My Open Tabs | Drop 002

Let's skip the small talk.

Here's what we're chatting about in Drop 002:

• 🏈 Let's talk about Jalen + Patrick making history

• 🙅 The Anti-Morning Routine

• 🧐 What do Hulu, Gifs, peanut lotion & the 1970s Prez election have in common

• 🦸‍♂️ DC's Facelift

~ Deja W.

▶️ Set The Vibe

Set the vibe while you read.

• Breathe In, now Breathe Out. [Keep it going] with Sana's guided music meditation.

• Now, [Hit Play] on Litty (Acoustic) by Keys the Prince, and then let Spotify set the vibe while you read.

🤳 Group Chat Convos

Take your group chats to the next level.

I'm guessing you've heard by now that this past Superbowl was the first time two teams led by Black quarterbacks have gone head to head. This might not seem like a big deal, but it is. Traditionally, [Black quarterbacks] have been praised for their athleticism, but criticized for their lack of intelligence, when compared to their white counterparts.

Who would typecast a football player: If you thought actors and actresses were the only ones who could get typecast, you thought wrong. Sports journalists have used phrases like "physical specimen" and "impressive specimen" when describing Black quarterbacks (which is a weird writing flex tbh). While describing white quarterbacks journalists would say that they were "good signal callers," and "real student[s] of the game." This has unfortunately conditioned the industry into "racial stacking", which led to Black players being put into stereotypical on-field positions and being blocked from "thinking" positions, such as the quarterback position.

Long story short: We've come a long way, and we should take some time to celebrate this moment, but that doesn't mean we should take our feet off the gas! I mean, until recently, NFL players were required to take mental aptitude tests at the NFL Scouting Combine (don't get me started on this very intrusive "showcase"), so no telling what other irrelevant [outdated tactics] the NFL is still holding on to.

In Other News: I now know way too much about [Jalen Hurts'] love for vinyl records and coco butter and [Patrick Mahomes] shoe habit LOL. But I'm not even mad at it! I'll be cheering them on as they continue to do their thang! #GoTeamGo

🧠 Brain Picking

Chats & thoughts about the mind, body, and soul.

I scoured the internet to figure out who in the heck created the "The Morning Routine," and why, because...no.

"At their worst, American morning routines can exemplify a punishing meritocracy, a push to always be achieving more. At their best, however, they provide a feeling of freedom and a rare moment for self-determination." ~ [Jess McHugh]

The Birth of the Morning Routine

The Morning Routine dates all the way back to Benjamin Franklin's 1793 autobiography. In it, he attributed some of his "success" to his 5 AM - 7 AM time block. He used that time to “rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness!”

Somewhere along the lines, the Morning Routine became a necessity. Authors like Toni Morrison, created a "before dawn" writing routine which turned into a habit because that was the only time during the day she could work on her creative pursuits.

In the 20th century, there was a shift from "Powerful Goodness" and necessity, to a shallow obsession with celebrities and their success secrets, like Marilyn Monroe who swore by raw egg yolks mixed with a warm milk morning concoction (yuck!).

The late 20th century and beyond birthed self-help books, self-affirmations, and time management. While those still exist, now internet gurus' obsessive hustle-culture-laced morning routines and echoes of "self-care" have been added to the mix.

The Anti-Morning Routine

The noise that has infiltrated "The Morning Routine" sets us up nicely to rebel. Enter: "The Anti-Morning Routine." It's basically the breaking of negative habits and returning to more a simpler start, instead of forcing yourself to do something that you'd never do like "waking up at 5 AM to take a cold shower and then go for a jog."

Some examples of an Anti-Morning Routine include:

• Not checking your phone, email, or updates in the morning.

• Actually eating a real breakfast in the morning.

• Nourishing your brain with wisdom and positive thoughts.

• Doing something soothing in the morning.

• Being present and doing one thing at a time.

So what's the verdict? Do we like the new spin that internet culture has given Morning Routines, or will we be embracing [The Anti-Morning Routine] in 2023?

🤔 Guess What?

Fun facts no one asked for.

Someone once said that you should learn something new every day, so I'm giving you a week's worth of fun facts! Share them with a friend!

• Mary Van Brittan Brown created an early version of the [home security system], after feeling unsafe in her New York home in 1966. The OG version included a camera, but she later added a microphone to speak to people at her door, a button to unlock her door, and a button to call the police. Remember… she did all this in the 1960s!!

• You might know that Scientist George Washington Carver loved experimenting with peanuts, but did you know he developed 300 derivative products from those peanuts? This includes cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils, and cosmetics. You can make your own DIY peanut lotion using [his recipe].

• Shirley Chisholm took the Democratic party by storm with her ["Unbought and Unbossed"] demeanor in '72 as the first Black person to seek the presidential nomination from one of the two major parties.

• Robert Johnson was a man of many firsts. He founded Black Entertainment Television (BET), the first network aimed at African Americans in 1979. BET later became the first black-controlled company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1991. Johnson then became the [first African American billionaire] when he sold BET for $3 billion to Viacom in 2001.

• Computer Scientist Lisa Gelobter assisted with the 1995 creation of Shockwave, essential technology that led to the development of web animation. We have her to thank for [GIFs AND Hulu].

• The creator of Black History Month was historian Carter G. Woodson. Often referred to as the [“Father of Black History”] he is credited with being one of the first scholars to study and research the history of African Americans.

• As one of the first black video game developers in the early days of Silicon Valley, Jerry Lawson used his prowess to develop the [first cartridge video game console] in the 1970s. Without him, we wouldn't have the Nintendo or Atari game consoles! Think you can do what Jerry did? DIY your own [arcade game].

🎯 Ctrl+W: Closed Tabs

A few tabs to quickly explore and close.

• This ain't [Starbucks]: How one trip to this guy's homeland turned into something bigger and tastier.

• [Storytelling Is Always King]: DC Studios is getting a MAJOR facelift with James Gunn and Peter Safran in charge, and I AM HERE FOR IT! I love DC stories (sorry Marvel lovers) because their heroes are genuine misfits and have some pretty creative origin stories. I’m glad to see the pair tapping into the more unknown stories in the universe too! Waller, Booster Gold, The Authority, & The Brave and the Bold are definitely on my watchlist!

• [Stretch It Out]: Unwind or wind up, with these gamer exercises, because let's be honest, being curious on the internet is basically up there right next to being an all-star esports gamer.

✍️ Pinned Tabs

I know your mind is always racing, so I'll leave you with a quote, thought, & action to help you slow down.

🎈 Distract Me

Still, want more? Distract yourself with a game.

This time, I'm taking it easy on ya.

Here's a word search inspired by this drop.[Distract Me Now!]

Until Next Time! ~ Deja W.