Monday Memo #10: The Three Moods of Quarantine

Monday, August 10, 2020

I find myself cycling through three moods of quarantine in an infinite loop:

👩🏻‍🎨 The Corona-ssaince. A personal renaissance of passions and interests ignited by lockdown: reading, writing, music, observing, making, crafting, cooking, connecting. In the zone, deep focus, time melts.

🎢 The Corona Coaster. The weekly ups and downs of This is fine to This is beyond fucked up, and thinking you’re up when you’re really on the edge of the biggest drop. Personally thriving, while the world burns.

🤪 The Corona Crazies. Punchy times a thousand. Making literally zero sense by the end of each day. Walking outside in a daze after Zoom overload. Getting into arguments with other cranky, on-edge strangers.

What’s your quarantine mood(s)?

Where You’ll Find Me

✊🏽 🌈 Last week I had the honor of joining the advisory board for COHORT:ONE, a pioneering new Strategy Fellowship from @uberblond that flips the switch & pays young BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ strategists to develop their talent. We are seeking additional chair sponsors at the agency and individual level. Check out the deets, and please get in touch if you are able to support. Potential Fellows: put this on your radar for August 15 opening date!

🗳 I’m also joining forces with The Creative Resistance on a digital get-out-the-vote initiative leading up to the 2020 elections.

🚨 Jobs & Gigs: The Creative Resistance is looking for a Social Media Manager & Research Intern to roll up their sleeves on this project, knock out a killer content strategy, flex their database tabs, and power a social impact movement. Is this you? Hit reply, don’t be shy.

Reading

🦠 The Coronavirus is Never Going Away by Sarah Zhang for The Atlantic, August 2020.

✨ How Pandemics Wreak Havoc — and Open Minds by Lawrence Wright for The New Yorker, July 2020.

😜 These Apps are Scrambling to Become the Next TikTok by Chris Stokel-Walker for Wired, August 2020.

Watching

🎙 Bessie (2015). Queen Latifah stars in this biopic of Blues-era baddie, Bessie Smith. Directed by Dee Rees, brilliant queer Black director (Pariah, Mudbound) and Spike Lee protégé. HBO.

💀 I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. True crime writer Michelle McNamara’s obsession with digitally sleuthing a 70’s serial killer leads to a dark ending itself. Narrated by her surviving husband Patton Oswalt. HBO.

Creativity/Productivity Hack

🧠 What’s your go-to productivity playlist? UX/UI designer Leo Gonzalez shares the music psychology behind why certain playlists elevate you to higher-level thinking, in this guest post for @thechrisdo (click to swipe through):

thechrisdo

I’ve found that when I need to do serious brain work, like when I have to write a talk, I have a specific playlist that my brain just loves. On Spotify I discovered a playlist called Brain Food, and it does wonders to ease my anxiety and I slip into a rhythm. I’ve since modify the playlist to add more of what I want.

What music do you listen to when you need to do some high level thinking? Pay attention to the genre of music you listen to and how it affects your mood, energy level and ability to concentrate.

Create custom playlists and use the appropriate music for the desired effect. It’s a performance enhancing drug that is chemical free.

Today’s guest post on music psychology is by @leeohgonzalez. Check out his gram for more like this.

#workfromhome #worktips #musicislife #musicpsychology #inthegroove #playlist #playlistspotify #playlists #brainfood #musicmotivation #jam #workmood #workoutmotivation

May 23, 2020

From the Mixtape

🎧 Slip on some jumbo headphones and demolish your to-do list with @johnerik’s electronica mixtape: 2020x1work. I’ve already crushed multiple tasks today with these tracks: “Time”/ “Roses & Diamonds”

Dope Stuff for Your Desk

✏️ Stay sharp and make a point with this beautifully-crafted, navy and cream Shinola Jumbo Hex Mechanical Pencil with 1.1mm lead. Shinola Detroit, $10.95 + Free Shipping.

Music Video of the Week

I didn’t know anything about this “SAFE” music video before pushing play, and you should too.

“After the last Academy Awards and the regular whitewashing of Hollywood roles, I wrote this song and made this video to add my piece to the conversation.” —@dumbfounded

(h/t @myfriendraven)

‘Til next week — stay safe, sane, and masked on the Corona Coaster.🎢

—SP

P.S. Hit reply if you’re interested in The Creative Resistance open reqs for Social Media Manager or Research Intern — or hit forward to share with someone who wants to get involved in a 2020 progressive digital campaign.

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From the Desk of Sharon Panelo,
Queer Nerdy Filipina at Large