Cults, dead moms, and the passage of time.
The inaugural edition of But Wait, There's More
But Wait, There’s More is a weekly-ish newsletter by Lizzie Campbell (me!) a designer, artist, and blogger living in Chicago. Each week, subscribers will receive a roundup of things I read, watched, bought, or enjoyed that week. Paid subscribers will also receive extra posts, such as moodboards, long-form essays, shopping roundups, and other treasures. If you’re interested in supporting my caffeine addiction work, consider subscribing.
Elsewhere: Instagram | Goodreads | Tiktok
Hello and welcome!
I am so beyond excited to welcome you to the very first edition of But Wait, There’s More! This will be a weekly newsletter chock full of treasures I’ve collected from around the internet and curated here for you, like a little dog bringing you its favorite toys.
For more info about what this is and what I want it to be, make sure to check out my first post here.
I’ve been a blogger, content creator, and general online person for over a decade now. We’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs, the Internet and I. And for a good chunk of time here recently, I’ve been in a definite downturn. Sick and tired of Instagram, my first online home, too scared of the youths to spend too much effort on Tiktok… I’ve been missing the good old days when I would just share any and everything that popped into my head to a nearly-nonexistent audience.
Then I got some small level of success and the whole thing just turned into another job that I was constantly afraid of doing wrong. So this Substack is my attempt at getting back to the magic of it, harnessing that creativity, sharing things I love just for the sake of showing them to someone else. No affiliate links or spon-con or any of that garbage.
I hope you’ll come along on this adventure and join my digital slumber party. I saved you the best seat in the house.
To Read
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
YES I’m so late to the party, I know, but I finally had the time to pick this book up for the plane trip to Austin last month, and WOW. My friend kept asking if I was okay because I kept gasping out loud at Jeanette’s stories of both her mother and the industry men she had run ins with as a literal child.
It was heartbreaking but ultimately ended on a hopeful note. And was also shockingly hilarious at times. I will absolutely read whatever she writes next.
Is This It? This Is It. by from
I found this piece at the recommendation of another writer, and it was like the perfect encapsulation of things I’d been feeling as I venture through the final year of my twenties. Take a peek:
Is this it? Sometimes I look at my partner after a disagreement, my child after a meltdown, my house after something breaks, and I think: Is this really what life turned out to be? More often, I look critically at myself—my tired eyes, my wrinkled forehead, my struggles to join group conversations, my endless list of worries—and think: Is this really who I turned out to be?
At some point, I catch myself in this self-deprecating, existential spiral. It might require a deep breath, a walk around the block, an emergency text to a friend, or a good night’s sleep, but, eventually, I blink and readjust my vision. My partner trusts me as someone he can disagree with and be vulnerable around; my child loves me and needs my support to test the boundaries of life; my house is my home, a space full of love and potential. And I am someone who has lived through a lot. My eyes have cried so many tears. My forehead has weathered so many worries. I have a lot to say and offer, even if it takes me a while to get there.
Sooner or later, I find that moment of clarity: This is it! This is all I ever needed.
To Listen
I’m obsessed with this podcast. Obviously, I’m very fascinated by cults. I read the book Cultish by Amanda Montell a couple years ago, and it was so incredible. I think I’ve referenced it in nearly every conversation since then. And then I discovered that she has a podcast with the same concept and there was no turning back. Some favorite episodes:
The Cult of Theatre Kids (this episode read me for filth)
Cowgirls at Tiki Bars Playlist
Tiktok is good for some things, and for me, that mainly consists of finding super niche playlists or new emerging artists. This fun playlist popped up on my FYP the other day and I was like “ABBA, Jimmy Buffet, Shania Twain and Miley Cyrus on one playlist? Say no more.”
To Buy
This lap desk with a built in mouse pad has been a total game changer for my lazy WFH days. I’ve become totally dependent on my mouse since working at a desk more often, so I wanted something I could use that with while still vegging out on the couch. Lo and behold, this is perfect.
To Scroll
maryoliversdrunkcousin on Instagram
Honestly every poem she posts stops me in my tracks. They’re so poignant while also being so contemporary and millennial-flavored. I love it. Just take a peek if you’re into that kinda thing.
You can probably take one look at the amount of Millennial pink present in this single newsletter and venture to hazard a guess that I love Wes Anderson’s aesthetics.
So this sweet, goofy trend on Instagram of acting like you’re in a Wes Anderson movie while doing mundane everyday tasks is extremely up my alley.
