Learning to Love the Only Me that I Will Ever Be

St. Patty's Day Locked Love

2010-03-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Just a little picture of the honey and I last weekend for my friend's 25th birthday/St. Patty's celebration. My loctician flat twisted the one side and used pipe cleaners to make curls on the other side. My curls had been slept on twice by the time this picture was taken so they're more waves than anything. I loved the style though and so did everyone else! Look how great Honey's brotherlocks look! He's been locked for 8 months now!

The Rice Challenge- Day 1

2010-03-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So since February 14, 2010 my church family and I have been putting change into these little rice bowls. This week, March 8-12 is what we like to call THE RICE CHALLENGE. The rice challenge is a challenge in which myself and my church family eat rice for our 3 meals a day.

Did you know that half of the world lives on just $2 a day and half of that (or one fourth) lives on just $1 a day??? That makes us Americans extremely blessed, wouldn't you say? In solidarity with the rest of the world we eat rice, in the hopes that it will help us to fully understand what it is like to live in poverty and help us appreciate just how blessed we are. Not only that, but we are giving back and although the change that we donate to ricebowls.org will just be a "drop in the bucket", knowing that we did something should be nourishment enough (at least for 5 days).

Today was day 1 and I'd be lying if I said it was a piece of cake (mmmm, cake). I am hungry, irritable, and sluggish--BUT I am not giving up and I am proud to share that I am doing this. I have never done a fast before and I am not sure what to expect I will gain in addition to the aforementioned things. I will update as much as possible throughout the week but I can't promise you that I will blog every day because I am drained like you wouldn't believe.

**I start roller derby practice tomorrow so I will be eating some extra rice and likely a protein bar to ensure that I get through practice safely.

2010-03-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

So it has been a very long time since I have blogged. I apologize for that! I honestly have just been far too lazy to take any pictures of my hair. This is my most recent retightening and I am at 17 months as of March 1st! My locks are doing beautifully and I am very happy with the progress they are making! I'm getting them styled on Wednesday so I will update you all with a picture =) I almost never style them myself because that is the beauty of sisterlocks for me--I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO THEM!

As for me, I am doing well! I am still on a break from school and focusing on getting back in and finishing my Master's degree in August. I only have 3 classes and a year of internship left so it is my goal to be finished by the end of 2011.

I have taken up a new hobby in the meantime...roller derby! I honestly have no idea where I got the idea from other than the fact that I am not good at any sports related to having to kick, catch, or throw a ball. A friend of mine is doing it with me and we start the Rookie Program this week! I'll also send you updates on that as well...including my injuries lol.

I will try to get on here more often and update you on my locks and other fun things (and maybe no so fun things) going on in my life. I had another blog that I was trying to keep up with and I think it got too overwhelming so I deleted that blog to return to my first love...you guys and my sisterlocks!

Sorry

2009-10-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of posts as of late but I promise within the next week I will get some pictures and updates up here. My one year anniversary was on October 1st...it was pretty uneventful and for the most part my hair has remained unchanged for the last 2 months so I didn't have any real sense of urgency to post any pictures. I will get something up here soon though!

The wedding

2009-08-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Last week the bf and I went to our good friends' wedding. Here is a picture of us in the church before the ceremony started. The brides mother gave me 2 adorable purple and gold clips to put in my hair (they matched my dress perfectly) and I clipped the sides of my hair back to open my face up a bit more. This is the complete look of my curls. They only lasted 2 days because the day after the wedding bf and I went to a baseball game with the newlyweds and it rained a bit and then turned into a disgusting, humid, sauna so I ended up taking the style down the day after the game. It was a very nice style though and it was a smash hit at the wedding!

Wet locks!

2009-08-10T11:17:00.001-07:00

The front!

2009-08-07T06:06:00.001-07:00

The back

2009-08-07T06:03:00.001-07:00

I got my locks styled!

2009-08-06T17:55:00.001-07:00

I'm going to a wedding this weekend so I got a retightening and my consultant styled my hair. I'll post a picture tomorrow after I take the rollers out.

Update on the Job

2009-07-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well I have been blessed this week and it's only Monday! My old job called me and said they have a few positions open and I am welcome to come back. Not only that, but I get my vacation time back! Thank GOD! I had been praying and working hard to get my resume out there and making as many contacts as I could and something came through. I actually found a new church to go to. I had not been to church in a long time because I was looking for something that I felt suited me. My co-worker and good friend invited me to her church--very untraditional and totally my style. It is a small church where there are no pews. It's a church within a church, if you will. The name of the church is Sojourn (if you're interested in the website it is www.gatheringfaith.com). At Sojourn their mantra is "no one does like alone". It is for people who are overchurch and underchurched. What I like most about this church is that there is no pressure to impress by wearing one's best outfit or hat. I walked in and immediately was soothed by the coffee-house like atmosphere with the round tables with candles set up. People walked up to me and introduced themselves and thanked me for being present. The message was short but concise and meaningful. Membership is not contingent upon you taking a new members class early in the morning on a Sunday but an individual is welcomed to return with open arms and is an automatic member. The members bring coffee and donuts and other snacks to the service and do not require an offering but instead ask for a donation of whatever one can give. I am sure that I will be returning on a weekly basis so that I may work on my spiritual connection with God and others.

Thank you for all your prayers and well-wishes. It is greatly appreciated! God bless!

Soft Spikes?

2009-07-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Brunsli's post on her large Soft Spike Curlers and I thought to myself: "Are my locks long enough for the small soft spikes?" The answer, I really don't know--that's where you guys come in. Is there anyone out there in the blogger verse that has any idea how long ones locks should be/need to be before they can use the soft spike curlers? My friend is getting married in 2 weeks and I would love to style my locks for the first time in the almost 10 months since my installation. Another question...does anyone with soft spikes actually use the gel or do you use water or some other kind of setting lotion. Any suggestions/advice would be welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!

Tough Times

2009-07-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well, blog-friends. It would seem that no one is recession-proof these days. Due to a lack of funds and some union business that I am not at liberty to discuss, the job that I have only had for 3 months will be closing on September 10th. I have less than 2 months to find a new job...and in this economy.

We found out about 2 weeks that we were closing. In case you didn't know, I work in a methadone clinic as a counselor. My clients rely on me to be the listening ear that they likely didn't get for much of their lives and now, we're shutting down because some people decided that they didn't want to do the things necessary to save the hospital...and now these same people, instead of sacrificing a few dollars, won't have a job at all.

Am I worried, most definitely...especially since my boyfriend and I work for the same company and therefore both of us will be out of a job come September. We do have plans, however, and I am back on careerbuilder searching furiously. If worse comes to worst I will be a nanny and work under the table until I can find something more permanent. I know we will be okay but I am more worried about my clients. Who is going to guide them and help them through their quest for sobriety if there are no counselors? Many of them have trust issues and it has taken them almost 3 months to build rapport with me and begin to open up and begin to heal...I really feel like this will be a potential setback for a lot of the clients and it saddens me to think that after finally beginning to make some headway they will have to start all over again.

I will keep you guys posted on my job hunt and this whole situation. We are praying that something can be done to keep the clinic open...what that something will be I am not sure...but only time will tell...

Brotherlocks!

2009-07-18T18:59:00.001-07:00

Here is the finished product of my honey's brotherlocks! It took 10 hours which is about the same amount of time that my install took. Myself, honey, and our consultant Brandy had a good time talking and laughing. Luckily she came to us so I took a nap since she started at 6am and I went to bed at like 2am. Can't wait to see how his locks develop. Hopefully his don't grow longer than mine!

Locked Love

2009-07-03T08:04:00.001-07:00

My honey is getting brotherlocks! He had his consult yesterday with my new consultant Brandy. His install date is July 18th!

They dangle now!

2009-07-03T06:26:00.001-07:00

Clearly not working because I'm playing in my hair

9 months!

2009-07-03T06:22:00.001-07:00

Obviously the back haha...yay me!

Weight Watchers Week 1

2009-06-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

I lost 2 lbs! Yay me!! I'm going to keep this update short and sweet because I'm hungry and don't feel like typing.

What I did Well:

Drank lots of water (I would rather use my points on food than beverages)
Exercised every other day (I took a rest day in between to recover)
Tracked what I had eaten HONESTLY
Discussed how I was feeling with a fellow WW friend (it's good to know you're not alone)
Planned my meals out the day before (when you know what you're going to eat it leaves less room for surprises)
Didn't beat myself up for "cheating" (you can't really cheat on WW unless you are dishonest in journaling what you are but in that case you're only cheating yourself and can't be surprised when you haven't lost any weight)

Things to Improve:

Keeping fresh fruits and veggies stocked in the fridge.
Measure out certain things like oatmeal, rice, pasta, cereal so that I can confidently calculate my points.
Expecting to have lost 10 lbs in one week (it's healthy to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week)
Intensify and mix up my workouts (I got bored with the treadmill quickly and it became more and more difficult to drag myself down to the gym)

Moral of the story: Things are going well but I do not expect to lose weight every week. The weeks when I do not lose weight I will re-evaluate things I did well and things I did not do well and could improve on and try something different. I'm feeling encouraged...update to come next week.

P.S. Tomorrow (July 1st) is my 9 month lockversary! Pics to come later...I have a retightening on Thursday =)

Weight Watchers

2009-06-24T11:09:00.001-07:00

Yes! I have joined Weight Watchers! I am tired of not feeling comfortable in my own skin and I am aware that changes need to be made so I can lead a healthier lifestyle. Its not just about weight loss but more about eating right and reaching optimal health. Of course a perk to eating healthy is weight loss lol. I am excited and can already feel my confidence returning. I will update weekly on my results with some tips as well. Wish me luck!

WTH?!

2009-06-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

So when yesterday I decided I wanted to go for a nice jog on the treadmill in my building. I got the key from the front desk, did my jog, and proceeded back to the front desk to retrieve my i.d. and return the key. My favorite security guard was there talking to some girl (as usual...I swear this man must be a mack...there are always women standing at the front desk talking to him). The girl had traditional locks that were dyed a kind of rusty red/orange and they fell just above her eyebrows, at least in the front (she must have had it pinned in the back or something). I wave the treadmill key at the security guard and as he is grabbing my i.d. the conversation with the girl goes like this:

Girl: I like your locks...
Me: Thank you (turns back to security guard)
Girl: How long have you been locking?
Me: Ummm, 9 months
Girl: Oh...(looks puzzled) did they start as nubs?
Me: (trying not to kick her teeth in) No, I have a lot of shrinkage going on, they're longer than they look
Girl: (confused) Oh, I've been locking 8 or 9 months too (clearly said to say her locks are longer than mine)
Me: Well, I don't have traditional locks...these are sisterlocks
Girl: Oh...I figured (smirks)

What the hell is wrong with people???? Did they start as nubs! You can't even start locks from a nub...and what the heck did she mean by nub anyway? Every time I've heard the word nub was when I would hear African Americans say: "Touch me again, you'll draw back a nub!" The whole time she was looking at me so smugly as if her locks were so much better than mine. Hello! We're both natural...we have something in common. Not anymore, we don't. I'm hoping not to ever encounter her again...she is not worthy of having a lock conversation with. Hmph!

I love them!!!

2009-06-21T15:45:00.001-07:00

My babies are getting so big. This is Socks and Pip sleeping. They add so much to my life...they're insane haha <3

Thing I'm Noticing About My Hair

2009-06-11T16:49:00.001-07:00

It's much easier to tame in the morning after having it mashed into a pillow.
Shrinkage is much less severe!
The locks in the front are taking much longer to lock.
There are some big fat out of control locks that I just LOVE to touch.
Dandruff and itchies have decreased.
My hair moves when I move my head =)
I LOVE MY SISTERLOCKS!

My New Consultant

2009-06-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to tell you guys about my experience with my new consultant--it was awesome! I had spoken with Brandy (that's her name) on the phone a couple times to confirm my appointment and I knew I would like her right away. She was very personable and friendly, and I immediately felt at ease after I spoke with her.

My appointment was on Saturday at 1pm so I got up early and hit the bank and got my car washed (which got pooped on 2 days later...ugh) and when I got home I checked my phone and saw that I had a missed call from Brandy. I had my fingers crossed that she would want me to come in earlier because I had an engagement later on in the evening (I'll post about that) and wanted to make sure that I would have enough time to get home, change, and do my makeup. Lucky me...that was exactly why Brandy was calling. I made the frustrating trip through the city to South Street and Brandy and I ended up getting there at the same exact time...literally! We were walking to the door at the same time haha.

Right away I noticed that Brandy had baby locks...even younger than mine. They were cute and kind of curly. Right away we started chatting away about our hair, boyfriends, pets, career choices, and everything in between. Oh but here's the kicker! Brandy lives right around the corner from me so next time she retightens my hair she is going to come to my apartment! Yay! Talk about service! I made my next appointment for July 2nd and can't wait to have a chat session with her while she does my hair.

By the way my locks are doing great...a lot of the ends are sealed and I am noticing that there is much less shrinkage. Does this mean that I am well on my way to being fully locked?

You're Next...

2009-06-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

A phrase I've heard all too often in the last few months. Next for what, you ask? To get pregnant! I scoff! Why does this offend me so much? Well let's see, I'm 23, unmarried, still in school, barely have enough for groceries, and quite frankly, I don't even know if I want children! For reasons unknown to me my friends seem to almost want me to get pregnant...in fact, they expect it!

I genuinely cannot figure this one out. I mean I am not sexually irresponsible, have never had a pregnancy scare, and have so much in life that I want to do...and procreating is N-O-T on my To Do List. It feels like instead of people encouraging me to continue to work on building a successful career and future for myself they're just waiting for me to "slip up." I say "slip up" in quotations because I think accidental pregnancy is ridiculous...unless you slipped and fell on some sperm getting pregnant was not an accident. By the age of 13 I'm pretty sure everyone knows that sex can lead to babies (among other things) so if you have sex and you don't wrap it up and take other necessary precautions the pregnancy was not accidental...unintentional? Possibly...but accidental...nuh uh.

I am a young African American woman who dreams of being a successful career woman, travelling with or without a significant other, and creating the best possible future I can for myself and any possible offspring (if I so choose). That's right...I HAVE A CHOICE! My choice is...no babies until my HUSBAND and I DECIDE that we are ready to stop being selfish of each other's time and want to share our love with a little one. Until that time, please get it out of your head that I am "next". My uterus is not McDonald's and I am not in line waiting to get something that I didn't order. FIN

8 Months!

2009-06-01T11:32:00.001-07:00

Don't Be Such a Snob

2009-05-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

Since I have graduated from college and entered the field of Psychology, I have learned that judging people is something that I just should not do. I have worked with individuals who have mental health issues, mental retardation, and addiction. In each of these jobs it was my duty to be neutral, not to judge, to listen, and to be empathetic. I believe that this is how people should be all the time--not just with those who are challenged in some capacity.

My friend is getting married in August and my honey and I have been invited to the wedding as well as her Bridal Tea, which is next week. I have never been to a bridal tea and have been asking questions as to what is expected of me in the way of attire and whether or not I should be bringing a gift. Now recently I discovered that I can access GoogleTalk from my work computer and I like to chat with friends. I was chatting with an older friend of mine (she's not old, just older lol) and happened to mention that I was going to said friend's bridal tea (we both know her because we all go to school together). We giggled about how I will probably stand out like a sore thumb with my locks and brown skin and probably being the youngest in attendance. My friend said back to me "You probably won't be the only non-White person there I'm pretty sure her fiance is Puerto Rican." Since I have hung out with my friend and her fiance before I knew that he was definitely not hispanic. Curious as to why she would think that I asked why and her response was: "He seems pretty trashy so I just assumed he was..." GASP!

Seriously? That's racist on one level and extremely judgmental on another. My friend's fiance is a very nice guy and while he may have made some poor choices, that does not make him trash--it makes him human. Let me give you a brief background. Fiance has 2 young boys by 2 different women. He was married to one of these women and in a committed relationship with the other. He is since divorced and engaged to my friend but is a very good father and pays child support for both children as well as spends quality time with them. Does this make him trash? To me, it makes him a man who is taking responsibility for his actions. Not to mention my friend who called him trash has never met him and doesn't know anything about him other than he has 2 children.

Maybe I expect too much from people. But in my defense, she has every intent on becoming a counselor one day. I would think that she would be more tolerant and less judgmental of people. Then again this was the same person who said she couldn't tolerate people who abused drugs because she thought they were just being stupid and selfish. She recently reneged on that statement and said she had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting and has a new found respect for individuals struggling with addiction.

I just don't get it. Why is it that the people whose lives are the least together are the ones spit poison from their mouths? Well, I'm lying, I do get it. It's because they are insecure and it makes them feel better to talk badly about other people. Let me give you the rundown on Little Miss Snobby: she's 33 and single (not by choice), completely neurotic, has panic attacks over nothing, is so desperate to find a husband (i guess she just wants to skip the boyfriend phase), takes advice from a 23 year old, and sees a shrink on a weekly basis. I'm not saying that these things are bad things but if she would look at herself for just a moment she would see that she has no place coming down on someone else.

Sorry guys, I'm just venting...it really bothered me. Take time to get to know people before you decide you don't like them. Don't dislike someone on the basis of the choices that they have made rather how they are handling and taking responsibility for those choices! That's it, I'm done now lol.

Its easy!

2009-05-28T06:19:00.001-07:00

This made my day...my coworker got it for me!

OMG!

2009-05-27T13:24:00.001-07:00

It has been 7 weeks since my last retightening! This is the longest I've gone in 8 months. Look how thick my locks are. They just look bad at this point lol. My appointment with my new consultant is Saturday and I CAN'T WAIT!

Sealing?

2009-05-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have these weird little balls on the end of my locks that come out sometimes when I run my hands through my hair. Does this mean the ends of my locks are starting to seal? Don't mind my gross liney hand lol.

Current hair products

2009-05-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is my current hair product line up...I just bought the JASON shampoo and the Avalon clarifying shampoo so I have no opinion on them yet. The juices and berries from oyin handmade is fabulous...it moisturizes and smells great too. The Carols Daughter Tui leave in is good too. Jamaican mango and lime's no more itch spray is WAY too medicated smelling for my taste so I've only used it once. The little bottle on the end is Hairobics scalp rejuvenator...I use it after I wash to prevent dandruff...it gets a C lol. And there you have it!

Pip or Binky?

2009-05-07T17:29:00.001-07:00

I was thinking of naming him Pip...short for pipsqueak. Apparently he was the baby of the bunch. My friend Ellen thinks he looks like a Binky...what do you think? They're not home yet...I get them next week after they're neutered yay!

Socks

2009-05-07T17:26:00.001-07:00

This is Socks...my friend picked the name because his white paws make him look like he has socks on lol.

My furry babies

2009-05-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Meet Socks and Pip! They're not home just yet. The girl fostering sent me these. I pick them up next week after they have been neutered! Can't wait!

Been busy!

2009-04-29T15:32:00.001-07:00

I apologize for not updating in a while but it is the end of the semester and school has hit HARD! i've had so many paper's due it's not even funny. I'm down to the last 2, which are due next week, yes!!! I have 2 weeks off and then the summer semester begins...ugh! This school thing is seriously never-ending. I still haven't found another consultant that can accommodate me for evening or weekend hours...anyone in the Philadelphia or South Jersey area have any suggestions?

I also started a new job and moved to a new place all in the same week! The new job is going very well...I am enjoying getting to work closely with my clients and see them on a regular basis. In case you're wondering, I am now a methadone maintenance counselor. Methadone is an opiate blocker--it helps people who are addicted to heroin begin to ween themselves off of the heroin so that they can get their lives back in order. I do individual and group sessions, which I love! My clients are really great people who got sidetracked a bit and are ready to begin to get back on the right track.

The apartment is also good...it's got some really annoying quirks but everything is a work in progress. Our door is a mission and a half to open because the carpet padding makes the carpet near the door too high so you have to push like you're giving birth to get the damn thing open. Some of the windows also don't have screens but I think that was done purposely because it will force us to use our air conditioner, instead of the windows and cause our electric bill to sky rocket. My boyfriend thought it would be harmless to open a window anyway and now we have gnats that hang around the light in the living room that i have been killing for a couple days now.

What else? Oh! I'm getting a kitten!! I'm adopting a kitten from a girl who has been fostering them for the SPCA. I am going to meet them tomorrow and pick one out! I'm so excited...I've never had a pet that didn't have to live in a cage before haha. This is like my dream come true because I wasn't allowed to have a cat or dog as a kid because my mother doesn't really like animals. Go figure though because now she wants a dog to keep her company. She would prefer a man but I'm thinking she will settle for a pup lol!

That's all from me...pictures of some sort soon to come!

No one will stop me...

2009-04-09T17:09:00.001-07:00

From being able to become a runner like I want to. After I got out of class today I saw the La Salle was having a track meet and I noticed that a friend of mine was watching the meet so I walked down to join her. There wasn't much left but I got really into the 4x4 relay! I was absolutely amazed by their physique and the way that effected how fast or slow or hard they were running. I could see each muscle working hard to propel the runner forward past the person in front of them. I even admired the people who were in the back and struggling because despite the fact that they weren't winning they were still pushing to the finish line. THAT WILL BE ME!

I haven't been running my whole life so, no, I won't be Marian Jones (in more ways than one lol) but I want to be the strongest version of me that I can be. I want to run without pain, I want to run without feeling like I'm taking my last breath with every step, I want to run and be proud of myself. Having said that, I am in the process of healing my body (shin splints) so that I can begin training to run the LiveStrong 5K in August. My time last year was 45 minutes. I would like to cut that down to 35 minutes, which if I stay consistent is totally possible. I'll keep you posted on my progress...I'm not going to start running again until next month so you'll have to wait until then to hear about my progress!

So let me tell you...

2009-04-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

So as you know I had a retightening yesterday. I live in Philadelphia and my consultant was originally in Southwest Philly but she moved about 2 weeks ago to Cherry Hill. Thankfully, I got my little card in the mail with the new address and proceeded to Google the directions. Of course, I GOT LOST! It was 100% my fault (who would have thought the directions would actually be right this time) because I got off at the wrong exit. I was only a half hour late to my appointment though.

I finally arrived and knocked on what I assumed to be the salon door and a woman opened it (she did not have sisterlocks) and I asked for my consultant. She said yes and waved me in. The first thing I noticed was that the shop was HUGE! It had a nice receptionist desk, a couch in the waiting area, an area for washing hair, 2 hair dryers, and a HUGE area with several hair dresser chairs and mirrors.

The second thing I noticed was that I did not see my consultant. Instead a woman with beautiful sisterlocks was sitting behind the desk while the woman who opened the door was taking my coat. The woman behind the desk was on the phone so the other woman decided to help me. The woman who took my coat was an African woman in her late 30's or early 40's and I remembered her from a previous retightening when my consultant had her (with my permission) inspect my hair and tell her what the curl pattern, density, and SL pattern of my hair was...she was a trainee! The woman at the desk was a trainee as well. I asked for my consultant again and they said that she wasn't there and wouldn't be in until later. My first reaction, in my head, was "What?!?" Why hadn't anyone called to tell me that my consultant wouldn't be there and that the trainees would be retightening my hair instead?

I'd like to make it clear that I had no problem with the trainees doing my hair but a heads up would have been nice. My consultant is a master consultant and I trusted that she had trained them well but again, would have been nice to know. Anyway...both of them took to working on my head which I thought would make things go much faster and I would be out of there in no time. WRONG! I was in the chair for 3 and a half excruciating hours. Why excruciating?? Oh because it was the worst pain I had ever experienced during a retightening. It always kind of pinches but this time the pain was intense and then was amplified by 2. Ugh I practically ran to my car after it was over.

It wasn't a horrible experience at all but it wasn't the usual enjoyable one that I have when I go to get my locks retightened. I may actually have to look for a new consultant however because I am starting a new job that doesnt have the flexibility of my old job and my consultant currently doesn't have weekend hours and they generally close at 5, which is the earliest I would be able to get there. Looks like I need to head to the sisterlocks website again...

Fresh Retightening

2009-04-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just a few hours after my hair was retightened...looks long, right? That won't last long thanks to shrinkage

Retightening

2009-04-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

I'm in the chair getting my locks retightened...pics to come soon and a blog on the experience...

Hair rut

2009-04-06T11:56:00.001-07:00

So my hair has been this length for what seems like forever. I have no idea what to do with it or how to create another look. Suggestions?

New ink

2009-04-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Its a lotus flower!

6 Months!!

2009-04-02T11:49:00.001-07:00

Happy 6 months! Not much going on though...maybe some thickness?

My Body Is Fighting Me

2009-03-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

So over the last few months I have been making every effort to stay physically active. I am in the gym at least 3-4 days a week doing the elliptical for 45 minutes to an hour, doing some weight training, and some other floor exercises. Now that the weather is getting nice again I want to get outside and exercise and run. I went out and bought motion stability sneakers for my flat feet and got all geared up and excited to run. Now last year I had this problem but I thought tha since I now had good sneakers and hadn't hit the pavement in a long time that my injury had gone away...nope! I went running yesterday with my boyfriend and it was so painful! My shins felt like someone was stabbing them every time my foot hit the ground. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what i could do about my shin splints? I hate being limited and hate even more to think that I won't ever be able to be a runner...

Updates

2009-02-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

Yeah so I realize I probably have been slacking a tad on the posts. I'll let you know what's going on in list form because I like lists...

1. Mommy and I are doing great. Better than ever! She's giving us all of her old living room furniture, a wine rack, some curtains, and my old dresser. My uncle is giving us his glass kitchen set...so we're set on furniture.

2. We found an apartment. It's in a good safe location in a large gated community so I will be able to feel like I can sleep at night without worrying about someone taking my mirror or any other parts off of my car. We're going back on Sunday to bring our applications and money to hold the apartment.

3. My boyfriend started school last month for his Master's degree...i'm very proud of him but a little sad that i don't see him on wednesdays and thursdays until 10pm because of our conflicting schedules.

4. I am taking 3 classes...sex therapy, understanding relationships, and insight-oriented approaches. My sex therapy is a pompous ass who likes to hear himself talk. He made us watch 2 hours of sex videos (not porn) last week and then wouldn't even let us criticize the videos themselves. Understanding relationships is taught by 2 people...a man and a woman--both old as dirt but still great teachers. It is a litte unorganized which annoys the crap out of me but it is one of my mindless nights so i can deal with it. Insight-oriented approaches is a beautiful surprise. I love the professor--she's intelligent but is willing to listen to you openly and is not looking for what she wants to hear but just wants you to grow and learn and understand.

5. My friend, who was pregnant, moved to Ohio last month. She had her baby (who is absolutely beautiful). I miss them very much and can't wait to meet the baby that i got to watch grow in her tummy for 8 months.

6. I've been working out really hard in the gym and I am proud of myself and looking forward to seeing some results.

7. My boyfriend got a new job, making more money. I interviewed for it first but didn't get it because of some state regs (it's drug and alcohol counseling) so I passed his resume along and he got it. Well...4 months later they call me back and asked if I was still interested in a position. I'll update you on that when I have more details...

8. I plan on getting another tattoo soon...this will make number 7...i love ink and i'm not afraid to admit it and i'm not worried about being professional at all.

9. I have class with a girl who has awesome sisterlocks...

10. I'm not really into taking pictures of myself or my hair right now so don't anticipate seeing pics of me any time soon.

11. I've been on a spending freeze for the last 2 months and i am DYING! But i need the money and security more than i need the new shoes or new Hello Kitty MAC makeup.

12. I've discovered that I don't want to have a wedding (whenever i do decide to get married)...i just want to wear a pretty dress, eat good food, get a little buzzed, and share my joy with my family and friends. I will make this work!

14. I love my Blackberry Storm and it is totally worth every penny!

I think I've about covered it all...yay!

A Country Where Fat is Sexy??

2009-02-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

I'm watching Oprah right now and there is a country in Africa called Mauritania. In this country...men LOVE a full figured woman...the bigger you are, the better! There is no such thing as diet food and women actually go to great lengths to gain weight. There are actually products there that women purchase to help them increase their appetites. Female children are stuffed until they vomit and stuffed some more, just to ensure that they get as big and round as possible. While that's dangerous, I have to be honest, I would feel really great about my big booty and love handles over there. It would be great if Mauritania and the US could find a happy medium and just value a woman's body as it is...point. blank. period.

Hair Update: My 4 month locversary was on the first of the month. I had my retightening on the 3rd. My consultant washed my hair without braiding and banding and I have pretty much been cleared to not b&b anymore. I have also been cleared to use product in between washes to keep my hair from being so dry. I'm not sure what I'm going to get yet. Suggestions are welcome. I didn't take any pics because my hair looks pretty much the same as it did last month.

Feeling Encouraged

2009-01-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

I had an AWESOME workout today. I mean seriously, it was phenomenal. One of the best I have had in months! I went with one of my roommates since it was nasty out and I didn't want to have to walk down...she's lazy so she drove lol. I did a strong 33 minutes on the elliptical, burning 481 calories. All of the treads were taken so I headed downstairs and did some stomach work and some lunges with 10 pound weights. I made my way back upstairs and there was an open treadmill so I jogged for 15 minutes and then the last minute I kicked up the speed and just ran really hard. I was on the tread for a total of 20 minutes and burned about 175 more calories!

I was gross and sweaty and coughing my brains out in the women's locker room (still getting over my cold) but it felt really good to push myself. I came home and took a nice long hot shower and really took time to appreciate this body of mine. It's not perfect, but it works and it worked pretty well today, despite me still being a little sick.

Maybe my motivation is that I'm going to spend the weekend with my 2 Jersey girls who are considerably smaller than I am. Not that I am going to lose 15 pounds by tomorrow but I just feel more confident knowing that I am taking an active role in becoming a more healthy and fit woman. I should have a great time this weekend and will watch what I eat so that I can get back on the workout grind on Monday, my next opportunity to get to the gym. Super Bowl is on Sunday so I may eat an exorbitant amount of wings...

In Yo Face West Coast

2009-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

We had a snow day!!!!! You West Coasters and your warm weather always get to brag about how it's 75 degrees in wherever you are and I need something to brag about. Now, I am sorry for any of you who got snow but still had to go to work but again I HAD A SNOW DAY!!! That's one thing the West Coasters can't have lol. I haven't had a snow day since I don't know when...

I remember when I was in middle school we would hear about a snow storm coming the next day and everyone would wear their pajamas inside out. Now what that did or what logic there was connected to inside out pj's and snow, I don't know but it seemed to work! I did not wear my pj's inside out last night lol but there was someone up there looking out for me because I was so not looking forward to going to work.

By the end of the week I will have worked 2 days and used 3 different kinds of days off. I was out sick on Monday (there is something horrible going around), today was a snow day, and Friday I am off on a vacation day because I'm headed to Jersey for some QT with Little Italy and my Butter Pecan Rican--together we are the United Nations!

I also have Monday and Tuesday of next week off because Tuesday I am getting my hair done. So let me share my logic because I'm sure you're wondering why a 3 hour retightening merits 2 more days off. My appointment, as I mentioned, is on a Tuesday at 9:30am. I was already planning on taking the day off (probably a call out) but then my friends mentioned this alum reunion for my high school and that I should come home so I took Friday off and thought to myself: "Well, it doesn't make sense to take off Friday, come in Monday, and take off Tuesday...I'll just talk them all off!" So that's how I have 5 days off of work...ha!

P.S. We did not get as much snow as you see in the pic above...and I do not know those people.

I don't feel like...

2009-01-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have locks...if that makes any sense. I'm not sure what I thought it would feel like but I am pretty sure I'm not feeling it. I know these are sisterlocks on my head but when I look at them I don't see locks...I see something else. Don't misinterpret this at all...I absolutely love my sisterlocks...but I just don't feel locked. Maybe once they have grown longer and matured more...

P.S. I'm experiencing some shrinkage. I washed my hair earlier in the week and my hair looked long one minute and was shriveled up the next. I guess it's a good thing because it's part of the process but that does not mean I have to like it! LOL

Human

2009-01-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

My honey got me the new Brandy CD--Human, for Christmas. It took listening to it a few times for me to really begin to love it but I definitely recommend checking it out. The album title song is one that definitely pulls at my heart strings...i get a little teary eyes almost every time I listen to it, especially when I am going through rough times (like now with my mother, for example). I found the song on YouTube...I don't know how to get the actual song in there so here's the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5eAPnHv9Bw

Here are the lyrics too:

Verse 1:
I've said sorry over a thousand times
Is there anything to say to you, to help you dry your eyes?
I would make it all better if I could
I hope you realize
I cry, when you cry
I hurt, when you hurt
I make mistakes but I can't turn back time

Chorus:
I'm only human (forgive me)
I'm only human (love me)
I'm only human (save me)
Save me from myself
I'm no super woman (embrace me)
I'm fragile and broken
You're just like me
I'm perfectly human
I might just tell a lie
Pefectly human...but I'm an angel in disguise

Verse 2:
I'm standing in the mirror and a stranger's looking back
What are you afraid of girl, the future or the past
If you want to see inside of me all you have to do is ask
I cry, when you cry
I hurt when you hurt
I make mistakes but i can't turn back time

(Repeat chorus)

Maybe what tears us apart is what brings us back together
And everything that makes us different, really brings us closer
Could you hold me (for a little while)?
Could you love me (without a doubt)
I need you, I need you

(Repeat chorus)

Being true to me

2009-01-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

With the new year I thought it was time for me to really grow and assert myself as an adult. Lately, I have been feeling smothered and drowned by my mother. While I love her to death, she is going through a rough time in her life and seems to be determined to drag everyone else down with her. She's lonely, frustrated, and having some financial issues. Things have been this way for her for a while now but it seems like life has been piling the crap on lately this past year. At the same time, however, I have fallen in love, found a good job, and I am closer to graduation every day. Things are going well for me and I am growing in ways that I never imagined I would in such a short period of time.

Because my mother is a single parent and we have always been close I felt it was my responsibility to keep her encouraged and listen to her when she is down, like i always have. While it sounds like I am being a great daughter, I am also neglecting my needs and feelings. It's difficult to keep myself encouraged when I feel so heavily responsible for the emotional well-being of my mother. It was clearly weighing me down and exhausting me and adding to the stress of everything else going on in my life (for anyone who made it out of their 20s...you are sooo lucky lol). I've watched her become something unfamiliar...she is negative, judgmental, and bitter...and yet she projects these things onto all the people around her and has cut them out of her life, isolating herself and perpetuating her loneliness. Though things have always been difficult for us throughout the years, she was always able to maintain her optimistic outlook on life and has lost that.

While this may not have been the best time to assert myself as an adult and request some autonomy, I don't think there is ever really any good time to tell your parent that it's time to cut the umbilical cord. Seriously, it is just not healthy how enmeshed I am with her...for either of us. So what did I do? I wrote her a letter just expressing myself. There was no pointing fingers or blaming and I didn't even mention how I thought she had changed. I was just saying that I had grown and it was time for me to truly test and see how good of a parent she had been to me. I also shared with her my plans with my boyfriend...stating that he was a great person and a great friend to me and that I really loved him.

Why couldn't I just tell her all of these things in person? Well...my mother is not a great listener. All she needs is ammo to hear one thing that she doesn't like and you might as well just glue your lips shut and grab a box of tissues. She's been adult for much of her life (even when she was a child she acted like an adult) and because of that she often forgets what it is like to be in her 20s. When she was my age, I was 5...we clearly led very different lives. I just wanted to be able to express myself without interruption and without feeling bad that I want to be myself and live my life and make my own decisions.

Unfortunately she didn't see things my way. She immediately jumped on the defense and almost made it about her--feeling the need to remind me of all the sacrifices she made for me while I was growing up. While I appreciate all of her efforts as a parent, I don't think it appropriate for a parent to throw in their child's face things that they were supposed to do. Her job was to make sure I was taken care of and my job was to get good grades and make something of myself; I did that, and I did it well if I may say so myself.

In any event our relationship is forever changed. It was something that needed to happen in order for her to begin to see and respect me as an adult. I will continue to take care of myself and make her proud and hopefully one day soon we can begin to rebuild our relationship, until then I am actually going to enjoy a bit of emotional separation from her so that I can figure things out for myself.

Happy 3 Months

2009-01-04T10:16:00.000-08:00

I look half dead but this is right after my retightening. Look how long my hair is! It's growing really quickly...as my boyfriend would say: "I am pleased." My retightening went well. She fixed the slippage, which wasn't as bad as I thought. She also said that maybe by the next time I get my hair retightened I can graduate to the next shampoo and won't have to braid and band anymore. I'm really hoping that I can put b&b behind me because I really do hate it. Happy anniversary to me!

Fiberwig Mascara

2008-12-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

The mascara that I mentioned in my post before this one is called Fiberwig. I know, it's a really stupid sounding name but if you have short lashes like I do you might want to think about trying this out. The mascara has little fibers on the brush so its like paint-on falsies only way easier and way cheaper to apply. It only comes in black, unfortunately, but hey, whatever works! Just thought I would share. Don't worry this won't become a make-up corner lol...nothing is happening with my hair though so for now you'll have to settle for whatever comes to mind =)

Gonna start from the outside...

2008-12-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

And work my way in! I realize how shallow this sounds so I guess I should explain myself! As of late I have not been feeling my usual beautiful self...my hair needs to be retightened, I haven't been able to workout like I have wanted to, and I am in need of a therapeutic shopping spree. While I feel pretty good on the inside (most days) I feel that less when I look in the mirror. I feel like I should look different, somehow. I haven't quite figured out how, sorry to tell you. In any event, today I went to the mall to use my $20 gift card to Bath & Body Works that I got from my supervisor for Christmas (sweet gift, right?) and after spending $37 (I had to pony up the other $17 myself--for Moonlight Path though, and if you have ever smelled that you would know it was totally worth it) I ended up in Sephora.

I usually walk into Sephora and walk right out because the makeup lights make the store unbearably warm but I wasn't wearing a coat today because it was 65 degrees outside so I was able to hang around long enough to see what they had for me. I walked over to a giant poster of Kat Von D--of L.A. Ink (I'm an ink whore in case you didn't know...I have 6 tattoos)-- and saw that she had her own line of makeup. If you have ever seen the show you know that Kat, while tatt'd from head to toe is still very beautiful and feminine. I am going to guess and say its because she always has phenomenal makeup on. So after standing there for 15 minutes, I ended up with an eye shadow pallette with about 8 different colors in it, a pallette with a matte shadow on one side and the glittery version on the other, and a mascara with fibers that attach to your eyelashes to make them look long and luscious. The eye shadow is not by Kat, though. I spent a pretty penny in Sephora but I think it's good to treat yourself sometimes so I feel good about my purchases.

I've gone onto youtube and checked out some make-up tutorials for smokey eye and basic every day looks so that I can put my new makeup to good use. I will try to post pics of my look once I try it out but if i don't please don't be mad, I'm lazy lol. Just remind me and I will eventually post some pics for you to check out.

Oh yeah! While I was on youtube checking out a tutorial one of the girls doing the tutorial recommended a website called egminerals.com that has very reasonably priced makeup and makeup tools. I'll probably be spending more money very soon haha.

I'm a Rebel!

2008-12-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Soo I washed my hair today without braiding (twisting really) and banding! Yes, I know...gasp! My head was itching like crazy and I could make it snow just by running my fingers through it. I needed to get ALL of the snowflakes out and relieve myself of the itching so i washed my hair gently without braiding or banding. It felt absolutely amazing! I loved the way my hair felt wet and free. I won't be doing it again though until I get the OK from my consultant but it had to be done.

As I have mentioned I have some stubborn locks on the edges so those came out all the way but they would have whether I had braided/banded anyway since they don't fit in a braid. I'm not concerned at all...there's maybe 6 or 7 tiny locks that slipped. Everyone else seems to be in good condition! I'm sorry guys...it's my rebellious nature lol.

P.S. Happy Holidays! I'll have a post coming soon picturing all of my awesome gifts that my honey got me. He's an awesome gift giver!

Some Boring Updates

2008-12-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

I don't have too much to blog about because not too much is going on. I ended the semester with an A and an A-, which I am pleased with. i have like 3 days off and then I began my winter intercession--Marital Therapy. The class is pretty interesting but it involves 3 all day Saturday classes and 3 weeks of classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30p-10:00p. A lot of the people in my class are either married or have been married so the conversation could probably go on forever...luckily, it doesn't.

I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year but I can't say that I am really in the spirit because we don't have a tree and I didn't decorate. I'm more excited because I got my boyfriend some really great gifts--an authentic Eagles jersey and the entire Dragon Ball GT series (yeah, he's a nerd). I managed not to go over $100 too, which is really something to celebrate about.

Remember the Blackberry Storm that I blogged about? Well, I still don't have it. I went to a store and the guy told me that they had sent all the phones back for software upgrades and that he would put me on the list to be called as soon as it comes in. He also said he would push my upgrade up so I could get the phone earlier. Well...I still don't have it and I'm only 9 days away from my upgrade so it looks like I'm going to have to wait anyway. It will be mine though...

About my hair...I've realized that I like my hair the most after a retightening. It looks really neat and always looks longer the first couple of days. The little locks on the edges WILL NOT stay in so after about a week of sleeping on them and fixing them in the morning they come out and I end up having to hide them under some of the longer, more stable locks. Not only that but the locks on the left side of my head are longer than the locks on the right side so sometimes I feel like my head looks lopsided. Right now I'm in just a really awkward stage with my hair where some days I love it and some days well, not so much.

And those are my updates...sorry I lead such a boring life!

Two Months to the Day

2008-12-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

Today is my 2 month lock anniversary! I am just now really starting to love my hair...it's gotten thicker and longer and people are starting to notice. My boyfriend plays in my hair all the time and so do I. I am really enjoying seeing the different changes that they go through. It seems like something new happens every week. I'm excited to see what it will look like after my next retightening. The great thing about Sisterlocks is that there is always something to look forward to!

P.S. I found the lock that my consultant accidentally snipped. It's very well hidden and I'm sure will keep going since it didn't unravel haha.

2nd Retightening

2008-11-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

Front view =)

This is the top of my head...

The back with the flash on...the flash can be kind of deceiving sometimes...

The back again with the flash off. This is more so what it looks like in real life. As you can see it is thickening up very nicely and I am getting some length already.

My consultant said my hair is really growing. She accidentally cut one of my locks when she was cutting the rubber bands that she had used to band my hair before she washed it. I have no idea where it came from and I can't say that I am devastated because there are so many on my head. My next retightening is in 5 weeks on December 30th!

Roommate Gripes

2008-11-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

In case you don't already know, my boyfriend and I live in the basement of a fairly large house with 3 other girls. He and I share the 2 rooms that we have transformed into our bedroom and tv room and there are 3 bedrooms upstairs on the 2nd floor. The common areas are the kitchen, dining room, upstairs living room, and the bathroom upstairs. There is a toilet in the basement but its just a toilet. My bf and I have our own entrance, cable, and internet down in the basement so we very rarely spend any length of time upstairs.

Living with 3 other people (my bf doesn't count, he's very easy to live with) is no easy task and I am not sure I have been handling it well. In short, i hate it here. You never really know a person until you live with them and I am really wishing I hadn't moved in with my friends because I see them in a whole new light. Here is a list of things that occur or have occurred that the bf and I whine about on an almost daily basis:

1. The kitchen is NEVER clean unless myself or my bf cleans it. There are always dishes in the sink that rarely belong to us, crust all over the table, counter, and stove, and cooking utensils left out. I don't think I would complain about it so much if there wasn't a GIANT dry erase board over the sink that says: wash dishes, keep sink and counter clear and clean, put away trash and food.

2. In the 3 and half months that I have been here I have been the only person to step up and clean the bathroom. Cleaning a bathroom for 4 people (again the bf doesn't count...he only uses it to shower) is soo not fun. Everyone I live with except for myself and booboo has long hair and it sheds...so it's all in the shower, on the floor, and around the sink. I have even discovered the plastic tampon applicator, used, on the radiator next to the toilet. Along with that someone seems to have an issue with flushing...leaving several things behind in the toilet (sorry if this grosses you out).

3. No one knocks when they come down into the basement. People seem to forget we live here and this is our space. Yes, the laundry room is down here but that does not mean that you shouldn't knock. I am sometimes napping and people come stomping down the stairs talking loudly. Our bedroom is under the kitchen and people go in there stomping around as well, neglecting the fact that we may be sleeping.

4. People leave their clothes in the washer and dryer for days at a time. How many clothes do you have that you can leave an entire load of clothes in the basement for weeks and not be curious as to why you're missing underwear, socks, and shirts?? Not to mention other people use the machines so when they move your stuff they pile it on top of the machine and it sits there for another few weeks.

I think that's about it for now. I don't know if I want to confront anyone or have a house meeting because I think they will feel like i am attacking them and like I do nothing wrong. I am sure I have left dishes in the sink, and maybe put the radio on too loud in the morning when i shower, or left something out on the counter. But I feel like if I say something, the moment I make a mistake it will be blown out of proportion. Not only that but I am not sure how to approach them without seeming rude. I can be harsh sometimes and the same way I have written everything here is likely the same way it would come out. I am just trying to make it out without any drama or friction. Any advice?

6 Week Update

2008-11-23T11:30:00.001-08:00

This was taken day 1 or 2 after my installation

This is a pic of my locks at 6 weeks. As you can see it is losing the curliness on the ends. I clearly need a retightening...I'll be taking care of that on Tuesday and will take comparison pics. Try not to be grossed out if you can see dandruff. I haven't washed my hair in a month because I don't like to braid and band because my hair is too short and it takes too long so if my retightenings are every 4 weeks, so are my washes!

Flood Update

2008-11-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

After a long, rough week sleeping on the futon because my room smelled like mold from the wet carpet, we finally have new carpet. Our landlord came today and him and my boyfriend laid down new, mold free carpet. We also changed our room around a bit so there is more space and it feels like a whole new place. Looks like I don't need to move after all...at least not until May. I can't wait to get to sleep in my own bed again!

Blackberry Storm

2008-11-19T12:57:00.001-08:00

This is the new Blackberry Storm by Verizon Wireless. It's touch screen but its got something called SureTouch technology so that you can actually press down on the screen as if there were buttons. I have never had a super high tech phone and I think this phone is absolutely sexy! That's right...inanimate objects can be sexy! The phone comes out on Friday, November 21st and I am due for my "New Every Two" upgrade on December 26th. I am weighing my options and so far this is what I've got:

Pros:
1. It looks really cool
2. Constant internet access to Google random things that I think about during the day. I could also pay my bills...there are times when I am out and realize I forgot to pay a bill and it is due that day. I could pay it right on the spot.
3. Built-in GPS (I'm a case manager...i drive EVERYWHERE)
4. The ability to check email. I'm a graduate student and we communicate solely through email so the ability to check it anywhere at anytime would really be a convenience.
5. I would get a huge discount and only have to pay $100...maybe less.
6. It looks really cool!

Cons:
1. Adding the data would increase my bill by $25

As you can see I only have one con. I also get a 21% discount on my monthly bill so instead of paying $100 a month I would only pay $80, which considering all the things I would be able to do that's not bad. I'm actually guaranteeing that most people who don't have a Blackberry pay more for their regular cell phone bills. I am going to test out the phone on Friday on my lunch break so I can touch it and play with it and hear all the great things about it. My upgrade isn't until after Christmas so I may even be able to con my mother and uncle into giving me the money for the phone that way I don't have to pay a dime for it haha.

I love technology!

He's Domesticated Me

2008-11-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

Before my boyfriend and I were together asking me to cook would have been like asking me not to eat. I did not cook...AT ALL! It wasn't that I couldn't cook but what reason did I have? Mom dukes always cooked for me so I was used to being pampered. Now I enjoy pampering him by making him yummy dishes. I made him some stuffed peppers last week. They came out very yummy. Our anniversary is tomorrow and I will be making cheesy baked salmon. He loves salmon but he's always the one who makes it so I thought I would try my hand at it. I will definitely let you all know how he likes it. I think I am going to make angel hair pasta with a lemon garlic butter sauce and sauteed veggies...mmmm!

Flooded

2008-11-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

My lovely basement apartment is flooded...the carpet squishes as I walk over it. Now my roommates and dirty dishes are the least of my worries. Will I need to move again? Ugh...it's always something...

October International Arts Expo

2008-11-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

Last week 2 of my co-workers and myself went to the 23rd annual Arts Expo at Temple's Liacouras Center. This was my second year going but the first year that I actually purchased something. I bought a long picture similar to the one above. The difference with the one I bought is that there is a muscular, chocolate man holding the world up. I am going to put the art work up in my apartment when we move. I just love black art. It depicts Black people as being so strong, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

'Cause you gotta have FRIENDS!

2008-11-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a best friend in over a year. My best friend and I found that we no longer saw eye to eye and when I decided that I was going to live my life my way and not her way we ultimately parted ways. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances but very few real friends. That is not a bad thing by any means, however, which surprises me a little. I am finding that the older you get, the less friends you need. I am content with the 3 or 4 real friends that I have. When I say "real friends" I am referring to the people that I can be millions of miles away from and not see for months at a time but we still maintain that bond-- that knowledge that if and when one of us needs something, the other will be there.

Over the years I have seen friends come and go for many reasons. Last year I was totally stepped on when I let a friend borrow almost $800 from me (school loan money...I don't have it like that) because she said she was just waiting for her refund check and would put the money back in my account as soon as her plane landed from the Dominican Republic (note: I have never been on spring break). Needless to say that never happened. She went as far to blame her mother, saying that she gave the money to her mom to deposit and that her mother used it for something else. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and we set up a payment plan. Weeks went by and I got no payments and she responded with "I've been putting the money in your account, you haven't gotten it?" I don't think I have ever been more disappointed in someone than at that moment. I let it go though. Everyone keeps telling me to sue her but I value friendship more than money and getting the money back won't get our friendship back. It wasn't just the money, it was the lack of respect for me. I am sure we all know about that.

In any event...I have 4 close friends that I trust with my feelings and inner workings. I just thought I would give a little tribute to those friends who have stood by me through the years and never failed to remember what it really meant to be a friend. I only hope that I have meant as much to them as they have meant to me...they're pictured below and I'll be sending them links to this post...Danish, AfroChic, Little Italy, and my Butter Pecan Rican...true friends!

One Month

2008-11-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

My one month lockversary was on November 1st...these were taken a couple days before that but i'm pretty sure there was no huge difference between Thursday and Saturday. They are definitely moving along quite nicely. i can see many of them thickening up, though the babies on the edges are fighting to stay in. My roommates, friends, and coworkers have noticed that it has grown. it looks longer and fuller every time i wash it but i am avoiding washing it until my next retightening so that i can give it a chance to do it's thing. my next retightening is on November 25th and i guess i will figure out how often i need to get them after this visit. This is just a few days before Thanksgiving which is good because my hair will look fresh for my family. This will be their first time seeing my hair and I will be close to 2 months locked!

Halloween

2008-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

So I absolutely LOVE Halloween. It is so much more fun now that I am an adult. I hated going trick-or-treating when I was a kid. I loved the candy but didn't want to have to do the work for it lol. This year I was Lucille Ball from I Love Lucy. I won 2nd place in the costume contest and my prize was $100 Amex gift card. Here is a pic...enjoy!

His Victory is My Fight

2008-11-07T07:42:00.001-08:00

Ever since the results of the election came out i have been defending the right to be happy about having an African American president. I think i celebrated for maybe an hour before i had to start jumping down people's throats about why the African American community is so overjoyed by Obama's becoming President-elect. People don't understand what it means for this country and not just for Black people. The man is a MINORITY and that is the first thing that everyone notices about him. He is THE ONLY "brown" man to ever live in the White House. That is HUGE! I've also had to defend the fact that yes, i am capable of voting for someone by looking at their platform, doing research, and really looking inside myself and deciding if this person truly has my best interest at heart. it is so insulting to hear people say "you only voted for him because he's Black." Excuse yourself?! Give me and other African Americans more credit than that. Yes, there were some people who voted for Obama because he's black but there are many who said "hey a black man...let me see what he's about." I saw that he was about many of the same things that i was about and i voted for him because i felt like he had me and my future in mind. Do you think there weren't people who voted for McCain because he was White? Of course there were!

The next thing i found myself arguing about is his ethnicity. Yes, Obama's father supposedly has Arabic blood (you can't believe everything you read on the internet) but the man was born and raised in Africa, making him AFRICAN. Having said that, if Obama Jr. was born in America, that makes him African American. Not only that but i feel like race is a social construct. Yes, there are different ethnicities but society goes by the way you look to decide what racial category they want you to be in. This was especially true during the Civil Rights movement. Back then there were only 2 races: black and white. If you were brown...you were black...end of story. Arabian blood or not, had Obama lived during the Civil Rights Movement he would have been hosed down and had dogs attacking him just like everyone else. No one would have stopped to ask what his racial background was. With that in mind, Obama's victory is not one for just Blacks. It is a victory for ALL minorities and ALL Americans. NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY! The End.

It's funny how politics shows you a whole different side to people.

Time for a Change

2008-10-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post may contain TMI's

This evening, as I was about to get in the shower, I took off my shirt and looked in the mirror. What did I see? Something I definitely was not pleased with...something I had never seen before...something that needed to change. I have a gut! I am a small-framed person and have always been petite but for the last year I have gained at least 15 pounds. This weight correlates pretty closely with the time in which my boyfriend and I began dating. I know when people are happy and in love they tend to gain weight, but this is not cute. I am 5'3" and 150 lbs and while that may seem pretty average (for an African American woman) it is not. Am I fat? No. Am I overweight? Yes. I should be about 20 pounds lighter than I am. I carry my weight very well so people look at me and don't believe that I am 150 pounds, but the scales do not lie. Most of my weight is in my thighs and butt and the rest of it is now migrating to my stomach area.

I was on a roll as far as working out and eating well but the last month I have completely slacked off and gone on an eating spree. I have lost all of the progress that I made, and so quickly. It is difficult not to be sad by it but I had an episode in front of my boyfriend in July that was quite embarrassing and I won't allow myself to get that upset over something I have control over. I am not comfortable with myself right now but there is something I can (and will) do about it!

This weekend my boyfriend and I are going food shopping. We have created a semi-permanent grocery list with healthy foods as well as a few cheat foods. One thing is for sure, I need to stop eating out so much. That is probably my biggest down fall but I am going to nip that in the bud because this tummy has GOT TO GO!

I am going to try BlaqKofi's wheatgrass smoothies to jump start my mornings, have a SmartOne or salad for lunch, and have a home-cooked meal for dinner. In addition to changing my eating habits I am getting back into the gym at least 3 days a week. Wish me luck!

1st Retightening...NOT!

2008-10-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ok so today was my first retightening. I had it all planned out to go to work, make some phone calls, and schedule my appointments for the end of the day so that i could go straight from seeing a consumer to Southwest Philly, where my consultant is and I would get in her chair and feel tons better. Sike ya mind! After seeing my last consumer for the day I stopped at the Chinese food restaurant to get my honey and I some dinner for after my retightening. While i was sitting there waiting for my food i thought "Let me call to make sure my appointment is today because they haven't given me my reminder call." Lo and behold my consultant accidentally wrote today on my reminder card but didn't put me down for today but for the 28th...sooo i'm home waiting for my boyfriend to come home so we can eat.

I guess i am kind of happy that it's not today because it was a long day and i kind of just wanted to get home to my sweetheart and rest. I will have a post and pics of my real first retightening next week.

"Dreadlocks Skeeve Me Out"

2008-10-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

Last night while my roommate was braiding my hair so I could wash it she said something that kind of annoyed and offended me a bit. We were talking about locks and she said "I don't know, I never really liked dreadlocks, they kind of skeeve me out." Of course I inquired into why they "skeeve" her out and she said because they're "dirty" and that grosses her out. I asked further into why she seemed to think your hair was dirty if you had locks and she said "Well isn't that how you get your hair into dreadlocks?" Obviously she wasn't including me in this because she knew I was about to wash my hair but we have 2 friends who both have locks (very nice locks, I might add) and this whole time she was thinking that they had dirty hair?

I always knew that it was a common misconception that people thought that individuals with locks did not wash their hair but i didn't know it was that common. The hair actually needs to be clean and oil free in order to not disturb the locking process, right? That is something I am pretty sure goes for all locks...not just sisterlocks. It just kind of surprised me hearing something like that because she has so many African American/Black friends (she's Caucasion) that I would think she would have asked by now. I schooled her though so now she knows that locked heads do not equal dirty heads.

1st Wash!

2008-10-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

I successfully completed my first wash tonight! My roommate, The Gymnast, came home just in time to braid it for me lol. She was able to braid pretty much all of my hair, save for the baby ones on the edges. It felt nice having the warm water hit my scalp and massaging my hair clean. I don't think I had any slippage...if i did it was very minimal. I was least worried about the back of my hair because it is SO KINKY! I think it's beginning to do something already. The ones in the back are bigger but they got some weird puffiness going on on the ends. I took like one pic but i really don't feel like posting it lol. There's not much to see...my hair looks pretty much the same wet as it does dry...my locs fall a little differently but thats about it. It went well and I have my first retightening on Tuesday the 21st. I have a feeling I will be getting my retightenings like every 4 to 5 weeks, which is fine. I hope that means my hair will be growing like wildfire!

Thanks for your suggestions as to what to do with the back. Now I know-- get my roommate to do it for me lol!

Hair Update

2008-10-12T14:52:00.001-07:00

Ok so on Wednesday (one week after installation) I decided that I would try to braid my hair for that cute crinkly look. It took me an hour to braid my hair and I didn't even braid all of it because the back is too short. When I woke up in the morning and took my hair out it looked pretty much the same as before I braided it. It was maybe a bit fuller...that's about all though. Because it took me so long to braid it I am not looking forward to having to braid and band when I wash it for the first time on Wednesday. Does anyone know of any alternative ways that I can wash my hair without having to braid and band? My hair is just not long enough for this not to be a project. The back is not going to get braided so i am going to have to be very careful so that i can prevent too much slippage. I am still loving my hair though...it is a bit itchy though. I don't think my scalp is used to not having some kind of product on it. I am sure after my first wash that will subside and as i have my SL's for longer that the itching will decrease. I'll post about my first wash some time this week. Wish me luck!

My Birthday Presents

2008-10-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

My co-worker KD bought me the bottle and Poofs got me the lovely necklace that i so strategically hung on the bottle.

My wonderful boyfriend got me tickets to see Gym Class heroes next month. I will make sure to post about that afterwards. I am bringing AfroChic with me so I am sure we will have a great time. I found out that they are touring with The Roots and Estelle but our show is one of the ones that is ONLY GCH.

My roommates bought me these beautiful flowers and the super cute card. It actually says "It's fun to be 3" but my roommates wrote in a 2 to reflect how old i really am. I love them!

I had a meeting with a parent on Friday and she found out that it was my birthday. She sells Home Interior stuff and she had some things stock piled down in her basement...this is what she gave me! How nice...it was a really good day even though i had to go to work.

Philly Locks Conference 2008

2008-10-08T14:32:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I went to the 2008 Philly Locks Conference. I had a really good time and there were some really great vendors there. I spent up all my money but it was worth it haha. The picture to the right is from the Edutainment portion of the conference. Look at all the locked heads in this room. The guy with the guitar and tie dye shirt on has his locks piled on his head they're so long. He took them down and they were almost brushing his ankles. CRAZY! I really enjoyed watching this band...people were just vibing and feeding off of the positive energy in the room. It was a really good time!

The picture to the left shows the 2 pairs of earrings that I bought at the conference from a very nice vendor for a VERY reasonable price. I will be wearing the pink ones this weekend (yes I plan my outfits that far in advance). Sunsail bought a really fierce pair of earrings herself. Yes SUNSAIL! We had such a good time walking around the conference, shopping and chatting it up. She is exactly the same as she comes off on her blog-- hilarious!

After the conference a few of us met up at GiGi's in Center City. The food was soooo good! There is the pic of all of us. Look how different all of our locks look (me with my baby locks). We had a really good time talking and stuffing our faces. I'm already looking forward to next year!

The Name Game

2008-10-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
56
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

New Music I'm Into

2008-10-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

I am a big music buff and I had been having a dry spell for a little while because nothing new had been coming out. A few weeks ago I bought 4 new CD's to add to my collection and to relieve my music boredom and I thought I would share that with you...

1. Gym Class Heroes "The Quilt"-- if you're not familiar with this group I suggest you sample some of their music. This is their 3rd album and in my opinion is their best. They are a indie hip hop/rock fusion. This group is definitely multi-layered...they have serious songs (Live Forever (Fly with Me)), fun songs (Cookie Jar), and your typical come back songs. Busta Rhymes and The Dream are featured on the album...the first mainstream artists to appear on any of the groups albums. If you're interested in their older music their first album, "Papercut Chronicles" has a raw sound to it. The second album, famous for the "bada dada" song, As Cruel as School Children, also shows their multi-layered style. Definitely in heavy rotation in my vehicle.

2. Estelle's "Shine". I am really liking her style. The album has a lot of different sounds to it-- a little caribbean, the pop sound (i.e. American Boy), and she even has a song with John Legend (a personal favorite). It's a short CD but I can listen to it pretty much straight through. She also has a track featuring Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley (not a favorite but I'm sure others will like it). She's beginning to get more "shine" in my car (pun intended).
3. Usher's "Here I Stand"-- I fell in love with this album immediately. My mom actually introduced me to it. I was pretty much over Usher until I heard this album. You can tell this man is really in love. He also has a little song for his son. The album just shows a lot of growth and it's just great all around...classic Usher.
4. Ne-Yo's "Year of the Gentleman"-- Ne-Yo is consistent with putting out good albums. I really like this one and actually wish it was a bit longer (only 12 tracks). There is only one song on the album that I am not crazy about. He just has a great voice and is a talented songwriter.

Ok so there they are...if you have iTunes sample some of the songs or maybe just take my word for it and buy a CD!

New Camera, New Sisterlocks!

2008-10-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

So I took my buns to Target and got a nice new camera for a nice price! Here are some pics of a few days before my locks were installed, during installation (before i broke the other camera, thank God for memory cards), and 2 days after installation. I will make sure that i take pics regularly and detail my experience as best i can. Enjoy!

By the way...yes, my natural hair color is a blondish/red...what can i say? i'm special...nahh, i'm only half kidding lol

I've Been Tagged!

2008-10-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged, first time so here we go
The Rules:
1) Link to the person that tagged you: NaturallyFree
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) Share 6 non-important/habits/quirks about yourself.
4) Tag 6 random people by posting links to their blogs.
5) Let each of them know they've been tagged

1. i eat pop tarts by eating the outside first and then separating the top from the bottom (takes skill) and then i eat the filling and then i eat the bottom part without the frosting and then i eat the top. yes, it is a project but it's the best way to eat them!

2. i have 6 tattoos...none of which can be seen when i am fully clothed. my tattoos are of a heart with a halo and wings that says 100% angel (my first, obviously) on my upper thigh, chinese letters going down my ribs that mean mother and daughter, "prayer" in Hebrew under the chinese tattoo, 3 stars on my hip, a lotus flower with a cross with the scripture 1 Corinthians 3:7 on the lower right side of my back, and a forget-me-not with a lady bug on my foot.

3. i am an only child and i love it!

4. i love hot dogs. i could eat hot dogs like every day. my boyfriend and i buy giant boxes of hot dogs from BJ's. i don't even need the bread to enjoy the hot dog. i had 6 hot dogs in one day once. i could have eaten more but i didn't want to have a heart attack.

5. my car radio has to be on a multiple of 5 (10,15, 20)...15 is the best level in my car...if that's what level it's on that means i'm listening to some good music. 10 in the mediocre level for songs that i don't love but can tolerate, 5 is phone level.

6. i'm addicted to the murder mystery shows that come on TruTv (i.e. Forensic Files, the Investigators, and Suburban Secrets). they give me nightmares but it worth it for me.

Here's who i'm tagging:
1. Lovely Locks
2. Sunsail
3. Chi Chi
4. Gina
5. Sisterlock Adoration
6. Brenda

All Locked up!

2008-10-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i finally got my sisterlocks installed! it took 10 hours but i was glad that she was able to finish in the first day. Funny story...i broke my camera yesterday as well so there won't be any pics until i get a new camera. that will probably be next week because my birthday is next week so i should be able to get a new camera. i want to be able to take pics of my journey. i don't have too much scalp showing at all because i have a nice thick head of hair. she curled them on perm rods because my hair was sticking up all over the place and i looked like a crazy woman lol.

i absolutely love the low maintenance of my brand new locks. i had a job interview this morning and all i had to worry about was what to wear. i walked in feeling really confident and that was a nice feeling. i think the interview went really well and i hope to hear from them by next week. i actually have a class with one of the people who interviewed me and he hired another girl we have class with last year so i think my chances are good. i think they were impressed with my responses. i am really good at interviewing thanks to my mommy.

i promise pics will be posted as soon as i get a new camera!

My supervisor is a cartoon character

2008-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

In case you don't know, i am a supports coordinator for individuals who are mentally challenged. Basically, i'm a case manager with a fancy title. I love my consumers but I don't love my supervisor. He is completely incompetent and it boggles my mind how he became a supervisor. Why is it that i have to email him to tell him to do his job so that i can do mine??

He never seems to know the answer to anything and the man has been working here for almost 8 years! Every time i ask him a question its: "Lemme ask so and so..." Does "so and so" ever get asked?? Of course not...so what do i have to do? Ask his silly a** again!

Ready for another fun fact?? He has 4 other people other than me that he supervises and he is so behind on his work. Let me quickly explain something...every 3 months i see my consumers either at home, at their day program, or i contact their families over the phone...these are called monitorings. after the monitorings are completed i come back to the office and i enter what is called a monitoring report. I then submit a concern sheet to my supervisor and he looks at the report and submits it so that when i look in the system it should say completed. If he does not submit the monitoring reports for me, I cannot enter another report the next time i do another monitoring. Now remember, i see my consumers every three months. This month (October actually) i have 10 people to monitor and do monitoring reports for...the last time i saw these people was in July and the monitoring reports have still not been submitted. FROM JULY!!! Are you kidding me? What the hell has he been doing? The reports take 5 minutes to look at and all he needs to do is click the damn button. Every month i have to email him and ask him to submit the reports i entered 3 months ago so that i can enter the new one! He's an idiot.

You may be wondering why i have a picture of Peter Griffin from Family Guy in this post. That's what my supervisor looks like...i'm not even close to kidding. He's not quite as fat but imagine if Peter lost a good like 50 pounds you would have my supervisor aka "The Fridge".

p.s. I have a job interview on Thursday morning making more money and working with a more competent supervisor...wish me luck! oh yeah, and i get my locks installed tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Philly Locks Conference

2008-09-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

So i have been looking at blogs especially intensely the last few days. In fact, i am doing it right now at work lol. In any event i saw on Cluizel's page that she went to the Philly Locks Conference last year so i thought i would Google it and see if there was one being held in Philly this year and there is! It's this weekend on the 4th and 5th and i will have been locked for 3 days haha. It will be like my "coming out" party to the locked community. I got my friend AfroChic to come with me (she's natural but not locked) and she is going to bring her locked boyfriend with her (i'm gonna call him Jeanius because that's what he calls his poetic side and there will be pics to come after the event). I of course am going to try to get my boyfriend to come and it will be a regular ol' double date! i am so excited...2 more days until i get my sisterlocks!

I think i am most looking forward to networking with intelligent, like-minded, but unique people. I am also looking to meet up with some other sisterlocked sistahs so that we can arrange gatherings and such. I have seen the DFW gatherings and i long for that sense of sisterhood (being an only child myself). Stay tuuuuuuuuuuuuned =)

Presidential Debate

2008-09-26T19:53:00.001-07:00

It's moments after the first Presidential Debate and I am watching the post-debate analyses. The analysts seem to think that there was not a clear victory. Clearly they are not very good analysts because Obama obviously took that one! He not only held his own but he was able to "keep it real" so to speak. Obama's personality came out along with the wealth of knowledge that he has about foreign policy. It seemed to me that the only thing that McCain had to hold onto was his knowledge of war tactics and that didn't even impress me. Where was he getting his facts from? Why did Obama have to constantly explain and defend himself? Was he not listening or was he just trying to throw dirt on Obama?

Another thing that bothered me while watching the debate was the fact that McCain said (on several occasions): "Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand..." The man is not mentally challenged. I am sure he understands full well what he is talking about and i thought McCain was just badgering and talking down to Obama. That's not what i call fighting. The only thing that McCain has going for him is that he was a POW. How does that make him qualified to be president? The man can't even lift his arms past his shoulders (that was a cheap shot but i'm angry)!

I can't wait to see the Vice Presidential debates...Sarah Palin is going to be eaten alive. A woman who advocates family so strongly should maybe stop and spend some time with her family that is falling apart. Maybe take care of her 17 year old pregnant, engaged, shotgun wedding-having daughter and her 5 month old baby with Down's. She is a walking contradiction but the scary thing is is that there are people who are going to vote for McCain/Palin simply because Palin is a woman! She is no Hillary Clinton and if people would do their research they would see that. By the way...who is governing Alaska while she's parading around the country pretending like she could really be a good Vice President??

Pre-Sisterlocks Photos

2008-09-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

These are just some pics of a couple of my looks. i have been rocking the TWA for almost a year now (pic with the orange shirt). most of the time i had braids. i tried palm rolls a couple times and i blow dried by hair out once but what you see is a shrunken version of the real beast that is my hair haha!

I think she had SL's

2008-09-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

So last night after class my boyfriend and I decided to go to WaWa for some ice cream. As we're standing in front of the freezer deciding what flavors to get a woman comes and stands next to me, apparently looking for a frozen fix as well. i happened to look over at her and :::gasp::: are those sisterlocks?? they were obviously in their beginning stages but they looked like tiny little braids. i couldn't help but stare at her head and try to figure out what the heck was in her hair. they were gorgeous...so tiny and her hair was so thick and fell just below her ears. i probably should have just asked her but, alas, i did not and i just gave into staring awkwardly as she stood in front of me in line (i made my boyfriend get behind her so i could look at her hair more).

By the way...only 8 more days until my sisterlocks are installed!

Cutting the Cord

2008-09-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

So in a month i will be 23...i have not lived at home with my mom since i left for college 5 years ago. i am financially independent in almost every way, and yet-- i still don't feel like she has cut the cord. or is it me who has not cut the cord?? in any event, i don't think the cord has been fully cut and it has been weighing on me for the past year or so.

my mother is a great person and i love and respect her very much. we have a great relationship but sometimes i feel like i am smothered. she is my mother, and not my friend, and at times it is hard to see the difference. she shares a lot with me as far as her personal life goes, sometimes much more than i would like to know. at this age it is fine...but she even shared things with me when i was a little girl, a time when i don't think such personal things were appropriate. i often found myself worrying about her and taking on her burdens and i still feel that way today. i feel like i owe her something because she took such great care of me but i also feel like i am holding back the real, true, 100% me.

i am madly in love with my boyfriend and this is something that is new for me. unfortunately, this is not something i have shared with my mother because she is currently single (not by choice) and she is lonely. not only that but she still looks at me like i am a little girl. i told her that i was enjoying love once and she poo poo'd all over it by saying: "i'm not even going to touch that one." i was really hurt by it because this is a time in my life where wisdom and experience are what i need. instead all i get is bitterness. of course it doesn't make me love my boyfriend any less but i think about it all the time and it makes me apprehensive to talk about him and when i bring him around i don't want to be affectionate with him (not that i would slobber him down in front of her but you get what i mean).

at this point i think i am just rambling but being in the psychology field and studying marriage and family therapy, these are the things that invade my thoughts. i always wonder: how has my mother made me a great person...how has she messed me up?? i can easily name both lol. i guess growing up means doing things that make you happy and not what will make your parents or anyone else happy. things are going to change between her and i...and they're going to change soon...i hope she's prepared ('cause i'm not)...

Random Thoughts

2008-09-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Ok so I don't think I have quite figured out this whole blogging thing just yet. i just figured out how to add my favorite blogs to my page, which I guess is a milestone. Is there no way to actually search blogs though? I really would like to find some women in the Philadelphia area that I could network with. I guess I will just have to be patient. My hair isn't even locked yet so I guess I have some time before I will be attending any conferences or brunches or conventions.

I have not been so excited about getting my hair done in my entire life. For the last 4 days or so I have been reading other blogs about sisterlocks non stop! I want to learn as much as I possibly can and I am just generally interested in other people. It's in my nature as a future counselor. I am not only fascinated by the hair blogs but by the profound intelligence of these other women. It is really nice to see so many intelligent and successful black women celebrating their hair liberation. My boyfriend doesn't really understand why I get so emotional about my hair but he more than supports my decision to get sisterlocks. He is thinking of locking as well some point later on in life. I think he is a little bit excited but of course he would never show it. He loves natural hair and just a natural woman. When we met I was transitioning from permed to natural hair so my hair was in micros. He loved those but when I took my braids out he lost his mind. He puts his hands in my hair all the time. That actually kind of bothers me because my hair is kind of greasy from all the moisturizer I have to put in it to keep it from looking like a dry mess. Once I get my sisterlocks though he can put his hands in my hair all he wants!

I have also realized just how different my hair is from everyone else's. I have been looking at a million blogs and I have yet to see one woman who had as tight a curl as I have. My hair looks like a tiny little fro but if I were to blow it out it becomes this GIANT afro! The people at my job are really amazed. The first time I can to work with my hair blown out they were all so amazed because they could not believe that all that hair had been curled up on top of my head. The picture is of my boyfriend and I at a friend's birthday party. That was taken in March so my hair is considerably longer but it still looks that length. My hair is growing like wild fire but the longer it grows, the tighter the curl gets so it really looks like nothing has happened. I have pics of the fro but they do no justice because right after I spend 30 minutes blow drying the darn thing, i head outside and it shrinks.

My hair is just not meant to be straight. That is why I am so abundantly glad that I discovered sisterlocks. Just 17 days until hair FREEDOM!

Almost Time!!

2008-09-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

I'm only 3 weeks away from being sisterlocked and I am so excited! My test locks held up very well...all 4 of them have stayed in...no slippage at all. Denise, my consultant, predicted that I wouldn't have much slippage because of the texture of my hair. I am sure, however, that I will have a lot of shrinkage. If I were to blow dry my hair I would have a huge afro but as soon as any kind of moisture touches my hair it shrinks. Who knew that they kinky nature of my hair would actually come in handy one day. Can't wait to be SL'd!!

The secret is out!

2008-08-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

I finally told my mother today what my plans were for my hair today. I sent her the link to the sisterlocks website and told her to read up a little bit before she added her opinion. Surprisingly enough, she likes the idea and she had about a million questions. I was happy to answer them because I had done my research and it meant that she was being supportive and trying to understand my decision. I think she gets it and I think she will really love my hair once I have my sisterlocks installed and she can get an in-person visual. Now I am even more excited about getting my SL's installed!

I have a date!

2008-08-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

So I had a consultation with Denise at Nubian Solutions. It was a great experience! She was so professional but so friendly at the same time. It was comforting to have her go through the entire process with me. I have very dense hair with a deep curl, apparently so she said my hair will lock pretty quickly! I am getting my sisterlocks installed on October 1st. Maybe the 2nd as well depending on whether or not she finishes on the 1st. I have about 5 inches of hair to work with, which was a lot more than she expected because my hair is so tightly coiled. I am really excited about getting my sisterlocks installed! I just know i am going to absolutely love them. I haven't told my mother yet but I think I am going to wait until after they are installed. I know she will support me but I would rather not have the negativity. I only want to be positive and look to the future with my new found freedom and a head of hair that I can truly love and appreciate. I will continue to update you on my journey and can't wait to upload my first pics with my sisterlocks!

Doing my research

2008-08-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all! i have just started doing my research on sisterlocks. i have been natural for about 6 months now and i love it. this is the most i have liked my hair in my entire life. i am still not in love yet though. i have palm rolls right now and someone asked me if i had sisterlocks. at the time i didnt know what she was talking about so i Googled sisterlocks and found several blogs as well as the official website. i have been reading and researching non-stop. i actually emailed a consultant in my area with a brief story and some questions. hopefully i will be able to meet with her soon. i really would like to love myself totally and my hair is one of the main things stopping me from being able to do so. i will keep you all posted on my journey!