Buzz
This week on The Upgrade, comedian and bestselling author Samantha Irby shares her tips for making self-quarantine more enjoyable. From her favorite TV shows to binge-watch and books to dive into, to her go-to comfort foods for cozy nights at home, Sam offers a wealth of ideas. She’s the acclaimed writer behind We Are Never Meeting In Real Life, Meaty, and her latest release, Wow, No Thank You.
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Tune in to The Upgrade above or catch us on all major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, and NPR One.
Key Moments from This Week’s Episode
Insights from the Samantha Irby Interview
On the first rule of spending all your time indoors:
My top advice is to tidy up. I’m not a perfectionist, but even just gathering all the trash and clutter into a container with a lid can make your space feel more livable. It’s much easier to relax at home when you’re not staring at chaos.
On the difficulties of book promotion during a pandemic:
No one was prepared for [a remote book tour]. Figuring out how to download unfamiliar apps, navigate new websites, and record myself was overwhelming. One place even asked, “You need to buy a microphone.” Meanwhile, people can’t even get essential supplies. Did they really expect me to find a microphone just for one interview?
On the surprising things she misses during social distancing:
I miss browsing books at the bookstore or wandering through stores like Target, even if I wasn’t planning to buy anything. Now that I can’t, it feels like I’ve lost something I might not have even done. It’s like being grounded—Mommy says I can’t go, even though I probably wouldn’t have gone anyway. But now that it’s off the table, I find myself craving things like six Starbucks drinks a day.
For more of Sam’s quarantine stories, we highly recommend tuning into the full episode.
And, as mentioned in the episode, here are Alice’s blind contour drawings:
What exactly is a blind contour drawing, and why should you give it a try? Here’s a great breakdown to get you started.
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