Month: January 2024

Every new year, millions decide they want to get stronger and build bigger muscles (and we’re here to help with a whole lot of guidance). For many, the first inclination is to sign up for an expensive gym membership and start picking up some weights. But there’s a saying that should pop into your head in this case, and that is, “First things first.” The best way to better all-around health and a stronger body is a solid mental state to lead the charge.

And that’s a feat that has become increasingly difficult in today’s digital age. The competition for your headspace is limitless and mental clarity is hard to come by.

Despite what you may have heard or read, the brain is not a muscle. It’s actually classified as an organ. There’s a reason that the “brain as a muscle” concept has been widely shared, though — it helps us better understand our brain’s amazing ability to strengthen. That’s right, just like muscles, our brains are constantly evolving through experiences and can function better with the proper exercise or care.

Do you want to put on some mental muscle? Here are some easy-to-start practices that will help you kick off 2024 in a better place mentally. Which, in turn, can help you jumpstart physical shifts too.

Delay The Plug-In

It’s important to think of the morning as an opportunity to start your day with little victories, which will in turn benefit your mental state off the rip. The best way to accomplish this is to avoid touching your phone or computer for at least half an hour. That’s because the majority of our anxiety, both work and personal, comes from those emails, texts, and social media posts that are waiting for us when we wake. Receiving bad or stressful news in a compromised state, like being tired or groggy, can put you on the back foot mentally for the rest of the day.

So if you are required to answer emails as soon as you wake up, consider setting your alarm clock for half an hour earlier. Then create a healthy ritual to kick off your morning in a better place. That could include meditation, walking outside, yoga, exercise, or a healthy breakfast. Thirty minutes later, you are going to be in an indestructible (or at least less destructible) place. You will be surprised how much better you will process those emails and texts once you’re in a better mental space.

The Quick Fix: Don’t touch your cellphone or computer until you’ve been awake for 30 minutes.

Brain Food

Everyone knows that if you want to build strong muscles you should be eating lots of foods with protein, which helps rebuild and maintain muscle tissue. In that same way, there are several brain-boosting foods that can increase your cognitive function and prevent that mid-day fogginess. Luckily, these foods taste great and should be a pleasure to introduce into your diet if they aren’t already in there.”Vitamin E is abundant in vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals, and has been shown to extend lifespan and improve mitochondrial function and neurological performance,” according to comparative studies.

Below are some ideas on ways to get that vitamin in your daily intake:

• For breakfast, try adding blueberries to your favorite oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt. Pair it with a nice cup of coffee.
• For lunch, try making sure you are getting some dark and leafy greens.
• For snacks throughout the day, nuts like almonds and walnuts are great sources.
• If you are a meat-eater, fatty fish like salmon make great protein sources that also have positive acids like Omega-3s. If you are vegetarian, avocados, tomatoes, and broccoli can accomplish the same effect.

The Quick Fix: Start introducing brain-boosting foods like blueberries, leafy greens, and fatty fish into your AM diet.

Gear Up For Good

Despite the convenience of technology, there have been some negative effects of having it so ingrained in our daily lives. The constant access to the news cycle and easy distractions like streaming services or video games have wreaked havoc on our attention spans. That being said, as appealing luddite existence, without any kind of technology, sounds… it would be difficult for many and impossible for others.

Luckily, several manufacturers have recognized this and worked to build gear that helps us reclaim our minds. Do you have an Apple iPhone or Watch? Or a Samsung Galaxy? Whether you are using a phone that is iOS or Android, companies have integrated software that allows you to monitor your onscreen time. Same when it comes to apps like Instagram. On top of that, there are new wearables on the market like the Oura Ring, Whoop 4.0, and Garmin watches, that use vibration or notifications to remind us when it’s time to stretch or get some offscreen time.

The Quick Fix: If you have an Apple device or Android like the Samsung Galaxy, start using their wellness functions to monitor your screen time. Or consider buying an Oura Ring, Whoop, or Garmin that will help you stay on top of your steps and idle time at once.

Take It Outside

Speaking of offscreen time and getting steps in, why don’t you text your next virtual meeting outside? Over the last few years, with more and more people working from home, video calls have become the norm. But in many of these cases, the same could be accomplished with a phone call with an in-person rendezvous. I have made it a point to request phone calls or in-person coffees at every opportunity.

The majority of the time the other party is more than happy to adjust, and instead of being stuck staring at a screen I’m able to enjoy a walk around the block. That means I’m also able to get a little sunlight, a better delivery system for Vitamin D than any supplement you can find on the market. Vitamin D is a critical component for your brain health, benefiting cognitive function and acting like a neurosteroid. “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults,” according to about a billion studies.

The Quick Fix: Try taking as many meetings or calls as you can outside to get natural sunlight exposure.

Seek Peace Of Mind

Even if you don’t already have a meditation practice at this point, you’ve likely considered giving it a try. But perhaps finding 15 to 30 minutes for a session twice a day seemed like too big a time commitment to make. It’s important to realize that you don’t need to dedicate a full hour or more to meditation to experience the benefits. Before progressing my own journey with meditation by taking a course at the David Lynch Foundation, I started small by doing the below.

Next time you’re on a walk, take out your earbuds and try to focus on your footsteps. Nothing else. Of course, make sure you are watching where you are walking, but listen to the sounds that your feet make each time they hit the ground. Do that for ten to 15 minutes, or as long as you can. If you want to quickly advance the practice, try to focus on the ambient noise around you for five minutes, then focus back on your footsteps, and repeat that pattern for 15 to 20 minutes.

The Quick Fix: Even if you don’t have time for a full-blown meditation practice, try introducing just ten minutes of tech-less focus to your day. (For more tips, check out our story here.)

Sleep Right, Sleep Tight

It may seem obvious that getting proper sleep is imperative to cognitive function, but the fact is that one-third of the population doesn’t get enough, according to recent studies. Over the years, there has been a decline in the quality and duration of sleep in most of the world. This probably has something to do with the amount of technology and blue light that we interact with throughout the day, in addition to overstimulation.

Similar to how avoiding technology in the morning can help you start the day right, putting away the devices and screens for 30 minutes before bed can have a huge impact on your night. This is a small step that can have a great impact. Miss your evening streaming? Try other forms of entertainment like books or podcasts. I have also started to wear blue light glasses during the day, especially in the evening, to counteract the negative effect that can have on sleep. Here is the pair that I personally use.

The Quick Fix: Limit your blue light exposure before sleep by shutting off the devices before sleep and wearing blue light glasses during any evening computer work.

With the various stresses life throws our way, finding an effective wellness and self-care routine is paramount. It helps keep you centered, refreshes your mind, and prepares you to take on the new day’s challenges and reach your goals. But what makes for a good self-care routine? That’s a bit of a complicated question to answer — we’re all different, after all. For some it can be making sure to work out every day, others might need an effective way to disconnect from the world and connect to their inner selves, and for some, it can be as simple as that morning cup of coffee.

Our point is there is no one way to practice wellness… so long as you’re doing something that makes sense to you. We’re here to help you find your best route for self-care in our new series Wellness Your Way.

In our first episode of Wellness Your Way meet Alicia, a model who left behind her cozy family life for college. For Alicia, her wellness routine is centered around building an environment that reminds her of family and that feels like home. In her search, Alicia developed an uplifting strategy that revolved around creativity, and the comforting rituals that surround watercolor painting and crocheting.

Here’s how you can build off of Alicia’s unique wellness practice:

Be sure to check in on Wellness Your Way to learn more about Alicia and help discover your wellness routine.

Last September, NSYNC briefly reunited for “Better Place,” a contribution to the Trolls Band Together soundtrack. Naturally, speculation spread quickly as to whether this song indicated an NSYNC album or reunion tour was next.

Billboard‘s Dave Brooks promptly shut that down, reporting, “It turns out that NSYNC star Justin Timberlake has touring plans of his own for 2024. Billboard has confirmed that Timberlake has holds on dates at arenas in North America for a major run, with sources saying the trek will be accompanied by a new album from the singer. As they say in the business, Timberlake is going back into cycle, which means there won’t be any full-fledged NSYNC tour any time soon.”

That report is even more relevant now, as Timberlake is set to perform a one-night only concert at The Orpheum Theatre in his hometown Memphis on January 19, which could very well be the soft-launch of his aforementioned tour (and album) plans.

How To Get Tickets For Justin Timberlake’s Free Memphis Concert

Timberlake posted on his Instagram Story, “TICKETS ARE FREE BUT SPACE IS LIMITED.”

Ticket registration is here. According to that website, The Justin Timberlake Ticket Request window is open from now until Monday, January 15, at 10:59 p.m. CST, and “requesting tickets early will not increase your chances of success.”

Someone at FOX 13 Memphis went through the process of signing up for free tickets and received a message reading, “Tickets are free, non-transferable and must be picked up with a matching ID at the venue on the night of the show. There is a 2 ticket limit per person. Note: These are not guaranteed.”

Additionally, the outlet relayed, “Once you’ve requested your tickets, you’ll receive an email and a temporary $1 authorization will be held on your credit card and instantly refunded to ensure it’s active. If you’re one of the lucky concertgoers to be approved for tickets, you’ll be notified by January 18.”

Godzilla’s PR team has been working overtime. He starred in a handful of projects last year (including the epic Godzilla Minus One) and yet he still looks great and youthful at 70 years old, though he could still use some moisturizer. And he’s just beginning.

The monster has been on a redemption tour after decades of destroying cities and killing thousands, and now he is trying to “rebrand” as a humanity defender who is BFFs with King Kong. And why not! He’s been hiding out for so long that he’s due for some good press, and we all know King Kong will befriend just about anyone (he’s a follower). So it makes that the two are heading to the big screen together to cause some mayhem.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the latest monster movie to bring Godzilla out into the world as a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong, when the two big bads were pitted against each other. Now, the duo must team up to fight against a whole new threat. The upcoming film will be the fifth film in the Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. MonsterVerse series that began in 2017 with Godzilla. Here is everything you need to know before joining the two monster frenemies in their upcoming adventure.

Plot

The film takes place after the events of 2021’s Godzilla Vs. Kong which saw the monstrous duo engulfed in a destructive battle. Now, the two have to team up to save mankind from another group of monsters known as the Titans (not to be confused with those titans). These guys have been around for thousands of years and don’t seem too threatened by Kong and our pal Zilla. On the bright side, there’s also a little mini Kong who will probably offer some sort of cute comic relief. Here is the official synopsis:

This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the mighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Cast

The cast includes Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle reprising their roles from the previous installment, in addition to Dan Stevens, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen.

Release Date

The film will be released in theaters in the US on March 29th, followed a month later in Japan.

Trailer

Here’s the latest trailer for the film:

In Jhené Aiko’s tender new ballad, “Sun/Son,” the Los Angeles-born singer expands on the obvious homophonic metaphor, gushing about the new center of her universe. Jhené and her man Big Sean announced the birth of their son, Noah, in November 2022, sharing the first photo of the baby last January. His birth seems to have coincided with a resurgence of Jhené’s creative energy; last March, she shared her first new song in some time, “Calm & Patient,” suggesting that she might be back in the studio with a new project in the works.

Although neither Jhené nor Sean has announced anything official just yet, that increased activity was enough to earn them a shared spot on Uproxx’s Most Anticipated Albums Of 2024 list, as fans still haven’t given up on the possiblity of a follow-up to their 2016 joint album Twenty88. Sean noted as recently as February 2022 that the album is “coming along,” but considering the effort that goes into parenting a newborn, a delay was probably inevitable.

Aiko wasn’t completely off the radar in the time since; she made appearances on songs with John Legend, Tyga, Ab-Soul, and the late August 08 throughout 2022. Meanwhile, “Sun/Son” also has an acoustic piano version, which you can listen to below.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book III: Raising Kanan episode will be found below.)

After a one-week break for the holiday season, Power Book III: Raising Kanan is back with a new episode. The sixth episode in the show’s third season, titled “Into The Darkness,” followed a shocking episode five that left viewers to sit and digest for two weeks: Unique is dead. The character played by Joey Badass was killed by his brother Ronnie, a new character in Power Book III: Raising Kanan season, and in this week’s episode, we see exactly why Ronnie did what he did.

Ronnie killed Unique to appeal to Juliana, a Colombian drug connect, in hopes that she would work with him and supply him drugs. His plan was a success and she agreed to partner with him, so long as her husband was kept out of the deal. Ronnie buys a few keys of cocaine, gets Snaps and Pop on board, and then recruits Kanan to join him. It took a party and a picture with some high-profile drug dealers from the city, but Kanan got over his initial reluctance and agreed with work with Ronnie.

The federal investigations in Queens continue, and in a surprise twist, Marvin is now on their radar as they were able to theoretically connect him to the murder of Sal. All that’s left is for them to find evidence to connect the two, but with Marvin running into a drug customer during a catch-up with Gerald, you get the feeling that the walls are closing in on Marvin. The timing couldn’t be worse for Marvin as things in his personal life are finally on the up and up.

His daughter Jukebox was picked for a girl group, and in episode six, the trio that consists of singers Krystal, Iesha, and Jukebox herfled, performs for label executives and though the girls thought they did well, their manager feels otherwise. Their manager voices her frustration at the group’s lack of leadership, something that Jukebox aims to correct after a conversation with Marvin. Elsewhere, Kanan and Famous’ friendship takes a turn for the worse while Raq meets with Lou-Lou to apologize for her wrongs, but it doesn’t go quite like she planned.

Here are some of the major points and questions we had after the sixth episode of season three:

Kanan Is In The Big Leagues Now

Kanan’s weed delivery system continues to be a success, despite all that Raq has done to slow it and Kanan down. With that success comes attention from others and Kanan received just that from Ronnie. Kanan was initially intimidated by Ronnie’s presence, and rightfully so as Ronnie takes sinister and menacing to a whole new level. Luckily for Kanan, it seems like Ronnie’s approach to him was in hopes of making a business deal with him as he admired Kanan’s progress with his own business. After some initial hesitation, Kanan accepts Ronnie’s deal, which includes monetary support from OG drug dealer Snaps (Wendell Pierce) and his wife Pop (Erika Woods). With this deal, it’s no longer weed that Kanan is dealing with. Now he’s in the big leagues as cocaine will be his main product. The big leagues mean higher rewards, but the risks are also higher, which Kanan is hopefully ready for.

The Spotlight Is Jukebox’s For The Taking

By the end of “Into The Darkness,” Jukebox is left to accept one thing: talent is never enough. After their first performance for label executives, Krystal, Iesha, and Jukebox’s manager criticizes them for being sub-par and for not having the qualities necessary to seize the lead role. She says Krystal is too entitled for it at the moment, Iesha underestimates herself too much for it, and Jukebox is too in the middle for it. The manager goes as far as to question whether or not Jukebox truly wants to be in the group and be successful. Afterward, Jukebox takes a look in the mirror and realizes that she can be the leader the group needs. She can keep Krystal in check and make sure that Iesha keeps her confidence while keeping up with the group. The spotlight is Jukebox’s for the taking, all she has to do is seize it.

Can Raq And Lou-Lou Patch Things Up?

Raq and Lou-Lou’s relationship has been in the gutter since the end of last season when Lou-Lou learned that Scrappy did not snitch on them and that he was ultimately murdered for no reason. The trauma from that has been heavy on Lou-Lou, and add in Raq’s initial refusal to let him walk away from the game, and you can see why Lou-Lou is so angry with Raq. Episode six also reveals that Lou-Lou has some anger towards himself and his inability to say “no” to Raq sometimes, specifically in the case of Scrappy, as he reveals in his conversation with Raq at Cafe Vous. Raq is at the bar to apologize to Lou-Lou and hopefully start to repair their relationship, but that attempt turns into a blame game. Lou-Lou blames Raq, his big sister, for leading him incorrectly and instructing him to do things he regrets like killing Scrappy while Raq blames him for not being man enough to say no if he wanted to. There’s truth on both sides, but for the task of repairing their relationship, who’s at fault doesn’t matter as they both have their wrongs and faults to accept. This conversation is a start, but the two will both have to show some sympathy to the other side if any real progress wants to be made.

Marvin Can’t Hide His Double Life Or Outrun His Past

It was getting too good to be true for Marvin. For a few weeks, he was the perfect character with minor problems at best. He’s working on being a better father to Jukebox, which has its ups and downs. He’s been there for Raq and Lou-Lou as well as Gerald — Marvin has just been better overall. Despite all of that, his past is catching up with him. We see it when the gentleman Marvin sold drugs to approaches him in the park during his meeting with Gerald. We see it again as federal investigators piece together Marvin’s involvement in Sal’s murder. The walls are closing in a bit on Marvin and it’s unfortunate for him because, and I know I keep saying it but, things have been going so well for him!!! The truth is a double life won’t work for Marvin, especially if he wants to be friends with a local journalist or not put his daughter at risk during her blossoming music career. He also can’t outrun his past and has to be ready for whatever consequences arise as a result of it.

What’s The Catch With Ronnie?

If Ronnie was willing to go as far as to kill his brother Unique to get into the game, there has to be a bigger catch for him with his partnership alongside Kanan. It’s something that Kanan isn’t seeing yet, because killing Unique wasn’t an absolutely necessary move for Ronnie to get back in the game. I will say it was the easiest and most immediate move he could make to get a foot back in the game. Yet still, killing Unique to get a drug supplier to trust him and give him product to then reel in Kanan into a deal with Snaps and Pop to sell it, seems a bit overdramatic (which is typical of the Power Universe). In situations like this, you can almost be certain there are other things that complete the big picture of Ronnie’s plan. We’ll just have to wait and see what ends up being in the next episodes of Power Book III: Raising Kanan

New episodes of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ are available on the STARZ app on Fridays at 12:00 am ET/PT and on the STARZ TV channel at 8:00 pm ET/PT.

In 2021, Michelle Mootreddy was arrested for allegedly entering Pete Davidson‘s house after sending out a fake press release claiming that she and the comedian were married. Mootreddy was found mentally unfit to stand trial and placed in the care of a psychiatric facility. However, according to Davidson’s new Netflix special, Turbo Fonzarelli, that’s not the whole story.

As Davidson addressed the crowd, he set the stage by saying he noticed a woman outside of his house wearing a T-shirt with his face on it, so naturally, that was a huge red flag. Davidson famously lives with his mother, so he naturally warned her to be on her guard. However, his mom didn’t fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.

“I told her, I was like, ‘Someone knows where we live, someone could come over and hurt you.’ And she goes, ‘No. No, they’re looking for you. They’re not gonna hurt me,’” Davidson said via Entertainment Weekly. “And I was like ‘That’s fair, but could you humor me? This is scary. I have a stalker and you just gotta be aware, in case she comes by.’”

Davidson’s mom did not stay aware. Via EW:

Eventually, Davidson leaves town and the stalker returns. According to him, the events unfolded as follows: “She rings the doorbell. My mom answers and goes, ‘Hey, who are you?’ Stalker goes, ‘I’m Pete’s friend.’ My mom, of course, goes, ‘Well, come on in.’”

With the crowd already laughing, Davidson delivered the craziest detail yet: “Stalker proceeds to watch Grey’s Anatomy with my mom and [her friend] Terry for three hours.”

Eventually, Davidson’s mom started to notice something is off and texted Davidson if he was coming home soon. Once he realized what’s happening, he advised his mom to “act normal, head into the garage, and call the cops.”

This time, she listened to instructions, and the stalker was arrested. However, not before leaving a present for Davidson to find later: “20 pairs of soiled underwear.”

Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli is available for streaming on Netflix

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Last year, Doja Cat went to the ends of the Earth to distance herself from her pre-Scarlet album releases. At one point, the rapper even labeled her breakout songs such as “Say So” as a “cash grab.”

Despite pissing off a few hundred thousand followers in the process, Doja’s evolution to a full-fledged lyrical miracle rapper has been complete. After appearing on the track “Jeezu” off of The Book Of Clarence’s soundtrack, Doja Cat even earned the praises of Jay-Z (mainly rap purists’ goat).

On January 11, during the audio-only fireside chat, A Conversation with Jeymes Samuel And Jay-Z, hosted by Gia Peppers, the hip-hop titan showed love to Doja’s standout bars on X (formerly Twitter).

“Even with Doja [Cat] on [the soundtrack],” he said. “Her performance on [‘Jeezu’] was unlike anything that I’ve heard from her. The way she attacks that music it’s like, ‘Wow, this is a different Doja.’ And it may not be different for her. I don’t know. That’s a question for her. It may not have felt different for her, but as a listener, as someone who has consumed her music and loves what she does, I was like, ‘Man, this feels new for her.’ This feels like a new space.”

Listen to the entire chat below.

The Book Of Clarence is in theaters now. Find more information here.

When NIKI dropped Nicole, her 2022 album, this Uproxx review observed that “it pulsates with this youthful intensity — the way it feels like life-or-death at the time.” That sentiment directly applies to NIKI’s latest single, “24,” out now.

The ballad disguises angst within soft, inviting instrumentals and NIKI’s pristine vocals. NIKI doesn’t waste any time acknowledging the reality most people grapple with daily internally: “Well, what do you know? / Suddenly, you’re older now.”

Throughout the first and second verse, NIKI acutely describes youthful indulgences, such as falling in love (“He’s endless, and on my skin like sand on the shore”), adventure (“You travel the world, swim under a waterfall / You have everything you ever wanted”), and the comforts of home (“The basket of bread’s still warm / And that’s enough for me right now, anyway, at 24”).

“’24’ was heavily inspired by Joni Mitchell’s performance of ‘Both Sides Now’ at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival,” NIKI said in a statement, as per press release. “I came across that performance and was so unbelievably moved by it, it brought me to tears immediately. I felt struck by some lightning bolt of inspiration and just ran to my studio and picked up my guitar and out flowed the words to ’24.’”

The 88rising artist continued, “The song is essentially my attempt at synthesizing my early twenties, and the many humbling things I have learned up to this point in my life — namely, learning to embrace nuance and the idea that life is rarely ever dichotomous. Everyone can be many things at once. Of the many takeaways I’ve gathered since turning 24, I think that’s the most freeing one.”

Listen to “24” above.

Say what you will about the Golden Globes (there’s a lot to say!), but it’s the only awards show where Indiana Jones helps Lily Gladstone locate the bathroom. You won’t find that at the Oscars.

The Killers of the Flower Moon star appeared on Thursday’s episode of The Tonight Show, where she told host Jimmy Fallon about meeting Harrison Ford at the Globes. “He was the best,” she said. “He was the one that really was like, when I needed to go to the bathroom, he got up all, you know, Han Solo-style and ran to the camera guy, ‘Where’s the bathroom? What’s the order? When is she up?’” Cinema’s greatest pointer pointing the way.

Gladstone, who won Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama at the Globes, also told Ford that Return of the Jedi was the reason she wanted to act. His response: “Oh yeah, me too.”

Gladstone said she loved the Ewoks as a kid, and her parents reminded her that actors played the furry Star Wars creatures. “So I thought, ‘OK, if I wanna be an Ewok, I have to be an actor,’” she said.

The clip, which you can watch above, is worth it for Gladstone’s impression of Ford alone. Check it out around 3:53.

(Via the Huffington Post)