I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales From a Happy Life Without Kids
"You'll Change Your Mind." That’s what everyone says to Jen Kirkman— and countless women like her—when she confesses she doesn’t plan to have children. But you know what? It’s hard enough to be an adult. You have to dress yourself and pay bills and remember to buy birthday gifts. You have to...
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"You'll Change Your Mind." That’s what everyone says to Jen Kirkman— and countless women like her—when she confesses she doesn’t plan to have children. But you know what? It’s hard enough to be an adult. You have to dress yourself and pay bills and remember to buy birthday gifts. You have to drive and get annual physicals and tip for good service. Some adults take on the added burden of caring for a tiny human being with no language skills or bladder control. Parenthood can be very rewarding, but let’s face it, so are margaritas at the adults-only pool. Jen’s stand-up routine includes lots of jokes about not having kids (and some about masturbation and Johnny Depp), after which complete strangers constantly approach her and ask, “But who will take care of you when you’re old?” (Servants!) Some insist, “You’d be such a great mom!” (Really? You know me so well!) Whether living rent-free in her childhood bedroom while trying to break into comedy (the best free birth control around, she says), or taking the stage at major clubs and joining a hit TV show— and along the way getting married, divorced, and attending excruciating afternoon birthday parties for her parent friends—Jen is completely happy and fulfilled by her decision not to procreate. I Can Barely Take Care of Myself is a beacon of hilarious hope for anyone whose major life decisions have been questioned by friends, family, and strangers in a comedy club bathroom. And it should satisfy everyone who wonders if Jen will ever know true love without looking into the eyes of her child.
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Format: hardcover
ISBN:
9781451667004 (1451667000)
Publish date: April 16th 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages no: 213
Edition language: English
I really enjoyed listening to this book. It finally felt like I met a like minded soul. The wit and sarcasm greatly helped me to like this book so much. I've made it no secret to everyone and anyone who asks me that I don't want kids. I came to this decision almost 10 years ago. I was never t...
Boy or boy how do I relate to this memoir! You would think that it's based on me. With one exception: I detect a feeling of guilt in between the lines that the author writes. I've never, ever had that with my choice to remain childless by choice. Perhaps it's because of her upbringing in the neuroti...
Arrg. I wanted to like this audiobook, I really did. Hell, I even requested it from the library weeks before it came out and grabbed it the day the library called me. But I just can't get into it. Maybe it's the subject - she's preaching to the choir, here - or maybe it's that I know she's much ...
When asked why I don't have children yet, my answer is always "I can barely take care of myself." So when I saw this title and read a blurb of this book, I knew immediately that I had to read it. I already knew the author and I had a connection. I would "get" whatever Jen Kirkman was trying to say.I...
I had fairly high hopes for this book. I enjoy humorous memoirs and I thought this one would have an interesting point of view. While it was a quick and easy read, I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales from a Happy Life Without Kids by Jen Kirkman was rather disappointing. Jen Kirkman is a writer ...