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Closing Out February: A Short Month That Still Had a Lot to Say

Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. As we reach the end of February, it feels fitting to pause and take stock. It’s the shortest month on the calendar, yet it often carries a surprising amount of weight, culturally, emotionally, and globally. February invites reflection, celebration, and sometimes hard conversations, all while we’re still finding our footing in the new year. This month began with Black History Month, a time dedicated to honoring Black excellence, resilience, and contributions past and present. Across classrooms, timelines, book clubs, and living rooms, stories were revisited, names were remembered, and conversations continued about where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Black history isn’t confined to a single month, but February serves as a collective reminder to keep learning and acknowledging truth. February also brought its familiar mix of traditions and observances. Valentine’s Day highlighted love in all its forms, romantic, platonic, self-love, a...
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February Didn’t Wait—and That’s Okay

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Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. February arrived already in motion. I usually greet the month at the door, but this time I’m stepping in a few days later, and that feels fitting. This is a month layered with meaning. A month that asks for reflection, intention, and a little more care than usual. It’s widely known as Black History Month, and it’s also framed as the month of love two themes that quietly mirror one another more than we often admit. History is not just a record of events. It’s memory. It’s legacy. It’s the accumulation of voices, creativity, struggle, joy, and perseverance. Love shows up the same way not always loudly, but consistently. Through preservation. Through community. Through choosing to keep going. This month isn’t about rushing to say the right thing on day one. It’s about sitting with the weight of what came before and asking how it informs what comes next. Love, in this context, isn’t limited to romance. It’s found in dedication, ...
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2026 Tax Filing Season Begins January 26: What You Should Know

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Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. The IRS officially kicks off the 2026 tax filing season on Monday, January 26, 2026, when it begins accepting and processing 2025 federal tax returns. The deadline to file and pay any taxes owed is April 15, 2026. This tax season looks very different thanks to the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) passed in July 2025, which introduced several new deductions and filing changes that could put more money back in taxpayers’ pockets. What’s New for 2026 Many of the new deductions created by OBBB can be claimed using the new Schedule 1-A form. Highlights include: Tip income deduction: Eligible workers in tipped occupations can deduct up to $25,000, depending on income limits. Overtime pay deduction: A portion of qualified overtime pay is now deductible, capped at $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for joint filers, with income phaseouts. Senior deduction: Taxpayers 65 and older may qualify for an additional deduction of up to $...
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Exploring Life, Stories, and Everything In Between.

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Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. It’s January 2, 2026, and the year has already made itself known. Not with fireworks or dramatic announcements—but with movement. Headlines still rolling in. Conversations still unfolding. Life still happening in real time. A new year doesn’t pause the world. It simply turns the page. As we step into 2026, I’m not interested in rushing to define what this year should be. Instead, I’m paying attention to what it is. The global pulse. The local shifts. The stories that don’t always make the loudest noise but still deserve space to be acknowledged. This past year reminded many of us that change can be subtle and sudden at the same time. Communities evolve. Narratives shift. Truth often sits somewhere between what’s reported and what’s experienced. Here at The Narrative Hive, this space remains rooted in observation, of people, patterns, and moments that shape how we move through the world. Some stories will be heavy. Some will ...
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December: The Month That Makes You Sit With Yourself

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Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. December always arrives with a different kind of weight. Not heavy in a painful way, more like a quiet, steady reminder that another year is preparing to close its eyes. And whether you feel ready or not, this month always asks the same question: “So… how did you really grow?” There’s something about the final month of the year that forces you into reflection. Not the Instagram version. Not the polished summary. I’m talking about the real kind — the kind you feel in your chest. In December, the world slows down just enough for your thoughts to catch up with you. The noise softens. The distractions loosen their grip. And suddenly, you're face-to-face with yourself: the person you were in January, the one you tried to become in June, and the one you’re finally accepting in December. This month has a habit of exposing everything you avoided, everything you overcame, and everything you outgrew. The Lessons Hit Different in D...
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Last Retrograde of the Year: Heavy, Real, and Inescapable

Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. I know I’m late with this one, but honestly? This retrograde deserves all the time in the world. It’s not your usual “oops, emails got lost” kind of energy. Nope. This is the final retrograde of 2025, and it’s hitting harder than I expected. Mercury went retrograde on November 9 in Sagittarius and will finally station direct in Scorpio on November 29. What does that mean? Communication gets messy, sure, but this one digs deeper. It’s forcing us to confront truths we’ve been avoiding, conversations we left unfinished, and emotions we shoved aside. Why This Feels So Heavy Old stuff resurfaces: You thought it was done. You thought it was over. Surprise, it’s not. Decisions loom: You’re being pushed to act, speak, or finally face what you’ve been running from. Karma checks in: With Saturn and Mercury doing their thing, the universe is reviewing your year. What worked? What didn’t? What do you want to carry forward? Transformation mode: This...
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Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Shooting

Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. So this one’s wild. Chicago just had its official Christmas tree lighting in Millennium Park, full of families, lights, music, fireworks,  all the festive vibes. And then… gunshots. (fox32chicago.com) Reports say at least five people were shot, one critically. It happened near State and Randolph Streets right after the tree was lit. Police swarmed the area, and there were hundreds of people in the Loop when it went down. (cbsnews.com) Why this hits differently: A holiday celebration, supposed to be joyful, ended in chaos. Safety at public events is a serious concern — how do we prevent this? It’s a reminder: gun violence can invade moments we expect to be safe and magical. I know, the holidays are meant to be cheerful, but stories like this remind us to stay alert, look out for each other, and push for safer public spaces. Enjoy the lights, yes, but let’s also not ignore what’s happening around us. Thoughts? Were you downtown that n...
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