A Day in the Life of a Master(s) of Education

Just wanted to share more photos of how amazing this experience has been. 

It's almost time for the 26 World Cup.  1 Continent. 3 Countries. 16 Cities.  48 Teams. 1 Winner. Atlanta is not ready but I sure am. I'll have the opportunity to volunteer and I am stoked. I picked up my uniform today and it really solidified that this is happening.  And I get to be in the room where it happens. I look forward to a summer of soccer, fun and adventure.  Until next post.....laters

Atlanta is not a real place..this is a common saying for those (especially the Black ones) who have lived here for any length of time. The reasoning behind this is because the type of stuff that happens often stretches the realm of possibility.  Things like a panhandler dressed as Batman at the intersection of very busy road. I recently experienced one such incident and it also yielded a celebrity sighting.  I stopped posting about celeb sightings a while ago because honestly a lot of them live in and around Atlanta 😅. Elton John had a home here. T-Pain lives in Smyrna. Of course, Usher, TLC, Ludacris etc. Along those same veins, I was driving by my local car wash and who do I see? Ceelo Green (Goodie Mob). Mind you it's less that I SAW Ceelo and moreso WHERE I saw him. I take my car to SOAP. So, you mean to tell me that celebs are just like us? Yeah, Atlanta is not a real place. In any case, it's my favorite fictional place and I wouldn't change a thing (except the public...

 Welp it was such a busy month that I missed a post! To be fair to myself, I did think about posting and how I was running out of to days to get one in for October...but I just didn't post 😅.  Part of the reason I was so busy was prepping to the upcoming general election. I have really gotten passionate about getting and supporting the election process (especially in Georgia). This has taken several forms but most recently & consistently it's been through working the polls. I've done just about every job except Manager & Assistant Manager (though I have been asked).  While I truly do enjoy the job this particular election has felt...scary and off putting. It's become the norm to be mean and rude to those who may not share your views. Also, while I am favoring one candidate over another I'm seeing friends disintegrate relationships and dive deeper into divide this election.  It's scary stuff. Whatever the world we have on November 11th (once all the vote...

It's been a while since I've posted one of these just because now that Atlanta is Ya'llywood they happen pretty frequently. That being said here we go, spotted Darren Barnet (Paxton from Never Have I Ever) today at Shaky Knees. Not bad for a Friday in the A. Until next post....laters

 I feel as though I make a Valentine's related post every year. And maybe I do. I just really love love and I enjoy spreading it via small notes to people. This year, I got a lot of response from folx along the lines of "I really needed this" or "This came at the right time" or "Thank you for the love". You know living & life can be so heavy. I've found over the years that writing each card or text or note has helped me to take a moment to not only reflect on that person and what they mean but also on my relationship wit the world. Even if no one ever responded to a single card or message, taking the time to spread a little love really helps ME to manage in this oft times dark place. 💓😍💓 Until next post, laters

It's August and I haven't been on my bike much. I haven't been to the gym since my vacation. My parents popped up for a short time. I barely get to sleep at a decent time. I haven't roller skated in months.  All of this to say....I want to more. But how? Until next post..laters

The year ahead has so much potential. I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen. Covid is STILL raging (there's another variant, Omicron) but I feel as though we've figured out how we (J&I) will and can navigate it.  We've got a few trips planned. Namely Tampa, Baton Rouge, Portland,  Seattle, DC, Jamaica (for me) and Vancouver. I found out that I will be receiving a raise and possibly an assistant. So just winding down the work year with plotting out what that could look like. I never really do a great job of plotting out my visions and wants for the future but I am hopeful and happy so that's got to count for something 🤷🏿‍♀️ Until next post....laters 

It's about that time again. The anniversary of my birth. I'm stuck on what to do to celebrate. It's another year that I survived and thrived. What garners a good celebration of that? Another tattoo? A quick trip? Fancy dinner? Watching my favorite shows or movies? Dance party? All of the aforementioned?  Still trying to figure it out...much like life itself.  I don't hate my life but there's always more I could be doing to live it to the fullest.  I have made one promise to myself.  This is the year that I am fully honest with my parents about my life. Dear reader (do I still even have any?) the older I get the closer to death they get. Not trying to be intentionally morbid just honest with myself and you. My parents will die. I will be devastated. I'll be even more devastated if it happened and they didn't know all the things I think they should about me.  In the past I've tried to wait to have these "tell all" talks in person.  However,  time...

The last time the Braves won the World Series, I was a kid. The last time Atlanta won a championship was 2018. Now for the second time in 3 years.....we are the champions!! I missed the Atlanta United parade in 2018, so I made sure to see the Atlanta (Marietta 🤣😤🤣) Braves parade. I don't "love" the team name or the "chop" tbh but they did won after a lot of work so way to go.

The other day I was training a new employee and as we talked they mentioned that they weren't going to get a covid vaccine. At first I was annoyed by that,  so I asked why. I figured if they had a sound reason I had no problem with their choice. Initially, they said that their parent (who lives abroad) said that they shouldn't.  At this point I had the thought about how we all tend to follow our parents advice, especially at that age. Then the said that there's a microchip in the vaccine as they texted on their phone and told me how their maternal and paternal grandparents have suffered from covid. I'm talking ventilator. Weeks in the hospital. Damn near dead suffering.  The logic behind it didn't make ANY sense. So I stopped talking about it. It felt like a losing battle.  However, they are not alone. Every day there are battles being waged against the vaccine, against calling it a vaccine, against disinformation, against masks, against restrictions, against EVERYT...

So I've been thinking more and more about things I've enjoyed or wanted to try in the past but never gave my full attention. The more I think about it the longer the lists seems to grow. The following things are some of those that I want to work on improving this year and beyond. Form better habits if you will.  Learn to roller skate & practice 2x a week  Rollerblade more (alternating with skating 🤔 maybe) Bike 1,000 miles Practice my ASL Cook a meal from scratch 1x a week Meditate for 30 minutes every day  Drink water every day Work out biweekly  I wouldn't call these "resolutions" but I am resolute in my determination to give this a go. Until next post....laters

On Wednesday January 6th after working 10 hours on the Georgia Senate Run offs...I watched in horror and anger as folx from a pro-45 rally marched to the U.S. Capitol to "protest" the election. I made the following post: The police and military responded to peaceful protests with gas grenades, rubber bullets, and helicopters flying low enough to blow out the windows in buildings. I was gassed in Atlanta, multiple times. When people say they don't understand  "white privilege", what's happening today in my hometown of Washington, DC is a GLARING example.  Today, we have a violent protest where they are literally storming the Capitol building and shoving police out of their way, and the cops are are just forming a line to push them back, then retreating when they push through that line.  You're waving the "thin blue line" flag while assaulting the police. I never thought I'd be watching an actual coup attempt in real time in America. This is ...

This year has been HARD. For everyone.  I said that in light of me being separated from my job at WDW and the like I'd make a post reflecting on all the great times and fun adventures I had. But I can't right now. I'm still really sad. The memories still hurt. For the first time in years I will not be spending the holidays at WDW. Even when I was in the UK and living abroad I still made it back to my happy place and rang in Christmas or the New Year with my favorites. But not this year...and not by choice. I knew I wasn't going to do it forever. It was honestly getting harder and harder but I worked my butt off to make my swan song a beautiful one. And it was all taken away from me. I know others have had a harder year and I don't want to trivialize that in any way but talking with my therapist also helps me remember, it's ok to grieve. I am grieving. So I can't reflect yet. I can't handle the memories yet. Maybe one day soon I will.  Just not yet. Until...

 Well, it's October. Crazy to think we're in the 10th month of 2020 and it's been a rollercoaster of a year. Between the health crisis, the social justice upheaval and the political climate I am starting to feel older than my years. What started off as such a hopeful, expectant year has been a series of really high highs and low lows. I am not making jest of the serious issue that mental health is but this year has been personally very bipolar.  After not going since February and desperate for some normalcy and the ideal of maybe seeing my parents, I attempted my first out of state long trip to Disney World. Several things happened over the last few days. 1) J & I closed on our first home together. We bought property...so we're in this now, this being our relationship hahahaha. 2) I have gotten into a wonderful flow of working out and managing my workload after a tough transition in the beginning of the pandemic that allowed me to continue to work though not in the ...

I recently read an op-ed article entitled "America’s Most Unequal City Doesn’t Trust Black Women to Lead" (here's the link to read it yourself) and it really hit home. Instead of trusting Black-led organizations in this moment, the overwhelming majority of that capital was committed through a closed-door process to almost 200 white-led organizations.  My job is tied to philanthropic work. I work within a system where I seek to support those who are trying to build food equity. At times this work comes with a heavy burden.  The burden of adjusting how grant and funding letters are pitched in order to have access to the type of capital needed to make a realistic impact. It is a constant challenge. Really I just wanted to make this post as a reminder to myself. A reminder to keep fighting. A reminder that I am not alone in this fight.  Until next post, laters

These last 6 months have been.....well you know. However, in the last month or so I have actively been trying to do more and be better. Though I fully disagreed with reopening when we did (late May/Early June), I've waited until now to start doing things with people again. Covid-19 is still a thing and recently GA has taken over the distinction of having the most new cases. Literally haven't been going down, couple that with the Governor suing the Mayor, schools restarting (with most having some form of in person education) and of course the "Great Mask Debate" I'm not at all surprised.  All that to say, I am an extroverted person and I haven't been the same since not seeing people and doing things regularly. There have been days where I just...couldn't. So I've taken my mental and physical health by the reins. I found a gym where I loved the safety measures they put in place and challenged myself to work out at least 2x. I also attend a class in the m...

I am really at a lost for words as the world watched another person of color in the US become a trending "hashtag". I’m trying to calm down but nothing is working. I called my dad and ranted and that helped a bit but I feel incredibly emotional. Switching between anger and overwhelming sadness. I'm going to add photos I snagged from Instagram that I felt has started to help put my feelings into words. This is so that I don't forget,  that I feel everything, I don't become numb.

The other day I read a post from someone who I really respect and it talked about how it's ok to have a hobby (you can check it and other posts out here... https://medium.com/@matt.tanner/in-defense-of-just-a-hobby-536c49e7f404) and it got me thinking about how several years ago I struggled with having a "hobby". I felt like all I did was work and the work I did most people have as a hobby. While reading this post I came across a line that said the greatest compliment someone can give you about your hobby is by suggesting ways you can monetize it. That line struck a cord. While I was talking to my partner about his hobbies (playing music, creating and editing videos, beer hunting)  I felt at a lost because I couldn't really narrow down my own. However with thinking about Matt's comment now I definitely have several hobbies.  Event planning, Disney Parks guide, ATL foodie & explorer to name a few. Several times folks have mentioned how I should write and pu...

It's official. I'm a cohabitant. And it's feels weird. I've lived away from home since I was 16 in a variety of common situations. I've lived with roommates in the same room and roommates just sharing the same house. I've lived with men & women. I've lived with babies. I've live with pets. I've lived alone. I've done it all it seems. Now I'm doing this. It has only been a few days but the topic has already come up in conversation a couple of times with the doctor. I'm afraid. No I'm worried. I know I am ready and able to take this leap and grow in my relationship this way but is he? This move is based partially on circumstance and because of that as well as our past I feel justified in my worry. I don't feel as though my worry is enough of a red flag but it does color my view of this "next step". Coupled with that worry is excitement. I'm excited to grow together, to really give this thing we have going...