Cruel Compendium #80 🖼️

Self-trust, practicing citizenship, and wanting more money

Last week, I shared my Sunday productivity routine and my writers’ tech stack — all the tools I use for my work and creativity.

My writer's tech stack and how I actually get sh*t done 💡

For those who love to listen and learn, I talked about Get Shit Done September and all of these resources on the CSBC podcast.

PS: Have you downloaded my FREE list of 101 tools and resources for freelancers?

Be sure to click “View entire message” at the end of this email so you can read the whole post in your browser. On to the links!

Montana by

Ashley Reese

Hiking Montana to spread her husband’s ashes in a place he loved.

Pep talk on self-trust by

Maggie Smith

“You’ve got you.”

I want more money by

Dana Miranda

I can see money isn’t the thing I crave. I crave choice, freedom, spaciousness.

It’s OK to choose money sometimes in order to unlock choices that are in line with my values, goals and best interests. It’s OK to let money be something that’s important in my life; that doesn’t mean it’s the most important thing.

No community without effort by Ann Friedman

I’ve built this advice into my relationships I want to keep growing, and it’s really helped:

Do not attempt one-for-one math. If you initiated last time, don't grow increasingly annoyed as you wait for your friend(s) to make the next set of plans. Just get over it and be the one to ask again.

Cody’s dating service by

Cody Cook-Parrott

Inspiring me to daydream about new, joyful ways to date.

Bits and bobs about freelance writing.

• Time Out named Austin number 5 in its list of “13 best cities for nightlife right now.” I shared a blurb about how to party in Austin now, and it got written up all over the place! It was fun to see my quote in Travel and Leisure, NY1, local newspapers, and other pubs. Here’s the quote in full (I stand by it!):

  • “‘In a city where summer can last for six months, nightlife can look a lot cooler out of necessity,’ says Austin local and former Time Out New York editor Jillian Anthony. ‘On a Friday night, many Austinites feel the siren call of Barton Springs, the vibrant, giant, freshwater pool that stays at a brisk 68 degrees all year long. The springs double as Austin’s sexiest dating pool, so don’t hesitate to put your towel down next to your crush. Once your core temperature goes down enough to think again, I suggest putting on your funkiest outfit (know that high heels are not a thing here) and heading to Cheer Up Charlie’s, the club where every brand of sexuality gathers for drag shows, sold-out Saltburn parties, and sweaty dancing under the stars.’”

• My recent clips:

  • Tribeza:

    • In print! Austin’s Premium Fashion Boutique, ByGeorge, Celebrates 45 Years of Luxury and Legacy

    • Explore Surrealism at the Blanton with Works by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Yayoi Kusama

    • Austin’s Flatwater Provides Access to Mental Health Services to Families Affected by Cancer

    • The Best Theatre, Dance, Films and More to See in Austin This Fall

  • CultureMap ATX

    • New Austin-only dating app brings romance back to the swiping scene

• Respect your idea crumbs by

  Kara Cutruzzula
  . Every day I work to respect my own ideas!

• Attend this free workshop: The LinkedIn Glow Up with Portia Obeng. I redid my whole profile after attending this, and Obeng is fantastic!

• The September list of job openings from Rebecca Aguilar

• A list of the legal protections freelancers have in New York state thanks to the Freelance Isn’t Free act.

• Please submit your questions on life, love, and creativity for the next installment of Dear Jilla! Read my advice on embracing your cringe.

Causes I care about and actions for change.

• On Friday evening, I attended a Shabbat dinner organized by

  Sera Bonds
  , founder of Waking Giants, “a social impact company that provides Jewish people and their allies with the tools they need to do good” and combat anti-semitism. It was lovely to gather and meet new community members. Sera will hold more events through the rest of the year; stay tuned at her events calendar and newsletter.

• How to practice citizenship by

  Hitha Palepu
  . How to get involved in local elections in all kinds of ways, from opening your wallet to making phone calls.

• Texas voters: 1 in 10 TX voters recently got put on the “suspense” list. The deadline to register is October 7!

  • Please check your voter registration at bit.ly/checktexas! 

  • If your status shows “suspense” or you have moved or changed your name since the last election, you can make updates online at bit.ly/texasaddress.

  • Note that you can’t register online in Texas — you have to do it in person, or mail in your registration.

• Donate to the Gaza scholarship initiative for displaced students. Help provide financial support to Gazan students who want to attend college in the U.S., covering expenses from housing to meals to travel and textbooks.

• Tell VP Kamala Harris: Not another bomb! Sign the petition.

• Visit ceasefiretoday.com for helpful links to email/call your Congress members, sign petitions, find a protest near you, and more.

75 nice little things to do for yourself by Ann Friedman

50 nice things to do for yourself by

Julia Christina

forbiddenfruitvintage

A post shared by @forbiddenfruitvintage

• 🥲 I saw My Old Ass, an Aubrey Plaza movie about an 18-year-old meeting her 39-year-old self, and I cried serious tears. Highly recommend for reconnecting with your younger self and remembering to live in the now.

• 👽 I watched five Alien movies in 48 hours last weekend (Alien: Romulus was solid horror). My fave is still Prometheus. If you’re ready for spooky season (like I clearly am), I recommend streaming It Follows, one of my favorite horror movies about a sexually transmitted ghost.

• 👣 A long walk can lighten almost anything by

  Katie Hawkins-Gaar

• 📚

  Ochuko Akpovbovbo
  ’s August reading recap and the cool way they use Notes to organize their books. Their goal was to read less this year; they now read 10 books a month!

• 🖼️ Jerry Saltz’s map of Chinatown art galleries in NYC

• 💰 Wealth to scale — an enraging scroll

• 👩🏽‍🍳 Crowdsourced “recipes” for action

• 📱 Improve your iPhone’s battery life by changing these ten settings

• 🔮 Tarot for boys

• 💃🏽 Us at our homegirl’s wedding reception even though we told her to leave him 20 times

• 🥾 My summer hiking ‘fits on TikTok

• 🪨 Keeping in touch the old way

• ⚕️ What you clicked on most in the last Compendium: I’m an oncologist. Here’s what I do to reduce my own cancer risk.

Support for the week ahead from your higher self.

It’s a full moon today! And also the start of a lunar eclipse in Pisces, the story of which will unfold through 2027. May I suggest not launching any new projects till after October 2?

What has come to a close in my life?
What can I celebrate for myself this week?

The World — Completion, accomplishment, integration
Five of Pentacles — Lack, constriction, isolation

More spiritual reads:

How and why to use Tarot even if you’re not spiritual by

Catherine Andrews

Love list: Trusted spiritual providers by

Jeanna Kadlec

. Excellent list of recs for astrology, tarot, numerology, seership, and more.

Thirty days of creative Tarot prompts from

The Shuffle with Chelsey Pippin Mizzi

. I’ve been loving these prompts on Threads.