Good morning/afternoon/evening! How are you?
I'm Shamontiel, and I am a freelance editor, writer and fact-checker. My morning routine kicks off with walking my unemployed security guard (and occasionally other neighborhood dogs). Post-walk, I clear my mind with at least 15 minutes of Pilates or weight training, and 10 minutes of morning meditation. I prioritize plant-based cooking (21-year vegetarian) for breakfast, followed by reviewing the latest trends in politics, news and culture. Then, it's time to grind. Even though my bachelor's degree is in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing and I loathe math, I've always had at least one or two clients in the financial literacy, stock and real estate investing, or money management industries. I suppose three decades of seasonal work at credit unions discredited my "English major, I don't do math" protest. 

​Want to know more about me (outside of the full-time freelance work)? Check out some of my posts (below) and my top five.

MOST RECENT SUBSTACK POSTS

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Photo credit: ChatGPT Photo Generator
1. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: 12 details for dog owners to dig up before buying a two-flat ~ 10 questions tenants with pets should ask landlords before renting a duplex

2. BLACKTECHLOGY: How ClearCheckbook can stop you from overdraft fees ~ Skip print check registers and try green-friendly online check register apps

3. I DO SEE COLOR: Even with the criticism landlords receive, should Black people consider being live-in landlords? ~ The pros and cons of being a live-in landlord versus renting outside real estate

4. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: Why won't some dogs drink or eat from new dishes? ~ Do dogs look at dog park water dishes and communal dog bone dishes the way humans look at dirty dishes? 

5. WINDOW SHOPPING: 14 ways to make the best use of laptops that aren't compatible with Windows 11 ~ Donating to schools or cash-strapped students are two ways to reuse old computers, but here are other options
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Photo credit: Shamontiel L. Vaughn
6. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: 10 things that make scenic-route walks with dogs more enjoyable ~ Yes, your dog will sniff the same patch of grass for five hours, but this walk can be fun for you too

7. I DO SEE COLOR: Picking on RHOA's Pinky is showing off your meat-eating insecurities ~ If you don't have a problem with omnivores salivating over seafood, chicken and beef, stop nitpicking the Slutty Vegan

8. ONE BLACK WOMAN'S VOTE: I'm fed up with all-lives-mattering responses to the Voting Rights Act ~ Supreme Court narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, ignoring racially discriminatory redistricting maps

9. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: Pros and cons of your dog matching your energy around strangers ~ A hard lesson I learned about repetition and curbside pickups with pets

​10. I DO SEE COLOR: The zillionth reason I'm proud of Will Packer is his response to being called a 'Black director' ~ Channing Crowder embracing being light-skinned but questioning Black labels is ruining "Pivot Podcast"