Quality Time

by The Relatables, posted in Just Jade

IMG_5840

I’m in Ecuador right now, making it the 10th country I have visited since I started traveling at 18. I actually stopped for a few years, but when my mom died in 2016, it awoke in me the passion to make sure I do the things I want to do now- so I visited 8 of those 10 countries in just the last 3 years. My mom always talked about wanting to go to Spain but early onset Alzheimer’s disease, a sickness that locks its sufferers in hell and pushes families in trenches of cyclical grieve, had an entirely different plan. The month after she left us, in September 2016, I landed in Spain on the day of her birthday…and I cried. I cried because I felt her presence with me. I felt like she was seeing Spain through my eyes and thereby receiving her wish, but I also wasn’t sure when the next time I would feel that close to my mother again would be. I can still remember the last time I physically held her on August 18th. At the end of the trip I cried again because I realized more than ever that you cannot run away from your problems. No matter the distance between you and it, they travel with you too. I never felt that lesson as heavily as I did then, but the amount of beautiful closeness and closure I feel to and from my mama whenever I travel now is unmatched. Boarding a plane to see the vastness of the earth reminds me how small I am and yet how impactful her time here was at the same time. I want to show her how she raised her little girl to be fearless, unwavering, and adventurous. I want my mom to know that her time wasn’t determined by a horrible disease she did not choose, but by how her love, compassion, and joy will radiate in everything she touched, and will continue to touch as long as I’m here. She lives in my heart, and we live in my travels together.

Te echo de menos, mama.

You’re Free to Associate

by The Relatables, posted in Zack's Spot

The clouds are heady, planted feet.

Her hands are steady, full of skeet.

I’m ready for you to notice me,

drinking irresponsibly,

I think you barely see.

Right…

I’m in for the night.

No text the next day,

No “hi”, no “hey”.

Been grounded, can’t come out to play.

Hit eject on the rhyme scheme,

yo this dude is weird.

Gold plated, purse sueded, double-team The Beard.

Glory’s faded, understated, at least you made it here.

Shit.

What’s a cadence?

I ain’t been straight since,

my fate was decided by a white fence.

Straddled it, no rattle, bitch.

Rates on them tits don’t tattle, bitch.

You’re a slave, bro.

You need some inspo?

Hit a rave, then abort the in vitro.

He moved on, expired like a coupon

Ex tired, been fired

Saturday’s for Jimmy Neutron.

Hi, I’m Paul,

take a Walker to the Wall,

break a John’s jaw just to watch Fall.

Fuuck.

That was pretty offensive.

Crayola turned pensive.

That’s a broken dish, can’t rinse it.

Imma poke a fish like a stick,

with a wishlist.

The joke is rich.

Pedantic dicks supplant ethics,

with a single bid.

Can’t lie, can’t trick, I was a Pringle’s kid.

Lays tried, brain’s fried, no cannibal.

Cold jokes all Burr, no Hannibal.

The only scratch I see is from an animal.

Old folks hatch dust and bust nuts,

at the hospital.

I’m almost done here.

Fixed chain, no spokes, I got one gear.

Head over handles,

bred as vandals.

Smelly sandals and scented candles.

El fin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

save for later

by The Relatables, posted in Zack's Spot

I’m running out of time. No, that doesn’t have some double, deeper meaning…I’ve got 15 minutes to give the people what they want- MORE content. Or do they? How much media can people actually absorb in a day? How much should they? In a world of sensory overload, am I adding to the problem? Why do we all feel the need to “express” ourselves? Why do Dean and I think that people want to listen in on our conversations (i.e. the podcast) or read our blog posts? I grapple with this thought every time I post on here, Facebook or Instagram.Whether it’s personal or for the site, I feel a little whorish assuming that people care about what we’re up to or our thoughts on what’s going on in the world. Am I giving a little bit of my soul with every hashtag and sent emoji?  I know it’s just insecurity but at the end of the day I do think it helps. It doesn’t help in the way that’s immediate or measurable but there’s a little part of me that feels like I’m doing my part at the moment. I’ve never really felt like this before. I’ve never really felt like I know what my purpose is. I’m not saying this is it but there’s something in me that thinks, that knows this is what I’m supposed to be doing. This could be the start of a bigger picture or just me mixing the paint but regardless, it just feels right. I’m supposed to be talking it out, talking to you. Time’s up. See you tomorrow.

Why Here?

by The Relatables, posted in Here's The Thing

I remember back in school, when we were first learning about the discovery of America and “The Oregon Trail” and the Gold Rush, the thought dawned on me- why are you there? It was a much different time back then, harder people faced with harder decisions. But they still had reasons. The point I’m trying to make is, if you were traveling from the East coast of the US to the West Coast, why would you stop in Kansas, why stop in Mississippi, why stop in Nevada? *nothing against the Midwest* Maybe it was because someone got sick and they couldn’t continue, maybe they found a nice patch a grass in the right time of year and didn’t realize they were in the middle of tornado alley, maybe they were just over it and didn’t want to push anymore. In the attempt to discover this country, people settled everywhere. That always surprised me. Why would you choose to settle somewhere with feet of snow? Maybe it’s because I’m a warm-body, but I feel like if you had the option to move, why not? This may sound like a ramble, but I’m getting to my main point. Since I’ve been driving for Uber, I’ve met a lot of different people from all over the world, and the question I ask almost all of them is, “why Jacksonville?” Some say business, others school, or a job opportunity. And a friend of mine gave me some really interesting perspective. The only reason I’m in Jacksonville is because my parents moved here for a job opportunity before I was born. I never had a choice, and now as an adult I can choose to live where ever I want, and it’s scary to think that this is the choice almost anyone can make. A lot of people never leave their hometown for numerous reasons, but I never considered that your hometown is kind of like your skin color, but different in the fact that you can change it. So, guess it would be more like your gender. I’ve been thinking about moving lately, and starting a new chapter of my life on my terms. Not that it hasn’t been so far, but I feel like I never considered a life outside my hometown as a real option, and that the only reason someone would leave would be to take a job or go to school. Recently I’ve tried chasing a dream of mine and I think it might take me places I’ve never been before. I’m seriously considering the possibility to move, where ever I want.

Episode 124: 23 Like Mike

by The Relatables, posted in Podcast

The guys discuss “Loqueesha”, “Soulman”, NBA Playoffs (Sonya Curry), why we’re not having sex anymore and zombie raccoons in Chicago. Dean goes running and Zack reveals his number. Also, will Hydro-UFC exist in the future? Use the amazon link for all your shopping to support the show!

City Girls – Act Up

Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hall