November 2025 was the last blog post I entered in this Current Situation series. What’s been happening since then? Here’s the update – it’s April of 2026 and gas prices have spiked through the roof, home heating oil prices are extremely high, my 40`1K is up and down and up and down and the job market in general is sketchy.
On the flip side I am still gainfully employed as a Media Sales Professional by News Channel 8 (ABC) in New Haven, CT and I’m nearing retirement. By the way, the Media Industry as a whole looks starkly different then what it looked like almost 40 years ago when I started my career so I consider myself blessed to be in the position I am in.
As I mentioned before it’s mid-April in the state of Connecticut and this New England changeable weather has recently taken a turn for the worse. Last week I was wearing sundresses and sunglasses, this coming week I’m pulling out long sleeves and heavy stockings. Winter is back – Waaaah!
On the bright side health wise I am doing extraordinarily well. My pap smear was normal, my vision was normal and I was recently told at my annual physical exam by a new Primary Care Doctor (a young woman in her 30s) that I should continue doing whatever it is I am doing because all of my labs were great. Not to be funny but I was not that surprised because I gave up alcohol 6 years ago, totally cleaned up my diet, and as for drugs, I don’t indulge (smile). For exercise I work out 5 mornings a week at Orangetheory Fitness Center in Hamden, hydrate a lot and strive to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
Family wise my almost 93 year old father, Jonie B. Hollis, was recently (through the collective efforts of my sister Casandra who lives in Nashville, TN, myself in Connecticut and my brother Michael also in Connecticut) presented with a Quilt of Honor (citation and actual quilt) for his 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy. It was a total surprise to Jonie B. — the ceremony as well as my brother Michael’s heartfelt tribute left him teary eyed and proud. The Old Saybrook Nursing home where he resides showed up and out – it was a beautiful affair and one for the record books.
Other Blessings: Two babies were born into the Hollis family tree this year – my nephew Jacob who lives in Florida had a baby boy in January of 2026 and my nephew Jasper who lives in Arizona had a baby boy in February of 2026.
One of my New Year’s goals for 2026 was to take up something I left behind years ago. Reading. And reading is my jam! I am currently reading the trilogy of Paradise stories by Elin Hilderbrand that I am loving so much I cannot put the books down. She’s an awesome writer and puts the reader right into the thick of her stories – I’m on the last book in her trilogy series now – it’s called “Troubles in Paradise” and it inspired me today to book a return trip to St. Thomas for our upcoming June vacation (smile).
Reading is not foreign to me. As a matter of fact back in the early 1990s I was hosting an African American Book Review radio show with my co-host LaMonda Williams called ‘The L & L Book Review’ on AM1340 WNHC Radio while simultaneously hosting an African American monthly book club in person at Barnes and Noble bookstore in North Haven, CT. As luck would have it, I made connections with publishing houses in New York City that started sending me hardcovers in the mail for free in the hopes that I would include their books in my reviews! I also interviewed African American authors at the radio station as well as in person at Barnes and Noble bookstore. It was most definitely a labor of love for I was not getting paid to do either of these gigs (smile).
And that’s all I have to share for now – until next time.
Sincerely,
TVFL
