Carrot Cake with Passion Fruit Glaze

 

The perfect dessert for Easter (or Spring)!

10 Questions to Mark 1 Year of the Pandemic

 

// ONE // What was life like in early 2020?

Twenty twenty was really like any other year except we had a trip to Greece planned for March.

// TWO // What was the biggest change?

I mostly stayed home from work for 2.5 months despite working in healthcare. It was very strange having that much free time as an adult, but I loved it! I didn't love making dinner every night.

// THREE // What were your coping mechanisms?

I'm an introvert by nature so staying home with my husband and dog wasn't terrible for me. Binging TV shows and reading kept me busy. However, now a year on, I'm really ready to travel and my patience is wearing thin.

// FOUR // What did connection in your relationships look like?

My connections look about the same as they did pre-COVID/pre-quarantine. I live in a different state from my family so not much changed on that front, and I was used to not being able to spend time with them. Text remained our main form of communication, but we did hook up using the Houseparty app and exchanged letters and books. And I've actually been to Pennsylvania twice in the last year!

// FIVE // What will you remember most?

Feeling like I was living in a disaster movie, actually having COVID in October 2020 (and giving it to my husband), spending days home with my dog, and SLEEPING IN!

// SIX // What was the biggest challenge?

Working in healthcare has been the biggest challenge and continues to be the biggest challenge. Having to educate patients on why they need to wear masks (over mouth and nose!) and getting push back has been one of my least favorite things I've ever had to do in my job (luckily this has gotten better since the election ended). We've always had to manage not only physical, but also the mental health of patients, and the mental component has really heightened in these times. I think I'm finally starting to feel the burn out. I am so, so thankful to my coworkers for keeping me going.

// SEVEN // What was a beautiful memory?

Spending extra time with my aging pet. Visiting Pennsylvania twice to see my family. I had a lot of fun there over the summer and we were able to spend so much quality with my family and friends!

// EIGHT // What do you believe now that you didn't one year ago?

I don't think my outlook and beliefs have really changed at all in the last year. Here's what I continue to know: (1) Travel and exploration is a very, very large part of who I am. (2) If people are given an opportunity to act a fool they will. (3) Surround yourself with people who make you laugh and make you happy. (4) Nature doesn't do it for me. I like to visit museums and cities and the like.

// NINE // What would you do differently?

I wish I wouldn't have gotten COVID. We had a patient with COVID come in and then I took my mask off around my coworkers. That was a bad decision.

// TEN // What will you carry forward?

Take it one day at time. Things are constantly changing. Life is not going to go back to 'normal' any time soon. If you need a break, take a break. Mental health is important. Oh, and don't be a douche. 

Ten Must-Reads for Women's History Month

 // ONE // Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Set amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers’, calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these ‘coloured computers’ used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets and astronauts, into space. Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War and the women’s rights movement, ‘Hidden Figures’ interweaves a rich history of mankind’s greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

// TWO // We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun.
With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike.
Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists. 

// THREE // She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton

Chelsea Clinton introduces tiny feminists, mini activists and little kids who are ready to take on the world to thirteen inspirational women who never took no for an answer, and who always, inevitably and without fail, persisted.
Throughout American history, there have always been women who have spoken out for what’s right, even when they have to fight to be heard. In early 2017, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s refusal to be silenced in the Senate inspired a spontaneous celebration of women who persevered in the face of adversity. In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience. They all certainly persisted.
She Persisted is for everyone who has ever wanted to speak up but has been told to quiet down, for everyone who has ever tried to reach for the stars but was told to sit down, and for everyone who has ever been made to feel unworthy or unimportant or small.
With vivid, compelling art by Alexandra Boiger, this book shows readers that no matter what obstacles may be in their paths, they shouldn’t give up on their dreams. Persistence is power.
This book features: Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Clara Lemlich, Nellie Bly, Maria Tallchief, Claudette Colvin, Ruby Bridges, Margaret Chase Smith, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner, Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor—and one special cameo.

// FOUR // My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem—writer, activist, organizer, and one of the most inspiring leaders in the world—now tells a story she has never told before, a candid account of how her early years led her to live an on-the-road kind of life, traveling, listening to people, learning, and creating change. She reveals the story of her own growth in tandem with the growth of an ongoing movement for equality. This is the story at the heart of My Life on the Road.

// FIVE // The Diary of Anne Frank 

Thirteen-year-old Anne Frank, with her parents and sister and four other people, went into hiding in the sealed-off back rooms of an Amsterdam office building in 1942, when the Nazi invaders intensified their persecution of Jews.
For two years they remained safe. In August 1944 they were betrayed, Anne died in the ghastly concentration camp at Belsen. All the others perished too, except her father.
Anne's astonishingly intimate diary was found by accident. With a touch of genius it records the strains of her unusual life, the problems of her unfolding womanhood, her falling in love, her unswerving faith in her religion. And it reveals the shining nobility of her spirit.

// SIX // Shrill by Lindy West

Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but.
From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea.
With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss--and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps.

// SEVEN // Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani

Imagine if you lived without the fear of not being good enough. If you didn't care how your life looked on Instagram, or worry about what total strangers thought of you. Imagine if you could let go of the guilt, and stop beating yourself up for tiny mistakes. What if, in every decision you faced, you took the bolder path?
Too many of us feel crushed under the weight of our own expectations. We run ourselves ragged trying to please everyone, all the time. We lose sleep ruminating about whether we may have offended someone, pass up opportunities that take us out of our comfort zones, and avoid rejection at all costs.
There's a reason we act this way, Reshma says. As girls, we were taught to play it safe. Well-meaning parents and teachers praised us for being quiet and polite, urged us to be careful so we didn't get hurt, and steered us to activities at which we could shine.
The problem is that perfect girls grow up to be women who are afraid to fail. It's time to stop letting our fears drown out our dreams and narrow our world, along with our chance at happiness.
By choosing bravery over perfection, we can find the power to claim our voice, to leave behind what makes us unhappy, and go for the things we genuinely, passionately want. Perfection may set us on a path that feels safe, but bravery leads us to the one we're authentically meant to follow.
In Brave, Not Perfect, Reshma shares powerful insights and practices to help us override our perfect girl training and make bravery a lifelong habit. By being brave, not perfect, we can all become the authors of our biggest, boldest, and most joyful life.

// EIGHT // No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunburg

In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day in order to protest the climate crisis. Her actions sparked a global movement, inspiring millions of students to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across the globe, from the United Nations to Capitol Hill and mass street protests, her book is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it.

// NINE // I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local "powhitetrash." At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors ("I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare") will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.

// TEN // The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.

Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.

But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives...

The Royal Report: The Oprah Interview

Introduction

I wanted to take some time to digest the interview before posting about it. A lot was said, a lot wasn't said, and it deserved the time to be sifted through. Note that this post is not a recap of the interview. I'll be sharing some of the topics that were discussed that stood out to me along with some of my thoughts. To avoid confusion direct quotes from either Meghan or Harry are in quotation marks, a summary of the topic is in regular font, and my thoughts are in italics.  Additional portions of the interview that did not originally air have since been released online. I'll be discussing only things that were said during the interview that aired on CBS (because there was just so much).

Meghan Markle revealed she had considered suicide and that she, "just didn't want to be alive anymore."

Meghan admitted to suicidal ideations during her first pregnancy while working as a 'senior member' of the royal family. She cited that her feelings of hopelessness came from the untruths and attacks from the press, and her husband's family's unwillingness to stand up for her. Meghan reported that she went to a senior staff member of the palace's human resources department for guidance on getting help. Per the Duchess, she was told that because she was a member of the royal family - and not a paid employee - that she wasn't eligible for any benefits through the institution. 

Any suicidal thoughts and ideations need to treated as an emergency. I understand that Meghan and Harry were mostly likely concerned about how her mental health problems may reflect on the monarchy and the family, but I want to know why was this more important than getting her help. Why did Prince Harry not take her directly to an emergency room? Why did they not find a private mental health facility and take her there? Why could they not have covertly gotten a therapist to their home and have him/her sign a non-disclosure agreement? 

In 1995, Princess Diana shared that she was able to get treatment for post partum depression. In 2017, Harry discussed openly that he had finally sought treatment after not dealing with his mother's death for the past 20 years. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince harry have made mental health a public priority since 2016 when they launched the 'Heads Together' campaign. Meghan joined the efforts when they launched Shout (a 24/7 mental health text line service) in 2019. Wouldn't they have had resources to reach out to through this?

In the interview Harry mentioned that he was "ashamed" to tell his family about Meghan's struggles because discussing this sort of thing was not encouraged within The Firm. However, in the past interviews with Princes Harry and William, they have stated that William was the one who suggested Harry see a therapist. 

So Meghan did not help from the palace... because she's black? 

A family member had a conversation with Prince Harry about "how dark" their child's skin would be.

Meghan reported to Oprah that Harry had relayed to her that a family member had a conversation with Harry regarding what their child's skin tone would be. Harry stated of the conversation, "it was awkward and I was bit shocked."

This is f*cking disgusting and there are zero excuses for this. It's flaming racism. I wanted to throw up when this came out. 

I was left a little confused on the timing of when this conversation actually took place. When Meghan spoke to Oprah it sounded like it happened when she was pregnant with Archie. When Harry spoke to Oprah it sounded like this conversation happened while they were still dating. Does this really matter? No. What matters is that this racist conversation took place at all. Lots of speculation out there on who the family member in this conversation was...

Meghan addressed the report that she made her sister-in-law Kate cry by saying, "the reverse happened."

The Duchess of Sussex was finally able to clear the air about an article that has plagued her since her marriage to Prince Harry nearly three years ago. The British press had reported she had left The Duchess of Cambridge in tears leading up the the royal wedding due to a disagreement about bridesmaids dresses (Charlotte, Will and Kate's daughter, was a bridesmaid). Meghan explained that the opposite was true. Kate had actually made her cry. The Duchess confirmed that the disagreement was over bridesmaids dresses, but would would not get into the details of what happened because she had been apologized to and forgiven Kate. Meghan did go into detail that Kate's apology included flowers and a note, and Meghan stated she felt her sister-in-law is "a good person."

So, that's just a summary because, actually, a lot more was said about about the situation. I think Meghan alluded to the fact that she felt someone at the palace (possibly in the Cambridges' camp) spun the story for the media. She made it a bit clearer that she felt her sister-in-law should have spoken up about the the falsehood of the report telling Oprah, "I would have never wanted that to come out about her ever, even though it happened." Meghan did concede that Kate was most likely advised by the palace to stay silent. 

I wish Meghan would have touched on is that at this time Kate was three weeks post partum from having her third child and Meghan herself may have been a bit more on edge due to the circumstances surrounding her father at the time. 

Meghan said of Kate, "I thought in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading up the the wedding, it didn't make sense to not be just doing whatever everyone else was doing doing, which was trying to be supportive knowing what was going on with my dad and whatnot." Instead of saying 'what was happening with my dad may have played a part in my reaction (to whatever happened between her in Kate)' she kind of just put it back on Kate. Maybe Meghan truly doesn't feel that what was going on with her dad played a part in how she reacted to  Kate and what was said or done by the Duchess warranted a cry. Who knows! 

I can understand how Meghan would want to set the record straight in regards to the claims she bullied Kate and made her cry. 

Other bombshells...

• The couple revealed that they had the Archbishop of Canterbury marry them in their backyard three days prior to their televised wedding. This was probably a spiritual ceremony and not legally binding. Meghan explained that she felt the televised wedding was for the world, not for her and Harry.
• Harry reported that he had three conversations with the Queen and two with his father (Prince Charles) in regards the desire to change his and Meghan's royal working status. Thereafter, Harry said Charles stopped taking his calls. Harry told Oprah that his father stopped taking calls because he "took matter in to his own hands." Whatever that means. He claims these conversations were had prior to their announcement in January 2020 about stepping back and that no one was blindsided. 
• While pregnant with Archie, the couple were made aware that their child would not receive a title or a security detail. At the time of his birth, Archie was not guaranteed a title based on birth right or UK law (the parents would have had to be gifted one from the Queen). However, by law, Archie is to become a prince when Charles becomes king. Meghan reported to Oprah that there have been efforts to change this law. Meghan implied, but did not directly say, that this is because Archie is a child of color.

• The couple reports that they did not do a traditional photo call at the hospital after the birth of their child because the institution did not approach them to do so. Reports in the UK stated that the couple chose to forgo this tradition to give their family privacy. I guess this means that the the couple took matter it to their own hands. Regardless of who was in charge, Archie's birth announcement ended up a royal mess.
• Meghan and Harry both admitted that his entire family was very welcoming of Meghan at first, but that all changed after their tour of Australia and the South Pacific in 2018, and after seeing how "incredible" The Duchess was at "the job." Harry expressed that it may have brought up old memories and feelings. Oprah pushed the royal asking, "your father and your mother went there, and your mother was bedazzling. So, are you saying there were hints of jealousy?" Neither Harry nor Meghan directly answered the question. It has been widely reported for over 30 years that Prince Charles had a hard time handling how much attention his then-wife Princess Diana received during their tour of Australia, and was jealous the crowds preferred her over him.

• Harry revealed that the royal family cut him off financially in the first quarter of 2020 and removed their security details due to "a change in status." In order to move from Canada to the US before borders were forced closed due to the pandemic, the family relied on Tyler Perry. Perry let the couple stay in one of his California homes and offered up his security team.
• Harry said, "I've got all my mom left me and without that we would not be able to do this," insinuating that he relies heavily on his inheritance from his late mother to support his family. 

• Harry shared with Oprah that the streaming deals were an idea brought to him during the pandemic by a friend. He then latched on to the idea because he needed to be able to pay for security for his family. The Sussexes inked deals with Spotify and Netflix, both worth millions of dollars, in 2020.
• Harry described his father and brother (Prince William) as being "trapped" in the monarchy and for that he has "compassion." Harry also expressed that he felt "let down" by his father.

• Meghan was encouraged by a member of Harry's family to "lay low" after several months of bad press. The Duchess reported that she had "only been out of the house two times in the last four months" at the time she was given this advice. Who do we think gave her this advice?
• The Duchess of Sussex stated that her keys, passport, and license were taken upon marrying in to the family. Haven't we seen The Duchess of Cambridge doing school runs, Sophie around London, and Prince Andrew driving around the town of Windsor? I'm confused about how this works and who has what privileges. Do the protection officers usually drive them around? Meghan made it sound like she couldn't shop for groceries or pop out for a tea or coffee without permission.

• In happy news, the couple revealed they are expecting a baby girl in "summertime," and this child will complete their family! 

Conclusion 

This only scratches the surface of what was covered in the interview. We all need to keep in mind that this is still very much a they said/they said situation. What we do know for certain is that the British tabloids have reported untruths and have attacked Meghan because of her race. The proof is in what was published. These articles can be easily accessed online for anyone to see. 

I would have liked to have heard Meghan and Harry come right out and say that his family treated her differently because she's black. It was hinted at and alluded to throughout the interview. State your claim. Say you think they are racist, name drop, and get it all out. Continued speculation is just going to fan the flame.

My hopes for this family going forward is that they are able to make a clean break from one another. The Sussexes can live whatever they think the reality is in California and The Royal Family can live whatever they think the reality is in the UK. It's the only way to stop these people from hurting each other and to get the press to stop harassing them.

I leave you with one word. Heartbreak.