A Very Punchable Face

I was looking at the books I’ve read this year on my Goodreads app, and spotted a book I’d never year or even head of: “A Very Pinchable Face: A Memoir” by former SNL cast member & head writer Colin Jost. Looked interesting, so I read it. I was prepared for many of the inevitable philosophical differences I was sure we had (he really went to town against one former US President who once hosted SNL). But there were many “positive” parts of the book. Jost shared much of his days growing up on Staten Island, and commuting to Catholic high school in the city. Though he received a perfect math SAT school and is obviously has a fine command of language, Jost claimed Harvard was no harder than most major universities.

Colin worked hard at Harvard to become a member of the Harvard humor magazine. Diligently worked to land a job as a comedy writer. Despite the grueling production schedule on Saturday Night Live, in the little spare time he had Jost honed his trade as a standup comedian. Having written literally thousands of comedy sketches, he produced a well-written, hilarious memoir during covid. Many of the stories were self-depreciating, from his failed childhood sports career, accidents on the golf course and other places, and several injuries suffered throughout his life. Lots of inside scoop on SNL.

Jost spoke with love and admiration for his parents. His father was a successful businessman and later an admired teacher. His mother a doctor who joined the fire department. He shared her amazing experience on September 11, when she was one of the first firefighters on the scene. She narrowly escaped being buried alive when the first tower fell – and then again when the second tower fell. She treated countless firefighters and others both one the scene, and in the hours and days afterward. At first Colin and his father thought there was no way she could have made it to the World Trade Center before it toppled, so they hadn’t been worried. But she had been nearby visiting a patient when she heard of the attack.

So the memoir surprised me. A hardworking guy who somehow managed to marry Scarlett Johansen. Despite his injuries and accidents, Jost is a hardworking guy who’s living a charmed life. Good for him.

Friday: left work around 415. Stopped by Wendy's for a chicken sandwich and fries for two bucks. Drove home and realized C had watered the flowers.

Since it was rush hour I took Johnson Ferry into Sandy Springs, then Lake Forest to Mt Paran, then south on Northside past 14th to Antico Pizza for C and the girls. They were super quick.

Up early to golf on Saturday morning.

1 decent drive. Cruddy second shot. Approach was a worm burner into the front left bunker. Low chip to the fringe. Two putt.

2. Worm burner, but straight. Chip to fringe. Chip. Sank the 14 footer for a bogey.

3. Pulled an 8 iron left into the woods. Mulligan was low, but rolled all the way down the hill to the fringe. Then I drained the 43 foot putt for a super rare "birdie " !!! Shot of the day.

4. Worm burner. Pulled mulligan left. Two decent chips. An okay lag, but still two putted. 

5. Worm burner. Mulligan felt good but I think it stayed left, into the woods. Good wedge that just rolled off the side of the green. Bad chip better chip. Two putt.

6. Drive stayed right. Lost two recovery shots. After a passable third shot, my approach made it to the fringe. Chip and 2 putt.

7. Drive stayed right. 3 iron up the hill. Cruddy 6 iron, then a nice wedge to the back rough. Good chip, but two putted. "Triple".

8. Decent drive that rolled down to a flat spot in the fairway. Flubbed one approach then hit my mulligan to the fringe. A putt would've had to roll over a long patch of wet fringe, so I chipped. Sank a 15 footer for a "par".

9. Flubbed two 3 woods off the tee. Flubbed two 7 irons. My playing partner lost his phone while looking for his ball in the left rough, and ran off looking for it in a panic. I'd been pointing out lost balls to the old dude playing behind us. I found 3 and he found two. I called Paul's phone, and we found it ringing in the grass now far away. I chipped to the back of the green, made a nice downhill lag putt to two feet, and sank the tester for a closing "double".

Drove home to East Cobb. While starting a load of laundry I heard the water running. C had left the hose running in the front bushes. Great. Ate leftover burgers, took a shower, watched the Neil Armstrong movie "First Man", and took a long nap.

Picked up a salad for C at the new Little Rey location, just north of Church of the Apostles on Northside Drive. Much nicer than the original Piedmont Road, but perhaps not as quaint. Lots more parking, for sure.

The girls got a late start on their nap, so we let them sleep past 530. Fed them supper. I ate leftover pizza. Let them watch some of Frozen 2.

I am hearing reports that random pallets of bricks are being mysteriously delivered to random streetcorners in Chicago, near the United Center where the DNC is being staged – similar to a couple of years ago during the Antifa riots. Handy to have a pile of bricks nearby in case someone wants to throw something at a policeman.