game show
would you like to play a game? the stakes are fairly low (i promise)
throughout the past month, i’ve been curating thematic video threads titled “the category is…” over on the Notes app. since then, i’ve decided to add them to my website. but in order to not overwhelm your inboxes, i published the posts directly to the site (with the exception of the first thread, which strangely did not get delivered to a quarter of my subscribers?).1
so today, i present the first eight editions of this series as a digest and a chance to be more interactive. let’s live a little!
if you haven’t seen the following threads already, use your intuition to try guessing the category before reviewing the videos on each post. tbh, some of the themes are way more obscure than others (and probably not even discernible).2 but it might be fun to give it a try anyway, as i’m curious what associations the thumbnail images evoke for you on their own — it’s optimal to view this post in your web browser or email.
the prize? as a token of appreciation, i’ll be offering a 3-month comp on things i collected for the subscriber who interacts the most with “the category is…” posts this week (from 8/19–8/25).3 this engagement will be tallied collectively from likes, comments, and shares across the posts and notes. 2nd place gets a one-month comp. i’ll share the results in my end-of-month round-up (8/30).4
enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment on any of the threads with a video you think deserves to be included :)
click on each thread to discover the category!
thanks for playing! it was serendipitous to discover that this is post #222, after i’d already scheduled each thread to publish at 2:22 PM EST.
one more note: when i start the next batch of the category is…, the posts will be sent out on a consistent but considerate basis. i still haven’t figured out if i prefer the notes-to-post thread format or the way i’ve previously compiled video playlists, but it’s been fun to experiment with. you can let me know what you think in the poll below!
personally, i will unsubscribe when the emails are too frequent (especially if i get emails from the same source twice in a day). i’m not naïve enough to think that folks will check out every single thing i write and post, but i sincerely appreciate when y’all tap in.
i honestly just wanted a reason to use this magnificent photo of Nick Hakim with these colorful cords on his head, as seen in category #6.
meaning you’ll have access to my exclusive deep cuts series for the next 3 months (or 1 month for 2nd place). also FYI, you do not have to have a registered Substack account to like posts; my partner has been doing so for the last three years. i think attempting to like the individual notes will prompt you to sign up though, so i will take this into consideration for any email-only subscribers who want to participate. you can share to external sources and just message me that you did.
if you’re currently a paid subscriber, i already have a super special offer coming for you in next month’s deep cuts 💌