Life is a Narrative

So this morning when I got up, I saw a txt from Erin, sent at midnight, that Nora Ephron died. I have long, long-time been a fan of hers. Her humor, her brevity, her realness. I can honestly say part of the reason I'm living in New York is Nora Ephron. 

I fell in love with New York when I came to visit at 18, but it was Nora Ephron's "You've Got Mail" that I fell in love with the Upper West Side and the idea of living in New York City (italicized for dramatic effect, of course). I know this is completely ridiculous. But, its true.

Then when I moved here, I started reading her essays. I fell in love with her wittiness.
I saw the play "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" and thought she was writing about my childhood. I just read “I Feel Bad About My Neck” when I was on vacation. And, at 30, understood her sentiments. I loved it so much (seriously, go read it now) that I watched "Heartburn" the following weekend.

Anyway, there are very few writers that I feel that sort of kinship with, deep understanding and association... (word up, Jane Austen)... So, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I'm a little sad. Here are a few of my favorite Ephron quotes:

"Life is a narrative." (I Feel Bad About My Neck)

"I look out the window and I see the lights and the skyline and the people on the street rushing around looking for action, love, and the world's greatest chocolate chip cookie, and my heart does a little dance." (Heartburn)

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self." (You've Got Mail) 

"Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy.”
 

“…the amount of maintenance involving hair is genuinely overwhelming. Sometimes I think that not having to worry about your hair anymore is the secret upside of death.” (I Feel Bad About My Neck)

Great NYTimes article