Everybody and their momma has been talking about Medium’s newfangled, Swarovski-crystal bedazzled feature: lists. So — ya girl went through her entire Medium repertoire and categorized all of her stories into wonderful lil’ lists. You (yes, you reading this) should check them out!

Want to read about all of my Siracha-flavored hot takes on music? BOOM, there’s a list for that!

Interested in reading my five most viewed stories of all time? BOOM, list!

Want to read some of my bomb ass fiction? BOOM, MORE LISTS!

It’s all there, organized, for your reading pleasure. Because, we’re homies, and homies help…

One of my favorite bits of hip-hop trivia is that Childish Gambino got his rap name from a Wu-Tang name generator. He’s confirmed it many times, including the almost 10-year-old interview with Fuse below.

Don’t get me wrong; I love my name. “Nia” sounds like the romantic lead of an urban fiction novel set in Chicago where she falls in love with a has-been Broadway star during their 10-year high school reunion. But, having a cool rap name/alter ego/Flavor of Love-esque nickname would be awesome.

In pursuance of a super, duper cool name worthy of entry into the greatest…

My mom played tons of neo-soul around the home when I was a kid. Artists like Maxwell, Floetry, and Jill Scott were in heavy rotation. Her influence is why I now skew towards soulful R&B artists like SZA or Giveon. I’ve often thought: What songs will I play around my children?

This morning, I was listening to Omarion’s album 21 while washing dishes — and it clicked. I have to play Omarion for my children. They’ll wake up on Sunday mornings to the rumble of the washer machine, squeal of the vacuum cleaner, and Omarion crooning “Ice Box”.

Whenever…

I bought The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins for a whole 98 cents from my local thrift store. I was drawn to the book for two reasons:

1. The title was familiar. I knew it had been made into a movie.
2. Emily Blunt, star of the movie adaptation of The Girl on the Train, is featured on the front. I love her because she’s married to one of my favorite white men on the planet, John Krasinski, a.k.a. Jim from The Office; and also I love A Quiet Place!

I was intrigued by the book’s blurb and reviews, especially…

Lately, I’ve been going through a creative drought. It’s difficult to decide on new projects to pursue. The process of completing new ones has been rough at best. Instead of giving myself the rest and care that a bad bitty like me deserves, I’ve been getting down on myself about it.

I almost feel like a bad writer. That inner pressure stems from the tons of bad writing advice I’ve consumed online over the years.

The number one trash piece of advice I’ve seen is, “If you don’t write every day, you’re not a real writer.”

I, along with millions of other oblivious wannabe singers out there, have fascinated at one point about being the American Idol. As a child, I was obsessed. But, even as I grew, I still watched the show religiously until its 12th season in 2013.There’s something so mesmerizing about witnessing the good, the bad, and ugly of home-grown singers transforming into nationally-recognized stars.

Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson were a perfect trifecta of judges for the show. Nothing compares to their undeniable synergy.

Simon Cowell was deliciously blunt, often saying exactly what the audience is thinking. Paula Abdul was…

I spent the first paycheck from my first job, at a bagel shop, to get my first tattoo: a semicolon on my wrist. Since learning about the mental health organization Project Semicolon, I wanted it tattooed.

I saw the symbol as a double entendre. One interpretation focuses on my love of writing. Another reveals the mental health struggles I’ve had since childhood.

One weekend afternoon, I woke up and decided that day was the day. My roommate and I trekked across the city to a tattoo shop, one popular in our college town. …