8 tips for getting to inbox zero — and staying there – Artofit

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8 tips for getting to inbox zero — and staying there
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Silver - If you’ve ever found yourself humming that odd, ominous chant from The Wizard of Oz—you know the one, it sticks in your brain like gum on a ruby slipper—you’re not alone. Generations of viewers have puzzled over what sounds like “Oreo... reo...” being intoned by grim-faced guards in black fur hats marching through the Wicked Witch’s castle grounds. But no, the flying monkeys didn’t suddenly become brand ambassadors for sandwich cookies. That haunting chant didn’t come from the airborne primates at all—it came from the Winkie Guards, the lumbering sentinels of Oz’s darkest stronghold, and what they’re actually saying is both more abstract and far more fun to say aloud. Let’s clear the fog over the poppy field: according to the official MGM script of the 1939 cinematic landmark, the Winkie chant is “O-Ee-Yah! Ee-Oh-Ah!” That’s right—it's pure phonetic mood music. Think of it as tonal seasoning for the scene, not a lyric with literal meaning. It wasn’t meant to convey information; it was meant to rattle your nerves. And it works. The chant is unsettling in just the right way—tribal, primal, but strangely catchy. Like Gregorian monks who got stuck in a Halloween musical. Now here’s where it gets weirder. That same chant, unmistakably lifted straight from the gates of the Wicked Witch’s fortress, shows up decades later in LL Cool J’s 1989 track “I’m That Type of Guy.” That’s right: Dorothy’s perilous journey through Oz somehow found its way into late-80s hip hop swagger. A deep-cut sample from a children’s fantasy classic turned into a rhythmic backdrop for a rap anthem. Only in America. The move makes sense, though—hip hop has long excelled at reclaiming pop culture detritus and recontextualizing it with attitude. In LL’s case, the eerie vocal loop just added to the vibe: intimidating, mysterious, and iconic. Like if the Winkies started marching through Harlem with gold chains instead of pikes. But it speaks to the enduring cultural reach of The Wizard of Oz, doesn’t it? This was a film that invented modern fantasy cinema’s visual language long before the words “franchise” or “cinematic universe” were a glint in a studio exec’s eye. Every inch of it—from sepia Kansas to technicolor Oz—was designed to imprint itself on the psyche. And those Winkie Guards? They’re a perfect example of how even the minor background players in that film are seared into our collective memory. They barely have screen time, no lines beyond their chant, and yet we remember them. Why? Because The Wizard of Oz understood the power of atmosphere. It painted its world with such distinct, vivid strokes that even the brushstrokes matter. What’s genius is how the chant has become this weird pop culture Rorschach test. Everyone hears something different. Some say “Oreo.” Some say “Mario.” I once heard a kid belt out “Dorito!” during a Halloween screening. But that’s the beauty of it. The chant is abstract enough that it’s open to interpretation—like the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey, only more hummable. And that ambiguity gives it staying power. It isn’t tied to a specific phrase or meaning—it just feels like something important is happening. That’s storytelling at its most instinctual. So next time someone brings up the flying monkeys and their supposed cookie-themed war cry, you can lean in and say: “Actually, that was the Winkie Guards, and they were chanting something that’s basically Oz-ian jazz scat. No words, just vibes.” And then, if you’re feeling bold, start chanting it yourself. See who joins in. Chances are, someone will. That’s the legacy of The Wizard of Oz—its echoes still bounce around in the oddest places, from castle courtyards to hip hop tracks, to the strange nostalgic corners of your own brain. #WizardOfOz #WinkieGuards #MovieChantsDecoded #LLCoolJ #OzTrivia #ClassicHollywood #1939Cinema #FlyingMonkeysMisunderstood #PopCultureEchoes #FantasyFilmFacts

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