Starting the Year Off Right
First Thing I Did in 2022…
I didn’t get a chance to celebrate the new year with any kind of flair or “Let’s Get It!” energy, which sucks because I really, really love celebrating the new year. Unfortunately, I contracted COVID-19 over the holidays and my New Year’s celebrations included Theraflu and Tylenol, coughing, fatigue, and brain fog.
None the less, I ended 2021 and began 2022 doing what I love: writing. I made it a point to ring in the new year doing what I love most, what brings me the most joy, and what I hope to be doing with increased frequency in the days to come. I got the idea from a Youtube video my wife showed me in 2020. It featured Kandi Buruss, my all-time favorite Real Housewife and immensely talented and accomplished songwriter, singer, and entrepreneur. She said that she starts each year in the studio doing what she wants to do for the rest of the year, doing what she loves most, writing and recording songs.
Since I saw that video, I promised myself I’d do the same thing. So, for the last two years, I have started my year off with the thing I love most, the thing I want to do for the rest of the year with increased frequency, readership, and success. Writing.
I hope you were able to start the year off right, doing the thing you love most with the people or person you love most. I think it bodes well to begin a new year with love in mind, for the life you have, the work you do, and the people with whom you surround yourself. Happy New Year, y’all.
Black Joy!
It’s virtual performance time! In keeping with starting my year off doing what I love, I am performing a brand-new story for 2nd Story’s SANKOFA: Return and Get It Black Joy Black Joy Show! The story I’m telling is going to be one for the books. It’s a story dedicated to my dear friend Benita Newton, and I cannot wait to share it with you. Benita is one of the reasons I am the writer, the woman, the friend I am today, and this story represents the greatest tribute I can make to woman who changed my life in the short time I was blessed to experience her friendship. I hope to see you there!
Saturday, January 15th
8:00pm CST (6:00pm PST | 7:00pm MST | 9:00pm EST)
Sankofa, Reach Back and Get It is led, produced, and performed by Black artists
Thank You So Much!
Both my Porch and Story Studio Chicago classes for January are FULL! I’m so excited to write with y’all and thank you for rocking with me as I continue to transition into independent teaching opportunities.
If you missed a chance to work with me for this month, keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about classes with Kitchen Table Literary Arts , Free Expressions, and other literary community partners for 2022!
