Goodnapps: My Sisterlocks Love Affair

2009-08-08T15:43:00.004-04:00

Hey all. The young lad is doing good. He's now four months.
Teething, rolling over, cooing, spitting bubbles and trying to
drive up my blood pressure. It's all good. I'm loving every minute.
Enjoy.

Four Years and Post Baby

2009-07-14T18:11:00.003-04:00

Hello my fellow bloggers. Next month will be my fourth year with Sisterlocks. All is well and I certainly hope the same with you. The lil man is keeping me plenty busy.

MY DEAR CHILD

2009-04-20T21:38:00.005-04:00

You are the poem

I dreamed of writing

the masterpiece

I longed to paint.

You are the shining star

I reached for in my

ever hopeful quest

for life fulfilled..

You are my child.

Now with all things

I am blessed.

~Author Unknown~

My son RJ. Born March 25, 2009.

3 Years Plus a Few Updates

2008-10-15T19:11:00.005-04:00

Hello, hello, hello!! I know I've been MIA for several months now. But from what I can see, all is well with everyone. So this is good. I will let this post serve as my anniversary, tagged, life updates and whatever else I suppose.

In early June I moved from my apartment in the city to an apartment in the burbs. Since I had lived in my old place for 9 years, I had a lot of junk to keep/donate/trash. Shopping for new furniture was a blast of course.

August marked my 3 Year milestone with Sisterlocks. Yippee!! Seems like it took long enough. I kinda miss the short hair, but I really really miss the low maintenance of the short lock days.

Guess who is now 4 months pregnant. There must have been too much celebrating going on in the new apartment. I don't know if it's a boy or girl yet. But I'm too anxious to find out. I was blessed with no morning sickness and cravings for cheeseburgers and General Tso's chicken.

I can't stand the weight gain. All of my hard work from Weight Watchers is gone, gone, gone.

Right before I found out I was pregnant, I agreed to go and work for a different department at my job.

So with a new apartment, new department at work and new life growing inside of me...I hope I've stated my case as to why I've been MIA from blogging. Can we say, "Life Comes At You Fast!!"

So in a nutshell - I'm thrilled, scared, and nervous all in one. It's in God's hands. C'est la vie. Wish me luck.

Trip to Atlanta Highlights!

2008-05-01T20:58:00.005-04:00

Blog buddies galore
A new outfit
More hair products
Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles
Lots of blue eye shadow
Fabulous updo hairstyle
Eyebrows arched finally
Algebra's signed CD
Dr. MLK Historical Site Center
Gorgeous locs everywhere

Check out more fabulous photos by clicking on the below links:

Meet & Greet

Hair Show

People Say the Darnest Things

2008-03-25T20:04:00.001-04:00

As I've journeyed with my Sisterlocks over the past 31 months, I thought it would be fun to share some of my most memorable comments regarding my locks. They are not in any particular order with the length of my hair. I've wrote them down randomly.

Look at those beady beads.
Excuse me, are those Sisterlocks?
You have Sisterlocks, no wonder they look like that.
I didn't like them when you first got them done, but I like them now.
I ran into a girl who has small corporate locks just like yours.
You should keep them that length because when people let them get too long, that doesn't look good.
You have Sisterlocks? (dumbfounded look).....oh.
I can't believe you and your momma are going all the way to Detroit to get that shit put in yall's head. I'm tired of looking at the back of yall's head.
Even though those may look good on you and all, sister girl, we need to find you another hairstyle.
Your hair looks so pretty!
I guess you don't have beady beads no more.
If you don't have time to condition your hair after you wash it, then you shouldn't be washing it. Your hair may look healthy, but it doesn't feel healthy.
So who cut your hair into that style?
She paid a lot of money to have her locks look like this.
Girl, you look like a million bucks!

Packing for Atlanta

2008-03-12T20:26:00.003-04:00

I am ever so excited. Next month mother and I are heading to Atlanta for Paulette's meet & greet on April 26th and the Natural Hair Show April 27th - 28th. I'd love to meet some fellow blog buddies so do tell if you are available and would like to meet up.

Yours truly

Wrapaloc Set

2008-03-04T19:27:00.009-05:00

My wrapalocs orders consisted of 4 medium packs, 2 small packs and the instructional DVD. I washed my hair and then blow dryed it a little. Instead of a deep condition, I opted to use the SL cream moisturizer on each section of hair. I did NOT use any setting gel, foam or spray. I used about 35 small tools and 18 medium tools. To save time, I purposely used about 7-8 locks per tool with the exception of the front. Whether I actually saved time or not is definitely up for debate. I would say I spent about an hour putting the tools in. Another 20 minutes was spent gawking in the mirror and saying to myself, "What are you doing? This doesn't look anything like the instructions." So out the window went the benefit of not being able to see the tools in the hair.

I contemplated wearing a covering on my head the next day. But I played with the sections some more until my hair had more of a bantu knot look. Since under normal circumstances I don't know how to create bantu knots, I was perfectly fine with this look.

My co-workers sure know how to make a gal feel special. The compliments kept pouring in and I believe they thought the tools were some sort of hair ornaments. But since I was too self-conscious about the tools showing, I only wore them in for 1 day. When I took them out the next day, below is the result. Not bad for somebody who didn't follow directions.

So after all is said is done, is wrapalocs worth the money? I'll put it this way....
YES - if you love your soft spikes curler set but wish the curls would last a week or two longer.
NO - if you complained your soft spikes set was too curly and you purposely went out of your way to make the curls looser.

Pictured above, the curls have fallen after about 4 days. Since I don't see myself using the recommended 3 locks per tool right now, I am perfectly happy with my results. I'll reserve this for use in the future as my hair gets longer. However, I will strive to hide the tools more in the front next time so that I'll feel more comfortable wearing the bantu knot look a few more days.

On Having Longer Length

2008-02-23T06:58:00.008-05:00

I get bored with the same old style very easily so finding new ways to style my hair is definitely not a problem. It's more of how long it takes to get these styles that is the problem. Fortunately, updos usually take no more than fifteen minutes. Such as the one in these photos. I've got my single plaits for braidouts down to about 30 minutes and I don't want to spend more than 45 minutes on roller sets. So this means I'll be using more locs on each roller and I'm perfectly fine with that. Since I just got my wrapalocs order, I won't have to worry about the curls not lasting long enough.

On the flip side, the chore of washing it was it was a bit overwhelming at first. I remember when it was nothing for me to come home after work and wash my hair in 15 minutes, towel it dry and be out of the house afterward. That ritual is truly a thing of the past. The new ritual is to wash the loc ends 2.5 times and then wash my scalp only for 2.5 times.

Condition it, moisturize it, and blow dry out some of the wetness. If I do a braid out or roller set, this entire process is at least 2 hours. But my scalp and locs are getting so much cleaner now. I've commented on a few blogs how the dandruff that was getting trapped in my locs was very frustrating. Something else that seems to be a thing of the past, I hope.

As for lint, what lint? No linty particles shall come near these locs I say! I am all about avoidance. I just prefer this approach instead of dying, cutting, scrubbing, etc. Consultants are quite surprised as I get commented quite frequently, "I see you don't have a lint problem." That's exactly how I intend to keep it.

Tagged

2008-02-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

I can no longer brag about being cavity free. I got my first filling in October of last year.

I don't like taking pills, medication, or visiting the doctor. I'm one of the wait until the last minute folks when it comes to such. However, I am definitely in favor of trying natural remedies.

Despite the above, this year I opted for my first flu shot. I did get sick a few weeks later. Fortunately, it wasn't a deathly ill kind of sick. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it wasn't.

Four or five years ago I stopped wearing a watch. The battery went dead on the one I was wearing at the time and I refused to relace it or buy a new watch. Since the time is all around me, I feel there is no need.

CSI, Law & Order, Cold Case - I can watch them over and over.

I don't particulary care for perfume per se. I opt for the heavy cream lotions by Bath & Body and Victoria's Secret instead.

I love a good Riesling and that's pretty much the only wine I really previously cared for. A few months ago I expanded my horizons and I found out that I love a good Cabernet Sauvignon along with other reds and whites. My taste buds are finally opening up to dry wines as well.

Loving Accessories

2007-12-06T18:33:00.000-05:00

Greetings everyone!! Length + maturity = I really get to enjoy my accessories to the fullest. Pictured above I'm wearing the Betty Davis Tomoka Twist. Sensational is all I have to say about this collection. As a matter of fact, it describes all of the pieces on the site. More sets are definitely in my future.

Below are a few pics of me wearing my Loc Soc. A different variation of how I wore it here in the summer. Versatility is so great.

As for washing, I took advantage of Chosenvessel's Komaza product post by going to the site and purchasing a few samples of the shampoo with emu and tea tree oil. Since it helps alleviate the itching and dandruff, I've splurged on a full bottle purchase. I have absolutely nothing against the Nizoral, but I would like to stick with natural remedies if possible. I will admit that I really don't look forward to washing my hair anymore. But that's just another one of the growing pains I guess.

At first I just knew I would keep growing my hair until I could at least sit on it. Strictly from a maintenance perspective, that probably won't happen. I'm pretty confident no hair cuts up until I hit my 4th year. After that, I'll just have to go with whatever feelings are driving me when that point in time gets here. In the meantime, I'll keep looking at Audrey's gorgeous Sisterlocks to help keep me motivated.

Self-retightening is still in the works. Despite the $250 for the SL training, I definitely have no regrets on taking the class in July of this year. Initially it's tedious but still liberating. Life happens and you never know when a situation is going to arise prompting you to have to give it a go yourself. My first try was over 30 hrs, the second was in the neighborhood of 20. I only have ambitions to get down to 10-14. In a couple of weeks, I'll have another try to see how close I come to getting there.

Class or no class, knowing that you can touch up your locks if needed is truly no understatement.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2 Year Growth

2007-08-31T19:15:00.000-04:00

Muslimahlocs said...
Happy lockiversary! Your sisterlocks look fabulous. They have grown so much in the past two years. How have you grown with them?

Getting Sisterlocks have allowed me to truly fall in love with my hair. This is a feeling I never had prior to having them. As far as I can remember, I was brainwashed to believe that my was so bad that it needed to be fried, tamed and broke down to do right. I was so miseducated that I actually believed my hair wouldn't even do right when locked. That belief is one factor that played into why it took me so long to start locking in the first place. Due to reprogamming from the past two years, I accept and love my hair in all its glory. It may not be as soft as other people's, I don't care. It's not as thick as somebody else's, I don't care. I may have to go through a few extra steps for pretty curls to hold, I don't care. I am not longing for anybody else's hair texture. I love my hair for what God blessed me with.

I'm done judging and being judged. Everybody doesn't wear locks for the same reason nor do I believe they should have to. Everybody isn't going to lock their hair the same way I did and I don't feel they should have to. Am I biased? Of course!! But at the end of the day based on my circumstances from two years ago, I feel good about my hair decision to lock and how I chose to lock. Right now, nothing is broke so I don't need to fix it.

If I ever have to cut my locks off and sport my loose hair texture, I am now ready. To sum up my overall reflection of how I feel about my hair....I am at peace. This also means being tolerant of other people's hair decisons regardless of whether they are good or bad from my point of view.

The Take Down

2007-08-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

I wore the updo plaits for five days and received many compliments on it much to my delight. Turns out it was quite a hit and I had nothing to worry about in the first place. I'm even more pleased with my crinkly braidout result. Funny it kind of reminds me of my jeri curl do from back in the day. If it holds a little past the weekend then I will consider it a definite success. Since I did not use any setting lotion, I guess it will be interesting.

2 Year Update

2007-08-14T21:42:00.000-04:00

I am over the blog lazies long enough to do my two year update. Yeah baby! The below collage is my two year growth compared to my day one installation.

Next are photos of this years growth compared to my one year growth.

Despite the ups, despite the downs, you all know the speech - I love my hair! To all the newbies, keep toughing it out. The growing pains don't last forever.

At first tonight was just a wash. Then I wanted to do something different so I decided to single plait for a crinkle look. I did this back in January and loved the volume but the style was gone the next day. Therefore I wanted to keep the plaits in for at least 2-3 days, but then there is work. I thought about wearing a Loc Soc but only as a last resort. After putting in the plaits, I remembered some advice I gave Chosenvessel a while ago and I started to pin up the plaits. It's a bit on the eclectic side but hopefully I can pull it off. I'll take my Loc Soc with me to work just in case. I'll wear this up style until early next week and maybe my crinkles will have a fair chance.

A little bit of length does come in handy. Whoohoo!

A Visit With Paulette

2007-07-15T08:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was in Detroit visiting with the very lovely Paulette. Her new shop Locks4Life is now open. The product junkie in me just couldn't resist buying a couple of Loc Socs from her new display. I've been wanting to try one for a while but the website has been under construction. Last I heard, some folks were still having trouble with the site so I'm not sure of its status. I guess it would be safe to send an email to the owner before making a purchase. They are advertised to be very very versatile.

Let's Talk

2007-07-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

I can't wait to hear from everyone. This should be fun.

Interview From Cluizel

2007-07-03T20:20:00.000-04:00

1. Three wishes that you can use on yourself...what are they?
a) I really need some height. In another life, at least six inches should do.

b) To have been smarter in math and science.

c) No more debt. Please just make it go away.

2. Stilettos/flats/sneakers?
Flats - I must have comfort over beauty, unless I can get both in a perfect world.

3. Favorite condiment?
That would depend on what I'm eating. If it's fries...ketchup, a hotdog....mustard, and grilled meat....bring on the barbecue sauce!!

4. Sisterlocks...any regrets? Would you do anything differently?

For the most part, I've had a pretty good journey and I have very few complaints in regards to Sisterlocks. In lieu of previous posts, perhaps I would have gone with bigger hairline locks.

All of my other issues were due to me having to come to terms and love the hair texture I was born with. I still have not given my loose natural hair a fair shot until this day. One of these days, I hope to rectify that.

5. If you could wave a magic wand and make an ex disappear would you? Why?

No, I don't think I would want to make any of my ex's disappear. I think they were good guys for the most part, just had some problems. And until a sista ties the knot, you never know.........

If you want to give your interview a shot. Feel free to let me know.

Lock Repair

2007-06-21T19:07:00.000-04:00

After having my locks retightened two weeks ago by new consultant, I had a WTF moment when I saw one of my front locks had a bunched knot right near the root. I'm saying there's no way she didn't know she did this. It feels like a hot mess! Urghh. And it is one of my front locks. So everytime my hand-in-hair-itis struck, of course my finger landed directly on the bunched knot. This unkempt lock was really irking me.

So each day as I would say to myself the least she could of done was try to fix it. I mean just take a comb and...... well that's it! I knew at that moment what I had to do. I found one of my rat tail combs and started combing at the bunched knot. When it was loosened enough, I finger rolled it back into place with the rest of the lock. No more bunched knot and my lock is back to looking all perfect again. I'm learning from this locking experience, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

Don't be afraid to trust your own judgement.

Thinning Locks

2007-06-18T18:29:00.000-04:00

I asked Muslimahlocs if she has micro micro locks and her response was, "Compared to your picture definitely."

While those super micro SLs are gorgeous, I knew hands down they are not for me. First off, I would have to forget about ever doing my own retightenings and second, the tiny locks I do have, have me so paranoid that they are going to break off. I've already combined some of them but they are still much to little for my own personal liking. I really don't want to do anymore combining if I don't have to. So I'm hoping the roots will grow in thicker.
Of course these problem locks are at my unstable front hairline.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if my locks started out that way. But I suspect some of my locks have thinned due to natural hair thinning and/or retightenings done where the tension of the lock was done waay to tight.

In this pic here, note the difference of the lock I'm pointing to versus the other locks around it.

I guess I will have to do what's necessary and hope for the best.

Tagged...here goes

2007-06-16T11:11:00.000-04:00

1. I'm the oldest of 3 siblings. I'm 5 years older than my brother and 12 years older than my sister. That's why you see my mother and I hanging out so much. Lil sis isn't even old enough to drink yet.

2. The reason I haven't blogged about my husband or kids is because...there aren't any. It's just me.

3. I got my BS from Ithaca (across from Cornell). It was the only school I applied to outside of Ohio and they happened to give me the best financial aid package. The first time I ever stepped foot on campus was for the start of class. I have a long history of making blind faith decisions. Mom was happy I was far enough away from NYC.

4. I use to run the 200m and 4x200m relay for track and field in junior high. One day I told coach I wanted to try my hand at 100m hurdles. For someone being 5'0", it was an interesting experience but I didn't keep it up very long. I'm sure I was shorter than that back then.

5. My favorite ice cream is pralines and cream and butter pecan respectively. Haagen-Dazs makes wonderful flavors of these.

6. My passion for Sisterlocks stems from a) I am such a wannabe entrepreneur. I hold the utmost respect and admiration for Dr. Jo et al for taking on the entrepreneurial challenge of providing women the benefits of Sisterlocks. b) I had to put up with that nappy hair does not equal good BS for so long, it really feels good being on the opposite end of the spectrum with my SLs.

7. My favorite quote in this year's Sisterlock calendar is from March:
Who can deny the beauty I behold?

I am the beholder!

Tagged......Hmmmm

2007-06-15T18:47:00.000-04:00

I'm still pondering what other tidbits of information I'm willing to share. It took me forever to come up with the responses I shared last time. But in an effort to keep the good spirits of the game, I will tag:

Onyxcherry
Cashana
Mrs Dee
Still Waters
Ja Stu
Detra
Jeri

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.

How sweet of you Kim, Mel, and Locsuluv.

On the Hair Front

2007-06-04T20:15:00.000-04:00

1. I was retightened over the weekend by a local consultant here in Cleveland. She is very sweet and I am quite pleased with the results of her work. To find somebody who won't jeopardize the integrity of Paulette's foundation is more than a notion. But I do believe this new consultant may be a keeper.

2. I am finally scheduled to take the retightening class on June 30th. I'm anxious, scared, nervous, and excited all at the same time. I'm still appalled that the price doubled since two years ago.

3. Check out the two new baby locks! Like many others, my hairline suffered something terrible from the braids and relaxer damage. I was almost starting to believe the damage was irreversible. Nearly two years later, better late than never sure is the truth. I'm still hoping to gain enough peach fuzz on the other side to form some new locks.

4. The dandruff and itching was getting the best of me and I had to try something new. I went back to Sunsail's blog and decided to try her Nizoral shampoo remedy. I ordered the 2% solution from a Canadian pharmacy website. From reading over some product reviews, I learned that in the US you can only get the 2% solution with a prescription and it cost a pretty penny. The Canadian pharmacy sold it for a fraction of the cost and no prescription needed.

I diluted it with water because heck, I dilute almost everything nowadays that I use in my hair. After two weeks and just one time of using the shampoo, I went from 100% filthy, McNasty head full of dandruff to maybe 10% dandruff. I suspect that as I continue to use the shampoo, the dandruff will go away even more. It's so nice to not have my shoulders and pillows buried in dandruff. Girl, you know I'm kicking myself for not trying this stuff earlier when you wrote about it.

5. Last but not least, I love my Sisterlocks!

Growing Into My Hairties

2007-05-17T19:12:00.000-04:00

I couldn't be more excited that I'm able to sport the true pineapple look with my Brunsli Hairties. Today I wore the Amy for the first time since I bought it however many moons ago and decided to compare these photos against my Renee hairtie photos taken eight months ago. You can really see in the back how I can pull up the back locks so much higher and they are not constantly falling out of place.
When I wear my hair in a hairtie, curls or some other style and the implication of how come I don't wear it in these styles everyday really irks me. Of course
I shake it off but the nerve to imply my freestyle isn't good enough for daily wear does strike a bad nerve in me.
Oh yeah, I am 100% over my post-grooming freestyle jitters. It's on and poppin once again.

Movie Quote

2007-05-07T21:08:00.001-04:00

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world Goodnapps didn't exist.

Which movie was this quote from?

Back Down Memory Lane

2007-05-02T20:23:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend I attended a fantastic natural get together here in town hosted by Linda. I can't say enough of how awesome it was and I even got to meet fellow local blogger Mali as well. It made me realize that I've met a lot of good wholesome folks doing this LockItUp and Blogging thing. Gals who live in California, New York, Philly, Detroit, Miami, Dallas, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, etc., etc. The fun is no where near over. I know I still have plenty more folks out there to meet. But I couldn't resist the opportunity to go back down memory lane.

So What Am I Free From?

2007-04-29T09:20:00.000-04:00

When we all made the decision to go with Sisterlocks, I'm sure there were plenty of reasons that motivated us to do so. We wanted to be free but free from what? Some say Sisterlocks are too costly and time consuming to offer any kind of freedom. But I think until you've been in a person's situation, you are in no position to pass judgement.

But for me, my #1 and #2 reasons to go with locks and subsequently Sisterlocks was to be free from that chemical damage of the relaxer. Not because I hated wearing my hair straight. Not because I never wanted to spend another penny paying for my hair to be done. Not because I never wanted to step foot in another beauty salon. Not because I look forward to doing my hair myself. Not because I was looking for a new fad hairstyle. Not because I was looking for some inner spiritualness of being black or to be a rebel against conformity and the white man. Do I receive some of these benefits? You betcha. But they weren't my primary motivators.

I WAS TIRED OF THE RELAXER DAMAGE AND GOING BALD BECAUSE OF IT.

Some of my other motivators in order of importance are below.

3. I didn't want to deal with my hair on a day to day basis.
4. I didn't want anymore combs going through my hair.
5. I want hair that's past my shoulders, healthy and mine. Not fake, glued or sewed in.
6. The same styling versatility that I received from wearing a relaxer.

I can't speak for anybody else, but I got the freedom I was looking for and a lot more extra.

Things On My Mind

2007-04-22T11:48:00.000-04:00

1. I just got my 4th Sisterlock journal in the mail yesterday. I absolutely love reading through the magazine. I'll probably renew my subscription with the expectation that I am being promised 4 magazines, not when I'm going to receive them.

2. This morning I noticed that a couple of my locks still look pretty fuzzy. I think they were missed since we really had to rush at the end of the session. I'll be buying a new pair of trimming scissors this week. So much for my comment to Brenda about not being a chronic groomer. I'll make the trade off for volume, just give me the perfect dreads!!! "Perfect Dreads" ---what an oxymoron.

3. The layers just aren't my friends anymore. I've reached that stage where my length feels like it's all over the place with no definite direction. Long here, short there. The grooming makes it so much more apparent. I never knew my hair grew so slow at the top. Was it always this way? Wearing that famous Halle Berry cut for so long I never noticed. Keeping the back and sides faded down was a must back then. Some bunching from those first couple months was a setback as well for growth in the top. Recall I never braided or banded.

But anyway, freestyling just isn't the same anymore and I'm not as confident about the gawking and judging. It's probably all in my head, but I can't help feeling this way. So I have to protect them. I'll be sporting a lot more hairtie and lockscrunchie styles for a little while.

4. My concessions to get my ends to seal more paid off!! The ends are so much more hard and sturdy it's a night and day difference. I will keep up the regimen a bit while more.

20 Month Update

2007-04-16T18:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was quite a lengthy session since I combined my retightening with a much needed grooming. It took me many many months to work up the nerve to do the grooming for fear of the skinned cat look. I would by lying if I said I didn't feel and look that way at least a little bit. But I am so pleased with the outcome and I love my new Nice Dreads look. It will be awhile before I work up the nerve to do it again.....say in two years perhaps.

Top Left: Post groomed and retightened back corner section.
Top Right: Front fully groomed and retightened.
Bottom Left: One lock pre-groomed.
Bottom Right: Lock after groomed.

Another Sleep Cap

2007-04-09T20:27:00.000-04:00

Even though I don't feel the need to cover up my locks at night like I did in the early months, it's still nice to have something just in case. About a year ago I ordered the Dreadsock and as soon as I put it on Dr. Phil's, "What the hell were you thinking?" immediately came to mind. Naive little me didn't know that medium in the lock world takes on a whole different meaning. I figured I would keep it anyway and grow into it. God only knows how many years that will take.

Recently, I was happy to read Meikmeika's positive review of the Ayana Loc Pocket. Since I was in need of a new lock cover, I ordered one for myself. Good thing this time around I was warned that the small size would be just enough. I like it because it is a good fit, not too tight and I still have some growing room in it even though it's a small.

Napptural Gathering in Cleveland

2007-03-31T22:21:00.000-04:00

Whoohoo! A Napptural gathering where I only had to drive 20 minutes to get there courtesy of Ms. Cheleskilove. Everyone is so beautiful and down to earth. I loved seeing our natural diversity of hair and common bond that brought us together....self love to a higher power. When you're in the company of folks who know who they are, what they want and are on a mission to get it, I don't see how you can go wrong. I send much love and blessings to all of my new napptural buddies.

Love These Curls

2007-03-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

From tight curl to loose curl, I love it either way. These curls are like the energizer bunny - they just keep going and going and going. Blaq honey, I finally see why you love your curls so much! I was looking in the mirror and told myself I could definitely do a curl set at least once a month. Prior, I was thinking every few months. Now that I've fallen in love with these curls, it's time to up the stakes.

I'll continue to stretch wearing my curls for another week by doing some flat twists in the front and then capping it off with a curly pineapple in a hairtie. You all know I've been waiting for this moment. I hope you can feel the excitement. I rejoice!

Soft Spike Curls

2007-03-01T18:17:00.000-05:00

Recently, I finally ordered another pack of small Soft Spikes. My first roller set was in October and I really liked the way it turned out. My curls were going pretty strong for about a week and a half - with no setting lotion. But when I ran out of soft spikes, I was really scrounging around. I found a few sponge rollers and still didn't have enough of those. I had to make a couple foil rods to finish up the last sections.

But this time around, I was able to make smaller sections and frame my face much better without the stress of running out of curlers. It took me about an hour and a half to roll my hair and I did use Crinkles and Curls setting foam. Then sat under the dryer for about 40 minutes as an insurance for it to be dry in the morning. When I unrolled it in the morning, I didn't finger comb the curls or anything. I don't mind the Miss Poodle America look since I have serious issues with spending hours on my hair and having nothing to show for it the next day. I won't have to worry about that this time around.

I don't think the pictures have the best clarity, but with my hair texture - it is what it is. Thank goodness I can finally appreciate it.

18 Months

2007-02-21T18:33:00.000-05:00

I wonder how many times can we say, "I am so in love with my hair!" before it sounds like a broken record. I never would have dreamed in a million years that everyday I am more in love with my hair than I was the previous day. I will also add freshly tightened roots is a nice pick-me-up as well.

After perusing the 3 year updates of Brunsli and Katika, I am doing the Maryee happy dance more so now than ever because I am half way there. The time is flying by so fast one day at a time. Feet don't fail me now.

They asked and Now I Tell

2007-02-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

1. In another life I would be a gymnast. When I was five years old, I thought it was fun to swing on the shower rail instead of washing my ears. One day the rail gave way and that was the end of swinging in the shower. Of course mom was not a happy camper about the ordeal.

2. I still have my wisdom teeth and no cavities.

3. I'm determined to become a millionaire within 10 years. I feel like I have two jobs at the moment; day job and chasing the next stock pick. I'll give an update in six months; laughing at the bank or crying in bankruptcy court.

4. The tattoo on my left arm says "Sexy." My personal motivation to not let things get too out of hand if you know what I mean. I've had it for nine years now. I also just remembered, when I wore a tank top to class one day - one of my professors made the class guess what the tattoo said.

5. I collect shot glasses of the places I've visited.

Given the fact that I rarely talk about myself outside of my hair, you would of thought this would have been easier for me. It wasn't. Go figure. Stepping outside of myself on my blog is a nice change of pace. Who shall I tag?
How about....

CloudNine
Maryee
Lashaune
Quietspirit
Tra

Oh yeah, I'm not sure what happened to my blogline subscription but I noticed it got dropped. It could of happened when I upgraded to the new blogger. If you were a previous or would like to for the future, please resubscribe. Thanks so much.

Addendem 2/4/2007
Since I was technically tagged twice:
6. I was in the labor room when my sister gave birth to my niece and front row at the birth canal. I almost got put of the room by the doctor because my knees started to wobble when he reached for the scissors. We just celebrated my niece's 2nd birthday January 16th.

7. I did a two week stint in London and went to Paris for a weekend via the Tram in May of 2003. I was taking a marketing research class toward my MBA. That's where I got my subway riding skills from which came in very handy during the Color Purple trip with you ladies. My mother swears I didn't know what I was talking about each time I told her she was about to send us in the wrong direction.

8. I had Lasik done three years ago.

9. I use to be a wanna be rapper back in the day. My best friend and I formed a rap duo Sugga and Spice. Yep, I was Spice.

10. I have about 50 pairs of shoes in my living room. I'm taking full advantage of my bachelorette lifestyle.

Cheers to the New Year

2007-01-07T15:31:00.000-05:00

2007! I cannot remember a year where I have been so excited about starting fresh and new. This is my year to take back some of the riches that life has to offer: love, money, spiritual growth, etc. Rewind back to 2005 - I walked off my job, ended my relationship and started my Sisterlock journey.

That set the stage for 2006 being the year to regroup and get grounded again. In February I got a new job, in June I got to fellowship with a wonderful group of Sisterlocked ladies and by September I lost 14 lbs which I have kept off to date.

I am sending a special THANK YOU to Lashaune who gave me that final bit of encouragement to do Weight Watchers as soon as I got back from New York. I have always believed that God sends everybody in and out of your life for a reason. By the end of the '06, I got some loc length, a new love interest, and
re-established my trading account.

What a way to roll into 2007. My list of goals keep growing and growing - but that's a good thing. When you all set your goals for the year, make sure they are specific, measurable, and in writing.

One of my favorite quotes. "Keep doing what you've always done and you'll keep getting what you've always got."

Make that change happen!

Mom's Locs

2007-01-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago mother and I got our hair retightened and I took these photos to show her progress. Mom started with permed ends in October of 2005. 90% of her permed ends are gone and she's definitely looking more locish now. This is quite an accomplishment for her since she has that "soft" textured hair. No where near the super coily stufff I have.

So 14 months later - Mom is so much happier with her locs and that is what's important.

***********************************************************************

Day One Sisterlocks (October 2005)

Just Had to Share

2006-12-22T10:45:00.000-05:00

Eating Tips for The Holidays

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can and quickly. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an "eggnog-aholic" or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it!!!! Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello???

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin and mincemeat - have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips: Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE and here's to a new year of lockdom!!!!!!

Same Style, Slight Variation

2006-12-05T19:07:00.000-05:00

Honestly, this is where my sister wanted to leave off initially. She started complaining how my hair was too thick and probably wanted to call it quits anyway. I'm sure my, "Not too tight, not too tight" every two seconds didn't help either. But I wanted to go for the more conservative look having the back braided up. Assuming you consider a mohawk conservative, lol. Plus I told my sister a few days later I could take the back down and have two hairstyles from one. So that's what I did. Voila!

Mohawk Do

2006-12-02T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended a business gala and of course I pondered what to do with my hair. As I gave it some thought there was a set of requirements that I needed which included:
a) preferably an updo and something different
b) not doing it myself cause I'm too darn lazy
c) not going to the salon because I don't feel like putting forth the time or money
So I'm going over in my mind, how in the world do I satisfy this list? Thursday night I finally had my Eureka. Ask your little sister to style it for you! So thanks to my 19 year old sister, my Mohawk do came alive.

So as my sister is doing my hair and her, my mom, and I are talking, my mother tells me she ran into a lady I met about Sisterlocks. At first I thought Linda, but she said that name didn't sound familiar. Then my mom says, "I think you met her at Sam's Club." Now to jog you all's memory, I did the post about the lady I met at Sam's Club and I was so excited that she came up to me and asked if I had Sisterlocks.

So of course I asked my mother how did this connection happen. My mom told me they met at the doctor's office and as they were talking she told the lady that she gets her hair done in Detroit and the lady says:
Lady: You are the second person I met who gets their hair done in Detroit.
My mom: Well that's probably my daughter.
Lady: Tanya?
My mom: OMG! Yep.

All I can say is wow!

Out of Sweater Retirement

2006-11-20T19:41:00.000-05:00

I can't be 100% sure, but I do believe this sweater may have been a major cause of the lint build up in a couple of my locks at the nape of my neck. That happened eight or nine months ago and I am still just a wee bit traumatized. In my obsessive efforts to avoid future lint buildups which included many of Leighann's suggestions, I had to retire this sweater to the drawer for many many months. But when the lint topic surfaced again on LockItUp, I made a mental note of the suggestion to wear the locks up when you want to wear "lint breeding" sweaters or fabrics. Now that the chilly temps are back, I couldn't avoid my sweater any longer. Putting my locks up in the back was perfect. I can have my sweater...and wear it too!

Addendum - 11/28/2006
locizm said...
my locs are not long enough yet but thanks for re-posting the suggestions on how to stay away from lint. Oh, and I must say your sl's rock!

When I saw this comment, I knew that it is worth an addendum. As I continue on my loc stalking, I'm starting to see soooo many ladies start with their TWA's and I just feel so proud of you all : ) So for the record: your locks are never too short to attract lint build up. Actually Locizm, my locks were about the same length as yours are now when I got my lint episode.

It doesn't matter what your length is or what your hair texture is - nobody is immune. Just stay proactively attentive, and you'll be just fine!

More Buddies in the Flesh

2006-11-13T20:04:00.000-05:00

When Paulette told me she was having a second Sisterlock Meet & Greet, I told her I had to invite my blog buddies in the area. I was doing cartwheels when both Ree-C and Tnappykinky said they could attend. Once again, I was feeling like Miss Celie--reunited with my long lost sisters. Ree-C is so pretty and sweet beyond words. Tnappykinky is so lovely and full of so much energy. She had everybody rolling on the floor laughing. Thanks again ladies. It was my pleasure to meet you both! Additional pics in my Fotki album as well.

I Had a Ball Yall

2006-11-13T19:44:00.000-05:00

Whenever I get the opportunity to fellowship with other Sisterlocked ladies and friends, it is a real special treat. Paulette hosted her 2nd Sisterlock Meet & Greet and I had such a wonderful time. Thanks Paulette!

Making Some Adjustments

2006-10-30T17:56:00.000-05:00

Almost fifteen months into my journey, it is about that time for me to make some adjustments. Although I have no slippage issues and the shaft of my locks are encasing pretty good, my ends aren't sealed enough to my satisfaction.
So here's my plan of action:
-Shampoos are to be spread out 2.5 to 3 weeks instead of 7-10 days.
-Use a shampoo mixture of both the Sisterlock Aloe and Green tea shampoos diluted with water of course.
-After about a week and a half after shampooing, use a cotton swab to clean my scalp with my tonic for dandruff recipe.
-Hold off on using the SL Reconstructor for the next few months.
-Continue to use Carol's Daughter Khoret Amen Leave-in conditioner diluted with water once every two weeks. I love that it gives my hair a non-oily sheen and does not prevent my ends from sealing.
-Because I am going longer between shampoos, I may have to start spritzing with the SL Moisture treatment. I use 90% water, 10% solution. But I don't see a need for any more than once every few weeks, if that. I rarely spritz now.
-I'm bracing myself for a grooming in April. I've already discussed with Paulette that it is strictly for trimming the fuzzy hair among the lock shaft. No fatty or unruly ends are to be messed with. We are in agreement.

So this is my plan. As long as I can stick with it, I'm anxious to see my progress in the next 6-8 months. Wish me luck.

14 Month Progress Report

2006-10-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

My locks are 14 months old and since I am freshly retightened today, what a perfect time for an apples to apples progress report. I'm so thankful to everyone who blogs and shares their journeys because it no doubt gives me something to look forward to. But also makes a sista filled with an abundance of lock envy. This comparison keeps me grounded and helps me to see where I came from. So given the length I started with, the many many photos I've stalked, I am right on track. Despite having a new appreciation for the word patience, I certainly do love my Sisterlocks!

Workplace Diversity

2006-10-15T17:48:00.000-04:00

I am so happy to write that at my job there are a few other ladies sporting natural hairdos. Since all of us happen to work on the same floor in the same building, I absolutely love the naptural diversity. What a statement we make and I love it!!

Charity's Big Fro

Sonya's Lil Fro

Bridgette's Traditional Locks

Somebody Caruso'd Her Hair

2006-10-09T19:53:00.000-04:00

Yep ladies. A few weeks ago I bought a caruso set and decided to make a debut while having lunch with Linda yesterday. The gadget was way more easier to use than I was expecting. Since it was my first time, I dedicated an hour to get my curls. Unfortunately, I needed more time. But I didn't want to be late meeting Linda so I had to leave a small corner near the top unrolled. Plus I was getting very frustrated that it was taking me so long. I said screw whether this is healthy for my locks everyday...ain't no way in the world I'm going to dedicate an hour to curling my hair everyday. I figure if I had more small rollers, that might shave off 20 minutes or so. But even 30-45 minutes daily is too much maintenance for me. Two minutes a day has spoiled me rotten! Despite my griping, I did enjoy the bumped look very much. But I'll definitely need some curls that will be able to go the distance. Soft Spikes here I come...............................

Before

After

Lunch with Linda

2006-10-08T19:03:00.000-04:00

Today was such a beautiful day here in Cleveland. An Absolutely perfect day for a lunch outing. Fellow blogger Linda and myself met at the Cheesecake Factory. DFW ladies, talk about a coincidence. I was about to fall out of my chair when I saw you all's invitation. So I guess when you visit somebody's blog everyday you must start to think like them.

Of course Linda and I immediately recognized each other in the waiting area. We talked while we waited for our table. We talked when we sat down. Took some photos and talked. We ate and talked. We talked and talked and talked. Nothing like being in the presence of good company and a genuine good spirit. Linda and her Sisterlocks are so pretty. I had such a good time meeting with her. We definitely have to do it again. Perhaps more ladies will be able to join us next time.

The Renee

2006-09-30T21:28:00.000-04:00

Again, not in the mood for freestyle. I do that all week for work. I needed an updo. Chic, but not necessarily fancy. I tried a black headband I bought from Target six months ago. Back then, I didn't think my locks were long enough for it because it made me look crazy. Today, the headband gave me what I call the "wild child" look. I was sooo in the mood to work this look today. But something was still missing from the look. I needed more uumphf. Why not go for a hair tie? So I traded the headband for the Renee and voila! A little wild, unique, and chic. I absolutely love it.

I'm About to Pass Out

2006-09-27T19:22:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy I stumbled on Sunsail's blog and took a minute to browse around. Her blog has a link to Renaissance Hairtopia in Brooklyn, New York. The styles on this site are so drop dead gorgeous I'm about to pass out. Now this is why I'm always moaning and groaning about wishing I had more length. I am beyond inspired. I hope you all are too. Thanks for sharing!

Excuse me, Are those Sisterlocks?

2006-09-25T18:59:00.000-04:00

Why yes they are!!! I was waiting in the customer service line at Sam's Club yesterday and a lady walked up to me. She asked if I had Sisterlocks. Inside I was doing cartwheels. I guess there really is an extra sense of elation when strangers recognize that they are Sisterlocks. And please don't misunderstand me. When folks tell me I have nice dreads or locks, I'm very modest and thankful. I don't by any means feel the need to correct them to being Sisterlocks or go off on some Sisterlocks rampage. But I coudn't help feeling overjoyed.

Photo Disclaimer: It's from when my locks were seven months. The digi needs a new battery.

Breaking up the Boredom

2006-09-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

Don't get me wrong. I love my freestyle. But it gets a bit boring for me sometime. That's why I crave for longer hair so I will have more styling options. So today I was off to the salon. My hair is long enough for me to experiment with a braidout or caruso set. But if I don't get over my laziness, God only knows when I'll be wearing them.

Ode to the Original Rastas

2006-09-08T18:02:00.000-04:00

I browsed through Tai's photos from his trip to New York via Brunsli's blog and I felt extremely proud for two reasons. For one, I was definitely in touch with the Ode to the OR's (Original Rastas) which made me very aware of the evolution that has taken place within the dreadlock circle. One one side of the spectrum, you have the organic locks that require no extra manipulation to the other end of the spectrum with the manicured locks, locks that are meticulously crafted to be very neat and precise. My conclusion is that up until the manicured came along, most folks are probably somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. But whatever one's style or preference, how could he or she have got there without the organics paving the way? Without Bob Marley paving the way??? So that's one major point I took away after looking at the slide show.

The other is, I'm apart of the new evolution to manicured locks. I absolutely love my locks and I wear them ever so proudly everyday. I don't regret a damn thing about my Sisterlocks decision. So for any OR's who think that these aren't real locks or not truly representing, that's a crock of you know what. I think of it as an evolution that was bound to naturally take place based on cultural and market demands. Manicured locks represent a niche that was just waiting to be tapped! Manicured is to dreadlocks what Hip-hop is to music ---> not going anywhere. I am so proud to be right in the heart of this upswing take off. Perhaps in ten years I'll be in somebody's slideshow with admirers from afar.

My Latest Hair Accessory

2006-08-13T18:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I made a very fun, rewarding and impromptu trip to Paramount's King's Island near Cincinnati, Ohio with my cousin and her son. So for $5 and a guess of October instead of April for my birthday month, I've got a new fashion hat. I think little bit of couture every now and then is good for the locks.

And one more thing, thank goodness I no longer have to be afraid of the water rides when I go to amusement parks. My cousin wouldn't stop about how she just couldn't get her hair wet and yadda yadda yadda. The more she ranted about this through out the day, the more I said to myself, "Thank goodness that's a ship I'm no longer sailing."

Me and the Toni

2006-08-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

Hooray. My hair ties from Brunsli arrived today. They are soooo pretty. I love them. I was definitely afraid that the hair ties would be out of my league because of my short length. But not so with the mini and super lightweight Toni. With the blazing summer temperatures we are having right now, the timing is perfect. Brunsli, thank you thank you thank you!!! I love you and your creative talents my sista. Otherwise, me and anybody's ponytail would be many many months away. Although I am usually drawn to more flash and pizazz, you can now consider me a fan of Toni's simple simplicity.

Finally Retightened

2006-07-29T14:30:00.000-04:00

Whew! After an eight week stretch, I am finally glad to have my roots tightened. Thus far, this is the longest I've waited and not by choice. I got a referral from a fellow Clevelander on LockitUp. In June, I scheduled my appointment a few weeks in advance. But when it came time for my appointment, the consultant had to reschedule because of a death in the family and some other personal reasons. I didn't want to bother resheduling for a 3rd time. I really sensed that this consultant is going through some personal matters right now and not really able to take on new clients at the moment. Hopefully things will work out for her. But in the meantime, I can't stand being this vulnerable, especially now that I am truly truly in love with my hair. So what is a girl to do? Join the DIY club. Paulette told me she's going to be giving training classes very soon so I'm looking forward to taking the class within the next few months.

Before Sisterlocks

2006-07-23T18:29:00.000-04:00

This photo was taken in July of 2004, about 1 year prior to my mother and I getting our Sisterlocks. It was my mom's birthday and I figured taking her on a dinner cruise onboard the Nautica Queen would be something fun and different. We had a good time and enjoyed the ride very much.

Where is the Customer Service

2006-07-22T15:14:00.000-04:00

My second Sisterlocks magazine arrived last week and of course I was very pleased with it. Unfortunately, I cannot say I was happy with the amount of time it took to arrive, especially since I paid for an annual subscription in January for February. After perusing the responses on LockitUp, it turns out I was not the only one to receive my magazine late. In fact, some folks who also paid for an annual subscription were still waiting for their magazine to arrive. To add insult to injury, some people who had just ordered the 2nd magazine within the past two weeks were getting their magazines before the prepaid folks. This is no way to do business and maintain a faithful customer base.

Even if there was a problem with getting the magazines out on time, the very least Dr. Jo et al could do was use their database software to query out the prepaid folks and make sure their magazines got sent out as soon as the shipment arrived.

CycleBeads

2006-07-19T20:18:00.000-04:00

Here is one of my natural product finds I thought would be good to pass along. CycleBeads are an innovation in family planning. They are easy to use, highly effective, inexpensive, cause no side effects, and can be used to either plan or prevent pregnancy.

Summer Heat

2006-07-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

The summer temperatures this past week have been terrible. Ninety-plus degrees. It was three digits in some cities so I probably can't complain too much. But in Cleveland, 90+ degrees don't happen that often and when they do, oh how miserable. At least for me anyway. I'll take mid-seventies any day of the week. So how did my locs fair in all this heat? I did make a couple of adjustments. For one, I did not bother to wrap my hair up at night. I was actually pleased with the more fluffed out look compared to the ultra smashed look from having it covered. Second, I didn't care to have my hair on my face in this heat wave so I finger combed my front locks going to the back. I like the look and I think it gives me a pseudo caruso curled look. Other than a little sweaty, my locs and I are making it through the heat quite well.

Small World

2006-07-04T11:10:00.000-04:00

I know it is a cliche but when folks say "It's a small world" they are not kidding.

My mother and I got to meet Detra's mom Carnella at Sunday's dinner. Carnella lived in Cleveland initially but moved to Columbus when Detra was a little girl. Carnella told us about two of her first cousins Bobby and Percy Womack. Well Percy was a bus driver for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and guess what...so is my mom. It just so happens that my mother knew Percy and even told us a story about the time she was about to be late for work and Percy gave her the keys to his Cadillac so she would make it on time. Sadly, Percy is now passed and he was Carnella's favorite cousin. Whew, talk about a tear jerker moment.

People come in and out of our lives for many reasons. I've learned to cherish these reasons for both the good and the bad.

I don't know if it's just me or not, but I swear Detra's mom reminds me of Alice Walker. Or maybe I still have too much Color Purple on the brain.

Dinner in Columbus, OH

2006-07-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

On Sunday night, the three C's of Ohio (Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati) got together and had a ball! We ate dinner at the Brownstone on Main restaurant located in downtown Columbus. The atmosphere was very chic and trendy with a bit of soul added. Our waiter delivered fantastic service and the food was quite tasty.

When Virginia, my mother (Rose) and myself arrived at the restaurant, Connie was already in the lobby waiting. Connie drove from Cincinnati. Her three year old locks are simply breathtaking and she is such a warm and kind spirit. I am so delighted she joined us.
Columbus native Cne arrived next. Her 13 month locks are just too cute.
Can you believe she's about to be a grandmother? She practically looks like a teenager herself.

And last I got to meet another one of my fellow Blog Queens in the flesh...Detra. It was Detra who inquired about a Columbus gathering on LockItUp since she was home visiting from Dallas. Thank goodness she did. I enjoyed meeting her and her mom Carnella very much.

Updo For The Weekend

2006-07-02T10:11:00.000-04:00

I got my hair styled in this updo on Saturday by my lovely stylist Andreda Forte. I feel like Miss America. What makes it even more special for me is sporting the beautiful jewels that LaChanda got and brought to me in New York. But now I'm spoiled and I want more of them. Fortunately, a different stylist in the beauty salon recommended a local beautique for me to try.

I love updo styles and I feel I look better in short styles and updos anyway. I guess I always have. So more length equals more creativity. Creativity by somebody else that is. I have made a promise to myself to do my own braidouts and some roller sets when the time is right. Might even experiment from time to time. But overall, I love the magic hands of somebody else giving me that million dollar hairstyle that I know I wouldn't be able to achieve on my own. Just like the Loreal folks say, "I'm worth it!"

Val & Nadine Merchandise

2006-06-24T10:16:00.000-04:00

The very first time I saw the Val & Nadine comic strip, I was beyond impressed. Me being quite the product junkie I am, I just had to have some of the merchandise. I ordered a tee shirt and two coffee mugs. It was nothing short of an impeccable buying experience. Cafepress.com was very easy to navigate, offers excellent customer service, and good quality products. Ms. Diego2Memphis did her homework when she chose this vendor to distribute her goods and services. I am in awe of this kind of creativity, talent, and entrepreneurship.

Do I Look Like Me??

2006-06-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

After our initial afternoon stroll around Times Square, my mother's feet got the best of her because she thought a low heel would be sufficient enough for walking. Not so! So off we were on a mission to find my mother some comfortable walking shoes. She settled on a pair of plastic black clogs and claimed they did the trick. I was happy I didn't have to hear her complaining about her feet anymore.

During our shoe shopping mission, I get an offer to have my picture drawn for five bucks. For that price I couldn't pass it up. So I sit down and let my lady drawer go to work. Next thing I know, folks are stopping to take a peak and formed a small crowd. Now I'm wondering to myself, "What is this woman drawing of me?" To top it off, my mother bursts out laughing. I was really paronoid at that point. A lady watching the drawing assured me that I would be pleased. Well when I saw the finished drawing, I was very pleased indeed. Can you figure out what made my mother start laughing?

NY Sistah Love Gathering

2006-06-18T22:04:00.000-04:00

I went to New York over the weekend with the beautiful ladies of GRITS from Dallas. I was accompanied by my mother. I absolutely loved the Broadway Color Purple Musical and especially enjoyed meeting my fellow Sisterlock Divas live and in the flesh. It was simply marvelous.

2006-05-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

The other day I was back on Mia Simone's site going over some items I ordered but haven't received yet. Imagine my surprise when what did I see...my blog. I couldn't believe it. For a split second, I felt like a movie star. Oh yeah, from the looks of this photo, I think my hair is having a mini Brunsli phase. But since I love volume, bring it on!

Hair Clips Anyone

2006-04-29T10:07:00.000-04:00

A little bit of length feels oh so good. So I bought some hair clips and a few headbands to celebrate. I also ordered a bottle of Khoret Amen Herbal Shampoo with Sea Moss by Carols Daughter. I'm hoping it will help with the dryness. Otherwise, I'm still in love with my
locks. I can't think of any other hairstyle where the older it gets, the better it looks. Oh yeah, I'm getting very excited about the Color Purple trip.

Virginia - New SL Convert

2006-04-25T22:43:00.000-04:00

Hey folks. Virginia is my latest Sisterlock convert. She's been at the company I work at for about 6 years. She told me she was considering Sisterlocks a year ago but chickened out. Since Virginia was already half way over the fence, of course
I gave her that extra push into hair freedom that she needed. The rest is history now!

Evolution to Me Phase I

2006-04-09T12:54:00.000-04:00

31 this Year - Cheers to another Amazing Year in Lockdom

2006-04-09T11:43:00.000-04:00

My Birthday: April 22

You tend to be understated and under appreciated. You have a hidden force to do amazing things, doing them your own way. People may see you as strange and shy, but they know little. Your unconventional ways have more power than they (and even you) know.

Your strength: Standing up for what you know is true

Your weakness: You tend to be picky and rigid

Your power color: Silver

Your power symbol: Square

Your power month: April

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

7 Months Compared to 7 Days

2006-04-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

I just washed my hair tonight and I wanted to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. So it was time for a progress report. On the right, about 7 days of locks and on the left, 7 Months. I couldn't be more thrilled with the results so far. Gosh I love these locks!

B vs B Part II

2006-03-28T19:43:00.000-05:00

My BULLSHIT
Shrinkage, shrinkage and more shrinkage
Lint Patrol
People want to touch my hair
Locks matte together

My BENEFITS
No more relaxer and associated chemical burns
No globs of hair in the trash after I wash it
No need to use a comb
No more breaking combs
Hair can grow to my waistline or ankles if I choose
Compliments on my hair in its natural state
I LOVE MY HAIR
No crooks in my neck trying to keep up a hairstyle
People are fascinated with my hair
Sisterlock hair buddies
Hats aren’t just for bad hair days
In fact, no more bad hair days
Freestyle looks good in sun, wind, rain and snow
Oh yeah, I LOVE MY HAIR

I suspect everyone's list would slightly differ. But hopefully the benefits outweigh the bullshit.

Bullshit vs Benefits

2006-03-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

Fellow Sisterlocker Pnk-e caused quite a response when she made the post on LockItUp that she has been locked for 2 years and is still extremely dissatisfied with her hair. The responses came pouring in one after another with suggestions that included:

Trying new products
Finding a new salon
Retightening/Styling her own hair
Cutting her locks off
Starting a Blog

I just want to know where does such extreme dissatisfaction come from? I guess an individual would have to answer this question for him or herself. But I have some theories one should consider before, during and after locking to help alleviate some of the dissatisfaction.

Mental Preparation – The decision to go natural or wear locks has to be a decision you are making for yourself. At the end of the day and you look in the mirror, you have to be happy with you. Usually the number one force of outside negativity comes from family and friends. Once you’ve got your mental armour all set to deal with them, putting Joe Blow and Suzy Q from the street in their place becomes a piece of cake. Sometimes family and friends come around and be supportive and sometimes they don’t. But if you don’t have the inner strength to deal with criticism and negativity from the decision to lock…then you probably shouldn’t lock.

Realistic Expectations – Locks are not a zero, hassle and maintenance free hairstyle. This realization alone is half the battle when it comes to locking. In fact, they take a hell of a lot of patience and for some, more work than the perm. You have to weigh the pros and cons of locks in comparison to other hairstyles. You have to know what it is you intend to get out of locking and how that relates to your hair texture and density.

Research, Research, Research – Talk to other lockers, look over websites and blogs, read books and magazines, join a chat group.

Flexibility and Patience – Unless you take the sew in route, beautiful locks don’t happen overnight. It’s a long journey with some good days and some bad days. If the above three items have been done, the good days should outnumber the bad days. The benefits should ALWAYS outweigh the bullshit. Otherwise, why bother?

Twists - My first hairstyle

2006-03-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

Since I am several months away from braidouts, spike curler sets and fancy updos - I will take what I can get. While flat twists are nothing new, it didn't occur to me to try them as a loc hairstyle until I saw pictures of Charm sporting her twists. Toss in some loc jewelery and voila. I love it, love it, love it. Since I'm not the DIY type, I went to my most recent hair stylist I had during the last of the perm era. She got to know first hand about my hair woes and was extremely supportive and encouraging with my decision to lock. In one hour, my hair was washed, styled and set under the dryer. Since I budgeted 2 hours, that left plenty of time for photo taking and an eyebrow touch-up.

A Sisterlocks Love

2006-03-09T19:46:00.000-05:00

A Sisterlocks Love by Soft Spoken

I think I’m having a love affair
With these gorgeous Sisterlocks in my hair
I ease them down on my pillow at night
And let them glisten from the moonlight
I awake in the morning to caress them gently
While the Sunshine showers them oh so plenty
I run my fingers through their vines so fine
Knowing that their beauty is mine all mine
Loving them true and nurturing their need
So that they can continue to spiritually feed
My heart, my body, my soul and my mind
Knowing a truer love I will never find
I think I’m having a love affair
With these gorgeous Sisterlocks in my hair

While surfing the net the other night in an attempt to quench my insatiable knowledge of Sisterlocks, I stumbled upon this beautiful poem. I love it when people have that gift to communicate exactly what you are feeling. Feel free to check out Femme Horizon for other beautiful works of art.

Mia Simone Hair Jewelry

2006-03-02T19:16:00.000-05:00

Starting with a TWA (teeny weeny afro) definitely has its pluses and minuses. On one hand, you get to experience your locking journey at various lengths which is quite exciting. But in the meantime, it gets very boring waiting for your hair to grow. As a way to spice up my hair a bit, I ordered some hair jewelry from Mia Simone's Boutique. I ordered 3 pairs of jewelry and I get compliments each time I wear them.

My order arrived within a week and I was pleasantly surprised I got some free gifts as well. The gifts included a small box to keep the jewelry in and a courtesy copy of Naturally You! magazine. Now that's service! Thank you so much Mia. I love the jewelry.

2006-02-25T20:20:00.000-05:00

Sisterlocked Almost Seven Months

Slowly but surely I'm starting to appreciate all steps of my journey regardless of how insignificant. The first two months, I hated how my hair looked wet due to the porcupine look. Now, I love how my hair looks wet and I can actually shake it from side to side. I learned from other lockers how the weight of the water shows more length. I'm getting use to my locks framing my face more. As far as the shrinking, I don't think I will ever get use to that. No braiding, no banding, no slippage. But I do separate my locks pretty much daily. Oh well, you can't have it all. Oh I really love my hair!!!!

Eyebrows Arched

2006-02-23T19:11:00.000-05:00

My retight is on Saturday so I wanted to make sure I got my eyebrows arched before my appointment. I never knew how much an eyebrow arch could add so much to enhance the facial features. I go to Chris, owner of Untouchable Barbers. He really does a fabulous job. Chris is the one who introduced me to having my eyebrows done when he use to cut my hair for me back in '98. I've been so grateful ever since. Thank you Chris!

New Digital: More Photos

2006-02-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

Well I finally have a new digital camera. Even though my hair is still wet from my washing and conditioning, I didn't let that stop me from going out to have a few drinks and take these photos.

Wash Regimen

2006-02-15T22:26:00.000-05:00

Just like everyone else, I've settled in with washings every 7-10 days. Right now I'm using the Sisterlock family of hair products. At first I would wash with the Sisterlock Green Tea Botanical Shampoo and then a second time with the SL lock starter shampoo. Lately, I'm trying to wash with just the starter shampoo only. But I miss that tingling feeling on my scalp from the Green Tea. In addition, I use the Tonic for Dandruff recipe from LockItUp to help with the itching and flaking.

As I inspected my locks a few weeks ago, I was so overjoyed that I didn't see any split ends!! It's been over eight months since I've had a deep condition treatment and now 7 months into my journey, I feel I am long overdue. I chose to go with the Sisterlock Reconstructor. I probably won't be doing another conditioning treatment for about another 6 months. I believe in moderation.

One more note, I emailed Vickey a few months ago and she told me about mixing one tablespoon of the SL Moisturizer spray with 8 oz of water. I'm now ready to try the concoction for those midweek refresher treatments.

Despite the shrinking, I can now see some noticeable growth. Yeah baby!

Two Friends (Fwd from my Friend)

2006-02-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped in the face got stuck in the mire and started drowning. But the friend saved him after he recovered from the near drowning. He wrote on a stone: Today my best friend saved my life.

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on a stone, why?” The other friend replied, “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it way. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

TAKE THE TIME TO LIVE! DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE!

MOM, MY FRIENDS, MY SISTERLOCK BUDDIES – I LOVE YA!!!!!

I Give Thanks

2006-02-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

The Lord has truly been good to me and I am so thankful for it. In September, about a month after getting my Sisterlocks, I walked off of my job of 6 years. Call me crazy..I know. A month before that, my 3 year relationship ended. But everything does happen for a reason I believe. While no longer having a job and a man, I certainly had the utmost love and support from my family and friends. For this, I give thanks. To my new Sisterlock family who give such wonderful words of encouragement, advice and inspiration...I thank you. I now have a new job to look forward to, as well as the many people who are coming in and out of my life. To God Almighty - I give Thanks!

Two Precious Locked Heads

2006-02-03T11:45:00.000-05:00

Last night I was out with a friend having some superb margaritas and appetizers at Lopez restaurant. I could not help but notice a locked head in front of me at a table over. When I saw the little one with the baby locks, I was swept away. A good blog opportunity was about to go to waste had it not been for my friend's camera phone. I boldly tapped on Nicki's shoulder and sparked up a conversation. She politely obliged my photograhing her and the little one's lovely locks. I find it is a lot easier to be so forthcoming with fellow locked heads. Very interesting indeed. Anyway, I think they are absolutely adorable.

Four Stages of Hairlocking

2006-01-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

I. PRE-LOCK PHASE

The hair is in thin, tightly coiled spirals. Its appearance is along the lines of either ringlets or Shirley Temple curls. This is the infancy stage (baby locks).

II. BUDDING PHASE

During this phase a small bud (like a pea in a pod) begins to emerge about three quarters down the lock. The matted, interlocking imprint begins at the bud and then expands like a bubble because it is beginning to loosely mat. It is an enlarged microcosm of a lock. At this stage the lock is no longer tight and thin. It is rebellious, has a mind of its own and is discovering its own way (teen locks). It acts like a teenager in a sense.

III. SHOOTING PHASE

After the budding phase, the entire lock begins the process of interlocking and matting. The direction is downward from the bud to the end of the hair and back upwards toward the scalp (similar to how some plants develop). The hair closest to the scalp is not locked; this is where you have new growth. During this phase, the hair increases in density because it begins to replicate itself like DNA. Your hair remains in this phase for the longest period of time (adult locks).

IV. CONTRACTING PHASE

This is the final stage in which the hair becomes mature adult locks: an airtight interlocked, spiraling, network system. The locks become consistent, tight and fairly solid at this point. It will probably be fairly long in length at this point, as the hair will grow extraordinarily once the spiral form has been established. (elder locks).

I saw this original post on Brothers Locked and it is extremely helpful in understanding the various stages of hair locking. It could be easy for a newcomer to get deceived into thinking you will get Sisterlocks and have instant locks. As you can see, the hair does go through various stages before reaching maturity. For those stopping by for research, I hope this helps. Special thanks to Ree-C for allowing me to use her as a model for the shooting phase. Dr. Jo, even though I didn't get your permission for the last photo, I hope you don't mind.

Going to NYC!!

2006-01-17T18:32:00.000-05:00

Oh my, it is official! I purchased Color Purple tickets today for my mother and I. I haven’t vacationed in over 2 years and I am long overdue for a trip. Thank you LaChanda and the rest of the ladies who are coordinating this effort. I can’t wait to meet my fellow Sisterlocked ladies in person.

My Sisterlock Consultant

2006-01-07T20:23:00.000-05:00

Paulette, my Certified Sisterlocks Consultant is absolutely wonderful. After all, I do travel 3.5 hours for her to do my hair. If looks are deceiving, one would think she is sporting the creamy crack. Oh no, she's doing the old school press n curl natural. I don't have a problem with Paulette not having Sisterlocks. My priority was what kind of work would she do with my hair. I got the message very loud and clear. Feel free to visit Paulette's Locks4Life website if you are in need of a consultant in the Detroit area.

5 Months - Freshly Tightened

2006-01-07T20:04:00.000-05:00

5 Months Locked

2006-01-07T19:54:00.000-05:00

I'm now 5 months locked and freshly tightened today. The journey is going great. I have my likes and dislikes just like everyone else. Nobody promised it would be a perfect ride!!

Office Christmas Outing

2005-12-15T19:32:00.000-05:00

My boss took our department to Pickwick & Frolic and Hilarities Comedy Club for the Christmas outing. I had a marvelous time. Dave Coulier, who was Joey on Full House was the feature act. Leighann told me she's done a performance here as well. I hope she comes back soon. I would love to see her in person.

3 Month Milestone

2005-11-20T15:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got my second retightening. This is now 3 months locked for me. Being locked is going far betther than I ever could have imagined. All I have to do is wrap a scarf on my head at night, fluff it in the morning and go. When I wash my hair, I don't even bother with braiding or banding. My goodnapps don't unravel at all. I've developed a love affair with my hair I never knew existed. My consultant told me she actually enjoys doing my hair over some of her other customers. That's the FIRST TIME I've ever had somebody tell me that! Thank you so much for Sisterlocks Dr. Jo!

THE POWERFUL SISTER

2005-10-15T18:40:00.000-04:00

THE POWERFUL SISTER, by a Brotha Man

Times certainly have brought about a change
And to a few it might seem strange
Black women are soaring with ambition
No more barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen
And she’s not slaving like an ox
Have you seen her image on the pancake box?
Ha!
Purse full of credit cards, fancy car
And the girl ain’t even a movie star

Not long ago, I was on the bus
Eating fried chicken from “The Colonel”
Looking at a girlie magazine and full of lust
Sitting next to a sister reading a “Wall Street Journal”

I said, “Pardon me baby, where are you on your way?
I would like to know your name if that’s okay
Your perfume I surely adore-
I believe we met somewhere before!”

She says, I’m on my way downtown to City Hall
I must chair a council meeting and that’s not all
Then I’m off to the United Nations-
To advise on a classified situation

Sorry, but I fail to remember you-
Were you ever in Sudan or Istanbul?
Or perhaps it was Rome, England, or by chance-
It was Chad, Morocco or Paris, France

You see, I’m multi-lingual and travel a lot-
And the universe is my melting pot
But, once a month I take the bus-
Just my way of staying in touch
Nefertiti is my name,
and universal peace is my game

I attended Benedict College in South Carolina and
earned MY Bachelor Degree
Then I went to Fisk and received MY Masters in
Nashville, Tennessee
At Howard University in Washington, D.C.-
That’s where I earned MY Ph.D

I have offices in Dallas, Chicago, and Mexicana-
A penthouse in New York and a home in Atlanta
I play the harp-And pilot a jet-
Now tell me brother, where do you think we met?”

I rung the bell-Got up and left-
Aunt Jemima done got besides herself!

Tonic for Dandruff

2005-10-01T16:33:00.000-04:00

That's it. I could not take the itching and dandruff anymore. I knew that oils are a no no. So for the first month or so after washing, I would do an apple cider vinegar soak for 30 minutes and then rinse it all out. I could tell it was helping, but the stinging on my scalp was insane. Finally, I went to the recipe page on Loc It Up and found a recipe I absolutely love. Because I'm still in the early stages of locing, I only use the tonic once or twice per retightening session. I get my hair tightened every 7-8 weeks. The tonic smells wonderful, softens my locs, and the itching and dandruff is diminishing.

Tonic for Dandruff

Essential oils can be used in a base of distilled water to
provide a hair tonic for various uses. Here is a tonic that
will help control dandruff if used several times a week.
You will need:

1 1/2 cups distilled water (or rosewater)
Witch hazel (available at most drugstores)
3 teaspoons of cider vinegar
Oil of Lavender
Oil of Rosemary
Oil of Tea Tree

Mix the water, 1/4 cup of the witch hazel, the cider
vinegar, six drops each of the lavender and rosemary oils,
and three drops of the tea tree oil in a glass bottle.
Shake this well and apply it to your wet or dry hair
several times a week. Massage the tonic into your scalp.
You do not have to rinse your hair afterward.

Day One Locks

2005-08-15T19:21:00.000-04:00

Hooray hooray!! Today I got my Sisterlocks. It was a 12 hour session in one sitting. I cannot be more excited. No more chemical burns, no more hair falling out in droves. I’m on my way to great hair freedom. Finally, it feels really good to be a nappy head or should I say..tightly coiled.

Consultation #2

2005-07-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

Well I’m on a new mission to find somebody to do my Sisterlocks. But so far no luck. Even my mother has joined the search party for me. She talked to a co-worker of hers who said she would do them for $40 or something like that. Thanks but no thanks! I told my mother she obviously has no idea what Sisterlocks involve to quote a ridiculous price like that and this is not the time for me to be a guinea pig. So I did another search on Google and came across a particular ad for Locks4Life. I clicked on the site and I was pretty impressed. The consultant had several photos of her clients. Her mission to showcase the meticulousness of her parting was stunning! I was sold. My gut told me I just found my hair savior. Oh, there’s one catch…she’s in Detroit. But her pricing couldn’t be beat. Hell, the price of my lock install and travel expenses was still way under $450. I made the call, scheduled my appointment and the rest is history.

Almost Sisterlocks

2005-07-22T18:55:00.000-04:00

I took a half day off at work for my Sisterlocks installation. I was so excited that today was going to be the big day. Unfortunately, I was running a bit late leaving work and I had to stop at the bank first to get the money for my hair. Because I was running late, I locked my car keys inside of the car trying to hurry up. I didn’t realize this until after I made my withdrawal and was unable to find my car keys before leaving the bank. When I got to my car, sure enough, the keys were still in the ignition. Well I was really going to be late for my Sisterlock appointment now. So I called my consultant to let her know I was going to be late. She tells me that she is in the middle of installing somebody else’s locks and she would not be able to get to me until the next day. I couldn’t believe it. I made my appointment with her 2 weeks ago, took some time off work, and now locked my keys inside my car trying to make the appointment. Out of desperation I guess, I agreed to be postponed until the next day. Since my mother has my spare car key, I called her so she could bring it to the bank. Thank God she was at home. She’s been doing a lot of college preparation shopping for my sister.

So while I had to wait for my mother, the sun was really beating down on me. The more I waited in that hot sun, the madder I got about this entire situation. That consultant gave away my appointment. She tried to explain that she tried to call me earlier in the week but wrote down the wrong number. She was charging me $450 for 2 inches of hair and bumps my appointment!!! Enough is enough. At that moment, I decided I was not going to have her do my hair the next day. Desperate or not, this was too unprofessional for me. What goes around comes around – I didn’t even bother with a cancellation call.

PS – the next day she left me a message in the morning. She was running late for the appointment. God Help Me!

Consultation #1

2005-07-13T18:53:00.000-04:00

I searched for a certified consultant in Cleveland on the official Sisterlocks site, but the only one listed said she wasn’t taking any new clients. What a bummer. Then I looked over the trainee page and wrote down a few names. I left a few messages but I didn’t get any responses. I made another call to a consultant and got a live voice. I asked various questions and she seemed pretty informative. We set a meeting date for a formal consultation a few days later.

I showed up for the consultation. She worked at a hair salon which I thought was cool. I was a bit uneasy about somebody working from out of his or her house. The salon was setup such that my consultant had a closed off room to do hair and be separated from the hating perm heads. Even though I thought $450 was a bit pricey for my hair length of 2-3 inches, I went on ahead and scheduled an official Sisterlock installation.

Research Begins

2005-06-08T18:51:00.000-04:00

I immediately went to Google and typed in “Sisterlocks.” I saw the link for the official Sisterlocks site. I clicked and could not believe what I saw. Creator of Sisterlocks, Dr. JoAnne Cornwell on the main page with locs almost down to her butt. I looked that site over from top to bottom. I must have clicked on just about everything there was to click on. I fell in love with all of the photos. I was shocked to see on the Q&A page, it actually said that the coarser the hair the better. I knew that without a shadow of a doubt, this is the answer to my hair problems I’ve been searching for!!!

Sisterlocks???

2005-06-05T18:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my sister’s high school graduation and her school had it at the Allen Theater to accommodate more people. Last year was truly a catastrophe. The gymnasium was too small to hold everyone who had waited for that precious moment to see their love one march across the stage. Combine that with the hot weather and the madness was inevitable. Thank God local media covered the story. I was horrified watching that on tv. I didn’t want to have to deal with that when it was time for my sister’s graduation. I know it’s selfish thinking but the Good Lord came through again when my sister told me her graduation would be held downtown instead of at the school.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and I am so proud of my sister. My mother worked really hard to make sure she would see graduation despite giving birth to my niece this past January.

Seating was on a first come first served basis and luckily my Godparents and I got some pretty good seats. While waiting for everyone to be seated and the ceremony to begin, this lady sat DIRECTLY in front of me. She had the most tiny and gorgeous locks I’ve ever seen!!! I was really in awe of her locks. I wondered who did them. Those are the locks I definitely want to have! While wallowing in amazement at her locks, I never did get the nerve to ask her questions about her hair.

I wonder if those are Sisterlocks. I didn’t know anything about Sisterlocks. About a year ago when I tried to kick the creamy crack habit but couldn’t, I came across a lady in my area who had a website about them. I didn’t take the concept serious and went back to my perm addiction. But seeing those tiny locks at my sister’s graduation has got me wondering…BIGTIME. I’ll have to get on the internet and see what I can find out.

Wig Time

2005-04-04T18:47:00.000-04:00

I’ve been without a perm for about four months now. I did the official and final big chop back in March. The perm was just too unbearable to manage anymore. It tangled up and broke off like crazy. There was a small patch near the left front side where all of the permed hair broke off down to the new growth. After I let my hairdresser cut my hair for the last time, I let her give me a quick weave. What the hell was I thinking!! All that glue on my hair was a disgusting mess to have to wash out. I wasn’t thrilled about the additional hair loss either. With the big chop I’m now down to an inch of hair so I need all of the hairs on my head.

What am I to do now? I never had any intentions of sporting my fro this time around. This is strictly a transitional phase until I take the big plunge with the locs. I’ve been doing some research on various loc methods, how to care for them, etc, etc. I’ve come to the conclusion my hair is way to short for me to do anything with locing right now. My intention at this time is to maintain them myself. So I’ve made the decision to sport a wig for the first time ever!

I called my best friend and asked her to go wig shopping with me. I already knew of a wig shop around the corner from me so I decided to make that my first stop. I tried on several wigs and they didn’t do much for me. As I kept looking around for more options, I found a cute, short, copper and dark brown flipped wig. After trying it on, it was the one for me. I paid for it and wore it out the store.

Hair Thing History

2005-03-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

Back in high school, one of my best friends was Jaymi. One day, Jaymi told me how her mother cut off all of her shoulder length hair and started locing her hair. I was so amazed and impressed by her mother's decision to do this, that I just knew one day when I grew up.... I wanted to do the exact same thing. Of course, I had no idea when that one day would be. So for the next 15 or so years, I did the perm, the braids, the weaves, etc, etc, etc. It was an ugly cycle that always ended up the same way. Grow hair -> Hair get weak -> Cut it off ->Grow hair ->Hair get weak -> Cut it off. I got so fed up that in 1998 at the tender age of 23, I cut off all of my near should length hair and sported a TWA (tweeny weeny afro). I felt it was time to give my hair a much needed break from the cycle. Life with my hair was great...... or so I thought. I found a good barber, dating was going waaaay better than expected, and no more relaxer burns!!! But there was something missing with this new hairdo. Excitement and variety. Watching everyone else sport their sassy new hairstyles became too much to bare. In 2000 for my 25th birthday, I returned to the hair crack. Now five years later, what did I have to show for it? Grow hair -> Hair get weak -> Cut it off.