Movement: A Necessity

Background: Eric Benet: Lost in Time/ Track: Something's Wrong

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="Move Around"][/caption]

Newness: So, I've been disconnected for a while.  Felt good. Felt needed. But now I'm back and I'm ready. Lol.

So much spinning around in my mind. I've been inspired by this post : Gone Manifesting by Kim Jackson  I have several things I want to manifest. But I want to focus on one thing at a time.. or something like that lol. I know me. Sometimes I do the most.

Teaching: Summer is almost over for me as a teacher. That in itself brings excitement and a small ounce of trepidation.  It's always a learning experience working with children. But I'm excited about the growth that I know is going to take place. I know there will be some stress too. I'm not even going to psyche myself up like it isn't.  My goal is to have my classroom ready by next Tuesday. I'll even post pictures.  And being back amongst my coworkers isn't how I had initially fretted

it might be in my head. It's a mixture of watchfulness, excitement and ok keep it moving on my part. So, I'm good.

Dating:..errr lol

Healthiness: Still going strong at the gym! Food however has been a struggle. But I'm mindful of this. I do so much better when I prepare my food at home.  I have a blender I have yet to use. But I so want to get some  recipes and get that sucker going.  I'm intrigued by the Pescetarian lifestyle.  And plan on taking a gander at this real soon. When I do, I'll be sure to report any differences/benefits. My weight-the number has been fluctuating but mostly staying the same.  So, yeah I need to shake that up.  I've shifted to losing and toning.  Because I want to lose but I don't want to be all sagging flesh as I'm losing. Umm no, that would be a negative.

Travel: I've been on the move... and I love it! Georgia and Texas... and soon Texas again have been my spots for July.  Which amazingly I wrote in January on 31 Day Reset that that was a goal of mine. To get out and go and I'm trying to get my finances in order so I can do more of that.

[caption id="attachment_319" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Georgia"][/caption]

Hair: I've added Design Essentials into my hair product miniature arsenal. I've been twisting with SheaMoisture deep treatment masque.  Tried it with TCB setting lotion and then the DE oil... love  the results. Moisturized, shiny, touchable, moving hair. What I've noticed: As my hair gets longer, I get my shrinkage after a wash and my smaller twists are starting to leaving me little knots. I'm not feeling that latter part at all.  But I'll figure it out.

Mindfulness: I realized this week I was losing some of my go juice lol. But today I think I tapped into it and I'm glad I did. I sometimes loathe being stuck in a rut, but I've learned that I have to be still and just figure out how I got there, why I'm there and what it's going to take to get from there.  Growth is Beautiful.

That girl likes to plateau...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533" caption="www.awildride.net"][/caption]

I feel like him today. This whole week, the past two weeks even. I've been kinda floating. I'm all the way live until about 6 p.m. and then I want my bed. My training, my eating, my hobbies, my sorority life, er-thang seems to be taking a backseat to one thing, one daunting reality: I'm tired lol.

Updates:

Writing: I did actually finish my poetry for the collaboration with my friend in February by the set deadline. I just didn't update here.

Yoga: More misses than hits lately. I haven't made it a habit. I've been getting up late every morning and just aimlessly soaking in the morning before I rush around for no other reason than to do so.

Meditation: I'm lazy but definitely needing to practice holding my thoughts under my captivity

Workouts: I'm getting in 5, 6 at the most now-a-days. Down 14 lbs. No meal planning has been in effect and I know that isn't going to last.

Financials: I'm still learning.

Post A Week 2011: I've missed two weeks. With no other reason than being preoccupied with something else.

Hair: I've started using KeraCare Naturals line and I like it. I still have my SheaMoisture products on the ready. lol And today is definitely feeling like a hair day.

Nappiology: Updos and Updates

[caption id="attachment_256" align="alignright" width="300" caption="the right now..."][/caption]

To the right, that has become me as of late. As  I tweak my regimen, I realize that right now with the cold winds and all that jazz, the updos are working for me. Today, I cut/trimmed some hair and due to just extra dry ends.

That's one of the harder parts of retaining length for me. Keeping my hair moisturized properly.  But, I'm working on it. I'm getting it done. I do realize that the harsh winds did push me into trying new hairstyles which is something that I wanted to do this year anyway.  Healthy hair is my goal. Still trying to stay the course with Moptop Maven and also Curly Nikki's grow out challenge. I still love SheaMoisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie on my twists.  I used the Organic Yucca & Boabab Thickening Moisture Mist tonight.  Hair isn't thin or fine but I love how it smells.

Happy 2 Years Natural To Me!

I still love it! lol... I was planning such a big post for this occassion but that changed. So, you'll get some snaps... Last vestiges of relaxer trimmed away on January 17, 2009 by my madre...

my first twists lol... they were so tiny...

fro

twists

getting bigger

me now...

Hair is like this right now, took down the updo and will take down the twists in the morning.... just an update.  I am still learning my hair, still experimenting with products, etc.  Did it before it became a "trend" but so glad I did. Enjoy!

Natural Hair: Big Twist Updo

Funny thing that this year I decided I wanted to try new hair styles as part of my Healthy Hair 2011 Challenge and just to give a spin on my tried and true twist that I LOVE to rock.  Well inspiration came from a lady named JenellyBean who has a great website Here with great hairstyle tutorials and a plethora of other information pertaining to natural hair health, products, etc. Yesterday while I was checking my feedler, This Big Two Strand Twist Updo Tutorial came and I just thought I needed to wash my hair and try it.

When I made it home from the gym, I washed my hair with KeraCare 1st lather Sulfate free shampoo

and the hydrating detangling shampoo and then used the Humecto Conditioner and put that under a plastic cap for 20 minutes or so. I put in the leave in and then proceded to style with the Creme Hairdress (trying something different on the twist- ends and hair been dry out in the winter cold) and I ended the night like this:

Which it's from this morning but you get the idea.  I then did my morning meditatio

n and prayed that regardless of how it came out I'd like it. Because I'm apprehensive with new styles.If, you're like me they don't always turn out the way you imagine in your mind and that can be a mood changer as far as how fly you might feel.  I did it and I love how it turned out and so did my coworkers and students liked the silver flower.  Which I find it surprising when people think i get my hair done by someone else. Nah, this all me boo, lol. Forgive the thrown together look of the pics.   So, this was definitely some motivation to keep trying to spice up the do.

Random #7: Me and my hair

As part of the Healthy Hair in 2011 challenge via Moptopmaven's Blogspot, I had a few things to do for the 1st. Get a trim, get my set of products and tools together. I'd actually told my students before going to break that I'd get my hair straightened.  That was a thought that kept me going through the press and curl that took place.  But I was actually nervous as it got closer to the day I was supposed to have it done. Just nerves. What if my curls didn't come back... what if I sweated it out before it could even be seen by my students.  Having it pressed was actually to serve two purposes: I'd get a trim and I'd keep my word to my students. Compliments were aplenty. Some even that garnered a side eye from me. Mind you I still worked out, knew it'd blow that press out the window, but that's part of the committment to myself.  Some even went as far as sounding offended because I wasn't planning on keeping the curls. As far as I'm concerned they served there purpose. However, I came to the conclusion that the sistah with twists, rocking that extra natural, natural is more me now that the coiffed girl lol... But I make the styles work. Heavy in pics, below...





Right now my hair is in flat twist which I put moisturizer on before doing, which for day 6 I'll wear it out and see how it goes.