New Life Update: Why I Left Podcast For 5 Months

Hey, you guys, happy 2026, and welcome back to another chit-chat.  So after a long podcast hiatus, I am finally back to spill the tea on why I have been gone for the past five months.  From my latest life update to a new year, new me.  To working on myself, I am ready to tell it all.  So sit back, relax, and let's get this episode started!

Get a relaxing facial at Heyday.

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Reels/ Pics from my other adventures

Content Brunch In Delaware: Click Here

Plus Size Pole Dancing Class: Click Here

My First Mini Documentary: Click Here

Media Night Flannel Fest: Click Here 

Holiday Light Tour: Click Here

North Philly Bar (Cheers) : Click Here

New family-owned Old City restaurant: Click Here

Amazon Prime movie pre-screenings

Maintenance Required: https://amzn.to/4kX4WUx

Oh What Fun: https://amzn.to/4caf1uV

Relationship Goals: https://amzn.to/4kTEhI1

Playdate: https://amzn.to/46oQdM3

Transcript

00:11
Hey you guys, my name is Brooke and welcome to my podcast, Blogger with a Twist. So on my podcast, I'll be doing topics about lifestyle.  I may do some rants or inspirational topics or whatever  comes to mind that is the gist of this podcast.  So if that sounds interesting to you,  then subscribe,  share the podcast with your friends or family,  get your snacks together  and let's get this episode started.

00:43
Well hello you guys

00:45
and welcome back to a new episode and happy 2026. So look, I know I have a lot of explaining to do. My last episode was back in September of last year, 2025. So it's been about a good four to five months since my last episode. I honestly had to take care of some things in my life and also had some new changes that did happen. So this episode

01:15
Is going to be a chit chat and if you guys are new to the podcast Basically, whenever I take a sporadic hiatus from my podcast I like to come back on with an episode to basically  Update you guys on my life and I guess explain a little bit why I just went MIA So that being said get your snacks and let's get this episode started I feel like in my last episode I kind of  left you guys

01:45
off on a cliffhanger because  I told I told you guys about me competing for the face of Halloween me auditioning for the wheel of fortune my upcoming collab with heyday which was put together by Philly PR girl which is a media company here in Philly and I never really made a follow-up episode so I think I'm going to kind of start from there so starting with the face of Halloween unfortunately I did not win the competition

02:15
If I would have won the competition I would have won $13,000 meet Jamie Lee Curtis and be featured in a magazine I was a little bummed out. You know that I did not win I felt like I was so close It is what it is and at least I can say that I did give it a try So thank you to all of you guys out there that did vote for me I really appreciate all of your votes, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough But like I said, it is what it is

02:44
The next update is the wheel of fortune the last email that I got from them Which was basically from the producer that I auditioned with was back in December about a month and a half ago  and in that email basically gave me a list of about three to four topics or themes I might be interested in so the ones that she did send an email I think I picked like two or three that I felt like I would be interested  and

03:14
When I sent her my response,  I did not hear nothing back from her. Now, she did tell me that  once you apply to be a contestant, your name kind of stays in the database for a whole year. So I don't know, you guys, maybe this year I might be on TV. You never know.  And as far as my heyday facial, that facial was so amazing. Amazing. OK, I felt so relaxed. My esthetician, Josie, was super helpful.

03:44
knowledgeable and it really felt like I was having a pampering day all to myself. I was so relaxed that I almost fell asleep. That's how nice the facial was going. Now I believe the facial, the session was about 45 to 50 minutes but it was definitely worth it. So make sure you guys check out the description. I will either put a link or put a code so you guys can get a discount on your first hey-

04:14
day facial. What else happened in September is that I did lose my job. So if you guys have been following my podcast for a minute, then you guys know that between 2024 and 2025, I bounced around from job to job, which is something I don't normally do. I kind of fell like into a little bit of depression. But um as far as what happened in September of last year, I was working at a cafe as

04:44
barista and at the time when I was working at the cafe I did not realize it was a seasonal job. So when September rolled around a new company basically took over and I was out of a job. Now before the company took over in September the old company they did tell us that either find another job or apply with the new company if we want to stay employed. Now during that time I was applying to other jobs, other jobs  and I did have one interview that I

05:14
felt really good about and then I found out later on that they decide to go  a different direction with the job position but yeah that did not work out so yeah September I was out of a job and then rolling to October I did find a new job which I currently still have thank god and then what else happened in October I went on my first content creator brunch  at a lounge in Delaware and then also did some more collabs and stuff

05:44
in October and I went to go see an advanced screening of maintenance required which is a movie that came out on Amazon Prime. My boo was in the movie. You guys may be wondering girl who is your boo? Well if you guys seen the latest bad boys movie and the guy that played Will Smith's long lost son his fine behind. So yeah that happened in October and then I guess moving into November which was my birthday.

06:14
month, your girl turned 35.  And I also went to my first plus size pole dancing class, which was really interesting.  And when I tell you guys my upper body strength is weak as crap, it really is. Okay. And then I collaborated with a local filmmaker here in Philly and filmed my first mini documentary talking about who I was and how I started my journey as a creator, which was really exciting.

06:44
And then I also went to the media night for flannel fest which is an event that happens here in Philly for the past think like two or three years or four years  and it happens in Germantown and is basically a bunch of black businesses coming out and showcasing their products  and it's good vibes and everybody is wearing flannel and then I think that was all that happened in November I think I did go to a couple of events, but it wasn't like a lot and then

07:14
December probably the biggest thing that did happen is the fact that my boyfriend and I got our first apartment together. So yes, I moved out of mama Brunson's house  Okay, and I'm not gonna lie going apartment hunting. That was my first time I definitely learned a lot because I feel like when you are looking for your first apartment.  Depending on where you want to live and depending on how much money you have you have to be realistic in your expectations

07:44
about can you really afford the rent and at the same time do you still still have money left over to pay the rest of your expenses and then buy groceries because as we all know groceries are high as crap and if you got a car can you pay  your car note can you put gas in the car so maybe I might make a separate episode talking to you guys about my journey of going apartment hunting but yeah I moved out in December and then also went on a how

08:14
day holiday light tour by founding footsteps, which was really cool to see all of the streets with their Christmas lights and stuff like that and getting to the festive season. Then also this yet another movie screening in December as well for a Christmas movie. And then I think other than that, you guys, that's really what happened in December. The biggest thing was me moving out. And then January of this year,  2026, I did

08:44
do my first paid collab which was really exciting so I went to this neighborhood bar in North Philly called Cheers  and I got to sample some of their food so I did take one of my friends with me.  Um we had not really talked to each other in a while because I had been super busy so I figured why not hang out, catch up, have some good food and have some good drinks and let me tell you I had a really good time at this bar it was very chill

09:14

 I believe it was R &B night as well. So, you know, the jams were jamming. Okay. And as far as the food, the food was pretty good. We ended up getting  salmon bites with fried shrimp and french fries, mac and cheese, chicken tacos, lemon pepper wings. And for the drinks, my friend got a lemon drop and I ended up getting something sweet. I told the bartender basically surprise me, but make sure it is something sweet.

09:43
because basically I'm a punk when it comes to the hard liquor. But overall, it was just like a really good vibe, you guys. Good time. I did make a video from my experience at the bar, so definitely check out my Instagram. I did go visit a family-owned restaurant in Philly, specifcally, in old city that recently opened.  And the food was really good, you guys.  I had so much food that I ended up having food for leftovers the next day.

10:13
So I ended up getting chicken parmesan  and I also got the bang bang shrimp. For starters, they gave me some garlic bread. When I tell you guys that garlic bread was nice and flakey, crispy, buttery, garlicky. It was delicious, okay? Definitely a good time.  And those photos are on my Instagram feed as well. And I think that's all that happened in January so far. I didn't really do too much. And then February, okay, onto this.

10:43
month. So as far as February,  um, only thing that really happened is that I did go see another early screening for a movie, specifically relationship goals, which came out on Amazon prime featuring Kelly Rowland and Method man.  And when I tell you guys, if you look, if you look at the pictures of method man from when he was younger,  you know, he was okay looking, but I don't know. I feel like he is just aging, like fine wine. And the fact that he looked that buff, I'm thinking to myself.

11:13
Method man, you gotta calm down. Okay, but it was a really cute rom-com movie It was really nice seeing Kelly Rowland doing some acting as well as Method Man But yes, definitely a cute movie if you do have Amazon Prime and you like rom-com movies Definitely check out relationship goals.  And as far as that you guys that's really what I've been up to in these past couple months I've been going to events moving out decorating

11:43
my apartment, getting some stuff and just trying to live my life, working my job and trying to get my focus back with my creative projects  as far as the blog and coming back to the podcast more consistently,  coming out with new digital products on Etsy and more designs for my online Redbubble shop. Redbubble shop and like I said, just trying to  get back to doing things that I love, which is

12:13
being creative and I've just have been enjoying have my own place enjoying this new chapter in my life. I think I covered everything in this episode from my notes if I forgot something I will mention it in another episode. I know  I ghosted you guys last year but I really felt like I needed to take this hiatus because last year I felt like I was so busy going to events left to right that I kind of

12:43
I've stretched out myself a little bit too thin. And so one thing that I did take away from last year that I am going to incorporate into this year is better prioritize my time so I don't feel like I have to be everywhere all the time. It's okay if I cannot attend every event. I am human. But yeah, I'm going to keep that in mind for 2026. And other than that, hope you guys enjoyed this episode. Definitely share the podcast.

13:13
And if you have not subscribed, definitely subscribe and I will hopefully talk to you guys in my next episode. Peace.