{"id":11837,"date":"2019-04-08T19:57:35","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T23:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=11837"},"modified":"2022-08-17T20:42:17","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T00:42:17","slug":"how-to-be-a-normal-person","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/11837","title":{"rendered":"How to Be a Normal Person"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Be a Normal Person<\/a><\/em> (2015) TJ Klune<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>This is a silly and utterly ridiculous story.<\/p>\n

It also had me laughing ridiculously on multiple occasions.<\/p>\n

The Internet was vast and had men with disproportionately large testicles.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gustavo Tiberius isn’t normal. <\/p>\n

He was not a firework. Or, if he was, he was those black snake ones that you light and they do nothing but ash a long line. That was an acceptable firework to be. Nobody liked them and they did absolutely nothing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What\u2019s your inseam measurement?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, I don\u2019t believe that\u2019s any of your business,\u201d Gus said stiffly. Plus, he\u2019d never really measured, so he had no idea. Was that something that everyone was supposed to know? He reminded himself to look it up in the encyclopedia when he got home, but remembered he was only on the letter G, and he couldn\u2019t skip ahead. He was destined to wonder for months.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This was less of a problem before his father died, but now he is strange and weird and alone–even if some people in town have forced their friendship upon him.<\/p>\n

He took the We Three Queens\u2019 video card, charged them two bucks (even though it should have been four; he told them it was because they were regulars, and that was mostly true. It also was because he loved them deeply and didn\u2019t know quite else how to say it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThanks for coming to Lottie\u2019s Lattes!\u201d she shouted after him. \u201cWhere we like you a lottie!\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cFor fuck\u2019s sake,\u201d he muttered as the bell rang overhead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First, to be clear, this is a funny story, but the story does not make fun of Gus. Yes, he doesn’t think or see things the way regular people do, and that leads him to say ridiculous things at times, but the humor tends to be at things he thinks and says, not that cringe-worthy embarrassment humor that was so popular in 80s movies and that I despised.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, man. Raining cats and dogs.\u201d <\/p>\n

Gus (being Gus) said, \u201cThe first recorded use of that phrase was in the 1651 collection of poems Olor Iscanus<\/em> by Henry Vaughn,\u201d all the while thinking shut up, shut up, shut up<\/em>!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then, the hipster comes to town.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, followers. Second day in and I met Gustavo Tiberius and his ferret. Check it out. They both have pretty eyes. Blushing smiley face. L-O-L. Hashtag awesome. Hashtag presidential ferrets. Hashtag mountain town adventures. Hashtag\u2014\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gus’ life is turned upside down and he decides that perhaps he needs to learn how to be normal. Because he decides he likes Casey, even if he’s never dealt with a asexual hipster before.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? No. Just. Shut up. I don\u2019t even know <\/em>you.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Casey said. \u201cYou will.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you threaten me!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But it’s more than just Gus and Casey. It’s also Lottie (Casey’s aunt) and even better, the We Three Queens, who are an utter delight. They are and elderly Vespa riding gang of three. And they are marvelous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI liked it,\u201d Bernice breathed, standing only inches away from Casey now. \u201cI liked it so much. You have to autograph something for me. Like my dreams.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHello. I am calling for advice.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cShhh,\u201d she snapped, sounding slightly muffled. \u201cI\u2019ll put it on speaker, just be quiet. Did you hear what he said? He needs advice. He\u2019s totally going to do it! Casey will be so\u2014 ahem. Hello, Gus. Nothing is going on here at all. It is just me and no one else. What sort of advice are you looking for?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThis shit is hysterical,\u201d Bernice said, flipping through more notecards. \u201cGus, in case you don\u2019t know, you\u2019re my third-favorite person in this room. And my first-favorite man.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gus also turns to the Internet for advice on how to be normal. This is even more ridiculous than you’d respect.<\/p>\n

That One Friend <\/p>\n

We all have them. You know what I\u2019m talking about. That One Friend. Yes, That One Friend who you love dearly and enjoy very much, but who can be a bit on the wild side. Their personality isn\u2019t for everyone. What you might consider bubbly, others might potentially consider undesirable. Before you decide which of your friends is That One Friend, make sure you look inside yourself to make sure that you\u2019re not That One Friend<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yeah. I’m totally That One Friend. <\/p>\n

Did I mention it also made me a little weepy? That’s because it’s been several years, and Gus is still mourning his father. His grief is just so blunt it’s heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

This story is not for everyone. Gus is odd, and Casey is an asexual stoner hipster, but it kept making me laugh, and really, what more could one ask for?<\/p>\n

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
\nRating: 6.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Be a Normal Person (2015) TJ Klune This is a silly and utterly ridiculous story. It also had me laughing ridiculously on multiple occasions. The Internet was vast and had men with disproportionately large testicles. Gustavo Tiberius isn’t normal. He was not a firework. Or, if he was, he was those black snake […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[189,207,510,148,26],"tags":[213,544,535,221],"class_list":["post-11837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ace","category-mental-health-rep","category-own-voices","category-queer","category-romance","tag-grief","tag-mm","tag-neurodiversity","tag-t-j-klune"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-34V","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13444,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/13444","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":0},"title":"How to Be a Normal Person","author":"Michelle","date":"September 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"How to Be a Normal Person (2014) TJ Klune Gustavo Tiberius lives in Abby, Oregon and is not a a little odd. He doesn't really mind that much, because he is mostly content with his life. IT WAS seven in the morning when the alarm clock belonging to Gustavo Tiberius\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Be a Normal Person","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/How-to-Be-a-Normal-Person.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":22063,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/22063","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":1},"title":"The House in the Cerulean Sea","author":"Michelle","date":"May 29, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) TJ Klune \u201cIt\u2019s just that\u2026\u201d She stood from her desk, arms still folded. \u201cDon\u2019t you wonder?\u201d \u201cNever,\u201d Linus said promptly. Then, \u201cAbout what?\u201d \"All children, no matter their \u2026 disposition or what they\u2019re capable of, must be protected regardless of the cost.\u201d Jowls\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The House in the Cerulean Sea","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/The-House-in-the-Cerulean-Sea.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20761,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20761","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":2},"title":"Wolfsong","author":"Michelle","date":"September 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Wolfsong (2016) T.J. Klune (Green Creek) I'm trying this series again. I liked the first book well enough the first time, but the second book was a problem. I'm hoping that knowing the rest of the books are NOT about Ox an Joe will make the adjustment a little easier.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "7.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"7.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/7-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wolfsong","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Wolfsong.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14147,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14147","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":3},"title":"The House in the Cerulean Sea","author":"Michelle","date":"March 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) T.J. Klune Linus works for DICOMA--the department that looks after the welfare of magical children. \u201cIt\u2019s just that\u2026\u201d She stood from her desk, arms still folded. \u201cDon\u2019t you wonder?\u201d \u201cNever,\u201d Linus said promptly. Then, \u201cAbout what?\u201d \u201cWhat happens to a place like this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The House in the Cerulean Sea","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/The-House-in-the-Cerulean-Sea.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20787,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20787","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":4},"title":"Ravensong","author":"Michelle","date":"September 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Ravensong (2019) TJ Klune (Green Creek) I struggled with this book just as much the second time through as I did the first time around. It was long. I still think it needed edited down. And it still was dark and upsetting. I WAS eight, and my father took a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "eBook"","block_context":{"text":"eBook","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/ebook"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ravensong","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Ravensong.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11859,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/11859","url_meta":{"origin":11837,"position":5},"title":"Wolfsong","author":"Michelle","date":"April 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Wolfsong (2016) TJ Klune (Green Creek) Ox was twelve when his daddy told him that Ox wasn\u2019t worth anything and people would never understand him. Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road. Joe talked and talked and talked, but Ox found out later the boy hadn\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "7\/10"","block_context":{"text":"7\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/7-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Wolfsong.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11837"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11837\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}