I Binged Watched Insecure For The First Time Ever

I Binged Watched Insecure For The First Time Ever – And Here’s What I Thought

Before I dive into this, let me just say that I think Issa Rae is a creative genius. Really. She’s like the BFF I’ve always wanted but never had. Before watching her series Insecure, I’d read her book titled The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and thought it was brilliant. At one point, I ended up in tears from laughing while reading about her insights on life. I never kept up with Insecure past the first season when it originally aired, but I can remember laughing so hard at the first episode that my sides started hurting. I love how the show has a comedic approach and brings viewers into the reality of what life is like for many Black women moving through the complexities of work life, adult friendships, finding love, and everything else in between. It’s entertaining stuff.

Recently, I had the chance to catch up on every season (I just learned that the fifth and final season will be airing this fall), and as I watched each episode, I couldn’t believe some of the storylines that followed: there were messy breakups, women navigating the world of situationships, ho phases, and hotation lists, exploring the world of open marriages, and addressing hostile and sometimes bizarre friendships. There were even awkward moments that were so brutally cringeworthy they made me want to hide for cover at times. For real. The series is unapologetically bold. The dialogue is hilarious. And the characters are unforgettable.

As I binged, I wondered, are people really out here living like this? I know it's just a TV show, but all that inspiration had to come from somewhere. I texted one of my friends mid-way through season two to be sure. And she replied: 😂😂😂😂 girl, it's like that times ten. Mind. Blown. But still, the show is irresistible. Seeing fully formed Black characters moving and evolving through the peaks and pits of adulthood reminded me that figuring things out takes time – there is no one way street or formula to getting your life together. You're going to make mistakes (and prayerfully learn from them and do better), get your heart broken, heal, question yourself, reevaluate the direction you want your life to go, make changes, and meet some dope people along the way. And a show like Insecure reminds me that we're all a work in progress.

A Year Of Being Ghosted

Ghosting: the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication. I’ve been ghosted by every guy I’ve met within the past two years. About six to be exact. · The first guy pursued me and then got shady whenever I asked him about what he did for a living and where he lived. When he started dodging and avoiding questions, wouldn’t initiate dates, and slowly stopped keeping in touch with me altogether, eventually, all communication ceased. · The second guy was someone I met through a family member. He was super cool, very smart, handsome, and funny, but didn’t want to be in a relationship and acted like he didn’t want to be seen with me publicly. When we had plans to meet for an outing, he didn’t show up, and then texted me about a week later with an apology. We chilled at my place a few times, had a few phone conversations, and exchanged occasional texts, but eventually he stopped responding to me

Teacher Table Talk: When Parents Attack

As an English teacher, a core belief I’ve held close since the beginning of my career has been the importance of relationship building. I believe that if great relationships between teachers, students, and parents are established at the beginning of the school year, everything else will fall into place. Authentically modeling, practicing, and establishing mutually respectful and professional relationships within my classroom has been the bridge for effective communication, solid classroom management, and creating a safe and effective learning environment that fits each of my student’s needs. And though I’ve seen and experienced the benefits of great relationship building, unfortunately, there have been times when some students and parents have not been receptive or interested in my efforts to establish connections that would best serve all parties involved. I’ve also noticed and shared spaces with other educators, school counselors, and administrators who’ve experienced the same. And

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken things too far

Making Waves