Hello Fellow Lockers. Yea, it's been a minute since I posted but like Ledisi says "It's Alright." Since the end of April I've been faithfully walking about a minimum of about 4 miles daily and I've slimmed down. My desire has been to lose weight to get healthy, get off of high blood pressure medicine and to avoid getting on cholestorol medication. I'm feeling good "and it's alright!" A new school year has started and I'm back in the classroom "but it's alright." 5 months ago I started massaging my temple area with Amla oil faithfully at nite before bed. I haven't grown an afro but my temple area has really filled in. Check out my previous post about this and dare to compare. The hair is flourishing and growin like weeds. My locks have hit my back y'all. It's so freaky. Sometimes I'm sitting or walking and I'll feel somethin creeping on my shoulders or bak. I jerk like a crack fiend and attenpt to knock it off only to realize I look like a fool and it's my hair that's touchin me. I'm constantly pushing then out of my face and I find myself doin the white girl. Yea, that's right. I'm now a full fledged member of the jerk your head to move your hair club. Do you see the picture where I'm hold the lock out in the front? Children, that section of hair would NEVA grown when I was permed. In fact in was so short that when I got a fresh perm I was ashamed because it was so short and sparse in that area it made me look like I was balding. I use to comb longer hairs over it to hide. But, praiz God those days are gone! Let me share a few things that I've been doing and I believe it's havin a positive impact on my hair. For the past couple of months I've been doing conditioner washes and my locks love it. I don't know about you but my hair bends to the dry side after washing. I've tried several shampoos suggested by those with locks such as the Fantasia Tea Tree, The Sisterlocks line of course, Suave and as I've previously posted I've used and I like the Organix brand. Recently, I was on www.nappturality.com and on Youtube and several sisters had raved about doing a deep conditioning. So this is what I've been doing. I pour 3-4 squeezes of Organix coconut conditioner into a wide mouth bottle. To this I add a little honey, Olive oil (which I added about 25-30 drops of sweet orange essential oil) and castor oil. I let this sit under the hot water so that the ingredients warm and melt together. I shake vigorously and apply to my hair. I apply a plastic shower cap and I also put a plastic grocery bag on top of this. I let this stay on my hair overnite while I sleep. I get up and wash it out and rinse for my usual 10 minutes. While my hair is wet, after taking off my microfiber towel, I apply generous amounts of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with sweet orange eo to different sections of my hair. Then I plait it and let it air dry for crinkly volume. Children if I tell you this has made a difference in my locks being way less dry and lite and feathery you betta believe me. Today for my 2.5 year anniversary I decided to use the same conditioner, about 3 squirts in a separate bottle and I diluted with distilled water. I washed, rinsed for 10 minutes and repeated with the oil. I must keep repeating, MY LOCKS ARE NOT DRY! And another plus that's been happening and I don't know if it's because of the conditioner concoction or if it's because I religiously rinse for ten minutes or because of another new thing I been doing for 3 months (BRUSHING MY LOCKS). Whichever it is I want you to look at the pictures of my bakof deneck loks and notice that my build up is vanishing. This alone has me jumpin for joy. Like many of you who've struggled with buildup, I've tried the ACV rinses and clarifying shampoos to no avail. I'll try to post side by side pics for comparison, but check out my previous post about my buildup problems. I'm not a frequent washer. I wash every 2 weeks. Now let me tell you all about brushing locks. Children, brushing your locks is DA TRUTH! I brush with a medium boar bristle brush that I got from Sally's for $2.99. I do this once a month or every 3 weeks. I section my hair and brush in between each and every row. Then I collect my locks in hands and brush the ends. Afterwards my locks are soooooo soft and lite as a feather. I move my head ever so slightly and the locks move as if the wind has come into my house. Try this children! According to some of the lockers on Nappturality it helps to remove lint and buildup and promotes distribution of our hairs oil. I just know that my locks have improved since I've been doing this and you might think I'm lying but when I brush my locks, they say oooooh, I like that. (lol) One last new thing I've been doin that I wanna tell ya about. Sumtimes I don't feel like braidin/plaitin or rollin my hair so when I get tired of freestylin, I tie the ends of my locks in a knot. I've always done this when my hair is dry but it can be done while wet. I've done this all over or just on a few locks. If you tie it just right at the end of the lock you can just pull on it and it releases. It causes no stress on the hair. This produces a bend/curl at the end of your locks. Whoda thunk that we as black people can do soooo many creative things with our hair without using chemicals, heat, curling irons or rollers to get our hair to curl. Not let me tell about the not so good things that have been happening with my hair. I lost 2 mature baka de neck locks. At first my jaw dropped and I had the why ? in my mind. But, I mourned them and put them in my purse for future use of course. In the front my consultant has had to combine a real skinnyloc with another and I now have a two headed lock. I've wondered if it's due to me doing the conditioner washes so I've taken the precaution to be sure to dilute the conditioner. My consultant Claire told me that this happens with the ones at the front. She's got a 2 headed lock also. I knew the were really loose and I tried to do a self retighten/repair but it didn't work. I really don't know how. Hopefully, when the retightning class is offered I'll take it so that I can learn to do immediate corrections when needed. You all know that sometimes when you wash there are certain locks that could use a retightning before you get to your consultant and your appointment could be 3-4 weeks away. Oh well. I told myself that it's just hair and if it grew once it can do it again. Well, the next time I post I hope that Barack Obama will have made history by becoming the first man of color in the White House. Ciao!

Happy Birthday to me;Happy Birthday to me;Happy Birthday! Yep it's my birthday. It's been a minute since I posted. The last time I did I had been in sorrow's kitchen and licked all the pots clean. Well, I'm writin to tell that the weepin I had been doin about colorin my locks only endured for a season just like the joys of sin. Whew! It took about a good 2-3 weeks before things were back to normal. Now I'm not saying that the dye didn't change my hair texture cuz it did fa'show. It's just that the look I had as a result faded. I do think that getting my locks dyed so soon after a retightning had an effect. For those of you who have sisterlocks, do you all hate that part that's straight down the middle of the top of your head when you're hair is retightened? I know I do, but as you know it fades after a day or so. Me and my locks are cool these days. Their full, lovely and lushus if I do say so myself. And, man how they've grown. They've currently hit my shoulda. I'm at the stage where I ALWAYS wear a rubber band on my right arm; I'm always flickin it out of my face and eyes. Annnnnnnnnnd, I can put my locks in a pony tail!!!!!!! One day I was lookin in the mirror and I said to myself, "girl your hair really has that locked look." Just recently, I was checkin myself out (Sisterlocks will make you do this) and I thought to myself your hair looks like those sistas in the Sisterlocks' magazine. I have a praise report. MY ENDS HAVE ALL SEALED! I think Sisterlocks are really beautiful when this happens. So those of you who have those puffy, unsealed ends, just hold on and DON"T cut them. I promise they will do what they do in due time. My locks have really slimmed alot too. Even after maturing, locks still go thru more changes. I'm not wanting to combine them like I had considered after coloring. Also, that conditioner that I use to be afraid of well I likes it now. Just recently, I used Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla leave in conditioner and you know what? I likes. Conditioner makes MATURE Sisterlocks feel so light and fluffy. You can barely move your head and your locks are poetry in motion. I'm still battlin lint. Yes,I cover while dressing, lounging and sleeping. Yes a use a clarifying shampoo but I think because I live alone and I don't have the benefit of someone to always spot check my backa de neck locks, this will always be a battle I guess. I used to brushe the backa de necks locks daily to remove the lint since I couldn't see what was back there. I think I'll start doin this agin. In the meantime when I want to wear them up, I still use the Dark and Lovely Almond Rain Oil Mist to darken the lint. Trust me sisters this werks. I recently bought the Wrap A Lock tool. I tried them but I haven't gotten the hang of using them. Now, just this past Saturday, I bought about three packs of the 79 cents cold wave rods along with the Crinkles and Curls setting lotion. You talk about some beautiful hair, you betta ask somebody. My hair had lift and bounce so you betta know I'll be using this combination again. After writin this novel I don't feel like adding pictures but I will. Since I hit the 2 year mark I decided to slow my posting roll. I'm enjoyin chillin and reading the emails and blogs of the newbies. And newbies be encouraged; in due season your locks will metamorphis just like the buttafly. Just continue to heed the advice of your consultant and those who've gone ahead of you on this journey.

Foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish, foooolish girl. This song phrase epitomizes what I think of my recent decision to color my hair. LORD, HELP ME! Y'all I got my hair colored last Thursday. If you've read my blog you know I been waiting to do this for my 2 year anniversary. Now let me start out saying that I loooooove the color and I give props to Camille "The Loc Doc" Robbins for hooking me up. I've added a link to her site so that you can check out more of her work. My feelings are not towards her. It was my decision and my hair is my hair. Maybe I should blame my mama & daddy for passing on the type of hair I have. I thought I'd done all the right things waiting for my hair to settle and fully lock. Letting a professional do the job as well. BUT, I'm currently disappointed in the texture change of my hair. I had warned ladies not to color their hair until their locks were completely settled. Knowing what I now know, I'd suggest that you leave the dye alone. I know, I know. Colored hair and locks are beautiful. But is it worth the sacrifice? I'm hoping and praying that this is just a phase and that my hair will get back to its normal thick texture. I chose the color when I went for a consult with Camille on the first of March. When I went in on the 20th, she explained the procedure. Yes, she had already told me that it would change the texture but I wasn't prepared for this much change. She put on the base color, which we decided to name Merlot. And, because this was so dark I decided that I wanted her to do a few hilites. She showed me the results after each step, no problem. And she thoroughly washed and conditioned my hair afterwards. Now before getting my hair dyed, I had only tried conditioner a couple of times and I must tell ya that I'm not a fan of it because frankly it scares me. It makes my locks feel light and fluffly, which I like, but thinner which I don't like. Now I also need to say that I'd had a retightning on the 1st of March and I hadn't washed afterwards because I knew I'd get it done after the coloring. I'm a little scalpy after a retightning but this goes away after 3-5 days. Pictures were taken right after the coloring as well. So, I'm happy and excited while driving home and then I look in my visor mirror and notice all this scalp. Lord, did my countenance drop and it hasn't lifted since. I've worn my hair out but only while it's pulled back because I'll be honest. In my opinion it looks as if I have major thinning aka Alopecia. Prior to coloring, my hair was thick, full and luscious. Not any more! I just can't put my finger on it. Was it the color, the conditioner or a combination of both? Camille has also told me that since I've colored I have to condition regularly now. I soooo don't look forward to this! I've been on Spring break so none of my coworkers have seen my new look. But, this is my plan. I've braided the front of my hair to the back and I plan to wear wraps hoping that as my new growth comes in it will fill in the scalpiness. I'm sooooo depressed about this. I keep asking myself If I should've gotten a semi-permanent color. Now as I've shared before, I do have thinning at the temples. I've been reading on Nappturality that some Sistas have had good succees with Bountiful Tresses for hair growth and using it in the temple area. I'm going to order this, use it for 2-3 months and see what happens. But, even with the thinning temples my hair was thick enough to cover it so that it wasn't so noticeable. Now with the new color unh unh. It really looks as if I'm balding in the top. I also notice that the locks in the back and on the sides are not as they were. I can extend my locks out and below them I'm scalpy. If you come across this post and have a suggestion or encouragement I'd surely appreciate it. Check out my pictures and tell me what you think. If I'm still like this in a month, I believe I'm going to have my locks combined to make them thicker.

http://www.noiredesignconcepts.com/robbins.html

Do you know what 2DAY is? It's my 2 year Sisterlock's anniversary! Two years ago today I sat for about 10 hours including lunch and breaks and I got my locks did. Lord I can hardly believe I've had them this long. Time it seems has flown by. To all you newbies out there be patient and wait I say on the Lord and before you know it one year will become 2,then 3 etc. etc. I've shared many thoughts along the journey so I'll try to add something new or should I say different. Many people say if I would've known I'd love my locks this much I would have done it 10 years ago. I can't say I wouldv'e because getting locks and more importantly keeping them requires a certain type of mindset. Yes, 10 years ago I would've been younger but I can't say that I was mentally ready to have locks. I can certainly tell ya they were the furtherest thing from my mind. Back then I was singing "SAY IT LOUD! I'M PERMED AND I'M PROUD!" I think I was mentally almost similar to Don Imus with the Nappy Headed Hoe mindset. Thank God for maturity. I can also say that although I want women, particularly black women/females, to have healthy hair I don't encourage any to lock unless they inquire because as I've told many get your mind ready first before you complete the act. Why? Because depending on where you live geograpically, people will stare, laugh and might even point atcho head. You gotta be mentally grown to shake the haters. Other advice I have is that if you have new locks "Let Go and Let God" do HIS thing to your hair. When you look at blogs your hair probably won't look xactly like Ms. Things, especially right away, because beautiful locks take time. Those buds and bumps in your locks are like a butterfly's cocoon. They must make the complete metamorphis process in order to be healthy and gorgeous. I do encourage you to periodically look at blogs and magazines when you need a bit of encouragement. I know this really helped me when I would and sometimes still do have the hair blahs. Although my hair has grown it's still not long enuf to do some things I'd like so I whip out a back issue of the Sisterlock's magazine or go blog cruising to remind my self to let patience have it's perfect work. You know what? I recently bought the big book titled Dreads. I loooooove looking at this book. I've wondered what my hair would be like if i would've started with a different method, specifically freestyle. I love this look so much that I'm even considered doing it in the future. If ya don't have this book get it at your local Barnes & Noble. I'm still lovin the freedom locks have brought to my lifestyle. I wouldn't take nothin for it. I think my hair is pretty and healthy. I'm trying to put the right things inside of my body so that it will reflect on the outside of my body. Hey, I'm one of those females who has hereditary thin temples. Wearing Microbraids didn't help this either. But, although I don't have a full hairline all the way across it's much better now that I've gone natural. In one of the pictures I'm wearin the top portion of my hair in a basket weave. Y'all I used to look at those lockers with longer hair, and I still do and drool over this hair do. I was kinda skeptical or shamed to wear this because of the hair line issue. One day I took my time and just braided or weaved a group of hair on top of another until it was all done. I was peachy proud of myself and my hair. And guess what I didn't need to put a rubberband at the end to hold it. I've worn it out and about hairline issue or not. The down side of this experience is that I haven't been able to do it this well since. Boo hoo. Well, I can't think of any more new or different things to share. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, write it in the comments section and I'll answer it to the best of my abilities. Also, check back in about a week or so and you'll see a big change in my locks.

Today marks the 23rd month of my Sisterlocks. Since I last wrote I've been retightened. My consultant, Claire, and I talked about me taking the retightning class. I planned to take it on Feb 2nd and she left a few on each side above my ear for me to practice on in class. Weeelllll, I didn't take the class. Work is keepin me real busy and I didn't want to launch my own retightnings during a busy work season. Lord knows what my head would look like if I didn't get around to hookin myself up. I figger that I'm gonna be real slow in the beginning and who knows how long it would take me to do my full head. And, I would've been in the class with total strangers too. So, Claire is plannin to get R-Certified this summer. I think I'm gonna wait for her so I'll be in an environment I'm used to with at least someone I know. I know I should be gettin out my box, but I will slowly but showly. Learnin how to self retightin is one of my goals this year. If this class is offered by someone else before she gets certified, I'll take the plunge. Claire says I'm ready. As you can see in my new photos I've tried the pipe cleaners to get curls. I've been wantin to do this with the Soft Spikes but couldn't the hang of it and the curls didn't come out like I planned. I've tried the pipe cleaners twice. The first time was ok but still not what I was expectin. The second time I cut them in half and this worked fine. The only thing I don't like is that the wire in them suckas can hurt and be uncomfortable. I'm really gettin into this stylin thing. It's been a minute since I've worn my hair freestyle. Since my hair is gettin a bit longer, I've noticed that there are things that I can't do with it anymore. For example, when it was shorter and it flopped in my face, I could throw my head back and it would just go back on top of my head and stay there. Not no mo'! I'm also doin the white girl thing more often too. I find that I'm havin to jerk my head to left or right to get it outta my face. I've also created some of my own hair ties (which I do plan to sell at a price that anyone can afford) to help keep it out of my face and eyes. The more mature lockers said there'd be daze like this. Have any of you guys watched the lady on Youtube who demos how to style your Sisterlocks? Her name is Phyllis and she calls herself the video loctitian. Her demos are real informative. She's also a Warm Spirit distributor. Chek her out at this link.
I've tried their Anihita Hair Butter and it's real good. It's comes in a jar and looks like your typical hair grease but it's quite the opposite. It melt's very easily into the hair and skin. Sometimes after I shower, I use it as a body moisturizer and it is lovely. I'm still using the Coconut shampoo and conditioner by Organix. It's all natural, works good and smells great. About once a month I still use the low budget Suave clarifying shampoos to remove the gunk. When I wet my hair thoroughly for about 5 minutes and put the shampoo on real good and then apply a plastic bag and leave it on for a good 30 minutes I really get to see all the dirt and grime that's been on my hair and scalp. The only thing I don't like is that clarifying shampoos make my hair real dry. So, while it's still wet, I apply the Anihita or some other oil liberally and especially to my ends. I gonna sign off for now but check back for pictures and prices of my hair ties real soon.

Sup Y'all? My Sisterlocks are 22 months old 2day! These last few months I've recently learned about Adinkra symbols. If you look at the earrings I'm wearin they have the GYE NYAME symbol which means "except for God" supremacy of God. I realy like thes and I hope to get more jewelry that showcases 'em. And those ends I keep posting bout are on their way to sealing not all there but most are. Y'all know I'm gone do some flips when they all seal. In these pictures my hair hasn't been retightened since the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My consultant and I had to do some rescheduling. But, I'm due to get it done on Jan. 16th. I've done Bantu knots b4 but this time I tried sumpin a lil difrent. I twisted the hair like a Shirley Temple curl and then I wrapt it around itself to make it stay in place. Those lil black rubber bands helped on some. This look always gives me a full hair look. The next pictures are afta a fresh wash. I used cheap Suave clarifyin shampoo and I followed that wit ACV mixed with sweet orange oil 10+ drops. This shole helps with dat smell. I still smelled lika pikle but it was a sweet pikle. Hehehe. And ya no I rinsed for what seem like 4eva. NEway thes pikchas show my 1st attempt at using pipe cleaners. I've seen sistas (on their blogs) use the Soft Spikes to get Shirley Temple curls but I couldn't get the hang of it. So I decided to try the same thing with pipe cleaners. Now they didn't come out zactly like I planned. I think I put too much hair on some. I ain't givin up; I'll just hafta make sum ujustments nex time. And, the las picha... Lawd hav mussy! One of my goals this year as I've sed in anotha post is to learn to retightin my own locks. Wellllll, I got this one lock that I call my kitchen lock. Claire, my consultant, started it in my kitchen. Sistas y'all no wut dat is!!! Don't front. lol. I wasn't too crazy about this lock at first but it grew on me. So I've been readin and reserchin the different ways to retighten and I no y'all no bout the n,s,e,w pattern thing right? So I used my kitchen lock to do this pattern. When I wus just about thru a lite/thought went on in my pea brain and I realize that I didn't do a b4 pic. Since it's been almos 8 weeks since I got the tightn up, this lok was real loose due to growth and washings. It ain't perfick but I think I did pretty good. I think my hair is really growin do you? I ain't gone lie but I thought by now my hair would be shoulda length, shoulda length. See I made a new spin off song from that other one. Anywho, I know it's growin and will get there God willin but I must confess Sistas and Brothas, I'se a lil disupointed but nonetheless grateful. There will be a class to teach how to retightn SL's on Feb. 2nd in my area. But, the problem is I won't have enuf new growth by then to do my own hair. I could cancel my appt. nex week but y'all see my head and no I need to make my way to the Retightnin Altar/Alter. LOL! Etha way I'm gone come away changed. Has NE of y'all had this dilema? If so holla and gimme yo input. These classes are only offered like evry 6 months and I'd like to start gettin busy. Since I've gone naptural I've lerned alot about my natural self and I think doin my own loks will add to my nollij. One mo' confeshun. I only xspearimnted with this one lock usin only my hands and I gotta tell ya that I give props to all you self retightiners. My arms was shonuf tied when I finished. LAWD! Finally, I was reading about locks on the net last nite and there was a quote that I'd like ya to holla back at me about. The quote stated or betta yet asked "Did you grow locks or Did they grow you?"

Nappy New Year! I wish you all God's blessings and guidance in 2008. Hold onto His unchanging hand and you'll get both. I'm tryin to be all about taking care of this temple as naturally as possible in 2008. I experienced a diagnosis of a slightly higher cholesterol (221) in August '07. I rejected the doctor's suggestion that I go on medication. I began eating oatmeal daily the kind that comes in the little packets and I mix in a handful of Quaker Oats Steel Cut Oats. According to what I read on the net, Steel Cut oats are supposedly very good for lowering cholesterol. I also starting walking to work which is about 4 miles. I don't walk everyday and I've slacked up a little since it's gotten colder here in Maryland. But b4 the time changed I was living in a different place that was about 3 miles from work and most days I would walk to and fro. I would carry clothes to school or just leave them there and when I arrived I would clean my body and get dressed. I work at a school so showers are available. Now becuz the time has changed, I only walk to work. But when the Spring returns I'll being doing to and fro agin. It takes me just over an hour to walk 4 miles. Since I make it a part of my regular day/routine I don't have to worry about paying $ to join a gym or trying to schedule it in. I've lost weight and I've saved gas $. I haven't returned to the Dr. for a followup but I'm maintaining this routine without medicine. I shared this story with my nephew some months ago and he sent me a copy of a book titled Cleansing or Surgery. It details a man's unsuccessful journey with traditional medicines. He shares how he used some untraditional natural methods to cure what was ailng him and eliminated his need for surgery. Well, one of his suggestions I decided to begin yesterday. It's called an Intestinal Clease. I started it yesterday morning and I'll just spare you the details by telling you so far it's working (several times) a day if you know what I mean. It's real easy but it's has me feelin slightly woozy. Not excessively though. 4 times per day I'm supposed to mix psyllium husk 1 teaspoon with 1 teaspoon of black strap molasses in 8-12 oz. of warm water and after each dosage I follow that with 8-12 oz of just water. Now, I'll be honest and share that I haven't been able to get that fourth dosage down but I'm gonna try. And did I say this is suppose to be done for 3 months? He promises that it will eliminate the pot belly, improve health during and after. He also encourages eating more raw fruits and vegetable during the cleanse. I read somewhere that Blackstrap Molasses is suppose to naturally color gray hair. I have a few noticeable grays at my temple and I'll let ya know if this works. This book also tells you how to do a Kidney cleanse, Gallbladder Cleanse, Urinary Tract Cleanse, Lemonade Diet, Tooth Cleanse and Heart Cleanse. I'm sure I won't be doing all these but I'll try to see this intestinal cleanse through. Well I just wanting to holla at y'all and say what's up. Be blessed and I'll keep ya posted on my cleansing.