3 Years Plus a Few Updates

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.