EsaysPsays

Paul and Ellyn Mock

What happens when a girl from Brooklyn and a boy from South Central Los Angeles find each other in college — and never let go? 37 years of marriage. 43 years of friendship. And enough real life between them to fill a book. EsaysPsays is the candid, unfiltered conversation of Paul and Ellyn Mock — told from our perspective. A special educator who survived the streets of South Central. A Brooklyn girl who grew up worlds apart but loved the same man through all of it. Together they've navigated young love, culture clash, grief, financial strain, family chaos, faith and a whole lot of laughter. This isn't a perfect marriage podcast. It's an honest one. New episodes every two weeks. Because real love stories don't have a finale — they just keep going. #BlackLove #BlackMarriage #Cheersto37Years #37YearsAndCounting

  1. 1d ago

    Finances with Michael Collison, Part 3: Inflation, Real Estate and Buying Your Freedom

    Day 4 of #NaPodPoMo, our 30 episodes in 30 days, with a new tip from our book, 365 Tips to Avoid Divorce Court, every day this month. Ellyn and Paul continue their money conversation with Michael Collison, a retired software engineer who reached financial independence through systematic investing and careful budgeting. In this episode, Michael covers: How he got interested in investing, and what his hedge fund years taught him about rules over emotions Why inflation quietly eats your savings, and why saving alone can’t keep up What he means by “buying your freedom” Why he thinks real estate investing is overrated for most people The difference between your budget and your monthly expenses How the 25x rule and 4% withdrawal rate work for financial independence Why he doesn’t carry life insurance now, and how self-insuring works Why every account should have a purpose, and how to plan for inflation and longevity Part 4, the finale of our money series for this season, is next Tuesday. Find Michael: Your FIRE Journey Coach - https://yourfirejourney.coach Email - Michael@yourfirejourney.coach Budgeting tool: ynab.com (You Need A Budget). Want all 365 tips? 365 Tips to Avoid Divorce Court is on Amazon, and we’re happy to sign a copy. Amazon Links - Unsigned https://a.co/d/03joMCHk - Premium https://a.co/d/0cXieps2 - Journal Square Links - Signed https://square.link/u/3uCUVzxY - Premium https://square.link/u/GYIT5UR5 - Journal https://square.link/u/oa0Ase2F - Gift Hardcover (Pre-Order) We’re not therapists or financial experts. These are one person’s opinions and experiences, not financial advice. Talk to a professional about your own situation. *Correction: in the episode, Michael's email was mistakenly said as .com — the correct site is michael@yourfirejourney.coach

    Finances with Michael Collison, Part 3: Inflation, Real Estate and Buying Your Freedom
  2. Oct 28

    The Mock Minute, Ep 18, PT 2

    📝 Show Notes: Episode 18, Part 2: Hard Conversations ESaysPSays | Your Biweekly Dose of Black Love Part 2 of our Mock Minute marathon picks up where Part 1 left off, with the two topics that don’t have easy answers. (Missed Part 1? Dolly Parton, career vs. relationship success, and the cell phone ban are waiting for you.) Content note: The first topic discusses the loss of children. Please take care of yourself while you listen. 💬 What’s covered: Gratitude. Life, good food, and time together. Also getting that extra hour back this weekend. Our book. 365 Tips to Avoid Divorce Court is out now on Amazon, and signed copies are available if you’d like one. Amazon - Unsigned https://a.co/d/03joMCHk - Premium https://a.co/d/0cXieps2 - Journal Square Link - Signed https://square.link/u/3uCUVzxY - Premium https://square.link/u/GYIT5UR5 - Journal https://square.link/u/oa0Ase2F - Gift Hardcover (Pre-Order) Coming 11/10/26 The Lindsey Clancy case. Ellyn and Paul talk through the postpartum psychosis defense and ask hard questions about mental health care in America. They also ask where family and support systems were, and what fathers owe their children, whether or not they are in the house. Raising our boys. What happens when fathers aren’t engaged, why moms and dads both need to protect that bond, and how the classroom fits into all of it. Nikole Hannah-Jones and the school choice backlash. Why did a prominent Black writer’s choice to send her daughter to a lower-resourced public school draw sharper criticism from the Black community than from anyone else? The conversation covers what Black families have always been taught about education and the cost of using your child to make a point. It also gets practical, with how test prep and school selection work in New York City, and what it was like for Paul to teach 35 seventh graders in Baltimore City. 🗓️ What’s next: We’re releasing weekly through the end of the season. Episode 19 is the finale of our series with Michael Collison, and we'll close out the season with Episode 20. 💬 Tell us where you land. Comment on our socials or email us. Connect with us: 🌐 mockmediagroup.com 📧 mockmediagroup4@gmail.com ☕ buymeacoffee.com/mockmediagroup 📰 Mock Minute on Substack: substack.com/@mockmediagroup #ESaysPSays #BlackLove #MockMinute #MentalHealthMatters #PostpartumPsychosis #NikoleHannahJones #SchoolChoice #BlackEducation #HardConversations #MockMediaGroup

    The Mock Minute, Ep 18, PT 2
  3. Aug 19

    Finance W/Michael Collison, PT 2

    Back to Back Episode BONUS: To make up for the missed week, we are dropping another episode this week. Enjoy!! This Week - Financial Series Part 2: Debt, Investing & Building Wealth with Michael Collison ESaysPSays | Your Biweekly Dose of Black Love Michael Collison — retired software engineer turned certified financial coach — returns for round two, and this conversation goes deep. Ellyn and Michael dig into the mindset shifts that actually move the needle on money, not just the tactics. 💬 What's covered: The budget-first philosophy — why Michael believes investing and saving mean nothing without a real budget as the foundation, and why "hiding money from yourself" is a sign your money doesn't have a job yet. Is it ever okay to carry debt? — Michael breaks down when low-interest debt (like a mortgage) can actually work in your favor if the market outperforms the interest rate — and why that logic doesn't apply to credit card debt. Snowball vs. Avalanche — actually, neither — Michael's controversial take: the real fix for large debt isn't picking a payoff method, it's stopping the overspending first. "Stop the bleeding" before you attack the balance. Beginner investing 101 — Why your 401(k)/403(b) match is step one, and why inflation (his "silent killer") means stopping there isn't enough. Busting the Bitcoin myth — Michael's honest take on why chasing lottery-ticket returns isn't a wealth strategy, and what diversification really looks like. Salary negotiation & knowing your value — Why understanding your market value (and whether your skills are scarce or a commodity) matters more than negotiating tactics. The most underrated income stream — Michael makes the case for asset appreciation as passive income, using his son's brokerage account and Tim Cook's Apple stock compensation as real-world examples. Michael's most expensive financial mistake — an honest, personal answer about early withdrawals and lost compounding time. Recovering from a financial setback — it starts with being willing to actually look at the numbers, no matter how hard that is. 🔗 Connect with Michael Collison: yourfirejourney.coach or michaelcollison@yourfirejourney.coach Michaels Mentioned Tools: YNAB - You Need a Budget - ynab.com Book - Business Model You - businessmodelyou.com Disclaimer: Paul and Ellyn are not financial advisors - Michael Collison is a professional in this field, but this conversation is for informational purposes only and isn't a substitute for personalized financial advice. Connect with us: 🌐 mockmediagroup.com 📧 mockmediagroup4@gmail.com FB, IG and TikTok - @esayspsays YouTube - @esayspsayslive Etsy Shop - ezztees ☕ buymeacoffee.com/mockmediagroup 📰 Mock Minute on Substack: substack.com/@mockmediagroup

    Finance W/Michael Collison, PT 2
  4. Aug 13

    Romantic Film Rewind

    This week, Ellyn and Paul step away from their usual relationship deep dive to celebrate the movies that have shaped how they see love, partnership, and commitment. Five films, five decades, one couple who's been watching (and debating) together for almost 40 years. 🎬 The Lineup: Claudine (1974) — Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones star in this raw, honest look at love, single motherhood, and the impossible math of poverty and welfare in 1970s New York. Ellyn and Paul reflect on watching it as kids during Sunday movie marathons — and what hits differently as adults. The Greatest (1977) / Ali (2001) — Muhammad Ali plays himself in the original, and Will Smith takes on the role in the acclaimed remake. Ellyn shares a core memory: her father taking her to see this in theaters — a rare outing that made it unforgettable. Pretty Woman (1990) — Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in the ultimate "wrong side of the tracks" love story. Ellyn and Paul unpack the class commentary tucked inside the fairy tale — and why "big mistake, big mistake" never gets old. A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) — Martin Lawrence, Lynn Whitfield, and Bobby Brown in a movie that went in a completely different direction than they expected. Spoiler: it's not the comedy the trailer promised. Love & Basketball (2000) — Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan's decades-spanning love story, one that Paul and Ellyn hold close as one of their all-time favorites. 🏅 Honorable Mentions: Mahogany, When Harry Met Sally, Ghost, Boomerang, The Best Man, and Four Brothers 💬 Mock Minute Segment: What do you do when your partner's family treats you differently — and who's responsible for addressing it? Ellyn and Paul share their take on speaking up, red flags, and knowing when someone is (or isn't) truly "your person." 📣 Join the conversation: What are YOUR top 5 romantic films? Email or comment and let us know — Ellyn and Paul want to hear your list. ESaysPSays | Your Biweekly Dose of Black Love Connect with us: 🌐 mockmediagroup.com 📧 mockmediagroup4@gmail.com ☕ buymeacoffee.com/mockmediagroup 📰 Mock Minute on Substack: substack.com/@mockmediagroup

    Romantic Film Rewind

About

What happens when a girl from Brooklyn and a boy from South Central Los Angeles find each other in college — and never let go? 37 years of marriage. 43 years of friendship. And enough real life between them to fill a book. EsaysPsays is the candid, unfiltered conversation of Paul and Ellyn Mock — told from our perspective. A special educator who survived the streets of South Central. A Brooklyn girl who grew up worlds apart but loved the same man through all of it. Together they've navigated young love, culture clash, grief, financial strain, family chaos, faith and a whole lot of laughter. This isn't a perfect marriage podcast. It's an honest one. New episodes every two weeks. Because real love stories don't have a finale — they just keep going. #BlackLove #BlackMarriage #Cheersto37Years #37YearsAndCounting