Life Love and Loc Lessons

FINALLY an updated picture

2006-08-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in a while, that's just the way life is sometimes.... So here I am about 5 months in.... I cut about 2 inches of loc off because the transition between lye and root was too severe and the hair just was not loc'n... I got real with my self, took a deep breath and CHOPP'D IT OFF, my version of the BIG CHOP...

and for me it was never about the lenght anyway so, here are my baby worms!!!! I'm loving them and feel they look even better now that I cut them... I have learned many a thing about me since the initial loc day... and I'm becoming even more confident in myself and my word, meaning I am learning to speak clearly without blowing folks out of the water-- speak in a way that honors both me and my audience I am a work in progress-- and I've learned to PRAISE PROGRESS

Picture40

2006-08-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

2006-04-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

okay to be who we really are

2006-04-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've been comfortable with who I am for quite a long time... My college years taught me that--- folks can trip on some SERIOUS minutia!!!! Oh how I wish I knew then what I know now! but this Loc journey is getting me even closer to my real, authentic self, and rather than DARE anyone to comment-- in invite them to know me too.. that's the thing about your 30's you find out you REALLY are as great as you always knew you were...

2006-04-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

My hair grows pretty fast, thankfully, so I suppose I'll be latching about once a month, but I will "let the spirit guide me"... This morning when I finished latching my 'little worms' (<< as a one of my best friends put it) I looked in the mirror and was like YEAH!!! This is who I am... just as I wanted to be.

Fully Latched In-- Week 5

2006-04-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I've finally hit cruise mode.... I had been fussin' over what size for my lox, thick or thin... and I think I've got it worked out for me... I need to keep them relatively thin, 'cuz my hair is DENSE and will trap dirt and 'ickies' easily, so Imma keep them thin in order to get in there and clean them... also I've decided that in an ocean of lox, a few that are too thin or too thick aren't gonna amount to much, so I'm giving up the worry... I"m learning quite a bit in this journey, even though I JUST started... for one thing, part of my decision to loc was to not have to fuss and worry, though this is not a "no maintainence (sp?) style", worry wasn't part of my plan, so I'm gonna relax and trust the process.

From Bumps to Beautiful

2006-03-31T18:50:00.000-08:00

I am learning all the tricks and flips of wearing baby locs fashionably... I'm loving my latest experiment...

I'm too new for rod'n'set curls, so I just twisted my twists in Bumps and then let them dry and viola! mmm... SASSY!

2006-03-31T14:15:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how confident I feel going outside with my hair shot all over my head... I have vision of where I'm going and this IS who I really am a NAPPY HEADED beauty. Since I've begun the loc process, so many thoughts have cleared up in my mind... As if that creamy-crack had been clouding my mind. I know I"ve only been loc'd up for 'bout a minute, but already, just knowing I won't be going back LYE'n my roots... I'm thinking more crystal clear "crystal black" as my sisters and I would put it... and even I can see I'm glowing.

2006-03-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

Okay... so today, I had to twist up the locs a bit... not too tight... but just reign them in a bit... the loc process is coming along quite nice... Why I thought I would ever have an issue with loc'n my hair is just beyond me (other wise know as denial)... my hair was MADE for loc'n and that's just what it'll do.

Scaaf, make-up and earrings...

2006-03-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

Well, today, my hair was starting to look a lil' um... "UN" for lack of a better word (yeah... I know "un" isn't a word either)--- no matter what I did to it... my hair looked like maybe I hadn't looked in the mirror this morning... so I wrapped a scarf around it... Put a little EXTRA make-up on (I usually don't wear any)... and some earrings... just to say to anyone else who might have felt the same way about my hair-- and to remind myself, that YES I did- in fact- look in the mirror today... I'm in transition and STILL beautiful.

The MAD Hatter

2006-03-18T06:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I've always had a big o'l head... Hats usually are too small for me, especially the 'girly' looking ones... Add some braids or loc's and you can FORGET IT... so I decided to make my own hat... It was really quite easy, and I like the result... I will definately be making more...

Today was my first trip out with my baby twists... I was super sensitive to the reactions, but I didn't get any... Folks 'round here don't necesarrily understand African-hair and really, it doesn't make a difference... I've never been one to pass for anything less than beautifully BLACK.... so the state of my hair is secondary-- if anything at all. No strange looks or rolling of eyes... just normal "howdy neighbor" folks, so I'm happy about that... Not sure what I was expecting... but glad this was a non-event.... I imagine that in the coming months, as my locs develop, many-a-non-nubian will be asking (and they BETTER ASK!) to touch my hair. Same thing happened when I was wearing braids (extensions).

Non-nubian type folks are facinated by our hair and what we are able to do with it... I love the way folks sneak a feel of my son's lil fro' I don't say anything, but the look on their face says a lot-- they don't think I see it but the "Oh, so that's what a fro feels like" look is clear as day. I just laugh to myself, because like I said many of 'them' are facinated, but too -whatever it is they are- to ask, touch, or experience the things that make us different in a more direct way...

I try to be a good guide/teacher/lady of royal ansectry and help bridge the knowledge gap. By pure circumstance of their lives juxtaposed to mine or to that of any other nubians... some of 'them' have never had the opportunity to interact with 'us' or the POSITIVE opportunity (depending on their family situation) so I try to be a good stuart of their educational opportunities. I'm glad 'they' want to know and reach out to learn. My "environment's" reaction to my Locumentary will be as interesting as the loc-ing process its self.

Sunning My Locs

2006-03-16T06:32:00.000-08:00

Well, wouldn't ya know it... I can't find my regular digital camera, so I'm using my phone camera... the pictures actually came out pretty good... I'm a little TIGHT... last night was rough... I remember sleeping proped up because of the tight braids.... Many moons ago when I braided my hair... It's all coming back to me now... but I took some tylenol (my shoulders were also tight from all that arm lifting and twisting) so I'm feeling better... I got the nerve to put the front twists in pig tails and call it a style... I think I look cute... funny just putting my hair in BEGINNER twists and I seem to have lit up... I see more of my face, but I some how look thinner... Camera angle? Maybe but I'll take it! Now once I get the wax, I'll form actual locs... I have a few going already, but I won't worry too much with it til I get the right stuff... I've be doing my research, as Kaila's will do, and sounds like as long as I don't go crazy with it... Wax isn't evil... so I'm gonna try to take it easy and get some that washes out... Wish me luck... More picutres in a week or so.... Actually, I've been snapping pic like a rock-star... just love the way I look in the locs already! I have a small wonder about how my locs will be received, but I've never been one (in the last few years or so) to care much about what folks think of me... but I could still use a little prayer here and there!

My Hair HomeComing

2006-03-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

Between yesterday and today... I have begun the tranformation from Permed... to loc's... I have been wanting locs for as long as I can remeber... just life always seemed to have other things in mind for me... and/or I couldn't deal with the "pick-a-ninny" stage of Locs..... I am too VAIN... this is a weakness and I'm working on it. But I have to deal with me, exactly where I am... I have compromised with two strand twists... I have been doing so much research and GOOGLE-ing locs and such... but then I thought back to my college days... I had ONE lock... at the nape of my neck... to the left side... and I didn't need any special formulas or loc-titians to get that started... I just sectioned off my hair... and it did the rest... so I'm trusting my hair to do it again... after I washed it... I let it dry over night.... and BOY it was locking just from not combing it.... Even when I perm'd my hair... I never wanted it to be TOOOOO straight... Like I wanted to keep some "home" in it... so I guess I always knew, locs were in my future... anywho... I seperated my hair into the width I THINK I want and I'm gonna try some beeswax when I get a chance to get to "our" part of town... cuz you KNOW I can't but stuff for locs 'round 'chia! Well, I'm gonna get a few pics of the beginning...Cade's a calling... gotta run!