Is almost $2,000 a lot to drop on someone else’s dinner, just to be a big shot? Hell yeah! But what if nobody notices that you—one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in the world—picked up the tab?

In this meditation on celebrity, power, and a simple thank-you, Mindy Kaling takes the next charmed step in her path from Conan intern to mogul: picking up the entire tab for a famous A-lister. It’s an investment, right? He’ll be blown away by her class. They’ll be best friends forever. Forty thankless seconds later, who wouldn’t spiral into self-doubt, second-guessing, over-rationalizing, and anxious obsession?

Plus, bonus content! An up-close-and-personal look at what Mindy does all day, including “executive producing” and gift wrapping.

From the acclaimed writer, actor, director, producer, and New York Times bestselling author comes Nothing Like I Imagined. In these essays, Mindy Kaling shares the latest chapters of a multitasking life in Hollywood. Read or listen to them in a single setting. Either way, they’re pitch-perfect.