What Should We Call Me...an ALUM!

Greetings! It has been awhile since I have posted ANYTHING...to be honest I just have not been in the mood to write and I also got caught up in other people's blogs (all happen to be way better than mine). Anyhoo you will be glad to know that I have been busy doing things and I can cross some stuff off my list. I finished more books, checked out some awesome museums that I haven't seen and ohh yea I FINALLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE!!!!!

This past weekend I traveled up to my beloved happy valley and participated in a right of passage that has been coming for way too long (I graduated from high school in 2003, you do that math). I haven't been the most excited about celebrating just because I felt like it was kind of silly. I thought celebrating was for those who graduated in an appropriate amount of time. However, I can say when I put on that cap and gown on Saturday and got to hear my name being called it was amazing. My journey to graduation may have been long but I am a much more complex person because of it. I like the person I am now and that happened because of the experiences I have had.

My amazing family and my 2nd family (City Year teammates) made the trek down to support me and I have to say that I am so lucky! It was great spending that much time with them, I cannot wait to come back as an alum with them and show them a REAL Penn State weekend...monkey boys included! 

There is a lot happening in the next few weeks, including but not limited to: a move, a wedding, and 10 days in a car driving across country! Stay tuned! 

                                          WE ARE!
 

Flying Solo..Bridesmaid Edition

eddings and babies seem to come in waves.. last summer it was babies the summer before that I had 4 weddings in 6 weeks; it was nuts. Because I am perpetually single and have friends getting married at a rate faster than the speed of light I often  find myself doing the wedding date hustle; this is where I go through a list of guy friends that would be acceptable to take to wedding. These men have to be able to handle themselves, be fun and willing to take many pictures. The last wedding I went to I took a friend and he did really well actually, I will thank my days of prepping him about the family and what to expect. I also prepped the family to clarify that this dude was NOT my boyfriend so please don't hound him with questions. I have to give it to him he was stoked about it and was more gung ho than most dates I've taken to weddings... go figure

A Special Valentine for a Special Lady

Happy Valentine's Day! 

I am sending this out without the least bit of bitterness or condescending tone. I get that this day can be a bit morose for those of us who are of the single persuasion but I like to think of it as a day to tell all the ones you love that you love them. I invite you to take the time to send some love to everyone in your life that is special to you and don't dwell on the fact that you maybe minus a mate. If you have a mate remember that you should be loving them all year round. I hope you all are spending this day with at least one person you care for, I decided to write to the person I care for the most in this entire world!

One Foot in Front of the Other

oday I took my first steps {literally} to hit my goal of running in a 5k, that's 3.2 miles people {for this chubby girl that might as well be a million}. I do not know why I have this deep want to complete something that I detest more than girls with straight bangs and curly hair but I do. I feel like running races and shit is on the list of things white people like right between gentrification and wearing those weird toe shoes...and definitely not made for people with my melanin count {unless you're Kenyan}. Personally I think that I haven't got on board with the idea of running because it seems so cliché of people my age and I hate doing things because others are doing them. It is the same reason why I refuse to be sent to Africa if I get into the Peace Corps..I don't want to be ANOTHER person that wants to save the poor African children {I realize that sounds worse than I mean it}. What it means is that I want to do things because I have a connection to it and I want to run because I am concurring a long arch nemesis of mine and I want to go to a country that needs me just as much as those countries in Africa.

Product Overload

urrently I am on the natural girl struggle;  I am falling into the trap of buying every product that any YouTuber/blogger suggests.What I have found is that trying a few things here and there is good and then just going with what works best for me. I think I have found some things I really like and that has been great. I am trying not to buy anymore products of things I already have but I am on the hunt for a great styling/holding product.

So far I am 6 months post relaxer and I have to say I am not missing the relaxers. I checked out the new growth the other day and I absolutely loved seeing my natural curls and waves comes through {it's so pretty when it's wet}. Another bonus is that I get to wear wigs tee hee; I like to consider them fashionable hats! Wigs are so functional, they are instant hair, style and mood changer,  AND keep your head warm!

It has been fun playing with things to do with my hair and I have already tried a couple on my own! One thing about going natural, it is ALOT of work! For 27 years my mom has done my hair {or paid to have it done} for anything more than a flat iron or ponytail but going natural {and living away from mama dukes} has made me become dependable on myself. I did my first roller set over break and that wasn't half bad, the only problem was that it was a little frizzy and didn't last. I got some great advice from some friends and copious amounts of YouTubing! I tried my very first flexi rod set recently and I LOVED it! I was sure it was going to be super jank but as I took out the rods the curls were so cute. My friend Barbara suggested that I try bantu knots as well; so that is up next of things to try.  I have learned so much new lingo in the last couple of months!

With my best-friend's wedding approaching I am trying to figure out what I am going to do... wig, weave, other??? I think I will just cross that bridge when I get to it in May. Check out my completed flexi rod set  beeeelow!

Step 1. Flexi rods are in!

2. Fully dry and remove rods

3. Pulled and stretched and styled.