Lots on my mind; time to get it out...

This is a small piece of myself that I'm now willing to share. Handle with care; contents will break under pressure.

25 April 2011

47. What I've Been Up To...

I've been busy with school and so I haven't had much time to communicate with the masses... but here's one of the things I was able to get accomplished....=)  (It was a group project for my African American Studies Class...

12 April 2011

11 April 2011

45. Thanks Essence... for nothing.

Shout out to Elle for sharing the link to this article from Essence.com.

The article, entitled "Ten Types of Underrated Men and Why You Should Date Them" outlines the types of guys women (specifically black women) generally overlook, and why we should take a second glance.

1. Men Under 5'5
Really Essence?!  I'm 5'9... and I'm definitely gonna call this a no go.  However, I am an advocate of short women not overlooking short men.  If you're 5'5 or below, you shouldn't be searching for a six footer... I have enough competition in this small pool as it is.

2.Introverted Guys
Well besides the fact that I think they used the most suspect stock photo they could find, I don't know if an introverted guy could handle my large personality.  No I don't need a dude that's constantly the life of the party (in fact, that is not at all my preference), however, if you don't like to interact socially, which is something that I do, I don't think our personalities would mesh to well.

3. No Flava Guys
At first when I read this I was like wth?!  But I realize that these are guys that are considered not in the know, and/or are often referred to as corny.  However, I think the author's description which included the guy that "doesn't know why the bottom of your shoes are red" made women (specifically Black women considering that's who the article is geared toward) seem very materialistic, and I for one take some offense to being generalized in such a manor.  As far as being corny - generally when I refer to a guy as corny it is because I feel like he's trying too hard, and is therefore inauthentic.  So, no thanks.

4. Non-Black Guys
Now this I don't disagree with at all.  I don't think you should put yourself in a racial box because you're worried about what other people will think, and I, myself, more than rarely fine non-Black men attractive.  Bring it on!

5. Mama's Boys
*Blank stare.*
The author says the lack of interest in Mama's Boys is due to the fact that his relationship "with his mother is often indicative of the way he will treat his wife."
Yes that is part of it.  But you have to realize that a Mama's Boy is also a man who continuously puts his mother first, and that's not a bad trait - until you enter a relationship.  The problem being his mother's opinion will always prevail and I will always have to compete with her for your affection.  I will constantly have to play second fiddle to the woman who birthed and raised you.  Who can compete with that?  And better, when considering the long term, who wants to? Not I.
Personally, short of his children - the person whom I chose to devote my life to has to be willing to put me first.

6. Long Distance Guys
Well honestly the thought that I'll be able to spend a lot of time with you (the author's reasoning) has no bearing on the reason I would want someone nearer to me.
However, consistency in being able to spend time with you is important.  If I only get to see you once a month for a weekend - I feel as though we'd be likely to get stuck in the honeymoon phase.  Every time we were together it would feel like the first or second date.  This leads to not being able to get a real sense of who someone is.  And sure phone conversations and Skype are cool, but until you are able to consistently be around someone and see how they interact with people on a regular basis, you can never really be sure if they are who you perceive them to be.

7. Unemployed Guys
Uhhh... there are very few circumstances in which it is ok to be unemployed and trying to date me.
One - you're a full time student, and so you are unable to work.
Two - you were recently laid off and are already on your grind in search of employment
There is nothing wrong with a man who is temporarily unemployed.  The problem is a man who seems utterly defeated by a layoff, or simply isn't trying because he's totally okay with living in his parents' basement (see Frank, the Entertainer)

8. Too Young/Too Old
Well I am the age at which 5 years younger than me is a sex crime and that is where I will stay on that.
As far as dating older not really a problem, until you make my age an issue.  All the jokes about me being so young I "still have Similac on my breath," funny once - but no more than that.

9. Man Boob Guys
Hmmm....
I will sum this up in saying I don't normally find myself attracted to larger men.  It's happened once before.  It's not that I purposely stay away - I just haven't found too much of anything I like in that department.
However saying "we are an overweight nation of people trying to lose weight" is a big assumption to make - are all large men, or people for that matter, really trying to lose weight...?

10. Cave Man Guys
I must say I prefer a man who bathes regularly.  And if a man has breath that smells like "fertilizer" I can only speculate what other daily aspects of hygiene he conveniently forgets...  It is only smart to "invest" when you can expect a return on said investment.  So how about you come find me after you realize that "flossing isn't exclusively done in a drop top."

44. Quotable Quotes from Albert Einstein...

He was one of the greatest minds of the 20th century - of course he made some of the most profound statements....

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

"I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough."

"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever."

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." 

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."



GIFSoup

08 April 2011

43. Clueless... Clearly the story of my life - minus the money

In an ode to my love of the film I have decided to summarize my life with a few of its clips...

When I was young I discovered Clueless... I can now recognize its many parallels with my life.

My cousin and I had a handshake just like this...


And I too hate being acosted by bummy stoners as I walk to class....


Every now and then I do get hit in the head with a shoe or fall down the stairs...


Like Dionne, my friends make faces like this when riding with me...


Oh, and did I mention how smooth I am...?

42. Frizz free's the way to be...

Frizz.  It's the bane of every woman's existence, and the fastest way to end up with a bad hair day.
For me, frizz is a sign of dry hair and usually after washing.
The Remedy: Deep Conditioning.






I mix about equal parts full fat organic yogurt and Tresemme Naturals Moisturizing Conditioner and a dash of Yes to Cucumbers.  I add a little coconut oil and nuke it for about 10 seconds...  After washing my hair I will use this as a deep conditioner for about 45 - 1 hour.  If I haven't yet washed my hair but feel the frizz beginning to attack I'll use it as a rinse out in the shower.
So far its been doing quite well... but if anything goes wrong I'll be the first to let you know...

After about 20 minutes adjusting my webcam...

31 March 2011

41. The skin I'm in...

It's almost that time of year again.  The time of year when my eczema starts to go haywire.  Only problem is my skin hasn't quite stopped screwing with me since last summer... So I am currently dreading so type of topical armegaddon.  I've tried everything.  Creams, steroids, even the holistic approach.  Nothing really works.

These days I'm using Palmer's Cocoa Butter soap and Hot 6 Oil.  It isn't doing much, but it is better.



In my last post I named all the things that I'm paranoid about.  Well I forgot one.
I'm severely paranoid about people staring at my skin and my incessant scratching.
I think the small honeymoon period I experienced in '09 messed my head up.  My skin was great - my arms and legs were almost completely clear.  Then something happened and right after my birthday the next year that everything changed.  I was constantly itching, which means I was scratching constantly.  No matter how much lotion I put on the backs of my knees, crevices of my elbows, backs of my shoulders, and neck felt like sandpaper.  And don't even get me started on the physical scars.

My mom is constantly trying to convince me that no one notices.  But I find that hard to believe especially since I had to spend my entire childhood explaining to potential friends that I wasn't diseased or contagious.
Coupled with the fact that it's hard to explain why I'm constantly scratching like a crackhead

it's really embarrassing...

When people ask "If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?"
You're supposed to say "Nothing.  I like myself exactly how I am." As not to seem insecure.

Well eff that! I'd take a magic wand and a superficial wish over the itchy dance any day...

26 March 2011

40. I really hate walking under trees...



There are a few things I'm paranoid about...
The government watching me through my webcam
People being in my business
Birds pooping on me in any public arena
and last but not least
Bugs in my hair...


Today it happened. I was walking under a tree and I thought a piece of tree stuff had gotten stuck in my hair. I could only see it out of the corner of my eye and my hands were full so I hopelessly tried to get it out without looking like a complete idiot on the street. It was almost like this piece of trash was sticking to my hair. So I'm finally able to get this thing outta my hair and low and behold it's like a baby caterpillar or something.
Then, of course, I had a mini freak out moment. So much for trying not to look like a complete idiot on the street. Luckily, I dont think anyone was looking... at least I hope not. It's bad enough when you've been walking around all day and someone finally tells you there's a leaf in your hair. And when I think about it I got lucky...if that thing would've fallen in the back I never would have noticed or known. And then it would've have laid eggs. And with my luck they'd be the water resistant kind. Next thing you know I've got a colony of whatever that thing was living in my hair and trying to take over my brain...

Okay - maye my imagination runs away with me sometimes, but the idea of having a bug in my hair and not knowing about it gives me the heebie jeebies.

25 March 2011

39. Something wonderful I discovered accidentally...

Polyvore.com makes these awesome sets and helps the more fashion challenged of us find good clothing combinations...


22 March 2011

38. Spring 2011 - My Faves

From my favorite Spring 2011 Collections....

Fendi 


Alexander McQueen

Versace

I love the bold colors of Fendi, McQueen's fantastic whimsey, and the lines of Versace's dresses.....

Ahhhhh... Spring has sprung...

37. A girl can dream...

My new obsession: drooling over Alexander McQueen Clutches.
For a while I simply carried a wallet in my back pocket until I finally realized how risky that really is.  I was never been very good at carrying purses.  They always end up with a bunch of crap in them becoming a dark scary abyss for all who enter or lost.  Then I discovered the wristlet (thank you Coach).  But those too can be cumbersome and become full of papers and gum wrappers.  Not to mention I would sometimes hang them places and subsequently forget them.  I have since downsized yet again to clutches... I like the ornate and edgy style of the late great McQueen.  My favorites are the knuckle dusters.

This is the one that started it for me...

Studded Brittania Box Clutch

Samurai crowned box clutch... 

The glove is actually attached!

Knuckle Duster

36. Woo Hoo for relaxation....

The relaxation to which I'm referring however does not include spas, massage, or facials...

Bazaar's Spring Silhouettes...

I'm talking about relaxed fit, slouchy pants... 
Reading the March issue of Harper's Bazaar I was so happy to see that skinny jeans are finally on the outs or at least that something new is in... Personally I've been sporting wide leg jeans since '09... glad the fashion world is finally catching up.... 

Wide leg jeans are my personal fave...

18 March 2011

35. 6 months and a little love....

About 6 months ago...

Currently...

I just realized that I'm maybe just a little hair obsessed... #dontjudgeme.

34. Misadventures continued...

After the Yes to Carrots, I found a trial size of the Giovanni Tea Tree Conditioner.  I'd read good things about it, and it was $2.00 - of course I bought it.
I applied it the way I usually apply my leave in... Nickel sized amount - sealed with olive oil.  Two ponytails and a scarf later I found myself unimpressed.  Blah even.  My hair felt a bit drier than usual, and I haven't used it since.  Maybe I'll try it again later as just a rinse out... but until then it'll just sit on the shelf.

And then there was my experience with Shea Moisture and some product mixing that left me utterly devastated.

This is how it began...
After about two months I was out of Yes to Cucumbers.  It was sad.  I was putting water in the bottle and shaking up to evacuate the teensy bit that was left.  It was pathetic.  And it wasn't like I was being lazy or anything - the Target near me never had any, and I was going to this Target once or twice a week.  In a last hurrah effort I thought I'd hit the jackpot and they finally had it in stock. I rushed to pay for it and went home to do my hair only to realize that I'd actually purchased the body wash (those bottles look waaaaay too similar).  I returned the next day to exchange only to realize that the only reason I'd picked up the wrong bottle was they mis-racked the products and didn't actually have the conditioner, just the shampoo and body wash... grrr.
Well I needed a leave in and found myself face to face with "the Shelf."  You know that shelf popping up in all the Targets with the Miss Jessie's, Curlz, Kinky Curly, and Shea Moisture products.
In my mind I'd narrowed it down to Curlz and Shea Moisture 'cause, let's face it - I'm cheap, and I'm totally okay with that.  From there Shea Moisture just seemed more economically friendly, but I'm not too fond of the strength of the smell of the Coconut Hibiscus.  So I thought I was doomed, until I realized the Raw Shea Restorative Conditioner (which I previously thought to be lotion because they have basically the exact same packaging, but I digress).  I read the label that said it could be used as a rinse out or leave-in and thought it sounded like just what I was looking for - short of being Yes to Cucumbers, that is.  So I paid the extra dollar  and went home and went to town.

Day 1.  I co-washed with Tressemme Naturals and detangled my hair, got out of the shower and applied about 2 pumps of the Shea Moisture and sealed with coconut oil (I hadn't really been using the olive oil... smelling like pasta all night was starting to get to me).  I tied my hair up and went to bed.  When I woke up, initailly my hair felt soft, but as the day went on it began to dry out.

Day 2.  Same routine, but I tried mixing it with the Yes to Carrots I had left - still no luck.  I also purchased some grape seed oil (well more like a grape seed oil cocktail) which I used... but, like I said, no difference.

Day 3. I remembered reading that coconut oil also had conditioning properties so I had this brilliant idea to put on the coconut and grape seed oil first and then the Shea Moisture when I considered the amount of Shea Butter in the product.  This went okay.  I was appeased at least until I could get some more YTC.

Fast forward to Spring Break.
Long story short I needed to wash my hair (shea butter builds up) and I decided, idiotically, that I would be okay if I didn't have the Tressemme Naturals.  There was some Cream of Nature at my house - the new one, in the ugly orange bottle [insert straight face here].  That ish jacked my hair up.  I went to the Target at home and bought some YTC and Jane Carter leave-in (which I'll talk about later) and that wasn't enough.  I could not wait to get back to Charleston to clarify and deep condition.  My hair was frizzy, dry and gross no matter how much coconut oil and conditioner I put in it after using that crap.

Luckily upon returning to Charleston I was able to fix it... Ironically I read this article the next day. [Elle's got a GREAT blog, bt-dubbs]  The solutions she posted were pretty much what I did (I guess great minds think alike), but I chose yogurt for my protein treatment.

I hope I'm not going on and on... and if I am, no worries - I'm done, for now. Lol.

16 March 2011

33. Mishaps in Hairland...

So in the last few weeks I purchased three products that have given me less than stellar results.
VO5 Moisture Milks Strawberries and Cream Conditioner
Yes to Carrots
Giovanni Tea Tree Conditioner
Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner

This is how it went down:
I was in CVS one afternoon with a friend and I had been considering trying the Strawberries & Cream Conditioner for weeks so I bought it (at 77 cents it was a steal).  So I bought it.  I went grocery shopping later that afternoon and purchased some full fat Organic Plain Yogurt.  
I bought the Yes to Carrots Travel Size Bottle the same day when trying to get my Target Fix (I swear it's an addiction). 
I wanted to do a yogurt deep conditioner and remembered reading someone had done one with VO5 S&C.  I mixed two heaping spoon fulls with about an equal amount of the conditioner and a cap full of olive oil.
I got in the shower, washed my hair with VO5 clarifying shampoo and proceeded to add the DC.  It was pretty much impossible to comb through.  I put some of the Tressemme Naturals on top for extra slip.  I separated into 4 sections, braided it and put on a shower cap.  Finished my shower and waited about another hour.  I rinsed out the mixture and added the Yes to Carrots and olive oil to seal.
The next day... blech.  My hair was dry.  It felt filmy and gross.  I decided it was the Strawberries and Cream.  My hunch was later affirmed when I tried the yogurt treatment again with the Tressemme Naturals, olive oil and a little less yogurt - which yielded much better results.
I also tried the Yes to Carrots again.  It was cool - nothing amazing.  It wasn't really very moisturizing; since then, I only used it when I ran out of Yes to Cucumbers.

I'm gonna be late for class....
To be continued...

15 March 2011

32. The Last 3 Months...

So today I checked my blog views for the first time - apparently more people look at this thing than I thought.
When I saw that I realized the likelihood that someone was gaining something from my blog.  And to that someone - I am sorry.  I have neglected you; please forgive me.
And so, on this day I, me, vow to turn over a new leaf, and will attempt to no longer neglect sharing my thoughts with whoever will listen.

With that said - I will now chronicle the past 3 months (thanks to cell phone timestamps they'll pretty much be in order!)

Beginning with the rest of January:

I blew my hair out... I wanted to try something new.  It ended up being a #fail for the most part, the styling that is... The blow out itself was interesting

after my failed attempted at a flat twist-out on my blow dried hair this became...

this.

Fast forward to the end of December and, while on "Winter Holiday," I decided no more silicones, mineral oil, or other things deemed "junk".  So I woefully gave my half unused, 25 oz. bottle of Hello Hydration to my little sister and purchased some Yes to Cucumbers and Tressemme Naturals (the moisturizing one) at ULTA. [I also got some Physician's Formula Gel Eyeliner.  Two words: SO COOL!]  I already had some VO5 clarifying shampoo back in Charleston and I was okay with that.
Dropping the 'cones and "junk" has actually served me well.  At this point shea and olive oil were still mainstays in my arsenal and I was cool.  Soft and quite fluffy.

I wore this funky little number for a good bit of the break...
I returned to Charleston in early January and came across this video... I didn't so much mind the shrinkiness of my hair... It was more so the fact that the back and sides would shrink up but not the top - so I would basically never wear my hair down - It just looked off to me... That is until I came across this YouTube video.  I tried it a couple different ways and have pretty much settled on two low ponytails instead of full on French braids and a scarf. Resulting in 

So basically I was wetting my hair to varying degrees basically every night.  The routine was clarify when my scalp was itchy.  Use the Tressemme Naturals when I needed to detangle/cowash.  I decided the fairly thin consistency of the YTC lent itself to being more of a moisturizer and I seal with olive oil.

So besides this the only thing that's really changed was after going on a wild goose chase for coconut oil (Walmart was out - can you believe that?!) I haven't replaced my olive oil use - I'd just say I've supplemented it.  Trying to find a balance.

The end of February/beginning of March brought a few other changes:
  • I've pretty much dropped shea butter as far as my hair is concerned unless I want some weight.
  • I've been experimenting with yogurt as a deep treatment (and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find full fat yogurt in this day and age!)
I've tried a couple other products - nothing has really tickled my fancy to make me change up things.  And I'm happy to say I've only had one real "hair nightmare."  But that's another story for another time - my fingers hurt.  Enjoy these last few pictures.




31. Back on Track...

I promise to do better.
Really I do.
Hopefully in the next few days will come a couple jokes, some words of wisdom, and a little hair info.
In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger "I'll be back."