midweek snack 008: a rebrand, big feelings, outfits & chicken tendies
the good ramble era begins!!!
Hi Ramblers! Are we “Ramblers?” IDK, but maybe? I’m here for it. What a whirlwind of a week it’s been. I’m still trying to calculate whether it was a great week or whether feelings, my luteal phase, and impulsivity simply got the best of me.
got vulnerable…
I wrote a post, the girl with the messy backpack, essentially sharing my struggles with ADHD from childhood into adulthood. As someone who received their diagnosis in adulthood, it’s been a long journey of unpacking years of not understanding and appreciating myself and my differences.
I have a lot more to say on this topic, and I hope you don’t mind if I sprinkle in some full-length personal essays amidst the giggles, fashion, and life chats.
What I learned from hitting post on the most terrifying Substack article I’ve ever written is, holy crap, I’m really not alone. So many of us are struggling with feelings of inadequacy, rejection sensitivity, neurodivergence, feeling like we’re falling apart while the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Many of you have your own messy backpacks (or, perhaps, your own atomic-bomb work tote. Not just me, right? Pens have exploded, and I didn't even know for weeks until my hands were blue from digging around for a rogue piece of gum).
It sounds cliché (cue the best MGK song ever) and really lame for me to say damn, we’re really not alone.
But, DAMN GUYS. WE ARE NOT ALONE.
I am literally IRL the “crying girl” from the movie Mean Girls who gets called out for “she doesn’t even go here!” and responds by saying, “I just have a lot of feelings.” and I feel like if you're here reading or writing on Substack, there's probably a little piece of her in you too.
Sometimes I wonder, Trac, why don’t you just journal about this? Is this necessary to publish to the world? But the deep-rooted belief that women need to talk about the messy and the ugly is central to my values. I want to challenge the idea that we should always appear perfect, polished, and like we have everything figured out. It’s the kind of world—and the portrayal of women—I want both my daughter and my son to see.
changed my profile pic…
I changed my profile picture. Not really that big of a deal, but I decided to make it little Traci. A reminder of who that ray of sunshine and beautifully messy little girl was, and that she’s always with me.
a random rebrand…
We also had a random rebrand on a Saturday at like 2:00 p.m. I was sitting on a lounge chair as my kids beat each other with pool noodles. And I’ve been toying with changing my publication name for a while. I wanted it to be something more expansive, a name that gives me more latitude to talk about all the things, not just fashion.
So, a drum roll please, welcome to GOOD RAMBLE. It was between that and The Goodest of Good Rambles out of my love of dogs — which sounded more like a golden retriever convention.
I mean, who doesn’t love a “good” ramble? Probably not many people, but in my mind, my chronic oversharing, overexplaining, and desperate attempts at showing the good, bad, and ugly are what makes the perfect, GOOD RAMBLE.
Not much is going to change around here. It’s still me, Hi! It’s still my quirky voice that laughs too hard at my own jokes. But it gives us some breathing room to chitchat, dress cute, and touch on other topics that feel important.
I am excited, and I feel a bit invigorated for the first time in a while. Things were feeling boring and a bit stale to me (stop being so nice, my outfits sucked and were, as my son says, “mid”). I’m excited for this next chapter and so grateful you’re still here and haven’t blocked me.
So, RAMBLERS unite… let’s get this party started.
We took the trip to the Bronx to watch a Yankee game. It was a smooth ride until a new rage-baiting experience was unlocked for my Four-Shirted-Husband™: Uber delivery bikers. I am so grateful no one was harmed.
I’m a very strange sports person. I love sports. But I love fast sports. Baseball is a very long experience for me with an undefined ending. I don’t do well with that, just like I don’t do well with party invitations that do not have an end time.
The forecast for game day was torrential downpour. I pleaded with my Four-Shirted-Husband™ to sell the tickets as I exclaimed, “I am not poncho material!” But alas, he didn’t need to because the game was rescheduled for the following day.
Perfect skies. Perfect weather. Great!
My family began their shenanigans, begging me to break my tradition of joyously leaving after the 7th inning to avoid traffic, get home quickly, and snuggle into my jammies with some Sleepytime tea.
I wanted to do my best for them, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I needed a great outfit and the secret to all of my success: chicken tendies in a bucket.
Quick housekeeping: some affiliate links are used below.
First the really great non-poncho fit…
I created about 52 outfit ideas to wear and forced the Four-Shirted Husband™ to make the final call. He used his social skills to read the room and picked the one he deduced I wanted most
It was hot and sticky, so I went with a loose white embroidered tank (sized up). Linen white eyelet shorts made the vibe feel intentional. I added a pop of color with this Amazon red beaded necklace and tossed on a good ‘ole Yankees hat!
I knew I wanted to wear my favorite cowgirl boots (sized down .5). Everything in my soul told me, you cannot wear boots in NY 80-degree weather. But I said, SCREW IT, and I felt like SUCH a queen.
PLUS, it was HARRY POTTER NIGHT! I now have an Aaron Judge Gryffindor bobblehead.
I even got my first scuff on my Tecovas boots, and I’m feeling like a REAL RANCH HAND now!
Next, Operation Find The Chicken Tendies™
Finally, pure joy. Made it through the entire game!!!
And that’s how you do a baseball game as a non-baseball person, my friends.
A joy sparking accessory! I bought this “kindness is always fashionable” clutch 100 years ago when I was living in Memphis. I remember seeing it and needing it. Who doesn’t love a good PSA!
A good perfume spritz, even when you’re going nowhere. My go-to perfume trifecta: Jordan's Perfume, Daisy (both by Ranger Station—and yes, these are the two that strangers stop me to ask about), and this one by Jo Malone.
Grabbing dinner with your bestie in the “perfect” fit! I finally wore this perfect fringe top (sized up, influenced by FINDS By Ginny)! I paired it with these FANTASTIC light green barrel jeans (color: “vintage seaglass”) and my feel-good clutch.
Then, of course, someone suggests "a quick walk" after dinner because you've barely scratched the surface of catching up. Somehow, that turns into an unexpected five-mile walk, a frantic search for a bathroom through a park, and doing it all in my DIY Amazon woven flats.
A perfect bacon egg and cheese. No notes. Eat the damn bagel.
Pet the puppies. Frequently. Often. On the good days and especially the bad ones.
When I get myself deep into a rejection sensitivity hole, it can be really hard to get out. I listened to this podcast episode, Are You Highly Sensitive? The Neuroscience of RSD, 12 Signs You Might Have It, and Why Logic Won’t Fix by Mayim Bialik's Breakdown and I found it super helpful.
I know there is discourse about whether or not RSD (technically not an official DSM diagnosis) should have a label and whether we are over-labeling people. For me, putting a name to these intense feelings I’ve experienced my whole life has been very beneficial.
In the episode, they discuss rejection sensitivity, the science behind it, why logic doesn’t fix it, the overlap with people-pleasing, and Mayim takes an online quiz to see if she, in fact, has it.
I also thought this article from The Guardian was really helpful in putting words to an experience many of us have struggled to explain.
I often get my best ideas from either TikTok or Reddit. Highly reliable sources. But when you have a task you realllyyy don’t want to do (ex: dishes, folding laundry), pair it with something you enjoy! For me, that could be doing the dishes while listening to a podcast or watching the latest episode of The Valley. It makes the task feel way less mundane. Sure, I’m not fully present, BUT I’m actually doing it, which is nice.
I had no intention of changing my daily moisturizer (gifted), but here we are. I like how light it is and unscented. You have to take the time to rub it in otherwise you may look like a mime.
I did it. I got a pair of Salomon sneakers. I have ZERO REGRETS. You know I texted the queen of sporty dress, Katelyn Cnossen immediately.
Lastly, I wanted to round up some of the greatest comments from my last post. The ones that, if you’re on the edge about publishing something that you think could help someone else, hopefully give you the nudge to hit publish.
I was in awe of how many people responded with, “Me too.” The way you guys shared stories about being diagnosed later in life. About holding onto the shame for years. About forgetting things, masking at work, feeling like a failure at motherhood, replaying the ugly mistakes on repeat, and believing you were the only ones whose brains worked this way. Some people shared that they don’t even have ADHD, but the self-doubt, perfectionism, and pressure to keep it all together felt painfully similar.
These comments are perfect reminders that we’re all a work in progress. You’d be surprised how many people are in the same boat as you. Sometimes it just takes a few people to open up for the “Oh my God, me too’s” to come pouring in.
And then, all of a sudden, we’re not so alone.
Thank you again to this entire Rambling Community for your kindness, love, support, and for rallying around me and my story!
You are all truly the GOODEST OF GOOD.
Alright, that’s all for this week. And boy, do I have a treat for you coming up next! A roundup of your favorite writers’ favorite writers’ ride-or-die favorite things. We have an A.B.C. (Anything But Clothes) Party, ROUND 2 (feel free to catch up on the first post here)!
Onward we go,
💓 If you enjoy reading (or listening to) GOOD RAMBLE, here are a few ways to show your support: tap the heart, restack this post, leave a comment, subscribe, or share with a friend!
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Love the rebrand and feeling free to ramble about whatever you want!! Also, have that madewell tank and going to pair it with white shorts RN! Love!
Love the rebrand - I can feel ALL of you shining through in this! I will also forgive you for being a Yankees fan. I'm a Red Sox fan living in the city; it's not easy. 😂