Shoplifting From American Apparel

I try to keep an open mind about what the young kids go on about these days, so I thought I would give this guy a chance and see what's what, what. But then I realized that Tao Lin is a year older than I am – I thought he was, I don't know, five years younger than me? which would help excuse him. But no. The story and the writing both reminded me of the diaries I kept late in grade school and early in high school (that is, the parts where I described social interactions, which weren't many). It also reminded me of this one guy on Diaryland I used to read who was depressed and self-sabotaging with a girlfriend and a pathetic mom and no money. Bobby or something? In any case, I was kind of depressed by the time I finished the novella, so I read some philosophy to restore my equilibrium.

I felt like the shallowness was supposed to be secretly deep and I just don't get it.

I thought about writing a review in the style of this book. Then my sentences would be short. My sentences would be short and I'd seem completely apathetic about writing the review. I'd also probably choose the most mundane parts of the book to write about. I would not try to be interesting.

I read this book mostly on my iPhone. I read it in an app called Oyster. I was sitting up in bed when I read it. After I read it, I had some organic milk with organic cereal. I watched a TED talk and thought about Breaking Bad. I wasn't thinking about the book anymore because it just wasn't worth thinking about.