Oh, It Matters.

After a brief (read: long) hiatus, the coronavirus series is back. Each episode remaining in this series will include a flashback conversation and a present day conversation on how coronavirus has changed my guests over time. This episode kicks off our third “theme” of the series, which is mental health. Haven Wahl filed for unemployment at 23, something she never could have imagined. We talk about how her unemployment affected her mental health, whether or not having extra time on your hands can help or hurt your mentality, and what coronavirus has taught us about jeans.

This is Part 2 of my conversation on racism with my friend, Jeremiah Ross. In this episode, we start by discussing confronting people at work over racist comments, and whether or not it’s a Black person’s job to educate their co-workers. I also ask Jeremiah some uncomfortable questions that many white people have: Is it “Black” or “African American”? Why can’t I say “All Lives Matter”? Jeremiah also gives a moving speech on “Black Panther” and the movie’s significance. Get out the tissues, because there are some tears in this one.

My friend Jeremiah Ross is here today to talk about racism. OIM is a podcast all about conversations, and this is a conversation, no matter how uncomfortable at times, that needs to be had. We dive right into it by talking about the N word, how assumptions about his race made Jeremiah question his own identity, his interactions with police as a black man, and how small things really can be big things. I hope that you will have similar conversations with your own friends and family, but also I hope that you can learn, as I did, through my conversation with Jeremiah.

In this episode, my brother, Steve Greer, mourns the loss of his college year. We talk about the pros and cons of online education, how some of us are wired for creativity at the most inconvenient times of day (or night), and how Rubik’s cubes have taught him about discipline and endurance. And I’m not gonna lie… Steve’s audio is better than mine in this episode, since he recorded on his fancy music microphone. It’s embarrassing for me as a podcaster, honestly.

Today’s guest knows a thing or two about working from home, since he’s done it for over a year now. My husband, Ben Hodges, has a few tips for habits to grow (changing up your environment) and habits to avoid (household chores), and he opens up about some of his lowest moments while working from home. We also debate the legitimacy of the 5 stages of grief as well as who has the most annoying work habits.