I cannot wait to see this movie!

So I’ve been natural for about a year and I thought why not do the obligatory why I went natural post. I love hearing why other people made the jump to natural and I genuinely think everyone has a little something new to add to the conversation, so I’m here to document my journey to natural in words and pictures. And here….we…go!!!

Lets start with the visual, shall we?

I actually sat and thought about it and I figured out I have technically spent more of my life natural than permed because I have consistently had to take “breaks” from perms. Which entailed the awful process of getting braids, which I loved when they were done (rather when my head stopped hurting cause they were so damn tight).

My mom had been telling me for years that I was just one of those people who simply could not take a perm, but I denied it because I didn’t really like my options without the creamy crack. I stayed in a cycle of perm, extreme damage, braids, amazing growth, and back to perm and unfortunately because I felt my only non-perm options were braids or an afro I kept going back through the perm cycle

The last time I had braids I was in college and I vowed never to get them again and hoped this time my hair would do well. I started going to my mom’s hairdresser and for a nice amount of time my hair was fine,

then the breakage started. And when my hair breaks it breaks at the crown of my head (the worst place ever!) so we had to find a solution. In the beginning that solution was this…

And again this was a solution that I absolutely LOVED! It was a super cute style and it hid my minor breakage, but because my hair is an asshole it started to break even more and pretty soon this solution was no longer working. So my beautician pretty much gave me two options, ponytail or french roll, and since I was forced into a french roll in high school and hated it I took the ponytail option…

And as with my previous styles I actually loved the ponytail; it was no fuss, cute, and kept up pretty well. I seriously kept this hairstyle off and on for years because I really had no other option. My hair would grow out and I would  get excited that I could try something new and then before I even got the chance it would break again. It was such a frustrating thing because everyone from the hairdresser to my mom would point it out and tell me how bad my breakage was. And quite a few times I actually came pretty close to not even being able to get the ponytail.

Then I went online and started playing with this InStyle makeover program and I tried this…

Which my mom joked looked like a wig. Around that time I had also started looking at black hair bloggers on YouTube and I began to realize that wigs were not as bad as I thought they were and I began hyping myself up to try one. I might never have gotten around to it, but out of nowhere I had a pretty big interview and no way I could possibly get my hair done before it. And since my hair was all broken (of course) I needed a decent looking solution and I needed it fast so the next day my mom and I went a wig shoppin’ .  This…

was the third or so wig that I tried on and I absolutely loved it. And I can honestly say that this moment, standing in the store purchasing that wig, was the first major step I took towards going natural. I had initially purchased the wig with the thought that I would only wear it in case of a hair emergency, but I eventually found myself wearing it pretty much every time I left the house. It not only took away the pain in the butt process of figuring out what to do with my rather badly damaged hair, it also gave me the ability to break away from the constant trips to the hairdresser.

I had gotten to the point that I hated going to get my hair done because the ponytail hurt, I hated making the trek, and most of all because I was so tired of hearing how awful my breakage was. I much preferred washing and caring for my own hair, but up until the wig I was always stalled when it came to styling. With the wig there to solve that problem my trips to the hairdresser greatly diminished and it was also around this time I started discovering the natural hair community.

I initially used the information I found to help me find better ways to care for my permed hair, then as I entered yet another breakage crisis I started thinking man these girls have amazing heads of hair. My hair had broken so badly I had no option to go get it permed because there was no way I could get my ponytail, which for many this would be where they said screw it I’m going natural, but not me. No, I couldn’t give up the creamy crack yet instead I made the decision to get a perm at home because honestly in all the years my mom did my hair it never once broke. And you know the few times my mom permed it my hair did amazingly well, but I started noticing that it was mostly because my mom never left the perm in long. Which was great for the health of my hair, but not so much for the straightening.

Finally the third time we were about to do the home perm I started to realize that my mom had been right, my hair was much better off without the perm. Just by her using a less harsh perm and keeping it on my head for a shorter time my hair was getting better and I began to think about how healthy my hair would be if we skipped the perm altogether. And after all I had my wig, so it wasn’t like I had to go out while I was experimenting with my hair and if I changed my mind I could always go back to the perm… so what the hell.

Adios perm!

I didn’t do a big chop or anything (honestly there wasn’t much there to chop) I just stopped getting perm and for a long time I felt I still HAD to wear my wig. Part of this was because my hair was still damaged and I didn’t want to go out with potential bald spots and part was because I still wasn’t totally on board with my hair’s new look.  I spent the next few months covering my twist outs with a wig. Then one hot day I was headed to Sprinkles to pick up some cupcakes and I was dreading putting on my wig so my mom said don’t.

And for the first time I went out with my natural hair! I snapped the pic above a little later that day and even though I wanted to celebrate my victory via Instagram (cause of course!) I didn’t because I was still afraid of debuting my natural hair to everyone. Not much later I started going out more and posting pics everywhere, but it was a process. It’s been a process learning to care for my hair, a process learning to accept my hair, and a process learning to leave my house without caring whether someone liked what my hair looked like that day. I’m still learning and I still have some breakage issues, but I made it through the winter with only minor breakage (a big win in my book) and my hair is steadily getting healthier.

And I think that is the big point of this rather long post… this whole journey is a process. You may not be 100% on board in the beginning and many times you may question your decision, but if you keep going keep pushing you will find yourself loving the process. Sure I still look forward to my hair growing out, but I have learned to enjoy it in the stage its in and trust me you will too.

I hope this post was able to offer a bit of a different perspective and as always thanks for reading.

Later ;0)

How you doin’? Hopefully you’re well, but maybe as the warm weather approaches and layers of clothes are peeling off you might find yourself in need of a little confidence boost. If so you came to the right place as I have compiled a list of seven (you got that right seven!) somewhat strange things that will help boost your confidence in no time. So let’s get to it shall we?

1. Party of 1

I’ve heard a million times how great it is to get out there be around people have fun and blah blah blah, but what no one ever tells you is alone time is equally if not more beneficial. This is because when we are around others there are often so many messages being passed along to us we cant help but be affected and every now and then getting away from that can help bring you back.
Everyone knows people can wreak havoc on the old confidence by making mean comments but we can also be affected greatly by the comments those around us make about others as well as by the non verbal cues most of us might not even realize are there. And one of the worst ways our confidence can be affected is when we find ourselves in situations like this…

See when we spend so much time surrounded by other people we are often exposed to their neurotic shit and even though it shouldn’t affect us, even though you might be cool with yourself, once you are caught in a situation with people criticising themselves you begin to look for your own faults.

Trust me I know this! I had two friends in college and every time I went to lunch or dinner with them they spent the entire time calling themselves fat. The first few times I sat silently looking at the wall (hey where I’m from you don’t sit insulting yourself with your friends), but after a while I felt like I had to say something. And that’s how it starts, contributing for the sake of solidarity, then next thing you know you start questioning yourself and after a while you start believing everything you are saying. Cut to you two months later complaining you can’t wear that cute pair of shorts because you are way too fat.

GOTCHA BITCH!

Yep they got you and now you are one of them (maniacal laugh). So I propose the best action to reverse this is to step away from everyone, even if it doesn’t seem like the people around you are a bad influence. Just taking the time away allows you to check in and see how you feel about things. It allows you to figure out who you are and what you want without the noise of someone else’s opinion.
I’m not saying cut off humanity for good just have a trial separation with it.

2. Selfies!

Ok I know this one sounds weird but just give me a second to explain. Taking selfies may seem like an incredibly narcissistic stupid thing to do, but taking all of that time to snap pics of yourself is also very beneficial. Think about it, you’re sitting down for a period of time studying yourself which you may think will lead to being hypercritical of yourself… it won’t.

Selfies are you taking pics of yourself and because of that you’ll learn to find the great things. Sure it might take 100 pictures to get 3 great ones, but in the process you will find things about yourself that you absolutely love and want to highlight. You also learn tricks to look better in pics so when someone else is behind the camera you won’t shudder nearly as much. And the absolute best part is at the end of it you will have a bunch of awesome pics of yourself looking fantastic.

You even learn to love the mundane, non-perfect ones like my fav pic of the moment ^.

3. Be a little bit mean girl.

I have to be careful with this advice because I am sure someone will misinterpret it, so pardon me if I explain a little too much. 

You know how people always tell you that bullies and mean girls only ever attack other people to make themselves feel better? Well this kind of…. very slightly takes from that theory. The gigantic difference being we know that tearing others down does not make us feel better it just makes us assholes. What we will do is simply use others as inspiration to gain some confidence in ourselves, but if I’m being honest a tiny part of this is a little judgey (it can’t be avoided). I also suggest doing this with people you don’t actually know, use strangers, internet personalities, and celebrities where applicable.

So what are we doing?

Well start with an issue you are having like the shorts example from above. Summer is around the corner and you would love nothing more than to rock some short shorts but you think you’re too big and your thighs are bad blah blah blah. Find someone who also fits into your incapable of wearing shorts category that proudly rocks shorts all summer long. Take note of their confidence and really study them the positives and negatives. Then think about yourself in comparison to them, which I admit generally comparisons are not great but when we are mindfully doing it they can be quite positive. Don’t think of it in terms of they shouldn’t and neither should I but rather if they can why can’t I.  And do that for a while with different people and soon their attitude will start to rub off.

Also avoid the comments section, this is not about outside comments this is about you and how you feel and NEVER BE A TROLL. Talking crap about that person is not going to get you in those shorts any faster, as a matter of fact it will keep you out of them.

Oh and one more thing, this only works when you find good examples so avoid this…

Unless that is the look you are going for and that you find positives in, then have at it.

4. Get Naked!

This one is pretty darn simple….

Strip down and show yourself what you’re working with cause trust me it is no way near as bad as you think it is. Clothes have a way of exaggerating things especially ill-fitting ones (as seen in the pic above), so by stripping down you get to see yourself with no distortions. It’s like taking off your make-up to get an idea of what your bare face looks like. You’re just getting rid of all the bells and whistles.

And if you just can’t do naked take as much off as you are comfortable with. Oh and for goodness sake please don’t take any damn pictures! Naked pics always have a way of turning into a bad idea… they can get lost or stolen people.

5. Social Media Superstar

-via consumeraffairs.com

Social media is a harsh mistress, on one hand it can be incredibly positive and on the other it calls all of the trolls out from under their bridges. And don’t even get me started on the whole like situation!

I can’t even begin to explain why social media can increase confidence, but it can. Just putting things out there for everyone to see makes you feel better (lets face it, doing this requires balls people) and even if no one ever clicks on it or likes it you feel like you’ve done something. Because you have! You believed in yourself enough to put yourself out there and even though there are mean folks lurking you didn’t care. It’s incredibly liberating experience that opens the door to you taking more risks.

The last two are pretty common and mundane and this sucker is getting long so pardon the lack of explanation.

6. Buy stuff

-via liveyourtruelife.com

Something new is always a major confidence boost, but remember don’t over do it. Finding that new item that makes you look and feel better can change your whole outlook, going into debt on the other hand will leave you feeling like crap… see the distinction?

Fun fact: the pic links to an article about retail therapy.

7. Pamper, pamper, pamper!

-via tranquiltouchspa.com

Cause when has pampering yourself ever felt bad?

And that’s all folks! Hope you liked it and found some confidence boosters.

Later ;0)

1. Come and Get It

OMG! I am in love with this song! I have loved it ever since the first time I heard it. I think the Bollywood beat and catchy hook mixed with Selena’s voice are absolute perfection. And sure it’s not deep, but you must admit it’s a pretty damn awesome pop song.

Oh and the video (which I waited to come out before I wrote this) is so simple and great, plus some of those dresses are amazing.  I just love it!

2. Camera 360

This is an app that I found completely by accident whist looking for another app and I have to say it is quite possibly one of the coolest photo editing apps out there. It has some really great high quality effects that completely take your phone pics to a whole new level. As a matter of fact if you look around the old blog here you will see some of the apps handiwork (hint: check the pages at the top) and the best part is that the pics look just as great on a big screen as they do on your phone.

My favorite effects right now are cartoon (used above and in page examples) and magic color…

Which admittedly there are many apps that do the color pop effect, but I have tried several and I personally think this one does it best. It takes your everyday mundane pics and makes them into art. Also the magic skin effect is pretty darn awesome too.

Oh wait, I have a third!!!!!

3. Elementary

How could I forget this? I have been loving this show since it premiered and watch all of the episodes twice.

Johnny is surprisingly loveable as Sherlock and does an amazing job differentiating himself from Cumberbatch’s take on the character. Lucy is the perfect partner and together they have a chemistry that is incredibly fun to watch. I’m not going to get into it too much because later this month I will be writing a post comparing Sherlock to Elementary, but just know even if you are purely a Sherlock fan you should totally give Elementary a try. You’ll like it, I promise!

And that my friends is my not so flimsy current obsessions post.

Later ;0)

I’ve been on WordPress for four years (thank you WordPress for reminding me) and I think that is pretty darn cool. Before I came over to WordPress I had tried several other blog hosts and, even though I liked them, I never actually kept up.  So to find out that I have stuck with something voluntarily for four years and still use it is pretty darn amazing.

I started this blog pretty much because I needed a creative outlet while in graduate school and I noticed a friend of mine on WordPress. I kept it for ages only posting here and there  with very few views then made the decision to do post everyday in 2011. Which still didn’t get me tons of views, but the increased amount of posting meant I was more likely to write something that might be seen. And lo and behold a post about No Strings Attached with the catchy title of “You Look Like a Pumpkin Bitch!” brought in so many views I actually thought there was a glitch. Thanks to that my stuff started popping up when people search on Google, which may be why you are here Hi, which meant my words at least would not fall on deaf ears.

So here we are four years in and even though the posts have slowed I’m still here and still trying to make this thing better. I had already made a promise (I’ll tell you more about that later) to be more active in social media, which means blogging more. So for the month of May I will be blogging twice a week and seeing as its my anniversary I will also be updating the old blog as much of the bio, pics, and design are pretty old.

I also wanted to say thanks to all who have stopped by I hope you found something cool and if you are just randomly popping in (as many of you are) I encourage you to take a look around because in four years I think I have accumulated some pretty cool posts. Hope you read, enjoy, and maybe subscribe.

Love ya lots,

Gidg ;0)

And here are the three things I loved about the box:

1. Colgate Optic White System

I really loved this system particularly the toothbrush included. I actually scoffed at the idea that a toothbrush could do anything special in terms of whitening, but I was totally wrong. This toothbrush not only cleaned my teeth, but also polished them leaving them pearly white and (as a whitening freak) I loved it.

The toothpaste was also great, I had been eyeing it for some time but I have always been a Crest girl and my mom the Colgate person in out house. And because I loved the 3d White toothpaste I figured why switch, but I was wrong this toothpaste was just as good as my 3d White. My only complaint, which happens to be ny general Colgate complaint, is the taste. If you love spearmint then you will love the flavor but it you don’t it will be horrible. I wish they would make a true mint flavor because then it would be perfect.

And speaking of taste let’s get to the only thing I hated about the system… the mouthwash. OMG I went to use it expecting the usual minty mouthwash taste and I was shocked to find that it tasted super strongly of peroxide. I actually had to spit it out the first time I used it as it was unbearable and the second time I kept it in longer, but it was still pretty unpleasant. It was supposed to be a non-alcohol formula to stop burning and while it greatly decreased the burning sensation of mouthwash it definitely did not get rid of it.

All in all I would say its a good system, but you may want to skip the mouthwash if you enjoy minty fresh breath.

2. Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer

I love Vaseline moisturizers, so it is no shock I adore the spray and go. It is a nice light formula perfect for summer if you (like me) can’t bear to use heavy moisturizers when it’s sweltering. It also smells great and the applications is not just quick it’s kind of fun. I guess cause spray moisturizer is kind of new that is what makes it super interesting, but I like the concept and it will definitely make mornings go quicker.

3. Dickenson’s Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Wipes

I love facial wipes! They come in handy when I want to clean my face, but am too lazy or pressed for time to go through all of the steps. So it comes as no surprise that it exactly what I have used these for and I really like them they clean well, don’t leave my skin dry feeling, and best of all I had several tiny bumps trying to pop up the first night I used one these and by the next morning they were wither shrunken of gone. I’m not saying they will cure acne of anything, but they definitely made a difference in my small problem spots. My only complaint is the smell is kind of not great, it doesn’t linger and it is bearable but you will definitely notice it.

And that my friends are the three things I loved about my Sugar and Spice Vox Box. As you saw in the video I also received BelVIta biscuits and Splenda, but I am waiting on my mom to try them as I am not a fan of sweeteners and I really want her to try the BelVita.  I will update when we try them though.

Later

1. Dailey

Our first stop is Manchester for this amazing soulful singer. Ever since someone instagramed a screen cap of his song I have been in love with his music and seriously there is nothing bad. All of the songs are amazing and I especially love this one…

2. Quadron

Next stop Denmark for a really cool duo who, much like Daley, I have yet to find a song I didn’t like. I came across their music while looking for something else and apparently they had a song on Grey’s Anatomy which people love…

And I must admit it is pretty damn amazing, but nothing has beat this cover they did…

I am extremely picky when it comes to this song because it is one of my all time favorites, but Quadron did it justice and I love it.

3. Die Antwoord

Final stop South Africa for a rap group as creative as they are controversal. I can’t lie the first time I saw one of their videos I didn’t know whether I should love it or be offended by it, but considering as my first reaction was to love it I pretty much stuck with that. I had to do a little digging though because a) I didn’t know half of what they were saying b) wanted to make sure I was not supporting some super racist group. Luckily Die Antwoord is quite the opposite and I found that in order to truly enjoy them you kind of have to remember three things:

1. There are cultural differences, mainly as Americans we tend to think our meanings of things are universal (typical right) and honestly they are not. Things have different meanings from state to state, so of course they would from country to country.

2. Have a sense of humor, they are kind of tongue and cheek and a little out there so keep it breezy.

3. Be open-minded, mainly if there is something you don’t get look it up. Sounds weird, but at the end of Fok Julle Naaiers a lot of people were like WTF?!? at DJ High Tek’s rap until they looked into it an realized he was simply putting a ridiculous Mike Tyson rant to music and then it kind of became brilliant. I find that to be the case quite a bit with this group.

Also they happen to have some of the most interesting videos out there, just check out the one that had lady gaga’s panties in a bunch.

And that is it guys a musical trip around the world. What lesser known artists have you come across and loved?

The Last Days of Disco!

So without further ado here are the three things I absolutely love about this film…. you know cause it’s amazing.

1. The Clothes

Seriously the movie opens with Alice (Chloe Sevigny) in this…

This picture does not so this dress justice because it is the most sparkly fantastic thing ever made and a major plus is it seems to be like knit or something so it must be super comfy. And trust me I know you don’t watch a movie for the clothes specifically, but the clothes are a great visual way to set the scene plus they can actually pull you in. I find myself wanting everything thing they wore from the casual sweats and pjs to the work outfits and especially the club clothes.

What makes the wardrobe so great and classic is its accessibility. Even though this film is set in the early 80′s you could wear everything today and still look amazing, plus the clothes are not as pretentious as they are currently. You know how when you watch movies or television shows now and the clothes are amazing, but they are all made by some designer that charges way too much and they will only look good on some rail thin model or actress type. They seem uncomfortable and even worse unobtainable, but the clothes in LDOD can pretty much be worn by anyone at anytime.

Classic!

2. The Soundtrack

I won’t even pretend that I am not a crazy obsessive fan of the 70′s to early 80′s culture because I love it all, especially the music. I won’t even try to explain it just watch…

There are tons more on YouTube and I highly suggest you check them out. Let’s face it you couldn’t do a movie about Disco without some amazing music and dance scenes and they totally deliver. No the actors can’t really dance, but that’s not the point it’s fun and quirky and it makes you want to hop into the club and dance with them. You feel like you are apart of it all and you get into the disco spirit, you get lost in it.

3. It’s Kind of Perfect…

If I didn’t already say it Last Days of Disco is really well done. It’s witty without trying too hard and there are some great moments that are so reminiscent of the weird conversations you find yourself in randomly.

Plus it captures that awkwardness of post college life in a way that is both funny and sincere. Kate Beckinsale is delightfully bitchy and as much as you want to despise her she is so delusional that you kind of don’t mind her slight evil streak. Chloe is cute and awkward as the clueless good girl trailing behind Kate and taking her moronic advice…

Yeah she maybe shouldn’t have listened to Kate on that one. And the boys they chase are equally interesting and clueless. Plus the cast, though not big names, is full of actors you’ll recognize like Wilson from House and a few folks from American Psycho.

It’s basically just a great little movie about being young and lost that pretty much anyone can relate to. I first saw this at like 16 and instantly got it and over ten years later I can still relate. Well that is mainly because I am kinda in the same place as the characters (fresh out of grad school and clueless as ever) and there is a truth to it that I think will resonate for years to come.

And if my three reasons were not good enough here are three more:

And that’s all folks ;0)

I feel like I have been writing a preface to these things far too much lately but I really feel like this one is needed. So before I write my three thoughts on the 20/20 Experience I must tell you that I love Justin Timberlake and have loved him for YEARS. Seriously people like since I was 13! I even enjoyed his foray into acting because (as someone stated) for what he is Justin is a decent actor. At the very least he tries to be good and he has greatly evolved and I honestly think that is the most we can expect from him.  Now I say all of that to let you know I am a long time true fan because I don’t want people thinking what I’m about to write comes from any dislike of Justin.  I like the guy, but 20/20 sucked ass and here are my three reasons why:

1.  Wake me up when it’s over.

I’ve listened to JT for years and I have always been able to enjoy his albums completely, but 20/20 is not like that. My biggest complaint is that it plays like one long song and there is very little differentiation between the individual tracks. One of the best things about JT is his ability to create an album with a great mix of booty shakers and ballads. I can’t pick one song that struck me as standing out more than the others and to be honest I couldn’t tell you which song is which.

The biggest offense is that the album is actually middle of the road. 20/20 is actually not really bad (it’s pretty listenable) but it’s not really good either. I can listen to it (I am right now) but I don’t want to buy it and if I wasn’t writing this I doubt I would ever reach for it. The album is standard, bland, and lets face it pretty boring. I think a lesser artist could have put this out and it would be passable, but Justin Timberlake the man who’s sophomore album broke out with this shit…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1BXF7bVpM

We expect more from him especially after 7 years.  Not to say this effort was lazy, I genuinely think he worked hard on it but he missed the mark. Maybe he lost his touch after that crazy long break….

2. Would the real Justin please stand up.

I don’t envy musicians job because what they do is complicated. They are expected to both be true to themselves and evolve as artists, be both classic and trendsetting, and appeal to an ever-changing audience. There are a lot of places where artists can fail which is most likely why almost all of them do at some point. Up until this point Justin has been a master at not failing. With his first solo outing he brought the pop of his boy band days mixed with some new sounds and he succeeded in creating his own sound. Then in Futuresex/Lovesounds he broke the mold and tried something new, but managed to keep his unique Justin like touch throughout the album.

In 20/20 Experience I feel like he’s trying to do the old school thing like D’Angelo, Bruno Mars, and Adele with his special touch, but he gets kind of lost in there. I know what to expect from Justin and I know that he likes to change it up so I expect some surprises in there too. When I listen to 20/20 I can’t help but wonder where the Justin I’ve grown to know and love disappeared to. It plays like something written for several other artists that they compiled and passed along to Justin to make work. He’s a talented guy, but not enough to make this set of songs work.

3. I know where we are going, but we never quite make it there.

I get the feeling Justin is attempting to make a complete album with a very specific kind of cool old school meets new school vibe. It’s supposed to be smooth and chill and in a way it is, but more so in the way that it makes good background music rather than something you are actively listening to. You won’t really want to sing along but you don’t mind it playing.

I would describe 20/20 this way, it feels like Justin took you on a date and told you all of the awesome things you were going to do that night. Then you go on the date and you keep waiting to do some of the stuff he told you about, but nothing happens and at the end of the night he’s laying there thinking he just blew your mind and you are left unsatisfied and pretty much wondering what the hell just happened.

You want it to be amazing, but it falls short.

And that people are my thoughts on the 20/20 experience. You should definitely head to ITunes where it’s steaming for a limited time and check it out for yourself.

Later ;0)