open tabs #2

the things I'm reading, listening to, and thinking about

I really enjoyed this Substack format that I introduced last year (and promptly abandoned). ‘Open tabs’ summed up my mental state this week - it was a blur of summer logistics, running meetings, and finding myself falling down mental and Reddit rabbit holes for the most random things. Let’s bring it back, shall we?

Reading + Thinking About

Nostalgia - With all the talk of 90s summers, I couldn’t help but think about some of the things that my younger self was obsessed with. I’m fairly certain that Rainbow Brite and Jem and the Holograms planted the feminist seeds in me early. As I packed Rho for sleepaway camp, my mind drifted to Bug Soup, the show that made me want to go (and made my mother want the exact opposite). We’ve been watching and loving Bunk’d (on Disney+) to get him ready for camp.

I love that Rainbow Brite is being revived for the new generation - no better time, if you ask me.

• It Doesn’t Come in a Jar: An Oral History of ‘Bug Juice’ (VICE)

• Was Rainbow Brite and her Gender Non Conforming Friends the Gayest Cartoon Ever? (Medium)

• All the big life lessons I learned from ‘Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer’ (HelloGiggles)

• Jem and Gender Theory (The New Yorker)

Is nuance dead? - Almost - it’s definitely dying. And we are all the worse off for it. While one of the articles cheekily connects modern day tribalism to the Oasis vs. Blur band wars, we can also look to our declining attention spans, increasing use of GenAI for smaller tasks or summaries, and being pushed into a side (in politics especially, but in other fandoms or interests as well). We scroll more than we read. We’re quick to fire off an opinion instead of listening - really listening - to someone with a different perspective. And while there are some unequivocal horrors that all of humanity should stand against, we’re too busy fighting over dumb things or shouting a narrow opinion over a serious thing over each other. I’d be doing us all disservice if I left things here - the last two articles listed below offer some hope and some strategies to reclaim and strengthen your nuance muscles.

• Where's All the Nuance Gone in Political Discourse—And Everything Else? (Newsweek)

• Oasis vs. Blur: How the Battle of Britpop Foreshadowed the Age of Internet Tribalism (Consequence)

• The invisible threads that kill original thought (Massachusetts Daily Collegian)

• Breaking beyond tribalism and apathy: The brighter side of politics (KCRW)

• Beyond binary: Learning to work with nuance (Unleash)

Love Island - The last time I watched television live was when Scandoval erupted on the tenth season of Vanderpump Rules. It’s been nearly every night this summer, thanks to Love Island USA (I clearly became an Ariana fan after my VPR binge). My niece and I curl up on the couch with our personalized water bottles and a bowl of popcorn and lock in. The show’s near real-time filming and airing give the show a more authentic feel than most reality shows. Add in the audience voting element, and it gives a sense of control that I personally feel lacking in my personal life.

I’m excited to see Amaya and Austin explore their connection, kind of want someone new for Cierra, and would love to see Olandria and Nic pair up. Most of all, I’m dying to see what happens with Huda (the drama is exhausting but I can’t look away).

• Is Love Island USA Filmed in Real-Time? The Schedule Is Wild (NBC)

• Why are we still obsessed with Love Island, even though we vow not to be? (Cosmopolitan)

• Ariana Madix on the Character She Creates for ‘Love Island USA,’ the Power of Female Rage and Saying Goodbye to ‘Vanderpump Rules’ (Variety)

Listening

• I’ve been playing 3 Vitamin String Quartet playlists on repeat lately - Fall Out Boy, Taylor Swift, and their Women’s History Month one.

• I really enjoyed Emma Grede’s interview with Meghan - Grede is a strong interviewer, and you can tell that Meghan felt safe in opening up to her (albeit in a modest, no major revelations kind of way). I really liked their conversation about building businesses and brands.

• When I’m overwhelmed, anxious, or just feeling off, I’ve been playing an Activation (usually whatever looks good when I search for ‘reset’ or ‘anxious’ or ‘overwhelmed’). I feel cringey when I say affirmations aloud in the mirror, but listening to someone else calmly say them with soothing music is doable - and does improve my mood.

Buying + Recommending

• These storage bags and shoe bins remain undefeated as my favorite packing items (for a car trip). I used these packing cubes to pack Rho’s items for sleepaway camp (one for shirts, one for shorts and pants, etc) and slipped a bin in each packing cube along with the clothes, labeling both of them. HIs counselors are either going to thank me or think I’m psychotic.

• We’ll eventually have our closets in Pennsylvania built out, but I’m making them more functional with these hanging baskets and shelves, these wood-like covers to slip over the wire shelves, and the necessary purse organizer (and air pillows to stuff them).

• I don’t know if it’s the GLP-1 or the hotter weather, but I haven’t been able to stomach my chocolate protein powder after a workout. Arrae’s clear protein, however, is perfect. It’s delicious (raspberry-yuzu), hydrating with the addition of electrolytes, and tastes perfect over ice. I also love the brand’s creatine gummies (I eat them with breakfast with the rest of my supplements).

• A summer storm knocked out our power on Thursday night, and I had never been more glad to have hoarded Hotel Lobby Candles over the past year. We had just enough light to finish dinner and get ready for the night, and our home smelled divine when the lights finally flashed back on at 10 pm. Their sitewide sale begins soon (July 1st), and I recommend picking up some of the Hamptons and London products. Spa is my ‘get into work mode’ scent, and Miami is our bedroom scent and just perfect.

• I’ve added a few more books to my summer reading list - Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum and some spicy new reads from my Pepper Books delivery. Now if I only had more time to read without interruption…

• I’ve been wearing my NFG bracelets (that support New Morning) every day since I received them. If the bracelets or NM’s mission caught your eye, I hope you pick them up and wear them with pride!

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Cheers to all our open tabs.

xo,
HPN