#4: 30 Day Challenge-Bullet Your Whole Day

• Woke up around 10a (aunt was texting/calling)
• Texted aunt, then called her
• Talked to her for 53 mins (according to my cell history)
• Fell back asleep for another 30 minutes or so
• Got up and fed my doggie and myself
• Let the doggie out
• Read the newspaper
• Prepared to go out w/a friend to the movies
• Was late to the movie so we skipped it and went shopping
• Picked up a gift for a friend 
• Talked w/my favorite old client who is now like a member of my family
• Walked around the Towne Center looking for  Charming Charlie's (couldn't find it!)
• Avoided being solicited by a local rap artist pushing his CD (Love to support the arts, but I have SAD)
• Went to Red Lobster and enjoyed daiquiris, fried shrimp, baked potatoes, and Caesar salad w/Nikeia)
• Checked out the waiter and the bartender (cute!)
• Came home and fed the dog and let her out
• Cut coupons
• Talked w/my 19 year old cousin
• Talked w/my mom
• Wrote this post!

Later tonight, I'll:

• Watch "Army Wives" and discuss it via text w/Nikeia
•  Let the dog out twice more before I go to bed
• Pick out an outfit for tomorrow
• Take a shower
• Snore!

#3: 30 Day Challenge-A Book You Love

A book I love...Hmmm...This is such a toughie because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read!  I could be a good Southern girl and say the Bible, but I honestly enjoy listening to the Bible more than I do reading it, except for the book of Proverbs.  As for non-biblical books, my favorite book as a kid was Bridge to Terebithia, which is a great coming-of-age story about friendship and challenges.  I've read it often since I was about 11-12 and it still gets me.  Another favorite book is The Autobiography of Malcolm X w/Alex Haley.  I've read that book a million times, too.  I have always found this book to be inspiring, as both authors had humble beginnings and went on to greatness.  I wish this was on the required reading list in schools.  Finally, I love The Gift of Fear.    I don't know if it's because I was a Psych major or what, but I love this book and I find it very empowering and dead-on.

#2: 30 Day Challenge-Something You Feel Strongly About

Something I Feel Strongly About:

Hmmm...this is a tough one.  I feel strongly about a lot of things.  Our education system needs an overhaul.  I've seen glimpses of hope (service learning in college, brain-based strategies when I taught elementary school, and language application at the pre-school level), but I really think there needs to be some sort of comprehensive, multi-organizational panel that can compile every region's best practices to actually TEACH our children.  Also, parents have got to accept the reality that teachers can't do it all and need their support.  (A childhood friend is a PTA president at her kids' school and she and her husband are extremely active at their four kids' school and have developed positive relationships with all of the teachers at the school).

Bonus:  I think that childhood obesity should be considered child abuse (barring a medical diagnosis). When I taught 3rd grade, I had a student who was 8 years old and weighed 254 pounds!  He was about 5 feet tall, but he weighed more than 3 of his male classmates, combined.  His dream is to become an NFL player, but I worry that he won't be healthy enough or live long enough to play HIGH SCHOOL ball, much less make it through college and on to the NFL.  I want his dream true (and I want him to achieve academically, too), but unfortunately, his mother is sabotaging him by feeding him high calorie, preservative laden food (I've attended parent-teacher conferences with her and seen the lunches he brought to school).  His mother is obese as well, but I don't feel that's a good enough excuse for subjecting your child to a shortened life without the joys of childhood and the opportunity to fulfill his/her dreams.

#1: 30 Day Blog Challenge-Five Ways to Win My Heart

1. Showing kindness toward someone else without expecting anything in return.  True altrusim.
2. Telling someone what's what in a nice way.  Sometimes you have to let someone know, but it's always best to do this as nicely as possible, unless someone has truly earned a fuss/cuss out!
3. Teaching me or telling me about something I didn't know.  Anyone know how to sew or play the piano?
4. Making me laugh.  I mean, a really good, deep down, belly laugh to the point where I can no longer produce sound.  (I usually start to kick my feet at that point).
5. Being either very old or very young.  I love my friends' little people and I love me some raisins (my mama's slang for old people). 

30 Day Blog Challenge

Her Best Hair: 30 Day Blog Challenge: "I came across this 30 day blog challenge on Flawless Mistake and it sounds like fun so I plan to participate. If you plan to play alon..."

Natural Hair Extraganza: Shout Outs and Previews

I attended this event on Saturday, May 21st and had a GREAT time!  I could only stay for an hour and a half, as I had to attend a work function, but boy, did I pack a lot of fun into that time. Upon entering, I was greeted by two beautiful naturals, given a bottle of water and some candy (YAY) and then given my choice of samples-Jessicurl Deep Conditioner or Mixed Chicks conditioner, and a Goody mini detangling comb/pic.  I chose the Jessicurl DC which I gave to a friend on the condition that she provide me with a review.  One of the highlights of the event was meeting one of my favorite YouTube vloggers, Keenya Griffin (aka KinkyKeenya)!! 

I wore my hair in a variation on the Southern Tease Bun (tutorial on YouTube, not by me).  When I got there, there was a live big chop in progress onstage, at least 30 vendors of natural hair products, home accessories, clothing and jewelry (I especially loved Aldoeuri Jewelry and Accessories which featured headbands, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings crafted from recycled materials-I bought a pair of earrings AND a necklace), etc.  I'll include pics of these in a later post!

I met with a young lady from Salimah's House (whose name escapes me :(  who was born with HIV and promotes HIV/AIDS and abstinence education among other things.  By the power of Google, I will contact you!


I won  a 4 oz jar of Crocodile Killer Extra Extra Dry Skin Pudding by Adiva!  The scent is a little woodsy and masculine to my nose, so I will be loaning that out for a review of the product.  On the plus side, the ingredients include water, vegetable oils (avocado, sweet almond, cloves, coconut, soybean), capryllic triglycerides in the first three listed.  Other ingredients include colloidal oatmeal and shea butter, both known for their serious moisturizing properties.

I purchased a beautiful soy candle from Pamper Me Essentials owner, Nakia Austin.  She provided me with a sample of her Brown Sugar Scrub, which I will review later on the blog.  Thank, Nakia!

I purchased some Natural Coils Curling Jelly by Darcy Botanicals from Karen Wilson of Karen WilsonBeauty.com.  I'll be reviewing that product as well.  Thanks for the product suggestion, Karen!

I also purchased some 100% Moroccan oil from Urpurebeaty.  I have tried this oil and so far, I love the scent and the sheen. 

I purchased some really cute, ironic "diamond" post earrings (5 pair) from Brit, the owner of The Mass Production Massacre (massproductionmassacre.com).  I'll feature a pic of the earrings on the blog along with a pic of the rest haul.

I also purchased a "Good Hair" t-shirt which will also be featured in the haul pics.

Whew!

New Findings

Hello all (ok, hi, Ma)!

Here is my hair observation for today:

It is so important to affirm your beauty everyday, especially while you are transitioning.  Yup, that's all I had, but I thought it was important.  A lot of women lose confidence while transitioning and fall for the lye. Sometimes, people aren't ready and other times they are not comfortable styling without training wheels (most of us know our relaxed hair well and our natural hair is a distant memory from around 3rd grade at the latest).  I don't hate on permies, but I do feel that it's important to re-affirm and embrace your beauty at each stage of growth (hair or otherwise).  Ok, stepping down off my soapbox now!