Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America by Leslie Knope

A couple of days ago, I wrote about how watching the TV show Parks and Rec has been an unexpected boost to my mental health. Well, reading about it has also helped me stay away from dark thinking. 

In the season 3 episode 'Born & Raised', Amy Poehler's character of Leslie Knope has just written a book called Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America. It was to act as both a history book and tour guide for the small Indiana town. It's also a love letter from Leslie to her 'hometown.' 

As I was watching the episode, I got this funny feeling that maybe, just maybe this book was real. A quick search on Amazon proved me right! A quick purchase and a couple days later, I was reading my own copy of Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America. 

The book was brilliant! It's got the OCD optimism/perfectionism of Leslie Knope as the main author. Supplemental articles are written by other staff at the Pawnee Parks and Rec Dept. Libertarian head honcho Ron Swanson discusses his political views. Leslie's assistant and lead singer of the band Mouse Rat, Andy, provides insight in the Pawnee music scene; while his wife April gives us a very begrudging overview of the community college. Every segment reads like the characters who supposedly wrote them and it felt like an extra secret episode of the show.

I'm not really one for audio books. People who complete audio books claim that they've 'read' the audio book. You didn't read that book- you listened to it. However, I would be more than willing to listen to this book as a recording if it features the voices of all of the characters from the show! 

And can I just say- Ron Swanson is one of the greatest TV characters ever! There's not enough of him in this book. Heck, 125 episodes isn't enough of the character portrayed by the amazing Nick Offerman. Could someone write a book from his perspective? And then have Offerman read the book as Ron Swanson?

The history of Pawnee is insane! It's absurdist and chuckle inducing. It's not exactly politically correct. But considering that this is a satire, I think some of the extremes in the comedy are meant to be more thought provoking than material worthy of social cancellation. If you aren't a fan of the over-the-top unexpected nature of Monty Python, Parks and Rec isn't for you and this is a book you will not enjoy. But if you can't get enough of near-surrealist comedy, this book is the perfect compendium to those of you who can't get enough of this classic NBC series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Parks and Recreation

I want to take some time and talk about the TV show Parks and Recreation or Parks and Rec as it's more commonly known. In the past month, I've kinda discovered the show. When it first aired from 2009-2015 I didn't watch it because A) my wife wasn't interested and B) it was supposed to be like The Office and I didn't like The Office. Maybe it was all part of God's timing to not watch the show then as currently I've most certainly needed it now. In fact, I think I can truly say that Parks and Rec saved my life. 

The return to school after Winter Break has certainly been grueling. I'm starting to think it's criminal to expect students to pick up after 2 weeks of being off from school and expect them to finish off the 2nd quarter and first semester. Both Q2 and S1 should end before taking time off for Christmas! Adding to the stress of trying to get students to 'finish hard', it's Cold-Flu-COVID-and-RSV season. Some days, I only see half of my class-load as they are either out sick or can't come to school because we don't have enough bus drivers. 

We also don't have enough teachers. Every day since after Thanksgiving we've had 10-15 teachers out sick. Our district can't get enough subs. So the teachers are expected to fill in. I'm trying to run a department and doing my very best to hold boundaries to saying no. Because if I don't, I'll never get my lesson planning and other class needs meet. But it makes me feel guilty. Budget concerns, threats of violence daily and everyone being angry has taken its toll. Yesterday, I started having chest pains.

I really think if I hadn't been watching Parks and Rec, I would have had a stress related heart attack or a stroke. The NBC series starring Amy Poehler (SNL), Nick Offerman (the voice of Axe Cop) and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) has helped me laugh for one thing. It's also kept me out of a funk. There's been days I've gotten home, just wishing to crawl into bed and sleep. Instead, I flip on my Chromecast and I watch a mini marathon of episodes. Having my wonderful and warm gatos crawl up in my lap has been the icing on the cake. 

Parks and Rec is about the government in a bizarre, small town called Pawnee, Indiana. Everything and everyone in Pawnee is completely insane. Bureaucracy is literally a mishmash of bad ideas, outdated laws and the uneducated, superstitious and OBESE townsfolk allow this craziness to continue. There's a major employer, a candy company called Sweetums, that is polluting and poisoning the town with its delicious but poorly made confections. Add in the oddball town traditions, unusual businesses and attacking throngs of raccoons and possums. Everything makes Pawnee feel like a live action version of the town of Springfield from The Simpsons. 

I hear that the current ABC TV show Abbott Elementary is rather good. But being a teacher, I think if I watched that show it would feel too much like work and make me angry. Parks and Rec touches the public educational system just enough that the stupefying and unfair aspects of local government don't upset me. I can escape and laugh while watching this show. I can also relate, as my hands are tied with some rather silly sounding guidelines that basically prevent me from conducting a role as an instructor and instead place me in a position of an overpaid babysitter. In those regards, I feel like main character Leslie Knope, who for 6 years (so far!) still can't turn an abandoned lot into a community park.

I wish I was more like Ron Swanson. Played by Nick Offerman, Swanson is the Libertarian head of the Parks and Rec department. His laisse-faire and don't care attitude about things is something I need to do with my work. I'm putting too much into it and getting no return. (Okay- that might not be 100% true. But I sure feel this way a lot!) Plus, Ron Swanson steals the show!

I typically don't talk much about my work life on this blog as we've been warned that doing so can be a fireable offence. But I've not disclosed the name of the school system in which I work, I haven't lied or bad-mouthed it either. So I think this small thank you to a TV show that has helped me through a very tough time recently is okay therapy. Plus, I'm saving all the juicy stuff for my book that I write when I retire!

Oh. The chest pains! Saw a doctor today. EKG and other tests were rather promising. It's all stress related. Hopefully, a new, small dose of medication will help me out on that.

Episodes of Parks and Rec air regularly on IFC and can be accessed through YoutubeTV.