link jamz, vol. 12

chessy girl autumn, old-timer tiktok, and hilary duff's crested gecko

Sep 15, 2023

Welcome to Congrats, You Played Yourself, a newsletter about growing up and celebrating all the mistakes made along the way. I share stupid stories and encourage you to not take life too seriously. Life is dumb, and that’s the best part about it.

It’s been a long, hot summer, Players. And with only nine days left before fall officially makes her 2023 debut, it’s time to prep for Chessy Girl Autumn, aka corn bread and chili, denim and oversized slacks, and tasteful eavesdropping.

Here’s what I’ve been consuming in every sense of the word, plus a few recommendations.

The vibe this week: Chessy Girl Autumn

@siangg13 Elizabeth James’ fits will always have a special place in my heart 🫶🏼 #parenttrap #outfitideas #weeklyoutfit #ootd

Tiktok failed to load.

Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser

What I’m consuming

Threads. It’s no Twitter, but it’ll do. Plus, it introduced me to our pup of the week (scroll to the bottom).

They were sick of mowing, so they planted wildflowers. There’s a moral somewhere in this story, maybe about the grass being greener where you water it, or maybe about how doing your own thing can be more fun and colorful than the status quo.

Absolutely cannot and will not stop listening to this on repeat.

Creative Pep Talk, a podcast by Andy J Pizza about and for creators of all kinds. I miss writing and being creative, and this podcast has been phenomenal in getting my juices flowing again. If you’re wondering where to begin, how to find your style and why you’re making it harder than it is is one of my favorite episodes; I’ve listened to it multiple times. Bonus: every episode ends with a CTA, a Creative Call To Action, where he gives an exercise for you to do.

My obsession with AD’s Open Door series continues. I’d like to pitch to them a new playlist on YouTube that exclusively features celebrities and athletes who have pets in their home, and a re-edit of those featuring all the footage of said pets. Here are my nominations for the first few videos:

Hilary Duff & her fish, crested gecko Chip, and chicken Patsy
Nina Dobrev & her dog Momo
Devin Booker & his dog Haven (he even has a photo of his dog on his bedside table!)

TikToker Old-Timer shout out

It is my long-held, passionate belief that TikTok is the most democratic platform (the obvious irony is not lost on me). But where else will you see a New York girlie showing you her favorite coffee shops in the West Village in one scroll, and then next being a 74-year-old man named Dancing Dave who exclusively dances on TikTok Live, followed by a therapist taking you through a shadow exercise to connect to your inner child? What a lovely little place on the internet with the power to absolutely destroy you.

By far my favorite corner of the TikTok universe is what I’m calling Old-Timer TikTok. So I introduce to you a new section in link jamz, where I recommend an Old-Timer on TikTok who should join your following list. They’re folks in their golden age who, in their infinite wisdom, grace and generosity, have decided to bring us internet gremlins joy through their various adventures on TikTok. Sometimes they dance (like Dave, mentioned above), sometimes they offer advice, and sometimes, they make soap.

First up: Duane, a soap maker at Sparta Candle Co, who hosts Cuttin’ Up with Duane, a series on his page where he tells you about a soap he’s made and the inspiration behind it while — you guessed it — cutting it up. This one, called Afterglow, is inspired by Taylor Swift’s Lover album, his favorite album of hers.