In this week's episode, I talk to my cousin about graduating from Howard University during the pandemic. Listen as she shares her story about the frustration dealing with the lack of help from staff. Her goal after graduation was to find a job in China but instead, she is looking for a job amongst the millions of other graduates right here in the USA. It has been a difficult time as she is among the thousands applying for the same job.

We also talked about dating and the hopes for the future. The single life seems to be the best life for this generation of adults. She gives me the 411 on why it is better to be single than married. It is very interesting to hear this idea of never wanting to be married, having kids, or even having the desire to date. I also thought it was just the thing for women to do but she sure did set me straight. Tune in, you may be surprised at what you hear.

#pandemicgraduation2020

In another serious episode of Balanced Insanity, I and my friend Lamar discuss dating preferences. As usual, the episode starts with Lamar introducing himself. He briefly talks about his sexual identity before moving on to talk about his dating preference. As 38 years old, he has plenty of dating experience. Therefore, he shares his experiences and dating advice without mincing any words.

We then move on to discuss our love language. Lamar is unsure. I, on the other hand, am always open to express what I like. If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, then you’ve probably heard me say these things before. For Lamar, dating isn’t just for fun. It’s to help you find your significant other. He believes having a shoulder to lean on makes life a little bit easier. However, online dating has made things difficult for everyone.

OkCupid, PlentyofFish, and Hinge are some of the online dating apps we discuss throughout the episode. I think people use these apps for just meaningless sex. People are rarely genuine on these sites. You are judged based on your pictures and words alone, which is quite superficial since a person is much more than a pretty face. We also talk about pickup lines. Everyone’s different so don’t expect a single pick-up line to work every time.

In the second half of the podcast, Lamar explains his perspective on dating preferences. While some of my friends question his preferences, he explains his rationale behind the choices he’s made so far. I tend to share my personal life with family members (mom, in particular) and ask for their advice. Lamar is the total opposite. He likes to keep his relationships to himself only, which is also a very sensible thing to do.

Dating on social apps makes me nervous. You never know what kind of a person you’re going to meet. That’s why I don’t always jump to dating without first knowing them. Lamar agrees. People often lie on social media. Show what they’re not. Besides, just because you’re friends with someone on social media doesn’t mean they’re your real friends. Only real friends are your real friends.

During this episode, we go back and forth about dating preferences. Lamar gets plenty of time to explain his dating choices. I mostly take a back seat but don’t hesitate to voice my opinion every so often. This is a rather serious episode of Balanced Insanity. Surprisingly, there are no jokes (which is kinda rare). The podcast ends with a bit of nice dating advice from our side. So tune in for an hour which has plenty of dating advice and some hidden gems about online dating.

Key Moments:

• Introduction to Lamar [00:52]
• Sexual identity and dating preference [02:57]
• Advice to serial daters out there [06:23]
• A discussion on our Love Language [08:55]
• Dating for Lamar [11:50]
• Experience of Dating Sites [15:59]
• Dating Advice [20:00]
• Lamar’s dating preference [29:40]
• Sharing with friends and family for advice [39:38]
• How long do I take before dating them? [45:55]
• Social app scams [50:00]

In this interview-style episode, my friend Kevin and I talk about all things education. Kevin is a College Access Counsellor, so he shares his experiences of working with high school students. Growing up, I feel like we had only a few good teachers. Teachers of color were a rare sight. Even today, we don't see many black educators. We discuss why students today don't need teachers. They need mentors who can also be friends. Teaching will come with friendship naturally. Kevin also talks about the impact of COVID-19 on his personal and professional life. As the entire world has been turned upside down, student counseling has also undergone drastic changes – some good, some bad.

Learn More:
• Follow me on Instagram: @withmonica.co
• Email: withmonicaco@gmail.com
• Guest Website: www.livefromthebronx.com/
• Live From The Bronx Podcast: anchor.fm/livefromthebronx