In the 80s a rap group named Whodini released a track called "Friends". It had me thinking about who are my friends and how rare is it that I still have the same friends from grade school. Double that by including friends from grade school, that I talk to on a regular basis. Regular being at times multiple times a week.

 In this episode, I brought in my closest friends. Interesting point, this group was the reason I developed the Iron Table. I wanted to show the world that Black men could support each other's growth even during adulthood, marriage, divorce, and parenthood.

Dating in the 20th Century... No, wait, this is the 21st Century. Let's just say dating that way; this is relevant to yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Now, as I was saying, dating, many of us have been there, done that, and will likely do it again. It is a necessary activity that one must do if they are heading in the direction of marriage. Those whose culture practices arranged marriage are excluded. 

Yet when you're dating, are you honest with yourself? Do you accept constructive feedback when it comes to dating? Or do you run to the same individuals who constantly sing your praises? Do you have a community of trusted advisors, or are you left to your own devices? 

Don't give up hope. We continue our dating series to talk about dating truths. We discuss the impact of Kevin Samuels and discuss what truth is and what is fiction. Who do you and should you go to hear the truth about you in a relationship? We answer that question and more. We also talk about the verdict between Johnny and Amber and its impact on domestic abuse in relationships.

Statistics say that over 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Yet life doesn't stop at divorce. Over time, a person may desire to get back into the dating scene. But is that too soon? Has enough time passed that the heart has had a chance to heal? For men, how do we process life after divorce? How do we approach dating after such an experience?

In this episode, we quickly dive into life after divorce. This is transparency at its finest. Hear from men who've experienced divorce and what goes through their minds when broaching the topic of dating. 

Recently the world witnessed a shocking event. At the Oscars, the world watched a comedian make a joke and the resulting action.  Initially, the world reacted two ways. Some said Chris deserved to get slapped, and others said Will was wrong. This goes deeper than right or wrong. We witnessed two Black men, or brothers,  experiencing a traumatic event in different ways. 

Initially, we did not want to talk about this. However, this is what the Iron Table was designed for. We are here to talk about issues that are more than what the surface shows. If we did not provide our take, we would be doing our listeners a disservice. 

There are plenty of games in life. We all have our favorites, card games, board games, and video games. They all have rules and instructions that come in the box. Yet the game of life seems to have so many restrictions and modifications. Yet how can you win when the directions are not in the box? Here we talk about the loan game. We try to level the playing field and give tips on playing the game of life; to win!

Culture it's a multilayered word. For some, it could mean their ethnicity. For others, their identity. Our cultural upbringing shapes us all. Whether it is stories and activities passed down or observing individuals who look similar to us, we all are influenced by our culture. Through triumphs and struggles, we have achieved great things. However, one has to wonder, if the playing field was level, would we be as unique, creative, and innovative as we are now?  This episode talks about Black culture and how it has shaped us. 
 
 We have this question for you... If you could go back in time and re-write history, where you are a member of the then-dominant race, would you give up your current culture for a life of privilege and entitlement?

The Iron Table is on the road! We set up shop inside the MECCA of Black men communication - The Barbershop. The barbershop where men talk about all things life. It could be relationships, child raising\rearing, work habits, culture, and current events. This episode starts a new series where the Iron Table will go into the Barbershop to chop it up with people within the community. We wanted to allow the community to share their gripes and, more importantly, share what they feel the community; NO WHAT WE, need. We are in this together.  These issues aren't only a less fortunate person's issues, but they affect those doing okay and well-off. We ALL are a part of one community or another. The only difference between you and me is... opportunity.

The saying goes, "Married people should continue to date," but what does that mean? What activities fall under actions while "dating," and what activities fall under the category of "courting"? Our hosts look at this statement from two different lenses in this episode. Is there a right or wrong answer? Should married couples change the way they look at outings after marriage? If single, how do you know you're ready to enter into the courting phase? What exactly is courting, and does it exist or is it a term only used by Baby Boomers and older generations? In this episode, we dive into this topic and more!

Podcast experts say that you do not get into your groove until the 20-25th episode range. This is Season 2, Episode 1. In this episode, our hosts reconnect for the 1st time in 2022. So much has happened individually since the last episode of 2021, and we take a moment to reconnect and catch up. This is a more personal look at your host, and we've added some new segments we know will catch on. So pull up to the table, and let's talk and chill for a while... 

Its been about 20 months since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has affected our families, the healthcare system, the industry, supply chains, and many other facets of life. But rarely does anyone talk about the Education system. Sure we are focused on our children having to wear masks or someone not wanting them to wear masks. But what about the teachers, social workers, school psychologists, special education workers, and administrators? We rarely get to hear from them? Do we care? Do we realize they have families?

 In some cases, they are the teacher, nurse, 2nd parent, and maybe in some cases, the first parent. We here at The Iron Table care. We wanted to sit down with various players in the education system and get their take on life during the pandemic. There are some pluses and minuses. This is one episode that looks deeper than grades. Deeper than progress reports. It humanizes the education position, and just maybe, after hearing this, you might walk away with a different perspective.