Last time I talked to y'all was early July, when my nonprofit newspaper, The New Orleans East Sunshine Weekly, was just a little baby. Proud to say it's officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit now! Will outline next steps with you, below.

Franklin is back in school -- well technically it's fall break now -- and that's why I'm able to write you! In a perfect world, I'd be a good girl and send newsletters every month. But I gotta put Franklin before everything and money right up behind that, so yeah. Yay school!

As far as my personal life, that's also something I'll briefly outline below. But let me just go on record and say that maybe I'll date with intention when I am 75 in the senior apartments. Not a nursing home, ewww. But a nice senior community that's like a college with a dorm. Unless the Lord Himself makes it crystal clear that someone is the one or at least worth spending time on, I'm just "working on myself." Because chile...

Keep reading, don't give up now!

As Franklin used to say, it's "Spooky Monf!" The ex-husband and I switch Halloweens, so this is his year. Last year Franklin wanted to be a gnome, so I had to make him a hat and got him a beard from Temu. It was fun! This year, God-willing I have enough money to go thrifting, I'll be my niece Aadyn Encalarde as the teenager in Sinners! More about my niece a few sections below, in a new part of my newsletter!

Work is going OK. Wish money were steady, but the Lord got me. Trying to finish an assignment for Bon Appetit and another for The Infatuation, but life. Whew. I originally had trouble with the Bon Appetit one because the editor (whom I love!) and I had different ideas for the story. And those featured had their own ideas too. So I was trying to find a happy medium. Now that I found it, it's fall break. However I know how to attach Bluetooth headphones to the TV so Franklin can hear his music and I can find silence.

For The Infatuation, I had to spend 200 gotdamn dollars (will be reimbursed) at one restaurant because I didn't know they did 20% autograt. And when they hand you the lil Clover (Clover > Square) kiosk, they just turn around and dance a lil bit and never tell you about the autograt. AND THEY CHARGE $15 FOR A CUP OF GUMBO! I hate when you try to support your people (Black folk) and then get played. I hate it! And you know I love Black-owned businesses. I OWN a Black-owned business, I AM a Black-owned business!

Because of my career, I'm talking with PR folks all the time. Especially at restaurants, bars and hotels. And I'm talking to employees, guests, the founders too. It feels like some Black businesses are opened all willy nilly with no guidance. It's certain things that just don't happen at white-owned or even non-Black POC (I despise that term, for the record) restaurants.

Anyway, that's something I'm excited to help with once I'm able to really get going with The New Orleans East Sunshine Weekly. More about that below!

Today's Hot Topics!

My nonprofit newspaper is official! I've canceled my love life! Novenas still work! Moving to New Orleans East is still the goal!

Next Steps for The New Orleans East Sunshine Weekly

If you know me, you know I'm a recovering perfectionist. However, I'm a Virgo moon soooo things absolutely do have to be perfect! I be beating my own ass. Anyway now that I'm a real 501(c)(3) nonprofit, I can apply for grants! Because WOW to use the publishing platform I want, that's a couple thousand dollars. And to buy the newspaper racks, get it printed, all that. It costs money. I'm not John Georges. Anyway I know it will work. Visit The New Orleans East Sunshine Weekly's Givebutter page to learn more and to donate! 

"I reject my [redacted]."

For a minute, I tried dating again. Eww. Not that I stopped stopped, but I just was quick to turn folks down. Long story short I am just gonna stay to myself, chile. Which I was! I was content keeping the goodies in the jar or whatever Ciara said, so baby to that note until God Himself sends my Russell Wilson, I am absolutely not dating. Sorry to all the men I met recently.

But not sorry to the one who lied about his career and birthday, because that is weird! (Honestly it's odd to go from a situationship with a man who clearly needs to see a therapist about his feelings regarding birthdays to meeting a man a day or so after who lied about his birthday.)

I need to revisit this post about what I'm looking for in a relationship.

Novenas still work (duh)!

You know I love my novenas. I get emails from PrayMoreNovenas, so most times I do my favorites when they happen to send them out.

So I did the St. Monica novena, and on the first day got a clear sign I needed to get rid of the man I was dealing with. Didn't listen, because I wasn't actually asking about anything. And the guy and I were friends, I thought. Felt like a coincidence. (Reminder: nothing is coincidental.)

Then I did the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary novena (novena for marriage and family), asking the Blessed Mother to please eliminate any man who's not for me and to make it clear who is. Chile. A few days after I finished it, that man I was dealing with lost his damn mind so snip snip.

Then I did the St. Therese of Lisieux novena, for my housing situation. One of the signs is roses. Tell me why the man I'd stopped dealing with, had the nerve to send me a floral arrangement. Containing what? Roses, of course. Haha I gave them to my best friend's mom. But throughout the novena, I saw a rose or something similar each day. The last day, I was at a very busy store and looked up and saw a portrait of St. Therese!

Housing Situation

Made my novena and I know it will work, so I'm not worried. Like I was telling one of my most favorite people the other day, I can always see the silver linings around any clouds. My ex-husband made me lose my family home. But yay I have Franklin! Someone bought my family home and, to me, ruined it. But yay I feel so motivated to leave it TF behind! I got to the end stages of a hiring process at a newspaper in Memphis but didn't get it because I don't live there. But yay I ended up creating my own nonprofit newspaper for New Orleans East!

So my prayer is for Franklin and I (and Buddy Jo the Cat) to be able to calmly move to a house -- our house! -- in New Orleans East. Right now, we just stay inside because we don't feel comfortable outside "our" house anymore. We are thankful to have a roof and a place to keep our stuff. But the energy is fucked, we just hate it here. There are so many great houses in New Orleans East and Luan Vo is the perfect realtor for me! The only issue is, my type of work. On paper, even in my best years financially (this is not yet one of those years), I look like such a risk to lenders. I need to find a ton of money, so I can just say HERE I can pay this now let's do this. One great thing is, one of my neighborhood uncles called to say he has a Uhaul for me, for free, whenever I am ready. Thank you, St. Therese of Lisieux.

Seven Snippets in Three Sentences

Trying something new! Here are seven cool things, in three sentences max, in random order.

1. I wrote an article about Bayou Classic and HBCUs in general, for The Washington Post. AND IT WAS IN PRINT ON A WHOLE SUNDAY!
2. My cousin Nicole Collins is funding her newest film, PULLOVER, starring her daughter Aadyn Encalarde. Please consider contributing.
3. The newest Lede New Orleans cohort is working focusing on housing, and I'm so very proud of them! Proud to be a board member!
4. Recently I fell in love with Salud Hydration! It's Mexican-inspired mix-ins for your water. For hydration and immunity, energy and focus, calm and sleep, health and nutrition.
5. Accidentally went semi-viral on LinkedIn. Down with AI!
6. Early voted! I chose Susan Hutson, Calvin Duncan, Casius H. Pealer III, Royce Duplessis, Matthew Willard, Gregory Manning, Leilani Heno, and YES on HRC amendment.
7. Came across someone saying mean and untrue things about me on Reddit, and it hurt my feelings. Fuck em though!

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