No. 1 | Summer Glow Up
Introducing a new format for Filler Content!
June 14, 2026
Happy Summer, friends! If you’re a regular (I’m looking at you, Mom and Dad), you’ll notice a bit of a change in the Filler Content format. I’m experimenting, and I’d love your feedback so feel free to comment your thoughts below.
Why the newsletter glow up? I want to understand better what appeals to you. Do you prefer a single essay at a time? A smorgasbord of pickings? We’re leaning pickings in this issue.
There will still be an (almost) weekly long-form essay/review/reflection. This week, I wrote about Eureka Day by Johnathan Spector, which I saw at the Huntington Theater in Boston. You can read it below.
You’ll also get to read about one small thing filling me up each week. This will take on many forms. This week: a Knicks-themed recommendation.
I’m also going to share a snapshot of a series I do in Substack Notes, where I seem to suffer from some sort of literary tourettes. Sometimes these quips become something I want to return to, which is how the “In my bag” literary series was formed. My version of “In my bag” is a literary parody of Vogue’s YouTube Series “In the Bag,” a regular balm for the slew of thoughts whirring around in my head.
I will still do my monthly round up in my Revisiting essay series at the end of each month AND stay tuned for more fun filler I have cooking for the end of June.
Until then,
C
In this Issue
Only one thing is missing from this hilarious school-based comedy
In December 2021, I sat in tears on my couch drafting an email to my boss. One of those emails you aren’t supposed to send. I reread it over and over…
ONE SMALL THING filling me up this week
If this newsletter tends to find you in your inbox and not on Substack directly, then you maybe haven’t seen The New Yorker’s David Remnick, Vincent Cunningham, and Lousia Thomas discuss the Knicks on Substack live. My brother will be the first to tell you, I am a bandwagon fan in its purest form. I love the fandom more than any team. Shake your head if you must.
Last week, I hooked my bandwagon to Knick’s fans. It began when I stumbled on these short video debriefs on The New Yorker’s Substack account. Sports commentary can be so technical and jargon-laced. In these videos, the commentary is fun, nerdy, and their real love for the Knicks comes through. I love love! I was captivated. I’m linking below their video from game five, but you can find all of them on The New Yorker Substack page.
And if you need an extra fan at your next World Cup watch party, give me a call.
WHAT’S IN MY BAG? | A literary parody of Vogue’s YouTube Series
READER FAVORITES:
IN THE COMMENTS: Tell me what’s been filling you up this week.
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For writing updates follow Caroline on Instagram: Caroline Santinelli