Like The Dude, I Abide

The Body, Brain, and Books: Eleven Questions with writer and podcaster Michael Estrin

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Michael Estrin writes and tells stories from his life that are funny, heartfelt, vulnerable, and sometimes even profound. His essays have appeared in Vox, Narratively, and Tablet. His journalism has won two Maggies and earned an LA Press Club nomination. Michael also wrote a couple books (self-published.) He received his BA from Wesleyan University, and JD from Brooklyn Law School. He studied comedy at UCB.

Michael lives in Los Angeles with his wife and partner in crime, Christina. He is the Chewbacca to her Han Solo. Their dog, Mortimer, is named after one of the villains in the Eddie Murphy comedy Trading Places.

You can read Michael’s stories at Situation Normalon Substack (featured publication, 2023). He also hosts the podcast Situation Normal.

1. What are you reading now?

I read a lot of history, but that can get heavy, and the world feels too heavy right now. So I’m reading a book by Eli Grober a writer I met on Substack. Eli wrote for “The Tonight Show” and his work often appears in “McSweeney’s Internet Tendency,” so he’s aces with topical humor. His book is called “This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse.” The title is a lie, because laughing helps, and I’m laughing my butt off reading Eli’s work.    

2. What are your most beloved books from your youth? Did you ever hide any from your parents?

I never had to hide books from my parents. My mom is an avid reader, my dad wasn’t, but they both encouraged my book habit. I devoured history books, two at a time. I read a lot of New Journalism, especially Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe, and later, Joan Didion. I also read a lot of humor, mostly Dave Barry and Art Buchwald.

3. What’s your favorite book to reread? Any that helped you through a dark time? 

People think I’m nuts when I say this, but whenever I’m feeling pessimistic, I reread “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks. I enjoy zombie stories because zombies make great metaphors for issues we’d rather not face. “World War Z” tackles the darkest issue—climate change. But it’s a hopeful book because it’s told from a post-war perspective. It’s about how humanity met the zombie climate change threat. Also, the stories in “World War Z” are full of humanity—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

4. What’s an article of clothing that makes you feel most like you?

Hoodies! I’m wearing a mustard-yellow hoodie as type this. There’s something warm and comfy about a hoodie. I like to feel warm and comfy.

5. What’s the best piece of wisdom you've encountered recently?

This isn’t recent advice, but it shapes the way I think about my freelance writing and my creative writing. I saw a documentary about The Wrecking Crew, a group of session musicians who played on a lot of hit albums. One member of The Wrecking Crew, Tommy Tedesco, laid out four reasons to take the gig. He said, take the gig for: 1) the money, 2) the connections, 3) the experience, or 4) because you think it’ll be fun.

There’s a lot of practical wisdom there. Money is important because you need money, obviously. Connections are important because the people you work with determine your future opportunities. Experience is important because that’s how you learn. Fun is important because, well, if I have to explain why fun is important, you’ve got bigger fish to fry, and you should go fry those fish immediately.

6. Tell me about any special relationship you’ve had with an animal, domestic or wild?

Our dog, Mortimer, is my coworker. He sits in a chair next to my desk. Mortimer reminds me to get up and move—literally a life-saver. And he’s so damn cute. Playing with him brings me endless joy. But Mortimer is also a character. We named him after Mortimer Duke, one of the villains from the Eddie Murphy comedy “Trading Places.” In retrospect, we were asking for trouble by naming our dog after an unscrupulous old man who makes a bet with his brother that ruins two lives. Whether he’s unraveling rolls of toilet paper, or knocking pillows off the bed, Mortimer seems to relish his role as a comedic villain.

7. What's one thing you are happy worked out differently than you expected?

My yoga practice. For about a decade, I was an occasional yogi, which made me feel like a faux yogi (fogi?). I always bought one class at a time because that’s what faux yogi’s do, right? At the start of 2023, I bought a twenty-pack. I figured if I finished that, I’d be a real yogi—whatever that means. I finished three twenty-packs in 2023. I don’t know if I’m a real yogi, but my practice gives me strength—physical, mental, and spiritual. But when this yoga journey began, I was positive I’d only use two classes and let eighteen go to waste.

8. Singing in the shower or dancing in the kitchen? Or another favorite way your body expresses itself?

Dancing and singing! I dance and sing all around the house, but not in the shower because I’m a klutz. Dancing and singing keeps my spirits up. I try to dance and sing with Christina and Mortimer because I like to keep things silly. I also dance and sing when I clean the house because that makes chores fun.

9. What are your hopes for yourself?

I hope to tell more stories. I started a podcast because I wanted to build my storytelling muscles and get over my stage freight. Being on a stage is not my comfort zone, but I like the way humorous, personal stories come alive when they’re told. I hope to call myself a storyteller someday. 

10. What’s a kindness that changed your life?

Meeting Gabe Hudson. After twenty years of writing humorous stories that were mostly about me, I still struggled to describe my work. Gabe stepped into a very fraught personal space and opened up my eyes. That was a gift, but what was so amazing was how Gabe balanced his feedback with kindness. That’s rare in my experience, but it’s essential for writers who write about themselves.

11. What’s a guiding force in your life?

Dudeism. I’m not kidding. “The Big Lebowski” looms very large in my life. I love slacker noirs, so I gravitate to those kinds of stories. But “The Big Lebowski” has a philosophical aspect that speaks to me. Like The Dude, I abide.

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UP NEXT: Writing advice from Elizabeth Gilbert, along with questionnaires from Leslie Stephens, Alex Dobrenko, and Christina Wyman. Plus, essays from Maria Coffey and me.

Meet me in the comment section

What books make you laugh your butt off? How do hoodies make you feel? Who did you name your cat or dog after? Are you an occasional or real yogi? Whose kindness changed your life?