If you know me in real life or follow me on Twitter, you that I love and am extremely proud of my natural hair. However many people may not know of the story behind my decision to go natural and the obstacles that I have faced while on this now six year journey. After seeing and answering some of the questions on the natural hair chat on Twitter, I've decided to write a post about my natural hair journey. This is part one of my natural hair story. Enjoy.
After my sophomore year of high school I was blessed enough to be accepted into the best boarding school in Indiana, IASMH, and I was extremely excited for the prospect of expanding my academic horizons. What I was not prepared for however was the lack of qualified hairstylists in the area. I remember visiting a salon when I first arrived and being told to wait for the black hairstylist. Well she came out from the back of the sale and she.had.a.curl. Yep a juicy, Eric LaSalle in Coming to America curl. I turned on my heels and walked out. Thus started my natural hair journey. Anticlimactic isn't it?
See I was never the girl to really care about my hair. Sure I endured the Saturday presses with the Satin Creme grease. I had the ribbons and bows but I still didn't care. Being the baby of four brothers and having a male best friend, I didn't have time to care about my hair. If it was out of my face I was good. The only reason I got a perm is so that I wouldn't have to get my hair pressed every weekend and therefore it could spend more time in a ponytail. Even as I matured into a teenager my hair was never a big deal. It was straight and out of face and I was okay. There was no huge epiphany to go natural, it seemed to be a quite logical decision considering my options.
I decided to go with the wash and go method until I graduated from high school. With having the entire summer off to relax, I began perusing the Internet. I saw so many ladies sporting the fresh short natural and thought hmm maybe. Maybe turned into okay and then okay turned into definitely. I called the barber my brothers used and made an appointment. When I sat in his chair he told he was going to have to cut a lot of the permed hair out and I thought cool I'm due for a trim. Even with his forewarning and seeing pictures of other BCs, I cried when he finished. I didn't realize that I placed value on flowing hair. I was one girl who didn't care about my hair so why I so emotional now? He let me cry and then told me look in the mirror again. Even in the midst of my sniffles I noticed that I was fierce. My new shone curls laid ever so softly around my head. My head felt lighter. My eyes seemed blacker. My cheeks were even more prominent. I felt like it would be okay I could do this. I walked out of the barbershop with a slightly new perspective.
What are your natural hair stories? Share.If you've did the big chop why and what did you feel? Please share your stories. I would love to hear them. Don't worry this isn't the end...tune in to the next post you'll die laughing trust ;-).
Ladycakes
1.1.10
No Drunken Resolutions
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! I am so blessed to make into the New Year and I hope you feel the same. I partied with friends and family and enjoyed some wonderful Riesling wine. We talked out resolutions and goals for the new decade and I decided that I wasn't making either one. If that's your cup of tea then more power to you but I've decided that I wasn't going to make resolution that I really don't have any intentions on keeping.
What I am going to do then? Well I'm glad you asked. Nothing. Yep, nothing. I have tried in the past to make this grand resolutions to lose weight in six months or completely stop cursing and I found that it hasn't worked out for me. Instead of making a list and checking from month to month to see what I can cross out, I'm just going to live life. Waiting on one day to focus on bad habits isn't enough and most definitely isn't enough time to change them. Life can be a better indicator of what I need to change and what I need to keep the same. That's what I intend on doing for the New Year.
I Wish you all the best for the new decade.
Ladycakes
What I am going to do then? Well I'm glad you asked. Nothing. Yep, nothing. I have tried in the past to make this grand resolutions to lose weight in six months or completely stop cursing and I found that it hasn't worked out for me. Instead of making a list and checking from month to month to see what I can cross out, I'm just going to live life. Waiting on one day to focus on bad habits isn't enough and most definitely isn't enough time to change them. Life can be a better indicator of what I need to change and what I need to keep the same. That's what I intend on doing for the New Year.
I Wish you all the best for the new decade.
Ladycakes
30.12.09
Incidents of Reggindom (yep its ****** spelled backwards)
A friend told me that the funniest things happen to me and it got me thinking. I wrote down a list of some of funniest incidents I have found myself in throughout 2009. I narrowed it down to seven sense of a random order. In words of Mystikal Here I Go....
1. Spelling is crucial
This particular day I'm walking down Springfield's streets and I come across this building. It's big, nice and recently closed. For some odd reason, I'm instantly sad.Another potentially helpful business bites the dust. I wondered who were the people who owned this building. Were they nice? How many employee did they have? Then I noticed a big hot pink sign. I cross the street to get a better look at. I read and getting a better gauge as to what happen with this business. The sign read as follows: "This office is clothes."
2. That is a Name Fail.
I'm one of many of IUPUI's student lounges and waiting for class. I'm in one I rather not moods so I have head stuck behind a book and earphone on though they aren't attached to anything and figure I look anti-social enough. Alas, a young lady sits down right in front of me and starts hammering on the phone to some person named Boo. She realizes she forgot something and races for the door. Ten minutes later, I get up and notice that she left her Student ID at the table. I read the name and its La-a. That's LaDasha peeps and the dash isn't silent. SMH.
3. Teeth are a requirement
Once again, I'm at IUPUI and this time I'm sitting outside with a friend. A attractive guy approaches and smiles. Well it seems that he may have forgotten that he missing something important. His teeth. Yes TEETH not tooth. His mouth resembled something off of a Road Runner episode where he goes into a dark tunnel. He asked could he take me to dinner to which I reply I rather not. He persisted to the point where I got annoyed and told him that the thought of constantly looking at his uvula during dinner would make me want to puke. He called me a bitch and walked off. I was able to keep my dinner down later one that night.
4.Locs are NOT for everyone
I'm on the bus and on my way to IUPUI yet again. I look over to the window and notice this man with locs down almost to his butt. I start to ask how long has he been growing but then he takes off his hat. The middle of head is completely bald. I sit back in my seat. That is a epic fail.
5. You're going to flat iron what?
I'm doing one of favorite mindless past times, window shopping when I see this man selling products in from his cart. I earnestly avoid these people because you never know what you're going to get and you can't return anything. I come out of Torrid and there he was. He looked at me and asked if he could flat iron my hair. WTF??? I asked him to think about his question and run that by me again. If looked at the profile pic or you know me, you know that I rock locs (hey natural hair ladies!!). I took my hat, cocked my head to the side and waited for his reaction. He got the message.
6. The Hoveround Ho
This story finds in my hometown.I'm over my Aunt's house and I step outside and happen to see this lady fall out of her Hoveround. While I'm not a uberdogooder, I couldn't let that lady just lay on the sidewalk in the cold. The next day I'm riding with my uncle when I see the same lady riding up and down the sidewalk. I mention our encounter with my uncle and he chuckles. I asks if he know who she is and gives me the side eyes and says, "That's the Hoveround Ho." She apparently "falls" out of her chair as a ruse to get new customer. More importantly she doesn't discriminate. I was going to be her next john.
7. WHAT.......
I'm on the bus with my noise stuck in yet another book. I look up to make sure I didn't miss my stop and I see this man signing to another man sitting across from him. I sign really well so I watch their conversation. They are going in on the bus driver. Then I hear someone's phone going off. It's Lil Jon Snap Yo Fingers and its blaring loud as ever on the this very quiet. The owner of this loud phone is none other than the man who was signing. He obviously couldn't hear it.
Those stories are just a few of the many wonderful scenarios I found myself in. If 2010 is anything like this year that is passing, I'll need depends so that I don't have any accidents of myself. Hope you enjoy sharing in my silliness
Ladycakes
1. Spelling is crucial
This particular day I'm walking down Springfield's streets and I come across this building. It's big, nice and recently closed. For some odd reason, I'm instantly sad.Another potentially helpful business bites the dust. I wondered who were the people who owned this building. Were they nice? How many employee did they have? Then I noticed a big hot pink sign. I cross the street to get a better look at. I read and getting a better gauge as to what happen with this business. The sign read as follows: "This office is clothes."
2. That is a Name Fail.
I'm one of many of IUPUI's student lounges and waiting for class. I'm in one I rather not moods so I have head stuck behind a book and earphone on though they aren't attached to anything and figure I look anti-social enough. Alas, a young lady sits down right in front of me and starts hammering on the phone to some person named Boo. She realizes she forgot something and races for the door. Ten minutes later, I get up and notice that she left her Student ID at the table. I read the name and its La-a. That's LaDasha peeps and the dash isn't silent. SMH.
3. Teeth are a requirement
Once again, I'm at IUPUI and this time I'm sitting outside with a friend. A attractive guy approaches and smiles. Well it seems that he may have forgotten that he missing something important. His teeth. Yes TEETH not tooth. His mouth resembled something off of a Road Runner episode where he goes into a dark tunnel. He asked could he take me to dinner to which I reply I rather not. He persisted to the point where I got annoyed and told him that the thought of constantly looking at his uvula during dinner would make me want to puke. He called me a bitch and walked off. I was able to keep my dinner down later one that night.
4.Locs are NOT for everyone
I'm on the bus and on my way to IUPUI yet again. I look over to the window and notice this man with locs down almost to his butt. I start to ask how long has he been growing but then he takes off his hat. The middle of head is completely bald. I sit back in my seat. That is a epic fail.
5. You're going to flat iron what?
I'm doing one of favorite mindless past times, window shopping when I see this man selling products in from his cart. I earnestly avoid these people because you never know what you're going to get and you can't return anything. I come out of Torrid and there he was. He looked at me and asked if he could flat iron my hair. WTF??? I asked him to think about his question and run that by me again. If looked at the profile pic or you know me, you know that I rock locs (hey natural hair ladies!!). I took my hat, cocked my head to the side and waited for his reaction. He got the message.
6. The Hoveround Ho
This story finds in my hometown.I'm over my Aunt's house and I step outside and happen to see this lady fall out of her Hoveround. While I'm not a uberdogooder, I couldn't let that lady just lay on the sidewalk in the cold. The next day I'm riding with my uncle when I see the same lady riding up and down the sidewalk. I mention our encounter with my uncle and he chuckles. I asks if he know who she is and gives me the side eyes and says, "That's the Hoveround Ho." She apparently "falls" out of her chair as a ruse to get new customer. More importantly she doesn't discriminate. I was going to be her next john.
7. WHAT.......
I'm on the bus with my noise stuck in yet another book. I look up to make sure I didn't miss my stop and I see this man signing to another man sitting across from him. I sign really well so I watch their conversation. They are going in on the bus driver. Then I hear someone's phone going off. It's Lil Jon Snap Yo Fingers and its blaring loud as ever on the this very quiet. The owner of this loud phone is none other than the man who was signing. He obviously couldn't hear it.
Those stories are just a few of the many wonderful scenarios I found myself in. If 2010 is anything like this year that is passing, I'll need depends so that I don't have any accidents of myself. Hope you enjoy sharing in my silliness
Ladycakes
28.12.09
Letters to a General Pt. 2: Let's Go to Church
It was raining today and you didn't want to go outside so we stayed in. You picked up the Sunday school book and begin to study the lesson. You always wanted to make sure that you understood the lesson before you imparted your wisdom on your class. Being the curious person I am, I ask you what are you doing? You hold out the book to me and says you're delving in the word of the Lord.
I want to delve also. You could have turned me away and told me to stay in my primary book but you perched me on your lap and begin to read the lesson. You introduced a new way of understanding biblical verses. I remember you saying that we must take a critical eye to God's word or we wouldn't be able to get a deeper understanding of it. Isiah 10:15 still holds a special place in my heart.
General Lee started turning mind into the critical thinking machine it is today. The Bible was the first book he learned to read and though he approached with a sense of reverence but he still approached it with a critical mind. General Lee didn't want me to just to accept what I heard as truth. I can still hear him now saying that if what you believe in can't hold up to questions then you're believing in the wrong thing. He was never afraid to answer my questions about his faith and I gained immense respect for him. Because of General Lee, I am no longer afraid to question my beliefs and look for the deeper meaning.
Ladycakes
I want to delve also. You could have turned me away and told me to stay in my primary book but you perched me on your lap and begin to read the lesson. You introduced a new way of understanding biblical verses. I remember you saying that we must take a critical eye to God's word or we wouldn't be able to get a deeper understanding of it. Isiah 10:15 still holds a special place in my heart.
General Lee started turning mind into the critical thinking machine it is today. The Bible was the first book he learned to read and though he approached with a sense of reverence but he still approached it with a critical mind. General Lee didn't want me to just to accept what I heard as truth. I can still hear him now saying that if what you believe in can't hold up to questions then you're believing in the wrong thing. He was never afraid to answer my questions about his faith and I gained immense respect for him. Because of General Lee, I am no longer afraid to question my beliefs and look for the deeper meaning.
Ladycakes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
