ability | Adapting With Alex Garrett

December 15, 2021

I May Be Vaccinated and Hate Wearing Masks But I’ll Mask Up

I’ve come to the realization that being vaccinated made me too stubborn. It also, from an outsider perspective, probably made me look like a disrespectful jerk in a way.

Being unmasked even in 2021 seems to be a sign of disrespect. The mask is a major comfort zone for some. That is why even though I’m triple vaccinated and have (Thanks Be To God) not caught COVID, I’ll mask up again in various scenarios.

You won’t really catch me on the streets of NYC outdoors masked up, but on your local subway or even bus, I’ll mask up for the comfort of others. This all hit me about a week ago when someone on an elevator asked where my mask was. She too was vaccinated but did not want to take any chances . I respect that as Omicron is flying around the country and of course the media is making people panic about it!

Yet, this war over masks in my view has gone beyond what’s on TV. People that mask up are making a personal choice to stay safe . When you are not masked indoors around others especially on public transportation , I am starting to truly feel that not being masked is telling people their safety and worries don’t matter. I feel the only way to respect that choice is by masking up even if vaccinated in spaces like a subway, elevator or bus. Even a workspace where your colleague asks you to mask up. For me, masking up is and has never been conforming to what the government says, it’s been what you feel is best for yourself. I’ve seen many (myself included ) flout those loud public address announcements on the MTA, that’s how I know it’s become more of a personal choice.

Don’t get me wrong, I hope masks are gone in 2022. That will happen in God’s time, I know! By the way, we are not China where they are masked up due to horrible environmental conditions . Yet, I understand this pandemic has put the fear of God into people and those feelings of a safe commute must be respected . Especially if we want NYC to come back stronger together!

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November 19, 2021

Previewing ‘King Richard’ and The Adaptations Made By the Williams Sisters

On my most recent podcast, sportswriter Cecil Harris discussed with me his interactions with Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena. We talked ahead of the release of ‘King Richard ‘, starring Will Smith, about Cecil’s up-close interactions with the real life Williams family.

Cecil also gave us a look at the 76 page plan Richard Williams made to woo coaches and bring his girls up to be tennis superstars. We also discussed how adaptations made by the Williams Sisters were led by ‘King Richard’. Is it possible one man inspired generations of women by just hearing the term The Williams Sisters ? Click the interview link below to find out Cecil’s answer to that one !

The conversation also covered Colin Kaepernick’s Netflix Series , ‘Colin in Black And White’.

Listen to the entire conversation with Cecil Harris HERE https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47530074)

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November 4, 2021

Election Day Coverage on Alex Garrett Podcasting

As New York City prepares to adapt to a new Mayor amidst vaccine mandates , Alex welcomed Zach Miller of New York Truck Stop Radio to discuss what the new era should bring for NYC. After all, Mayor-elect Eric Adams will inherit quite the mess from Mayor Bill de Blasio!

Take a listen to my conversation with Zach Miller HERE : https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47281380

Nationally, Alex Garrett Podcasting talked with author Richard V. Battle about the residents of Minneapolis/ St. Paul voting to KEEP the police department . They also discussed the common sense of Virginia voters to elect Republican Glenn Youngkin over Terry McAulliffe. A reminder, Virginia also turned their state legislature RED!

Take a listen to my conversation with Richard Battle : https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47308799

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October 31, 2021

Turning 30 Was Wild!

Imagine turning 30 years old and being feverishly SICK just a few days later? What is that! For the first time I felt age carrying responsibility. Thanks be to God for getting this journey to 30!

So, a bit about me if you are just joining the ride. I was born with one leg and numerous internal issues that I never let stop me . That’s because I have been extremely blessed and grateful to have a family and a foundation of love and support the last 30 years. At times, something like a differently made bladder or a small esophagus could spell doom. For only temporary . I also have one lone kidney which has been (thanks be to God) going strong for 30 years! That being said, was I actually responsible celebrating 30 years? Well I’ll leave that for you to decide!

Turning 30 after truly roaring 20s hits different. This number holds weight! This number says it’s time to take responsibility and take the reins of the tasks given to you in your health, with your family and at work. This wasn’t more clear than the 5 ensuing days after turning 30 that led to a spiked fever, parental care, care from my doctor and the love of my girlfriend to see me through a long ER visit. This time it didn’t and still does not feel like another come back story of surviving yet another health crisis to add to the stack of the last 30 years.

This time it feels like a concern I could let myself become THIS SICK. AGAIN! Time after time when health becomes an issue, I always say I’ll work to do better, but that work never seems to truly become a result that leads to no more health crises. So what adaptations need to be made? Dedication to the medication? Yes and it goes deeper! I cannot give you a how-to, but I can say once I figure out the secret recipe to my health I’ll letcha into my secret. Unlike Col. Sanders .

At 30, maybe you felt you couldn’t coast any more? Maybe you felt you had to produce better at work because you are no longer in your 20s? Can’t just be me feeling that drive and self-pressure to work better in my 30s, because just the phrase ‘30s’ sounds so much older than being in your 20s! I can’t be a better worker if I let my health go to shit just days after turning this prestigious number (at least I now hold 30 to a higher standard) .

30 is prestigious because it to me feels the time to truly individuate from the habits you knew. Truly go and find that first apartment to grow in. Truly go and get that salaried position you work your ass off for daily Truly go and gain the maturity to love your significant other to the fullest you can love them for them.

Hitting 30 after entering the pandemic age 28 must have done a lot to my psyche, and I don’t mind it. It made a 28 year old, then-29 year old and now 30 year old stronger than I ever felt and ready to make the 30s decade special.

Birthday cake lovingly lit up by Laurie Sue Brockway and Victor Furhman

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September 30, 2021

#FreeBritney Is the Adaptation Story of 2021

The freedom of Britney Spears is by far the biggest story of adapting in 2021. For starters, the work of the #FreeBritney movement has truly made a difference in the 39 year old pop star’s life. This also could inspire us to breakthrough in our own lives.

The breaking of Britney Spears conservatorship brought me to ask this on Adapting With Alex Garrett, ‘Can we rid ourselves of the mental and metaphorical conservatorships?’ Our head can be quite the place if we let it. Does our mind own us? Heck no ! Yet, we sure let it bother and own us as if it has a conservatorship over us, am I right?

When I say metaphorical, I am saying someone or something external also has a hold on us as if the situation owning us! Perhaps, the adapting to freedom by Britney Spears can inspire us to break free from the metaphorical conservatorship some of us might be going through daily! A reminder, God can break us through the metaphorical conservatorships we go through as well by faith!

I discuss more of this on the latest podcast HERE : https://www.spreaker.com/episode/46749237

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September 20, 2021

PR Guru Jeremy Murphy on Alex Garrett Podcasting

While on his promotional tour for his new book, ‘F*ck Off, Chloe: Surviving the OMGs! and FMLs! in Your Media Career’ , former CBS executive Jeremy Murphy joined Alex Garrett Podcasting!

We talked about moving from corporate media to entrepreneurship and owning 360BeSpoke!

Find out more about Jeremy’s story of Adapting HERE!

You can watch the entire interview : https://youtu.be/hr3C2Oi2kEU

And listen to all of Alex Garrett Podcasting HERE: https://www.spreaker.com/user/agsportshournyc

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August 30, 2021

Vaccination Won’t Prevent Detonation!

Prior to the Taliban gaining nearly every territory in Afghanistan, there was one major thing the Pentagon wanted all of America to know : a mandated vaccination! Required to serve in our US Military!

What cuts me to the core is this idea the Pentagon would be more concerned about the shot in the arm over , I don’t know, protecting a region until we fully could leave ! If the focus wasn’t on vaccination, I do believe the Pentagon would have been on the ball to prevent multiple detonations at Kabul Airport by our enemy. Why our military is meddling in this political game instead of defending our service men and women is beyond me.

If focus was truly on the Intel received about Taliban’s move to control Afghanistan , I believe 13 US service-members would be alive today! Instead, they wanted to make sure everyone knew soldiers were somehow safer with a shot in the arm over actual protection on the battlefield. It’s another example of how COVID has distracted from other real issues this country and it’s citizenry faces.

Not preparing our military for warfare but making sure they get the jab, is beyond infuriating. It’s like people being told to not go to the hospital for things like a heart attack or worse, because COVID was the end all be all for healthcare. I’m very concerned about the botched exit from Afghanistan and even more concerned that the military seems stumped how to solve the crisis.

I write this as someone who has been vaccinated and I support the vaccine efforts. Yet, for the Pentagon to be so pompous about the shot in the arm , and so scared about combating actual warfare and sieges, it does raise a cause for concern . We must vaccinate and also prevent the enemy from detonating an IED or bomb that could kill more US service members and the Afghani people!

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August 18, 2021

WithMedia Shows Us Disabilities Are Not Just Something We Honor Every July 26th!

I’ve had the pleasure to talk with Howard Renensland , founder of WithMedia, the media company founded for AND BY people with disabilities!

Find out about WithMedia at http://with-media.org!

He is driven to give people with disabilities a chance in media that the mainstream may still be hesitant to hire in 2021! Hear from Howard about his passion to provide opportunities to those with disabilities and cover their stories on WithMedia! https://www.spreaker.com/episode/45894163

I’ve also gotten the chance to talk with VP of Content Development, Sam Tavarez! Sam , a graduate of the Henry Viscardi School, discussed what it’s like being a creative in the disabled community and his passion also for providing a voice for the voice-less in the community! Take a listen to our conversation HERE https://www.spreaker.com/episode/45671073

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July 28, 2021

Childhood Phases Helped Save My Life!

As I think about nearing 30 years on this planet , I think of the saving graces. Two of those saving graces stare me right in the face here in 2021!

30 years in the making of this life, of course the biggest life-savers have been the doctors and the nurses and my core family who have stuck by each and every day of this journey. But through any chaotic health crisis, isn’t normalcy wanted?

Isn’t normalcy a priority for a child that needs hospital time more so than other kids? My folks sure thought so! So, they let me live out my childhood phases to the fullest. Two of those phases have hit me right between the eyes !

On Friday night, July 30th, the Mets will don their classic black jersey for the first time in nearly 15-20 years. An exciting moment for sure since they turned to a blue jersey over last couple of years. Personally, I used to want every kind of black jersey the Mets had worn in the 90s! From the home to the road, to Mike Piazza shirts, and even the black Mets cap! My folks took me to Grand Slam Sports in Times Square, NYC and let me immerse in that jersey-wearing glory! Which I continue to immerse myself in.

Back then , however, sports jerseys were an escape from whatever health ailment I had dealt with any given week! I even would wear a Yankee or Mets (or even Cubs/Blackhawks) to the hospital as sort of a security blanket I guess ! So thanks mom, pop and my stepdad for never discouraging me from this phase because wearing sports jerseys definitely helped me through the rough times!

Another phase that hit me this week was my love of Taz, the Looney Toons’ own Tazmanian Devil! Whether it was his whirling dervishes, or just his chaotic intensity I loved that dude ! I got what felt like all his shirts and even a plush Taz ! I see that he his in Space Jam 2 now!

Childhood phases today look a lot different and I wasn’t going to go here but let’s talk about it. Children today seem more encouraged to feel like who they identify with rather than how they were made by God. I don’t believe it’s trans-phobic to say a childhood phase of gender dysphoria may not last forever , so to explore the idea even to point of body reconstruction does feel wrong to me in a body as young as 9-16/17 years old. Keeping an eye out on these phases feels the best course of action , rather than bowing down to taking action then and there when you most likely know what’s best for your child over any radical activists that say otherwise!

For me this summer, however, it appears I’ll be reliving my childhood this summer, or at least looking back on it as thank God for these phases that kept me going then and inspire me to keep going now!

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June 10, 2021

The Viscardi Center is Synonymous With Greatness

It’s only fitting that a little school and center on Long Island produces greatness . Fact is the Viscardi Center was BUILT with greatness and on a foundation of greatness.

If you know anything about Dr. Henry Viscardi, you would know how great a man he was. He , himself, overcame having limbs that were underdeveloped requiring prosthetic legs. His life experience inspired him to help others and provide opportunities for those returning war veterans who became disabled during combat in World War II! That center, Human Resources, grew and added The Henry Viscardi School for kids with disabilities .

I’m very humbled to say I became a graduate of HVS in 2009. I had gone to school there from K-12 ! A large part of my current day motivation is influenced by seeing friends in the disabled community and HVS community adapt and thrive! Stories from this community can help others ease into adaptation for their current day situations, I know it!

What also makes HVS so great is that our community welcomes greatness! I can discuss so many different ways the Viscardi Center community welcomes greatness , but to be topical I’d like to focus on the Islanders partnership. As you may know , the Islanders are about to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the semi-finals!

Since I can remember , the current New York Islanders have played hockey with the Viscardi kids year in and year out at HVS. The catch was that these tall hockey players would become wheelchair-bound and be on the level with fast kids in power wheelchairs and regular wheelchairs. The Islanders humbled themselves because they wanted to experience the incredible spirit HVS students have! (https://www.viscardicenter.org/ny-islanders-play-hockey-at-hvs/)

The Islanders have also made available legends such as Bobby Nystrom and Clark Gillies to join our annual gala which raises funds for the Viscardi Center and Viscardi School ! For a tough group of guys, this kind of outreach show how much of a heart these hockey guys can have for the community and I am here for it!

When you cheer them on against Tampa this series , remember that these guys do it for the community and that community, I’m proud to say, includes that little but GREAT place in Albertson known as the Henry Viscardi Center !

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