If you’ve been following me on Instagram or if you happen to know me, it is common knowledge that I’m a huge fan of the TV show “Friends.” It is truly the “background music” of my life, all day, every day for years and years. I still laugh at jokes I’ve heard a million times. I still find myself settling in and watching the same old episodes. Even my kids quote it. After years and years of daily exposure, it is truly part of our family lexicon. At least one TV in the house is playing “Friends” at all times. It is the TV version of “comfort food" to all of us here in the Diegel house. Heck, we even leave it on for the dogs when we're not home.
A couple of weeks ago, news reports stated that Matthew Perry - who played sarcastic, witty, hilarious Chandler Bing - had died. In true Chandler fashion, I thought, “Ugh. Could I be any more sad?!” My heart was heavy, but I turned on my beloved show, poured a cup of tea, and cracked open his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” I first read it when it came out last November, and I devoured it all in one sitting then. This book is interesting, funny, sad, and juicy. Perry sheds a bright light on all of the darkest corners of his life and his life-long struggles with addiction – and he does so with a candidness and humor that only he could bring. Perry really laid everything out on the table with this book. His stories are told in such a raw and honest way. He leaves nothing out – his health, his addiction, his relationships, even his feelings about other celebrities – nothing is off limits. He shouldn’t have lived through some of the things he describes in this book. He had seriously been to the edge and back multiple times.
Reading Perry's words now that he is gone was eerie and comforting at the same time. Still, I highly recommend giving “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” a try – or maybe turn on your favorite episode of “Friends.” But how do you even choose a favorite? Remember our old friend Chandler. After that, pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader, where you will find me reading and rambling my way through another week.
Allison Diegel is the Executive Chaos Coordinator at the Diegel Home for Wayward Girls and Their Many Pets here in her hometown of Fallon. She has been reading since before she could talk, and now she likes doing lots of both.
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