My Open Tabs | Drop 003

Here's what we're chatting about in Drop 003:

• 🍭Sugar and Ice Spice and Everything Nice (including the Y2k resurgence, Justin Bieber's iconic bowl cut & house phones)

• ✅ The ten commandments of 2023.

• 🏀 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar congratulates Lebron James and sends us to AP English class, all at the same dang time.

~ Deja W.

▶️ Set The Vibe

Set the vibe while you read.

[Hit Play] on nwts by Amindi, and then let Spotify set the vibe while you read.

🤳 Group Chat Convos

Take your group chats to the next level.

Where in the world did all the teenage heartthrobs go? Long gone are the days of childlike innocence in music. You KNOW what I'm talking about. We had folks like Justin Bieber and Chris Brown (before he was problematic). They were smooth, doe-eyed, and they were you know...sweet. But also pause. Some people, my age don't even remember these days. So it's no wonder the kids today don't know what it's like to be serenaded by Chris Brown's [Kiss Kiss] or Justin Bieber telling you that you made his heart stop [One Time] during the MTV music marathons while you get ready for school in the morning. Heck... even watching Soulja Boy (who by the way is NOT a heartthrob) confess his love in [Kiss Me Thru the Phone] AND Bow Wow sing a slow jam with [Shortie Like Mine] was more romantic than some of the music we get today.

Where we are today? Tik Tok. Instagram Reels. Soundcloud Rappers (is this still a thing?). Today's generation has musicians like Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, and Lil Naz X. And they've all blown up because of dance challenges, and random Tik Toks. While these stars have catchy tunes, it's not THE same as where we were! I mean Old Time Road is about [adultery] and don't even get me started on that [Munch] song. Seriously ask [Urban Dictionary ] what a “Munch” is 👀 and then tell me if a middle schooler should be singing it. I'm not saying anything's wrong with these musicians or what they make, heck I listen to them, I'm just saying... my parents definitely wouldn't have let me listen to these songs as a 13-year-old.

Long story short: We're losing recipes! LOL like seriously...Where did all the teenage heartthrobs go? Even bands like One Direction weren't as explicit with their innuendos as today's artists. Everything is sexualized (I'm looking at you Unholy) or violent in today's music. And if the kids today are growing up seeing that, where in the world does that leave us as a society? Just recently, the CDC reported that nearly [3 in 5 teenage girls felt persistently sad] or hopeless almost every day for at least 2 weeks straight. Yikes!

Maybe there's hope: With the rise of Korean-based boybands and girl groups, there might be a gleam of hope. These groups are normally very innocent, playful, and have a fierce work ethic that's seriously aspirational. And, they have fandoms that know how to make stuff happen. Remember when the [BTS Army bought out Trump's event]? #iconic

Where I think we're going: Personally, I think the girl groups will come out on top. Like seriously, have you seen the latest [K-Pop group, XG]? And... There's an interesting [Y2K obsession] happening among Gen-Z right now, so maybe the days of stripping back and returning to flip phones, newspapers, and [house phones], will knock some sense into the youth today. I'm not mad at them for bouncing off the walls, I promise, despite this tangent, I'm just a little confused.

And...end scene: I'm done with my rant. So back to my original question? Do you think this generation will get anyone who's heartthrob worthy? For now, the reigning champ is Justin Bieber, especially when he hit the scene with his bowl cut. But who you got? Hit reply and let me know.

🧠 Brain Picking

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

How are your New Year's Resolutions chugging along? Are you a part of the bunch who's already given up on the gym, and turned back to the bottle? I'm not judging you. I'm just sending you a friendly reminder to not give up on your #NewYearNewMe promises.

Here are a few reminders and resolutions from me that you can also try in 2023!

• Stop staying silent. Stand up for yourself and move through life with confidence. No one is better than anyone in this life.

• Stop being ashamed of who you are and what you like. We're all weird and complex beings. Live your truth, don't hide it, and don't allow others to shame you into hiding the things that make you unique.

• Stop saying yes to things that you really want to say no to. We live in an abundant world. Opportunities will always be there. Say yes to the ones that energize you.

• Stop telling white lies. It doesn't make the situation any better, and the truth always comes out eventually.

• Stop being judgemental. We're all doing the best that we can. Be kind to yourself and others.

• Stop holding grudges. You have 1 day to cry and be angry about whatever/whoever messed you over but after that move on.

• Stop overthinking and holding yourself back. Most people know exactly what they need to do to get to where they want to be. Take the first step and then keep going until you reach your goals.

• Stop forcing things. If something works after trying, great. If it doesn't, it's okay to move on.

• Stop thinking it's too late. It's never too late and you're never too late. What's meant for you is meant for you, and everything happens when it's supposed to.

• Stop being gluttonous. Ever heard of too much of anything is a bad thing? Take things in small, modest doses and savor them.

What would you add to the list? Hit reply and let me know!

🤔 Guess What?

Fun facts no one asked for.

To [learn new words] through reading, you need to read over 8 Million words (or ~420 novels).

Now, I'm not gonna teach you millions of words, but I'll help you learn a few new words today! Let’s go to school!

Did anyone else have to fill out those SAT/ACT companion vocab books while reading novels? Was it just me? See the one I bought when I was in high school above. (Yes, I was a Twilight girl, Don't judge! haha).

Anyway, I recently read an article by [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar] and there were a few words that made me dust off my old dictionary. So I thought this was the PERFECT companion vocab article. See the vocab list below, and at the end of today's mag, I'll include a fun lil' game that features these words.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Vocab List:

• trepidation: A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.

• self-aggrandizement: the action or process of promoting oneself as being powerful or important; arrogance.

• speculate: form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence.

• chaos theory: describes the qualities of the point at which stability moves to instability or order moves to disorder.

• opine: hold and state as one's opinion.

• hobble: walk in an awkward way, typically because of pain from an injury.

• chummy: on friendly terms; friendly.

• equivocate: use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

• by-product: an incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.

Sources: Oxford Languages; Science Direct

🎯 Ctrl+W: Closed Tabs

A few tabs to quickly explore and close.

• [Soft skills] you can take to the bank or to your next family gathering.

• [Check on your sensitive friend]: They have feelings too ya know.

• [Living the American Dream]: Can you guess how most Americans spend their time?

✍️ 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.

As promised, I have a game for you! It's part spelling bee, part word scramble, and would give even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a run for his money!

If you complete this puzzle you deserve an award because...I made it a lil' challenging. :) [Play It Now!]

Until Next Time! ~ Deja W.