Week in Review (April 24–28)
A look back on the week that was
Firings. Trades. Deaths. Birthdays. A draft. Meh… slow news week this past week…
That was sarcasm, of course. So, we saw the firings of two popular figures on cable news: Don Lemon of CNN and Tucker Carlson of Fox News.
Quite shocking, depending on who you ask, considering these two were mainstays on their respective networks. Just goes to show… no one is safe. No matter how long you’ve been at a job, how well you may be doing your job, or you THINK your work relationships may be, you’re replaceable. Whether your fault or not (and with them, it may have been self-inflicted), your superiors will find someone else. Has anybody ever been in this situation?
Speaking of career shifts, the sports world saw Aaron Rodgers being traded. That’s right… AARON RODGERS IS LEAVING THE GREEN BAY PACKERS! For us NFL fans, this seems pretty similar to when Brett Favre went to another team… not really in the sense of being traded — as he initially retired and wanted to come back — but in the sense of a long-tenured quarterback with the franchise leaving, to the JETS, no less. History is repeating itself.
This should be interesting.
Where one quarterback is switching teams, another is being further compensated by his… Super Bowl runner-up Jalen Hurts got his contract extended for $255 million over the next 5 years. Guess the Eagles really believe in him. Talk about job security. Fly, young man, fly.
The NFL also saw the start of the draft [at the time of this publishing, it’s over]. Did your team make the right picks?
This week also saw the deaths of some prominent figures, as legendary actor/singer and activist Harry Belafonte and talk show host Jerry Springer passed away. Belafonte was a Harlem native born to Jamaican parents who became very active in the civil rights movement. He also is an EGOT winner… one who has an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. He was 96. Springer, most notably known for his outrageous talk show, also served as Cincinnati’s mayor in the late 70s. He apparently was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which was kept quiet amongst the family. He was 79.
Carol Burnett also turned 90, and her life was celebrated on a televised special on NBC. She was joined/honored by celebrity friends such as Vicki Lawrence, Julie Andrews, Cher, and Jane Lynch. First ladies Jill Biden and Michelle Obama also made video appearances.
Talk about lives well lived.
It should also be noted that Emmett Till’s accuser Carolyn Brant died at 88. For those that may not know, she was the white woman who accused the 14-year-old black boy of whistling at her in Mississippi in 1955. This led to his brutal murder and sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Her husband and brother-in-law responsible were acquitted, and she never faced charges. May she face whatever awaits her in the afterlife, and Emmett Till’s family, who have repeatedly tried to get justice, have peace.
Major career changes and multi-million-dollar contracts. Hmmm… yours truly can kind of relate (minus the multi-million-dollar contract, of course). As I may have previously mentioned, I’m trying to transition from Uber by way of private driving and deliveries (filed an LLC back in March… more in a later post), writing, and focusing more on long-term goals. Hey, hopefully, this blog can take off (#winkwink #nudgenudge).
Reflecting on the lives of Harry Belafonte, Jerry Springer, and Carol Burnett, they made pretty large impacts. This begs the question: How much impact are we making? How much influence can we make doing what we are currently doing? That’s ultimately what I’m striving for.
Getting off my inspirational soapbox, in this week off from the gym, I did continue to partake in my main source of income, but also got caught up with some things (or at least tried to), namely some e-mails — I know I’m not the only one whose inbox and junk folders are flooded — rest, and the John Wick prequels, as I plan to (re)watch the latest installment (after a little faux pas at a certain theatre… we were compensated by free passes).
Biggest personal news of the week? Carol Burnett isn’t the only one who celebrated a birthday… I turned 37! As stated in (Last) Week in Review, my birthday was Thursday. Getting up there, but still feel (and look, as I’ve been told numerous times) young. This blog’s namesake is intact. Guess great people are born in April, particularly in the last week😉😁.
Well, that’s all I can think of for now, good people. I’ll leave you with a fitting quote from a dearly departed talk show host:
Until next time, continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
