I made my first hair product!!

As you can tell from some of my previous posts, I'm natural.  Surprisingly, it seems I use more hair products now than when I had a relaxer.  The hair products that I like get to be a bit expensive after a while... $30 a jar of styling creme just won't do.  I'm trying to be more frugal but use healthy products at the same time.  I guess while I've been a product junkie, I've also been a product snob.

Thanks to one of my friends, I found out about Naptural85 on YouTube.  I love her channel so far.  While I have not tried a lot of her hair styles because I'm either lazy or feel like my hair isn't long enough, I really wanted to try her flaxseed gel and her shea butter cream recipes.  I decided to do the flaxseed gel first because I like to do wash 'n gos.  Maybe I'll use it for an updo of some sort too.

A San Francisco Treat

Fisherman's Wharf!!

This past week, I got to visit one of my favorite cities in the US... San Francisco!!! The Bay Area has held a special place in my heart since I spent the summer of 2001 basking in the lack of need of air conditioning.  That was 11 years ago and since then, I've been able to go back to visit twice.  This time, I went for my sorority's national convention. There was a swarm of pink and green flooding the city and clearly they are not used to seeing a lot of women of color.  Who knows how many questions many of us endured about our bags and why we were dressed up, but I know a few of us got our egos stroked.  The men there loved us and I clearly need to move. 

My Tropical Excursion

Until a few weeks ago, I'd never been anywhere that required a passport.  Honestly, I found that to be quite sad, but that's water under the bridge.  I've been to Canada and the Bahamas, but passports weren't required then.  Well this time, I went to Montego Bay, Jamaica for a friend's 30th birthday.  Needless to say, I was pretty excited at the thought of the beach, sun, wonderful accents and all inclusive fun.

We went on a few excursions, such as a tour of downtown Montego Bay, some hotel/chapel place up in the hills, local shops, Scotchie's and Dunn's River Falls in Ochos Rios.  I enjoyed the beach, the weather and the camaraderie.  I have a few gripes, but the trip had way more positives than negatives. I can't think of more to say at this moment other than I enjoyed the scenery and the food. See some of my pictures after the jump.

Choo Choo

I took a train ride with my dad and they had a historic steam engine.  I'm not a railroad buff, but I had never been on a passenger train as a passenger.  I've ridden in the engine, but this was a different experience.  They had a concession car and one of the guys attempted to get us to sing railroad songs.  I don't know the words to "I've Been Working on the Railroad," so I just looked.  They sang another song, but I don't know what it was, I just clapped (my attempt to participate).  Overall, it was an interesting experience and it was funny seeing all the people along the way taking pictures.

steam engine

 

singing guy

Hapeville Depot

Hair Update

After the big chop

I began my natural hair transition in December 2009. I decided that I would finally transition and not get anymore relaxers. It was my second time going natural and I was determined to complete the journey. Well, after transitioning for 8 months, I got tired of two textures and decided to cut my hair. I was just telling my friend about this earlier after we finished bike riding.  After my hair was cut, I had about an inch of hair when it was pressed.  I never thought I'd cut my hair off, but I found it to be quite liberating. I didn't have to go through a long process to do my hair anymore.

Well, August this year I will have been completely natural for two years.  I rarely press my hair but I decided to get my hair pressed yesterday. I was quite happy with the progress my hair has made after a short period of time. I will admit that I don't quite do as much to my hair as I should and I'm still learning how to take care of my hair in its natural state.

I Made the News!

I just wanted to share that I'm famous now! I made the AJC. Yes, Rho did her duty and gave her opinion on the proposed changes for trash pick-up. Yes!!

Bye Bye Braces (for real this time...)

One of the last pictures of me

with braces.

On Wednesday, I had what I hoped would be my last day with braces. If you've been reading some of my posts, I had a previous one where I hoped I'd be getting my braces off. Instead, I got new hooks and more bands. Well, this time, my orthodontist said I could get my braces off. You'd think I would have been extra excited. I was excited, but I just knew one of my previously crooked teeth had moved. I'm still not so sure that it hasn't. I've been asking people to look, don't be surprised if I ask you.

Anyways, I got sentimental too because my braces have been a part of my smile for the past year and a half. I actually began to smile more when I got my braces, I'm not sure why. My teeth weren't really that crooked. 

As much as I've been taking pictures of things, I almost forgot to take pictures of the last moments of myself with braces... Although I miss them, we had some good times together and I won't miss the pain of tightening them and changing my bands... Now I have a new pain though, ensuring that I wear my retainers. Since I made such an investment in my teeth, I need to wear it all the time. I'm concerned about my teeth moving and me wasting my money, so I plan on wearing my retainers as much as possible. It's such a hassle to take them out, especially the bottom, that I think they'll reduce all the unnecessary snacking and all the cokes that I like to drink. Well, now I have straight teeth and I like them. More smiles are in my future!! Pictures after the jump!

Black Tie Cinco de Mayo

 

I never celebrated Cinco de Mayo before I moved here, but I do enjoy the food! I know that's not the original purpose of the day, but alas. Anyways, I attended the Black Tie BBQ Cinco de Mayo secret supper last year at Oakland Cemetery and I really wanted to ensure that I went again this year. When I heard the tickets were going on sale April 1 at 9 AM, I figured I should be at the website at that time to make sure I got a ticket. I did that and was quite glad I did because the tickets sold out in 5 minutes.

This year, the secret supper was held at the Cyclorama (yet another location about the Civil War), adjacent to the zoo. I haven't been to the Cyclorama since elementary school and I'll have to go back when it's open for business. The set up was really nice. As appetizers, there was shrimp, crab cakes and a strawberry gazpacho with mint pesto. It was buffet style and we could make tacos with beef, goat, pork or chicken.  I had beef and pork tacos.  There were three salsas: corn, pico, and pineapple. The guacamole was quite delicious and fresh... that's big for me, since I don't usually like it. The music was really good, the food was delicious and the ambiance was superb. I thought it was pretty neat that Patron was a sponsor and there were multiple margaritas to try... I didn't because I'm allergic to citrus. I did try the White Russian though, it was quite good. I've attached some pictures after the jump.

I Won!!

I usually don't win anything, but lately I've been on a little streak. Hopefully, it'll continue. *Please!!* It would've been nice if I'd won that Mega Millions jackpot, but that's ok... I won something even better though, if you like enrichment!!

I entered the Black Enterprise Empowerment Career Advancement bundle contest for April and forgot about it. The prize was a set of three books:

• The Image of Success: Make a Great Impression and Land the Job You Want by Lizandra Vega
• Work Your Strengths: A Scientific Process to Identify Your Skills and Match them to the Best Career for You by Chuck Martin, Richard Guare, Ph.D., and Peg Dawson, Ed.D.
• Coach Yourself to a New Career: 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life by Talane Miedaner

Imagine my surprise when I checked my email on Tuesday and I had a notification that I won. *insert fist pump here!* I'm excited about the books, especially the second one. I've included pictures below. Thanks Black Enterprise!!!

EJD

If you know me, you know Eric Jerome Dickey is my absolute favorite author. If you don't know me, now you know. Imagine how excited I was when I went to Barnes and Noble's website and I saw that he not only had a new book coming out, but he was doing a book reading/signing!! Every time I know he's coming to town, I'm going to see him and I own all of his books.

He did a reading from his new book An Accidental Affair, it seems to be pretty good so far... I'll probably start reading it tomorrow.

Bye Bye Braces

Today is my last full day with braces. They've been with me for a year and a half. Because I'm my sentimental self. I'll miss them, but I won't at the same time. Sigh. I'll update if my orthodontist takes them off, cross your fingers.

Update (4/11): I didn't get them off. I was a little sad, but oh well. I'll have them for at least a few more weeks.

A GOOD Weekend

Isn't it serene?

Yesterday was Good Friday and I was off work. Yay!!! I got to sleep late and watch a little TV when I woke up like I had to be at work...

Side of the mountain. Ahh, the history.

I had plans to chill inside, but my mom came to visit and she always wants to do something. Initially, I was being a grump, but I obliged.  We ended up going to Stone Mountain and had a little picnic by the water with my aunt.  It was nice and serene.  Then we decided to ride the sky lift to the top of the mountain.  My mom and I decided to walk back down. I tried to convince my aunt, but it didn't work... My mom and I walked down and we had fun. It was a nice experience. (I'm starting to wake up and realize that my parents won't be here forever. It's hard to think about that.)

Little Fish King

I love Rho!

*sings* Little Fish Kiiiiiiing... Ahhh King.  His real name is Pharaoh; King is his nickname. He's my lovable and cute pet Betta.  He's my company on my desk at work.  He's my entertainment when I'm a little bored.  Yet, everyone is trying to kill him off.  Ok, maybe not kill him, but they're always asking if he's still alive. I've even been asked if he dies, could we have a fish funeral a la The Cosby Show. He's alive and he's active too.

I've had King for about a year, I think. When I first got him I spent more money on him than he cost. He may be just a little fishy, but he's Rho's fishy. He was shy when I'd put my finger up to the bowl and swim away.

Eggtastic

As a child, Easter used to be one of my favorite holidays. It wasn't because of the speeches, which I hated, or Jesus rising on the 3rd day (don't judge me). I loved Easter because of the new dresses (big, frilly and ugly) I would get, with socks to match, the basket and the eggs. I really thought I was styling and profiling in those awful dresses, sigh. 
I remember one Easter I got my hair pressed, with a comb, and got Shirley Temple Curls... this was my Grandmama's idea. I didn't like the heat that close to my head or face and needless to say the beautician burned me. 

Most Easters we went to visit my Grandmama and she and I would color real eggs... Do kids still do this today or do they just use plastic ones? I don't really like eggs, but it was fun to color them and go find them when my family hid them.  I don't remember how old I was, but I brought some eggs home and hid them under my bed because I didn't want my Dad to eat them.  In my extra young mind, they were too pretty to be eaten.  Well, I also was young and forgetful.  I forgot the eggs were under my bed. I think my Mom must have smelled them later and they were a rotten mess. Funny, I don't remember a smell. Oops. 

The baskets were another story... They were filled with junk that no kid needs, but oh were they fun! Bright colors, coloring books, stickers, candy... whaaaaa?! Loved them.  Loved them.  LOVED THEM!!! That's about all I remember, other than church and dinner afterward.

I wish everyone a happy Easter and enjoy the eggs if they're still done the old school way.