Not much to say today

Lots to think about though. I'm officially down 14 lbs! That's incredible to me, but more importantly its a scary time. Usually when I get this close to under 200 I really do sabotage. I talked to my WW leader and am trying to reframe and story board - basically plan what I'm going to do in situations that get to me. Some of the time I don't want to work out, some of the time I want to eat and eat and eat when I'm stressed - which is a lot more than I care to mention - at work. The politics, back stabbing, etc. It gets to me, I then have to think, I die from to much stress or because I ate myself to death these same people would be first in line to say something ugly at my funeral!

So I strive to give the best of myself, I try to be better, I work out harder, trying to lift more weights, train harder, eat less, splurge less (but still be satisfied). My new life is a scary road but I'm willing to keep training

By the way here's my new bike I'm getting for B-Day

Changing Careers

So most of the time I do blogging on my hair and today I'm getting it retightened.

While I'm getting it retightened we have lots of time to talk and reflect. We've had a hard couple weeks. A friend of hers, Eric Jerome Hill (53) died suddenly of a heart attack. It's been surreal, I find myself thinking about death and not waking up one morning more and more. What's that about? I don't know but I think that we all get shown things in life to help us make good decisions. Part of my good decisions includes making sure I'm eating healthier and working out daily. As I get stronger and lose more weight (I'm down 11 lbs) I think about my own mortality and what I want my legacy to be.

I enjoy my job I feel I do a great job, however, I know my calling is to teach and inspire. This makes me think of a change in careers. How can I blend technology and my love for inspiring others into a good career? I too may not wake up one day and in that day I want to know I did as much of what the universe either God or the Goddess wants me to fulfill so that I can meet them and have them proud of what I did. Whether you agree with my faith or not, I feel that you are shown things in the order you are to receive them. For example, Eric's death was meant to touch me but I feel its for a bigger reason other than to make me saddened. It was to show me that time is short and that I have to get started and working harder and harder because if my time is like his, I only have 15 years to live, to love, to complete my journey to perfect myself. Its not a long time, but even 30 years is a short time to perfect onself.

I am reenrolling in school to get my counseling certificate (yes another master's) but with this I can continue slowly doing what I feel God wants me to do. Yes, this blog is deeper than about my hair but my life is not my hair, my life isn't even mine I feel. Its about giving my life to others and hopefully giving them joy and happiness :) Peace and love to everyone that reads my blog because your blogs feed my soul as well!

Soul Men

Check out my new facebook group for locked sisters and brothers.

I'm getting my hair retightened now by my sister - which is incredible because her birthday is next week - come check it out
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=8741&post=34838&uid=67511646083#/group.php?gid=67511646083

I'll try and have good items for you to discuss :) Peace and locked soul

Graduation Celebration

I graduated with my Master's last week so exciting. I wanted to show you my hair style. For this event, I wore my hair up. Twisted in the back, I wore lots of hair pins to keep it up and soft spiked it the night before. Right before I left for the commencement I moussed it and pulled it away from my face on the side and twisted it in a french roll in the back.

I am quite the perfectionist and it took me a second to get the cap on just right so that my bangs would show through. It didn't show the length as much as I wanted to but I was happy with the overall affect when it was all said and done. Its impressive to me that it stood the test of time and withheld all day and night partying. It started to snow the night of the event and it kept up with all of it without a hitch!.

I loved my blouse that I wore a red halter shirt with the back out it was so cute but I mostly wore a black jacket over it because I'm pretty modest and could only ho' out for a second :)

Happy Halloween

Here's another ghoulish picture of me! This is me getting a retightening. Ha ha well actually its not bad, I've been using my curlers for my locks (I use soft spikes) and while I look crazy with them in it totally worth the end result.

This is one of my favorite pictures of me in locks with my funny looking wife beater on I look ghetto but fabulous. Hope all of you have a great Halloween!

Btw I graduate December 13 from school. I am so psyched! This is such an accomplishment and I wish my mom were here to celebrate with me. But, I know she is in heaven looking down on me and smiling :)

My sister has to section them out and then start the tightening process, winding my hair around the tool and getting the new growth back in the pattern it needs to be in to continue.

Happy Anniversary

My hair is one year old today, if you scroll around on my site you'll see my changes in my hair. I decided to go to locks one year ago. I saw someone on the 16th street mall today and she let me know she liked my hair but never could do it because she so afraid. She wanted to know if I did it myself (no never always go to a certified loctician) did I do alot with it (well I separate them after every washing - which is one to twice a week - I'm a fanatic) and what do I do to make them curly (i curl them with soft spikes small size but I'm going to have to get bigger ones in about six months).

This is the picture of my lock appointment. I was undergoing a surgery and wanting so many changes in my life and boy did I get them. I went from very short damaged, weaved, braided, bad (I know I'm not supposed to say it but bad hair) to my coily, lovely curly funny locks. Steph had just finished getting her tonsils out, my sister was going into surgery too, my daughter was going through fun at school and my job was turning into a mess of turmoil. But I thought I had friends at work that I could always count on.

As my hair grew so did the realization that my life was changing for the better. I found that my friends are actually chosen by me and given to be my a higher power. I found out I really didn't need to be a leader to lead, and I found out that love is wonderful when accepted and embraced.

When I first got my sisterlocks I wanted to cry because I thought it looked like little snakes all around sharp and twisted (because of the old perm) and so small and not filled in and so many parts and I wanted to wear a bandana. So different from me using my soft spikes and letting them set (I have tried using very little heat curlers on them and that is not good) and going right to work. Some days I just spritz it with water and rosemary essential oils (i have two bottles one at home one at work). I love keeping my hair moist from time to time. Not drenched like jeri curls but wetting and go to keep the pointers behaving.

Its getting odd I have locks in my eyes when the wind blows them and it scares me when I'm driving. I get them caught in my earrings because their falling just below my ears now. I feel a little bit on my neck which is ever so lovely and I like braiding them and letting them loose to be wild. I love it when people touch them. I can't wait to tell people about them when they ask. But my question is always this, women come up to me and say I want my hair to look like that but I'm just afraid. Afraid of what I wonder? The committment, the freedom from pressing comes and smelling like grease and oils and waxes? I haven't had anything but soap and water in my hair for over a year and ya know what? It hasn't fallen out. Do I some times want longer hair - yup but I know that my hair grows six inches per year and next year it will be around 10 - 12 inches long - yep 10 -12 inches long that's crazy for me. How do I know this because if you leave your hair alone it grows it can't help it. I also know because when I started I had 1 1/2 inches of coiled hair plus 2 - 3 inches of permed hair and not its almost 4.5 and that's with locking and using the tool and cutting out all of the permed hair. Hmm I wish I would've made the decision sooner. It hasn't cost me a job or a promotion or love in my life (if any hair style did I wouldn't want it). My sister and nephew both have theirs done too which only makes me happier. Yeah anniversary :)

Measurements and measurements

So its me again. I've been trying to lose weight, figure out my life and where I fit in, and grow my Sisterlocks! Well I'm doing pretty well at the latter because I have no control. I see so many beautiful locks around. Very long and well kept and at the beginning of my hair journey I had neither. It was short, parted all over the place, choppy weird length, and my face is so full it just made me look like a egg colored with pieces of black yarn.

Now I'm finding focus and losing control. I have to lose control of where my hair and destiny is going and give over that God will give me the destination of his choosing and I have to let go. That's what I am seriously planning on doing. Its almost my locknniversary in September and I am so happy and can't wait to see what it looks like next year. Here's my lengths so far,

Nape of neck 2.75
Left Ear 3.75
Right Ear 3.75
Widows Peak 3.5

What this means to me is now that I have let go of growing my hair I get to do the same with my career. I love to sing and I love to cook so I have had a vision of two different ways that I should be going. One is the make extra money selling baked goods at the office – I love muffin tops and I want them to be my specialty.

Also, I feel drawn to starting a choir for my choice – ridiculous considering I only have singing talent (and haven’t done so in years) and have no pianist, no drums, and best of all no restrictions. I want people who join my choir to represent all the diversity that God brings. I feel we can do contemporary, gospel, and classical and even rock but claim it and sing it to inspire, teach and draw people to Him. I am so nervous about this new endeavor and I hope that I do Him justice!