Book of D: Meghan Markle's Archetypes Podcast (Spotify)

I have been following Meghan Markle's Archetypes podcast on Spotify for a while now. In fact, I recently embedded a link to it below in the footer of this blog. The podcast is really good. I highly recommend it. I also like Mayim Bialik's podcast, Breakdown. ⁠I will have to dedicate a post to Bialik's podcast soon and add a link via my blog (Breakdown also available on YouTube). But for now, I wanted to share brief commentary about Markle's podcast. First, let me start off by saying that I truly adore and admire this beautiful person, Markle. Whatever issues the British monarchy and British press (that I love to rename the "Fleet Street Enema") have with Markle and Prince Harry, well, that's on them. I love them both: #TeamHarryAndMeghan💙💙.

I'm no Tory nor an Anglophile, so matters related to the Brits are null and void with me and the royal family are personas non grata. Markle has been independent and autonomous for a long time and has pretty much marched to the beat of her own drum. She knew fame, wealth, philanthropy, and compassion way before she met Harry; in fact, I would add that it was her who saved Harry. She saved the prince from the antiquated and tyrannical throes and confinements of the Mountbatten-Windsor family. Tangent. My bad. Anyway, Markle's Archetypes hits on important topics that revolve around women's' issues these days. It hints at the misogyny and bigotry still ailing and degrading women (especially centered around BIPOC). When one searches for Markle's podcast, one of the captions associated with the description includes this: "Hosted by Meghan Markle, the podcast Archetypes discusses the labels and tropes that try to hold women back." That, folks, is saying it all in a nutshell. And speaking of nut, aren't you all (women, that is) tired of all the fucking tropes used towards women when men fail to understand us or get too intimidated by us. They use the trope, "nut," as a colorful and condescending way to change the subject and further degrade and stifle us. I am so glad that Markle includes the issue of labels and tropes in her podcast because it is not just patronizing, it is divisive and way overboard with microaggressions and bias. Anyway, my post today was not meant to get into too much detail about any one particular episode of Archetypes, although the one with Serena Williams (a.k.a. the first guest) was really good as was the one with my cousin from another dozen: Mariah Carey. Overall, I just appreciate what Markle is doing with her podcast by giving voice and power to the often muted and powerless. Power on, Meghan Markle. I got your six!

Sidebar Note: Bialik also talks about those "tropes" on her Breakdown episode ("Trauma Brought the Gift of Help") with guest, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (Yes, that Anjelah from the "Nail Salon" bit fame). 

Book of D: New Office Space with Pics

So, I used my Blogger app to upload pics of my new office. I am happy. Can you tell?!! LOL. This office will eventually become the space for the new Director of Counseling Services - once he/she is hired. The office is a little tired, but it is huge and yet cozy; it just needs to be painted. My supervisor was heedlessly pulling off the "Command" strips that once held my late colleague's personal wall curios, and he managed to pull down some of the paint. Yeah, only he could manage such a feat. 😆

Below are the recliners that belonged to my late colleague who died last November. Rest in peace, Stacie. The recliners were moved to our campus east storage facility. I am waiting on two chairs to replace the recliners. I am making due in the meantime cuz that's how we (Falcons) roll. A sincere "thank you" to Stacie's MOM for donating the recliners to our U! We loved and admired Stacie 💔!

Below are pics of my storage space next door, which bears my name as well because it will eventually become my new office - once it is painted and carpeted. The VP of Student Affairs, who is also the Dean of Students and my supervisor, is sharing this space with me. 

This is my view from my office. Moreover, this is our counseling & psychology practicum ward, which connects, via an oblique manner, to the department of literature and languages and history.

Book of D: Old Memories, New Office, and New Colleagues

Well, the move is official. I am no longer in the Falcon Center (a.k.a. Falcon Zone) on the first floor next to the Falcon Bookstore. I am on the 4th floor in the north wing (in the Counseling hallway). Both the graduate programs, counseling and psychology, facilitate their respective practicum programs within this part of the building; therefore, I'm right smack in the middle of the grind, if you will. I get melancholy walking through the hallway as I remember my stint as a mental health counseling student. Those days were rough, but I learned so much. It was such an arduous process, and I am still not sure how I managed to get through it. I worked fulltime and attended grad school fulltime. There were days that I would be gone from home starting as 7 am till 11 pm because I worked at the university during the day, then I transitioned into grad student at night. The last couple of semesters of practicum and internship were the most grueling, but it has paid off immensely. 

Anyway, suffice it to say, I really like where my office is situated now. I have more interaction with other people, not just in my division, I am close (in proximity) to the professors who are pooled within the department of literature and languages and history, which includes my bestie who is a history prof, Ana; she is just 50 feet from me. So, woo hoo. The other wing on the 4th floor (the south or admin wing) consists of all the executive/senior level administrators (University President, VP, Provost, Chancellor, Dean, Comptroller, Title IX team, etc.), so I am going to get to schmooze, big time with the big wigs. Kidding. Or not. Baby needs a new pair of shoes😄.

Sidebar note: The Wi-Fi has always been somewhat problematic in this building, the Mesa Building (MB), even when I was on the first floor. I think it is because when the MB was first built in the early 70s, the "brutalist" architecture was popular, so our campus, well, our main building where I am situated, was constructed to model that kind of rough aesthetic. The bad thing is the thick concrete walls muddle with our Wi-Fi, but on the bright side, if a tornado comes through, we'll be safe. Hahaha. Knock wood. Funny thing is when I have an attachment to send via text, I have to literally open the door to my office (just a smidge) for the pic or whatever to send; otherwise, I get an error: "message failed to send"! Stupid, yes, this I know, but it's technology and modern or not, it is flawed like most things. When I was on the first floor, I would have to leave the area and walk outside to the Quad to send texts with attachments. Now, I just have to open the door. I usually keep the door open unless I have a Zoom or Teams meeting or training, so the Wi-Fi isn't as brutal, plus, I get to look really "woke" by having an open door to meet with our "open door policies." Cheesy joke, this I also know. I am lucky I don't have worse things to complain about - aside from missing my former colleagues; the ones who moved to the new Center for Student Belonging and Inclusion. However, my new cohorts are really nice. Plus, we have more in common since we all have counseling and psychology in common. 

The other thing I have to get situated, which is also minor, is getting my late coworker's office furniture switched out with my new office furniture. It's weird being in Stacie's office especially using her desk. I had the university moving team bring my chair from my other office, so at least I am not using her chair. The two recliners she personally bought and had in the office were donated by her mom to UTPB. My supervisor had them removed and the moving team took them to the east campus storage facility where they will probably get auctioned off - unless someone else wants them. I am okay with Stacie's desk for now; although it is more utilitarian (drawer files and bins), I am not fond of the executive (bulky) style or beechwood color. The new office furniture that awaits me is walnut and although I am not overtly fanatical of the color, the style does suit me more. It is more modern (minimalist) and comes with an electric standing desk, so I can stand whenever I want to because sitting and being stationary kind of sucks. I'll try to post pictures. I have to get them from my phone to my computer first. Let's see how Mr. Wi-Fi allows that transfer to take place. LOL.

Book of D: The Devil is in the Details

Whether you believe the adage of the same name of today's post or not, there is truth to it. Not everything is black and white. If you look harder and dig deeper, you will often find that things (just like people) are much more complex and enigmatic. Trying to use the K.I.S.S. mantra or even Occam's razor (a.k.a. the principle of parsimony), is not often the key to getting to the root of things because choosing the simplest answer might not always predicate choosing the correct one.

So . . . What does the devil is in the details really mean? No doubt, from a young age your parents and teachers taught you to pay close attention to detail when completing your school assignments. Maybe before every exam they reminded you to read all of the instructions thoroughly, or they drilled it into your brain to always double-check your work. That’s essentially the lesson of this idiom and proverb: Details are important, so be conscientious and pay attention to the small things. TBC ... Unless the details deviate!