I am not good with money. The world of finance feels like invented chemistry, where the equations make sense only to a select few. Sorry, Jerome Powell (don’t worry; I don’t think he is a subscriber), but every time you make the news, I assume it’s because bad news is coming—something about the markets and interest rates—then my eyes start to glaze over, and then I feel helpless and realize how I will likely never own a home.

And I am sure I am not the only one who feels a certain way when a peer or friend successfully converts the myth of the American dream into a reality and becomes a new homeowner. “Congratulations.”

Right. Sure. Notice the period?

Here’s the thing: I don’t feel that way about my friend and former colleague, Priska Neely. She moved from California to Alabama and is now helping run an award-winning newsroom in Birmingham—and she’s become situated in a whole new lifestyle.
You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out why you can’t help but root for Priska, American dream be damned. Also, it’s her birthday, and by the end of this conversation, I trust you’ll join me in genuinely saying, “Congratulations!” (tell her here)

Or, at the very least, you might learn a new tune to sing for others on their birthday.