Holiday Season

First and foremost I want to say Blessings to all! The holiday season is almost upon us... and I am starting my journey of buying gifts for love ones. I am a person that loves to be out and hear the Christmas music and the seasonal joy that seems to be in the air.  The smells are fabulous.  People seem to be a bit nicer and smiles are generally returned.  I love the season! I love Christmas decorations and I  all the religious stories about the birth of Christ. I am hoping that the season brings you great joy.. and while I had a moment I wanted to stop by my blog to give a shout out. I also wanted to remind everyone to remember the reason for the season. To get up each day and say "Thank You Lord" and every night too. 


To not only decorate a Christmas tree but put up a Nativity and tell your children and who ever will listen the story that surrounds the Nativity.  Spread his joy!!!

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MSN.com:

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Updating my hair

Each using different products... I am trying to find my "IT" product!!!!

Updating my look

Well I know it's been a while. I have been oh so busy that I rarely get the chance to stop by and update my blog. Let's see I (the product junkie) have been trying a lot of new things. I see CURLY and buy it! It's kinda bad because I have too much stuff and no place to store some of it. I don't know if its only me, or if others are finding that something that can work great the first four times suddenly flops on number five ; ) I am generally happy to have something that works! SO happy that the let down is BIG! Recently, I re-tried Miss Jessie's and it was a HIT until I purchased the second jar. Then it just didn't work at all. So I purchased a gel like product that I found in Target - a product of Shea Moisture - well the first day - it was too short(shrinkage) and the second day was GREAT, by day three - I had a full all out HARDENED Afro. It's not a good look at all. SO I guess I will stick with what always works - Eco Styler and my favorite product is Kinky Curly. Maybe I need to give up being a product junkie (huh?) ~ On to another topic ... Lets cover books - I have been reading a lot lately, I do that especially once our weather gets cooler.  My favorite books are Disappearing Acts and The Coldest Winter Ever. I have read each of them about five times and find pleasure in it each time. I read the book THE HELP this summer and it was very good, I enjoyed the movie also.  I also re-read the book THE NANNY DIARIES and whew - it was enlightening and enjoyable. You may ask why I am re-reading books when there are so many new ones - well I can say its because it was there and I forgot what I found so enjoyable the first time.  I am hoping that I will be encountering some new reads soon to get me through the winter. I will update with new photos as soon as I download them from my phone to the computer. I can show you my hair on different days with different products. Do Not worry you will not be fortunate enough to catch my 'fro - I only show that in the house to the regular residents. LOL
I also have been blessed to find some wonderful ladies on YouTube to share the how to's of makeup - I learned to put on false lashes and  gained some techniques for making me look awesome in my daily trots! I will share that too... (from my phone). Until later...... me!

thoughts

Today while driving to work, my mind began to go back to when I was in grammar school. Why that happened I do not know. I can say now that I hated those days, I hated my grammar school.

Growing up was very difficult during the 70's.  There was alot of racism that people learned to ignore. At that time I didn't know how close to our hearts Malcolm X was or Martin Luther King, Jr. was.   All I knew was that there was this guy with red hair and shades and he was rather cool - and my brother said SHHHH whenever he was on the tv, so he could hear him better.  
My school was a catholic school and it was closer to my home than the public school.  I am glad that I attended there because I feel I learned alot.  I learned about Christ and I learned about racism.  I was put in the slower group of children.. those that had problems with learning. I never had a problem with learning.  I was actually quite smart. 

I also found that the teachers acted like I wasn't learning as quickly as other students even if I gave the exact same answer. Knowing what I know now, the teachers in that school were not good teachers.  They were women that held a job, most likely not even a degree.  Certainly some were much better than others. I remember a Ms. Syzrak that was very cool and she didn't seem like the others.  She would actually talk to me and listen when I spoke.  She told me that I was pretty and smart.  I remember a Ms. Downing that taught me history from grade 6 thru 8.  In grade 6 - she taught me that the slaves were uncivilized animals that were running around in Africa and that the white man brought them over and CIVILIZED them! It enraged me then, and still does today. Oh I forgot to mention when we weren't called slaves in her class, we were niggers and negroes and uncivilized animals.  I sat there so hurt. I hated that class and that big, fat, ugly woman with nasty, greasy hair. 

 I recall vividly when ROOTS came on. Oh my God I felt the pain that they experienced. I was tortured everyday during that time.  The students would push me in the street and say I was not worthy of sharing the sidewalk.  They would snatch my hat off and throw it down the stairs, just as I made it to the top. Guess who got in trouble for not being able to hold on to her belongings?  Yep, me! I was only friends with a few outcasts.. They were the only ones that would speak to me. 

 It was a school of maybe 400 students and there were about 4 blacks in it.  We were in different grades and different stages, I found the boys were more friendly towards the boy that attended. He and them would play around and act silly.  There was a girl that I knew and she was about 3 grades behind me.. she didnt get as much racism - maybe because of age.. I dont know. Maybe I will really have to ask her. I know I threw out my 8th grade yearbook, I wasnt in it.  It said Picture not available... funny since I took a picture. I even have the picture.  I had on a yellow robe and I think I looked cute.. Lol

I know that it was hard for me to want to attend every single day. I remember talking with my parents about the school and what was happening.  I can not fault them for what they felt at that time. I guess it was more about safety.  Now that I am a parent - I can say I understand. My dad told me and to this day I can hear it clearly, "June people will be racist, they will hurt your feelings, but you must learn to IGNORE them." He stressed that to me  "THEY are ignorant for the behavior they put forth". As a parent I say the same things to my children.  However, my husband and I knew we wanted to raise children in a multi-cultural area.  We wanted them to have friends of every nationality.  We wanted them to be able to relate to anyone and everyone. We told them about racism but didnt want them to experience it. I know I can not shelter them from that but I am a mom, and I will try. Like the song says... I will cry your tears for you. That's exactly how I feel. 

Punta Cana

We returned from Punta Cana and I can say... whew the sun is STRONG!
Okay I got tanned or redder...like Lobster. We enjoyed it and the relaxation was wonderful. I did find that I didn't have the humidity issues that I do at home..(in Jersey). My hair actually behaved. That was a switch. I am truly happy about that. Can you see my smile.... ???

On another note..I am contemplating starting a YOUTUBE channel that focuses on life, and being over 40..I am sure I cant be the only over 40 something year old engrossed with YOUTUBE. I am learning so much, I have seen there are many ways to become oneself and surprisingly, I am learning it from strangers that have almost become part of my daily life. I watch to see make up tutorials and outfits of the day for style strategies, that I can incorporate into my own. I can not dress nor look like the 21 year olds - but they truly have inspired me to be a BETTER me! A more confident and riskier me. I learned about hair and nails, and so much more. I am amazed that these young people have learned so much in their short lives, however I do see with YOUTUBE its a big advantage. Wish it was more of this type of learning capability when I was 21... could have avoided many a dressing disaster. So, if there are things I can share - its some of what I have learned. Maybe I can reach out to others that are just like me. I would love your comments... Please let me know your thoughts. Closing for today.... Enjoy the shade!  BTW = )  Wear sunscreen!!!

Date Night

Last night we actually went out on a date! Yes!  strange to each of us attending - (well the women), was that it was NO SPECIAL REASON! That was wonderful and kudos to our husbands for treating us.  It was a truly enjoyable evening and I think my hair was in a good state. You all know, especially if you have curly hair that it does what it wants to do. I love that and hate that at the same time.  Yep, I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. Isn't that really the normal feelings one has..?  Back to our date, it was to a Cuban restaurant - excellent food and atmosphere (Son Cubano). The date even could have ended with dancing if the MEN were not so tired. However, I must confess I am so bad at Spanish dancing, I may have tried if my sweetie had grabbed me to cha cha a bit! It was a pleasant evening and I am sure glad that we have such wonderful friends to share it with. 
I find as I age (gracefully I might add) that its the special occasions that we share with those we love and respect that are the most enjoyable.  I enjoy just watching my husband laugh and smile, it makes me fall deeper and more passionately in love with him. He and my children can always make a blue day(even a bad hair day) better just by just being. I am so blessed.
Hair has become a major part of my life and my family will never understand this, but no doubt they all know they are first! Maybe this is the start to something new and we shall encounter more frequent date nights, who knows? Signing off for today.... Daqueen

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Updating the process

Hey there = ) I know I have been rather absent. I have been keeping up with life and that is enough at times. Since my last blog update I have gotten older, wiser and sexier! OK... at least older and wiser! My hair is indeed growing but only I can really see it! LOL - I find when its soaking wet and I am in the shower, that is when the hair is easily noticed as being LONGER! Yay! But the downside is as it dries... shrinkage takes over! That is the worst part of having curly hair, actually natural hair in general.  I have included a photo from winter when the sun was out and in my next blog you will see the difference in my growth and hopefully texture. I have stopped being the product junkie that I was, I basically have decided to stick with what works. I love Kinky-Curly but can afford Eco-Styler! SO I will use both and depending on the event, depends on which you will catch me in.  I do promise that I will keep you better updated. I will try to include some OOTD (outfit of the day) so you can see for your self that I am not only hair, perhaps you will notice that I am a sexy 40+ year old woman with my own style... WHY? Because finally I am grown... Lol  (Just kidding).
I also want to start including some make-up ideas..No I am not professional and basically I am learning to manipulate make up to assist me in looking good. Again, hopefully you will want to explore and journey with me.  Its more fun to learn with another. So lets learn together.
ttyl.... Daqueen

Adjustment

My hair is growing and I am feeling excited.  Its changing and I love it !!!! The hair stays curly and isn't as frizzy. I feel like it's a big change to accept oneself fully. I have made that adjustment finally. Am I always happy with myself? No, is anyone - "always" happy? Im overweight, but I love me. My family loves me and thats enough for me.

big chop

Okay, I did it! I have taken off my straight ends... I am not sure if I like my hair, but I will learn to love it. Already I see it is different than it use to be.  It has alot of shrinkage. Its very curly in the front with beautiful curls and in the back... whew. Its kinda frizzy and seems like a entire different texture. This is of course what I initially found frustrating and lead me to a perm in the first place.  However, now being an adult - I know I can choose to do this better. I will try products (Yes, I have become a product junkie) and I will learn what works the best in my hair. I have tried some products that I know worked before (with straight ends) and I will need to re-test.
Kinky Curly was like heaven in a jar and Knot Today is whew - blessed. I do like Shea Moisture the curl enhancing product, I use a little with the Eco-Styler which works VERY well in my hair.  The Miss Jessies I will need to re-try as before it did nothing for my straight hair but the part that curled was very tight. It looked strange before so now I will check it again.  I liked the TIGI Catwalk Rocks.. That is a wonderful product. It was moisturizing and gave me beautiful curls. Although I may need to try it since my cut.  The Carols Daughter.. makes me have very tight and moist curls but it reminds me alot of the curly afro. I will keep you posted and will update some photos.. from one to the other you are able to see the changes...