...and when the hurricane came, she survived.
a few thoughts on resetting, plus news & vibes.
Welcome back to The Update.
Thank you for joining me here. I appreciate the support as usual. Let’s jump in!
I’m going to be honest with you. The first part of this year really kicked my [redacted]. I’m just giving it to you as plainly as possible. The year did not begin the way I intended it to, and I’ve been feeling like I’ve been treading water, just getting by…surviving, ever since.
Maybe you feel the same? For me, it was a combination of personal and work hurdles, but for you - maybe it’s dealing with *waves hands emphatically* all of this. The political drama. The inflation. The insane weather. The fact that they’re canceling Power Book II: Ghost. (jk.)
As a high achiever, this has been particularly challenging for me because - honestly, I’m not used to losing. If I got deeper and more specific, there’s a high probability that you may even say that I wasn’t losing at all. I have high standards for myself, and I’ve been known to be an all-or-nothing type. With that said, there’s still a high level of gratitude here because, as I look back, things could have been a lot worse. Like, a lot.
One of the lessons I’ve learned over the last few months is that my journey and my walk are not comparable to anyone else's. What matters most is how I perceive things and what they look like to me. With that realization came the hard truth—that it was going to be up to me to get back to me.
Sometimes, we allow things to happen to us instead of taking things by the reigns and changing our situations. At the end of June, I decided I was tired of getting beaten up and not fighting back. I got my plans in order, and then - Bad Built Butch Body [Hurricane] Beryl came and shook everything up.
All the reporting said that the hurricane wouldn’t be “that” bad - so we stayed. And let me tell you - Beryl was “that” bad. Worse. For lack of a better word, it was unsettling. As I lay in my bed, riding the storm out, I could only pray. The sky was dark, and 90 mph winds rattled my windows for hours. It was quite the experience.
The aftermath was probably the toughest—I was without power from about 3:45 AM last Monday until 1:30 PM last Friday. At that time, the temperatures were in the 90s, communication was challenging with low-to-no cell service, and I had no real idea when it would end. Thankfully (by the grace of God) I wound up with no real damage to my home, and my sister Tie and I were physically okay. That wasn’t everyone’s story. Again, it could have been a lot worse, but it was still traumatic.
The positive, however, was that it helped me reset some of my not-so-great habits. For example, the house was too hot and stressful most afternoons, so I picked my #hotgirlwalks back up. It was too dark and hot to do anything of value after 9:30 PM, so I went to sleep. I drank more water—all of the things I knew I needed to do to be the version of myself that could fight for the kind of year I wanted.
I made the decision that I was over it. The storm just helped to put things in perspective.
I guess the point I’m trying to drive home is that even in the depths of destruction, there can be beauty and new beginnings. Many things could (and should) concern me about how the disaster was handled, but at the moment, I’m super grateful for the silver lining in the clouds - I fought back and am excited about what’s to come.
AP: Trump accepts Republican presidential nomination at night 4 of the RNC
NPR: Harris hits the campaign trail in North Carolina as Biden isolates for COVID
FierceBiotech: With seventh person seemingly cured of HIV, signs of hope for a broader cure
Chronicle of Higher Ed: Black Colleges Are Owed $12 Billion, the Feds Say. Their States Aren’t So Sure.
Texas Observer: Mike Miles moved Texas school funds to Colorado through a possible shell corporation without a paper trail
If you’re interested in learning more about the best women’s basketball player in the world, [read this profile] on A’ja Wilson from Marie Claire. If you want to see her in action, she, along with the dynamic WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, will be playing in the WNBA All-Star Game tomorrow night 8:30/7:30 CT on ABC.
One of my favorite writers ever, Danyel Smith, wrote a very deep essay about her interactions with Diddy while she was editor-in-chief of Vibe Magazine. Trigger warning: it includes threats of violence and intimidation - but if you have the mental space to check it out, it is worth your time. [You can read it here.]
The Presidential Race is already a hot mess and we’ve barely got one official candidate confirmed. That said, The Great Pandering™️ has begun. President Biden made a couple of stops at Black-focused media outlets this week. His interview with Speedy Morman for Complex was…something. Check it out:
While I have yet to press play, many of you have hate-watched Tyler Perry’s latest film, “Divorce In The Black,” on Prime Video. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0 - a rare feat. The film’s star, Cory Hardrict, [defended the project], reminding everyone that it was the most viewed film on the platform. Comedian Loni Love had a different perspective. She shared the following [on X]:
“I love that Tyler is paying Black actors now I wish he would hire Black writers and directors that have experience to help him with his movies… He could improve the movies & make them award worthy if he would stop trying to save money by doing the writing and directing himself.”
I’m inclined to agree with her, but what do you think?
Finally, if you’re looking for something to binge this weekend, I highly recommend Supacell on Netflix, especially if you’re into sci-fi. It’s a trip, and I’m only four episodes in. Check the trailer below:
Here’s a new addition to The Update - a weekly report where I run down what I’m reading, eating, playing, obsessing, recommending, and treating. Let’s jump in:
Reading: The Sugar Jar: Create Boundaries, Embrace Self-Healing, and Enjoy the Sweet Things in Life - by Yasmine Cheyenne [Honestly I’ve started and stopped this book for like a year and a half now. I’m finally ready to do the work it’s calling me to.]
Eating: The Maple Pepper Bacon Chicken Sandwich at Chic-Fil-A. It’s my new fixation. Pro tip: add the Honey Roasted BBQ sauce to set it off.
Playing: Blxst’s new album “I’ll Always Come Find You” - Spotify | Apple
Obsessing: I’ve been sucked into Love Island USA’s current season: drama and chaos. I’m 22 episodes in 😭 and I’m #TeamKordena (IYKYK.)
Recommending: The Balanced Black Girl Podcast - specifically the episode from this week titled “The Secret To Getting Everything You Want: Archetype Embodiment.”
Treating: myself to mango iced tea and vibey coffee shops… while the power was out, I set up shop in Day 6 Coffee’s Sugar Land location, and it was everything I needed.
Well, that is all for this week, friend. If you enjoyed this or found value in it, please share it with your networks.
