SHAKE DEM LOCS!!!

hey all! thought i'd cross post this video that i have up on youtube--it's a response to shaggylocs7's "shake dem locs" tag. this was really fun to do! check out his channel--he's got skills! blessings to all of you!

YOUR THOUGHTS/COMMENTS, PLESE!!

Hello my loc family! Hope your day has been well. Just gotta ask your opinion on this because it's still bugging the crap outta me. Remember a couple of posts ago I mentioned about being b*&%?@'d out by a customer in my store because of my gele (headwrap) and bindi? Well, I just thought I'd post a pic or two of a gele that I've worn to work and ask your opinion as to the appropriateness/professionalism of the look. Now, the pics that I'm posting show what I would consider an "everyday" type of wrap look--nothing overly ornate or dramatic, and the fabric colors, while very vibrant and colorful, are not what I would call "over the top" for a retail work setting. What's your opinion? After speaking about the incident with my superior, he assured me that as far as he was concerned, I'd not violated the company dress/uniform code (which is black or khaki pants/skirt, black polo-style shirt or red polo-style shirt. Almost 100% of the time, I wear all black--just doesn't show as much "stuff" as would khaki!) and that I was good. If you were to deal with me face to face, would you be offended by my wearing the wrap and the bindi (of course, you would be treated courteously and professionally at all times!) Thanks for the input!

MY EXPERIMENT WITH PIPE CLEANERS

So, I'm trying to come up with some different styling ideas for my locs. Not that I don't think they look fine as is, but you know...a girl likes to change up her look every once in a while. Anyway, I've tried using the perm rods for curling--maybe i'm using rods that are too large for the length that I have, but the resulting curls were big and loopy--not the elongated spiral that I really wanted. Oh, the style was really cute and I did like it, it just wasn't what I was envisioning. I've been surfing Youtube, and viewed several tutorials about using pipe cleaners (chenille stems to some of you) to set your locs. They seem to be just what the doctor ordered--CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP (I'm just saying, these days you gotta save where you can!) and they seem to produce a beautiful spiral curl. I just got back from Wal-Mart with 50 pipe cleaners; now to experiment with the "pipe cleaner spiral rod set" technique! Will post the results in a couple of days--in the mean time, give me your thoughts and suggestions for styling ideas, fellow loc'rs...blessings to you all!

TWO YEAR LOC ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS, AS PROMISED!!!

Hello everyone! Hope your Sunday was well; mine was wonderful. I attended a very spirited church service today and spoke with the minister of music about getting back in the choir (not that I was kicked out or left voluntarily--my work schedule prevents me from consistently attending rehearsals.) Hopefully, I can work out a customized rehearsal schedule--I really miss singing and if I'm still missing it this much, especially since I've been gone for almost five years, then I think God is trying to tell me something.

Anyhow, here are the promised two year loc pics--I hope you all enjoy them! Many thanks to my daughter for taking the pics (seems that I've neglected taking pictures for so long that I've kinda lost the knack for taking self-portraits LOL!) Blessings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR (and a LOC ANNIVERSARY!)

Hello folks! Happy new year to everyone--hopefully everyone's holiday was wonderful. Thanks so much for hanging with me through my not-so-frequent postings--due in part to the general craziness of the retail holiday season, but also due to my extreme fatigue. It has been discovered that I have a quite irregular heartbeat and the lack of oxygen in my system was contributing greatly to my feelings of continual and extreme fatigue and general daily feeling of malaise. I'm now under treatment and hopefully I will have the energy to post more regularly to this blog--at least that's the plan as of this moment!

Anyway, on to the good stuff--I've reached the 2 year mark! Happy Lociversary to me! January 4, 2010 was the famous (or is it infamous) day and I couldn't be happier with my locs! Sorry that I don't have a pic at the moment of my hair, I will post one later on this week--silly me let my camera's battery completely discharge and I am currently letting it charge up. Two years ago, my baby locs were less than 1/2 inch long and now in just 24 months, they are past my neck--is that amazing or what? Several people have told me to watch out now--that my hair will REALLY start to take off! One of my best friends has locs (I believe that she's into her fifth year) and she says that she's blown away by how fast they've grown. Yep, they still have a huge spiritual significance for me and yep, I'm still committed to keeping them for life. With the growth in length has come more growth in terms of patience with self and others, understanding and empathy with self/others, and self-understanding and self acceptance. In this past year, I've also had to (graciously) respond to a couple of individuals that have attacked my choice to wear my hair as I do and have also attacked my choice to wear gele (traditional african headwraps) and bindi. I had to respond graciously because the attacks took place in my professional setting and when working with the public, one must always respond in as gracious a manner as possible so as to not reflect upon the professional environment--this was in fact very difficult for me because of the personal nature of the attack. I believe that this individual choose the time and place purposely because she knew that if I were to respond in a "ghetto mama" style while on the clock, she could use that against me when reporting me to my superiors. As it is, there was a time when my self-esteem would have been severely shaken by this incident; now my self-esteem is much higher and my self-confidence and self-acceptance is such that this incident had no effect on me except to follow-up with my superior to report the incident in the event that this person decided to pursue her "complaints" further up the line (which I found out today that she did). Fortunately, my superior is supporting me to his superior so again, peace and no worries on that front. But enough of these ramblings--I hope all of you are in good health and good spirits and I really hope to be posting more regularly in the coming weeks. Blessings!

FINALLY--A NEW POSTING AT 22 MONTHS!

hello people! finally--a new post about my locs! this will be a short one...i hope that all of you are doing well and getting along in these rough times. my locs are 22 months old now, (well, actually on 11/4) and my how things have changed! ther's hardly any frizz now (or as much "no frizz" as i can have with my particular hair texture), the locs have filled in nicely (you can hardly see any scalp now even when i palm-roll them) and they have grown almost to my shoulders! YES---i am STILL IN LOVE with my hair--i truly believe that i will never fall out of love! my babies are doing exactly what they are supposed to do--all with no coaching from me. i am "semi-freeforming"; that is, i'm only palm-rolling my hair once every 2-3 months, or whenever the odd mood strikes me. i knew from the beginning that i wasn't going to be into the strict "palm-roll every 3-4 weeks" routine--i work too much for that. so, i wash once a week (maybe i'll go a week and a half--IF i get really crazy busy at work), i deep condition once maybe twice a month, i will do a hot oil treatment once a month or so and i use olive oil, almond oil, vitamin e oil and jojoba oil as a mixture for my scalp. after my washes, i usually pop the locs and air dry, unless i deem it necessary to do a full retwist/palm-roll session. i am so lovin' this routine--it's great not to be a hair slave anymore. i will roller set or braid set or rod set on a whim and i love the fact tht my locs will hold the curl/crimp for a week or more so styling is a breeze!

the spiritual awakening that i associate with my locs is still evolving and growing; oftentimes i feel as if i'm more aware of spiritual vibrations all around me, kinda like an antennae picks up and amplifies radio waves. sometimes it's a little unsettling, but i will adjust. i've become more in tune with my personal spiritual energy and hopefully that has/will make be a better person. all of this and more just by shedding my relaxed way of life and cultivating locs! who would have thought...?!? i'm posting a few pics of what my hair looks like at the moment (three days post perm rod spiral set); enjoy the pics and stay tuned for the next installment of..."AS THE LOCS TURN"! lol blessings...

My New Loc Update--20 Months and Counting!

hello fellow locr's! it's been a while since i've updaed this blog. i apologize for that--but life is still getting in the way LOL! anyway, i just wanted to do this quick update to show you all that i'm still (trying) to kick it and to let you all know that i haven't forgotten you. i know it's not much, but hopefully you will enjoy and by grace i will be able to talk with you all again real soon! blessings...