Welcome back to the Girl and the Gov® Diaries.

If you’re new here — hi, I’m Sammy – the blonde behind Girl and the Gov®. This little corner of the internet, or arm of GATG rather,  is where I share what’s been crossing my desk and my DMs: the internet finds I can’t stop sending to friends, the things I added to cart, the side quests I found myself on, and convos with people doing genuinely interesting things. I’d hint at what you’ll find when you scroll, but that would ruin the fun ;)

Happy reading and happy to have you here <3

IN THE DMS

Things of amusement I’d send to a friend

  • If anyone needs to contact me or my best friend DD on August 6th, we wish you so much luck with that, because we’re going to be LOCKED IN on season 3 of My Life With The Walter Boys [team Cole, duh]. Until then, you can find us sharing fan edits like this back and forth and re-disecting every detail of our fave love triangle show.

  • I liiiiive for a creative use or reuse of an object – especially when it creates whimsy and interesting decor. These three items used in unexpected ways are chef’s kiss and inspo dujour. 

  • Senator Ossoff almost said “reheated nachos” in this chat with the press, and to anyone in the centerfold of pop culture you know how much of a BFD that is. Secondarily, can someone please ask him what his average weekly screen time is?

  • Flagged to buy this October thanks to this IG post on my explore page is this book on the history of small dogs. It’s perfectly named: Yap! A Short History of Small Dogs.

MUSE(S)

Misc rants, rambles, and happenings of note

CLIMATE MAYORS: 

Amazingly, I didn’t purchase a robe and a gavel for what I’m about to describe, but just know at any point, I may end up doing so. Alas, the reason the robe and the gavel are top of mind is because I’m serving as a judge for the Climate Mayors Stories of Impact Challenge. The competition, which is taking submissions now through August 14th, 2026, provides an opportunity for mayors across the country to showcase the innovative climate solutions that they’re implementing in their backyards. The challenge has two categories – Energy Affordability and Nature-based Solutions – and requires mayors to submit a 1-2 minutes direct-to-camera video highlighting the solution they have in action. To me, this competition is the best of two worlds, getting local officials more and more comfortable with direct-to-camera style media and uplifting [and rewarding] creative solution-making to protect the environment. Perhaps the best part, especially for participants, is that the winners will receive $5,000 and the runners-up will receive $2,500. If you’re mayor is knee-deep in climate work or dabbles with solution-making in this arena, hit fwd on this, and the submission link below – I’ll be judging, but like in a cool way ;)

SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO HERE

BIG BROTHER:

Growing up, one of the Republican talking points amongst many of my lean-right peers was the fear of not just big government, but the surveillance state – too much government in our business, watching everything that we do. Now, as a Democrat with a Libertarian streak as my Dad often describes me, I’ve always viewed that sentiment as not just a talking point, but as a notion I agree with. Unfortunately, between Flock cameras and Palantir, an array of other actors that fear has become a reality. But the biggest irony is that big brother of the 21st century, in action pre-dates Trump 2.0.

It started with all of us, social media, and big tech – but mostly the first two. Who needs the government putting up cameras when 90% of us are filming everything we see, everywhere we go, and then posting it to social media – or even just sending it in-house to our friend groups. We knowingly or unknowingly [up for debate, tbh], created our own forever-against-our-will database of people, places, and things, that can be used against us, occasionally to help us, and most often manipulated into forms and shapes unrecognizable to us. We essentially did their dirty work for them, because while we were going “OMG YAY MEMORIES,” they were going “hashtag el oh el what fools.” And the impact is huge – especially amongst kids. Who can actually be themselves or live and learn when any little thing they do is caught on a Ring camera, several social media platforms, and beyond. There’s no room for mistakes, growth, or just getting to have fun because everything becomes a performance. We want people to be themselves, but then we don’t give them the room to learn what their true self is in this. 

Let me just say, I am also a part of the problem – for God’s sake, part of my job is being a social media influencer and a new media strategist/consultant. The problem is so big that it’s certainly a ‘where to start, where to solve situation.’ While I don’t know all of the answers, I do know that regulating big tech has the potential to take a knock at some of this – an uphill battle, yes, but one that there’s actually a lot of unity between Dem and GOP voters on. Alls to say, in a very long-winded way, the candidates that translate to me, are the ones willing to take on big tech, from social media companies to AI especially. Big tech, AI and AI data centers, are the unifying piece of the puzzle that should be more than a campaign cornerstone, but where electeds throw their weight.

SHOPPING CART

Finds, things I’ve got my eye on, & generally cool sh*t worth a click

  • One of my favorite places in the world is Lisbon, Portugal. So, when this creator’s video popped up on my FYP recommending this designed-in-Portugal, limited edition clothing brand called Sienna, my heart may have skipped a beat [in a good way]. It also may have skipped a beat when I scrolled through the brand’s website, and I saw this set, available with shorts or pants that are SO good. 

  • I can’t exactly drop a link to anything in this round-up because it’s a thrift haul, but let me just say that the winner, winner chicken dinner of the bunch were and are the Ralph Lauren terry shorts. 

ICYM-a-link, here they are [full ShopMy here]

QUESTS

Side quests, main quests, & generally fun sh*t to check out or do

  • I recently worked on a fantastic creator event with the Brennan Center for Justice, which was held at the Peterson House in Greenwich Village [little look at some of the space here]. The pros of the location besides it being in GV, were the event-dedicated rooms that had an elevated academic vibe to them. The negatives were that someone was moving out of an apartment above the space, which I first went to by accident [why you always get there early]. The positive of the negative is we were able to adjust for flow before guests arrived and I became BFFs with two movers from Roadway Movers.

  • Alicia loves a summer [same, girl, same], and I love an estate sale. Recently, my finds have been fantastic [will have to do a haul ASAP], even with the ripped pants saga. My estate sale strategy definitely would be ruined by filming [I’ve been in the game since I was a little kid being taken to them on sick days from school, trust when I say I know what I’m doing here], but there’s a creator I think everyone should be following who is filming her estate sale  and Goodwill adventures. Her name is Emory Pepper, and her content is so fun to watch. And while I have such a different style from hers, it’s the definition of how there is a lid for every pot in the BEST way. Anytime you walk into a sale you don’t know what people are going to gravitate toward, and her adventures show that variety.

  • I recently saw a TikTok of a girl that was just a little too excited that a Blank Street was coming to WillyB. The thrill of a corporate chain coming to the neighborhood?? I don’t get it, never have gotten it, and I don’t expect to ever get it. Anyways, it made me think about cafes I haven’t tried yet that aren’t THAT. Two on my radar to try: Coffee Stain and MyHouse Coffee.

MORE FROM GIRL AND THE GOV®

→  Shop my faves on ShopMy

→  Keep up with all-things GATG on Insta, TikTok, YouTube, & Threads

→  Get on-demand ne media help with GATG Office Hours Sessions

→ Go the extra mile with a GATG New Media Audit or Playbook

→  Tap into actionable insights on creating political content with #VIRAL 

→ Enmesh yourself into the world of the creator economy with Keeping It Currant

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