It's Finally Been One Year!!!

My one year mark has finally come!! December 1st and 2nd marked my true One Year Lockversary!!! The year has flown by and I'm glad to have been able to blog my progress along the way.

Life hasn't changed much for me in the last few months. I've moved from Mississippi to South Carolina and will be on the move again at the end of January.

I'm happy to be spending Christmas with my BF this year in cold NYC. The city is so beautiful this time of year. We spent about 6-7 weeks apart then finally reconciled in mid October. We've been talking so much more openly now and while we've learned how to change our relationship to be more open and mature, I've learned many things about myself and my own insecurities. I'm realizing that there are issues from my past that have a profound effect on my today and I somehow have to learn to work through those issues as they surface so that they won't continue to be problems in the future. (And yes, the beautiful flowers and mosaic vase are from him!)

My hair has grown like a weed and I'm glad to have found a consultant in North Carolina to take care of my retightenings. Although I took the retightening class, it was never my desire to retighten my own hair on a regular basis. I had to learn how to do it myself though because with all of my travels, I'm sometimes in an area where there are no consultants available. In these pictures I've curled my hair on plain foam sponge rollers spritzing with a little water along the way. I like to call this my curly fries look! ha ha! I have to say that of all the curling methods I've tried, I find that these good old fashioned rollers maintain my curls longer than any other. I can get nearly a week of curls without having to do any touching up as long as I'm able to keep my hair dry.

Happy Holidays!!

Below are more pictures of the progression of my hair over the last year.

Before Sisterlocks

The first day after my 18 hour install

My Sisterlocks at 6 months

And today, Christmas Eve, 2008

My Sisterlocks at One Full Year

Accessorized with a Tomoka's Twist and matching earrings

A Quick Update In Month Nine

I can't believe it but I'm already in month 9 of having my Sisterlocks. This picture is from my Homecoming Photo Shoot at 7 1/2 months and I would say that my hair hasn't changed much since that time.

I did take the retightening class and have successfully retightened my hair once so far. It's easier than I expected and I have to say that I did a darn good job if I say so myself.

I'm still living down in the Mississippi bayou and did evacuate to Georgia for Hurricane Gustav but I'm glad to say that I had no damage at home and it was as if the storm never came through.

I finally ended the bf relationship and I'm completely okay with my decision. I realized that just because time has been invested in a relationship, it doesn't mean that you have to try to tough it out with something that's just not meant to be. I'm thankful that I spent the time because I learned things about myself, about what I'm really looking to find, and most especially tools that I needed to learn to have a successful relationship in the future.

I guess that's about it. My hair is progressing along very well and I'm seeing signs of some of my ends sealing and a few buds that are showing signs of locks beginning to form. I still have a long way to go and it's been hard to be patient because I'm ready for my locks to thin out some instead of being so puffy and fuzzy. I keep reminding myself that it's a journey and that although it's taking a considerable amount of time to settle in and lock due to my looser curl pattern, it won't be long before I see the changes at one year and beyond. I notice that my hair is growing to be fuller moreso than length and that's what I expected. It's encouraging to see the little budded ends that I'm seeing now and I know that the best is yet to come.

Oh The Places We've Gone Part II: A Special Post for quietspirit

Sometimes I wonder if or how many people are actually reading my blog and without receiving comments I never really know. I'm delighted to do this post for quietspirit who let me know that she enjoyed reading about my cross country trip from Northern California to Southern Mississippi. There was only one request, that I do a post that includes all of the maps from each day's journey. Well here you go quietspirit, this one's for you!!!

A Recap:

Day One: Walnut Creek, CA to Blythe, CA

Day Two: Blythe, CA to El Paso, TX

Day Three: El Paso, TX to San Antonio, TX

Day Four: San Antonio, TX to Southern Mississippi

And here's a view of the whole trip:

Whew!! It makes me tired all over again just looking at it!! I started back to a very EARLY workday today but it was a great day because I awoke to absolutely no boxes left to unpack! I'm nestling in and depending heavily on my GPS (and the boyfriend) to get me where I need to go.

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty.....

I got up to go to work this morning and as I stepped out of the house to walk Sydney, I felt a new sense of confidence that I haven't felt in a very long while. I'm generally very comfortable with myself in the sense that I know that I have many things to offer to the world. I'm honest, intelligent, and caring, adventurous, humorous, and intense, but today, I felt pretty. As women, we so often look in the mirror and merely glance at ourselves. We pay attention to our hair and makeup, but do our best to avoid everything below.

As I walked outside today though, I had a new sense of self. It was a confidence that said, "I love my new look! I love my hips, my curves, my sass!" I feel as if I'm going through a complete transformation both inside and out. I wear braces on my teeth to correct a problematic childhood injury. I have embarked on a new adventure with my hair, and I've been trying to take time out to exercise a few days a week.

I've never been a "prissy" woman. In fact, I've always fancied myself as a "frump queen". I love wearing jeans and t-shirts, turtlenecks, and sweaters, and shopping for clothes has always been a dreaded chore for me. After all, if it costs more than $19.99 then it's expensive!! My one weakness is shoes but not in the way most women have. I wouldn't wear a pair of heels if you paid me to, but I love the chunky rubber soles of Keens, my Brooks running shoes, and my Uggs!! I scared myself recently when I actually bought a purse to match my boots!!

Even with new found outer confidence, it's still easy to be shaken on the inside. While at work today I received an instant message from one of my managers. This particular manager has been the most vocal about prohibiting me from returning to Trinidad to continue my medical missions trip (see my posts The Politics of Jealousy parts one and two). She led in with superficial conversation only to later allude to her opinion that I don't deserve to go on the trip. She did all of this while trying to maintain a tone as if we were friends.

As I let the conversation sink in, I felt greatly saddened and hurt. I had never imagined that people could be so nasty to me when after all, I was doing something good! In the midst of what has been one of the greatest experiences of my life, I have been met with such great animosity. In a way, I'd wished that I'd never had anything to do with the trip in the beginning but then, I remembered what the trip is really all about. Our mission team is bringing health and hope to children and their families. God said that those who followed him would be persecuted and when I reflect on this situation, I can see that truth all over.

So today, at the end of the ups and downs of my day, I stand naked in the mirror, looking myself over from the inside out and all in all, I'm happy with what I see. Stand naked in the mirror!! I dare you!! What do you see? Leave your comments and let me know!!

Sammy, Sydney, and I got our Christmas pictures taken today. I can't wait to get them and of course I'll post them when I do!!

Another Step In My Sisterlocks Adventure...

Today was the first day of the rest of my Sisterlocks life!! I had butterflies in my stomach driving to Berkeley to my consultant's house today for my SL consultation. What if we didn't clique? What if she doesn't do good work? It's not like I would be able to easily take the sisterlocks out and start over again if I didn't like them. All of my worries were blown straight out of the universe the moment I walked in her door. Not only are her locks beautiful, but she was finishing up with one of her other clients, whose hair was also just gorgeous. I felt like one of the white girls I talked about before as I was so excited and intrigued. I wanted to touch the locks and know how do they do that?? I can't wait to have my own locks put in and December 1st and 2nd will be the days.

I always knew that I have thick hair but I learned that while many people say that they have thick hair, I actually have REALLY THICK HAIR!! I laughed at the sounds of shock that came out of my consultant, Wendy's mouth. I think she was preemptively crying out to God for the strength that it will take to create Sisterlock magic on my hair. The good thing though, is that she said that my hair is very, very healthy and my length is pretty uniform all the way around. The bad thing is that it will take two full days to put in all of my locks. She estimates that I'll have well over 500 locks when she's done.

I'm glad that we did clique so easily because in just 2 short weeks, we'll be spending alot of consecutive hours together, but heck, she's a Suze Orman fan so that instantly makes her cool in my book.

I am extremely impressed with Wendy's work and I can't wait to debut my new look! This is a picture of my hair when I do a regular wash/condition and go. I think that wearing this style for over a year now is why my hair has been able to become so healthy.

This is a cool picture of Lombard St. in San Francisco. If you look at the trees along the side of the road, it's as if God created the afro.....even in nature!

Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like. ~Author Unknown

My Adventure Into Sisterlocks and Beyond

I have NAPPY HAIR! When I was a little girl I can remember the weekly ritual of my mom's Saturday night beauty salon. It consisted of me and my sisters each laying on top of the washing machine getting our hair washed in the big sink next to it then blown dry. I remember the smell of the TCB or Sulpur 8 that was brushed into my hair, the chill up my spine as I felt the heat and steam of the pressin' comb and curlers, and the wretched sizzle as the comb grabbed hold of my soft nappy curls. By the end of the week, my bone straight ponytails had drawn up to soft wavy naps that were then pulled up into cornrows until Saturday night.

It's funny how we teased each other as little girls about the naps, kitchens, kinks, kuckabucks, peas, bad hair, wooly hair, and all of the other other names that were passed down to us to describe our nappy hair. Now, I LOVE MY NAPPY HAIR!!

This is my friend, Shannon. When we met a few years ago, she was already happy, nappy, and free. I thought, she has "good hair;" she can get away with it. I had been wearing microbraids and was going back to my relaxed hair that by now was brittle and breaking off. I started asking questions. I was ready to be free of the curling irons and their burns on my ears, and the relaxers and their burns on my scalp. Shannon made it sound so easy! It's as if we were meant to wear our hair in its natural state! What?? Kinky hair is cool?? I decided to go for it and I did just that....I took a deep breath, went to my hairdresser, and asked for THE BIG CHOP! She thought that I'd gone crazy and almost refused to cut it, but she was also a friend that knew that if she didn't cut it for me, I'd probably be completely bald by the next time she saw me!!!

That was in 2002. Over the last 5 years, I've mainly worn the 'fro and even backslid into a texturizer a couple of times. It was amazing that I had no idea what to do with my hair in the state that God made it! Shannon reassured me that it was a trial and error process and that no single hair product worked for everyone. I've tried lots of different products now and have adjusted my regimen along the way as my hair has taken on its own different stages. I've gotten frustrated and cut it back to the TWA (teeny weeny afro) a few times, but patience has paid off as my hair is now thick, curly, and best of all, healthy.

Most recently, I've been wearing the wash and go as I started to finally see my own natural spirals start to take hold. I tried out a coil set a few weeks ago and was amazed to see how much my hair has really grown. My length is about 5-6" all over so I'm experimenting a little now with different hair accessories to see what kind of versatility I have.

My true excitement comes in just about two weeks when I finally have my consultation for Sisterlocks. I love the look and can't wait to finally have them done. I'm a little freaked out about needing the patience to sit for two days to get them but I know that it will be worth it in the end. Does anyone else have pictures of starting Sisterlocks with about 5-6" of length to share?

This picture of me is from this past Saturday with my pooch, Sydney, at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I'm trying out an afro puff with a headband. What do you think? Any style suggestions?

Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself.
~Hubert de Givenchy, Vogue, July 1985