I Love...

If you want to be happy, be. ~Leo Tolstoy

My amazing friends who bring me chicken breasts seasoned with Sazon, and rice for dinner. Friends who are all damn good cooks, I must add! Put me on to tomato and avocado salad!! Yummo!Listening to my iPod. To date, I have 2,508 songs and I can not fathom making it through these long summer days without it playing as the Soundtrack of my Life.Working out with my workout Buddy! Her determination is inspiring! The possibilities are endless among us. Beach bodies, well just HAWT bodies!! Chea.

Putting my TV on mute and leaving it there most, if not all of the day. Most of TV is a visual experience anyway, so as long as I can read and see, I'm good, right? :*/ As far as I'm concerned, volume is reserved for certain moments of certain programs, and the conglomerate of the thing called "NEWS," even that is mostly for the weather.Getting re-acquainted with my hair in it's natural state. Nothing, well nothing as of late, feels better than facing the world with my hair looking and feeling content, soaking up the sun as I ride with my sunroof open! I know, hair does not have actual emotion, but who am I to deny my coifs feelings? LOL

Discovering the ability to practice and embody the meaning of: "All things in moderation."

Open lines of communication.Losing a solid 5 pounds within the last few weeks!

The recent renovations being performed in and around my building.

The ability to delete "friends" with the click of a button, then a confirmation.

Getting inspirational, hilarious and informative emails from my Granny <3Getting cards in the mail from my Granny <3 equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">

Be Blessed :*)

Napptral Journey...

SOME RECENT HAIR-SPIRATION!
GOTTA LOVE A BIG BODIED CURLY FRO <3

I have not posted many pics so far since I cut my hair, but I have had a lot going on. Also, I had decided I would wait to collect a few styles, if you will, and post them all in one blog. I have not much to else to note about these pics. I think the first few are from a day I was heading to school and had attempted to style a fro-hawk! I dug it, but as you will see from the pictures, I am still working on the right mix of products to moisturize and define my curls. I had freshly applied products, which had not fully dried on when I took these pics :)

The last picture is from an attempt at the same style (fro-hawk) but with less product, and more of a FRO-treatment. I picked out my hair and parted the sides, where I applied shea butter to smooth out and secured with bobby pins :~) I will try not to comment much about my routine until I have found one(s) that is/are most comfortable for me. I think this approach will help me cipher out useless products, at least for MY hair, and produce less confusion while documenting my NAPP-tral Journey. Hopefully, it will also produce, for the most part, posts on my journey that are mostly succesful!

Enjoy ;*)

Shut up and Drive!

I think this is photoshopped, but I love Rihanna and Gaga and simply couldn't resist!

Caller Unavailable!

At the suggestion of my Mom, I turned my phone off today.

After having it off for nearly 12 hours, I turned it back on.

As the old texts stared rolling in, I realized Mom was right.

When you don't want to be bothered, turn your phone off!

Nite folks!

Restless Summer Night Pt. 1

Insert Chicago News Source Here:
"At least 40 shot across city over weekend"

SILENCE THE VIOLENCE MARCH 06/18/2010

It is 2:31am on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. There have been some things heavy on my mind, which is obviously why I can't sleep. Well, I can sleep, I just have not lied down yet.

So, in no order whatsoever, I will attempt to rundown a list of the things on my mind, this particular restless night.

• I want to move.
• I need to type 5 Lesson Plans on THE ENVIRONMENT by Friday.
• I need to move.
• I feel like I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes, in my own apartment. :-(
• I loathe Summer, and it officially started yesterday (June 21st).
• I want to move.
• I need a part-time job.
• I miss my ex.
• I wanna get my Peacock Tat colored in already.
• The more I work out, the more I crave "junk food."
• I miss getting along with my Dad.
• Should I respond to the email I got today from someone who liked my blog?
• My hair is cooperating, in that it is not looking exactly how I wanted, a week after my BC.
  
• Men are less disappointing with no real expectations.
• Loyalty is perhaps the most overlooked trait.
• Working out is not as fulfilling without the aide of my original trainer.
• Real, respectful friends are hard to come by and even harder to keep.
• I will be teaching in a classroom somewhere in less than 2 years.
• The news should really stop glorifying senseless killings, with a body-count as part of their headlines.
• Sometimes family are the most fickle-loving ones!
• I want a puppy.
  
• Must.Move.Soon.

I feel better now, I am going to look at a place later today.....and with that I am off to bed.

Nite folks =D

Sweetest Sunday

“Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.”

This seems to be the only day that I will allow myself enough time to sit at my computer and write a blog. I do not have a true category for this post, as it is more of summation of my thoughts right now. I just had a meaningful conversation with my Mom. At the suggestion of a friend, I asked my Mom to listen as I vented. The end result was a useful conversation, consisting of me expressing my feelings regarding life, in light of recent occurrences.

I have not much else to say this particular Sunday. I would like to share with the world, however, the JOY and LOVE in my heart for my Daddy!

BIG-mini Chop & Sweetest Sunday

I love my CITY and enjoyed the time spent in it this weekend!!

***

Let's just say, me and my Mamita/Stylist started feelin' ourselves and the whole liberation of the moment after the first couple snips.

Oh, and here is the official "after-photo" and a shot of my "product drawer,"
which has mostly become defunct since the start of NAPP-tral journey. :0)

Anyway, I have made it a goal to use this here forum--otherwise known as my blog, as a therapeutic, happy place to document some elements of my Journey or Progress (hence the blog title) through this thing we collectively call life. I will also let that serve as my motivation to "record" as much as possible.

That said, I am extremely humbled in these moments and truly blessed to be able to say I spent the weekend surrounded by good folks, good food, and great fun! I am getting ready to hear my Uncle deliver the Word for his FIRST time!

Definitely a Sweet Sunday :0)

Moved to Mini Chop

The photo to end them all: I was sold after seeing this HAIRSPIRATION via BGLH! Love this style!!

I have so much to say regarding the situation that is my hair, I honestly do not know where to begin.

So, after some-odd months (we'll say 6) of not having a relaxer, I am frustrated with the lifeless remains of my hair.Today, I will have my favorite stylist (bka Mama) conduct more of a 'Mini-chop.' I initially made the decision to transition out of my relaxer until I was comfortable with the length. Well, fast-forward to yesterday, when I nearly had an emotional breakdown as I looked at my head.

Needless to say, I was/am fed-up. The catalyst? Well perhaps it was my recurring habit of reaching under my bone-straight, permed hair to caress careless curls. Wow, that most definitely, was unintentional use of onomatopoeia. (LoL! Caress careless curls) I tried, mostly in vain to capture a picture of a more pronounced, curly strand I found after co-washing before going out last night. Try as I might though, I was mostly unsuccessful at snapping a pic.

Point being, it was becoming torturous to play with my natural hair underneath the perm. Also, honestly, I got two, really ignorant comments regarding my hair this week. TWO!

"You gonna cut it shorter than it already is?"

Spoken to me by a friend who genuinely meant no-harm, but truly does not understand my NAPP-tral journey right now. It's OK, because she watched a 'How-To' video with me and was actually speechless!

My 'Go-to' Transitional Style: Cornrows

I have been debating whether or not I would document my Natural Hair Journey on my blog, and have decided to humbly do it. In writing this post, I was trying to think about what photos would purposefully serve as my 'Transition' photos, to date. I have really just begun taking pics of my hair, so as an individual who was humbled and astounded by the large networks of folks going natural, I had too!!

So, posts categorized under Natural Hair Journey will include my exciting, already frustrating experience with getting to know my hair in its most NAPP-tral (natural) state!!

My hair styled after my last perm! Circa Nov. 2009

My 'transitioning,' typical bun. The waves are there :*/ Circa Mar. 2010

The day before my mini chop! Can you tell I am sooooo ready??

"O, lets DO IT!!" Taken: June 12, 2010!!

I would like to end by saying I have really been amazed with all of the NATURAL haired beauties out there. In just this week alone, I have been faced with many of the emotional highs and lows I have read about from others who have dared to share their NAPP-tral journies!!

I was enjoying the company of a great-girlfriend yesterday. As she sat on the couch and watched me anxiously, nervously decide whether or not to BC (well Mini-Chop in my case) she calmly said,

"...You know what Kelly, you are beautiful no matter what! If you cut it, it will be the fresh start you need. Hair grows back! I say, do it for a NEW YOU!!"

Gosh, I love my friends!! My Mom will be here with her shears shortly...

Post-Mini Chop pics coming ssssoon!! Wish me luck :0/

Later Beauties =D

I Love...

Posts in this category will include, but are not limited to, things I am digging right now. Specifically, the small treasures that make each day a little more pleasant.

Like this MJ Tee I got for just 45 cents last week!

My new favorite iTunes radio station "WJPC FM: The Soul Of Chicago!"
A sweet mix of popular old and new school songs. I don't like words, such as "urban," used to categorize, but most of my favorites dwell somewhere within this stream on iTunes radio with seldom commercials and no repeats creating a need for station-changing!

The freedom to drop a class chose a summer school course-load that is appropriate for me. After all, summers are meant to enjoy. School is OUT for a reason, right? It's hard to find the motivation needed to cram 16-dual weeks of course work into 6 weeks of Summer Session 1A.

Working out! Especially on the days my patience is challenged, nothing compares to an hour and a half spent in the gym, bathed in my sweat, rockin' out to my iPod, surrounded by other members of my Gym Rat family! Endorphins are my best friend, after all.

Losing weight. Okay, here is where my rant about not wanting to be in school during the summer months comes into play. I have gradually lost 40 pounds and have struggled the last few months to work of the extra 15 or so, pounds. I recently got a tattoo on my side and would love to feel and look fabulous in a swimsuit before the sun hibernates for winter.

Cooking a great meal. This last time I moved, I had the brilliant idea to boycott the grocerystore as I packed and unpacked. Well, my lazy idea helped me develop the bad habit of 'eating in the street,' as some call it. You, know hitting whichever fastfood spot I felt like at the time. Not having much regard for the effect on my body and mood. Fast food makes me cranky, gaseous and sleepy. TMI, perhaps but it's important to stress that bad habit to understand why I love cooking a great meal right now. Cool? Cool.

Chit-chatting throughout the day with my Mamita!
Nothing beats doses of funny courtesy of my favorite woman <3

Using Facebook to catch-up with my "Old Dad."

Enjoy the weekend!