Banter Bites

The Eyewall: Weather … whether you’re more like Red or Black

NOTE: This is NOT a paid ad … in fact, it’s the opposite; we’re sponsoring them!

For those of you who may not know us, we’re real sisters who grew up in the same house in New York with the same parents, but that’s where the similarities end. We even took very different paths to live in Houston (one as a corporate wife and stay-at-home mom – the other as a corporate businesswoman). And when Red had a crisis, Black turned it into a book – a brand – a business. (What are big sisters for?!)

What does any of that have to do with weather? And hurricanes? And sponsoring The Eyewall’s 2024 hurricane season? Well, we’re both avid readers of Space City Weather and The Eyewall. And while we know the value of reliable weather reports to help us make informed decisions, our perspectives are very different,


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Ever since you helped me drive through some totally unexpected, and very frightening, high-water years ago, I have a serious fear of storms. Then, having to evacuate due to Hurricane Harvey only made it worse.


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But, you now understand why you need to be pragmatic and as non-emotional as possible when dealing with serious weather events. Being safe means being prepared and staying informed.


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Me, unemotional? Easier said than done, but you’re right. Which is why I love, and count on, The Eyewall and Space City Weather. Matt Lanza and Eric Berger always present everything in a way that balances my need to understand what’s happening and respects that some of us react emotionally to bad weather.


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They describe it as “hype-free forecasts.” Which, after following them for years, I can attest to that. And, is why we are sponsoring The Eyewall.

P.S. – If you’re curious about what started Red’s “weather PTSD,” check out, Come Hell Or High Water … Or Both?

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Book Bites

What's A Book Bite?

Right now, these excerpts come from our bestselling book, What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired! But, over time, we’ll be adding excerpts from other Red & Black books.

We struggled with which ones to include, as everyone seems to have a different favorite, and the topics in our book are so varied. (Don’t believe us? Check out the Table of Contents.)

So, we decided to start sharing what people ask for most — the stories people seem to enjoy at our speaking engagements, the ones adult literacy educators use in their classrooms, the ones you tell us are entertaining, but also get you thinking.

Book Bites aren’t just highlights. They’re stories that resonate and spark conversations.

Each Book Bite is meant to stand on its own — to be useful and/or amusing, and worth your time. We hope they not only give you some insight into the very different personalities of Red and Black (if you find Red unbelievably naïve and Black extremely sarcastic, don’t worry, most people do), but also give you different ways of looking at things.

WHY ARE WE GIVING AWAY SO MUCH FREE CONTENT?

Red initially wondered that, too. But then decided that if these stories helped others, she was good with it. For Black, she finds it very annoying when authors reference an excerpt or a story and then say, “To find out the details, buy the book.”

That said, if you do want the full story … you can find What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired! in the Red & Black Shop, including autographed copies. And if you need bulk sales? It’s as easy as contacting Red (the nice one) at Red@RedandBlack.email.

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Videos

From The Inside: If I Had Known

From The Inside: If I Had Knownplay icon
- YouTube
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Prepare to hear powerful voices and unexpected messages that will stop you in your tracks.

What you don’t know can hurt you. It’s about having the information you need to make smart decisions. It’s about second chances. It’s about choices that can change your life.

And it comes from inside the prison walls at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Stringfellow Unit.

If this fast-paced trailer leaves you wanting more, watch the full 15-minute video at Red & Black: The Stringfellow Story.

To buy our bestselling book that was used in this program, click here.

To learn more about the “Red & Black Personal Finance & Life 101” prison program, contact us at Education@RedandBlack.email.

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Videos

Want To Learn How To Race At Indy?

Want To Learn How To Race At Indy?play icon
RED & BLACK: Life Is Like A Racetrack
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This is one of the most popular stories from our speaking engagements, as it seems everyone’s interested in learning how to race a Ferrari. (People also want copies of Black’s track map, and over the years, we’ve created handouts, posters, and even mugs, with the image. And probably will again!)

But the reaction to the ending of Black’s story (Red never gets tired of watching the audience) was what prompted us to write the book, Life Is Like A Racetrack.

Of course, Black’s always more than happy to talk about cars and racing. She was the first woman to race the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — and is probably the first person to use a track map to explain how "life is like a racetrack."

Curious about the back story on this student-created video?

In 2012, the seniors at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston were reading our book, What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired!, and we were invited to be the keynote speakers at their Senior Summit. The theme was "Life Is A Journey," and we used our own personal journeys, as well as the "story" of Red & Black, to talk about many important life lessons.

When one of the seniors, who wanted to pursue a career in media production, learned that YES Prep had videotaped the presentation, he asked permission to create a series of YouTube videos using excerpts from our keynote presentation. Of course, we were flattered and said, "Yes." (Thank you, Aurelio Puente, for asking, and for producing such great videos!)

The videos may be “older” (but, then, so are we), but the lessons are still relevant because life lessons aren’t tied to a year, a trend, or a technology. They’re simply part of growing up, moving forward, and figuring out life … one step at a time.

Stay tuned as we'll be posting more of Aurelio’s videos, along with newer videos — both live and animated. Or, better yet, register for our Saturday newsletters, and we'll keep you updated!

Want more?

There’s always at least one item in our Shop related to cars and racing (not counting our stickers), so if you’re curious — click here.

Want a copy of the track map? Email Red (the nice one) at Red@RedandBlack.email.

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