Leave in...or give away?

Since I can remember, I've always tried to incorporate Leave-In conditioners in my routine. during my relaxed days, I used Leave-Ins primarily after a relaxer but I also used them as "setting lotion" for roller sets. however, I wasn't consistent with this, nor did I find it mandatory in my hair care regimen...

When I began transitioning and learned about the importance of moisture, I realized that Leave-In's are a good way to moisturize after washing and I began my search for the "perfect" Leave-in! Here are some that I've stumbled over in my search.

*Note: all are at or below $10 which suffices that very frugal quality I possess.

Infusium

It was good for relaxed and the earlier stages of my transitioning hair but it was too watery . Too light for these thick tresses. Definitely a give away

Giovanni Direct Leave-In

I mentioned it here , but I wanted to still include in this list. It is creamy and light and works well with pretty much all of the products I've used thus far. i use after every wash except for instances where I'm preparing for a twist/braid-out and plan on using the Shea Moisture Leave-In that I will discuss later. it can be used with this but it would probably be overkill...it has a very light 'hold' for wash''go styles but it's usually not enough for my hair, which is why it's usually the base for my styles (with another product). It's my "don't leave home without it" product. My first leave in!

**I wanted to define my wash'n'go- which is the style where I don't do anything with my hair after washing (except putting in some product). so my hair takes it natural curly/coily form without combs, braiding, twisting or any other kind of styling/manipulation. I usually just put a headband on and leave the house with wet hair allowing it to dry as the day progress and just do whatever it wants.

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioning Repair cream

Oh my goodness...this smells delightful. I really really really wanted to like this. side note: I'm apart of Long Hair Care Forum and the ladies on this swear by this product...For me, the product "worked". It left my hair uber soft and I used it to put in twists for a twist-out and the definition was good...but my scalp itched like crazy. At one point, I thought I had sores in my head...and (un)luckily for me, I was on a work-related trip and didn't have access to my mini beauty supply store that's in my cupboards at home. It was a sad day.

But I'm a trooper, so I washed my hair that night and tried it AGAIN. Yes, because I had to make sure that it was this and nothing else that I may have used. I think I left some conditioner in it the first time. Second trial, same results, soft hair with good definition...and an itchy scalp - although not as intense itching this trial.

Sooooo I sniffed it one last time and closed the lid. forever. My aunt was the lucky recipient of a full bottle of this. I'm guessing she liked ti because I never got any complaints from her. Category: give away

Honey Hemp Conditioner by Oyin Handmade

Let me start by saying...I just love this product line. They were the first set of 'natural' hair care products that I tried and did not fail me. Of course, all their products weren't the best for MY hair but I do have a staple from them as I mentioned here. Anyhoo, I won't be giving this up anytime soon. This conditioner is multipurpose as a conditioner, deep conditioner and leave-in. I usually use this as off of the above but since I'm discussing Leave-Ins, I'll stay focused. I use this when I'm sporting the wash'n'go. I have used this conditioner alone and I've used with another product and this faithfully has done what it claims to do. This is another Leave-In with a light hold but still a keeper. Definitely a leave in!

Shea Moisture Shea Butter Leave-In

The first thing that stood out was the smell - which is still growing on me. It's a touch too sweet for my liking but I can't deny the quality of product this is. This is fairly new to my arsenal of goodies, however there is a space in my heart for it. The consistency of it is THICK. Like pudding kinda thick but it leaves my hair soft and feeling moisturized without greasy residue and works lovely for my twist-outs giving me great definition. The downside is my hair takes long to dry by itself and when this is in it---woooooh, the drying time literally doubles. I *think* I may be applying too liberally but as time passes and I continue to use, I'll definitely perfect this! Another leave in!

I also own a brand new bottle of Kinky Curly Knot Today which is another Leave-In conditioner but I have yet to use it. I'm saving it for when I finally purchase the Curly Custard which is the suggested product to go with it. I probably won't be purchasing anytime soon considering expenses associated with the move, I'm on hiatus from hair shopping (well I'll purchase basics that I need daily but no experimental products) until I get financially settled (around October). Also, the Curly Custard is used for wash'n'go styles and Canada actually has seasons so soon as the temperature begins to cool, I plan to start hiding my hair..well more specifically my ends because of the high chance of breakage from my hair drying out quickly. Twists, buns and ponytails will be staples until I see warmer weather again.

there are a couple other products that I use, which can also be used as Leave-Ins but I can't fairly comment on them in this capacity. look out for the next type of product reviews...deep conditioners!

smooches

supa dupa big check

so I don't know if this wordless wednesday thing is gonna work for me, because when I'm comfortable, I talk A LOT and since this is my little spot, I'm quite comfortable and always have something to write about!
...I should add that the pic with me hugging the tree in "silly Gia" fashion was quite expressive of how giddy I felt yesterday when I ......

PURCHASED MY TICKET!!!!

So I am a confirmed passenger on the flight leaving Nassau to Canada on September 3rd.


A great supa dupa big check in my preparations for this project: Operation Grad School. can you tell I'm excited??? I'm also very very grateful to have found a great deal and have this important step done!!!





Now if I can only get my husband to book his while the prices are still fairly reasonable. and in true bargain shopper fashion, I snagged the one-way ticket at the lowest I've seen since I began the search!!!!


enjoy this THANKFUL thursday! smooches

Good Hair, bad hair debate

I’ve been a product of the brainwashing regarding what constitutes as good and bad hair. And with this, came me not liking my natural hair because its curl pattern is very tight (more coily than curly) and thus I’ve rejected my hair for a lot of my life. About a year ago, despite me having “bad hair” as my husband reminded me every opportunity he got – I decided I wanted to be natural and it was my final answer. With this decision, came a lot of research and ‘studying’ and it was at this point that I was enlightened. How blasphemous of us to call something bad; especially when this “thing” is apart of our body…a body that God created. A creation that was deemed “good” by God from the beginning of time. Of course this stems from slavery and pop culture moreso than a rejection of God’s creation but it’s wrong nonetheless!

Now that may be a lil deep for the average person, but this did leaps and bounds for my self-esteem and the way I looked at myself, my hair and ultimately what I see as beautiful! Yes, my hair may take longer to comb and thus be more difficult to manage. Yes, its prone to dryness and doesn’t naturally shine. Yes, it grows big (fro) rather than hanging down, thus looking “short” even when there may be some length. But its mine...long or short, curly or straight. I was born with it and I cannot deny that it’s beautiful, because it’s apart of me and I’m beautiful. I have the right to choose to include chemicals (relaxer, permanent colors) to my hair when I want to but I know that this does not make me beautiful. What it does do is give me a different look and possibly enhance various aspects of my facial features but that’s pretty much the extent of it.

My goal was to then learn the correct product and styles that will compliment my coily, dry, thick hair. And that’s what I’ve been doing…obsessively!!!

So to my surprise and annoyance, I’ve been getting comments about having “good hair” since I cut my hair. Why? Because my hair looks good. And it looks good, because I’ve invested in learning about proper hair care techniques, various styles, and complimentary products that will moisturize my hair and on rare occasion, give it lil bit of sheen (cause it will NEVER shine)

I don’t ‘correct’ the individuals because it’s a moot point and unless they are open to it, will only hear me but probably won’t “get” what I’m saying. So I just give a tense smile and keep it moving (K.I.M.).

I do proselytize anyone who listens though only when they bring up the topic, sincerely, I try to share a bit of what I learned so that others can be enlightened as I was.

Ok..i’m off my soapbox. Although I do hope that people would lay off of this debate…(in my dreams!)

my growing fro last month

smooches!

Wordless Wednesday...

photo courtesy of Monika Lee Photography

DIY..how to

I got a couple questions on how I made the headbands...as I mentioned here , this was a very haphazard project so there wasn't a lot of thought put into it.

the more basic headbands, I needed ribbon, flower and needle/thread. My instinct was to get the regular satin or grosgrain ribbon that we are familiar with because it is used to decorate our little girls' hair...

the model is my "neice" whose mom does not let her leave the house without matching ribbons. As you can see, she was missing her two front teeth at this event...:)

ok I digressed...anyway upon visiting the fabric store, I decided to get a little more adventurous and found various textures of ribbon, that were on sale, and decided to use those to give the headpieces more 'spunk' than the regular ribbon. the flowers ( like this) were on sale, probably because they dropped off a larger 'bud' for 50 cents each.

I then chose where on my head I would prefer to wear the ribbon and marked that place by tacting the flower there. now most flowers come with a center piece that's made of very sturdy green plastic. This can be easily removed without disturbing the shape of the flower. so I took this 'stem' apart and gently removed it. (there was a bulb at the very top center in the flower and once that was taken off, the stem could be moved). Matched the color flower with thread and sew the flower to the ribbon. voila. easy peesy. by the way, if I could do it---its easy. lol

the white flower got the most request and this was a bit different because a pre-cut ribbon was used to create the 'flower'.

if you look closely you can see there is a lining on one edge of the ribbon and a thread in there. carefully pull the thread and the 'petals' get closer together. we ended up popping one part of the thread so if you were to find this type of special ribbon/fabric be very careful.

once I got the shape of the flower that I wanted.

I sewed the base of the petals together to create an independent flower. then the flower was sewn to the ribbon the same way the previous 2 were described.

note: I did a quick google search online for various types of ribbons and although I found similiar accesories/ribbons that looked like my end product (chiffon flower), none of them came flat and 'not put together' like my ribbon was. the sales associate in the store here mentioned this was a special order that will not be replenished because it wasn't selling well. I wonder if I was to buy a couple yards and make these little headbands, if I can get a couple sales.

.. things that make you go hmmmm

(sorry pic is so dark...can't get it lightened)

well that was that. I cannot wait to get my hands on some more random pieces, plastic headbands, more ribbon, different kinds/shapes of flowers and feathers to create more accessories. I'm sooo excited especially since I can create a one-of-a-kind piece for under $2 when my other option was to purchase at Forever 21 for about $5-10 or of course check out the wonderful world of Etsy and probably pay $20... (I did actually purchase a couple of the cheaper pieces online)

smooches!

we've only just begun...

to get acquainted. Here are some of my notes from the 1st week of review; this is not my actual textbook but an old undergrad text... I'm getting the feeling my goal (5 hrs per week) may be a teensy bit too ambitious...we'll see!

travel

How is it, that I can get a price quote for airfare at 7:50pm, come back at 9:00pm that same day and the price has increased by nearly $200!!! ugh

I'm still watching the airfare (its been almost 5 days)...considering I saw that fares can be as low as $450, I refuse to pay more than $500...I will hunt and hunt and hunt until I succeed.

wish me luck!!!

smooches

my fave 5

We don't have T-mobile services here but our cable/satellite are all primarily US programming (+ some Canadian stations + british news) and I remember watching the commercials a couple years ago [was it really that long ago?] and thinking how cool the idea of having unlimited access to 5 phone numbers...anyway this isn't a T-mobile commercial but as it relates to hair, I have 5 favorite things that I can't do without...

2 strand twists (without extensions)

My staple style now. Its perfect because it serves as a protective style because my ends are not all open and exposed to the elements and its easy to go. as my hair continues to grow, I can do more and more with my hair actually in the twists...eg I can wear pony's, updo's or with pins/hair clips create anything. here is an example of how they look freshly completed, you can see a more accurate length of my hair here (6 months after the cut)

and then the same style but after my hair drys and shrinkage kicks in (excuse how I look..)

Hairveda's whipped gelly

:blissful sigh: I lurv this stuff. Literally stumbled over it with no recommendation from anyone or any blog but hairveda had a sale and this was what was being offered. I, being a frugal product junkie (PJ) that I am, jumped on this and tried it once, twice, thrice...and won't turn back.ever! [disclaimer: I have seriously only used it with my twists...I have yet to see how it works with overall definition or for laying down hair...its marketed as a gel substitute/moisturizer].

Oyin Handmade Juices'n'Berries

what can I say about my beloved spritzer/moisturizer/refresher...everything. This water-based, oil free product is marketed as a moisturizer and it is perfect for me! I've learned in my 7 short months in this natural world, that my hair does better with water-based moisturizers over heavier creams. for example, as wonderful as shea butter is and as thick as my hair is, it doesn't 'like' shea butter, especially not raw. when its mixed with other natural products, preferably whipped, I can tolerate it...however if its a pomade or butter...nope. side note: if your hair loves shea butter, Hairveda http://hairveda.com/cleansing.aspx has an awesome Whipped Clouds that's light but still uber moisturizing because of the shea butter and aloe vera components; but if you prefer the butters/pomades, then try Oyin Handmade's http://oyinhandmade.com/oyin/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3 whipped pudding. I tried it but ended up passing on to my aunt because of its heaviness.

Giovanni Direct Leave-in Conditioner

I use this after every wash. The only exception to this, if I'm using another leave-in which I have been trying out..but that particular leave-in is thicker, takes longer to dry and doesn't do well with other products. I never have a problem with Giovanni Leave-in...its not watery like some, it has some hold (nothing to write home about) but its an all around reliable product. I have about 3 bottles of it! :)

this can be purchased at Target or online through a couple websites...

and finally....well honestly, picking a 5th one was difficult. I have a lot of great products, hairstyles, hair accessories. So I asked myself...if I didn't have access to what other thing-what would I proverbially "die" for?

headband

I don't ever hide the simple fact: my head is huge. and from since I cut my hair in January of this year, I have leaned on various styles of headbands and/or scarves...my husband feels they make my head look bigger, but in my delusioned mind, it somehow looks...smaller? I love them and I don't care who doesn't...I rocked the headband when I only had about 3 inches of hair on my head! was i laughed at- yes? did I care- no! LOL

So the one I chose as a part of my favorite 5 is the Goody ouchless classic elastic headband. now with a growing fro, this band helps to keep my twists away from my face in a 'style' and also is a quick fix for bad hair days. ;) simple but does the trick...everytime!

and that's me! my top 5 hair related items/styles.... remember, no two heads of hair are exactly alike so what works wonders for me, may be an 'ehhh' for you! take advantage of sales, freebies, sample sizes and trading with other people who may not like what they purchased.

btw: hairveda has a moisturizer sale on now, as i just learned visiting their sight. I haven't tried either of the two products advertised and honestly do not feel inclined to, at least not right now! I've got goals: vehicle, mac laptop and stationary bike. (and according to sweets, those are secondary to books and tuition deposits) ;)

smooches

statistics

I mentioned that I 'met' my buddy who has already proven herself to be awesome. She gave me some great tips and answered questions that only a student could give insight too. Definitely helped to allay some fears. Of her suggestions, the best by far, was her advice to 'brush up' on my statistics. She mentioned taking a year off from school before beginning this program and despite the quick review the lecturer went through early in the semester, she still found herself struggling. I realized at that point, that her 'suggestion' would be a necessity for me. I've been out of school for 4.5 years....to add to that, my Masters program was counseling oriented and so we didn't have to take a separate stats class...we touched on the various statistical methods for compiling and assessing data in like 2 weeks in a basic research class. Prior to that, my last encounter with a formal stats course was in Spring 2001! yikes. To make matters even worse, that class was a CHALLENGE. Like the only class that had me grunting and complaining and having random bouts of crying/frustration fits kinda challenging... I completed the class with a respectable grade (really can't remember but it was either an A- or B+) but you have to understand that I worked my daggone butt off for that! I have never appreciated a grade so much in my life. ugh

I'm getting all flustered just thinking about that class, and that was undergrad. so needless to say, I am scared- like freaking out-possibly don't want to do this program -kinda scared. Anyhoo, I'm a fighter and if it kills me, I will get an A, no minuses will do. I have two mandatory semesters of statistics along with another research based class which will probably kick my butt however, I have to remain on top of my game in each of those classes. I'm a self-professed nerd and I graduated undergrad with 2nd highest honors, graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in my masters and I am NOT expecting anything less than a 3.9 GPA (hopefully I can do 4.0) from this doctoral program.

So from time to time, I'll have to vent as I commit to spending a minimum of 5 hrs per week for the next 5 weeks reviewing, relearning, preparing (whatever you want to call it) for this dreaded first year of Statistics!!!

smooches

stalking...

In April of this year, decisions were sent out by all major universities regarding acceptance (or not) into various programs around the US and Canada. Of course, I was one of those anxious applicants that sat at the edge of my seat, literally checking my e-mail (hourly) and mail box (daily) to ensure there was no new information.

Well, three of the four schools kept me updated with the process (1 -yay; 2 - boo). My bargaining point was my special 'circumstances' living out of country and the delay of our mailing system (I literally got my one acceptance letter almost 3 weeks after it was mailed). The irony of this one school, who didn't respond in a timely manner, it was my first choice...for multiple reasons including: there were professors whose research areas were almost exactly what I wanted to do and it was in Kansas and my father-in-law and his wife lived less than 2 hrs away. So I really really really wanted to get a "yes" from this school! Thus I became a stalker, in every sense of the word...I sent e-mails, called, left voice messages, had other people calling...just trying to find out if I got accepted! Let me give more background...as I mentioned at this point, I had already heard from other programs and the one that offered me admissions was waiting, impatiently, for my response on or before April 15th..I wasn't going to be stupid and decline a sure thing without even hearing a blip from this program! All -in-all...somewhere around the last week in April ..yup, it took that long, I got the lame decline letter.

Well I explained all of that because I feel like I'm in the same predicament now. Its almost daily (I've slowed down in the past week) that I call or walk over to our scholarships office to look for this "list" that is usually available by the first week in july to find out whether my name was among the 10 people selected for this financial honor... anything sounding vaguely familiar??

I'm thinking I'll count this a loss and stop the stalking. Like relationships, [as I was reminded in the movie- He's Just Not That Into You] if I was chosen, regardless of where I am, there is some way for them to find me, ESPECIALLY since we work within the same office building...

although I was selected for Bride of the Month in April 2008 and the illustrious award was given to the 2nd choice because I was unavailable...ugh. anyhoo, lets not go there. that's a bad place I don't want to visit...

smooches

a touch of randomness

I've been on the fence about this pc vs. mac debate. Everyone who has a mac (and even some who don't) have sung the many praises of this system and can seriously be paid to advertise based on their personal experiences.

One of the suggestions my sister actually gave me was to use safari while on my pc to get 'a taste' in a way...so I did. and I'm digging it. like seriously, it was a slight adjustment but I'm loving safari over internet explorer BUT apparently safari doesn't work at its optimum potential on a windows program...DUH right? lol

and after a successful 2 months of using safari at work, the IT guy comes and deletes it. He thinks it may be part of the problems I've been having using the internet with my computer. :inward groan: its just a means to surf the internet right? what' s the big deal. ugh

can I just get safari back...please? another small pleasure of life ripped away.

I got it!!!!

"Your application to study in Canada has been approved; you may now travel to Canada."

The long-awaited letter goes on to explain the initial process once I arrive in the country and what I need etc etc... so here it comes....

Since you can't hear me screaming/squealing...and you can't see or "hear" my grin...I googled "excitement" and this was the best representative for what I feel. Lord knows I really needed this as I arrived to work 1.5 hours late with a growing headache, cramping stomach, a touch of nausea and just plain ole bad feeling. This was my ray of sunshine since the clouds (proverbial and literal) covered the light this morning...

so should I go looking for trouble? i.e. contact the scholarship division and see if the list of awardees has been released???

Hair accessories

The one thing you will learn about me is that I’m obsessive. Like seriously, if I get an idea, I don’t sleep until I go as far as I can with what I have…

On Friday, I stumbled upon this…

from CurlyNikki and decided that I want this. Of course, the chances I find it (or anything similar) here in the Bahamas is slim and if I do find, I’ll probably pay in excess of $20 (US currency). The other option would be to purchase online and pay shipping and additional charges -customs duty- once its shipped here in the Bahamas. Of course, both options are unacceptable since I want a stationary exercise bike, vehicle and a MAC laptop in September once I move for school (in no particular order).

So on to the point, I decided to try and make my own. STOP. That’s a lie. I went out and got the supplies to drop to my mother for her to make..but since it was a Friday and traffic was ridiculous, I sat home and tapped my feet, literally near trembling because I HAD to see the results before I went to sleep. My husband only shakes his head when I get like this because its now Monday and I have yet to find an opportunity to wear either of the pieces I made but I swear I would have died if it wasn’t done on Friday.

So to abort a crisis- I got my sewing kit, which my mom bought for me a month before the wedding…and got to stitching.

Here are the results:

productive or not...

So my days are just starting to melt into each other especially now that time is winding and all I'm focused on is the money getting sorted out. today is *supposed* to be the day when I find out if I was selected for an external scholarship that I applied for...but the names were supposed to be posted from 2 weeks ago so who knows if the knots in my stomach today will be for a reason :shrugs: Heard from landlord, who HAS NOT yet received the lease agreement and deposit even though it was sent like 2 weeks ago. :another round of knots in my tummy: their (landlords) sweet e-mail was to remind me that their impending time to leave is quickly approaching and of course, the deal was to have that set and in their hands before they leave! :deep sigh:

other issue: I'm yo-yo'ing between flying Air Canada and going directly into the city where the school is OR flying into the US and driving over. Driving over is about $250 cheaper but if you followed my ramblings previously, you'll remember that there was some hassle at the border control. my issue with this, is not to avoid hassle, because there will be that regardless...[sidenote: I mean, its their job...during training to be immigration/custom officers- I’m almost sure that they are encouraged to be menacing and scary looking :giggle:] but my real issue is that the airport offers more sophisticated electronic devices which can possibly move the harassment faster. my bags would, no doubt, have to go through the lil TSA xray/screener thingy and so it *should* avoid having to actually have another person go through it again once we arrive. In addition, we would have walked through at LEAST 2 of those scanner thingies ourselves so that should decrease the amount of further "screening" we would need when we land...right???? :fingers crossed: another thing is transportation...its definitely more convenient to rent a vehicle in Canada than US..given that hubby will be there for an entire 4 weeks and if there are any problems or changes we don't have to actually get our passport/legal docs to get that done! I guess I worked through my pros and cons huh? yea. ok. we'll fly directly into Canada. So I was advised to try and get the internet/phone stuff set up also so I can get a confirmed date ahead of the 'move in rush'. so yes, I'm listening and trying to work on that too! now onto more pressing issues. getting my car ready for sale! yikes. so many small things that I ignored that I'm now really just trying to deal with. nothing major but if I sell as is, I can probably lose out on a good $1,500 because of these 'issues' which probably will only cost me about $500 to fix! so we just had an oil change/service. got the door hinge fixed so it can stop the pesky leaking (during heavy rain) and now about to replace the fuel pump...which is suggested to be replaced every 70,000 miles and since my car is now clocking 85k - its overdue. :) but I'm a girl and once it doesn't emit exhaust or randomly stop or don't start...I'm happy with life. oh..yea, it NEEDS to give off cool air too! :giggle: and since none of the above were ever an issue with my beloved Blue Flame..then I never really did much other than keeping up with regular oil changes and brakes/tires when necessary. so that's me. a little on edge. nothing as I probably will be next month this time...but yea. its beginning to look very real now..

School, hair and wifedom

In September of 2008, I had a brilliant idea…I would go ahead and apply (again) for a doctoral program. A little background. I completed my Masters in Mental Health/Counseling Psychology in December 2004. At that point, I was gung-ho on only taking a one year hiatus to work and catch myself financially and then dive right into the pursuit of my doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. Well about half-way into that year of work, I missed my baby and decided to pack up everything and go home (Bahamas). Even though I returned home, the plan was still to return to school within the next year…at this point it was April and much too late to pursue school in ’05 so I would figure something out.

I stumbled upon the new trend of online universities and in Winter/Spring of ’06, I enrolled and completed my first semester in Walden’s PhD program in Clinical Psychology. That lasted all but one semester. I failed to mention that in between this year, I had also gotten relevant information to begin applying at other programs however, either I didn’t pursue the full application because I didn’t have enough money or I wasn’t qualified enough.

I jumped back on this school thing and adjusted my options. Maybe a clinical or counseling program wasn’t absolutely necessary since I had such a strong foundation at the Masters level. Truthfully I was working, quite competently for the past 3 years with a Masters degree. So this began another series of research and applications. Long story short, that “baby” who I came home to, proposed in May 2007 and we were married in April 2008. Excitedly embraced the role of wife which ha been both fulfilling and frustrating- sometimes both at once! After 6 months of marriage, the school itch kicked in.

As the good wife, I consulted with hubby (who will be referred to as hubster, sweets or DH) about the application processes, fees and my tentative plan. My ‘brilliant’ plan was that I would actually go ahead and apply to 3 schools (later changed to 4) between Canada and US. The key to this would be- I would actually follow through and complete all applications- even if my scores from my GRE (which were about to expire) wasn’t high enough, or the programs required more experience than I had or the school just looked “too good” for me, I would send in everything required. If I was offered admission- fat chance- I would only accept IF there was no cost to us, i.e. entire tuition would be covered. Of course, because we are neither US nor Canadian citizens, there would be additional costs associated with moving, living etc but my main prereq would be tuition cost defrayed...now I don’t know how impossible of a feat this sounds to you, but to both DH and I, this was next to walking on water. Well ironically enough, I not only got accepted, but I got offered a scholarship and a GA position that would inevitably provide enough to cover the entirety of tuition costs!!!! Go figure! Of course, being the faith-filled believer that I am, I do believe that Jesus walked on water, but I think I sometimes forget that miracles are still available to us who believe, love and follow God today!

Somewhere during this application process (January 2009), I cut off my hair to pursue a chemical-free life style…well as it relates to hair. So I have what is affectionately called a TWA –teeny weeny afro which, at the time of the big cut was about 3 inches and now is fluffing out to about 6 inches…major milestone in my life especially since there was some opposition…well better described as criticism from sweets.

To date I have:

Accepted offer for admission, GA and scholarship from school

Applied for an external scholarship and currently waiting on response

Visited school and surrounding area and found a house for rent

Sent in signed lease along with deposit to the house (which both of us absolutely love)

Undergone necessary tests, medical intrusions, lengthy interviews and paid half my savings to complete the procces of applying for a Canadian study permit

Made contact with advisor and registered for fall semester

Made contact with ‘buddy’ who is a 2^nd year student who’s function is to help my transition go as smoothly as possible – she’s AWESOME and been extremely helpful already

Arranged for utilities (electricity and water) to be connected as of September 1

Undergone verbal harassment from ‘loved ones’ who feel I’m making the biggest mistake of my life which will ultimately destroy my marriage

Applied for vacation leave which was confirmed

Applied for paid study leave which was declined

Applied for unpaid study leave which is being processed

Decided on a date for departure- September 3

Ok…I personally hate reading long entries and this is about a chapter for a dissertation so I’ll stop here but I think my purpose was achieved- you should be all caught up on what I’ve been writing about for the past 7 months.

Why another blog?

I kinda don't know where or how to exactly begin this "blog"... this particular blog is a continuation of sorts of an online journal I kept on www.brownandbridal.com where I’ve found an online sisterhood. I’ll tell you more about BAB later. So when I started it was really just to organize my thoughts and preparations for me beginning my doctoral program this fall. I didn’t intend to actually write an entry every week…which is what ended up happening and sometimes more than once per week. In the last month, I realized that I found this process cathartic and should probably just “do my own thing” so I have the option to continue until I get tired of typing. I wavered back and forth with this but decided to just give it a try!

There have been a couple themes being reinforced in my life, especially this year: purpose and passion. An important aspect of living is living to the fullness, i.e. fulfilling my God-given purpose and the only way to do that, in light of adversity, financial stress, family acting out, “closed doors” and the like…is to be passion-filled. It’s that passion that helps you to bounce up after you are told you are making a big mistake by someone who you care about but who just doesn’t understand or share your vision. It’s that passion that motivates you to submit the application even though you were told you aren’t qualified. It’s that passion that encourages you to hold fast to dreams even when you are awake and life is being a monster!

That’s the passion that I embody: in my life and in loving. It just somehow makes living more interesting, i.e. an emotional rollercoaster but nonetheless worthwhile.

So in addition to me being purpose driven and passion filled in how I view life, I embrace my randomness. Sometimes it sparks creativity, most times it results in giggles and every time (when I choose to share), it garners funny looks. But that’s me…