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Real life stories shared by people just like U & Some Great Books Too!

Girl Make Your Money Grow! (Book 19)

  Remember book reports when we were in school? For some they were a dreaded terrible thing, for others they were fun ways to recall your favorite book and an easy format to tell someone what the book was about. I've decided to post some reports of books I've read recently; let's jump right in. I also wrote and published 5 books you can check them out here:  https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=Jodie+Spartz&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00      I don't exactly remember where I got this book from. It was probably one of those little community book stands. I don't have much to say about where it came from, so let's get into it.  Author:   Glinda Bridgforth and Gail Perry-Mason Title:   Girl, Make Your Money Grow!  Main Characters:    Glinda and Gail pretty much lead the book and told other people's testimonies along the way. Setting:  It could be anywhere you are. It was almost like ...
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How I discovered the Writer inside me!

                      I wrote and published 5 books check them out here:  https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=Jodie+Spartz&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00                The year was 1993 I was 9 years old and I kept a diary and wrote in it a lot. I found some inserts from that time. I discovered a journal in my grandmothers basement that was written by 9 year old me. I had no memory of these writings all I knew for sure was they were mine. Throughout life the writing never stopped. I remember being given a word processor when I was 15 years old. I used to save all my writing to a floppy disk and just knew I would have it forever. That ended up not being the case. I don't remember now what exactly got me into trouble.  My grandmother read something I had haphazardly left on screen. I'm sure it was about sex or something along thos...

Meet Jodie Spartz

     Hello & Welcome to expresspassion4life you amazing awesome human!        My name is  Jodie Spartz , I was born and raised in the heart of  Philadelphia, Pa.  I have been weaving stories together since I wrote my first one at 9 years old! Growing up in Philadelphia, I learned early on that life isn't always a straight line no matter how much I wanted it to be. Life is a series of peaks, valleys, and unexpected turns. For a long time, I thought I was just "surviving" those turns. But looking back at the miles I've traveled- from the energy of  Philly,  where I became a Certified Peer Specialist, more info here:    https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2017/youre-a-what/peer-support-specialist.htm .              T hen I became a Behavioral Health Technician aka BHT more info here:    https://www.gcu.edu/blog/medical-studies-sciences/what-behavioral-health-technician ...

I Slept in the Lions Den (Book 18)

    Remember book reports when we were in school? For some they were a dreaded terrible thing, for others they were fun ways to recall your favorite book and an easy format to tell someone what the book was about. I've decided to post some reports of books I've read recently; let's jump right in. This is the first book read for 2026. I came upon this book in South Central Los Angeles at a community resource fair. I was stopping at each table to see what the organizations have to offer.  When I walked up to Cover the  Homeless ministry table I immediately felt Ms. Rose's welcoming spirit. We spoke briefly about what Cover the Homeless does and she let me know that she founded the organization and that she also wrote a book about her life and what brought her to the point of starting this organization. I was immediately intrigued and purchased the book. She signed it for me and gave me her telephone number. That was a year ago now , I never called her but after reading...

Self Reflection 2026 (Part 1)

      Happy New year ya'll! If you are reading this and you've been reading since last year, I absolutely love you and thank you for riding along. I do this for you, to entertain you and to help you reflect on your own life and change whatever you want or need to change. My journey is far from over, I thought things were about to happen as simple as 1,2.3 when I arrived here in NYC. I had a plan, I knew exactly what I was about to do and I was confident that nothing would F it up this time! Boy was I wrong, nothing went the way I thought it would for 2025. Like everything fell apart so dramatically, I thought to myself; I must be cursed why does life feel like I'm being waterboarded everyday. Now what changed those thoughts was the same drama I was living.              When I arrived in NYC in June I was staying with a friend in the Bronx. I stayed there for two months. The plan was to stay until January, but I couldn't because thos...

The Money Class (B 17)

  Remember book reports when we were in school? For some they were a dreaded terrible thing, for others they were fun ways to recall your favorite book and an easy format to tell someone what the book was about. I've decided to post some reports of books I've read recently; let's jump right in. I don't know where I got this book. Trying to think about it makes my mind go blank. I feel like maybe I got it from the program I'm in but I'm not so sure. For it to be the last book I read for 2025 it was definitely educational. Author:    Suzie Orman  Title:   The Money Class  Main Characters:   Suzie Orman and the reader Setting:   In my mind this class takes place in a in person or online classroom. In reality the setting is wherever the reader is reading. Also it was written in 2011 so one should set their minds in that year.  Plot:   T his class was literally about money and how to set yourself up realistically for your financial ...

Crossing Guard of The Year 2025

      When I think of a Crossing Guard I think of a person that  ensures people, especially children, cross streets safely by pausing traffic, leading people, and keeping an eye out for hazards This requires sharp observational skills, quick decision-making, and clear communication to manage traffic flow. They report unsafe driving or conditions to authorities. They use stop signs and signals to pause vehicles in safe gaps in traffic, protecting people on their way to and from school or other locations.      That is an exact description of what a Crossing Guard does. This Philadelphia Native is the most amazing Crossing Guard and he has exceeded all expectations. This man does not just cross these adults and children he goes above and beyond. Passing out encouragement, sometimes advice because it is asked of him. When these adults and children come out of their homes they are excited that he is there. They stop and talk with him, they share their life ...

Harassed on the E Train NYC

      My day started off very good actually. Sometimes I wake up moody and emotional but this particular day I was hype and ready. It was Saturday 12/6 the day I had been waiting for all month. It was Chestnut Storytelling time at Pete's Candy Store and it was the last show of the year along with it being a dressy occasion. I worked on my look all week I decided to go Afro Centric and it came out beautiful. Now here I am dressed, looking in the mirror practicing parts of the story I was going to share. Showtime was 5:30pm. It takes me an hour to get there because I catch two trains the F & the G. I yelled "She Ready" and headed out the door. The commute to Pete's went smoothly, the last show of the year was fantastic and I left on a natural high as usual. Happy with the way the audience responded to me and happy to get these stories off my chest because there are soooo many lol.        Now, I travel by myself a lot especially at night. I sometimes ...

Street Homeless Women

  J odie Spartz : I conducted an  interview with a street Homeless woman, I met her when I was homeless in a shelter in Los Angeles. She was actually my roommate. She had been from NYC to different parts of California and is now somewhere in the cold Midwest, all trying to survive and stay alive!  We are going to start with Wednesday 11/5/25.   She called and stated: I have just realized we can't talk very long cuz it kills the battery very quickly and I can't charge it anywhere until tomorrow. I have to get in this car and stay because the battery is unhooked and I don't have a key. That was pretty much the whole conversation that day.  Jodie Spartz: I told her to do what she had to do and we would talk when she could. Friday 11/7/24 she texts:  Any chance you could do a GoFundMe for me, your illusive friend so far away, who has this habit of (how did you put it? hurting myself to help someone), well let me tell you about Tracy who hasn't been seen for 2 ...

The Chicken Situation (True story)

      I met this beautiful young woman while working one of my NYC jobs she took me under her wing and helped me navigate the systems . When I met her she had a huge scar across her face. I always wondered how it got there but didn't have the courage to ask. I mean I don't know why I was nervous to ask but she ended up telling me one day and what did I say, omg can I put your story on my blog! The answer was yes. So what does any of this have to do with a chicken?        When Trisha was 15 years old her mother told her something that nobody would've believed unless they were deep into spirit magic. No average person would've done this and as she tells me this story at 42 years young she still doesn't know if she would've listened but hind sight is 2020 they say. It all started one day when Trisha's mother woke up from a deep sleep and a disturbing dream she immediately ran to Trisha's room to wake her.        "Listen daughter", she ...

OpenMic Poetry Night

       On Saturday November 16th 2025 I had the pleasure of attending my first OpenMic at Queens Central Library. I have never shared my poetry in front of an audience before. I write a lot of poetry but it never occurred to me to share it. I was so glad I didn't sign up to go first, it was the other poets that gave me the courage to share. I was going to pick one but I ended up sharing two. My appearance isn't in the video, because I was the one recording it; maybe next time I'll ask someone to record for me. The headliner was Jacqueline Jones LaMon. She is an acclaimed poet and author of...                                                                                                What Water Knows,  https://nupress.northw...