30 Things I Love Right Now

sunjoint

(1) Lion Babe’s Sun Joint | (2) The Suicide Squad soundtrack. | (3) Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange. Yeah, I know he just released a new album, but I like the old stuff better.| (4) Blogging 5 days a week.  | (5) Blog dates with bae. | (6) CoSchedule. It’s changing my life.  | (7) The Question of the Day in the See Jane Write Facebook group.  | (8) My Jem and the Holograms Synergy earrings. | (9) My Wonder Woman desk chair cape. | (10) My Wonder Woman clutch.  | (11) Binge reading blogs like Quirky, Brown Love. | (12) Interviewing women I admire for my B-Metro Write Like a Girl column.  | (13) Thinking of a master plan… | (14) Queen of the South on USA. | (15) The Get Down on Netflix. | (16) Greenleaf on OWN. | (17) Losing myself in good books and bad TV.  | (18) Watching bad movies with good friends. | (19) Watching my favorite boss babes on Periscope.  | (20) My work lunch bunch.  | (21) Marshmallow Creme Pumpkins.  | (22) Tacos. Always and forever. | (23) Being my husband’s wife. | (24) Being a homeowner. One year later and it’s still not old. | (25) Finally realizing “No” is a complete sentence. | (26) Training for my third half marathon.  | (27) The decision to break new ground.  | (28) Believing I can do the one thing I’ve always dreamed of doing. | (29) Believing that I will.  | (30) Dreaming bigger than I ever have before.

30 Things I Love Right Now is a blog feature created by writer TJ Beitelman. 

5 Things I Read This Week

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How Blogger Luvvie Ajayi Is Keeping Us Laughing All the Way to the Bank

Luvvie Ajayi of the wildly popular blog Awesomely Luvvie describes herself as a 13-year overnight success. In this profile by xoNecole writer Kiah McBride, we learn Luuvie’s story of how she has turned a blog she just started as a fun creative outlet into a brand that has landed her a book deal, an interview with Oprah, a chance to work the red carpet at The Academy Awards, and countless paid campaigns. Read her inspiring story here.

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Things to Do in Birmingham: 8.25.16

sidewalk fest

Earlier this week I interviewed one of Birmingham’s top education professionals for one of my freelance writing gigs. I asked her about her hobbies and after telling me about her favorite places and things to do in Birmingham she said, “If you’re bored in Birmingham, that’s your fault.”

I couldn’t agree more and that statement is especially true this weekend.

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Redefining Balance

redefining balance

A few years ago I had the honor of attending a lecture by renowned journalist Soledad O’Brien. During the Q&A period of O’Brien’s talk an audience member asked her a question often asked of highly successful women who juggle busy careers with motherhood: How do you balance it all?

O’Brien’s answer was quite simple. “I don’t,” she said.

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Write, Teach, Sleep, Repeat

mrs. bowser
My alter ego – Mrs. Bowser

Many writers find themselves on a path that leads them to the classroom and I am no different. Teaching literature, composition, or creative writing is an excellent way to use your love for the written word to make money and make a difference.

My teacher life started in graduate school where I taught poetry and communication classes to undergrads. Several years later after leaving my full-time job as a newspaper reporter I would return to the classroom, this time as a full-time high school English teacher at my alma mater.

Because of the success I had in the classroom in grad school and because of my deep love for the school at which I was teaching I thought my first year as a full-time teacher would be easy.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

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