Giving. I’m thinking about the concept of giving in a year. That could be because of how taxable donations have conditioned me. But nevertheless, a year combines enough seasonality between the daily grind, finding your pace, and expenses. I give throughout the year planned and at random. And this year, I’ve given more at random than I have planned, but both are important.
I’ve got cool things planned for Season 2, but I wanted to be honest first about where I'm at. My phrase of the day has been "Fat Chance", and inflation is coming for us all. So, where have you noticed inflation the most? And what have you noticed didn't go up?
Curated spaces for creatives is the coolest thing to be in proximity too. I thought DJ sets were for clubs but this past weekend I went to watch a collection of DJ sets. Where people just gather around the stage, the dj is atop the stage with laptop and boards, and we all enjoy the music they're dropping. Bob your head, tap your feet, Swing your dreads, do a two step, and throw a lil stank on your face when the DJ does something unexpected with the song. From my experience, I can tell there were...
This week I’m thinking about the concept of take what you need. I Love seeing it in community pantries, books, and even encouragement. So today I’ll read two letters from my uncle. Take or don't take from the answer to my “if you could have dinner with any person dead or alive”, my C.S. Lewis, Dumbledorf, good soul, kindred spirit, fortune cookie--Uncle Ben.
“You take one person from every phase of your life” means pick wisely the relationships you steward and that relationships change. The closeness that most of them have may gain distance, while simultaneously increasing in fondness and faint applause. Why? Because folks are still cheering for you, even if who is sitting in the front row changes. I really believe that. When you think of the one person that you’ve taken from every season, who are they? And have you told them?
This week I asked my youngest sister,"If you could ask me anything, what would you ask me?"
Where did we place our competitiveness? Do we wrap it up in jealousy for coveting other people’s stuff? Is competition for groups and nations to be the first in war, inter-planet discoveries, invention, or the Olympics? Is it only for game nights or gym rats? Or is competition for children? Do we grow up and decide that no matter how competitive you are-- there’s a level that you will reach, and it's pretty much been decided. No need to cut your teeth.
There are times in my adult life that I talked too much. And times I didn’t talk at all. And I take note of both of those things. So, if you have to tell your story and not theirs, what do you do in the case of a loved one or family member? Someone whose story has long been intertwined with yours? How should we tell those stories?
I didn’t think Rejection and Feedback would be the avenue I would use to tell these stories. But, I’m aware that those two themes have been present in how I’ve made decisions these past pandemic years. So, I hope my honesty has been helpful and before I move on from the idea of rejection (for hopefully awhile), I asked myself what was the kindest rejection I’ve received. And I think it was from…
Relationships/dating can feel a LOT like that. So as much as I’d been prepared for rejection because of poetry nothing could prepare me for the mild dumpster fire that has been my love life and the strange rejection that stands out among them.
I have been rejected plenty of times. Rejected by school, jobs, internships, journals, publications— you name it. I keep a folder in my Inbox for Rejections and review it every couple of years. And that’s because no one gets rejected more than a writer— more specifically a poet.
As the child of Caribbean parents, I’m still learning African American History, so for Black History Month, I toured Dr. Pope’s Home and learned about The Third Good.
The company that I work for is big on communication. Big on managing up the things that you can’t remedy on your own, 1:1s with your coworkers, syncs with your clients, talking to media reps, training the people around us, and they’ve even set a few of us up with a business coach. So amidst all of that talking — you are bound to give and get criticism. And while I hateeee getting criticism, some things are changing.
