Shit I’m Digging This Week: Volume Fourteen
May 15, 2022
Heeeeeeeey Party People! 👋🏾
I promised monthly blog posts, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen last month. My sincere apologies. April was wild! My mom unexpectedly needed surgery, which meant I had to become her caregiver post-surgery. My dad is turning eighty in November, and him being a caregiver solo isn’t feasible, so Harper to the rescue! No cause for alarm, though. My mom is doing great! Her recovery has been spectacular. Shoutout to her stellar surgical team!
I also had multiple work projects and deadlines I needed to meet, so, unfortunately, I had to sacrifice a lot of my writing time. 😫 Boo-hiss. Needless to say, a lot of things I had planned for the month got scrapped. My timetable is screwed, but I’m learning to pivot like a Jedi Master (Pivoting was one of my focus areas for the year, and it’s going okay). I’m not freaking out when things don’t go my way. Instead, I take a deep breath, step back, and re-evaluate the course to the finish line. I had to… my mama, and my job came first! Gotta pay bills and keep the lights on, right? On the bright side, the traffic to my website in April was 🍌🍌🍌. When I got the numbers back from Google Analytics, I was hella surprised. My face reading the stats: 😮😲🤭 I’ve kept my head down, and I’m on social media rarely, so I don’t know what sparked the uptick, but whoever is whispering my name in the wind, THANK YOU! LOL, I’d like to believe it’s because readers are waiting with bated breath wondering when I’m going to drop a release date. 👀 *wishful thinking* (On that note, I’m desperately trying to finish the manuscript I have in progress and then get to the editing stage). I spoke with my editor earlier this morning, and I’m aiming to hand over the MS by June 1st, so I have a few weeks to write THE END and then dive into editing the behemoth. I fucking hate the editing stage. H-A-T-E. But it’s nothing a nice bottle of Shiraz can’t cure, amirite? I also have a project I want to turn my attention to in June, and I can’t do that if I’m still focusing on my current work in progress. Crossing t’s and dotting i’s, y’all. Streamlining is a motherfucker, but it’s my jam!
What else is up in my life? Tomorrow, May 16th marks a year since my sister’s passing. Let me tell you; this last year has been both insightful and scary. What I’ve come to realize is not everyone has their lives together. Of course, my realization isn’t rocket science, but my role has expanded. I’ve become many things to many people, and because of my role expansion, I’m thankful I have my shit together. If I didn’t, I couldn’t do most of what I’ve been doing for the last year. We craft the lives we want to lead, and whatever is important to us, we carve out time for. At least, that’s how it should be. In my case, my family comes before everything. I was under the assumption this is how it went for everyone, but obviously, that isn’t true. We neglect those we often say we care about. Not everyone prioritizes their loved ones. It’s not always malicious and intentional. But it’s even more reason to press pause and focus on what’s meaningful. Love can quickly become an abstract concept if you let it. I’m forty-three, and my goal has been to live my best life. I want that for everyone, but others have to want it for themselves. I can’t make those decisions on behalf of others. That’s been a hard pill to swallow. That may have been a tad cryptic, but the takeaway is to cherish your time. That’s how you show people you care, by being present.
Presence and attentiveness go a long way which is an excellent segue into the shit I’ve been diggin’. So let’s start with the good stuff I’ve read, shall we?
READ 📚
Presence and attentiveness start with you giving yourself the time you deserve. Enjoy the mundane!
18 Little Stories That Will Have A Massive Impact on Your Life
Great stories inspire great things. Read this article for a dose of perspective.
The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
Would the production company that purchased the rights to The Worst Best Man get this series on Netflix STAT? The Wedding Crasher was the incredibly delightful mood-lifter I needed. Mia weaves humor and culture wonderfully in this follow-up. Check out my full review on Goodreads.
WATCH 📺🎥🎬
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
I haven’t been to the movies since the fall of 2019. The COVID pandemic has changed how we navigate our daily activities. I used to love going to the movies, but with people being haphazard and often defiant regarding mask mandates, I wasn’t about to chance it despite being vaccinated. Well, I’ve been vaccinated, AND I received two boosters. Nevertheless, I still mask up in public spaces. So I felt now was the time to test out the waters. On opening day (I know, I know), I went to see Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and WOW, WHAT A RIDE! IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD! I won’t be that person who drops spoilers, but Sam Raimi brings a fresh take on Marvel movies. Also, if you haven’t watched Avengers: EndGame and WandaVision on Disney+, you will likely be confused and miss a lot of contexts. So be sure and catch up before giving Dr. Strange 2 a whirl.
Candy
Lately, I’ve been watching crime shows based on a true stories, and Candy was the latest installment. Jessica Biel plays Candy Montgomery, a Texas housewife who one day takes a turn allllllllllllllllllllll the way left. ALL. THE. WAY. LEFT. It’s a doozy, y’all. You can stream Candy exclusively on Hulu.
The Thing About Pam
The Thing About Pam is in the same vein as Candy. A Missouri house flipper, Pam Hupp, decides to murder her best friend, Betsy. Listen, this story had me questioning what in the hell people consider ” best friend” and the competence of #everydamnbodyinthetown. With best friends like Pam Hupp out in the world, I’d rather live in Greenland and chill with musk oxen and polar bears. Best friend? Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. No ma’am. Like my goodness, I know the show was dramatized, but the fact that this woman was able to murder and get off without people seeing through her is problematic. The justice system is… well… you know. YOU KNOW. Reneé Zellweger makes you loathe her as the lead character, so job well done! The Thing About Pam originally aired on NBC and is now streaming on Hulu and Peacock.
LISTEN 🎵🎶🎧
blue water road by Kehlani
🗣🗣🗣 PEEEEEEEEEEPS!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting for this album for what seems like forever, and it did not disappoint. I’ve also been screaming from the rooftops for everyone to buy and stream it! I know it’s early, but I think this will undoubtedly be my favorite album of 2022. Kehlani did the damn thing. They’ve (Kehlani goes by she/they pronouns) faced a lot of personal tragedies and hardships these last few years, and what better way to work through your tragedy than by putting pen to paper? The album is raw and, in my opinion, Kehlani’s best work to date. Favorite bop? wish i never. My 80s lovin’ heart was HYPE when I heard the Slick Rick sample. WWWWHHHHAAAAAAT?! *Sigh* the kids are putting some respect on 80s Hip-hop Icon’s names. I love to see it! 🥰😊
Heart On My Sleeve by Ella Mai
Another highly anticipated album for me, and it didn’t disappoint! Ella Mai’s voice is smooth like buttah. The narration by Mary J. Blige was the icing on the cake. If anyone can teach this new generation of R&B singers how to channel heartbreak, it’s Queen Mary.
This concludes the shit I’ve been diggin’. I’m off to get my word count in for the day! I’m almost at the finish line. 🏃🏾♀️🏃🏾♀️🏃🏾♀️
Till next time, y’all. Stay safe. Peace and blessings! 💕