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It Won’t Go Away If You Ignore It

April 18, 2021

Have you ever had something happen to you that you didn’t want to face? It could have been a bill you weren’t ready to pay at the time. Perhaps you fell ill, and you were so scared that you didn’t go to see the doctor. Maybe you got word that a loved one was dying, and you didn’t want to be with them during their last moments. In all these situations, avoidance was the immediate remedy to an inevitable situation or circumstance, but it’s not.

Some people believe that if they ignore a problem, that it will go away; when in fact, it only gets worse. If you have a leaky pipe in your home, and you avoid taking care of it. The tube will not fix itself. If you leave the leaky pipe unattended for an extended period, it will either burst or cause a flood. If you are a homeowner and even if you rent, you understand the importance of getting the pipe repaired promptly before further and more expensive damages can occur. Just like ignoring the leaky pipe is terrible, so is ignoring the race problem that we have in this country.

The racial inequalities in these united states will not get better by ignoring the past and present evils. Whenever there is a conversation about race issues, the atmosphere tends to change, and people become uncomfortable and clam up. There is a demographic that believes that if you don’t talk about the race problem in America, that it doesn’t exist. Often when people bring up the race problems we have in this country in conversations, the people who are not/feel they are not affected by it will tell them they are the problem for constantly bring it up.

Talking about race issues isn’t going to be comfortable, but it needs to be addressed. We should engage in such dialogue whenever we can and as long as we must.

Portfolio

Self-Portrait illustration

February 12, 2021
Michael Nicholson Illustration self-portrait
Self-Portrait Illustration. This was a study that ended up being used for my new podcast entitled “The HUEman Races”. I used Adobe Illustrator to create this piece.
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stop asking for freebies in 2021

February 6, 2021

You go to Costco (pre coco), the sample lady harasses you to try one of the products they are trying to push on you; this is all a setup. Think about it, who is going to then down a nice seasoned lady? Many people would not do this. When you take that sample from her and put it to your lips as you walk away, at times, you stop and say to yourself that this is good. You then find yourself going back for more, and on future trips, you seek them out; this is hood economics 101. Give the customer a freebie, get them hooked, and then hit them sell.

Who doesn’t like getting things for free? It’s one of the best feelings in the world besides real love and chocolate. When you go to your favorite restaurant, department, etc., and they give you something for gratis, it’s dang near exhilarating. However, I do believe that people should not go to establishments EXPECTING to get something for free (unless you go to Hot Chicken Takeover and get a meal and help yourself to that unlimited refillable sweet tea).

Why shouldn’t you expect to get things for free? Well, just like you like/need to get paid at your job or for your services, businesses need to as well. Some of society believe that having a business is synonymous with instantaneous wealth. Yes, while you acquire possible riches with entrepreneurship, bills, expenses, and the unknown exists. Think about it; business owners have to pay for building, rent/lease, utilities, employees, contractors, products, equipment, medical insurance, maintenance, supplies, CAM, and a host of other things. That same business owner still has to pay their rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, car, gas, supplies, clothes, kids, etc.; that’s much stuff to pay for, let me tell you first hand. Some folk think that businesses are making a ton of money, and thus, they do not need their coin; this is not the case, especially after 2020!

Don’t ask for free if it’s part of your rewards for a customer loyalty program. Plenty of businesses took a massive hit in 2020, and they need all the resources, support, and income they can get. If a company messes up your order, took entirely too long, and made you sick, allow them the opportunity to make it right. If they don’t offer you your meal, product, or service for free or at a discounted rate (which they should in the event any on the prior list should occur), and that’s what you desire, take your business elsewhere.

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First Episode of HUEMAN

January 14, 2021

Here is the first episode of The HUEman Races. I still have quite a ways to go but this is a start. I would love for you to feel free and check it out and to also let me know what you think. Much love and success in this New Year.

Fighting With Wellness

You are important

January 4, 2021
Mike Nicholson of M. Nicholson Hip Hop Fitness advocates for mental wellness

Do you know what it feels like to lose a loved one, an acquaintance, a friend to suicide?

The question of what is it that I could have done or often said times eats away at your very soul. Mind you if you, if you experienced this situation, just know it’s not your fault.

When I ask you: “How are you doing?” I want to know. I know that often when you hear people say ask this question, they are doing so as a formality. Many times, folk will ask you this in passing, with the expectation that you take it as a greeting and not an invitation to expound about how you are feeling.

When I ask people when they come to our class how they are doing, I get mixed responses. Some people will say hello or fine; some will say you don’t want to know, others will tell me what they are actually feeling or dealing with and then apologize for sharing. If you know me, you know that I want to see how you are doing. You never know if the next words you say to that person will speak life into them.

I’ve been known to stop in the middle of instructing a class to listen to someone crying in the parking lot and, if they are receptive, offer insight. The reason is that everyone’s life is essential. #suicideawareness #suicideprevention

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Now the world don’t move

July 10, 2014
My family's journey with being an interracial couple and mixed family

Suppose you know one thing about me. It’s that I love my sons. I would give and do anything for my children. They will always come before me. Before the newest addition of baby Evander. There was my first mini me Skyler. When I met my then-girlfriend (now wife) back in the day. One of my main concerns was introducing my son, begotten from a previous relationship; to this individual, I was falling in love with? The next second was how do we address the cultural differences?

So long story short. I was married before, and it didn’t work out during the duration of that marriage. My first son was conceived. One of the things that I decided upon being newly single was that if I were to get into another relationship, there had to be a connection between that person and my son. The reason being is that this decision not only affects me but my son as well. So when I started to establish a new relationship. I didn’t initially bring my son around her. I didn’t want my son to become attached to someone, and then they were no longer in our lives. I didn’t want him to be on a carousel of relationships because I was selfish and trying to figure things out. I needed to know if this person was going to be the one for US! I had to be sure she would love my son just as much or more than she loved me.

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Fighting With Wellness

Do It For Them

July 9, 2014
Mike Nicholson's wife and younger son sleep on the couch

Watching my wife and 2-year-old son sleeping without a care in the world. Sometimes you have to sit back and put into perspective what’s important. They are part of it. The other part, he’s missing in this pic. People don’t realize that when things happen to you, they happen to them as well. When people build you up, they don’t just build you up; they build your whole household. When people try to tear you down, they are trying to tear down/destroy your family as well.

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Bust a Move The Blues Away

July 8, 2014
Mike Nicholson's dance fitness program is a great way to dance sadness away

Suppose you have ever battled with depression or know of anyone who does. You know the tremendous toll that it can take on the body and the mind. Depression affects more than 300+ million people across the globe. It can strike at any time without warning. Leaving individuals feeling empty, unmotivated, and absolutely miserable about life. To counter these byproducts of depression and other

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It’s Not Your Issue

July 8, 2014

Have you ever had the pleasure of someone ceasing their interaction with you because they had an issue that they never shared with you? Instead of discussing it with you, they choose to discuss it with others. There could be several reasons why this phenomenon occurs. Most of the time, it has to do with people’s petty behavior.

When people change their interactions with you because of an issue that they have that you are not aware of, they are often at times because they are extremely passive. Some may even be passive-aggressive about it when you notice these types of circumstances. You tend to get upset and begin to question what you have done to warrant the person’s or group dislike towards you. Suppose they haven’t shared their reasoning with you. It’s not your fault, and you shouldn’t stress over it.

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Dance yourself fit

July 7, 2014

Some people out there don’t realize how much of a workout that dance can be. They hear the phrase “Dance Fitness,” and they turn an upper lip to it. These people think that it’s easy, that it doesn’t require any effort just because it can be fun. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not the case at all. Dance fitness is one of the best workouts you can do—especially our M. Nicholson Hip Hop Fitness program.

In our M. Nicholson Hip Hop Fitness class. We are about getting you into some of the best shape of your life. We do this by focusing on the fitness aspect of the title of our business. Do some dance fitness programs focus on the appearance of fitness? Yes, they do. These programs are more concerned with filling the room with bodies who think they are getting a good workout rather than giving them a real workout. Programs like these do not change the intensity of the routines and tend to stick with a typical move instead of diversifying movements. Because once your body gets used to a particular movement, growth doesn’t occur.

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