Hey Mofos! 

It's that time of year again as we say goodbye to one and welcome in another. Let's face it, 2021 was another year of this panera and frankly, we did the best we could right? I'm sitting here now with the rona yet grateful that it's not as bad as it could have been. 

So before the Nyquil kicks in, I thought I'd take a quick look at some of the highlights for the year for me--because it wasn't all bad.

1. I kicked ass on Check the Rhymes TV! 

I interviewed so many amazing people this year from Vivica Fox to Jenna Elfman, After 7, Anthony Hamilton, Will Downing, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Judy Reyes, Daniel Sunjata, Lil Meech, Tyrese, Monica, H-Town, Tito Jackson, and the list goes on. I am so grateful for every single opportunity to chat with these amazing entertainers on MY platform.  

2. I co-hosted on ET Canada Live!

It was a roller coaster of emotions doing this--because on the one hand, I have been preparing for this moment forever and on the other hand, I learned quickly--never read the comments because keyboard bullies are real. I am grateful for the experience. 

3. I hit the red carpet! 

Getting back on the red carpet in 2021 was different yet still a fun experience. Being the main correspondent for the NC Music Hall of Fame on the carpet was exciting especially since the inductees included Jermaine Dupri and his father Michael T. Mauldin. Despite technical challenges, we made it work and got some great interviews from some legends. 

 4. This kind of goes along with the previous one, but doing the voiceovers again for the NC Music Hall of Fame Inductions is always an experience. Recording takes with the mask off and rewriting and revamping is just part of the long process. It's always a treat to hear my voice in the Gem Theater in surround sound. 

5. Of course I wrote a lot lot lot lot. 

Hey Mofos! You know I had to come back and close out my triflin year of blogging before we head into 2018! Don't look at me like that.. just don't.



This year has been one filled with anxiety, change, faith, lots of writing, opening up the mind, and rekindling.

What you mean Meik?

I'm so glad you asked and I shan't be going into the one that's none of your biz :)

However let's just take these one by one as lessons that I learned in 2017.

1. Anxiety:
Chile when I tell you working in a toxic environment will have your nerves completely TORE up.. I spent the past few years, including the majority of this one filled with anxiety and dread over having to work 40+ hours where I wasn't happy and was being belittled and treated like an uneducated unexperienced stepchild. I didn't sleep, I just worried, and prayed, and cried and stared into space. But God heard my cries and I was able to be set free! AMEN!


2. Change:
This year was also about changing who I had become. I had let my anxiety from work carry over into my personal life and was destroying relationships with friends and family because I was so miserable. My first name became Smart Ass and while I am a work in progress, I see that the biting tongue I needed in the newsroom to defend myself isn't what I need outchea post news. I also made the decision to change and accept what it is I truly wanted from a career and a relationship, and I'm even thinking of changing the city and state where I live. In a nutshell, I'm starting to find my happy again and I can't even put into words how it feels to start to feel normal again!

I also got my arse in front of the camera on a web series called The Date Sheet. It's unfiltered convo about dating and relationships. You know.. all the ish I have not an ounce of experience in.



3. Faith:
When I made the decision to leave my job, the job I had worked for 12 years-- I initially had not one ounce of a back up plan. I just knew that if God brought me to this, HE would see me through it. The week before I quit, I landed a part time job at a non profit and while it isn't bringing in the big bucks, it is keeping my bills paid and allows me time to write. I know when it's time God will bring the right position/opportunity into my life. I have faith that things will continue to work out.



4. Lots of Writing!
This year I was able to write for some of my dream publications and outlets. I was published in Ebony Magazine (that I did get paid for..now the online ish is another story), and I started writing for Essence, Entertainment Tonight, and Shondaland.com. Yes--THE SHONDALAND that is of THE SHONDA RHIMES. I created my own opportunity and started writing for the National Museum of African American Music and got to cover the Black Music Honors show and interview THE JACKSONS! This year has been a great one for interviews and I can't wait to see what 2018 brings!



5. Opening up the mind:
Chile I am the Queen of NOPE AINT EVAAAAHHH GONNA DO IT. I decided to take a chance and open my mind to the possibilities. I never thought I'd write an essay but yet I wrote one on pumpkin pie for Shondaland. I never thought I'd quit my job without another one lined up, but look when you are fed up you just do it and hope for the best. I never thought I'd hop in the car on a whim and drive to..uhhhh nevermind. But you get the point.



6. Rekindling:
This one ain't your biz lmao!! JK.. I've been able to breathe life back into some friendships that I put on the back burner because I tend to be tunnel vision when it comes to my career/writing. I've also... *signal drops*



These are just some of the lessons that 2017 handed me, and I'm sure 2018 will bring on a whole new set of lessons and hopefully love!

Happy New Year dear Mofos! May your 2018 bring you everything you wish for and nawl I prob still won't blog much LOL! At least I am consistent! :)

Always in Gratitude,
~Meik

Well Mofoville...another year is coming to a close and I'm still just as trifling with the spotty arse blog postings LOL



I kept thinking what do I want to say in my last post for 2015? I could rant and rave about all the things I didn't accomplish or even fight the air over the fact I'm still single but it all boils down to one thing:

I don't care.

What?! Why not Meik?

I'm glad you asked.

This year for me was about CHANGE.

I'm a stubborn ole heffa and old and set in my way so I don't fancy much change, hell joining instagram was like ripping off all my nails and pouring peroxide on em. But anyhoo... here we are.. the end of 2015.

The start of the year for me brought about a change I wasn't ready for..but I ended up being forced to move out of the townhome that I had lived in for 9 years because the owner wanted to "sell it" and ended up letting her sister move in. I cried and boo-hoo'd but in the end I realized..it was time to embrace change and besides, I had moved there.. healed my broken heart, semi-healed my leg, lost my grandma, some material items, and found me again. It was time to move on.

I moved and I'm still getting used to being in an apartment complex and it hasn't been without its challenges but hey, nobody ever said change was easy.

I still dealt with my leg issues this year--for those that don't know the story.. go back a few blogs and catch up. However, I was able to get out and cover several events from CIAA, to the Spring Jam, to Funk Fest Columbia, to the Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards and more. Me and this leg WERKED it out ya'll hear me?! Part of that time I had a heavy boot to drag around on that leg thanks to tendon issues..but I did it!

I didn't meet my goal weight but I am ending the year 12lbs lighter than I was last year and a lot leaner with my ass kinda in a size 8 so I cannot complain amen!

Dating..well let's just skip that topic.

However I did venture to TN for homecoming for the first time in years and got to see some familiar faces and some I had no plans of seeing but God said "chile you finna deal with this NOW!"

It's been years since I have spoken one word to King Mofo since our horrid breakup and after thought fights and I hate you squabbles.. years of me wondering "what if?" "could it work again?" "do I miss him or the thought of having someone?" I got all that answered as soon as I walked smack dab into him and his entire dayum family at an event.. and I walked away feeling vindicated, feeling like I am really good and I can finally forgive, and put his non-apologetic ass in the past and move on. I wondered why he wouldn't look me in the face while talking to me, but then I realized who cares.. I's FREEEEEE!!!

Once that weight was lifted..I realized that not all change is bad. I changed my way of thinking this year..not everything is negative and bad... I find the humor and the bright side in things. I found that for me..I can embrace change and not run from it errr well walk as fast as I can with a slight limp I mean. Hell I even got bold enough to strike up a convo with my crush and well we're still at baby steps of hello and how ya doing..the small talk that I can't stand but hey it's something chile!

I started writing for Sheen Magazine, Charlotte Five, and continued on with Soul Train and WEtv and was able to meet and talk with more legends this year from Gerald Alston with The Manhattans, to Otis Williams with the Temptations and Duke Fakir with the Four Tops, shoot.. who else can say they got hit on by Otis this year! LMAOOOOOOOOO That's a whole other blog right there chile! Meeting artists like Uncle Luke, Noel Gourdin, MC Lyte, Tamar Braxton, actors and writers like Omar Gooding, Bentley Kyle Evans, Kym Whitley and more.. I have truly been in my element this year.

I say all that to say.. 2015 wasn't all bad at all. Hell, 2013 was the worst year in my book when I lost my grandma..but this year, I just remembered her words of wisdom, and thought of her every single day and realized she would want me to get off my arse and get out the house and live a little. Change ain't never hurt a soul!

I hope you all have a happy new year and an amazing 2016!

Cheers!

Meik

Tis the end of another year my dear Mofo Readers.

Once the year started winding down, I kept thinking, well 2014 you have absolutely been a let down. I had high hopes coming into the year that I would finally meet THE ONE and that my leg would be 100% and my career would FINALLY be taking off in the direction I had hoped for.

None of that ish happened. Instead, I got a little more than I bargained for and a 'tude to go along with it.

So then I started thinking, Meik, why are you focusing on the negative and worrying about what you don't have? We often tend to zero in on the things we don't have at certain points in our lives and hell that makes things absolutely miserable.

I'm not going to blog about my goals and pretend resolutions for the new year. Ain't none of your business and all you have to do is keep watching and you'll figure it out LOL .. so with that being said.. I am going to take a trip down memory lane and highlight some of my best moments of 2014 and the lessons learned.

Ready? LEGGOOOOO...

1. Interviewing Joe Jackson and Sam Cooke's little brother L.C. Cooke. --If you know me, then you already know that I have been CHASING these two down for a couple of years now. FINALLY 2014 came and I had the absolute honor to chat with both about music history and I learned so much from both of them including this...don't worry about what everyone else thinks, you cannot please everyone, but if you have a passion for what you do, keep pushing and following your dreams, do not put it on the shelf.

2. Chile meeting Lionel Richie coming out of that bathroom at the Ritz was enough for me to want to dance on the ceiling all mofo'n night long!! In that moment, when no one else was watching or paying attention, a key lesson appeared..if you want it.. go for it.

3. This year I tried some new things--I pushed past my fear and put a bathing suit on and got in the pool to work my leg out and found the water isn't so scary but hell you still won't catch me trying to learn how to swim.. *flips hair*

4. Met some new friends and discovered some that failed to live up to the friend title. Hey, no biggie, sometimes you have to shed that old skin to become rejuvenated and who needs a negative Nancy or Ned always trying to put you down, throw shade, or be the type that only comes around when they need something. I've learned that everybody is not your friend and they don't have your best interest at heart. Some just want to see what you are doing so they can TRY to do it better vs finding their own lane, and some just are miserable so they want everyone to be miserable right with them, others are just crazy as hell and I don't have the time or energy.

5. Getting back out there on the red carpet. I was terrified that my leg would not hold up during the Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards. In fact, I was convinced that my leg would give out and I'd be laid out on the carpet and get trampled by all the reporters and photographers. Luckily, that didn't happen and I was able to hold my own out there and snagged some amazing interviews and met THE SHEMAR MOORE! Listen..that man is FINE. I guess the lesson here is.. again.. sometimes you have to test you own limits and go for what you want.

6. I've always been a bit of a loner and mega introvert--shocking I know, and tend to think that if I plan ish no one will come. This year proved me wrong. From my birthday to the painting party to the winery tour.. these heffas I call my friends showed up and showed out and I appreciate it greatly. See we all learned that if you step outside your comfort zone, you might just have a little fun! Tho I still ain't havin no parties at my crib.

7. OUTKAST. period. the end. Being able to go to an ALL DAY concert --walking around..and even in the rain, standing on a chair dancing like I'm crazy.. a year ago, that wouldn't have been possible but my leg proved to me yet again that it will hang . I just will pay for it later LOL.. But going to see Outkast was a highlight and a half for me..and so was the person I shared the umbrella with *shhhhhhh*

8. Reconnecting with friends with college and FINALLY FINALLY..did I say FINALLY realizing that I didn't miss a thing with King Mofo. This year I was able to snip the string still holding on to the past and forgive. I learned that God got me out of that relationship for a reason. I am grateful in hindsight. WHEW CHILE. I CANNOT see me at this age still dealing with the mess he is still doing. THANK YOU GOD!!!

9. Snagging some new writing gigs. This year I started out writing for Soul Train again, but quickly added in Uptown Magazine, Creative Loafing and WEtv, and even a corporate writing assignment. One might think I'm crazy for juggling 50'levum jobs, but a sista got medical bills out the arse that have to get paid and why not do something I love while I'm at it. I have been able to determine which types of writing doesn't tickle my fancy, and which ones make my day. As a writer, I feel like there's always room for improvement and the feedback I have been getting is so worth it!

10. My family. Through the ups and downs and laying in the floor kicking and screaming and crying, they have been here encouraging me to keep pushing and not to give up whether it's my leg or writing or anything else. I was finally able to let down my I AM SHE-RA HEAR ME ROAR and just let it out and cry and they didn't judge, they didn't offer unsolicited advice --well aside from my deddy, but instead they gave me the strength to keep pushing. I have also been able to form a better relationship with some family members and that in itself is a plus in my book.


While I could go on and on and on about the highlights of my year...I think the biggest one for us all is the mofo'n gas prices GOING DOWN! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!! Just writing this blog makes me realize the good outweighs the bad overall. All the tears and woe is me that I had going on ...chile.. BYE. LOL

I look forward to seeing what 2015 brings my way. Hopefully A MAN and a dictionary & some clothes for some of y'all!! LOL :)

So what were some of the highlights of your 2014?? Share em in the comments!

Happy New Year Mofos!!

Meik