I apologize...

I just watched this and I just had to share because it was so captivating...



Until Next Time...

The Tallest Monument and my Meez

So the day of my class mixer in April. my mom and I visited the Arch; It was my first time ever seeing it. I didn't understand the big deal until I went, it was huge... I think that might be my favorite thing about the city, last weekend when we were driving downtown I was so happy to see it...lol...I know I'm a dork. lol. So while procrastinating I decided to update "my meez" Milani Nessa...and one of the options for a background was the Arch. I was sooo excited! So she is down there kickboxing with her Nike gear on... TOO CUTE! lol. Well thanks to Wikipedia...here is some information on the Arch...

The Gateway Arch, also known as the Gateway to the West, is an integral part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the iconic image of St. Louis, Missouri. It was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. It stands 630 feet (190 m) tall, and is 630 feet (190 m) wide at its base, making it the tallest monument in the United States.

Until Next Time...

Dropping some Knowledge...

I really like quotes (I always have), so here are some quotes that are at the bottom of my planner, I figured I will share them before I added some of them to my Quotable Quotes...

"A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory." -Arthur Golden

"Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure"- William Saroyan

"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded than the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Mahatma Gandhi

"It is very difficult ot live among people you love and hold back from offering them advice." - Anne Tyler

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." - Galileo Galilei

Oh yeah and one random thing, I recently scrolled down my blog and I realized that it seems like I have an abnormally long "Blogroll." I actually read all of those blogs and enjoy them. All you bloggers keep up the good work. If you are bored and you need something to do, check some of them out. Most of them, if not all, are way more structured than mine. :)

On another random note, make sure to check out "Milani Nessa (my meez)" [bottom right column.] I try to change her outfit/gestures from time to time. Random, but fun!

Sigh...I feel like I can finally take a deep breath and sit down. This week is finally over and I feel like I have been in school for a whole semester during finals time. Even though I am relaxing, I can't help but think about how much studying I have to do. It is sooo easy to get behind, and I'm trying not to. Today we visited the AOA (American Optometric Association), conveniently their headquarters are in Saint Louis so that is pretty cool. There were just a whole bunch of presentations...Some of them made me want to be an optometrist all over again. lol. The best part is they gave us nice parting gifts, and they gave us lots of random things, but I finally got another flash drive. I was happy for that because I needed another one. I have one reserved for pictures, the other one is all my important documents/files and now this one can be for my optometry lectures/class stuff. So I was pleased about that.

I just baked brownies...and they are yummy...especially with the milk I was just drank it with. I was going to add ice cream on top, but I figured that would be too much; I don't want all my hardwork in the gym to be in vain. So this is weird because I honestly just came on here to write these quotes and somehow this turned into a full out post. Oops...lol. I guess I just needed to get some things off my chest. Gosh I love blogging...Until Next Time...

Black Hair, Still Tangled in Politics

I should have been studying by now, but I just had to post this link. Catherine Saint Louis wrote a piece, "Black Hair, Still Tangled in Politics," it was featured in The New York times August 27th on page E1...

Here is the link...check it out!!

I think it is soo great/interesting that black women and their hair have been in the media lately. Maybe this is part of having a black president, first lady, and kids in the white house. I have seen a few "natural" women here in STL, but not many. In a weird kind of way, I am looking forward to seeing Chris Rock's documentary. So if you have any free time, check out the link. Very intriguing article! Anyways... off to study. Until Next Time..

A little bit of everything...(Buffet Style)

Hello There! So much has been going on this week... First, classes have officially started, and tomorrow it will be a week. woohoo! Hmm...what can I say about it. It's school, I just have a lot more classes and they are mostly science and so far we have covered a lot of information. Unlike undergrad, I have been studying EVERY single day for about ~4-5 hours...yeah.. I'm still trying to feel everything out, but it's definitely doable, I just have to keep my "Eyes on the Prize" (pun intended..lol.) So my first semester classes are as follows:

- Anatomy and Physiology of Disease Processes I w/ Lab
- Human Neuroanatomy w/ Lab
- Geometric Optics w/ Lab
- Biochemistry
- Epidemiology
- Intro to Optometry
- Scenario Based Discovery/Problem Based Learning

Honestly, I plan on making mostly A's...that might seem overly ambitious, but oh well...So far everything has been cool, my classmates are extra cool (much cooler than I expected)... :) Oh and STL isn't bad at all...I pretty much know where I want to live next year. Of course I haven't gone out as much as I would like, but I will in due time...

Right now I am having a feast for dinner (all left overs)...shrimp from my "all you can eat shrimp" at Red Lobster yesterday...lol, (I ate so much shrimp it was ridiculous), two bbq chicken wings from earlier in the week, some corn, spinach souffle, and a cheddar biscuit from Red Lobster...yumm...I have been on this pseudo diet for lunch which just comprises of salad and/or a sandwich... I'm trying not to eat too heavy for lunch so I don't get the -itis, when it is time to go back to class or study.

I'm not really missing home much, there are a few things here and there but nothing substantial. It doesn't help that my family calls me whenever they are hanging out...lol. But I'm fine..

I've been doing pretty good in terms of going to the gym on a regular basis, I'm proud of myself...I actually just got back not too long ago :) Even though the gym here really sucks and the machines seem like they are from the 70's...I seriously thought the ellipitical was going to break while I was on it...

Oh yeah this is random, but I was reading in the newspaper today that STL has the highest rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia per square mile (or something like that)...that was a little scary, but also funny. I thought of that today when I exchanged numbers with this random guy at the gym...he asked me why I was laughing and I just told him don't worry about it.

Hmm...speaking of that...It's weird that half of my classmates are married/engaged and the other half is in a serious relationship...so where does that leave me? Anyways...first a small disclaimer, and I guess this is a tad bit monumental for me, because I usually don't share my "personal" life with hardly anyone but I just wanted to share that I feel liberated about a certain situation. I decided to end this cat and mouse game that I have had with someone in particular. It was causing me more stress than it should have been, and I figured it's dragged on long enough and it doesn't help that I am all the way in STL...:sigh: New Beginnings... I was really vague about that whole thing, but oh well...I doubt if he will ever read it, cause ya know what...he never did read my blog even though I asked him to all the time. Just like my tattoo reminds me of everyday, "Take from the past what is good and bring it into the present in order to make a positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge." It's only fitting that I leave with some lyrics from DC3 ...lol. "Free"

Ain't no feeling like being free
When your mind's made up
And your hearts in the right place, yeah
Ain't no feeling like being free
When you've done all you could
But what's misunderstood
(It's all good, it's all good)
Ain't no feeling like being free
I'm like an eagle set free
And finally I'm looking out for me
Ain't no feeling like being free
Cause my mind's made up
And my heart is in the right place, yeah

Until Next Time...

Throw it In the Bag...

So unfortunately I am unable to just "throw it in the bag" because I'm living off loans right now. So I decided to create a new monthly budget...whew! That was a struggle, basically I'll be living on next to nothing. Besides rent, my second greatest expense is food of course. (I gotta eat and I [heart] food). But seriously having a monthly budget is essential, I don't know how people survive without one. I've had once since sophomore year of college. Sometimes I slack off, but for the most part I know how much money I have, can spend, and what I need to save. Which is why I was able to chillax this summer without a job. Sounds great right...it is. lol..

People need to get their financial situation in check, it's weird how every month some people complain about being broke and I'm thinking to myself what happened to that money from your check a couple weeks ago. Did you blow it all in one place and now you have no money? I just don't get it. Oh well...I will officially be broke for the next four years though. I pretty much can't have a job right now because if I didn't learn anything from orientation it's that you don't have time for a job (so I won't be having one this year). It's kind of weird though because I worked every year during college.

Oh well once I graduate from Opt school, I have the rest of my life to work. On another note, but still related I plan on retiring really EARLY, with lots and lots of cash and just picking up and moving to another country. I know that in order to make that happen, I have to have my finances in order so that is pretty much why I figured why not start now. So if you don't have a solid budget that you follow you need to make one ASAP. I'll attach a link to some budget templates. Of course you can always just google excel budget templates. But here it is,
Free Monthly Budget Spreadsheet, Free Personal Budget Spreadsheet
. Until Next Time...

Let Me Fill You In...

Hello There! These past few days I have been in Orientation...hmm what does that mean? Sitting through several lectures/presentations on what Opt school will be like and what not. It hasn't all been terribly boring, but it is was definitely hard to wake up. I have pretty much met most if not all of my classmates at this point. We have 44 people, yup! 44 people for 4 years it should be a fun/interesting journey. Did I mention that I am the only person from GA, honestly I'm pretty much the only person from the South... After orientation we have social events, which have been quite enjoyable. Last night we went Houlihans and we had a convo on whether people say Pop, Coke, or Soda; needless to say I am the ONLY person that says soda...weird! The faculty/admins keep describing our class as "full of personality;" we truly are. I actually really like it, there is so much intelligence and talent...It's nice. :) I will post the pics of our social events on FB sometime tomorrow. Anyways, all in all, I'm a feeling ready to start class on Monday. The anticipation/apprehension is killing me. aaahh.lol.

I have settled into STL quite well. I know how to get to basic places(QT, Mall, Target, Grocery Store) so I'm fine. People keep asking me how STL is and I keep saying it's "cool." lol. It's not too bad, I don't necessarily live in the best part of the city, but it's all good. I'll move on up next year. lol. This professional school thing is interesting, when I was on campus getting my id card and all that good stuff, a few people chatted with me and were disappointed to find out that I have already graduated from undergrad. It just feels pretty weird that in 4 years i'll be a Doctor of Optometry...woohoo!

I am not sure how frequent I'll be updating my blog because I doubt that you will find what I'm learning in classes to be that interesting and I am not sure how much time I will have. Hopefully I won't be a big stressed out wreck. lol. I'm just taking it one step at a time...Sorry this post isn't that interesting, more of an update. A lot of funny/cool stuff have happened, I am just a little tired. Oh yeah I'm not homesick yet...

Lastly, I just want to thank everyone that have been reading my blog so far. When I decided to start this blog at the beginning of the summer, I had no idea that I would have 60 posts and 10 followers (shout out to all my followers). I'll try and keep writing through it all, this outlet truly helps me more than you know. Until Next Time...

Round and Round we go...

So...I am in Starbucks right now and on the phone with the internet company...what the heck!?! So I guess I need to go ahead and recap the adventure. So my apartment doesn't have internet, and if we wanted to get it through the University it would be $200 per person, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. But in the meantime, the clubhouse of where I live said that you can use their wireless for free, which I did yesterday. Anyways so after ~ 20 mins several folks and I were in there trying to access the darn internet and then they tell us the internet is down...They should have said something a long time ago instead of watching us all struggle for the longest...

hold on....so I literally just got off the phone with these internet people and they are tell me to do the live chat, cause she can't help me. WTF! So what is the point of staying on hold so long when I should just do the live chat this is getting ridic...

So I leave my place and decide to find a Starbucks, which thanks to my handy dandy GPS was very easy, but I pulled up into the parking lot only to find it closed...womp womp. So I plug in my thingy, (I need to find a name for my GPS, it has saved me in the 3 days I have been in STL) and on the way to come to the second starbucks location, I saw a Krispy Kreme, I could NOT resist. And I tried to tell myself maybe they have wireless internet. I went inside with my computer and everything and the lady practically laughed at me...she was like nooo, since I was feeling down I decided to get a donut anyway.lol.

So I continue my journey to Starbucks and I get here and they like we kinda sorta have free internet, but you have to buy a $5 gift card...pooey! So I buy the card and a "Caramel Macchiato"( sp?), which was yummy!!! And now I'm quite jittery and sad, cause there is a 2 hour limit and I think it is ending...le sigh. Hopefully this post goes through. This not having internet thing is NOT the business. I'm just ready to have internet so I can stop complaining every sec. There is soo much I want/wanted to share, but no time. And before I know it school will have begun, dunh dunh dunnnnh!! Until Next Time...

I've Arrived...

So the move is pretty much complete. I'm in STL...after a 9 hour drive/10.5 hour journey I finally made it. I am nowhere done unpacking, but all my stuff is moved into my place so thats cool. The not so cool part is I don't have internet, and clearly I am addicted, so I generally feel behind on life. But that's ok...I'm at my parents hotel using their free wireless. le sigh...

I was hella antsy in the car, I drove the first half of the way which was cool even though I was running off on 2 hours of sleep, but after we ate, I got a serious case of the -itis, so I was glad my dad took over. I haven't really explored as much as I would like, just went to Walmart, which wasn't a Super Walmart...boo! So I then had to find a grocery store, so I went to "Shnuck's" (sp?), a weird name for a grocery store. Even though I am living off loans, I need to find a mall...like ASAP. I need to be around people...not the random ones walking on the side of the road...lol. Oh and I saw a billboard for Colt 45, I was like what the heck. Yeah...Oh and get this, I went to QuikTrip (so glad they have that) last night to get some gas....and NOTHING crazy happened. So surprised, I was a little nervous about that, cause generally I don't go to the gas station alone and at night...nuh uh...

I think once I see my parents drive away it will hit me that I'm all alone...oh well I'm a big girl now (not literally, but if I keep eating cookies, I may be). Can't really share anything exciting because there hasn't been anything too eventful. Oh it was a challenge to sleep in my little bed last night...I woke up and everything was on the floor, I couldn't sleep diagonally on the bed like I usually do...le sigh, but the serious water pressure in the shower made up for it. lol. Ok it doesn't make up for my small bed, but water pressure is a must...

I looked over my schedule for orientation which starts next week and I am starting to come to grips with this whole starting school thing again. Maybe I should find some pens or pencils or something. lol. I have sooo many pictures on my camera that I need to post on facebook, but the whole not having internet thing sucksss! I can't believe this. Gosh I'm so spoiled. Oh yeah, man for all you folks still at Emory appreciate it while you have it, cause once Commencement happens, the real world is right there waiting for you outside of the "Posh Emory Bubble." So all you soon to be juniors/seniors at Clairmont with your washer and dryer in your apartment and wireless internet...ugh I'm hating on you...Well that's all for now, Until Next Time...

Puff, Twists, Braids, Flat Twists, Afro, Twist Outs, etc.

So before I diverted off on a tangent on the last post I wanted to discuss my hair care routine...I figured maybe it can help someone newly natural. Honestly, it is trial and error, most people haven't really styled their natural hair because they have been infected with the perm virus for soo long (nothing against people who choose to relax (that was just me 2 years ago), but I'm not so thrilled about relaxers themselves...I have a lot to say about that, but that's a whole 'nother post). Anyways...I don't have a strict regimen like all the folks on those other natural hair care blogs, I just do it when I feel like. I will say during the school year, since I was in swim class twice a week, I washed my hair 2 times a week with conditioner and once with cond. and shampoo and it was thriving. Everyone talks about how chlorine breaks out your hair, but honestly I feel as though it strengthened my natural hair..weird..So this summer I have washed it either once a week or every two weeks. I would like to wash it more, but now that it is getting longer, its just more work. But in terms of a regimen the only thing I do consistently is I moisturize my hair every single day!


1A. Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme

I live by this product. It gives my hair so much moisture without being heavy or greasy. I tried to stop using it this summer cause it was soo darn expensive, but my hair loves it and it missed it (lol) so I resumed using it. And honestly the amount of money doesn't compare to getting perms every 6 weeks, so in essence it isn't that expensive. It also smells great, and a little goes a long way. At first the peppermint smell might be a little overwhelming, but you just get used to it. I know some folks opt for Baby Buttercreme, but it doesn't give me enough moisture and I don't like my hair smelling like ice cream and icing. So yeah this is my staple!

1b. Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter
So this is the product I bought this summer to try and substitute Miss Jessie's, yes it was cheaper but it doesn't compare AT ALL. First of all, I opened it and I smelled soooo bad! I can usually push past stuff like that, but it smells like straight wood, grinded up wood and leaves. It is so strong, whenever I use it my mom is like what is that smell. I have used it for many weeks and still haven't gotten used to the smell. Then it doesn't provide that much moisture and if I use too much it becomes greasy. Yeah not the business...Not impressed..I'm trying to finish it, but I'm having a hard time.


2A. Creme of Nature Detangling Conditioning Shampoo
So when I do shampoo my hair, this is what I have used. Honestly I ran out of it and I decided to switch to another shampoo, but this shampoo is much much better, so when my other shampoo is done I will switch back. It actually detangles my hair, which is major! It smells good and it's silky and it doesn't strip my hair of all of its natural oils. Def would recommend.






2b. Miss Jessie's Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo
So I came into some money this summer thanks to graduation..woohoo! I decided to try this shampoo out. It is alright, it doesn't work miracles. Honestly the Creme of Nature is better and 1/4 of the cost of this Shampoo. It did leave my hair feeling great, but I didn't feel like it got rid of buildup. I'm still trying to finish it so I can go back to Creme of Nature.




3A. Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner
Ok this conditioner does wonders to my hair. It smells good and leaves my hair feeling great. I don't have that much to say about it...lol. Sometimes I just wet my hair and put this in it and rinse out when I want my hair feeling soft before going out. And I use it mainly for a co-wash (conditioner wash). Great stuff!




3b. Miss Jessie's Creme de la Creme

So like I said above, I came into some money from graduation and I decided to splurge on this also. I think they just rebottled Hello Hydration because it gives me the same results. And like the shampoo situation this costs 4x more than Hello Hydration. I'm finishing this up now. It even smells the same and even has the same color...hmm...






4. My Magical Spritz Potion (Water, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Light Conditioner)

So it isn't really magical or a potion either, but I combined the above ingredients in a bottle, the light conditioner that I used for my current one was some samples of Pantene Pro-V that I got somewhere. It just helps keeps my hair moisturized. I didn't use any exact ratios I just poured and modified as I went. Like yesterday, I just added some more water to the mix. This is always very handy.


5. Water
So like I said earlier learning to care for natural hair is a journey and it takes a paradigm shift. One of the weirdest/ hardest adjustments for me, was how amazing water is for your hair and how it isn't something to be feared. Just a few spritz of water can help any style and give you extra moisture. I always have a spritz bottle filled with just water. Wonderful! And it is absolute must have!



So basically my products consist of Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme, Creme of Nature Detangling Shampoo, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner, Spritz Bottle with (Water, conditioner, Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and Spritz Bottle with just water. Very easy...Works for me. My hair isn't perfect...but I love it the way it is. *wink...Until Next Time...

Random Hair Narrative

So everywhere I turn I see another natural woman or someone who "professes" that they are transitioning or someone who is just thinking about it. It makes my heart smile. :) As most of you already know I'm moving in 2 days...woohoo! So I'm not going to lie, before I leave the house sometimes or when I just wake up, my hair might look crazy (don't get me wrong, I'm still sexy fine). Anyways...so my dad has been eyeing my hair a lot lately. He isn't entirely convinced about this natural thing (even though my mom is "natural" too, but her hair is wavy and curly and it lays down (unlike mine)).

So a couple days ago he approached me and was like are you going to get your hair done before you leave, and I just looked at him...I didn't know what to say. He was like is it because you don't have money, I was like nooo it's not that...So the next day he left me a lump sum of money to get my hair done. Which is sooo out of character for my dad, he never breaches the "beauty" wall in my home (I guess cause he has 3 daughters and a wife). And then he NEVER freely offers me money. lol. So now he has been asking me when I'm going to get my hair done, but I'm pretty sure he knows that I'm not going to. And when he means get my hair done, he wants me to straighten it. My hair hasn't been straight in 2+ years...so that's definitely going to happen and I don't feel like sitting down for some microbraids, so I'll just twist it up or something. I hate having super long posts, so I think I'm just going to post this and then make a new post on what I originally intended this one to be before I got off on a tangent...Until Next Time...

Took the "What's Your Real Age?" quiz and got "Five"!

Took the "What's Your Real Age?" quiz and got "Five"!

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So apparently I'm "five" years old, after answering five questions. Their explanation is because "You enjoy the simple things in life and love to have innocent fun."

That pretty much sounds like me. Until Next Time...

Too much the Same...

I think as a people we have soo much in common, but we spend too much time trying to figure out and highlight our differences...Often I feel as though the same people that say I am so different from them or in fact so much like me that it's kind of weird. I know in this specific case that we actually were Too Much the Same...Thanks Goapele for describing the situation perfectly.



Too Much the Same
Seeking a summertime love
Just kick it on the low
You know with a vibe and flow
But we didn't know
What the light of day would show
Or if it was meant to grow
How we'd feel within
What we

And why you kept that distance
Were your emotions
I was afraid of what i was feelin'
Afraid that you'd take my heart
And go steal it
My pride my soul
Now i know
Now i know

[chorus]
Cuz we were too much the same
I didn't know
Who to blame
Cuz i didn't wanna change

We were too much the same
I didn't know
Who to blame
Cuz you weren't gonna change

[verse 2]
Unfamiliar ways
They came down like rain
Things in myself i couldn't change
But if we coulda chilled
And waited a while
Then may now (?)
The shooting stars won't send us running
From each other
From ourselves

[chorus]

[verse 3]
But you can't get something for nothing
So what was mine
Sifted through like lost time
And unclaimed sand in a desert wind
With half my heart i took you in
So i can let you go


Until Next Time...

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

--Robert Frost

Oh good ol' Robert Frost. I have always enjoyed this poem. Often the last stanza is the only part of the poem that is cited, but reading the whole poem definitely has an excellent effect. It is important to note that the poem is titled, The Road Not Taken...I feel as though it is easy for people to center on the final decision that they made without acknowledging all of the other possibilities, which is why the 3rd stanza is my favorite.

Even though people decide upon a certain "route" or "decision" there will always be a sense of questioning and wondering what things would be like had you chosen another option (kind of like the "grass is always, greener on the other side").

There is a tone of reverence that I feel from this poem. I don't know what it is...and it is even more intriguing to me that it is named "The Road Not Taken." Sometimes you may see it labeled the "Road Less Traveled," (but that is incorrect). I think to truly make an informed decision, you should be fully aware of why you have decided NOT to take a certain route. Gosh I'm rambling, but it all makes sense in my head, I'm just trying to convey that...(gosh don't fail me words..lol.)

Basically I'm trying to say that starting school this fall is the best option for ME. When I think of all my "Roads Not Taken," I am confidant in my decision. I know it is time for me to leave Dec/Atl and branch out on my own. I am sure of that each passing day. And referring back to the poem, the second path did not have people trodding backwards and I'm definitely not trying to do that. Moving on and moving up. Ya digg? lol.

Ok with all that talk of being ready you would think that I have been packing...NOT! Ok..each day I say I am going to start and then I find something to get me off task. 4 days and counting and not a single box...eek! I have got to start tomorrow. I don't want to be frustrated and stressed like I usually am when I wait to the last minute to pack. Also I need to remind myself that I won't be in the same state, so I can't just drive back home. :sigh: Where did the summer go? Until Next Time...

Oh QuikTrip...

Why is it that most times when I go to the gas station, something really random happens. It's ridiculous, do I just attract those kind of people or attention or what is it? So today I needed gas so of course I went to QuikTrip, (which is where I prefer to get gas and they have 49 cent drinks). This guy stares at me while I'm in the car for like 30 seconds and I'm like uh-oh here we go.. So I get out of the car and he approaches me and pulls out this bag from behind his back. This is the convo...

Random Guy #1: Do you want to buy this Sony camcorder from me?
Me: Umm no....
Random Guy #1: Well I would to record you and me doing some things on it...
Me: [pause]
RG #1: What do you think about that...
Me: No thanks...actually I already have a camcorder..(that was a lie)
RG #1: Alright cool...
RG#1's friend/Guy #2: Man you sexay...
Me: Thanks..
RG #2: I know there is some movie you want to see...so give me your number and we can go out tonight.
Me: Oh no thanks...
RG #2: Nawww I'm not kidding, give me your number.
Me: [pause]
RG #2: Alright Imma pay for my gas then get your number..
Me: [I wait for him to walk inside, jump in my car and speed off...]

Like wth? I only get gas when it is daylight outside and there is still randomness. I just don't get it, maybe I need to stop going to QT, I don't know what it is. Sigh...Until Next Time...

QQ #1

Is it possible to end something that never really started?

Until Next Time...

Sankofa: It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot...

So guess what? Ya girl got a tatt...yup. I got a tattoo today..I always knew I wanted the sankofa symbol, but there was something about today that made it perfect. Honestly, I never thought I would get a tattoo, they never really appealed that much to me, so I knew if I get one, it would be for me and it had to be something "meaningful, " but for the past few months I have been battling where...I feel like there aren't that many tasteful places on a female body to get it, but I decided upon the perfect place. First let me tell you all about my glorious tatt...

So like I said it is of the Sankofa symbol it has a few different meanings, but they all essentially mean the same thing...here are some of the meanings off of various websites...

Sankofa (return and fetch it).
"SE wo werE fi na wosankofa a yenkyi."
It is no taboo to return and fetch it when you forget.
You can always undo your mistakes.

Symbol of Wisdom, Knowledge, and the People's Heritage

The symbol is based on a mythical bird that flies forwards with its head turned backwards. This reflects the Akan belief that the past serves as a guide for planning the future, or the wisdom in learning from the past in building the future.

The Akan believe that there must be movement with times but as the forward march proceeds, the gems must be picked from behind and carried forward on the march.

That is, we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone or been stripped of, can be reclaimed, revived, preserved and perpetuated.

So...wow! It is making me fall in love with my tatt again, so yeah. I believe that the past is soooo important, in my life, in others lives and in society and often I feel as though people try and move on, without understanding what happened and why. Basically I have wanted this tatt for a while, but I am soo glad that I finally got it, hopefully, I will post a real pic of it on my foot, that is where I got it. I will like to believe that my beliefs ground me so that is a reason I got it there and also as I said above that there aren't that many tasteful places to get a tattoo...anyways..I went with my best friend, although it was kind of impulse it wasn't because I thought about it for sooo long.

On a lesser note, my day was seriously fun filled, so I went and got my car from the mechanic this morning, then went to my best friends place, got some Sonic to eat, then got my tatt, then went to Rocky Mtn/bar, then Ikea, then went to Ross, then Walmart, then Krispy Kreme, then MJQ/club, then C. Lounge...(lol), then a Bar for Karoke...lol. Looooong day, but I loved every minute of it, glad my bestie is back from Europe. :)

Oh yeah one more thing to say about my tatt, I actually knew that I wanted to get it, my Junior year of college when I took African American Religion with Dr. Stewart for a writing requirement. (Thanks to Emory and our random requirements). Anyways, at the end we watched a movie called "Sankofa," the plot summary from IMDb is below...

A self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and rebellion as she becomes a member of a freedom-seeking Maroon colony.

The movie is very moving and sometimes graphic, but I think it gets the point across. Often I feel as though African Americans forget...forget what? Forget A LOT! Even though my parents are immigrants to this country, they have still done sooooo much for me, so that I can get to where I am at...I am sooo grateful! And I want my tatt to be a constant reminder...whew! I am just really happy that I had the courage and "gumption"...lol.

Oh and that is another thing, I don't care what people tell you...Tattoos HURT! Maybe because I got it on my foot, but don't let anyone lie to you...I definitely wasn't prepared and I was squeezing the heck out of my friends hand..lol. Well that is all for now...Until Next Time...

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

So for most of the day, I have organizing all of my old stuff from high school and first two years of college, so I can keep what I want to and discard the rest, and make room for the rest of my stuff. So I came across Sonnet 116 on some random paper from my senior year in high school, where we had to MEMORIZE this sonnet. Honestly my British literature class was a comedy hour. We had the most interesting people in there, so when my teacher told us to memorize it and come with a representation, I didn't really take it seriously, in which case I stumbled through the sonnet, and I'm not sure if I ever really got it...Anyways...after I found the sonnet today, I read through it about 5 times, and there were so many emotions, thoughts, and ideas that I felt. The realization that I will be leaving the people that I love, even the one that I have been on and off with for some time (with many ups, and lots of downs), it just has got me thinking about the future...Especially about what it may potentially hold and what not. It's a tad bit scary because for me, distance does NOT make my heart grow fonder at all...so now I'm in a weird position..::sigh::

I am not fond of cliche' statements, but the reason they are soo cliche' is because it describes a lot of situations...So my cliche' statement for this post is as follows: If you love something, Set it free... If it comes back, it's yours, If it doesn't, it never was.... Well in this case, I'm the one leaving...oh well. Only time will tell..Until Next Time...

Night Writers

So..yesterday I attended two events at the National Black Arts Festival Downtown. The first one I went to was a gallery opening at the Hagedorn Foundation Gallery. There were photographs of Chicago city life...Honestly I wasn't that impressed and I wasn't sure why they were priced for thousands of dollars because honestly they looked like regular pictures of black folks..lol.

But then we headed to the Woodruff Arts center which was there the center of the "festival" was. I didn't get to look at all the international vendors as much as I would have liked because we were late for our play. I plan on going back today, anyways...so the play we saw was "The Night Writers" in the Hertz center. It was sooo inspirational. lol. I think it was good to see a play with an all black cast that was between the ages of 18-25, and they could all act...

The synposis is below, I copied and pasted it from their website...

It’s the close of the Sixties and the world is changing fast. So are the lives of Jacob and his friends when late one night the group discovers the remains of an abandoned printing press and its underground newspaper. As a result, they embark on a journey to reconnect with voices from the past and write their own futures.

The play was much needed for me to see at this point in my life, it was a great reminder of all that African Americans have been through and the amount of progress that still needs to be made. Also what was even more important was the difference individuals can make when they put their mind and ideas together. :)

So this was apparently FACE's inaugural performance. It was so awesome. Too bad, I'm about to leave ATL, but I look forward to more of their works sometime in the future. Below is what FACE stands for, it's about time we got some fresh air.

As the newest addition to the vibrant Atlanta theatre scene, The Fresh Air Collective Ensemble invites you to take a new look at theatre for the young person in us all. We are an ensemble of creative artists dedicated to the collaboration, exploration and development of new and innovating performance styles for today’s audience. Dedicated to original works, ensemble-based performance and contemporary theatre for families, FACE is sure to INSPIRE, IMPACT and INCITE! So INHALE deeply and breathe in the FRESH AIR!

Again I think it is important that we as a people support one another when it comes to art, whether performing or visual. I'm soo glad that I went to this awesome performance. Here some pics I took...




On another note, walking through the outside International Festival was awesome for many reasons, but mostly because about 75% of the women I saw had natural hair. It wasss soo cool! I told my friend dang had I known I would have worn my fro out...lol. It was just nice to see a variety of hairstyles and black women embracing their "roots." I saw this portrait briefly before we went inside to the play. I just thought it was sooo inspiring and just simply beautiful. It is made from charcoal and it is a little girl with her natural hair pulling at what I would awesome her mother's natural hair. It is so "organic" and just amazing. I'm sure it was hundreds/thousands of dollars, but if I had a nice place and some dough, I would definitely purchase. :sigh:



Until Next Time...