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Raised By Her Podcast
Raised By Her is a mother–daughter podcast exploring the lessons, love, and lived experiences passed down through generations. Hosts Ro Nita and Donnica share honest, intergenerational conversations about womanhood, identity, family, and leadership - and the wisdom we inherit (and sometimes challenge).
Part humor and all heart, Raised By Her is a reminder that every generation has something to teach—and that the stories that raise us continue to shape who we become.
Raised By Her Podcast
Candy Thieves, Sports Overload & The Self-Care Habits That Actually Work | Raised By Her
From Halloween chaos to healthy habits — this week’s Raised By Her dives into everything from trick-or-treat surprises to the sleep routines that keep us sane. Ro Nita and Donnica unpack a week filled with sugar highs, sports overload, and late-night reflections on rest, reading, and why real self-care isn’t just bubble baths.
In this episode, the mother-daughter duo share funny stories about Halloween candy theft, intergenerational lessons about balance, and the family habits that shape how we rest, reset, and recover. They also touch on women’s wellness, aging gracefully, and the intentional joy that comes from slowing down.
Listen for:
- How sleep and self-care change with age
- Why rest is an act of resistance for busy women
- The family rituals that keep legacy — and laughter — alive
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🎤 New episodes every week. Honest conversations between mother and daughter on family, womanhood, and navigating life across generations.
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Welcome back to Rays by Her. How you doing? I'm good. How are you doing? I'm doing great. Thank you. Oh, I feel like my voice always goes up. I'm good, but I really am good.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. I'm glad you're good.
SPEAKER_00:You know how some people's voice like goes different, and you're like, hmm, I wonder if that's actually true. The only thing I'll say is that I did not get a lot of sleep last night. And what was the reason for that? I was trying to figure that out. I was like, why is my mind racing? Like, there's nothing big that I'm like worried about or um on the edge of for the coming weeks. I was like, I just I don't understand. Maybe it was all the Halloween candy. Too much sugar. Yeah. You were on a sugar high. Or seeing the cool costumes from the kids that came by. Okay, that's good. What kind of costumes? I would say actually 25% of the kids didn't dress up at all. Oh no. I know. Oh, and you gave him candy anyway? Well, so Hugh was responsible for, he was really the person who was giving out candy, and I just like teetered in the background while uh and also tried to manage uh my dog Truffle. Okay. Um, who you know goes berserk whenever anybody approaches. Yeah. So I could only see like bits and pieces. But um the girls all had really cool costumes, but the boys, there were some that looked like they were getting back from like basketball practice. And I was like, sir, you gotta work for the money. I mean, not work for the fire. You do have to work for the candy. Yeah, you gotta work for money too. You gotta work for the candy. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I had a good turnout. Uh I was really happy because last year and the year before, not as many kids, but uh this year, great costumes, uh, a lot of superhero characters, uh, a lot of characters that had to do with uh cartoon uh popularity.
SPEAKER_00:So it was So you actually like having a ton of kids. This is actually a point of conversation in a meeting, like the uh conversation before a meeting uh that I had this week, where some half the folks were like, yes, we would have a bunch of kids stop by our house, and the other half are like, uh I just I get tired, right? I'm like trying to relax into my evening, and then every 30 seconds I have to get up and then manage whatever's at my door.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, I I enjoy having a lot of kids. I enjoy the creativity because I asked the little kids about you do enjoy their creativity. Their costumes aged. Yes. Uh and the parents that are standing, you know, about uh 20 feet away like the fact that I'm I'm engaging with their kids and asking them how did they choose their costumes and tell me what you are. And so it's a it's a conversation, not just trick-or-treat.
SPEAKER_00:I'm on some community forums, and so we only had a few uh trick-or-treaters this year, which worked for me. Um, but I was on a community forum in a neighborhood um that's not too far away from ours said that they had 300 kids stop by. And I was like, that's literally my worst nightmare. 300? Yeah, man. But I was like, that might be your jam. No, no, not are you sure? I don't think I have enough candy for 300.
SPEAKER_01:You really haven't to monitor like one piece for you, one piece for you. Exactly, because you know, when they go in and they take that handful and put it all in their bags.
SPEAKER_00:So that happened. So we got our candy uh from Costco. So you know, like the big bags, and we only had, like I said, a couple kids stop by. Maybe like the the second or third group. Um, there was a girl that came by and she took like a few pieces, and I think it was my husband who was like, Oh no, you know, take some more. And she took like half of the big bowl and then ran. So she knew she was wrong. Oh no. That goes back to what I was talking about last week. I was like, I don't know about these kids. No, no.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I had some, I I would say preteens that had some great costumes. They were some big, huge heads, and I mean they just really got into it. Uh, some kids were dressed in like Ohio State costumes, and they they had little drawings on their faces, and so yeah.
SPEAKER_00:All in all, a good Halloween for 2025. It was a good Halloween and I enjoyed it. Okay. And um, we'll just I will just catch up on my sleep. Maybe it was a sugar high.
SPEAKER_01:That's that's what you think we do eat a lot of the candy too.
SPEAKER_00:I didn't actually. I I did save it for the children. Oh, okay. Um, and I was excited because you know, halfway through I was like, Oh, I'm actually gonna keep some of the candy that I like, but that's in fact not what happened because this terror child came and grabbed all the candy, and now I'm like, well, how old was she, Donica? Old enough to know better. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Nine, ten, eleven? Okay. So you must have had something she really liked. Do you know how there's some kids that they pick and they choose, and then some just go.
SPEAKER_00:I will admit that we did get the candy somewhat early. And candy is like my my go-to. Like that is my dessert and my snack. Okay. And just my and so I had been picking at the Costco candy. So what was there, what was left was really kind of stuff I didn't want, like an almond joy or a Snickers. Which I really like those candy bars. So, okay, but that's some pretty so you would have been happy with it then. Oh, yeah. I had I had already eaten the Twix and the Skittles and all of that out of it. So Skittles are really popular. You know, kids really like Skittles. I just saw a clip that it is one of the worst candies to eat um or to have your children consume during this uh during this time frame. And why is some doctor on some clip that I saw, she was saying because of the sugar content, it's one of the highest uh sugar contents as as it pertains to candy. And so um choose differently. Choose definitely for your children. I except it's the fruit taste, so you sort of think you're getting some fruit even though. Well, you know, I just I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. And so Halloween 2025 is now in the history books.
SPEAKER_00:It is, it is, and we are we are now revving towards the rest of the holidays. Right. What's next for us? Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is is next.
SPEAKER_01:We used to have a conversation at the uh radio station that was when should we start the Christmas music?
SPEAKER_00:And I like to start early. You probably like to, because you will do like what does Hallmark do? Like Christmas in July and everything. You will start early. Yeah. Yeah, I I I do.
SPEAKER_01:And so um so yeah, well, the Christmas movies are already started. So they started in October, so on what channel?
SPEAKER_00:All of them.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, all of them, really? Okay. Well, there are a couple of uh 24 hour networks with uh Christmas movies, you know, and it's it's kinda cool. Hallmark is one, and then there's uh Great American Network, which is another. And uh so yeah, the movies and they're on 24 hours a day, the Christmas movies.
SPEAKER_00:I do, and my sister-in-law is like that. You guys have that in common. You guys will just like sit there and watch the movies and the movies. I guess I've I just watch streaming. So I guess I just cons consume content differently. So I'm not even really aware of what's going on on regular cable TV. Right.
SPEAKER_01:Um just picking and choosing on my different streaming nice things about well, whether it's streaming or whether it's something on one of the cable stations, uh, certain networks, you know the shows are going to be happy shows. The Once Upon a Time and they live happily ever after. So you just kind of know there goes the wheel and it it it is because I also watch a lot of news and you know that. And um the news today is challenging across the board. Not a happily ever after at the moment. No, no, and I'm I'm really concerned about um some of the cutbacks, the government being shut down. Oh, that's fair. The fact that they're ending some programs, uh SNAP programs, uh that's really challenging for food, uh, food banks. And and so there's there are people who are just suffering. And what we have to do is give them some hope. We have to help them and maybe give them a break here in but believing that uh life is gonna get better sometime soon.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, we'll see what happens. Yeah, we will see what happens. I mean, you know. What what's the old saying? Just keep living. Just keep living.
SPEAKER_01:That's right.
SPEAKER_00:And then you'll see it all. Now, see that's a statement from your mother, your grandmother. How about I think it goes all the way back all the way back? Yes, you keep living and you'll see what's gonna happen. And then you'll see like their repeats and and all the things. It is a cycle. That's what it is. Yeah. A cycle. It is a cycle. So all right. So what else have you been up to this week? Well, have you been sleeping? I've been sleeping pretty, yeah, pretty good.
SPEAKER_01:It's I've been on uh overload with sports. I love sports, all kinds of sports. And now we're um at the end of the World Series. Game seven will be um tonight, so we'll see if the Blue Jays or the Dodgers are gonna win. And it's been a great series. They had one game, Donica, where normally it's nine innings in a baseball game. It won 18 innings. How long was that? Because baseball games are already long. Long. Long. Well, the games this year have been um they've speeded it up, so they changed the rules. So the games are not as slow as they used to be in in terms of the um baseball games. But two two games is what you would have in 18 innings. So it was like a double hitter, but it was one game.
SPEAKER_00:And you know, it really used to blow my mind, and I feel like it was my introduction into baseball, uh, was my grandfather and him listening to baseball. And I was like, but you can't see anything, like, how can you just sit there and listen? And he was like, but he just did it. And I was like, what is happening? Loved, he loved, he loved baseball.
SPEAKER_01:He loved the Cincinnati Reds, and um, we had an elderly uncle that used to live with us, and he loved the Los Angeles Dodgers, and so Daddy and and uh Uncle Roa would just go at it all the time. But anyway, this is the end now of the whole season for baseball. But we have we're in the middle of the season for the NFL football. We're in the middle of the season for all the college games in terms of football. And we just started last week the NBA. So it's like I'm on sports overload. Love it, love it, love it. But it's a lot.
SPEAKER_00:It's it sounds like a lot. How long is this gonna go on? Like, okay, so we're in the beginning of November. Yes. So we are in sports overload until Well, some people may not feel that way, but I think so.
SPEAKER_01:I think um, well, there'll be the season because you know the Super Bowl will be after the first of the year, so that's when the um the NFL will be ending. You know, March Madness is uh comes up and that starts a whole different series in terms of college uh basketball. So there's a lot of overlap here. Do you prefer professional or college basketball? I prefer college basketball, but I watch professional basketball when they're some of my favorite teams. I love the Cleveland Cavaliers. Why do you prefer college over professional? Because I think that the players um are more exciting. Uh the game moves really fast. I like the competition. In fact, I believe one of the reasons that the professional basketball team started taking earlier, younger players is because the game was so exciting on the college level. And so and there's so much talent out there.
SPEAKER_00:I just think it's so interesting. I'm I'm fascinated by the fact that I don't love watching uh college basketball or even professional basketball because I loved basketball for so long. Yes, you did. But I think for me, it's like if I'm not the one playing it, if I'm not on the court, then what's the point?
SPEAKER_01:Well, you know, you could play because um girls' sports has just been so competitive now. And we now have the WNBA, and the girls are out there and they are playing. You would enjoy it. It's very competitive.
SPEAKER_00:We've always been playing, we've always been competitive. Oh, that's true. Folks are just now tuning in.
SPEAKER_01:That's true.
SPEAKER_00:Actually, that's funny. So that that reminds me of my husband and I were still living in DC, and he didn't really know about my sports background or uh my basketball background in particular, but he also loves basketball and he loves to play, and he used to go to like the neighborhood court and shoot and do like the pickup games and everything. Okay. They also had tennis courts over there, and I was a tennis player as well. So sometimes I would go over or I'd be walking the dog or something. And they were short one person one time. And so he was like, Do you mind like stepping in for a little bit? And I was like, and I was in my little tennis outfit, right? So I wasn't even like in in like my basketball shorts, but you looked cute in that little tennis. Yeah, I looked like a tennis player. And so I was like, Okay, okay, um, I'll step in. And I killed it. And my husband was like, What is happening? And the people and the team that they were that we were playing against, they were like, You were trying to hustle us. My and it was became like a whole thing. Um and my husband was like, What in the world? What did you tell me? You were good.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, you know, you were the the free throw go-to person, and you played a guard and you could play a forward.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, you were you really But I didn't say anything because it's like no longer part of my life. I didn't want him to think that I loved basketball um as much as he loves basketball. Like, I didn't have any interest in every weekend going to the court. I just happened to be there. And he was like, Oh no, we could definitely they're not gonna see you coming, you know. We did it. Uh-huh. That's um this is a one and done. This is a one and done.
SPEAKER_01:I remember when we were at a family reunion and the guys were out um playing basketball, um, your cousins, and they needed an extra player. And you said, Okay, I'll I'll go, and you can play basketball.
SPEAKER_00:And I said, She's good. And they go, Oh, yeah, right. Don't underestimate the do not underestimate the women in your family. We can do it all. Right.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, we can, because we are doing it all on one level or the other. Across the board. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Sports and all the other things. So we didn't care.
SPEAKER_01:But uh, but it's been a it's been a good week because the the World Series has been uh has been great and um just a lot of sports.
SPEAKER_00:Well I'm glad that you're being entertained and that you're truly enjoying it. Like that's a reason um to not get any sleep.
SPEAKER_01:Well, uh yes, I think that um all of the different sports channels now, there are a lot of new sports shows. Uh so it's not only a really growing industry in terms of women and participation, but just about all day long, 24 hours a day, you can find a sporting event on maybe it's soccer or maybe it's tennis or maybe it's golf or can I tell you the cr the sports crossover that um caught my eye over the past couple weeks was um Angel Reese.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, but she walked in the Victoria's Secret fashion show. Did she? Yes. And she was she modeling. She was modeling. She looked fantastic. I mean, her body is pretty incredible. Um and she has a lot going on that she didn't know she had going on because she has all like, you know, the basketball clothes. Uh, but she also got like quite a bit of she's always getting criticism for one, but like some of the models were like, you know, that she's not a real model. Do we really want to bring it her? And there was, I think, like some gymnast that was walking as well. And so it wasn't just her as a sports. Were they invited or was they were invited. They were invited, they were part of the promos. They they they trained, they did all that they were supposed to do to be a part of it, and they were fantastic and they looked great. Um, and of course, uh the criticism ultimately doesn't matter because you're not a Victoria's Secret angel. How about that? Um, but anyway, that's when you when you talk sports, I'm like, oh, the one that walked into the Victoria's Secret fashion show. You're like, well, I was talking about the WNBA more generally, and the NBA more generally, and the NFL in college. And but I'm like, oh that's pretty cool though. It is. I love to see the crossovers of industries.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it is.
SPEAKER_00:So it's all good? It's all good.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So what else? Well, you asked me had I been sleeping, and I think sleep is one of those topics where it just comes up a lot. Um, my friends and I talk about male and and female, and it appears after a certain age, it's very difficult to have a good night's sleep. It has to be intentional, and you have to really look at your patterns and your habits. And uh maybe sometimes uh there is something on your mind, but maybe it's just the fact that you don't have a good late-night routine.
SPEAKER_00:So, how do you practice good sleep when you can? What tools do you use? What techniques would you recommend?
SPEAKER_01:Well, um, as you know, meditation is is always good. So I I think um three things that I know that are real important. Uh make sure the room is cool. Make sure you've turned off all of your devices so you're not seeing the blue lights and you're not being interrupted by things going off. And I don't feel interrupted with the phone in the bell. Yeah, but you're supposed to turn them all off if you want to get Do you really do that? Do you turn off all your devices? Um, you know, I did not while mommy was alive. Okay. Because I I always wanted to be connected. But now at the time that I decide to go to sleep, um, I will turn it off if I'm if I'm thinking about it. Because I don't want to hear the You don't want to wake you up. Well, I don't want it to wake me up. But you know, people text on the I know on the practice with it. I put it on silent and then I'll in the morning, the first thing I'll I'll just do that.
SPEAKER_00:But also Some people can't sleep without like the what they call it, like the white noise of it all. Not so much the phones, but I've heard of people not being able to sleep at all unless they have the TV on, um things of that nature. So I think that's a bad habit. But you're saying they would sleep better if they would just turn it off and then readjust.
SPEAKER_01:The sleep experts that is what they say. In fact, they tell you that it's not a real good idea to have a television in your bedroom. I don't remember when I didn't have a television in my bedroom, probably when I was a little girl. So I think from from college forward, there's always been a TV someplace close.
SPEAKER_00:You didn't allow me to have a television in my bedroom. But then I got an iPad, so I was able to then watch what I was because it makes it it's this convenience. It's just you didn't have an iPad when you were in high school. Did they have iPads? I know no.
SPEAKER_01:No iPads hadn't been invented yet. So Right, right. No, but I didn't have um a um television in my bedroom when I was young and growing up. I didn't think it was necessary for you to have a television in your bedroom because we had other TVs in the house. And so I didn't want us separating as a family. I thought it was more important for when we're watching TV for us to watch TV together.
SPEAKER_00:I think that makes sense. I that makes sense. You didn't like it at the time. Well, no. Um, and I could see folks pushing back, yeah, and myself pushing back. But in hindsight, I think that's a really solid decision and one that experts probably recommend moving forward to if possible. Like well, I think they say like limit devices overall for children. Just now that we are into it, we are seeing all the negative effects of kids being raised by their devices.
SPEAKER_01:So it is important to be able to just have certain rules and regulations. So uh it's good to be able to go to bed about the same time every night. You know, you used to have a time that was your bedtime when you were growing up.
SPEAKER_00:So these childhood habits, I mean, they just when did they fall away? Probably college. I would say once I was left to my own devices, I I switched it all up. You did.
SPEAKER_01:You switched it all up. And so so maybe that's the other reason you didn't get a lot of sleep last night. You don't have those good habits that mommy taught you when you were before.
SPEAKER_00:Could be. Yes, yes, could be. Um, I'm trying to think like what really helps me sleep well. Um, not eating a late dinner. Yes. So not having a full stomach really helps. The cool room helps. I like a dark room too. Actually, um, eventually I'm gonna get the blackout blinds because I I really want like pure darkness. Okay. Um, I mean, I like I like my phone. Do you have an eye mask that uh you wear and plugs? I find that to be disruptive. Okay. Um, the eye mask. I don't really want anything on my face. A silk pillowcase. Yes, by the way. I have a silk plug um as well. Oh, but earplugs, yeah. Um, because my husband snores. And so that's that's that's necessary. Yeah, but that's something I had to get used to, though, the earplugs, not the um not the snoring. I'll never get used to the snoring.
SPEAKER_01:Well, one of the things that um that I know from getting my sleep number bid uh a few years ago, that if you have a partner that snores, they tell you you can raise your the other side of the bed up, and that really uh can help the snoring scenario. So uh I have a sleep number bid. So maybe you want to try that.
SPEAKER_00:That might we looked into it actually. Yeah, we um it's on I think it's on the list. It's on the list of things. Like when we get a new bed, it will be it will for sure be a sleep number, actually, because we've been in the stores and gotten our numbers and gotten the firmness ver versus the softness and all the different amenities that they kind of it looks fantastic. People rave about it. Well, I that's why they can charge those prices, right?
SPEAKER_01:That is you are the best for for for me it had to do with um my back and I was having some some back issues, and so having the uh the numbers that you can make your bed harder or softer, I I thought really helped. So you felt the difference. I did. I did. Now I'll tell you initially I thought it was just a gimmick, but I did feel feel the difference. And I was thinking that your father had said a few years before, you know, we really should get one of those beds. I said, it's a gimmick, it's too expensive, it you know, but experience has taught me that uh it does work.
SPEAKER_00:Beds matter, so not just the bed quality, but also sheets. Like sheet quality. Yes, yes, the thread count.
SPEAKER_01:So um there are some people that won't sleep on a thread count that's less than 500 or a thousand, but the better the thread count. The better the sleep. The the better, the better it feels on your body. I'm just gonna say the better the sleep. Okay. All right, we can say that.
SPEAKER_00:The better you feel, I feel like the better you sleep.
SPEAKER_01:And they do suggest um taking a nice bath, uh, bubble bath before going to bed. Do you still take baths? So not enough. They're so time consuming, but they're so good for you.
SPEAKER_00:They're good for your body, they're good for all that ails you. Um I have a mentor in my life. All she does is take baths and she blocks out the time. And I was like, you can just, as a matter of fact, she just moved into a new apartment and um when she was remodeling or a new condo when she was remodeling it, she they were like, What about the shower? She's like, Don't worry about the shower. It really does make a difference.
SPEAKER_01:And if you use Epsom salts in the bathwater, that's really good for your muscles. And and you'll find that the older you get, the more you want to pay attention to all these little special things that you are doing for yourself. This is really body love and self-care.
SPEAKER_00:I was talking to uh, I recently reconnected with a cousin, and um, I love that for me, I love that for us, I love that for our broader family. And she listens to this podcast and she was like, You all talk a lot about self-care. And I was like, Do we? She was like, Yes. I was like, huh. But then when I thought about it, I was like, Well, we really prioritize it in our lives. Like, if we're talking about our lives, we have to talk about the intentionality that we put behind all the self-care that we do, because it really is a bad thing.
SPEAKER_01:That is a lesson from Rosa from my mother. Your grandmother really believed that she was going to live a long life if she took care of herself. And she had to learn that because she said generally, women will work 24-7 and they're taking care of everybody else, and they're doing all these things, whether it's at work or whether it's for family. And in the olden days, it was necessary for the women to make sure that the family members all had everything that they needed. So, um, so I I thank mommy when she really decided she was going to take better care of herself and then really reiterating that for me, and then I wanted to reiterate that for you.
SPEAKER_00:Well, I think that she did. And she I mean, nine ninety-si 94. 94 isn't bad.
SPEAKER_01:Or 94 wasn't bad.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, I'd say that's uh that's a long life.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and her mother lived uh into her mid-90s as well, and so did my great grandmother. So, you know, we have that lifelong.
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm. Yeah, we're a long-living family, I would say. Um, in terms of the the self-care though, I'm glad that she introduced you to that, because I don't know uh she worked a lot. She did.
SPEAKER_01:She worked.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, we all work we all work a lot, but it's it was different back then, I think. And also, um, I don't know if I saw the self-care, I saw the healthiness piece. Um, but in terms of like prioritizing rest, uh, she probably knew the importance of sleep and wanted to sleep, but I don't think that my grandmother probably slept that much.
SPEAKER_01:No, she didn't because she loved reading, and so um, and it was real important for her to read a lot, several books. Um and she had to read like multiple at a time. Right, yeah. Yeah, she would and and I would say, Mommy, why do you have this book and this book? And then she would tell me what it was she was reading and what she was researching, what the story was. Um, she felt that reading was an equalizer, though. It is so important to be able to know what's going on in the world. And so she really felt that the more she read, then the more informed she was, the better that we all are.
SPEAKER_00:I don't think that there's anybody that is well read um that can disagree with that in saying that books in fact are the real equalizer, um, not just for current events, but for understanding your history and and in turn understanding your present and then um, you know, being able to also think about the future.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely correct. And the more you know, especially today with a world that is just changing so fast. All the disinformation and misinformation is exactly right. So you need to be able to be informed in terms of what it is that is real, what is fact, what is true, and what has actually happened historically, so that you can have a clear understanding.
SPEAKER_00:I used to love to read, but law school killed it for me.
SPEAKER_01:What do you mean?
SPEAKER_00:I mean, so I I used to read all the time. I don't know if you probably know because of you and my grandmother. You had books around Yeah, 24-7. But then law school required me to read really big, boring books and study them and memorize them. And it was, I did, you know what, it took the joy out of it for me. And so it was at that time in my life where I stopped reading for joy. And then I did actually try to balance it. I tried to, you know, study um the law, but then also like switch to a book at the end of the day or whatever, but it it didn't hit the same because I think I was just so tired from reading. I did survive law school without ultimately needing glasses, which I also hear not everybody's able to do, but the sheer volume of content that you have to consume via reading, it just and it just killed the joy for me. And I haven't been able to pick it back up. Maybe eventually I will.
SPEAKER_01:Audiobooks are very popular and it's gained a lot of, I think, not only popularity in terms of multicultural, but also multi-generational. And the um head of audiobooks was a guest speaker at an event that I went to at my college uh several months ago, and he indicated that throughout the world, the popularity of the audiobooks has grown because people have found that they can hear the books, listen to the audio, and still be informed. And it's uh a new way of being able to stay tuned to what is really going on.
SPEAKER_00:That's interesting. I've tried the audiobook thing. I think that I don't like that. Uh I don't like that either. But I would rather read than listen to somebody talk. And I tried, it was um Obama's first book, The Audacity of Hope. Is and um I find I I enjoy his voice, um, but I just that I was like, I'd rather just just read. But I do like to listen podcasts. You do? I know. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I think in terms of but even like when I'm on social media and and I see clips, I I have the audio turned down and I'm reading the the auto captions. I'm not so I guess reading hasn't totally left me. Maybe I'm finding the joy in other ways and in other forms.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think that you can pick it back up at some point when you either want to know something or if you decide that it's relaxing for you. See, for me now, today, still, it's it's very relaxing when I'm sitting there and I'm I'm reading something, especially if it's something that I'm interested in. Now, I will read uh informational books, books that help me to be informed about what's going on. Right. But then I also like to read um just the novels and books that are kind of the beach trashy books too.
SPEAKER_00:So what are the romance novels? Yes, yes, the romance novels. Yes. I hope to fake a bad job. Actually, I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but I think I'm going to to pick reading back, try to pick reading back up for joy. Because you're right, I do have to read for all the other aspects of my life professionally, but I guess there is some joy in that, but like but but truly for like the leisure of it all.
SPEAKER_01:I think, yeah. I think that that will help to bring joy and also it's relaxing. And since we talk about that self care again, so this is a way to be able to relax and maybe to relieve some of that stress that's out there. So I can sleep.
SPEAKER_00:Read so I can sleep. Falls on your face and you yeah. That's right.
SPEAKER_02:That sounds good.
SPEAKER_00:Excellent.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's a plan.
SPEAKER_01:It's a plan. I think we're good. Okay. Well, I hope you have a wonderful week.
unknown:Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, wait, no, we can't stop yet because I why? I wanted to talk to you about you like you planning for your travel. You are traveling yet again.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yes, I am. I am.
SPEAKER_00:How do you how do you pack? Not well. Because this is an ongoing conversation between the two of you. Well and my packing has evolved over time. Your packing has evolved not well.
SPEAKER_01:Uh I am going to a uh a conference for one of the social organizations that I'm involved in. It's an African American woman's social organization. And what's great about this particular trip, one, it's going to be in New Orleans, and that's one of my favorite cities. Yes. How about that? Yes. And um because it's a social conference, in addition to the business that we have to take care of, they have a lot of special events where they require you, they want you to wear certain kinds of outfits. So the Mardi Gras theme, of course, is um Oh my gosh, that's right up your alley.
SPEAKER_00:So we have the exact opposite response to that. Like you have to wear this. I'm like, what? And you're like, yay! Ah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So um, so they and then they have a jazz night, and so just really special uh requests for the attire to be a certain kind of way. So you know I love that too.
SPEAKER_00:This is what your 70s should look like. You know what I mean? Traveling across the country to your favorite cities, doing your favorite things with fun people, having new experiences, being able to dress up the way you want to dress up. I mean, this this is what I intend my 70s to look like.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm glad to hear you say that because it's intentional. Yeah. It is definitely intentional, and because I am blessed to be able to travel and to do some of the things that I want to do. But also I've made it a priority to make sure that I am having fun. Yes. I've been working since I was 16 years old. So I remember that. I remember that first job. And so from then until retirement, and now I'm doing some consulting and a few other things that I enjoy, but it is so important to be able to balance life out. Happiness is a choice. Happiness is a choice, and it has to be intentional. You have to do it. But to your question about packing, I've never been a really good hacker. I've always always overpacked. I've tried to do better because you've tried to help me to learn.
SPEAKER_00:I've I've developed requirements for my traveling companions in the years.
SPEAKER_01:So you don't check luggage most of the time.
SPEAKER_00:It delays um getting you from point A to point B. My my ideal situation uh is to land and immediately get in the car and go to where it is I need to go. Um, I don't want to get off and then wait for the luggage. And then, of course, there's been times in my life where then the luggage is lost, and I just don't even want to deal with it. I just want to get off the plane, get in the car, and go.
SPEAKER_01:So that means that you can only have two or three outfits that you pack in your carry on.
SPEAKER_00:You have to prioritize. So I think you can either be outfit focused or cosmetic focused or shoe focused. I'm all of the above. I which is but you can, I mean, yes, yes. I have found it easiest to um narrow down the shoe options.
SPEAKER_01:Not yet. You're like, no, no, I'm not there yet. I want I want shoes to match the outfits that that I have, and it's real important for me to be comfortable. So um, but I also want to have my shoes that look cute with the outfit that I have, since we're supposed to be dressed a certain kind of way or be cute and comfortable shoes exist.
SPEAKER_00:Well, they yes. Yes, that you can find two in the same or one in the same.
SPEAKER_01:That um that is true. So uh, but I am trying to be better. I I'm trying to uh not have two or three suitcases like I used to have years ago, but now you have to pay for them as well. So it's uh it can be expensive. But I am uh I'm being intentional about how I'm packing and I'm matching up the different outfits, and I'm also I have learned to be more color coordinated too. I used to be all over the place.
SPEAKER_00:Really? I've never I don't think anybody has ever described you as all over the place. You might have felt that way, but you were not ever presenting as all over the place.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, well I do now I try to be a bit color coordinated and uh when I'm planning, and uh, but we are having a a gala, a ball, and so it's important to take a long dress. Of course, and you have to make sure you have the right shoes and the right purse and the right jewelry. So there's uh there's some challenges here, and we've been to some conventions when um we've had to have hats and all those. That's true. I do, and I and I love hats, and so um I still think it's possible.
SPEAKER_00:Um, and I I stand firm in that. And so because I traveled so much, and um sometimes I'm traveling alone, but a lot of times I'm traveling with other people as well. They don't take me seriously when I say this are the these are the things that are required in order to travel with me. So, for example, I need you to have all the security, like TSA and clear, and so we can just again walk through and go directly to the gate or directly to the lounge or go directly to wherever we're going. And if folks don't adhere, um, then they get left. And then, you know, like then feelings come up. They're like, I can't believe you didn't wait with me. I was like, I feel like I give folks enough time. Mother has experienced this.
SPEAKER_01:I know. You took you took me to um Iceland, which I really appreciated. A great, great trip, but I just couldn't pack the way that you packed for that Iceland trip. I tried.
SPEAKER_00:I tried. Oh, wait, no, no, no. You you got it. You you you had you for sure, if you were traveling with me internationally, only had to carry on.
SPEAKER_01:I know, but it was so heavy and so difficult, and I couldn't push the suitcase up on well, it was hard.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I did I did see the struggle and I acknowledge the the challenge there. But then I just picked it up for you.
SPEAKER_01:You do it, it's just part of what I'm gonna do. I checked the bag.
SPEAKER_00:You know I do You're like Donica, I'm I'm pulling rank here. We're done.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly, but it was uh it was challenging.
SPEAKER_00:That's okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's I guess it's individual, like different things for different folks. It only can become an issue if you're traveling in packs, but then also maybe you just do your own thing and you meet up with folks at the hotel. Whatever works. It works. I'm so excited to hear about this trip.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I'll be able to tell you all about it and all about the outfits, etc. Love that. And so, and because New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, I'm just really looking forward to it.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, quite a city full of culture.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. And flavor and color, flavor, color, um, the food, yes, all the all of the above. And it looks great. Even now, after Hurricane Katrina and all the challenges, they've been able to bring back the French quarter and they've been able to uh, I think, solve some of the problems. And so they're just great tours, so much history there. And uh little excellent.
SPEAKER_00:Well, safe travels.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you. Pack well. I will. Yes, you'll be in my head when I'm packing a couple days from now. Okay. So see you next time. Okay, sounds good. Thank you. Bye. Bye, sweetie.
