Hi and welcome back to another Elevator Talk With Michelle. I am excited about today's topic, where I share 5 black American town that are hidden under lakes as well as from history books. Shoutout to Amber Ruffin! In a video clip that has now gone viral, Ruffin kicked off a segment of her Amber Ruffin Show by introducing viewers to historically Black American towns that have been destroyed and buried by a lake or natural park. They’re often referred to as Drowned Towns. We’ve often talked about Lake Lanier, but sadly, there’s plenty more where that came from.

Here are five you should know about:

(1). Oscarville, Georgia- Lake Lanier is a popular weekend destination known for fishing, boating, and so much more, including an eerie reputation that has deemed it as haunted in Georgia. But one lesser-known fact is the lake sits on top of the Black-town, called Oscarville. Oscarville was burnt down in 1912 and more than a thousand residents were forced to leave following the allegations of a rape and beating of a white woman. 

(2). Kowaliga (Benson), Alabama- Turns out, Alabama’s Lake Martin is built on the previous majority-Black town of Kowaliga. It is home to the first Black-owned railroad started by William E. Benson and the Black school Kowaligia Academic & Industrial Institute. 

(3). Seneca Village In New York City. Seneca Village began in 1825 and, at its peak, spanned from 82nd Street to 89th Street along what is now the western edge of Central Park in New York City.

(4). Susannah, Alabama. Susannah, or Sousana, was also flooded by Lake Martin. According to Alabama Living, more than 900 bodies were moved from cemeteries before the land was submerged.

(5). Vanport, Oregon. At its peak, 40,000 residents, or 40 percent, were African-American. But then, in 1948 massive flooding erupted in the neighborhood, and city officials didn’t warn residents of the dangerously high-water levels, so many didn’t evacuate in time. The town was wiped out within a day. 18,500 families were displaced, more than a third of them were Black American. Today, that area is known as Delta Park.

For the time that is ours to share, I want to talk about: Shark Week 2022. If you’re new to the phenomenon, you may find yourself wondering why any channel, would dedicate itself to a single kind of animal for an entire week? Because sharks are cool, that’s why. Sharks are one of the most varied groups of animals on Earth, with itty bitty sharks you could hold in your hand all the way up to the biggest sharks in the world. 

Sharks are also one of the most misunderstood creatures on the planet, not least of all because it’s hard for humans to venture terribly far into their underwater territories. Advances in technology are letting scientists and thrill-seekers alike get closer than ever before, and as a result, we’re learning more about these elusive creatures. It also must be said that a big part of Shark Week’s enjoyment comes from watching sharks eat stuff,  

Shark Week takes all of that into consideration and delivers programming that plays to all of those urges by putting sharks center stage. To its credit, The Discovery Channel isn’t just looking to titillate, though; it also wants to educate viewers about threats to shark habitats, correct misinformation about sharks being “manhunters,” and explore what makes them special. While the programming may have some hyperbolic episode-naming going on, that doesn’t change the fact that there’s good science backing it up.

You likely don’t have time to take in everything that’s happening during Shark Week (but if you do, enjoy!). This year’s celebration of sharks began July 24 and will wrap up on the 30th. This will be the 34th installment of the programming event, meaning you likely know people who’ve only ever known a world that had Shark Week in it. Not to be confused with NatGeo's SharkFest, Shark Week is the OG when it comes to pro-shark weeks of observance. This year’s master of ceremonies is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. So you can see how huge sharks are, "The Rock" can bench roughly 450lbs and a great white can weigh ten times that much. That’s the kind of stuff you learn on Shark Week.

Shark Week began as a marketing ploy to get people to watch the Discovery Channel mid-summer, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek play on the fear of sharks at the beach. Since then, Shark Week has become a legitimate phenomenon that’s earned a place in cultural vernacular. From mentions on 30 Rock to t-shirts and references in movies, Shark Week has arguably done more to raise the shark's profile than anything else since "Jaws."

More than 30 million viewers tune in each year and celebrities from Guy Fieri to Rob Gronkowski show up to feed, gawk, and generally marvel at sharks. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Shark Week programming features some of the most beautiful locations in the world, like Turks and Caicos, the Azores, the Bahamas, and South Africa.

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Hi and welcome back to another Elevator Talk With Michelle Podcast. Today I will sharing some easy ways to celebrate Christmas in July. The whole reason to celebrate Christmas in July is to have fun, don’t let it become stressful instead just do what will make you happy. Christmas In July Celebration Ideas:

(1). Bake Holiday Treats- Pull out some of your favorite Christmas recipes and start baking. You could even have a Christmas cookie decorating contest to see who can be the most creative.

(2). Make Christmas Crafts- The best part about making Christmas crafts in July is you can use the crafts as decorations or gifts in December.

(3). Have A Christmas In July Party- You can use traditional Christmas decorations or look for summer themed Christmas decorations.

(4). Have A Christmas Movie Night: Movie night is a very simple idea. Pop some popcorn, bake a few Christmas cookies and snuggle up on the sofa for a fun night.

(5). Light Christmas Scented Candles (And Summer Ones Too!): Make your whole house smell like Christmas! When people walk in, they will instantly feel like it’s Christmas time. It’s too hot to use the fireplace, so a candle will add that special aspect that brings in the winter feeling!

(6). Serve Christmas Food and Drinks Such As Frozen Hot Chocolate: There are all types of food that can work in both the summer and Christmas theme! This can include peppermint ice cream, frozen hot chocolate, and homemade decorated sugar cookies (with some lemon zest).

(7). Have a White Elephant Exchange- Have every guest at your party bring a gift!

Hi and welcome back to another elevator talk with Michelle. For the time that is ours to share, I want to talk about how this is your time. When it’s your time, here are some things I want you to do:

(2). If You Don’t Have Any Goals, Then Set Some Now! If you’re feeling directionless, then goal setting can be helpful in clarifying the path you want to take.

(3). Start Over! Your surroundings can have a surprisingly strong effect on your mindset. A disorganized and messy area, for example, can create a cluttered mind and make you feel uneasy.

(4). Be Committed. Once you’ve given yourself something to aim for, the only way you’re going to achieve it is by staying committed to the cause.

(5). Work On A Work-Life-Balance. To feel happy and content, you need a good balance between work and play.

(6). Work On Improving Your Overall Well-Being. Commit to working on your physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.

Closing: Please be sure to subscribe and support my Podcast. Your support is greatly appreciated, and you do so for as little as $.99 per month. Now go out there and be great, because great is calling you and great is calling me.

Please be sure to schedule your free 30-minute consultation with me today: https://calendly.com/coachingwithmichellea-

Please be sure to check out my website at: http://www.michelleismakingithappen.com/

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Hi and welcome back to another Elevator Talk With Michelle! In celebration of one of the best series of dinosaur movies ever! I will be sharing all of the dinosaurs that have appeared in the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World films. Enjoy!

20. CORYTHOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK III)

19. MAMENCHISAURUS (THE LOST WORLD)

17. PARASAUROLOPHUS (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

16. PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS (THE LOST WORLD)

15. CERATOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK III)

14. DIMORPHODON (JURASSIC WORLD)

13. COMPSOGNATHUS (Compy) (THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III)

12. STEGOSAURUS (THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

11. SPINOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK III)

10. INDOMINUS REX (JURASSIC WORLD)

9. ANKYLOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

8. PTERANODON (THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

7. GALLIMIMUS (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC WORLD)

6. TRICERATOPS (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

5. MOSASAURUS (JURASSIC WORLD)

4. VELOCIRAPTOR (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)

3. BRACHIOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK, JURASSIC PARK III, Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom)

2. DILOPHOSAURUS (JURASSIC PARK)

1. TYRANNOSAURUS REX (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III, JURASSIC WORLD)