Morning Brew - ☕ Game on

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Q: When will GameStop fatigue start? A: Not any time soon. For the uninitiated: A single $GME share was cheaper than a gallon of milk last summer (i.e. $4). But recently, a group of r/WallStreetBets redditors rallied folks to buy up as much GameStop stock as possible—driving a 1,700% price surge and causing their hedge fund nemeses to exit their positions and take billion-dollar losses in the process. That’s why Wall Streeters are freaking out about what this could mean for the market writ large. If you, too, want to make Gamestonk your bedtime story this weekend, here are a few things to consider: 

• Four theories that explain the motivations behind and success of r/WallStreetBets, from Brew editor Neal Freyman.  
• The Journal looks at the rise of Reddit investors and why they’re causing other “old school” stocks like Blockbuster to take off. 
• Inside the battle between retail investors and hedge fund bros—including the memes that hit below the belt. 
• If you feel like you missed out on some $$$…you’re not alone. 
• You know it’s a big deal when $GME infiltrates the once-innocent world of dog Instagrams. 

Read: 

• Just like secondhand smoking is real, so is secondhand stress. Here’s how to cope with it. 
• Mindfulness doesn’t mean ignoring your feelings, even about work stuff, argues an instructor at NYU and Columbia Business School’s Executive program. He’s helped groups at Amazon, Google, and the UN. 
• BlackBerry Pearls, the Black Eyed Peas, and 500 Days of Summer—these are all topics in a Facebook group where members pretend it's 2009-2012. 

Listen: 

• If you didn’t know, Morning Brew’s CEO (hi, Alex!) has a podcast called The Founder’s Journal. He recently opened up about losing his dad and how it’s affected his personal and professional life. Even if you don’t work with him like I do (lucky me), his empathy as a leader will inspire you. 
• One of my all-time favorite pods, Dissect, analyzes one album per season. On Monday they released a special miniseries on Beyoncé’s Black Is King, in which they explore the film’s celebration of Black culture. 
• A cappella covers of Windows sound effects. The “error” beep is too accurate. 

Watch: 

• Marie-Pierra Kakoma (aka Lous) is a 24-year-old musician who, along with her five-person band, performs a chill setlist in Paris for her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert.  
• Nickelback’s take on sea shanties. It’s surprisingly average...even for Nickelback. 
• Disney debuts the trailer for Raya and the Last Dragon, its first animated feature starring characters of Southeast Asian descent. Peep Awkwafina! 
• Elladj Balde’s figure skating TikToks will satisfy your Lutz lust until the 2022 Winter Olympics...if they happen. 

Try It: 

• Play: A curated list of games to play on your next Zoom call, so no one has to ask, “Is it snowing where you are?” 
• Change: Shift your mindset with Yoko Ono’s five “Cleaning Pieces,” aka Yoko-approved steps to building a better life. Cleaning Piece III: Try to say nothing negative about anybody.
• Cook: If dinnertime paralysis makes you dread 5pm too, the newsletter Sifted will help. Writers Court and Gab *sift* through infinite online recipes and turn up everything from one-pan meals to no-cook dishes. And they’re all delectable. 

Buy It: 

• Wrap: Parachute teamed up with Crate & Barrel on a bath and bedding collection that’s got major California beach house vibes. Read more about it on Retail Brew! 
• Nourish: I am crushing on Ceremonia, the clean hair care brand rooted in Latinx culture. Its signature product, Aceite de Moska, smells like coconuts and rosemary and leaves my hair feeling hydrated.

Daniel Triassi's Instagram

Is it Hogwarts or the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library? Daniel Triassi’s Instagram is a treasure trove of West Coast architecture.