To My Best Friend & Mentor...

My Homage to You.

...Many ask when they see the picture above, "what or who has you smiling so genuinely in that picture?" My response is always "the Prince behind the lens."

There have been many friends in my life, but none will ever compare to you.

You are my mentor and my inspiration. The constant voice in my head prompting me to do and be better.

I knew from the day I met you that you where special and served a special purpose to our people.

Everything I experienced while in your presence is now and 4ever touched with an aura.

I will never 4get Marrietta. I will never 4get the need for new boots. I will never 4get group meetings and navy bean dip. I will never 4get hoodies with Kente lining and a Kufe that barely fit. (*smile*) I will never 4get my first viewing of Khalid Muhammad on tape. I will never 4get the purchase of a guitar. I will never 4get rent being paid and Sunday meals at Soul Vegetarian. I will never 4get plastic on a toilet seat. I will never 4get the buying of diapers. I will never 4get Kinkos. I will never 4get the presentation of beautiful dresses on a balcony. I will never 4get "Strong enough for a man... but made for a woman." I will never 4get a blue car! I will never 4get a daughter, long drives, sacrifices, tears and pain.

I will never 4get I owe you... but for now, this is my homage to you.

Love always,

~Malaika

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COLOR

I always use the same color product every time because I have never had a bad experience with it to date and I am always pleased with the results... so why change? I am always careful to keep my locs moisturized to keep them from over drying, by spritzing daily and deep conditioning every week.

Every time I color, I leave the back dark. I kinda like the contrast with top light and back darker. Also my locs are purposely bigger in the back because it was much thinner back there and more curly.

The Day The Earth Shook

The yellow dots on the map identify earthquake locations. Most earthquakes occur where the continental and oceanic plates collide with each other, so mapping earthquake locations identifies the plate boundaries.

While earth quakes are common in parts of the world like California, there are some of us who have never experienced one.

I live in the Mid-West where we rarely feel the "earth shake" so when it does happen, it's a little unnerving to the community. At 4:30ish this morning, I was awakened by my bed literally shaking. having not experienced an earth quake before, I was I bit startled and wondered what was going on. For a minute, I thought I was dreaming but as I lay there, the shaking lasted for what seemed like a while but turned out to be no more that a minute. I instantly got up to check to see if any of my children where up. All but one where still sleep. I asked the one that was up if she was ok and reassured her then went back to my bedroom to turn on the local news.

The news did indeed confirm it was an earth quake that registered at 5.2. I find it funny that depending on where we live, we tend to get used to the local occurrences that happen where we live, be it: tornado's (which I have never experienced either), hurricanes, torrential rains, snow and earth quakes. I am personally used to the unpredictable weather and snow here where I live, so it kinda tickles me to hear folks ooo and awww at the snow. I am sure those that are used to experiencing tremors are probably giggling at us and saying "aww... get over it!" None-the-less, it was something that I will never forget having been my very first official earth quake.

What are some of the local weather (etc) occurrences that happen where you live and have you ever experienced and earth quake?

Loc Loops

I don't buy things off the net often but I have seen some good results from the Loc Loops and since I curl often, I figured it would be worth a try if they where a bit more comfortable than the rods I normaly use... Here are my results:
Before




After

The bob is back!

I have always loved the bob cut as a permie... now I find that it is achievable with locs. I received my new Essence mag in the mail today, and to my delight, I find the cutest loc style!


Not sure if I'd ever do this (prolly will in about 3 or so years), but it's certainly nice to know how many style options we locked heads have isn't it?

Whats your fav lock style so far?

Thank Goodness for Saturdays!

Got my classwork done first thing this morning and now all I have to do is chillax! (seriously, I have things I could be doing theoretically, but I don't wanna)

So, my 15 year old makes a lil cash baby-sitting and/or doing hair. She does a fab job with hair and she only does natural hair or braid/twist extension's. I don't particularly care for when she has to do either because when doing hair, I find strands of hair all over my home days after her client is gone and I always end up helping when she baby-sits, so I feel like I'm babysitting too...

Today she is baby sitting and because I have officially made today my "I'm not doing a darn thing today" day, I refuse to help her with her job! Every time her lil cousin who is 3 years old comes to ask me for something, my reply is: "go ask cousin Naj". Usually I help her, but how is that helping to teach her responsibility? (that's my politically correct explanation and I'm sticking to it!) But surprisingly, she is doing very well with out my help.. bless her heart.



I have officially decided that "The Office" is my favorite(see above t-shirt) show... for now. I think it is so hilarious. I actually rented the entire second season to watch today. (I was serious when I said I wasn't doing anything) Since I am taking a break from watching the show, I figured I would post a tutorial or two but I couldn't decide on what exactly.

If you would like for me to post instructions via pics, just send a request, give me a lil time and I will post it for you.

Here is a list of styles I can do a tutorial for:
1.loc bun
2.loc twist-out
3.curley locs

I thought about instructions for latching but decided against it. Those of you who latch know why. ;-) Now back to my show. I'll check back for any request... Later.

Random Thoughts, Confessions and other Ramblings

Let me just start by saying, I miss my fro *sigh*

I miss the wash-n-go/co-washes, I miss having big hair one day and then a twa the next because of shrinkage, I miss the twist-outs, I miss the way my hair would twirl around my finger, I miss wearing a puff....

Ok, there. Now that Ive gotten that off my chest, here's what I don't miss:
I don't miss the time and effort it took to style, I don't miss having to detangle after a co-wash/wash-n-go (especially if I wore it for a week), I don't miss seeing lil curly hairs in the sink from regular shedding.

I feel better already! :^)
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Today is my baby girls 4th b-day! Happy b-day baby!!! (DH and I hopped she wouldn't come on April 1st but when nature calls whadayagunnado?) She is the last (God willing) of 5. I told the hubby if he wanted anymore, speak now or 4ever hold your peace, cause I ain't having no mo after 35, mmm k? Since she is the youngest in the house, she gets all the love and attention a child could want. Her siblings love her to death, which can be a bit hard to believe sometimes because usually the youngest is the one who typically gets on everyones nerves... at least that was my experience seeing as I am the youngest of four... Which brings me to my next thought.
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As I just mentioned, I am the youngest of four girls, and growing up, my elder sisters where just no fun! (well.. sometimes)They picked at me and joked about me, and you know why? Cause I was the only one in the family who hadn't developed yet! Can you believe the insanity? My family is full of "full" women. I was literally the last to develop in my family and that includes my cousins. Well, fast forward to today, I am now a "real" woman now according to some in my family because I used to be so scrawny and now I am fully developed. (whatever!) So, I am at my sisters home one evening looking through her closet and trying on one of her many, many new outfits (her shoe collection is insane). I tell you no lie when I say, if I need a new out-fit and I am unable to go shopping, I can go to her house and always come out with a brand new, never worn fit just like I went to a department store, but I digress...
While trying on this fitted, really cute sweater, I come out to show her how it looks and she gives me such a look of disapproval, you'd have thought I walked out with velvet suite on. Apparently, the sweater didn't look good on me because my back-side wasn't "ample" enough. That comment took me right back to my childhood. While she burst out in laughter, I walked away with the sweater and my less than video quality behind, and went home to get ready for the Jill Scott concert she wanted so bad to go to.... In your face big sis!!! *sticks out tongue*
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~Month 10~

So much to share... where shall I begin?

Greetings! (that's always a good place to start right?)

It has been a fruitful journey so far and I anticipate that it will continue to be. My routine for my BLs has remained the same pretty much since day one:

1. I wash every weekend and do a deep condition for no less than an hour. (plastic bag, no heat)
2. I moisturize with evoo after each wash. Sometimes alternate w/ castor oil.
3. I spritz through-out the week with a mixture of water or aloe vera juice and eo's.
4. I latch when I feel the need. Don't have a certain amount of weeks in-between any more. I just let my locks tell me what they need.
5. Every now and then, I style with rollers. lately I have been experimenting with a basket weave... I'll get it right eventually!

This has worked wonderfully for me! My locks stay soft, pliable, smelling good and moisturized. I love the simplicity of it. I have clipped some locks in the back again. I want to maintain a certain shape (layered) with my locks and since certain areas grow faster than others, I pay close attention and choose very carefully which ones to clip.

I love doing it myself. I can't imagine going to anyone to do anything to my locks. I enjoy everything about being a DIYer from washing and conditioning to latching... yes I wrote latching. LOL I don't see it as a burden because it give me the results I like and I don't try to do it all in one sitting. If there where anything I would say that I would change about my journey, that would be to have started earlier! ;^)









OK, so even though I am pretty consistent with my routine, there are times that I try new things and sometimes they work (new things) and sometimes... well, let me show you:

I tried some Lotta body setting lotion with the above roller set and although I have used it b4 when my napps where loose, this time my skin didn't like it!

This pic shows how my locks brush against my face and the other pic is the result of the setting lotion and my hair brushing against my face. :^(


Well... lesson learned for sure! Clearly next time I shouldn't let my hair touch my face when I use the settig lotion... or was it don't use the lotion?