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

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

A few posts ago I talked about the ongoing pandemic coronavirus/COVID-19.  Since then not only has the city been on lockdown, the Governor went ahead and issued a shelter-in-place decree. This whole situation has been a mess to watch. On the one hand, there's the part of me that worries for those I may encounter who may be more susceptible to the effects of COVID. On the other hand, there's the part of me who worries for the financial and mental health of others who are losing jobs, healthcare, homes, food businesses and more due to things like the shelter-in-place. My brain is swirling and so am I. I am not generally an anxious person but I can't tell which way is up right now and I can't help but wonder if my actions have or will lead to the ill health of another. Have I been outraged enough? Have I helped enough? Am I being thoughtful? Empathic? Selfish? Today during a briefing , the Governor claiming to rely on a team of medical and other experts has decided that ...

ah yes, the time had come to once again by reflective. I said I wasn't going to do this, that I would rather not cave into the trend but as I looked at others I realized...this is more than a new year...it's a NEW Decade!!! I should take time to reflect not only on the past year but also on the past 10. So let's try to do that together shall we? 2009: Graduated from VT and started my Disney Career after some time spent abroad, am I ready for this?  2010: Made some personal revelations about life & love and what those meant to me, moved to Atlanta, started my career,  lived completely alone for the first time, really felt like an adult making decisions for myself  2011: Really started exploring my new home, got my first road dog Lord Jaymeson bka LJ, had some friends get married, started working on friendships more 2012: Started traveling domestically more, met J, first (of many) music festival, really started to grow in my career 2013: Promoted!! More live...

It's almost that time of year again...my birthday. As a kid that didn't grow up celebrating my birthday, as an adult I went all out for several years celebrating.  Now that I an older and poorer I have seen the error in my ways.  This year my birthday will be celebrated with a short trip to see family and not much else.  I'm working on being ok with that.  I am having a hard time with it though because I wish that friends would take up the mantle I am leaving behind and go all out for my birthday. Alas I guess I should just be happy when folks remember.   Until next post, laters

Today I did something I do frequently...I look at the FB memories for the day. Much like this blog, FB has been a part of my life's journey for some time and I enjoy looking back and seeing what was important enough for me to share 2, 4, or even 10 years ago. Also, it helps me remember birthdays 👌👌. When I looked at today's memories I knew that there would be several posts in relation to that day. For 12 years, today has been burned into my being. I literally have a physical reminder (a tattoo) of that day. I was not prepared for seeing the post that I made on that day.  It reads "fine as of right now, cell phones aren't working right call room 540 232 2097". I used FB to alert friends that I was fine. That resonates with me so much, because at that moment I was anything but fine. I was in the living room of my dorm with a few of my friends listening to sirens, watching TV. I had just run across the Drillfield with a few of my chemistry labmates after hearin...

You know over the past past few years I have looked to the New Year as my time of renewal and fresh starts. Well what a limiting approach! I have been thinking about this more and more...with Spring comes yet another chance to refresh and renew. I've had a tough late winter emotionally. The peaking flowers, warmer temperatures, longer days and yes even the immensely dense pollen all hark that fresh starts are just around the corner. Just a few steps away, within my grasp. This is more refreshed approach. This is the thought I will carry forward. Winter with its cold, bleak challenges have gone away. Spring is for new beginnings....until next post, laters

Once while on a night out with some friends during grad school, our group got accosted by an intoxicated man. While we tried our best not to engage him too much, eventually we switched strategies from simply ignoring him to curtly yet politely answer questions. That also didn't work. At one point he states to my very prim and proper British friend "off you fuck" to which she gave what has become the most iconic of replies..."you first". I was recently reminded of this event while having a conversation with a friend of mine. I've had this friend since my formative years, in fact they have seen me at some of my worst moments. Not only was I reminded of our years of friendship, I was also reminded of how much I've grown over the years...and how much growth was still left to do. I was literally livid when they made a passive comment about my dating history. Though I am certain that the comment wasn't malicious, I couldn't help but be so angry with t...

You ever thought about doing something,  but didn't because you just knew you would regret it almost immediately. For years, the question of what if floated in my mind. What if, just this one time I didn't expect the worst? What if, it's not as bad as I think it will be? What if? I've been toying with this decision for years, literally. Yesterday, several factors came to a head and I made the decision to roll the dice....and I don't regret it. There are no negative feelings in my mind or my heart. Now, that's not to say that there won't ever be. That's still a possibility in the game called life. However, in this moment I am glad I waited and I'm glad it happened. Now the question is...what's next?? Until next post...laters

I've realised that I've been posting here a lot. Not that it's a bad thing. In fact it's probably helpful. An outlet for my thoughts and feelings that I reflect upon. Moments in time where something or someone weighed on my mind so I felt the need to document it. Today was a mentally tough day. Work is good but full of so many ups and downs and considerations and worry if I'm going about it the "right way". On the way to finishing up my day while listening to NPR and actually getting angry at the general state of the world I live in, I saw some little black kids playing in the street. I derived so much joy from that. It reminded me of days that I did the same with my friends and family.  It also reminded me of why I have to keep doing what I'm doing. Though at times it feels like it's not enough or not sufficient, in the end so one like kept going on mentally tough days while I played in the streets. I'm going to do the same. These moments matt...

My entire life...I've been an individual. I'm not saying it like some PBS special or as a cry for attention and acceptance. Nor am I saying as a self gratifying statement of superiority. I understand and readily accept that every person is an INDIVIDUAL and no two people are ever the same. I've never ever found anyone like me, anyone who thought like me, found the same things funny in the same way I do. EVER. At least not fully. I've come across individuals who share common interests here and there, people who like most of the things I do or have the same thoughts and opinions of some matters as myself. To that point, I've never found someone who was more than 50% in sync with me. I constantly find myself "chameleoning" as I refer to it. Expressing certain thoughts and views based solely on who I am surrounded by though I try to remain 100% genuine to my own opinions, thoughts and feelings. I won't change how I feel about something simply because of wh...

So I've been around a lot of reflective people as of late (which isn't surprising...it's the beginning of the year) and initially I just tried to not be as reflective myself.  To be honest, it feels a bit cliche. That being said there's a reason people do it. There's a reason I am going to do it. I want to be purposeful with my time and choices. Means to an end. A satisfactory end. A few posts ago I created a bucket list, think of this as a continuation of sorts to that. So here we go: I want be more active regularly. To me that means manageable fitness goals. I want to play Quidditch again, get back to doing circus arts and ride my bike at least once a week. I want to build new friendships through existing avenues. There are coworkers I adore, pokemon go folks I keep encountering, and neighbors I'd like to cultivate stronger bonds with. I need to actively carve out time for these things while still maintaining time for myself. Whilst I want to cultivate ...

So today I went out with some friends.  This was a mixed group consisting of friends I've had for over a decade and friends I've had for a few months. When I talked about my life as it is now one thing I noticed between both groups.... no judgement. At least not to my face. I'd like to think that the friends that I have would at least say to my face when they were judging me. Even so, looking at my friends after sharing my story, I was even more confident that I have chosen the best folks to be in my life. In the end tonight solidified that quality over quantity is what matters. And boy am I thankful for that. Until next post . Laters

What a week! In the last 7 days I have finished and submitted my dissertation (whew), attended Dragon Con, celebrated J's 30th birthday, saw lots of friends, made some new ones, saw Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie (swoon), danced until my feet hurt, listened to the Georgia Philharmonic play nerd tunes, finished a cosplay, handed out free snacks, stayed up for hours and made life long memories. This has been a week for the history books. Until next post... laters

Several weeks ago I was suffering from a case of homesickness. Thankfully that has mostly dissipated. One of the ways that helped was travelling. In the last month or so I have been to Edinburgh, Scotland; Alnwick, Northumberland, England; York, England; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Ireland; St. Austell, Cornwall, England & Cardiff, Wales. For those of you following at home that means I've seen every country that makes up the United Kingdom. What a trip. In Scotland, it snowed but I got to eat in the restaurant where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the Harry Potter Series. In Alnwick, I had the chance to visit a poison garden, cross the sea at low tide to visit The Holy Island and take broomstick flying lessons at Alnwick Castle (the Hogwarts Castle in the first two films). In York, I was able to stroll the Shambles which served as the modern day Diagon Alley and also attend a Sunday service at York Minister. Dublin and Cardiff gave me the opportunity to party and dance all night with ...

So I've been looking at my friend's blogs and having a bit of blog envy. Then I remember to tell myself who my audience is.....mostly me. This is a digital diary of sorts to help reflect and remember things that I at the point at least found important to remember. I have been in grad school now for a semester. Literally 1/3 of the way through this degree and thousands more into debt. It's been a roller coaster ride, even now I'm not sure that I should have done this. I'm glad that I have and am sure I won't regret this decision but in a recent talk with my mother, I had a moment where I felt that everything I do, that any of us do is fleeting. None of it is forever. This made me reconsider the decisions I've made, it's hard trying to plan for a future with a feeling that it won't actually matter what you do or what decision you make. On the other hand, there's the feeling that you can't just float through life without DOING something. Tha...

Sometimes I lay in bed thinking about the day and wonder..."did the reality meet the expectation?" It's a double edged sword approach to life. One side is great! You exceeded the expectations you set for yourself. The other side: Well crap, why are you setting expectations and possibly setting yourself up for failure and/or disappointment. Today fell to the crap side. Today I had high hopes but then by the end (aka bedtime) I found myself faced with the reality of the day. If I'm being honest the day sucked.  In several months I won't remember why it sucked nor possibly even care but in this moment, it sucked. New question/approach....if you can't remember why the day didn't meet your expectations does that day matter? Until next (hopefully more cheerful post) post, later

Looking back on the last year, I only accomplished half of what I set out to do yet I don't feel like I have failed. As a year of ups and downs, tears and laughter, joy and pain I've come to realize that it's been mostly positive. Looking forward to making moves in 2016, building bonds and reaffirming friendships. Until next post. Laters 2015