Girl, get yo hair did

This is why I hate hair salons.

I got my hair done yesterday. And according to the people who complimented me on it at a friend's party last night, apparently it's laid.

But it took me all day to get it. (I'll post pics later)

My appointment was at 12:30 Saturday afternoon. I'm pretty punctual and mindful of people's schedules, so I got there right on the dot.

I had enough time to read an newspaper produced, it seemed, by the same people that Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez was involved with shortly before her death. Apparently sugar in cigarettes is what makes it addictive and a master teacher in Brooklyn has the cure to AIDS. I was thankful when she called me to the chair.

The stylist blew my hair out and I marvelled at the fro that looked back at me in the mirror. My hair, normally tightly coiled and probably about 3 inches high, was semi straight and extended at least seven inches from my skull. The possibilities of pony tails, twists with curls and other hairstyles danced through my head. I didn't know I had THAT much hair. Sweet.

She trimmed my horribly split ends and after washing my strands, sat me down for the process to come. Comb twists, or single strand twists, are like most natural hairstyles: time consuming. In this style, you take a rattail comb, grab some sort of gel or holding creme and take tiny pieces of hair and wrap them around themselves in a circular motion -- making miniature Shirley Temple curls in the process.

I was called to the chair at 1 p.m. I didn't get under the dryer until 4:20 p.m.

See, that would have been nothing back when I had a perm, where I'd easily spend hours getting the chemicals slopped onto my head, my ends trimmed, my hair deep conditioned, my neck burning under the dome dryer and the hot irons singeing my curls. But it's been more than a year since I stepped into a salon -- and two years and change since my last perm. I'm used to getting a trim at the barber shop, or better yet, washing my hair in the morning, de-tangling and letting it air dry into my signature puff.

When I walked out of the salon at about 5:30 p.m., I was less than impressed with my hair. The actual technical aspect was impeccably done. I think it was more the shock of seeing my skull and the solid wrapping lotion still dripping down my neck (and sticking my ears to the back of my head). So I needed the affirmation from the party goers that all of my waiting wasn't in vain.

Anyway, like I said, pics will be up soon. If nothing else, look for the UNITY shots.

And I bought some cute earrings to go with it, so watch out now.

Dance, girl, dance

Quick post to let you all know how much I am absolutely loving this girl.

yeah, the curly haired one.

So, I just got cable a few weeks back, so I've been catching up on all of the quality television I've missed in the last few years (looks around to see if lightning strikes her).

And I stumbled across America's Best Dance Crew. I'd heard about it from the curly one, who dances, but it wasn't until I saw one of the first shows that I fell in love with it. In a stupor, I sent my excitement to V in text form. It was short, and went something like this:

T-Dot: Just watched ABDC. It makes me wish I could dance!
V: Dance, girl, dance.

So, yeah. She didn't know it, but that meant a lot to me. It was just a throw away line, telling me to cut loose and just do it. But at the time, it just seemed really profound to me. I won't wax poetic about how its a metaphor for life and how it inspired me to sieze the day and do all that I've wanted to do, mostly because I want you all to be return readers. But know that I wrote it in my moleskin notebook and I peek at it from time to time.

Now, on to the most recent thing that she doesn't even know she did.

After a rough patch and what looks to be a slamming birthday, Curly updated her Facebook. Well, pause. Let me explain how I stumbled across the updatd Facebook page. So, Curly put up pictures of said birthday, which included her significant other -- my best friend (who really wants to get disowned because I haven't heard from him in umpteen moons). So anyway, while browsing the pics, I run across this shot of my friend and his new facial hair. It's like a little black ball of hair -- but just on his chin though.

Not a full on Rick Ross/Baron Davis beard. Moreso like King Tut. So I offered to take him to get his eyebrows done when I come to Virginia in a few weeks.

Of course, Curly hit the floor when she read the comment. I saw her new picture (which was very festive) and went to her profile. That's where I saw the update.

At the end of all of her random quotes and etc., she'd replaced the handful of paragraphs in her about me section with only one:

"Express everything you like. No word can hurt you. None. No idea can hurt you. Not being able to express an idea or word will hurt you more. Like a bullet."-- Jamaica Kincaid

Alright.

So this is why this meant a lot to me. I've been having a hard time communicating lately. Like, besides work. It's just when it comes to me telling someone how I feel, or that they hurt me, or that I don't want to do something, I freeze up. I worry they'll be upset or mad at my comment or that I'll hurt them unintentionally. So I say nothing and jsut bottle everything up inside instead. Which, of course, does not help the situation because then I find myself crippled by this fear whenever I should be speaking my mind. You know in your heart that it's better to say things and just get them out rather than to keep them in or to be in a situaiton where you feel you can't. But hearing the concept equated to that of a bullet, it just kind of hit home.

It's the same thing as the dancing. Stop worrying about what you look like, who's laughing or what anyone is saying about you and just dance.

So yeah. That's why I stopped my workday to post this. To say thank you to Curly.

Thanks, girl.

(T-Dot's) New Workout Plan

I'm trying to get my exercise life back on track.

At the end of this month, I'll be travelling pretty much for two weeks straight. And in between the conventions and parties and shenanigans, I'll be spending a lot of time in strange cities in hotel rooms.

With exercise equipment. Maybe even a pool (I have a racing speedo!)

So I'm packing my running shoes and exercise clothes. Should be interesting. Because I'm so unmotivated. And even though I'll be staring at a posh bed with premium cable (YES!), I'm going to try to do my best to get up (or stay up late) and getting my work out on.

My goal is to just be able to run up the stairs at my job (4 floors) without getting too winded. Small successes are all I'm looking for, really. Plus, less jiggly thighs and arms wouldn't be a bad side effect, either.

Who wants to buy me a new iPod so I can get right to some tunes?

I'm trying to remind myself that any day that I haven't seen before is a good one.

Really, I am.

But I'm in a pissy mood. Bad part is, I don't even know why. Just kinda want the world to leave me alone for a bit. Just an hour. Maybe two.

Long enough for a good nap. Maybe a bath.

Let me think about good news. Good news. Good news.....

I'll probably go see my sister this weekend (yay!) to help her move into her new NYC home. She is supposed to close on her house this week. The ony thing that would stop me is if work gets in the way. Stupid paycheck. Wait, good things....

So that'll be fun. If I can get there. I'll probably just stay the whole weekend. Kick it and help her unpack. So that'll be cool.

I bought a GREAT dress yesterday. It should be coming in the mail any day now. Wanna see it? Here it go. Now imagine me in it, fro rocking, heels towering, I might even throw some makeup on. Man, I'm gonna look good in that dress. Chicago ain't ready.

Speaking of Chicago, I am exactly...(counts on her fingers) 15 days away from the beginning of my vacation/professional development! Yay! Be happy for me. First, I'm heading to Chicago for the UNITY Convention, then I spend two days in Reno, Nevada for a court reporters seminar. Then...wait for it... I'm heading to Virginia for four days to kick it with the BF and his family. Right. Big stuff huh? It should be cool. Even though the first week I'll be gone will be semi work, it should still be a good time.

What else, what else? Well, speaking of clothes (I know, that was a graph or two ago), I'm trying to find some more shoes. I think I'm going to get a pair of those gladiator sandals. And maybe some other sort of heel to diversify my shoe alternatives. I think that would be a smart idea. What I really need is a shirt to go with this skirt I bought. I bought it a while ago from Banana Republic. It's black, knee length, a little highwaisted (but not super) and it has a lace overlay. I'm trying to figure out what kind of shirt to wear with it. I"m thinking some sort of nice, semi satiny cardigan set, or something cashmere and really expensive looking. Iano. I'll keep thinking.

Alright, i should really get to work. Enough rambling for now. Ciao.