Shhhhh...

Do you recall going to the library as a youth, so full of excitement that you thought you'd burst? Okay, well maybe not all of you, but I have always had a larger than average enthusiasm for the library. Even though I had books at home, there was nothing like going to the library and just sitting for hours pouring over the vast choices. My mother never imposed a limit so I made it a point to get as many as I could carry. I sit here today in the main branch of my local public library and I am taken aback by the changes. It is no longer about the books. I have only witnessed a handful of patrons perusing the shelves. There are about 20 or so just passing time waiting for their turn on the computers. Some have waited for hours patiently for the prized 1-hour-limit-on-the-internet-per-day-per-library-card. I just heard one of the librarians issue a last call for someone. How sad...This person probably felt like he was waiting forever and just left. I can' t help but smile at the misuse of the library. I may not have lived during the times when reading certain prose was considered illegal, nor when people of color were not allowed to even know how to read, but I do embrace what the library it is. I do understand that media is available in many forms, but the books are just left to collect dust. I decided to come here today just for a bit of solace and ended up being inspired to write. I am a bit thankful because I felt like I had lost my writing mojo. It's back, I hope. Thank you Reading Public Library, Main Branch. Your concrete columns welcomed me in to a place where all are represented. The man quietly working on his novel, The homeless man reading about his American heritage who looks just a little like Charles Manson, The man taking notes from the Wall Street Journal and USA taday, The two young ladies sitting cross-legged on the floor giggling in front of the romance section, two little girls arguing with their parents for the right to be allowed to return to the children's section alone who are met met with a resounding no, The just-a-bit-too-loud converstion the librarians are having about the careless patrons and their treatment of prized literature, The woman with the purple hair reading fashion magazines (I wonder if she meant for it to be that color), The 10 no-cell phone-use signs and the 20 people ignoring them with open conversation, the weird little security guard (he's about 5 feet tall--I always wonder when I see small or disabled security guards--How can they protect me??)rushing about on his rounds, and of course me, the book loving, laptop toting observer of all. I thoroughly enjoyed my day in the library, now off to enjoy the sights and sounds my city has to offer.

My Natural Hair

I was inspired today to write about natural hair care while entering a contest. This blog post is actually an entry, but I figured I'd add a little about my natural hair journey anyway. I officially reached a milestone on Sunday, June 20, 2010. I am officially one month natural. I transitioned from relaxed to natural for 6 months and did my big chop on May 20, 2010, my 35th birthday. Deciding to embrace the natural me was something that I have wanted to do for a while, but just didn't quite have the nerve. Many thanks go to my sister and youtube videos, they are what made me finally realize that I just had to do it. Dragging my feet and stalling are a part of my past. My future is filled with embracing, loving, and just doing.

I moisturize my hair daily with shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. This combination has been working for me so far, but I have noticed in the last week that it has been leaving my hair very greasy feeling. This revelation has led me to co-washing a lot more, which is not a good thing for my hair. My hair responds best when left alone for a few days. I am actually thinking about doing a protective style, maybe some kinky twists or braids. I absolutely love my natural hair!!!!

Please check out this contest!!! 4th Of July Giveaway With GBH

Eczema, Cause and Cure?????

About 6 years ago, I was diagnosed with eczema by a physician. Years before I was told by my dermatologist that is was contact dermatitis. I'll make it plain; for about the last 10 years I have been suffering severely with this skin irritation on my hands and wrists. It involves just my hands and wrists and itches in a way that is indescribable. At one point it was so bad it discolored my hands leaving them an ashy black (literally charcoal colored) and covered in tiny blisters. I had no clue what was causing it and searched high and low for a treatment. After the first five years of dealing with it and no successful treatments under my belt, I was given a cream called Elidel. This cream seemed to be the perfect treatment. It soothed the itch, which I can tell you was by far the worst part and it also took away the discoloration for the most part. A few years later, I learned that Elidel was being investigated for possibly causing cancer. I'm sure you understand how I felt about that. I immediately discontinued the treatment and sought an alternative. I have tried many different home remedies such as Vitamin E and Aloe Vera, but none of them have had the effect that Elidel provided. In this last year I have been on a quest to truly find out what caused this irritation and how fix it myself. After many books and internet pages read, I think I may have found my holy grail. Today I opened one of my many email messages and there was an article that mentioned a chemical substance called linalool, present in shampoos, that could be linked to the exacerbation of eczema. I always read articles about eczema in hopes to find a better treatment. Little did I know that this one little word, linalool, would lead me to find the possible cause of my own irritation. Linalool is present in just about everything I use, from skin care to cleaning products. It is a terpene alcohol that occurs naturally in various spice plants and flowers and is used in many products for its spicy, flowery scent. Using its synonyms (too many to name), I searched all of my household items and found that 90% of everything I use have this chemical. Imagine my surprise. My first thought is why did it wait so long to show up, if I really am allergic to this chemical that is so prevalent in everything. My deduction is that it really didn't show up until I was using so many of the items on a daily basis. As a mom and a wife, my daily life is filled with these products, most times more than twice a day. Even with hand washing, it is nearly impossible to avoid the linalool, which is present in many common soaps and hand creams. Armed with this knowledge, I am on a mission. It's going to be hard to let go some of some of the products that have been staples since my children were babies, but for the sake of my skin health, I have to do the work. Time to go au naturel-linalool free with my cleaning products as well as my skin care products. I am so happy to have gotten that email which prompted my subsequent search. Now for some research on linalool free products....To be continued....

Listen and Learn.

I came across a story about a man, Desmond Hatchett, who fathered 21 children with 11 different women. Is this a crime? In my opinion it is a crime, a crime against the children. If this man knowingly procreated with these women it shows neglect and a complete lack of responsibility. There was no regard for the future support, mental and physical, of these children. The cost to support 11 children in this day and age is astronomical. How can this man possibly provide support for all of these children in any form?
The laws that have been enacted to ensure monetary support will inevitably fail these children if this man follows the current trend. Most men that are forced to pay child support and are unable, are placed in prison. This practice, which I find completely asinine, marks the beginning of a vicious cycle. Man gets job, man pays support, man loses job, man can't pay support, man goes to jail, man in jail can't provide support. Who loses in this scenario? The children.
The number of unsupported children in this country grows daily with taxpayers typically left holding the bill. How do we stop this number from growing? I am at a loss. Most schools give sex education, but if it isn't put into practice, what can you do? I wish that people were smarter about their choices. Even though I feel nothing short of repugnance for this man, Desmond, I can't hold him solely at fault. The women who mothered these children are not without accountability. We are human, therefore, not above fallibility. However, with the rising rates of STD's and unwanted pregnancies published daily, these women could have been a lot more careful about their choices. Their choice to have unprotected sex with this man clearly shows a level of disrespect for themselves, but now their offspring. My sincere hope is that we, as a people, become wiser and more vigilant in our choices. Our nation's children don't deserve the blatant disrespect and disregard that was obvious in the case of Desmond Hatchett. Wake up America. Listen. The knowledge is out there, if you choose to accept it.

Fleeting Inspiration

Though my readers are few, I do apologize for the short hiatus. For a brief moment, I lost my inspiration. It seems that as soon as I actually completed the task of getting this blog together, my brain went on pause. I love to write, in fact, I do it everyday. It may be a short poem, a journal entry, a long poem, or just the thoughts that spill out of my brain onto paper. In this last few weeks, my writing has become, in my opinion, very uniform. Don't get me wrong, uniform is okay, but not up to my own personal standards. I endeavor to do things all the way, never half way. As I get myself back in gear, I hope to give you some interesting things to read, some useful information, and hopefully some very engaging fiction. I enjoy all comments and hope you will subscribe.

Basketball Solace

MY YOUNGEST SON

MY OLDEST SON

MY HONEY

For some, basketball is a way of life. The sounds I hear while watching invoke a sort of nostalgia. Listening to bounce of the ball, the squeak of the well worn sneakers, the barrage of boasting and braggadocio, as one lay-up blends into the next takes me back to my days as a child. Back when I would ask "Mom, can I go outside" in my most angelic voice, met with the eager, yet reserved response, "Yeah, go ahead on". Back when the the people of the WP would flock to watch the amateur "Dr. Jays", "Magics", "Kareems", "Worthys", and sometimes even a few "Birds" teem across the asphalt court. A court that symbolized a bit of freedom-their small piece of the dream. I sit today watching new versions of those now retired players mixed in with many of the latest stars of the paint--The "Barkleys", "Jordans", "Shaqs", and "Pippens" along with the "Lebrons", "Wallaces", "Wades" and many others. I am filled with awe and amazement of the talent that has gone unnoticed by NBA greats. It pleases me to sit under an afternoon sun, enjoying this familiar past-time, wind cool against my face, sounds soothing my ears (the ball bounce is almost like a rhythmic drum beat), Damn, do I love the springtime!!!!!!!!!!!

Insomnia

Sleep, my darling, restful sleep, oh how I miss you!!! From time to time I must deal with sleeplessness. It is sporadic, but still a pain in rump. Who knows what causes it, I have just learned to work through it. Now that I have become a part of the blogging community, chances are, this will be where my sleepless nights will be spent. This morning's (It is now 3:30am) sleepless blog will introduce you to a few of my favorite gadgets. By no means am I a gadget or electronics junkie; I just have a few things, old and new, that I feel are essential to my well being. (and those around me..LOL)

First and foremost is my laptop:
Gateway MD7309u Notebook
Technical Details
* Intel Pentium T4200 2.0GHz
* 15.6" LCD Widescreen
* Includes 3GB DDR2 and 250GB HD
* Also includes DVD±RW/CD-RW / webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

This is my lifeline to the world. I am not a TV watcher, so the internet is where I learn about what is really going on in the world. It may not be the best on the market, but for me it is the best!!! Thumbs up to Gateway!!

Next is my beloved digital camera:
Kodak EasyShare C180 10.2 megapixels

Nothing fancy but the color, but it has the features that I desire and does not require a degree in electronics to figure it out. It goes where I go. I think I must have been photographer in another life!!! I think I shall change my middle name to Kodak---LOL

My next must-have-on-hand-at-all-times gadget is my 2GB memorex traveldrive:

I should probably upgrade to something larger, but this little beauty has been my friend for a while now. It is actually attached to my keys, so it is truly with me at all times. It seems that whenever I visit someone, I always end up getting pictures from them via the computer. It saves them the trouble of printing them and me the guilt for losing them after. It also has served me well for college. Many papers have been written from the research saved on this flashdrive. I owe my 3.85GPA (should've been a 4.0-curse you advanced Chemistry B+)to Memorex traveldrive!!!

Last, but certainly not least is my trusty ZEN stone mp3 player:


This little guy has been with me for almost three years. It's compact, rechargeable, dependable, and didn't cost me an arm and leg. I have logged probably 5000 miles listening to my ZEN stone....for me it is enough.

Anywho, now you know the gadgets that get me through my days...and my sleepless nights!! Oh my dear sleep, you have returned, how I've missed you----->>>>