The Weekly Digress | March 7

An exclusive Anthropologie code, a scathing review of Running Point, and thoughts on something that's absolutely none of my business

Good morning, Free Friday Letterers! We did it — we somehow made it another week. Weekends have always held a certain weight in my heart, but that weight has doubled with Ziggy around. Zac works at the office all week, so his time with us is super limited, which makes the weekends that much more precious. We try not to waste a minute if we can (unless we have a particularly terrible night of sleep, and ya girl needs to spend some afternoon hours napping).

For today’s letter, I’m going to deviate from the normal format. I’ve mentioned this before, but having something to talk about re: reading/watching/listening to/making/shopping is a very rigid, very demanding command I’ve put on myself and it doesn’t always work out like that. So buckle up for something a little different today.

Order of Business #1 (OOB)

LTK (AKA the influencer shopping app where I try to link any product (clothing or otherwise) I talk about so you can follow me and reference things I’ve mentioned before) teamed up with Anthropologie this weekend to offer an exclusive 20% off promo code. You can only get it if you’re in the LTK app itself, but because I’m such a good friend, I’m sharing the code with you here!

Again, that code is ANTHRO20.

And listen — I know Anthro is ridiculously expensive. I’ve been knowing this. I worked there for a few years and I never took home a paycheck. It all went immediately back into the store because I would spend my days creating laundry lists of things I was going to buy once I got paid.

I’m going through a weird time with my body right now, as is to be expected post-pregnancy. Getting dressed sucks, so I popped into Anthro this week to help it suck a little less by treating myself to some clothes if I could find any that worked. Low and behold, I did. And if you don’t think that I’ve already RE-PURCHASED THEM with the 20% off code and am going to return the full price stuff to the store this weekend… you’re sorely mistaken.

I found three tops and a dress that I got in two colors because I’m desperate for anything that makes me feel good right now and I’m not holding back. Here’s what I got:

One | Two | Three | Four

(1) This swingy mini dress combines two things I love: button downs and shapeless pieces. My boobs just barely fit in the medium, and I couldn’t do a large because it’d way too much material everywhere else. I loved it so much in the khaki/black print, that I got it in solid red, too (I already own a very similar style in black from Everlane).

(2) You might’ve caught my IG story about this blouse the other day. LSS: I saw a girl wearing this top at a coffee shop Wednesday morning and considered asking her where it was from, but decided it was probably old or thrifted or something. Four hours later, I spotted it on a rack at Anthro. MEANT TO BE! I don’t have a ton of sweet little springtime/summer tops, so I had to have it. It’s cropped, so if you’re a tall girl, you’ve been warned.

(3) I loved this french blue button down so much. The sleeve detailing adds a touch of femininity to it and it’s just a great fit overall.

(4) Also LOVE this white button down. It’s detailing makes it even more feminine, and I essentially only wear white during the summer here (because of all the sweat), so I had to have it.

Honorable mention: I have nowhere to take this adorable little bag, but I just loved the olives and red/green/pink combo. Sure, they sort of look like nipples but… do they?

OOB #2

If you pay for anyone’s Substack, it should be

Caroline Chambers

. I’m saying this even if you refuse to pay for mine — that’s how adamant I feel that everyone subscribes to hers. Caro is such a gifted home cook, and her recipe index is vast and life-saving in more ways than one. I’ve gotten into the habit of scanning it every week to decide what I’m going to make for dinners. Just do it.

the WTC recipe index

OOB #3

Mindy Kaling’s new show, Running Point, is so so SO bad. Now listen — Mindy is and has been my comedy writing idol for years. Truly, I think she is one of the most talented comedy writers of our time (see episodes "Night Out", "Secret Santa", "Secretary's Day" and “Ben Franklin” of The Office for reference). I loved The Mindy Project. I loved Never Have I Ever. I don’t love Sex Lives of College Girls, but I like it. Running Point, though, is fucking terrible.

Now, I don’t like Kate Hudson and never have so this obviously plays a large part of why I don’t like the show. IMO, she is a weak, one-note actress who basically got lucky with HTLAGITD (do not make me break that acronym down for you, I STG (or that one)) and hasn’t really done much since. I hate her Fabletics line, too. She just does nothing for me. There’s no magnetic draw there. I don’t care about her. So the fact that she’s the lead is already a huge strike, but I was willing to give it a chance regardless because it’s from MK.

It’s just not funny, period. The jokes feel cheap, the physical comedy is so juvenile (her falling off her workout bike? Getting checked by basketball players?), her WARDROBE IS GOD AWFUL OMG… should I continue? I appreciate that the characters are supposed to be in their 40s because that makes the most sense in terms of owning a basketball team, but all the characters just seem so… stunted. Like her brother being a crack addict??? WHAT? There’s no real heart behind this show, is what I’m trying to say. It’s not charming — it just feels thrown together. Also, the introduction of new characters via the pause and handwriting on the screen is so not the vibe for a “grown-up” show about a very rich affluent white family who owns what’s basically the Lakers.

5:30 into the first episode, Zac got up to pee and when I offered to pause it, he said “No, that’s okay” which, in this house, is saying “I literally don’t care if I miss one second of this show.” At first, I took offense. “Babe! Come on! It’s been five and a half minutes. At least watch the full episode.” I was hopeful maybe it would turn around. But by the end of episode one, I was out. And I’ll never be back in.

OMG Emma, TeLl uS HoW yOu ReAlLy FeEL.

OOB #4

This is… so fucking random but it’s something that keeps me up at night and I have to get it out.

I’m purposely going to be extremely vague writing this, so if you know who I’m talking about, we need to talk privately.

There is this influencer, if you even wanna label her that. She isn’t really. I mean, she was for like a second, but she never intended to be. She’s a mom of three, was married to her high school sweetheart, they owned a food shop in a random southern town, but they were super hip. Not your run-of-the-mill family of five at all. They were mixed race and funky and fun and sweet.

She started posting her daily outfits, and they popped off because her style was so good. She was even featured on bigger blogs like Cup of Jo! She started alluding to some mental health struggles (trauma, PTSD, etc) and then some actual physical health problems, too, and would take IG breaks every now and again. I was always rooting for her because I really dug her entire vibe.

One of her breaks lasted a long ass time. Like, essentially for the whole of 2024. Then, she came back but not only was she half her size, she also seemed…different. Her setting was different, her vibe was different. After some very quick investigating, I realized all traces of her three kids and husband had been wiped from her IG page (she featured them frequently). Then, she made a statement on stories essentially saying “I’m starting over with a new IG account and I’d love if you followed me there but please don’t get nosey and make it weird.”

She has since deleted her old profile and if you hadn’t followed her before, you would never know she was a mom of three and had been married to her HS sweetie. She’s now living solo in a very NOT southern state, working at a restaurant, practicing her tattoo skills, sharing her newfound love for the gym (and subsequent body shots of her new tiny body complete with abs and bootie), and it seems she has a boyfriend.

None of this is my business. But… isn’t it? When someone shares intimate details of their life and introduces you to their family, it’s only natural to see it all blow up and wonder WTF happened? She had been with her husband since she was 16 or so. Got pregnant at 18, I think. Maybe earlier. She had just recently turned 30 and her third kid was maybe like 18 months old? She wasn’t big, but she was a full-figured lady with curves. She wasn’t a skinny mini. And she seemed like such a devoted mom and wife. I mean, they owned a food shop FFS.

You can’t help but wonder WTF happened. I mean, getting married at such a young age to the only man you’ve ever known and then having a quarter life crisis about it is not unique. It’s a tale as old as time. But the three kids who she seemed to absolutely adore makes it a harder hit. And I’m not saying she isn’t involved with them anymore, but she lives in a completely different state and clearly didn’t get custody. So I’m just like… 🧐 She never discusses any of it, but every now and again, she’ll post some super vague quote or tweet that alludes to something. It’s all very emo. It’s giving immature. It’s giving MySpace. It’s giving AIM away messages that keep you guessing.

So, I don’t know. Like I said — it’s none of my business and shouldn’t matter to me, but I’m only human so I wonder. And I’d love to know what went down, but I most likely never will.

That’s all I’ve got for you guys today. Just a bunch of meaningless tea and an essay on how much I dislike Kate Hudson, hehe. Until next time!

EGM