We are supposed to be oiled and that we are not oiled enough
October 26, 2018 6:30 AM   Subscribe

How I Get It Done, by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: Taffy is a familiar name around these parts. She's best known for her profiles in The New York Times (Mefi discussed the ones on Gwyneth Paltrow and Tonya Harding). But it's time we got to know Taffy herself. posted by like_neon (14 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
That was really funny! Now that I wish that I could be a mystery brunette.
posted by lollymccatburglar at 8:28 AM on October 26, 2018


My older sister, who is a holistic veterinarian, said, “Give up coffee — it’s making you more tired than you think.”

I love how she added in the detail of her sister's medical qualifications. Just perfect.
posted by like_neon at 8:38 AM on October 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


STOKED.
posted by aspersioncast at 8:55 AM on October 26, 2018


I really love this series. The most recent one is Megan Amram and it's delightful.

NY Mag's Grub Street Diet is also often great, though not always. I don't know who John Early is but this made me want to find everything he has done!
posted by apricot at 8:57 AM on October 26, 2018 [4 favorites]


This is GREAT. I loved the part about the hotel room shades rejecting her hair clip. I also swear by TJ’s melatonin. (Stars - they’re just like us!)
posted by 41swans at 9:41 AM on October 26, 2018


1) Caity Weaver is the other journalist (besides Taffy) whose byline will make me stop and read a thing about a celebrity, so learning that the two of them are buddies who text each other - specifically, that Caity Weaver is the one who made Taffy aware that she had become a "MYSTERY BRUNETTE" after her interview with Tom Hiddleston - made me positively gleeful.

2) The context for the title of the post: "The thing that has changed for me over the last two years, but really the last few months, is my understanding that we are supposed to be oiled and that we are not oiled enough — and I do understand this through Gwyneth. I have dry skin; my skin should have oil on it, my hair should have oil in it, and everything should just be coated in oil, like an Exxon Valdez duck. So now I’m oiled. I put eye cream and a face oil on, then I put a hair oil on, and my children are like, 'I can’t kiss you.' And I say, 'It’s okay, at least I’ll look beautiful into my old age.'"

I love her. Please , NYT, let her write all the things.
posted by Anita Bath at 10:19 AM on October 26, 2018 [7 favorites]


I think I just don‘t get it - which is fine, not every post is for me! - but I’m curious, if you really liked this could you explain why you liked it so much?

It‘s a parody of...something?
posted by Omnomnom at 11:09 AM on October 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


It's not a parody.

I think... these kinds of "day in the life" or "what's in my handbag" type stories can be fascinating because they give you a glimpse into a person's inner life. They are extra fascinating when that person is as smart and interesting and funny as Taffy Brodesser-Akner, especially since it was written by her and she is such a good writer. She is particularly good at the "minor personal detail as major significance" style of profile, so it's fun to see her do that to herself.
posted by apricot at 11:26 AM on October 26, 2018 [4 favorites]


I think part of what I enjoy is her straightfaced, dry delivery. It's not parody, but it's not meant to be taken 100% at face value, either.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:06 PM on October 26, 2018 [6 favorites]


She seems like good company.
posted by vunder at 12:36 PM on October 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


She does seem like good company, and Hiddleston comes off well, too. Per Brodesser-Akner, after the "mystery brunette" thing hit the airwaves:
Tom Hiddleston called me and he said, “I’m so sorry this is going on. This feels so disrespectful and I hope your husband does not have the wrong impression.” I stopped him and I said, “Tom, this has been the best week of my life. You should try to enjoy this more. I know it was tough with the Taylor stuff, but this is really amazing.”
Also, I enjoyed this, from the "travel necessities" rundown: I also bring chargers, and I have two tape recorders: one that usually stays in my office and one that travels with me, just in case somebody calls me with the next Pentagon Papers.
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:16 PM on October 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


Honestly my favorite part of this was the detail that she made a significant investment in a babysitter in order to work on her writing to basically change her career at age 34; I’m kind of doing this in that I’m just ok with hustling really hard and making minimal money for a couple of years as I do the same thing. I would really LOVE to hear more about that.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 7:39 PM on October 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


A friend of mine used to be her assistant at work and confirms that Taffy is just as funny and great as you’d think and at least ten times more disorganized.
posted by Yoko Ono's Advice Column at 8:53 PM on October 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


Wow, this is great - thank you especially for the "and more" link! I don't think I was familiar with The Cut, and I really love the whole series ... and I started scrolling through it, and about halfway down I thought, "Wow, these are all women, aren't they." It's so rare (for me, anyway) to come across a list of "how creative people do things" that's all women but doesn't actually have a title with "Women" in it ("Tips from Women Writers" or "Executive Women: A Day in the Life" or whatever). It was delightful. Thank you!
posted by kristi at 11:10 AM on October 27, 2018 [3 favorites]


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