Time for Another BIG Chop!!!

I am at that point yet again...BC TIME!!! I did the unthinkable August 2009...I put a texturizer in my beautiful curls. WTF was I thinking!!! I am so pissed at myself. I was being impatient, and I wanted more length. I got it...My hair was passed my shoulders when curly, and at my bra strap when straightened. My hair was doing great at the beginning, but I didn't change how I cared for it. I no-pooed everyday to every other day, just as I had with my natural hair. And, now 7 months later it is weak and damaged.

Well I know what I need to do now, and I'm actually a little scared to do it this time. I am however excited about trying new things with my hair this time around...I want to actually stay short for a while, and I want try new cuts (mohawks, caesars, etc.)...I want to try new products...And, I plan on blogging it all. Wish me luck on my renewal!!! New BC pic to be added...very soon!!!

Karina's Kitchen: Gluten-Free Recipes: Vegan + Vegetarian Recipe Index

Karina's Kitchen: Gluten-Free Recipes: Vegan + Vegetarian Recipe Index

Goodbye TWENTIES!!!! Hello THIRTY!!!!

My last day being in my twenties!
I'm looking forward to my thirties and pray that they will be better than the last 10 years.

I'm truly inspired.

This video was truly inspirational.



I'm gonna take a few pages out of her book, and get myself in gear. I've been struggling with my past, and I have let it dictate my present. I refuse to continue to be stuck!!!

Over Pricing

I'm a little put off by a few things that happened this weekend involving my choice for going natural.

(hair after a co-wash)

The story starts off with my "loving" step-father (who me and my sister like to refer to being the creamy-crack pusher) offering to treat my mother, my sister (fellow napptual) and me to a day at the salon (Mani-Pedi's, brows and hair). Oh yeah, we'll go! Well, he of course set a spending limit (that's ok). We each couldn't go over $100 dollars. He says, "That should be enough to at least get a relaxer and something else. Right?" He really makes me mad how negative he is about natural hair. He's a typical self-hater.

Needless to say I didn't get a relaxer, but I did ask about any services the salon has for their natural clientel. I was very happy that they offered single and two-strand twist, cornrows etc. Well, good I thought, the cost for two-strand twist can't be over say $70 buck. Right? HA! Was I WRONG! It felt like the stylist slapped me when she said that twist start at $100. That's single strand mind you. $125 for two-strand. What the $%$#@@!!!!

(quick twists after co-wash)

I declined ever so politely, but then she asked did I feel that was too much. I told her the truth. I told her that if I was getting extensions I could understand, but my hair is no more than 5-6 inches. Matter a fact I've paid less than that for kinky twist. Thank you, but no thank you. I'll just wait.

Question: Was I wrong for pointing out her inflated prices?

Beautiful Mountain Christmas

Upstate New York is a beautiful winter wonderland right now. The trip up was not very pleasant, but well worth it. It took me over 24 hours and 3 trains to get here!!! Me and my hubby always argue about driving vs. flying vs. railing, and since he had to work until Christmas Eve I took the train up alone. Huge mistake!!! Lets just say that NY Penn Station is not a great place to be between the hours of 10 pm to 7 am. EWWW!!! When my train was boarding (finally) a fight broke out between the a worker and a drunk/high customer. All I saw was a flash of white powder hit the floor and a 40 oz. crash into the trash can. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. But other than my unfortunate NY detour, my journey went without a hitch.

I made a new friend (which is pretty common for me). We talked about the wars (from WWII to present). I have to say I love talking to wise older people. The insite and knowledge they can drop is PRICELE$$! No book or college course can teach you what they know. All you have to do is ask, then LISTEN. And I know one thing, this is the time to really be listening. Our grandparents have seen at least 4 to 5 wars (some more than that), the depression, sharecropping, the civil rights movement, Jim Crow, lynching...the list is endness.

Sankofa-"it is never taboo to go back and fetch what you have forgotten".

So, if you really want an understanding of what is going on in this world today, ask someone who has spent more than half a century in it.