I still heart my blog and my fellow bloggers and the thought of blogging :)

I do ckeck in on my blog every now and again and I read other blogs too. Life at the moment has really kept me away. Not an excuse because I could still make time. Oh well when the time is right I will do a proper update or maybe I should say when I feel up to it. Here I am as I am from time to time thinking about the meaning and purpose of my life not over doing it the thoughts are just there. Staying in the 'moment' though because in the grand scheme of things it is the most important the moment that is.

more Happy Holidays thoughts

Lock Anniversary

Just dawned on me in the middle of the week that my locks turned four years. And I am cool still struggling to keep up with the retightening schedule and so my locks are fighting the good fight at the moment this is all good. Been shampooing with pretty much whatever is accessible. I had a few locks combined because of my retightening mishaps :) but I am as anal about my locks as I used to be (LOL).Just had a birthday and it was wonderful I am always grateful for every moment and every year is an even greater blessing. So here are the pics from one of my celebrations though they are not very clear they are some of the most recent ones of me and my locks so I am going to put it in here. Happy Holidays Everybody in blogosphere!!!

New Orleans

I had the opportunity to got to this absolutely wonderful place for a conference in April, the conference the largest I have ever been to (and I was told it was smaller than previous years). I love this 'town'the people warm and helpful, the atmosphere just full of life and the food oh boy. I tried all I could Emerils, catfish poboy, turtle soup, gumbo and of course beignets and my tummy said thank you. Walked on Canal and Burbon streets and crossed the mississipppi! If I do make it to the conference next year I will have to do some planning it is such a big conference I will need to plan what presentations and posters I want to see but it was a good 'get me feet wet' experience. So these are a few pics at stops along the way.

one love still

ps needless to say I hope one day to go back :)

btw mum I can be obedient when I want to :)

Big Hair and Long overdue Retightening

Hiya

Well thanks to my sister lock gadget guru I found a shower cap that covers all my hair in the shower (no getting wet roun here). This is a great find it is the big hair shower cap from O.R.E. and it covers my hair completely the way the edges are designed prevent even a drip of water from getting to my locks. Previously I was using a plastic shopping bag (declined to post pics too scandalous) I used the big hair this morning for the first time and I am pleased as punch. So a 'Big' shout out (no pun intended) the the guru. Mum says to me last night "long time you don't post on your blog" so I said I would post today then she says "with pictures" these were taken this morning. Getting to my retightenings has been challenging so the last two were done when it was overdue but Alicia ((hugs))) is great. I had my retightening done last week and we are going to try for 5 weeks next time because it is taking too long when more than that time passes. My locks are doing well inspite of. On the style front I really want to wear more dresses, skirts and cotton pants been trying for a while now to make a go at it so we will see how that works out for me. Light and happy sighting...last week after I had gotten my hair done I was heading to the store with the friend who took me to have my locks retightened and this lady stopped me out the door of the store she says "your locks are gorgeous, it that the 4 point?" then she begins to tell me all about her locks and how she does them herself and goes to youtube for her how to vids. She was sweet and it is always such a happy thing when some ones stops me to discuss locks :) she asked what colour I had on my ends oh boy you mean the peroxide aks bleach, browns and then the black this colour has morphed into its 'own'

one love
still
ps locks are beautiful :)

wine and crocodiles :)

Yaay I been out and about and I am happy last weekend the graduate students assoc. went to the Everglades and did the Miccosukee village tour. So the live crocodile show was the last part of the tour we got information about the creatures and saw some hands on interaction with the crocs and the tour guide. At the end he asks does anyone want to hold a baby croc? me no way I am way too afraid of reptiles oh well the pic says it all . The airboat was peaceful.I had fun. Wine tasting was yummy too came away with a bottle of shiraz from Australia. Red wine is so soothing and I am taking a liking to apple rum too.

one love still

hair and here

I been thinking that the longer I have my locks is the less I feel 'sanctimonous' about them. On a quest to do my hair myself I used both sisterlock tools (which I find hard to use) a hair pin (which worked geat for he first few locks), a yarn needle which was going good until I join some locks. The sissors were brought into play and so I cut a lock and one is 'hangin' on. So in my frustration and what just falls short of a minor production I went back to the consultant who retightened my hair last semester and got it done. Took approx 5 1/2 hours and plenty popping and sissors, happy that it is over. So no ranting here I am still trying to sort out the hair thing. For now it has been retightened and I am happy. My B-ties have also been coming in handy, the longer the locks grow is the more I am able to do with them. The colour on the ends is also starting to come through as well, am I going to colour again me nuh know...I will see.

one love still
ps the haittie I am wearing here is one of my favourites :)

Chiney bumps aka bantu knots

So this weekend in an effort to begin my freedom campaign I washed my hair chiney bumped it slept on it (no heat) and pulled them down in the afternoon (of the following day). The findings my hair did have a nice crinkle so next time will do them an little smaller and maybe use some product for hold and one side of my hair was basically dry before I did them so will try to have evenly distributed water al around. Overall I am happy with how they turned.

one love still

my love

one love still

I think I been played...

So I am awake going through the usual bout of insomina and wondering hmmm what do? well I have not blogged in a while so I thought I would drop a few lines here. My hair I think needs some TLC or maybe just some... and so I think I am going to make and effort to give it some loving this weekend. Something came to mind recently regarding sisterlocks and the products and it just had me wondering are we supposed use those products for the entire time we wear sisterlocks? So if I have my locks for a lifetime I use the products forever hmm I wonder. So there is absolutely nothing else on the market that can do the job of those products? hmm wondering again. So I am back to the drawing board looking for 'options' once again and I got a hot tip from the moms :) so I am going to move on it. Additionally there is a wealth of information on blogs, youtube and other placeson the internet. In books and magazines as well as word of mouth so it should be interesting to see what I find. I just woke up one morning this week and thought this is mad and so options I am on the look out for you cause there are good natural and not so natural ones out there. I feel like I have been played...but heads up the wool has been removed from mine eyes.

comparison shots

Well my bleached aka 'rusty' ends were coloured black and I am loving it. Here are some before and after pics

one love still

Christmas

It is good to be home. I have been camera happy and snapping every chance I get. There has been good times, good food, friendship and so I will share a bit of it with you. Enjoy!
one love still

salt & peppa hair

 

my roots

 

ok so I change my mind tah dah my needing to retightened roots (: (yes mum I am wearing black eye liner *wink*)

one love still

Messin about-camera & Btie

So I finally figured out how to use the timer on my camera and played around with it this is the end result...

one love still

ps the front of my hair is off limits (:

more random thoughts

I want to no take that back I am going to colour the ends of my locks the reason just want them black. Doing my own retightenings honesty cudos to the self retighteners I tried retightening one lock a few weeks ago and it took me fore ever. Separating my locks after washing is enough so the short of it is I will be having my locks retighened no more pie in the sky oh maybe I will do it myself crap. I baked some butter scotch sticks tonight not sure how they taste but they look fine just about the way they should. Another thing I now know why it is said J'can can be warm people. Sometimes it is hard work staying true to yourself and being true to those around you at the same time. But mi a gwaan try still.

one love still

does rude have a language?

Well tomorrow will be 3 years since I had my locks installed, but I am not doing any comparison shots of my hair till I have it retightened and it is now amm like almost 6 weeks overdue (I know my consultant is not going to be pleased). Right now I am homesick just really missing home my family and friends.

It is interesting the phase 'no where like home' rings true. I like my own company as many of friends will tell you but I really wish...oh well moving right along. I know my mother is going to be pissed when she hears this but about 3 days ago I was sitting in a gazebo doing some reading and having lunch with a friend. There was a group selling crepes across from where we were sitting. So this lady and her male companion walk up and went to sit on a bench near to where we were there was some trash form the papers being used to wrap the crepes being sold on the bench so she takes it up walks over to where we were sitting says something niether of us understands puts the trash on the table and goes back to sit down. Well I took it up and went and threw it in the garbage not far from where we were sitting and came back and man was I angry you know what though in that moment I wish I was a little more like my mum cause I never said a word...I wonder why did she do that?

one love still
ps the pic was taken about 3 months ago (:

Thank you...

one love still

Nars in Night Breed

So here it is the pic on the left was the first attempt and the one on the right the second...I love this shadow it is so sparkley and pretty been using it wet (: thanks again so much!!!

one love still

Komen race for the cure

So this what I did yesterday and I had a blast. Fifteen thousand people approximately attended!!! I walked for my aunts who last there fight...and for the countless other women and men who continue to fight.

one love still
ps my t-shirt was a youth small hmm..

I wanted something different

I think this was 3/4 weeks ago. I wanted a little umph but was not really feeling the soft spikes vibe so I settled for a braidout. Now I really should not post these pics because I have no pics of what it looked like when I was done (: but hey...I enjoyed doing it and broke up the monotony by doing other stuff in between (: the braiding. I used some bands to hold the ends because some of the braids will not hold at the end without some help.

So I pulled them out the following morning and I was pleased but never thought anyone would have seen the difference...well "Kerry your hair looks different did you do something to it?" says one of my professors *wink* I sure did and I am happy you noticed (: No I did not say that but still I was tickled (:

one love still

Good Presentation

So said the professor...so two assignments down and I am not really sure how many more to go (: But a special shout out to n'drea for your counsel and good vibes, the technique works so I am going to practice it not only for the presentation but also for preparation,thanks sis! I am so exhausted so I should get a good nite tonight. But I had to share the outcome of todays events (:

one love still

ps thanks to my DH &Mum you guys always have my back (:

Presentation

So today I have my first grad school presentation...and I am nervous, anxious and a ton more emotions all that mixed up into one. I am not feeling so happy with the final product and I have been slaving over it so that really does not make me feel any better...would more time make a difference I wonder??? Part of me wants more time the other part wants to just do it an be done (:

So I am going to give it the once over and then give it my best shot, I will be sure to let you know how it works out (:

one love still

ps just needed to vent a little

life in another neck of the planet

Yeh I know where have I been ?... living and learning and we all are doing that right (: I always new that really the best but not the only way IMO to learn something is though an experience/s. Experience can also expose what you are made of test your fibre/er (which ever you prefer). So for for the last few weeks I have been emersed in a new culture and I have learnt much about the 'way of life' but I have also learnt about myself. I really do not want to get into too much detail here but I know my readers get the gist. I have had to aquire some personal space and have been trying not to trespass on anybody's.

So I was due a retightening when I got to my new home and was not worried about finding someone I mean how hard could it be ?...well it was tricky I had to rely on my Cali-connections to give me the hookup. The hair was retightened and soon I will be due to go get another done (more on that in another post). It suddenly dawned on me a few days ago that in a few weeks hmmm lemme see approximately 6 weeks I have had my locks for 3 years WOW this lock-a-versary creeped up on me I guess because so much is going on. Oh I had to order shampoo when I got here and so in the mean while I used suave daily clarifying shampoo. I loved they way it made my hair feel but Brunsli advised me that it could strip my hair so that has been the one and only use. I will keep it for emergencies.

So the course is going through in new people, new home, new methods it is going. I am experiencing bouts of insomnia but I was told that execise is good so I am going to take a page from n'drea and start some yoga, I need to get it in check, I have tried tea, honey, reading so yeh I am open to any other suggestions.

This week after reading Brunsli's post I decided to wear a different hairtie everyday this week and well mission accomplished (: so I am going to keep going till I have worn them all.

Oh before I forget I have a revamped fettish does anyone want to guess what it is?????

So I am here I have not dropped off the planet..I think a ss set is in order (:

one love still

New tings

Well it is official grad school has started. I am in a different part of the world a new school and so learning on a lot of levels will be taking place. I was/still am a little nervous and even apprehensive but chugging along. I have to keep my eyes and ears open to this is a good way to learn the ins and outs. I had my first class and it went well so as per usual one down three to go and so far so good. So what have been up to? Once I arrived I been busy trying to get settled and stuff. Mi all tek di bus public transport but that also was a smooth process (thank God). Found a church too which is great and made it to mass this past Sunday (big up to di most high God for this as well). Well my locks are just about due for a retightening and so the search is on for a consultant here is hoping this will be well too. I took my tools and tings just incase push does come to shove and I have to do di hair myself (: So I been doing lots of walking which is a good thing and been for the most part trying to eat healthy yay!. So until a next time still is gonna make a move but as always ttyl .

One love still

New tings

Well it is official grad school has started. I am in a different part of the world a new school and so learning on a lot of levels will be taking place. I was/still am a little nervous and even apprehensive but chugging along. I have to keep my eyes and ears open to this is a good way to learn the ins and outs. I had my first class and it went well so as per usual one down three to go and so far so good. So what have been up to? Once I arrived I been busy trying to get settled and stuff. Mi all tek di bus public transport but that also was a smooth process (thank God). Found a church too which is great and made it to mass this past Sunday (big up to di most high God for this as well). Well my locks are just about due for a retightening and so the search is on for a consultant here is hoping this will be well too. I took my tools and tings just incase push does come to shove and I have to do di hair myself (: So I been doing lots of walking which is a good thing and been for the most part trying to eat healthy yay!. So until a next time still is gonna make a move but as always ttyl .

One love still

I am in LOVE...

With makeup. Yes I have been spending inordinate amounts of time looking at product sites, looking at beauty blogs, drooling at the sephora website. Could somebody let me in that store and say take what you want $$$ yeh right, well I will just keep dreaming (: but it has been so therapeutic seriously. And of course I have a ton a stuff I wanna try from different lines like lancome, stila, MAC, chanel and oh boy the list goes on (: but its been fun. I am not a connoisseur but I like MAC lip glass this gloss is cool and comes in some really hot colours. I am a vivaglam gurl altho the last one I bought (VI) has to be blended bacause di I is a lickle dark for dat shade (: but it is really nice with a chocolate brown liner. So lets just say there is alot more experimenting to go (tee hee) but I am gonna baby steps and then... did someone say hotta hotta (:

odds & ends

I have said this so many times but I have been bad with posting and with checking in on my blog buddies. Not that I do not have anything to say there is lots but I... oh well. Some changes are on the horizon but I am not going to say more just yet. Well I will say that soon I may not have an option I may need to start doing my own retightenigs (: We ie my DH and I have been busy trying to do the day to day stuff, keeping in touch with family and doing the things we think are important to us. We had another anniversary of my Bros death so we again got together shared memories of him and just spent time shaing in love with each other (friends & family). Taking one day at a time and trying not to get caught up in the fray but to keep my feet on the path of peace. My locks are 2 years and 8 months this month and they have been doing there thing. I continue to the sisterlocks products and the results have been great. I was wondering why the shampoos do not come in larger bottles ? going to have to send Dr C a note. My brunslities have been out and about as the making of my ponytail is almost complete. I have also stopped using a shower cap and just bundle everything on the to of my head at shower time. Life continues to ebb and flow but in the grand scheme of things that is what it is all about. Loving life for all it offers is what I seek to do all day every day.

The smell of rain

There is something about the rain coming
the sound of the water rushing toward the earth
as she cries out to have the roots the have been embedded within her quenched

And as the rain makes her way gently guided by the crackes that have been created in the soil, the earth says Amen by allowing to escape the sweet fragrance of soil that only the rain could have quenched

It is a simple occurence in natue but one that if you allow yourself to pay homage....will find that you too might have escape from you as from the earth Amen and the sweet fragrance of having your parched cracks quenched.

Thank you mother earth for reminding me that we are but a passage of time on the eternal life piece.....

Just some thoughts

Every now and again I hear or see a thought or thoughts that cause me to think for a moment or for a while and may even become etched in my memory... one such thought is "we do not control the hand we are dealt" and this has had me thinking. I often wonder why the persons who die when they do are allowed to? and although I have some conclusions they continue to be reworked as I get older and wiser (I like to think). There is one thought that a friend (from prep school) posted today that puts it into perspective in this moment for me "even the fear of death is nothing compared to the thought of not having lived authentically" and that is what we are called to do all the while remembering to do to others as you would have them do to you. Simply put we are called to live everyday to the best of our ability and that will mean different things to different people, but I exhort you to do the just that. We are not meant to live each others lives (I don't think) but we can support and lend help in whatever way or whereever we can.

So once again I exhort you do the best you can with what you have been given for we do not control the hand we are dealt and just live, live, live your life!!!!!

one love still

I did my First

Yes I did it my first consultation about 2 weeks ago. I never thought I would have been so nervous but It was a good thing the potential client is also friend so it made it that much easier. Of course I did alot of things on the day where if I had thought it through that would not have happened. I had to get a a antibacterial soap and a bateriocide to clean all my tools (already had my hand sanitizer). Also need a container to store the tools had to get that too all this I did on my way to the consultation (: that won't happen again I think it added to making me nervous. The night before I did I refresher to remind myself off all I needed to do and say to make sure the consultation was complete. So off I went bag and tools in tow. We chit chatted and she wanted to know why all this was necessary but I stuck to the game plan she did eventually ask questions so she benefited from it. Installed 8 sample locks in different sections of the hair and once I had completed that we talked some more and then made arrangements to make the installation appointment. I am on my way it will take practise(the more consultations I do the more comfotable I will become) but I am confident I will get it(: My consultant has graciously consented to allowing me to use her space and it will also allow for her to supervise what I am doing (I want that for at least my first three heads. So blog buddies I will keep you posted!!!

one love still (sisterlocks trainee)
ps I had to use my noted

me being me

 

one love still

Remember that project?????

Oh my you would never guess what happened remember that final project. So I get a call last week to say our group was getting an award for Best Research Project. So Mum and my DH came to the ceremony to share the moment with me and some of the group and some of my other collegues. So I had a good time laughed and took some pics (: well mum took the pics and they came out nice (:. The hair spiral set on flex rods, the makeup (usually done by JaStu) done all by me I think I am finally getting the hang of it(:and the set I had it done and I love it boy it would be nice to be able to get this effect all by myself ie (rods+dryer).

one love still
ps this was a nice surprise (:

A bee in my Bonnet

Awhile back Tra asked about a 'bee in my bonnet'.....this is my explanation when I get and idea I usually take it an run with it and it usually consumes me (: at least for a while so thats me explanation (: hth

one love still

I have been away so long

The 1st Sisterlocks Training class for 08'

Master Trainer Michelle Bryant

Associate Trainer Marclin Barrett (my consultant)

So much has happened and is happening, well for starters I was in the first sisterlocks training class for 08 here is a post of a pic of the group we were a happy bunch. The class was so ah lemme see enlightening I learnt quite a bit about hair of African desent and so much about sisterlocks....... after the course was finished I felt like I did what I was supposed to do. So you might ask do I have any plans nope but I find sometimes no plans works better for me (: so I am working on my mannequin head, and as my consultant said she is my first client then to the real heads. But I have absolutely no regrets and I am happy I was able to do it. So when my name appears on the sisterlocks website you know why its not a fluke I did the class (:

Now my DH and I are planning another move so I am leaving my job and heading back home and at this moment thats all I know and I will keep you posted on any developments, lets just say I am taking it all in strides... thats all I can do at the moment.

For those of you wondering mum ja was visted by a stalker in cyber space so she has deleted her blog but she will be back she has given me her word love you mum looking forward to the return (:

On the hair front I prefer the green tea formulation at the moment but I realised after my last shampoo that I need the moisture treatment for conditioning, I actually had to apply some directly to my dry hair because it was needed to be soothed. Feels the better for it. So lemme see is that it oh I almost forgot the new gadget I got for Christmas, I am getting the hang of it and my laptop is not able to log onto the internet so the pics for the time being will be few but I will try to keep them coming. Like you said you wanted to see me but I like posts with pics (: So in a nut shell thats what I have been up to.

one love still

been tagged twice here goes 1!!!

Here are the rules:
1. link to the person that tagged you, in my case, n'drea.
2. post the rules on your blog.
3. share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

• six things/habits/quirks about me:
• I might be the only person in the world who does this but I fold my dirty laundry
• I will do dishes at all hours of the day especially if I need time to think (: go figure
• I knew/know all four of my grandparents and was able to spend quality time with them
• When I get a bee in my bonnet I get a bee in my bonnet
• A friend told me the other day her cousin almost had a cardiac when she heard I ate pork (: cause she thought I was rasta
• a messy space is something I can live in but then at 2:00 in the am it will strike me as a great time to clean up the mess (:
• persons i'm tagging: Golden, Lakia, maryee, blackrussian, mel, and cluizel.

one love still

Manning & Manning!!!

Oh how sweet it is go Eli!!!!My Dh got me into NFL foot ball once we were married and so we watched the game brilliant game oh how sweet it is!!!!! I always support the under dog and they did it go NY and the 1972 Dolphins perfect season protected 17-0. New England 19 and ouch!!!!!

Payton super bowl 41

Eli super bowl 42

MVP!!!!!

one love still

Keep it Simple

Having been recently re-educated, I am going to be running an experiment of sorts for two thousand and great/love aka 2008, you would have to be in Jamaica to get all that (: I have gone back to using the starter shampoo which I will use along with the salon aloe and may be green tea to get my fix (:. I am back to the sister locks products the full line. So my shower now has one bottle of shampoo, the moisture treatment and recontructor, so why am I doing this I want to see the effect it is going to have on my locks so I will keep you posted on the results. So what have I done with all the other stuff under the sink...and the withdrawl has not been too bad!!!! when I can bring myself to I will let my DH use them to do his shampoos (:

one love still

Christmas was.....

Dear Diary

For the first time in my life I was working on Christmas and although I knew it was going to be rough it was rough for real. No DH, no momee, no daddy no brothers man oh man !!! but I made it through. In hind sight the experience served the purpose and as soon as I figure it out I will let you all know(: just what that was.

So I had christmas dinner 'hotel style' and so all the traditional trimmings were missing ): but when I got home from work I made the effort to get pretty and went to dinner with my hubby (: it was fun and very pleasant. Then we just sat around and chatted (: and made the best of the moment.

And so with 08 on the horizon I can already feel it is going to be a year of hard work and challenges which will require committment but I pray fo the srength to do what I gotta do (: So I work on the eve but at least I can attempt some R&R on the day (: What do you have planned for NYE ?

one love still
ps I pray for you all a Happy New Year's and enough to keep you humble, blessed, at peace and in love with all life has to offer all the while acknowledging we are indeed on a jouney

be blessed always Still

Mom & I

I asked a neighbour to take the photos of momee and I. Her hair is really growing and I think it will be locked faster than mine was. So enjoy and ps I love big hair & I really love my sister locks!!!!! and if you look closely you can see one of my rogue locks!!!!!! can you see huh huh huh??????

one love still

Irie Tam & Tings

Ok truth be told I just wanted to post these pics and thought I would do a post!!! Meikmeika I am going to send the recipe!!!! so don't think I forgot(: My mum made this tam a whiles back and I think this is just the third time I am wearing it but my DH and I went for a drive last night and tho it does not snow in Ja it can get pretty nippy so I wore the tam last night and took these pics. We went to a new mega store that opened in the 'republic' and bought some chsitmas decorations and had some sorrel in the car and made a toast to the season. Sorrel is so wondeful especially since I really only have it around Christmas...yum yum. so here is momees handy work been trying to get a few more but time will tell!!!!!

one love still