GoKawiilis the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.
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Angela Nissel’s latest book, Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom Is Dead, is my kind of memoir. Sure, it’s a deeply emotional tale about caring for a terminally ill parent. But it’s delivered with the sort of gallows humor that I often turn to to get me through tough times.
Of course, that sort of dark humor should come as no surprise from Nissel. She first made a splash with The Broke Diaries, which grew out of a blog she kept in college detailing her daily struggles and, at times, embarrassment at being a broke student. Eventually she went on to produce and write for hit shows including Scrubs and The Boondocks.
One of her most lasting contributions is undeniably Okayplayer, which she co-founded with Questlove. Though, as we’ll find out shortly, being involved with one of the most important online outlets in hip hop is something of a bittersweet memory for Nissel.
Oh, and she has my favorite GIF submission yet.
What is your most indispensable tool?
A knockoff Swiss Army Knife. It was a gift from the Scrubs grips over 20 years ago. I always have a screwdriver, a knife, and a corkscrew in my pocket. I feel like a badass.
Which is the most underappreciated?
My dog. He’s analog and breaks down my cardboard boxes in seconds. Now they all fit in the recycle bin.
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