely spot similarities between them: Their material is clever, chatty, relatable. And very funny (duh). I want to be friends with all three of them. Maybe you'll feel the same way! 

I'm new to the Michelle Buteau bandwagon -- but better late than never! Her new special, Welcome to Buteaupia (on Netflix), is a lot of fun to watch. She can be a little crass and somehow super cute at the same time. I love her stories about being a first-time mom, and can barely catch my breath when she talks about her husband's super European family. Click here to watch the trailer :)

It's hard not to love Hannibal Buress! Josh (my sherpa for all things stand-up) introduced me to him years ago and I've been a fan ever since. Hannibal released Miami Nights (free on Youtube!) back in July. Some of his jokes are so goofy -- those crack me up the most. I'm helpless against silly one-liners and random observations. He also gets into the time he was arrested in Miami. Who knew police injustice could literally be so ridiculous.

I actually saw Iliza Shlesinger perform Elder Millenial (on Netflix) at Just For Laughs a few years ago! She's an incredibly strong performer and storyteller, but has also been accused of being woman-hating or anti-feminist. And fine, maybe some of her material takes a derivative view on female friendships. The thing is, those bits speak directly to my own experience as a younger person -- almost like she lifted actual events from my own time as a member of a group of suburban frenemies. Is that a good thing? I don't know. Does it strike a chord that shakes free some serious laughs? You better believe it.

Long story short: Iliza's bits about lady-sheep, party goblins, and trying to locate something in your purse are great. And if you like this special, then she has four or five more (also on Netflix) that will be right up your alley :)

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Who are some of your favorite comedians? Who cracks you up the most? 

Image credit: I totally screwed up and lost the sources, sorry!

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Book Club: Wow, No Thank You.

If it doesn't bother anyone, I'd like to jump right into gushing over this book.

Wow, No Thank You. is hilarious! One of those books you probably shouldn't read on public transportation unless you're comfortable lol-ing alone in a group of strangers. Samantha Irby covers a lot of ground: Pets, ghosts, car ownership, living in Chicago, marriage, poop. The list goes on! Her writing style is easy and informal, almost like she's personally telling you her stories.

As a thirty-something with growing homebody tendencies, some of her words speak directly to my SOUL. I, too, need a full day of physical prep (preceded by at least a week of mental rallying) before any Big Night Out. And like Irby, I can also survive on Doritos and Diet Coke for a shamefully long time.  

I can't wait to read her other books, just like I couldn't wait to write this post. (Confession: I'm only 75% finished but had to share right away because IT'S JUST THAT GOOD.) If you're a fan of David Sedaris or Kelly Oxford or Jessi Klein, and you're looking for something super fun to read, then you'll probably like Wow, No Thank You. A LOT :)

What are you reading these days?

Image credit: IndieBound

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