My Brilliant Friends

Is this the end of the season? Is this the end of the podcast? Is it the end of the podcast as we know it? Friends, your guess is as good as mine. I know it's been two months since you've heard from me, and I can't say when you'll hear from me on this pod again. What I can say is that I've learned a lot with you, and I can only hope that you've learned a lot from the time that you've invested in me. Such humble and deep felt thanks to each and everyone of you who have listened. This train is headed into the train yard. But that doesn't mean the ride has to be over. A new train is pulling out of the station soon. Come along for the ride!

You like/love your friends. They may not like/love each other. Everyone being in the same space can have different implications. It can be great and the team expands. It can be awful and the night can be ruined. In this episode, passion talks about the pros and cons of bringing your friends together.

Three weeks. It took three weeks and all kinds of push through to get this episode up but here it is! And Cory was there! As promised, our Brilliant Friends, passion and Cory did a check-in episode to see how Cory's sabbatical was going. Is Cory feeling better? Is he coming back soon? Tune in and get the word from Cory himself.

How'd Beyoncé say it? "Me, myself and I: that's all I got in the end. That's what I found out. And it ain't no need to cry; I took a vow that from now on Ima be my own best friend." Are you a friend to yourself? Have you ever thought about it? Passion says she's been a great friend to everyone but herself. In today's episode she and her special guest, Dena Bilbrew, Life Coach and Career Coach, talk about why it's important to be your own friend, where that starts, and how to do it.

Which one are you? Why? In today's episode, passion sits and talks with the infamous Barry (IG: @barryantoine) that she and Cory speak of so frequently. They discuss their positions on making space for new friends or closing the circle and only allowing people to be as high up as "associate" in the friendship hierarchy if they haven't been around before the last ten years. Let's make Barry feel welcome, Friends! Also: no vocabulary today!

passion may have taken this episode kinda personal, Friends. She talked about friends and social media and she got super specific. Are you really keeping up with your friends and what they're going through or what they have going on if your only contact is through social media? Are you on the other side of that coin? Are you the friend who feels slighted by the person trying who has time to be on social media 16 hours a day, but can't respond to a text with a simple yes or no? No matter your stance on this issue, you'll find yourself in this episode. Tune in and let us know your thoughts!This week's vocabulary: persona non grata: an unacceptable or unwelcome person feign: pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury) indubitably: an adverb that means "impossible to doubt" agape: wide open, especially with surprise or wonder lauded: highly praised or admired befitting: appropriate to the occasion behest: an earnest or strongly worded request

In this week's episode, passion talks about seasons changing in friendship, gives a few examples of those changes and a few tips on how to maneuver if the change caught you off guard. Per usual, she gives it to us raw and uncut with a sprinkle of tact to smooth out the rough places. Tune in! Today's Vocabulary: somber: dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy/oppressively solemn or sober in mood; grave. nigh: almost/at or to a short distance away. continuum: a coherent whole characterized as a collection, sequence, or progression of values or elements varying by minute degrees vernal equinox: the equinox in spring, on about March 20 in the northern hemisphere and September 22 in the southern hemisphere. --the equinox in March, when the sun crosses the celestial equator in a northerly direction, marking the prime meridian of right ascension. exacted: demand and obtain (something, especially a payment) from someone./inflict (revenge) on someone. proselytize: convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another./advocate or promote (a belief or course of action). snarky: critical or mocking in an indirect or sarcastic way./bad-tempered or irritable. diatribe: a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something. idiosyncrasies: a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual.

In this week's episode, passion talks about confidence and loyalty. The lyrics to the song,"Loyalty" are the perfect description for this episode: Tell me who you're loyal to Do it start with your woman or your man? Do it end with your family and friends? Are you loyal to yourself in advance? I said tell me who you're loyal to? Is it anybody that you would lie for? Anybody you would slide for? Anybody you would die for? That's what God for... Tune in to find out what our Brilliant Friend had to say about loyalty in friendships. She definitely left us with no shortage of stories so methinks this is gonna be good!

Thank you for taking the lead with this. I love you! - Cory In this week's episode, Cory pops in and your favorite dynamic duo have a very candid and transparent conversation about what's been going on with Cory, as well as the pair's friendship. As this podcast is about friendship navigation, Cory and passion use their friendship as the model for the good, the bad, and the ugly. You definitely don't want to miss this one! This week's vocabulary: mitigating: having the effect of making something bad less severe, serious, or painful tenuous: very weak or slight dole: distribute shares of something sabbatical: a period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked -- per thesabbaticalguide.com: A personal sabbatical is where you take an extended break from work, agreed with your employer. It is usually between 4 and 12 weeks and in most circumstances is unpaid

In this week's episode, passion talks about leveling up in friendship. What is leveling up in the first place? What does that mean for you as an individual? What does it mean for you as a friend? What expectations and requirements does that come with? What expectations and requirements are you allowed to have? Tune in to find out what other questions are explored and passion's advice on how to elevate your friendships.  This week's vocabulary:  vernacular: the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region. omnipotent: (of a deity) having unlimited power; able to do anything omniscient: knowing everything omnipresent: widely or constantly encountered; common or widespread / (of God) present everywhere at the same time. omnibenevolent: (of a deity) possessing perfect or unlimited goodness nuance: a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound