WEBVTT - Checking In Replay: A Special Holiday Message 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.000 Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of 0:00:03.000 --> 0:00:19.720 iHeart Radio and The Black Effect. Hey, Hey, Hey, what's 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:23.880 up to my Checking in family? How y'all doing? Y'all 0:00:23.880 --> 0:00:27.680 doing all right this holiday season? I hope you're doing well. 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:30.760 If not, let me know if there's anything I can do. 0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:35.360 I can share a positive word with you. Don't be 0:00:35.600 --> 0:00:39.960 hesitant to reach out to me in my DMS. Okay, 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:43.960 or just shoot me a comment in my comment section 0:00:44.520 --> 0:00:48.559 and let me know how you're doing this holiday season. 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:54.280 Lots of people you know to me, I noticed, I 0:00:54.360 --> 0:00:59.280 feel like it's real quiet this holiday season. I expected 0:00:59.320 --> 0:01:03.200 to see more or holiday decor I know I don't 0:01:03.200 --> 0:01:08.039 have any decorations. I'll be in Dallas at Gateway Church. 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:12.560 I'm doing all six of their holiday services. So there 0:01:12.600 --> 0:01:15.600 are three services on the twenty third, three services on 0:01:15.640 --> 0:01:19.960 the twenty fourth, So if you are in the Dallas area, 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:23.920 I would love to see you. And then Christmas Day, 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:28.480 I believe I will be home in Illinois with my 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:31.600 family or I might have to run it back to Atlanta, 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:36.959 depending on this weather. For New Year's I'm excited I 0:01:37.000 --> 0:01:41.480 will be opening up the Rolls Bowl Parade. I'm so 0:01:41.600 --> 0:01:44.960 excited about that. I want to get y'all all the 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:49.559 information for that. I got approached about doing the Rose 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:55.000 Bowl Parade from a longtime friend of mine in choreographer. 0:01:55.000 --> 0:02:00.600 His name is Kevin Wilson. Kevin Wilson has danced for Britneys, 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:04.920 Christina Aguilera, him and his brother Kevin and Marcel Wilson. 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:10.480 Janet Jackson share for some of everybody. We were childhood 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:13.760 friends and they were in the arts for a long time. 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:17.320 And I'll never forget when I joined Destiny's Child and 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:20.040 we did some shows with Christina Aguilera. It was so 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.000 amazing to see my friends that I grew up in 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:25.760 church with friends that I grew up in school with. 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:29.119 We were on the road together and so Kevin Wilson 0:02:29.160 --> 0:02:32.520 reached out to me about this Rose Bowl performance. So 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:34.680 we were kicking off the one hundred and thirty fifth 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:39.360 Rose Parade. I will be with David Archiletta, Cassidy Pope 0:02:39.400 --> 0:02:44.480 and Rush Davis. So I'm excited. They're revamping the Rose 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:48.880 Bowl Parade. So I'm excited to be a part of history. 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:52.560 I'm excited. I'm excited. I'm not excited about the call time, 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:58.040 but it's going to be amazing again. That's the Rose 0:02:58.040 --> 0:03:01.120 Bowl Parade on January first. But let me run it 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:05.000 back to Christmas services in the Dallas area. If you 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:09.960 are down, I want to see you at one of 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:12.280 six services, or if you want to be with me 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:17.440 for all six services, you are welcome in Dallas. Show 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.399 up for your girl at Gateway Church. I'm doing two 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:25.280 songs and I'm very excited about the song selections. So 0:03:25.400 --> 0:03:27.440 just come and hang out with your girl again. I 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:31.920 will be at Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas. So if 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:34.640 you in Dallas and you love me, you don't have 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:38.960 no excuse to not show up. All right? Okay, great? 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:44.400 So have y'all been shopping? I haven't bought a ting. 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:48.560 I'm just gonna do gift cards. I'm going to do 0:03:48.640 --> 0:03:52.600 gift cards. There are a couple friends that I'm going 0:03:52.720 --> 0:03:56.760 to send some items to. Other than that, the rest 0:03:56.800 --> 0:04:00.000 of folks is getting gift cards or you're getting a hook. 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.280 That's all I got, you know. I feel like saying 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:06.760 a year round, I'm tapped out. I'm tapped out. It's like, 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:09.360 what y'all get in me? All right? I want to 0:04:09.400 --> 0:04:13.400 hear somebody say, tee, what you want for Christmas. I'm waiting. 0:04:13.600 --> 0:04:16.679 I'm waiting, I'm waiting. But it's a blessing. It's a blessing. 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:18.840 It's a blessing. This is going to be a great 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:23.320 holiday season. I had to run something back that I 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:29.320 posted on the ground, and that is checking in this 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:35.200 holiday season. You know, we talk about setting emotional and 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:39.640 financial boundaries. If you ain't got it, you ain't got it. 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:44.000 That's emotionally and financial. Listen, if you don't have the 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:50.799 emotional capacity or bandwidth to be around people, if you're tired, 0:04:51.520 --> 0:04:53.920 you do know you can take this time to rest. 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.000 You know that, right, and it's your business. As our 0:04:57.000 --> 0:05:00.640 good sister Tabitha Brown says, Now, unless you have children, 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:07.000 resting during the holiday season could be close to impossible. 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:11.560 You know, you got the kids. You know they're wondering 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:16.920 what they're getting for Christmas. They won't sanam that this, that, 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:21.240 or But for that parent, you might be stressed because 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:24.960 maybe right now, maybe it's tough for you financially. Maybe 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:27.880 you're like, I want to get my children stuff for Christmas, 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:32.960 I just don't have the financial means. So how are 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:36.599 you going to show up for your family this holiday season? 0:05:36.680 --> 0:05:38.839 When you're stressed out about what you're going to be 0:05:38.880 --> 0:05:43.880 able to get. So the real meaning behind the holiday season, 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:48.919 whatever that means for you. You know, the holiday season 0:05:49.120 --> 0:05:54.760 has to be about family and connection, okay, And I 0:05:54.800 --> 0:05:56.479 feel like some of these kids won't. No child, if 0:05:56.520 --> 0:05:59.839 you go to Family, Dollar, Dollar, General, Dollar, Tree and Honey, 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:03.679 spend five dollars and get them five toys, they won't 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:09.719 even know. They just these kids just want something to unwrap, y'all. 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:11.839 I didn't care. I don't think I cared where my 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:15.200 gifts came from. Now, when I got to a certain age, 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:17.240 I kind of knew if something was cheap or not. 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.600 But for the most part, I didn't know where these 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:24.600 gifts came from. I just wanted something to open. So 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:29.360 parents are stressing out about gifts for their children. Y'all 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:33.000 know how we are now As I was a child too. 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:37.479 You play with that toy that you wanted all year, 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:40.760 you finally get it for Christmas, you unwrap it, you 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:44.520 play with it for one day, maybe two days. Then 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:46.760 you're all playing with some old mangy toy that you 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:49.520 didn't have the past seven eight years. You don't even 0:06:49.839 --> 0:06:53.200 So we all out here spending money for these children 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:58.600 and they don't even don't stress yourself out, mother, don't 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:03.240 stress yourself out. Don't you do it? But at the 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:08.560 same time, I'm not a parent, but I'm putting myself 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:11.119 in your shoes. If you are in the place where 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.400 you do want your children to have presents under the trees, 0:07:14.440 --> 0:07:17.080 but you feel like you just can't do it, and 0:07:17.120 --> 0:07:22.280 so I understand, I totally understand. But you still have 0:07:22.360 --> 0:07:26.480 to set emotional and financial boundaries. Do not go bankrupt 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:32.560 because of one day out of a year. Two Be 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:38.560 around emotionally safe people. Shall you know the folks that 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:42.520 wear you out, the folks that all always got something 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:46.560 to say about how you dress or how you cooked 0:07:46.680 --> 0:07:52.280 the greens. Why the chicken ain't crispy enough? Who told 0:07:52.360 --> 0:07:58.880 you to make dark chocolate brownies? I won't regular milk chocolate. 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:01.600 I don't like dark chalkd like if somebody else he's 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:05.920 got something to say. Why you ain't married yet, or 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.160 why you and your husband didn't work it out. Why 0:08:09.160 --> 0:08:12.160 did you cheat on your girlfriend? Why you got foul 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:19.720 baby daddies? Why be around emotionally safe people. Being around 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:22.160 emotionally safe people, or when you walk in the house 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:27.640 it's love. Ain't nobody finna bring up no drama? Like, 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:32.800 don't use the holidays to bring up drama. There are 0:08:32.880 --> 0:08:36.160 three hundred and sixty four other days out of the year, 0:08:36.640 --> 0:08:39.880 but when Christmas or the Thanksgivings or the New Year's 0:08:39.880 --> 0:08:43.120 come for some reason, that's the day people like to 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:48.840 use to be foolish. No, be around emotionally safe people. 0:08:49.520 --> 0:08:52.480 Be around emotionally safe people. Where if you say I 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:56.440 just I'm just I'm just tapped out this year, who 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:59.480 still welcome you with open arms? Who say, sis, bro, 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:03.480 I don't want anything from you. You're still welcome over here. 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:05.720 Just come and put your feet up, Let's let's watch 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:09.040 the game, let's watch something new on TV. You know 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:13.560 what I mean. So being around emotionally safe people give 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:18.000 yourself grace. So when I said set emotional and financial 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:22.080 financial boundaries and be around emotionally safe people, you give 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:27.160 yourself grace. If you feel like you're not meeting people's expectations, 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:30.400 give yourself grace. If you feel like you didn't meet 0:09:30.440 --> 0:09:39.040 your own expectations, it's okay. Give yourself grace. If you 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:44.320 snapped on somebody, give yourself grace. Just know, don't do 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:57.040 it again, but do give yourself grace. Okay. Number four, 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:01.640 be honest about where you are. Be honest about where 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:04.800 you are. I'm not feeling well this holiday season, and 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:06.960 so I don't want to be around a lot of people. 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:10.120 And that's it. You don't have to do no longer 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:16.760 drawn out explanations. I'm reading something right now that says, 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:22.760 keep it short and sweet. Be clear, okay, if you know, hey, 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.560 just be just be honest about where you are. Just 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:28.880 be honest. Hey, I don't have the money this year. 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:32.400 Some folks say, hey, we'll have Christmas when I get 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:38.160 my tax return. We ain't got it right now, Be 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:40.320 clear about where you are, or say, hey, we're going 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:43.920 to go volunteer at a homeless shelter this year. We're 0:10:43.920 --> 0:10:46.559 gonna give. I don't want to make it all about 0:10:46.640 --> 0:10:51.080 finances and what we don't have. Let's give. Let let's 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:54.400 give up our time. Okay, go to a soup kitchen, 0:10:55.360 --> 0:11:00.280 go volunteer. Be honest about where you are. It's okay 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:03.839 to not have it. It's okay to not go. That's 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.520 number five. It's okay to not have it, and it's 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:10.200 okay to not go, but you have to be clear. 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:14.160 I'm reading an article that was published in twenty twenty 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:19.400 two about giving expert advice for navigating conversations with family. 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:25.440 According to Metro dot co dot uk, Aiden Milan writes 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.800 this article and they she says, be clear. It's important 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:31.520 to be clear about what you want with minimal delay. 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:35.280 Don't beat around the bush, says No. Lack of clarity 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:40.640 and communication is what often causes friction. So don't wait 0:11:40.679 --> 0:11:45.560 till Christmas Day maybe or New Year, just just starting out, 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:50.480 start the conversation out. Just hey, it's a possibility. I'm 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:54.680 not gonna make it. Be clear, be clear with friends 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:58.600 and family. Don't make it personal, Okay, says If you're 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:02.240 skipping the family Christmas this year because of someone in particular, 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.800 it's probably best to leave that part out, like, don't 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:09.040 personalize the reasons. Don't say, hey, I ain't going to 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:14.200 Granny's house because ain't he Brenda be musty, I ain't 0:12:14.200 --> 0:12:18.560 going to Grandma's house because I don't like her new husband. 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:22.040 Don't don't don't make it personal, make the reasons for 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:26.920 your non attendance about your own wishes and wants. You 0:12:26.920 --> 0:12:31.120 can just say, hey, I just want to rest, you know, 0:12:31.520 --> 0:12:35.200 brace for compromise. Try to be flexible flexible when it 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:38.079 comes to making get up to your family. Be prepared 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:41.400 to negotiate on alternatives, such as other dates to visit, 0:12:41.840 --> 0:12:45.520 even offer the FaceTime do a video call. That would 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:51.640 be a considerate compromise. According to this article, don't apologize. 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:54.400 There's obviously no need to be crue, but stand by 0:12:54.440 --> 0:12:57.560 your choice when you chat about it. Noel says, don't 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:01.560 apologize for your decision, but do infacy thighs with the 0:13:01.679 --> 0:13:08.080 other people's feelings of dissatisfaction or disappointment. Don't take responsibility 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:11.920 for how they are going to react. Don't take responsibility 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:16.240 for their feelings. If you really say, hey, mommy doesn't 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:20.079 have the money right now, but we will, we will, 0:13:20.200 --> 0:13:24.360 we will do something soon, Okay, I know it hurts 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:28.480 you know. Or prop a script. Start the chat with 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:30.120 the clear idea of what you want to say and 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:32.000 how you want to say it. Prepare yourself with the 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:34.319 script of what you want to say, keep it neutral, 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:37.439 and practice it. When you have the conversation with your family, 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:40.000 think about the setting and time. Try to ensure people 0:13:40.040 --> 0:13:43.480 have eaten and are not too tired, as negative reactions 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:47.640 can come from being angry or being tired. Also make 0:13:47.679 --> 0:13:52.559 sure the setting is not overstimulating. Keep it short and sweet. 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.920 Noel says that keeping the conversation brief can help keep 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:59.480 things from escalating. Try to manage the conversation so it 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:02.280 does not go on too long. Keep it business light 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:06.200 so it doesn't descend into drama. Organize it like a 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:09.440 work meeting with time and place, boundaries and an agenda. 0:14:09.840 --> 0:14:13.760 Allow folks to have their say, taking turns, but it's 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:18.040 not about decision making. That's already done. Meaning I said 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:20.520 what I said. I said, I'm not coming, but I 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:22.720 do want you to have your set. It's not gonna 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:25.920 change you'll feel, but I do want you to have yourself. 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:31.200 So that's how we are checking in this holiday season. 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:34.760 I am excited to know your thoughts. Now. There are 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:36.960 gonna be some people that gonna be like Michelle, I 0:14:37.040 --> 0:14:42.240 can't relate. I love my family. I start Christmas shopping 0:14:42.320 --> 0:14:48.800 in July, so it ensures that everybody I love has gifts. 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:52.040 Or if you don't celebrate the holiday season. This is 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:54.600 in respect to people who do not celebrate the holidays 0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:57.560 at all, but you still love fellowship. Maybe you just 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:00.960 kind of you know, love seeing everybody else excited. Respect 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:04.960 to the listeners as well, who are like, maybe I 0:15:04.960 --> 0:15:07.120 can't relate because I don't sell to break Christmas anywhere. 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:10.600 I hear you as well, so you probably just sitting 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:13.280 back with your popcorn, like seeing all these people get 0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:18.840 stressed out. Like for me, I hate the hustle and 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:21.800 bustle of Christmas shopping. I hate what it does to people. 0:15:21.840 --> 0:15:24.760 It makes people anxious. It makes people upset because they're 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:28.040 trying to find this gift for a loved one. You 0:15:28.120 --> 0:15:31.440 know it's Christmas Day, but you wait till Christmas Eve. 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:36.880 Oh it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart. So 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:38.440 I want to go back to those you know who 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:43.040 just absolutely adore the holiday season. Like my mother, Honey, 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:47.080 she would just start crying when she would wrap Christmas gifts. 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:48.880 I don't know if she was crying because she spent 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:51.800 too much money, but I felt like she just loved 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:56.160 the Christmas season so much. She only wants snow when 0:15:56.200 --> 0:15:59.240 it's Oh, if it's not snowing, it ain't Christmas. Like 0:15:59.280 --> 0:16:03.080 there are some people who just just they just I 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:06.200 feel like Kelly, Kelly loves Christmas. I'm not saying I 0:16:06.240 --> 0:16:08.280 being on love Chris, but Kelly the tree had been 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:10.920 up probably since August child I don't know, but she 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:13.120 just loves it, loves it, loves it, loves it, loves it. Me, 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:14.800 on the all the hand, I don't have a Christmas 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:18.240 tree up. Again, I'm not gonna be home anyway, but 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:20.920 as me and I feel like things will change. I 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:24.320 don't have children. I have a dog, but I don't know. 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:28.080 No one's coming over here excited for Christmas. Okay, so 0:16:28.520 --> 0:16:32.160 I'm not doing I don't have any decorations. Someone gave 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:37.920 me a cute, little like lantern thing. I don't know whatever. 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:43.280 So but again, I do love when people are excited. 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:46.760 A friend of mine was facetiming me yesterday and their 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:54.800 mother has the house decked out, multiple trees everywhere. There's 0:16:54.840 --> 0:16:59.880 a light for everything. I mean, it looks like the 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:04.119 Christmas department at Target or something. I mean, it's it's 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:08.000 it's it's lights everywhere. So that did actually make me 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:11.320 excited because I know that I know that their mom 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:14.639 is excited. You know. So I do get excited when 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:17.160 I see other people excited. I'm not that much of 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:20.960 a grunch, I do. I do get excited, you know. 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:26.440 So I just wanted to just share and send some 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:30.600 love to see what everybody is up to and how 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:38.080 everybody has been feeling. I do no. Seasonal depression, you know, 0:17:38.440 --> 0:17:43.240 is a real, real, real thing, especially during the holidays. 0:17:43.320 --> 0:17:46.960 This this weather doesn't know what it wants to do, 0:17:48.640 --> 0:17:53.520 and so I definitely want to acknowledge those who might 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:57.879 just be feeling the blues, you know, for this holiday season. 0:17:57.920 --> 0:18:00.639 So I encourage you to get out from fresh air 0:18:01.280 --> 0:18:04.760 does wonders. And I know you're like, you got to 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:08.399 get up first to get outside. I'm telling you, fresh 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:11.160 air does wonders. I'm excited for my baby, my dog. 0:18:11.800 --> 0:18:15.280 I love taking him out for walks. He gets so excited. 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:17.159 I just put the leash in my hand and he 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:20.320 just gets all excited because he knows we're about to 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:25.120 go on that walk, you know. And so just go out, 0:18:25.240 --> 0:18:29.000 get some fresh air, have a conversation with someone you 0:18:29.000 --> 0:18:32.560 haven't had in a while. Go grab that cup of coffee, 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:36.800 you know, Go grab a nice warm croissante, or y'all 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:39.480 make you some toast in the oven. Honey, that be 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:43.320 the best toast, that broiler oven toast you want to 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:49.000 talk about, Bababe, ain't no depression around here. If I 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:52.720 got a broiler, put that butter, Put some pieces of 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:57.200 butter on that bread stick it up. Ooh, and seasonal depression, 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:03.560 where it's time to get that broiler going, get that 0:19:03.680 --> 0:19:05.600 toask on. Some people like to put a little sugar 0:19:05.680 --> 0:19:09.400 on it, you know. I just like a little apple jelly. Yes, 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:12.560 there is a such thing as apple jelly, not apple butter, 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:20.960 which is good, but I love apple jelly. I just 0:19:21.040 --> 0:19:24.560 want to just send love to those who might maybe 0:19:24.600 --> 0:19:28.000 you're just feeling the seasonal blues. And we talked about 0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:31.640 that a few episodes back, about seasonal depression and how 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:35.320 that thing is real, you know, from the fall till 0:19:35.359 --> 0:19:38.800 about March until that weather starts turning because there's less 0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:46.240 sunshine right now. So that really, really really has been affecting, 0:19:46.720 --> 0:19:50.040 affecting people. So just want you to know that you 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:53.000 are loved. Someone just said that, hey, they've been struggling 0:19:53.040 --> 0:19:56.680 a bit and that they're glad that they are not alone. 0:19:57.359 --> 0:20:02.560 Never alone, never alone. There's always gonna be someone who 0:20:02.600 --> 0:20:05.199 can relate to what you're going through. And don't let 0:20:05.280 --> 0:20:10.880 those lies and those emotions tell you opposite. You are 0:20:11.000 --> 0:20:16.880 not alone. Okay, So yes, Honey, it's been some good 0:20:16.960 --> 0:20:22.480 stuff going on. Thank y'all for the love the past 0:20:22.520 --> 0:20:27.600 few weeks. Honey, about some fashion choices. Child, Jason Bowen 0:20:27.760 --> 0:20:31.880 is my friend. I went to a wedding in Dallas 0:20:31.920 --> 0:20:36.119 and so that's what those last pictures were from. So 0:20:36.200 --> 0:20:38.680 that was fun. That was fun. I know, I said, 0:20:38.680 --> 0:20:42.840 I won't gonna show no more leg I'm not doing 0:20:42.920 --> 0:20:46.720 briefs again. I might do a little high split and 0:20:46.880 --> 0:20:52.280 address or something, but yeah, I'm not. We're not gonna 0:20:52.280 --> 0:20:55.879 do that. We're not gonna do that. So that's what 0:20:55.920 --> 0:20:59.159 we're not going to do. Did I tell y'all? So 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:02.880 I think since I've talked to you, did we talk 0:21:02.920 --> 0:21:06.720 about Thanksgiving? And I told you? Did I tell you? 0:21:06.840 --> 0:21:09.639 Did we let me see? Because that was okay? I 0:21:09.680 --> 0:21:12.840 think we talked about a little bit, y'all. My turkey 0:21:12.960 --> 0:21:16.480 was a tinch salty. Child tried dispatchcock it and we 0:21:17.560 --> 0:21:20.119 I brined it and then injected it with some Cajun 0:21:20.200 --> 0:21:22.440 seasons and it got a little salty. I might try 0:21:22.440 --> 0:21:26.200 to do something else, maybe for New Year's or Christmas. 0:21:26.200 --> 0:21:28.240 I feel like I need I need another chance to 0:21:28.320 --> 0:21:32.080 get it right, y'all ever feel that way? You need 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:37.359 a chance to get it right. We'll see. It depends 0:21:37.359 --> 0:21:40.040 on if I go home for Christmas to Illinois or 0:21:40.359 --> 0:21:45.840 stay here in the Atlanta area. We shall see, we 0:21:45.880 --> 0:21:49.880 shall see again. I want to see your faces. If 0:21:49.920 --> 0:21:52.800 you're in Dallas, I want to see you at Gateway Church, 0:21:53.840 --> 0:22:00.359 all right. It's it's in south Lake, seven hundred Blessed Way, 0:22:00.640 --> 0:22:05.760 south Lake, Texas. All right, So come on on, don't wait. 0:22:07.119 --> 0:22:09.359 The music is going to be great. It's beautiful. I 0:22:09.400 --> 0:22:12.399 already got a sketch of one of the songs that 0:22:12.480 --> 0:22:17.440 I'm singing. It has two words, so I'm gonna give 0:22:17.480 --> 0:22:21.200 you it's a nice song. It's song you've heard before, 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:25.720 so I'm excited. I just got the sketch yesterday to 0:22:25.840 --> 0:22:29.640 make sure that the key is comfortable and all that good. 0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:34.080 So I love working with music departments. There are passionate 0:22:34.400 --> 0:22:45.199 professional babebe m m mmm, folks is calling themselves professionals, 0:22:45.200 --> 0:22:48.959 and they ain't. I love getting my music in time. 0:22:49.560 --> 0:22:51.679 I get to study it, I get to rehearse it, 0:22:52.240 --> 0:22:56.439 so I'm really, really, really excited about it. So again, 0:22:56.520 --> 0:23:02.080 I want to see you there, all right. And then 0:23:02.160 --> 0:23:04.399 those of you who are not able to go to 0:23:04.440 --> 0:23:08.440 the Rose Bowl Parade. Make sure you tune in to it. 0:23:08.440 --> 0:23:11.720 It's gonna be exciting. It's going to be exciting. Again. 0:23:11.800 --> 0:23:15.040 I'm not excited about that four thirty am call time, 0:23:16.520 --> 0:23:20.160 but we gotta do what we gotta do. So that's 0:23:20.200 --> 0:23:23.359 what's been going on. I'm excited about this year is 0:23:23.680 --> 0:23:28.240 it's been a blessed year. It has really been a 0:23:28.280 --> 0:23:32.680 blessed year. There's some things coming up in twenty twenty four. 0:23:33.520 --> 0:23:36.360 One project I was very, very excited about it has 0:23:36.400 --> 0:23:43.040 been pushed back. Negotiations are still going on. Oh gosh, 0:23:43.160 --> 0:23:46.760 I did something so fun. It's gonna air January third 0:23:47.080 --> 0:23:51.479 on Fox. Okay, that's all I can say about it. Oh, 0:23:51.560 --> 0:23:53.919 I'm excited about it now. This is not what I 0:23:53.960 --> 0:23:57.960 did in Ireland. Okay, in Ireland I did. Okay, I 0:23:58.080 --> 0:24:02.400 filmed a show in Ireland. But it's gonna film. It's 0:24:02.440 --> 0:24:07.159 gonna air here in the States. But keep your eyes 0:24:07.400 --> 0:24:13.080 tuned January third. It's gonna be something so oh my gosh, 0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:20.359 so fun, just so endearing. I'll leave it at that. 0:24:21.200 --> 0:24:26.560 It's been some cool, fun opportunities. I don't mind hard work. 0:24:26.960 --> 0:24:29.600 You gotta you know what I'm saying. But some of 0:24:29.359 --> 0:24:32.800 the majority of the hard work, it's gotta be fun. 0:24:33.359 --> 0:24:35.520 If I can't make it fun, I don't want to 0:24:35.560 --> 0:24:38.200 do it. I don't want I don't want to do it. 0:24:38.280 --> 0:24:41.159 And I hope that you guys that are listening you 0:24:41.160 --> 0:24:42.840 can get to a place in your lives and your 0:24:42.920 --> 0:24:48.399 careers actually don't wait. Everybody's working hard, everybody's making sure, honey, 0:24:48.400 --> 0:24:51.560 the bills are paid. But if you can find something 0:24:52.600 --> 0:24:56.280 with what you do to make some part of it fun. 0:24:57.000 --> 0:24:59.480 I know some people might be like Michelle. I work 0:24:59.520 --> 0:25:03.879 in the emergengency room. There's nothing fun about seeing blood 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:08.119 and guts. There's nothing fun about seeing babies cry and 0:25:08.160 --> 0:25:11.000 you're trying to figure out why they're in so much pain. 0:25:11.040 --> 0:25:14.119 There's nothing fun about it. I get that part of 0:25:14.160 --> 0:25:15.959 the job. It's not fun. But there's got to be 0:25:16.000 --> 0:25:18.720 something fun in the break room when you're actually able 0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:22.840 to take a break, you know, or just I get it. 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:28.200 Folks are working, Folks are doing, like, oh my gosh, 0:25:28.240 --> 0:25:32.320 so many stressful, stressful jobs. And I want you to 0:25:32.359 --> 0:25:35.359 know I see you, and I hear you, but you 0:25:35.480 --> 0:25:38.480 deserve to have some fun somehow, have fun as long 0:25:38.480 --> 0:25:41.480 as it does not compromise the integrity of the work 0:25:41.480 --> 0:25:44.439 that you gotta do. All right, If I'm in the 0:25:44.440 --> 0:25:47.680 emergency room, I don't think I want to hear jokes. 0:25:48.000 --> 0:25:50.439 Let's get to the problem first and then we can 0:25:50.560 --> 0:25:53.840 laugh later. I totally, I totally get it, and some 0:25:55.200 --> 0:25:59.680 I just want you all to know. You know, I've 0:25:59.680 --> 0:26:03.480 been having some fun with what I do. I think 0:26:03.520 --> 0:26:09.480 in twenty twenty four, just more impact, making more impact 0:26:10.240 --> 0:26:13.760 positively in the lives of as many people that I 0:26:13.920 --> 0:26:20.000 possibly can. Will you join me in that, making impact 0:26:20.840 --> 0:26:25.280 positively in the lives of as many people as you can? 0:26:26.480 --> 0:26:29.240 What do you say to that? Will you join me? 0:26:30.440 --> 0:26:32.399 If you don't mind, tell me how are you going 0:26:32.480 --> 0:26:36.199 to do that? I think I want to volunteer a 0:26:36.240 --> 0:26:40.480 lot more. I want to volunteer more. There's some things 0:26:40.520 --> 0:26:44.280 that I want to do, and I think I want 0:26:44.320 --> 0:26:47.679 to volunteer a lot more. I had the chance to 0:26:47.800 --> 0:26:53.800 volunteer last week in Tampa. There's an organization called Feeding Tampa, 0:26:54.840 --> 0:27:00.680 and what struck me was that there are people that 0:27:01.200 --> 0:27:05.600 work every day. They're working Monday through Friday nine to five, 0:27:06.880 --> 0:27:11.639 and some are still struggling to make ends. Meeting, so 0:27:13.240 --> 0:27:16.560 we distributed food. It was a mobile pantry where they 0:27:16.560 --> 0:27:18.359