press play #2

I guess that I lied about being back. What’s the deal, right? Well…

1. Mini-me has been keeping me busy. This is tiring, at times, but good. The only thing that worries me is how this has become my life. He’ll be leaving in a month (to spend the summer in N.ew Or.leans) and I’m concerned that I’m going to be bored out of my mind. Sure, I’ll have more opportunities to catch Happy Hours, weekend DC trips, dinners with friends, clubbing (I said this one as if I actually miss it), or whatever it is that you do when you’re 31 y/o and are considered cool, etc. but I’m truly going to miss the noise in the house during those in-between times.

2. This SHOULD give me more time to blog. But, ya know, I don’t know if I necessarily need more TIME to blog. I need more MOTIVATION. I have had several topics to discuss, but by the time I sat down, the topic had gone past its expiration date. I’m a thinker. I can analyze every-damn-thing, but I can also get on my own nerves with all of that. I just want to live and let live.

3. So…I agreed to allow J to spend a week in Florida with his father. **Taking huge breath** I know that he needs that time, but it’s so hard to let go. We have tried to do this in the past and I have pumped the breaks for one reason or another. I guess that ya’ll will know how this turns out…look out for me on the news sometime in August if things go awry.

4. My company has completed some kind of acquisition/merger. There have been celebrations left and right. I’m not a business major or anything, but fast growth concerns me. With everything in my life, I value quality over quantity. I’m not certain that some of the recent decisions that have been made reflect the same value. There have also been some unofficial shifts in power on the lower level. I see a monster-in-the-making but I have a feeling that he might self-destruct before any damage is done. At any rate, I’ve spoken my peace and, prayerfully, I was heard. I was a little reluctant to do that considering…

5. It has been a year since I was laid off. We are truly blessed. Not only does God show up but He shows out! Is it pretty safe to say that I’m good on trials and I deserve to smooth-sail through the rest of my life??? I thinketh not. Unfortunately, I still have some scars…as can be noticed by my concerns in #4 and my mentioning in a previous “hair” blog that I’d rather just blend into the background sometimes. I get a lot of attention at work and every time someone compliments me, I start thinking about that a$$ from my last job that asked me to sit on his lap. I guess that I fear a line being crossed and wondering if there was something that I could've/should've done to stop it ahead of time.

6. The 2 worst things that I could’ve done was to (1) get a smartphone and (2) get a tv for my bedroom. Both are seemingly good ideas, but both have slowed my productivity considerably.

7. I found a note while I was cleaning that J wrote about "loving" some girl. My heart dropped to my knees. I am not ready for all of this. The child is 8 y/o. And what pisses me off is that this is on some Y & R type foolishness, at that. I tried to explain the difference between "like" and "love" but ole boy was adamant about "loving" her. Since he was so upset...that I even found the note, I let it go for the moment. Best believe, it's time for us to have a REALLY LONG talk but I'm looking for books and other visual aids...that sounds crazy, I know.

8. So it's spring/summer and more than just the flowers are in bloom. Weddings and engagements are popping up everywhere and well...it's putting me in a foul mood, lol. Heck, even J is certain about "loving" someone.

overheard

Coworker: "Hey, I suppose your wife, considering how long she's been hospitalized, may give birth on Saturday. So do you think (if she'll let you get away) that you can come in to work on Sunday to help me with this project?

**crickets**

curly girl wonder diaries - twist and shout

So, where do I start??? I believe that I am 10 and a half months into this natural journey. It has certainly been a roller coaster ride for me. I guess right now, I'm going "up" but there is still so much for me to figure out. With my schedule being the way that it is, there are things that I want to do but I just don't have time to do it. My regimen now is "get it in where I can fit it in."

As I blogged before, I rocked twists for about 5 weeks while I studied for my exam. Here's the Catch 22 about natural hair for me...I like wearing twists, but protective styles aren't considered to be as cute as wearing your hair out. I like wearing my hair out, but when I do, I have to moisturize twice as much. I am finding that I have more of a preference for fluffy, soft curls/frizz over defined curls. But I think the latter is more sought after b/c it looks more tamed.

Onto the "boring" styles:

So, I started out with these twists. I used Hell.o Hydra.tion as a leave in and sealed with coconut oil. I rolled these up so that I could have more fullness. I kept these in for 2 weeks.

Everyday, I would either pin them up, pin them back, or don a flower. I have learned that I could probably go to work looking as if I just rolled out of bed, but if I wear a flower, I'm bound to get a compliment.

I took these out and decided to do another set, which lasted for 3 weeks.

I wasn't intentionally trying to stretch these 3 weeks, but I refused to fuss over my hair during that last week. It takes me around 4 hours to do really small twists. The time actually flies by b/c I get up on Saturday mornings around 5:30 am/6 am to get started. I usually have somewhere to be by 9 or 10.



And then I took that test and got my life back...

But unfortunately, I was bored with the twists.

I took them out again and was left with...



I do not like the super-defined skinny twists...unless I can...

...get them out of my face.

Then, I decided to do bigger twists for a twist-out. I wasn't too fond of my first set, but I can't recall why. Anyway, I decided to wet my hair the next day...not necessarily a wash and go but more like a rinse and go.

I spritzed my hair with my oil mixture afterwards and that actually did wonders as far as liking the way that my hair felt. Plus, my curls felt very spring-y. I have to remember: water and oil.

And then after watching too many episodes of "G.ood Ti.mes", I decided that it was time for the "Flo 'fro".

I couldn't keep my hands out of my hair THAT day. I loved how it felt.

But I also love my puff, so...

Obviously, this is my favorite flower. I have 2 in heavy rotation and one that I can't seem to find. It's time for another trip to Micha.el's anyway. I find that what works best for me is to wet my hair the night before, gel it up with Eco Sty.ler, wrap it with a scarf to lay down the frizzies, and then put my stretch hair band on it the next morning. The band is not tight, so it looks like I pulled it tight but I'm not stressing my edges with the band.

I can't keep my hands out of my puff either.

I tried another "big" twist set.

Honestly, I was trying to do a totally different hairstyle, but another major "fail" on my part, so this was my Plan B.

Now, that it is a few days old...here comes the flower again...

At least, I switched sides, right?

I'm still on a quest to be more "girly", I suppose. But then again, I will probably never be into make-up outside of special events and heels aren't really my thing (although I wish they were). Now, that I can sport my tank tops and flip flops, I'm good. All of this fussin' over hair is something that I hope that I don't have to get used to.

Let's see...I'm still using Hell.o Hydrati.on, Y.es to Carr.ots and Y.es to Cucum.bers. I bought TIGI Moi.sture Mani.ac a while back, which is good for a leave-in, but not thick enough for me to co-wash with (maybe it would've worked better for me when I was relaxed). I tried some Hair Mayon.naise deep conditioner and...HATED IT! I should've known better since it had lanolin in it. It took me forever to wash it out and THEN it had nerve to have "parsley flakes" in it, which I was discovering in my hair for days. CRA-ZEE!

So, that's the scoop. I'm getting a lot of attention, but I can't say that I love it. Everyone likes compliments, including me, but sometimes I just want to blend in.