Tag Archives: COVID-19

Ideas, People, Places, Uncategorized

EPISODE 39—Rashad McCrorey and Pandemic-ing in Ghana?

Talk about doing the most with what life presents! Rashad McCrorey, our episode 39 guest, is doing just that.

McCrorey joins Planet Noun for another COVID catch-up. In this series, I’ve been chatting with past guests on Planet Noun—to find out how they’ve been faring during 2020, a year that’s been described countless times as “unprecedented,” and simultaneously likened unto a train wreck, dumpster fire, and a sh!t show. 

McCrorey is a travel company owner who is new to Planet Noun. We connected via Instagram a few months ago.  

His podcast preamble goes something like this: McCrorey went to Ghana on business—temporarily.  But then COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and then a national emergency in the United States, where he was born, so Rashad McCrorey decided stick around in Ghana after the first wave of lockdowns was ramping up. He’s still there, and joined me via Zoom to talk about his journey. 

Well, let’s get to it…Meet Rashad McCrorey… on Planet Noun!

Rashad McCrorey traveled to Ghana on business earlier this year, then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. He’s been there ever since and is putting down some roots.

Thanks for listening to Planet Noun where it’s all about the People, Places, Things and Ideas that teach us, prompt us to make a difference and do more with what life presents.

That was Rashad McCrorey.  Here’s where to learn more about his life in Ghana, his travel company, and his social media info to connect there.

Thanks again for stopping by, and do me a favor. It’s the end of a tough year, but there seems to be some hope in sight with the COVID vaccine.  

Even so, it’s still rough going, so drop a kind and positive word to someone in your life whether it’s by email or you can slide into someone’s DM’s with kindness and encouragement—expecting nothing in return. Or if you know them IRL, a word via phone, voice note—just to brighten their day.  

Until next time, take care!

Please follow and like Planet Noun:
Uncategorized

EPISODE 37: How 1 pandemic won’t stop the show

How 1 thing, 1 day, 1 time is still a monthly matter–but with masks and social distance. The 25th Project masks up, tweaks protocols and keeps the service moving.

Welcome to another installment in Planet Noun’s COVID catch-up series—chats with past podcast guests to find out how they’ve been faring during this rough year.

This time, I’m catching up with Jay Herriott from The 25th Project—an organization that started by helping the homeless at least once a month—on the 25th. The inspiration stems from the last time Thanksgiving’s roving date matched up with the static date of Christmas…the year both were on the the 25th of their respective months.

Jay says the organization and its volunteers are still fulfilling their mission—but to keep everyone involved safe from volunteers to the homeless people they help, they’ve made tweaks recommended by health experts. Other than that—they’re keeping things moving.

Thanks for listening to Planet Noun where it’s all about the People, Places, Things and Ideas that teach us, prompt us to make a difference and do more with what life presents.

Here’s where to learn more about Jay Herriott and The 25th Project—on their website. You can also listen to Jay’s Planet Noun interview from last year, learn more about the initiatives they’re undertaking throughout the year—from the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, their ongoing propane drive during the winter months as well as their yearly Soup and Socks drive.  If you feel so inclined, drop them a donation.

Please follow and like Planet Noun:
Books, Podcast-Episodes, Uncategorized, Writers

Insiders, outsiders, travel, COVID and a book

Welcome! This episode is another installment in our COVID catch-up series…I’ve been chatting with past guests on Planet Noun—to find out how they’ve been faring during this rough year…known as 2020.

This time, it’s a first time guest to the show…but THIS dude…I haven’t seen in SOOOOOOO long. We overlapped at college for a bit where we sang in the same choir…then poof!  No sightings for many years—until Facebook came along.  Still haven’t seen him in person since the 90s.

His name? Brian Watts… author and host of Knowledge is the Key on Envision Radio.  He’s also an author and an educator.  We talk about a range of things including how his love of travel led him to Kuwait, how getting pulled over by the police so many times factored into that decision and experiencing the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in another country. We also talk about his book—which delves into how parents can help their children to help themselves.  

Let’s get to it with Brian Watts…on Planet Noun!

Thanks for listening to Planet Noun where it’s all about the People, Places, Things and Ideas that teach us, prompt us to make a difference and do more with what life presents.

That was Brian J.T. Watts. Peruse his website to learn more about him. You can also learn more about his book titled “How to Help Your Children Help Themselves.“

And here’s more info on his radio show, “Knowledge is the Key” from the man himself!

Thanks again for stopping by… until next time, take care!

Please follow and like Planet Noun:
Podcast-Episodes, Uncategorized

LaKeischa and the topsy-turvy upside down COVID year

Dr. LaKeischa McMillan catches us up on how she’s been faring and adjusting in this COVID year, and how she’s helping patients connect their health dots through a new book, and a women’s health tele summit.

This episode is another installment in the COVID catch-up series, where I’m chatting with past guests on Planet Noun—to find out how they’ve been faring during this rough year known as 2020: The year ‘Rona rode US hard and put us away wet.

The last time Dr. LaKeischa McMillan was on, we were talking about family health history. It was about two years ago, and the episode dropped just ahead of the United States’ Thanksgiving holiday.

Welp, this year, Thanksgiving will look a lot different for so many. Some (if you call the families of more than 200,000 people “some”) have lost family members to COVID-19, while others may opt not to gather due to concerns about asymptomatic spread to high-risk family members.

There’s a lot to talk about this time around, so take a listen to Dr. LaKeischa McMillan—on Planet Noun.

Learn more about Dr. McMillan and the different services she provides as an integrative GYN, an author and a speaker.

Let’s start with her book. It’s called The Other PMS: Your Survival Guide for Perimenopause & Menopause

She also hosts the Women’s Health Show every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on Facebook Live.

Keep up with her latest activities—including the multi-day women’s summit she’s hosting this week.

Thanks again for stopping by… until next time, take care!

Please follow and like Planet Noun:
Podcast-Episodes, Uncategorized

Finding joys and blessings in a janky year

Our guest for Episode 34 is no stranger to Planet Noun. Stacia D. Wright’s been on the show before. She’s an event and media strategist and owner of B. Reel Media Management, LLC. As I’ve said in previous episodes, small business owners fascinate me because of the risks they take and lessons they’re open enough to learn in order to keep progressing along the entrepreneurial pathway.

Well, this year has presented a ton of loss, lessons, risks and pivots–thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. We talk about a bunch in this episode: From how the pandemic has affected her business and family life, to Zoom school and learning to go with the ebbs and flows of her children’s new educational reality, to new ways of spending time with family, and how this year’s adjustments have led to finding unexplored treasures.

Yes, even though this year has been a train wreck for the WORLD in so many ways–woven into everything are blessings and joys.

Connect with Stacia on social media:

Facebook: @StaciaDWrightofficial / @TheDriveSDW

Twitter: @TheDriveSDW

Instagram: @StaciaDOfficial

Episode 10: She ain’t no one trick pony: Behold, Stacia who doeth many things Wright
Check out Stacia’s first interview on Planet Noun! In this chat from 2018, Stacia has a thing or three to say about knowing your worth, the value of your time and what you bring to any table. If you want to start your own business, her reminder: Working for others has invaluable lessons as well.
Please follow and like Planet Noun:
People, Podcast-Episodes, Uncategorized

Fall, winter, spring, a virus, summer, restful edges & Fall again

Hey folks!
?
So it’s been about a year since the first episode dropped with Lenina Mortimer. At that time we were talking about her new book.?
?
Well, one year later, it’s time to catch up. A round of guest catch-ups is something I was thinking of for some of the folks I interviewed a couple of years ago, but 2020 is so janky, one year ago feels like five! ?
?
Find out what’s been going on in Lenina’s world, her work, and lessons she’s learned from the pandemic and this period of social unrest and racial tension—on this episode of Planet Noun!?

Quick warning: This episode contains a couple of cuss words. Personally, I don’t care. This advisory is just in case you have little ones around who like to repeat things. ?

Welcome to Planet Noun, and enjoy!

Lenina’s also on social media. You can learn more about her and her coaching services.
Facebook
Instagram

You can also check out her first episode on Planet Noun:

Ghosted? Mourn @ a Funeral with author Lenina Mortimer
Please follow and like Planet Noun:
Podcast-Episodes, Uncategorized

Sister friend chat: Pandemic coping & thriving amid persistent racism

Sometimes you just need to talk it out with friends…to catch up, to listen, to process and share.  Welcome to this conversation with a longtime friend.  A fantastic friend with a beautiful mind—one who is a constant wonder, one who I admire, one who I am constantly learning from and inspired by.

Our relationship has often been symbiotic.  When we were in the same classes, she learned by teaching, and I learned by ingesting and we both learn by doing.  

Welcome to Planet Noun, where it’s all about the people, places, things and ideas that teach us, prompt us to make a difference and do more with what life presents…

Joining me—is a repeat guest…my dear friend Pamela “RareEpiphany” Best….A renaissance woman, indeed. 

Last time she was on the show, we caught up to each other in Philadelphia…and recorded our conversation between there and New Jersey…sometimes in her rental car…another part during an old-school slumber party in her hotel room. It was mostly about her erotic poetry book—Soul Kisses (https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rareepiphany)

This time—we’re talking via Zoom. 

So Rare and I talk about a range of things….starting with this COVID-19 pandemic that’s turned us all topsy turvy and how it’s affected her. We also get into how the never-ending soul and structural pandemic of racism in America hit close to home this year.

One tidbit of info I learned from my friend:  George Floyd was an extended family member of hers. She also tells me about the concerns she has for her teen son as he navigates through a world that isn’t always primed to see the best in him because of his skin color and, as he matures, his stature.  

Let’s get to the conversation…on Planet Noun.

Thanks for listening to Planet Noun where it’s all about the people, places, things and ideas that teach us, prompt us to make a difference and do more with what life presents…

You’ve been listening to my friend Pamela “Rare Epiphany” Best….we Zoomed for about three hours that day…so more of our conversation could show up in later episodes.

Catch up with her on social media on Instagram and Facebook.  

Don’t forget to follow Planet Noun on Social Media… Facebook, Instagram and Twitter…We’re on SoundCloud…. Oh, and please stop by Apple Podcasts and rate the show!

Thanks again for stopping by… until next time, take care!

Please follow and like Planet Noun:
(ca)Rona Writings, Uncategorized

We’re so interconnected

I took part in a Zoom girlfriends conference call earlier. About five of my longtime friends and I met up in a room set up by one of my decades-long pals…

Living during a pandemic and social distancing and shelter in place orders…made me realize that I allowed work to get in the way of maintaining my friendships.

But no one’s knocking work. It’s important. It allows me to buy things—like food. And toilet paper. And more hand sanitizer—when I finally track that down.

But one of the things we discussed that is sticking to my mind—how interconnected we are—top to bottom, side to side, everyone incredibly integral to everyone else’s survival and well-being.

Doctors.
Nurses.
Hospital Techs.
Custodians.
Physical plant staff.
Guards.
Police officers.
Fire/EMS.
Dispatchers.
Grocery workers.
Restaurants.
Journalists.
Research scientists.
Imma say that again for the people in the socially distant back who may need to read it again.
Research scientists.
And everyone in between.

Let’s not forget the delivery drivers—shout out to all of y’all from the Amazon, UPS and FedEx folks to the gig-working drivers who deliver app-based food orders.

Please follow and like Planet Noun: