Quick! Think of one thing you know now that you did not know this month last year? Feel free to share your answer with me here. (Click "Recent Discoveries" in my "Top Five" for my answers.)

Who am I? I'm Shamontiel, a freelance editor, writer and fact-checker. I start each morning walking my unemployed security guard. Post-walk, I grudgingly do at least 15 minutes of Pilates or weight training, then enjoy 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 somehow 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 where a family member managed a credit union discredited my "English major, I don't do math" protest. Math keeps chasing me around!

​Want to know more about me? 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. I DO SEE COLOR: Is natural deodorant really that bad? ~ Dove Aluminum-Free Deodorant for Women Review: Aluminum deodorant versus aluminum-free deodorant on Chicago's hot summer days

2. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: My mission to get the neighborhood kid to not think I'm an evil dog lady ~ Parents should make sure their children don't walk up to unfamiliar dogs

3. ONE BLACK WOMAN'S VOTE: 15 midterm voter tips to help Chicagoans choose the most-ideal school board ~ Learn how the transition from mayor-appointed members to an elected board affects Chicago Public Schools, students, parents and non-parents

4. ONE BLACK WOMAN'S VOTE: What Rep. Jasmine Crockett understands about social media and voters that the Congressional Black Caucus doesn’t ~ After Crockett leaves office, the CBC needs someone like her (or the attorney herself) to help with their branding

5. I DO SEE COLOR: Solo and group travelers, add a Black museum on your travel itinerary ~ With book bans and anti-DEI crusades, visiting minority museums is more important than ever
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Photo credit: ChatGPT Photo Generator
​6. WINDOW SHOPPING: Believe it or not, some women don't care about diamonds ~ Finding jewelry alternatives for women (and brides) who are indifferent about jewelry

7. BLACK GIRL IN A DOGGONE WORLD™: When Lo-Fi and jazz music don't entertain your dog, try these 7 tricks while you're not home ~ How familiar voices on television may calm your dog more than you suspect

8. BLACKTECHLOGY: 10 electronics that adult children should check when visiting a senior's home ~ From changing light bulbs to checking electric fireplace plugs, you don't have to be an electrician to help avoid fire hazards in family homes

9. BLACKTECHLOGY: 5 smart devices worth buying and many that should be skipped ~ Smart devices worth the investment and wearable technology improving Black health 

10. AAK-PACK: Building a perimenopausal-friendly diet with 24 African-American, Caribbean and African foods ~ 15 plant-based dishes for Black vegans and Black vegetarians who want to help prevent brain fog