Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Gills & Tails...

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When I first heard this song, I immediately fell in love with it. It's by one of my favorite artists, Amel Larrieux, on her most recent release called Morning.

At the time I was going thru a profound depression and I could completely feel the lyrics to this song. I used to listen to it over and over again and it soothed me in my despair. I felt I needed to share it with the readers of this blog since she's not a mainstream artist and I'm sure most haven't heard this song. I think it's a track that any woman can completely identify with at one time or another.

I wasn't able to find a way to attach the song to my blog, so I'll send you to Amel's myspace page to listen to the song.

I've attached the lyrics below. I hope you enjoy the song and I would love to know what you think about it!

Gills & Tails:
I looked at my reflection in the water
Thought what an unlikely pair
Closed my eyes, held my breath, plummeted down,down,down
And anchored myself there

Can't tell how long I've been
In the company of gills and tails
I think I feel my skin
Growing scales

chorus
Can I come up for air
Can I come up, can come up
(repeat 3x)

I'm gettin' eaten up down here
I'm just not built like them
The big fish have a monopoly
The little fish get buried in the sand

This here world I'm in
Sucks your life out, leaves you comatose
Take back your salt and fins
Send me a lifeboat

chorus

I look up with longing at the surface
Hypnotized by the way the sunlight seems to ride each ripple
And they do a dance
Every ray becomes a beckoning hand
I miss the sweet taste of oxygen
I mistook this for the promised land

chorus

Excedrine RT..

My girl Jamel shared this with me and I had to share it.

This is hilarious!! I need a bottle for work sometimes...

Lock Maintenance...

I must admit that I'm a very low maintenance kind of woman when it comes to my hair, hence one of the many reasons I decided to lock. My game plan was that I'd go to a loctician for the first year (or until my locks were mature, whichever came first) and then I'd do a combination of self maintenance, along with loctician visits periodically.

I was so delighted to find Camille 'Doc' Robbins to start my lock journey with. I knew from previous research that she was very knowlegeable on locking hair and came highly recommended. She's taken care of my hair very well and it's flourished under her care. The only issue I had was the cost. I believe in the saying that you get what you pay for, so initially, I had no problems dulling out the necessary cash. As time has passed, it's taken a toll on my wallet, which in my opinion defeats the purpose of going natural. Part of this is my fault, as I was unwilling to allow my hair to look unkempt, so I went e/o week and every week for a 3mth period while I was working out and my hair needed a regular wash and retwist because it was oh-so-bushy all the time.

Well, since I currently have my niece and factoring in the cost of daycare, I realized that I needed some other options. I don't feel that I'm ready to take over the care of my hair because I think it'll just make me wanna cut it off out of frustration (again, I'm not one for doing my own hair.. lol). While I was at Columbia Mall getting my makeup done (refer to previous post) at the M.A.C. counter, I saw a sister with some beautiful locks about the same length as mine. Her locks were so neat (neater than mine ever looked, but exactly what I wanted them to look like), so shiny, and healthy looking. I had to ask her where she got her locks maintained. She shared the name of her stylist and the name of the shop which is located in Baltimore. I live very close to Baltimore, so I got the information from her. She added that her loctician charged $40 per appt and I was shocked. My appts cost $65. So the combination of the salon being closer and costing less (and in gas too), and the fact that I wanted to see what would be done differently, I decided to go to her loctician.

I had an appoint on Saturday. I first have to admit that I have a strong dislike for B-more. I don't venture into Baltimore often and I was reminded why after my misadventures, just trying to find the shop!! lol. How do people function in a city that doesn't have street signs for most of their streets??? I got mapquest directions and I was thrown off track so many times, being forced to turn around and around trying to locate the streets I needed to turn on. That in combination with a huge accident on BW Pkwy got me to the shop a half hour late although I'd left my house an hour early for a 30min trip. Dion, the loctician, was gracious enough to do my hair even though I was late since I'd been communicating with her on the phone as to my status on the road the whole way.

Dion did a BANG-UP job on my locks. My locks have never looked this neat. No offense to Camille at all because my locks have always been very healthy under her care, but I wanted them to look a bit neater. They had a shine and the roots have never looked so neat and uniform. My girlfriend complimented me on how great they looked when she later saw me that day. I was so happy that I wasn't the only one that could see the difference in their appearance.

I will definitely be going to Dion again and love the fact that I have more than one loctician to rely on at this point. I'll post photos of my locks when I take my next update photos so you can see the difference. I think you'll be as impressed as I was. Kudos to Dion!! (smile)

A customer letter to Kotex:

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I thought this was HILARIOUS and so, I simply had to share it with the women out there. I know we can certainly identify with this woman's sentiments!!!

Dear Kotex:
I recently noticed that the peel-off strip of my pantyliner had a bunch of "Kotex Tips for Life" on it.

Annoying advice such as:
Staying active during your period can relieve cramps.
Avoiding caffeine may help reduce cramps and headaches.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep you hydrated and feeling fresh. Try Kotex blah blah blah other products...

Obviously the individual behind this was someone who has never possessed a functioning set of ovaries. Go ahead and tell a menstruating woman that drinking 6-8 glasses of water will help keep her feeling fresh. Like we need more fluid inside our bloated bodies from hell...but go ahead...I triple-dog-friggen-dare-ya... See what happens and report back. I'll wait.

While you're at it, dump out the coffee at work and remove the chocolate from the vending machine. I garan-friggen-tee that the first responders will be females who just ovulated.

Staying active will relieve headaches & cramps...well guess what, the only activities that interest me are eating, sleeping, *****ing, or crying for no apparent reason.. .and oh...does ripping someone's head off count as a friggen' activity?????

Look, women don't need or want tips for living on their feminine hygiene products. Younger girls are already hearing "helpful" crap like that from elderly relatives. Veteran women have already concocted their own recipes for survival, many containing alcohol & barbituates.

Printing out crap advice while sneaking in ads for the brand that was already purchased is just plain annoying, not to mention rude, and is enough to send a girl running to the Always brand.

It's not a fun time, but DO NOT try to cheer us up by adding smiley faces or bunnies or flowery cutesy crap to your products or the packaging. Put the crap in a plain brown wrapper so we can throw it in our carts discreetly and have it blend in among the wine and beer.

There is nothing more annoying than having a blinding pink package announcing your uterine status to everyone in the store. Why don't ya just add an in-store microphone to the damn package & announce it... 'Helloooo, another woman in the store is on the rag!!!!!'.

So take your tips for living and your cute bunnies & the smiley faces and shove them right up your ass.

PS - How about adding a free sample of Pamprin & maybe a shot of Bourbon to your packages instead!!!

Friday, October 27, 2006

'My Love'

My boy Justin Timberlake is killing me with his new track. I have to admit that he's a guilty pleasure of mine. I love that little white boy (smile).

I thought I'd share the video even if you don't like him altogether, I think you'll like this track. And if not, more for me (said like a little kid..lol). I'm not even a fan of TI (Insert inside joke here - 'Is ya happy?'), but I actually like him on this track, go figure. Must be because it's JT's song.

Halloween Fun!

This is what happens when pumpkins get drunk!
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Bootylicious Pumpkin(lol)
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Pumpkin Burger
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Lewd Pumpkins
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Pumpkin Flasher.. Too funny!
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Thursday, October 26, 2006

Regine in London and in love...


My sister Regine (aka Gigi) and my niece Ngozi (aka Gozi Rock.. smile) are in London and loving it so far. The biggest complaint has been the cost of living there. It's been difficult for my sister to find a school to enroll my niece in and she's still in search of permanent housing. I'm sure it will all work out. My sister is one of the most resourceful people I know.

When Regine arrived in London, she found that her love had sent flowers ahead that greeted her on her arrival. The photo above is of her enjoying the roses. I love the fact that she's found someone that treats her like the Queen that she is.

Love you sis, keep hope alive on the housing and schooling situation! (smile)

Lock Inspiration...

I was inspired by so many men and women as I came closer to my decision to lock in late December. I realized that my locks could be individualized and that just because I'd seen some locks that I didn't necessarily think were for me, that didn't mean they weren't for me overall. I think this is a realization that a lot of people are discovering and one of the reasons you see so many locked heads these days.

One of my lock inspirations while I was still pondering my commitment to lock was Tubby from Naani. She is the founder of the site and business. She is the person responsible for creating/producing Naani hair & skin products. I haven't tried any of her products yet, but I also haven't been maintaining my own locks. I plan on giving them a try in the near future. If you've tried any of her products, let me know what you think of them. I'd love to know!

I remember looking through one set of photos she has on the site that shows the progression of her locks. I was impressed and her locks are gorgeous. Her locks are so gorgeous and they are what I aspired to have when I started. Maybe one day (daydreaming). She was and continues to be a lock inspiration to me!
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Cat humor...

I can't say that I'm a huge fan of cats, but they have their moments. If they could only stay cute and cuddly like they are when they're kittens.

Well a cat enthusiast friend of mine sent me these pix and I was cracking up. I took the best of the bunch to share with you. I hope they make you smile and laugh!

Stoned Cat:
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Up To No Good Cat (I LOVE that look in their eyes.. lol):
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Broadway Cat (hahaha):
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Gangsta Cat (love this one):
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Psycho Cat:
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Ceiling Cat:
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Masturbating Cat that Ceiling Cat was watching.. LMAO:
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Hope you had a good chuckle.. Now get back to work! (smile)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Santorini


I admit it, I've been daydreaming again. One of my biggest ambitions is to travel abroad at my whim. I have so many places on my list that next year when my lease is up, I'm considering moving into a very small apartment, putting the remainder of my belongings that don't fit in my space into storage, saving up some money, and traveling whenever I want. I thought about saving up to purchase a home, but I'm not entirely convinced that I want to spend the rest of my life here in the states, nor purchase property here when I could do it elsewhere.

I say all this to say that one of the destinations high on my list is a group of small islands in Greece called Santorini. I know a lot of people aren't familiar with the name, but are familiar with photographs because it's known worldwide for it's unique architecture and beauty. Santorini is a small circular group of volcanic islands located in the Aegean Sea about 200km from mainland Greece. It's known all over Europe for it's wonderful nightlife and breath-taking sunsets. It's a place I've always dreamed of visiting. I have to admit that I've always said, should I ever get married, this is where I'd like to go on my honeymoon.

The architecture in Santorini is built into the mountain and everything is painted in a stark white that contrasts so beautifully with the crisp blue sky and sea that surrounds it. The accomodations are seemingly caverness, which lends to the beauty of the architecture. Check out some of the hotels in the link above and you'll see how beautiful it truly is. The photographer in me wants to go simply for the photo ops, so whoever I end up traveling with is going to have some awesome photos of themself in Santorini (smile).

I find myself daydreaming more and more about making my dreams of travel a reality. So I've been thinking about Santorini for the past day or so and since it's been on my mind, I thought I'd share some of the beauty I've seen that it has to offer with you so you can escape from your reality, if just for a moment too!
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Gorgeous place, right?

'Lost Without You'

I remember when I heard the first song by Robin Thicke. I thought he had a great voice, but I wasn't completely impressed with the song. He had long hair at that time and I just wasn't completely feeling his vibe. That has all changed with the current release of his new album. I remember hearing 'I wanna love ya girl', the first release that he did with Pharrel and thinking, well, well, well.. He's come a long way. Then I heard the current single called 'Lost Without You' and completely fell in love with Robin. I have a weakness for acoustic guitar and the feel of this song really hit me, as well as the fact that it's simple, has acoustic guitar, and the lyrics were pure.

This is what he had to say about it from his website:
“My greatest desire with this album was to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion I was feeling when I wrote them, so that whoever listens to my music is brought as close to my experiences and life as possible.”

With this intention, Robin created songs such as, “Lost without You”. This song is about Robin’s insecurities and his need to be desired and loved. With sweeping vocals over rhythmic Spanish guitar, this song takes you away and makes you sing along.

I couldn't agree more with that assessment of this song. If you haven't heard it, check it out below or on his Myspace Page. Here are the lyrics for your enjoyment:

LOST WITHOUT U:
I'm lost without you
Cant help myself
How does it feel
2 know that I love you baby (repeat)

Tell me how you love me more
And how you think I'm sexy baby
That you dont want nobody else
You dont want this guy, you dont want that guy, you wanna...
Touch yourself when you see me
Tell me how you love my body
And how I make you feel baby
You wanna roll with me, you wanna hold with me
You wanna stay warm and get out of the cold with me
I just love 2 hear you say it
It makes a man feel good baby
Tell me you depend on me
I need 2 hear it

I'm lost without you
Cant help myself
How does it feel
2 know that I love you baby

Baby you're the perfect shape
Baby you're the perfect weight
Treat me like my birthday
I want it this way, I want it that way, I want it...
Tell me you dont want me 2 stop
Tell me it would break your heart
That you love me and all my dirty
You wanna roll with me, you wanna hold with me
You wanna make fires and get Norwegian wood with me
I just love 2 hear you say it
It makes a man feel good baby

I'm lost without you
Cant help myself
How does it feel
2 know that I love you baby

Monday, October 23, 2006

Just Because...

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I came across this poem by TD Jakes and I thought it was wonderful. So I thought I'd post it for all of us single women out here that need a boost every now and then:

"JUST BECAUSE"
by TD Jakes"
Just because no one has been fortunate enough to
realize what a gold mine you are, Doesn't mean you shine any less.

Just because no one has been smart enough to figure out
that you can't be topped, Doesn't stop you from being the best.

Just because no one has come along to share your life,
Doesn't mean that day isn't coming.

Just because no one has made this race worthwhile,
Doesn't give you permission to stop running.

Just because no one has realized how much of an
awesome woman you are, Doesn't mean they can affect your femininity.

Just because no one has shown up who can love you on
your level, Doesn't mean you have to sink to theirs.

Just because God is still preparing your king,
Doesn't mean that you're not already a Queen.

Just because your situation doesn't seem to be progressing
right now, Doesn't mean you need to change a thing.

Keep shining, keep running, Keep hoping,
and keep praying, Keep being exactly what you are already, COMPLETE!!

Friday, October 20, 2006

'Something's Missing'

Most people who know me well, know that I've loved John Mayer since I first heard his music. He has this sadness about him that I identify with and he's a cutie. He plays the acoustic guitar, which is one of my favorite instruments.

Now having said all that, he has a song called 'Something's Missing' and it struck a chord with me as soon as I heard it. It sums up what I feel on a day to day that something's missing in my life, but I don't know what it is or how to fix the fact that I don't. I listen to this song when I'm feeling a bit melancholy and I thought I'd share it with you in case you've never heard it or would like to hear it again. This is John singing it with just his guitar, which is how I like to hear him. Simple and beautiful.

Here are the lyrics so you can see why it's one of my favorite songs.

Something's Missing:
I'm not alone, I wish I was
'Cause then I'd know I was down because
I couldn't find a friend around
To love me like they do right now
They do right now

I'm dizzy from the shopping malls
I searched for joy but I bought it all
It doesn't help the hunger pains
And a thirst I'd have to drown first to ever satiate

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is
At all

When Autumn comes, it doesn't ask
It just walks in where it left you last
You never know when it starts
Until there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is, no I don't know what it is
At all

I can't be sure that this state of mind
Is not of my own design
I wish there was an over-the-counter test for loneliness
For loneliness like this

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is

Something's different
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is

Friends - check
Money - check
Well-slept - check
Opposite sex - check
Guitar - check
Microphone - check
Messages waiting on me when I come home - check

Something's missing
And I don't know what it is.. at all

Good Morning????

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I don't know how good it really is. After feeling pretty good yesterday, I'm having a bad morning. Why is it that some mornings it seems that everything goes wrong and you're just trying to have a good day????

Ok, it started when I woke up. The alarm goes off at 4am, as usual, so I lay my head back down to lay there and ponder what I might wear today and enjoy my last 15mins of relaxation before I actually have to get up. I roll over and look at the clock and it's 4:37am!!! WTF?? I fell asleep and didn't even get a chance to enjoy the fact that I got extra sleep. Hate it when that happens.

Well, I sit up and realize that I have a crick (sp?) in my neck and it won't go away. It's still bothering me as I sit here and write this (rolling my eyes). I need my friend that's a chiropractor to come over tonight and adjust me. You hear that Kurt?? lol

It's raining and my tire is going flat. It needs to be plugged, so I had to stop at the gas station to get gas and put air in my tire until I can go get it plugged on my lunch break today. Like I need that, ya know?

So, it's raining and I know traffic is going to be a pain in the behind and believe me, it sure was. To the point that I missed my exit because these idiots wouldn't get out of my way. My niece was sleeping, but if she had been awake, she chimes into my road rage and says, 'Why do I have to keep telling you to get out of my Taty's way?'. Taty (tah-tee) means Aunty in creole, so that's what she calls me. She makes me laugh when she says that to the people on the road! She's my partner in crime.

So, we get to the complex where my niece's daycare provider lives and there's a security gate there. Well, low and behold, it's not working this morning. And I was already late and irritated. I've never considered driving thru a gate, but I sure did this morning. I wasted about 15mins trying to get into the complex and ended up having to drive around to the back and walking there. Did I say I was irritated? My niece is the first child to arrive at daycare in the mornings and that doesn't make her happy since there are no other kids to play with, so she tends to cry when I drop her off. She looked at me today and said, 'I'm not gonna cry Taty', but she did and that made me sad. So then I was feeling bad, it was raining, my neck was hurting, and I was late for work.

Let me say this, my boss doesn't care about things like being a bit late. His contention is that as long as the work gets done, he doesn't want to manage our time or micro-manage our team. He said if we wanna work from home, we could, but most of what needs to be done is onsite, but it's a good thing to know for the future, right? I can take long lunches or run errands at any time in the day and he doesn't mind. So when I say I was late for work, that's me complaining. I'm due in at 6:30am and I got here at 6:52am. I'm a stickler about being on-time, so I was irritated with that. No one else cares, but me! lol

So anywho, it's only 8:15am and I feel like I've had a long day already.. WHEW! It can only get better from here, right?

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That's me sitting at my desk feeling like crap. I'm listening to Meshell N'degeocello's 'Comfort Woman' CD because it always relaxes me. The day WILL get better! I'm saying that to convince myself, not you.. lol

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Life...

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I'm sitting here at work bored out of my mind. I thought I'd take this oppurtunity to write an entry about how I'm looking at life these days.

First, let me say that I'm at a stand still with my weight-loss journey. I have fallen off the wagon with a big thud.. lol I feel like an alcoholic and I should be in some support group standing up saying, 'My name is Natacha and I'm a food-a-holic', hanging my head in shame as the group says, 'Hi Natacha'. I'm good at painting a picture with words, huh? Bet you visualized that, right??? (smile).

I've been tivo'ng The Biggest Loser, but I find that I don't actually watch the episodes because I don't want to be reminded of what I'm not doing although I need the positive reinforcement. Guess I've been in a bit of denial lately, so I need to get back to the gym and healthy eating. I've been bingeing on junk lately. I could say that I've been eating at McDonalds a lot lately because they're doing the Monopoly game again and I want to be a millionaire so I'm stocking up on game pieces that come with the meals, but you wouldn't buy that, huh??... I knew it.. DAMN YOU!! hehehehehe. Work with me here people.. lol. I know what I need to do, I've just got to get around to it and I will. I just want to get to that point that the junk either makes me sick when I eat it or it just doesn't taste appealing any longer darn it.

Other than the recent single parent reality I'm living, I have to say that I'm feeling a bit more content with my life these days. I was in a very bad depression earlier this year and in the interest of total honesty, I wasn't sure what my purpose was and felt as if it didn't make a difference if I woke up or not. I wasn't suicidal by any stretch, but I was just tired and ready to rest. There were a lot of things that contributed to that mind-set that I'm coming thru right now. One of which was a certain someone that hurt me in ways I'd never been hurt before. It took me some time to gain my own closure on that situation since he didn't provide any. I came out a stronger person and realized that he just wasn't what he presented himself to be, so I had to move on. It's amazing how one person can affect your out look and self esteem. I'd never experienced anything like it and hope to never experience it again. 'And that's all I have to say about that.' - Forrest Gump

I'm interested in someone at the moment and it's taken me some time to allow that to happen. It is my little way of prevailing over the pain I've overcome. It's a slow process, but I'm on the other end and pushing through it.

Work is wonderful. I can say that I love my job and that's really something coming from the experience I had with my last position, which contributed to my depression at the time. Environment is everything, believe me when I tell you.

I've met some women thru my naptural gatherings that I feel a kinship with. I value that so much. It's wonderful to meet women that make you feel wonderful simply by being in their presence. No words need to be said, nor do they have to know what pain you've either been through or are going thru that they lighten just by being themselves. It's a wonderful experience and one I value more than words can say. I've also grown closer to a friend that I've known for over 10yrs and she has become my solace on many levels. She knows who she is and I love her dearly and treasure our new found closeness. Thanks for being my confidant chica and hanging out with me. We don't go a day w/o talking to each other of late and it's great. Shugah Bear missed out on you.. LMAO!!! (smile)

Overall, although I have some challenges yet to overcome, I think I'm well on the path to being whole and it feels good. I plan on pursuing my dreams of traveling more, although I've had to put those plans on hold while I have a child in my life, but I know my dreams will come to fruition regardless and that brings me joy.

I am here... I am getting even stronger... I am me and learning what that truly means more and more every day.

Vikter Duplaix



Vikter Duplaix is an artist that I've recently discovered, but he's been around for a while. I came across him on Myspace and then looked him up on the web to find he's had quite a few CD's out already. He's one of the Neo-Soul artists out of the Philly scene that started as a DJ and produces his own music. He has that seductive and sensual style that I like reminiscent of Maxwell IMHO.


His latest CD called 'Bold & Beautifl' has a wonderful feel about it. You can hear excerpts from the CD in the video attached and by visiting the link to his site above. If you've never heard of him, I'd urge you to check him out. Can't believe I'd never heard of him before now as much of a music junkie as I am (smile).

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

K-Mel...

At the risk of jinxing things, I thought I'd talk a little about the man I'm currently interested in. His name is Kamel (pronounced Kay-mel) and he's of South African descent, although he looks more latin or middle eastern. If things continue to go well, I'll be sure to post photos of him at a later date so you can see what I mean.

We met online and although a lot of people knock meeting romantic interests online, I tend to disagree with their assessment. Excuse me while I get on my soapbox for a moment... Since I tend to do a lot of online dating, I've been asked things like, 'What do you really know about this person?', 'How do you know he's not a serial killer?', etc. Well, I always turn that question around and ask, if you met someone at a club, bar, on the street, etc, would you know any more about that person than if you'd met them online? Wouldn't the same risks apply? I personally believe that meeting and acquanting yourself with someone online is a great path to take. I think you really get to know someone because all you do is converse. You don't have all the physical distractions that you might have if you were in person, you don't have to worry about what you look like at that very moment (if you're not camming with them), you don't have to worry about being nervous, you have less interruptions, etc. You just get a chance to have pure conversation and really get to know the other person. I think you make a cerebral connection with another person when you can just talk and I love the process of getting to know someone, so you can imagine that I love doing it thru the net since it seems to facilitate that so well.

Having said that, I'll continue telling you about Kamel. I was attracted to him because he makes music and anyone who knows me, knows that this would be my number one weakness. I just love people that have a love and true appreciation for good music because I always feel like I can vibe with them on a lot of levels. Well, Kamel speaks french (which is another big point for him since I'm Haitian) and is a producer and french rapper. I first heard his music on Myspace on another artist's page and was impressed with his voice and style, which I expressed on the page. He then sent me a flirtatious message and I was flattered because he is a SEXY BEAST!!!! We then began to talk thru messages and things have continued from there. We chat often online and we're in the process of getting to know each other better.

He's currently working on a project that requires him to travel between Paris and New York. I'm not really a fan of long distance relationships, since I've done it before and it was very challenging, but I'm feeling him so far and I'm open to the possibilities. I've always told my friends that I don't think the man that is meant for me is from or living in the states, so he fits the build (smile). I'm very intrigued by Kamel and his personality so far. We'll see where things go. He's invited me to come visit him in Paris, but we've just begun to get to know each other, so that would be something for the future, although I was very flattered by the invitation.

Seeing as though we have yet to meet in person, I don't know where this will lead, if anywhere, but hope springs eternal and I'm cautiously optimistic. I just wanted to put it out there that I'm feeling him and feel the feeling is mutual. I'll post updates in the future if there's anything to talk about relating to him.

Wish me luck (wink)...

'Dred Loc' - Meshell N'degeocello




As much as I love Meshell N'degeocello, I'd never heard this song before yesterday. I don't have her earlier work, but this video really caught my attention. My sister sent it to me and I thought I'd share it with you guys along with some delicious photos of a couple gorgeous Myspace friends of mine. Aren't they yummy??? Thought they'd illustrate the message of the song very well, tell me what you think! Mmmm.. mmmm.. mmmm.. (smile).

Shorties Watchin' Shorties...

I used to love to watch this show on Comedy Central called "Shorties Watchin' Shorties". The concept of the show was to take excerpts from a comedian's stand up and animate it.. They had some funny stuff, so I thought I'd share some of the funnies in homage to the show since it's not on any longer..

Enjoy....

Mike Birbiglia - Gay Cats

Dane Cook - Not so Kool-Aid

Dane Cook - Nesquick (home-made Shorties Watchin' Shorties)

Dwayne Perkins - I'm a 7

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Monday, October 16, 2006

Gay weatherman vs The bug!

This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a very long time. Every time I watch this, I literally yell in laughter because his scream just cracks me up. And then the bug comes back for more.. I guess they just can't get enough of the gay.. LMAO!!

Enjoy and don't laugh loud enough to loose your job if you watch this at work. I'm not responsible if it happens.. lol. I just had to share this with you guys!!!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Fall Naptural Dinner Party...


This weekend I hosted another Naptural Gathering for the MD/DC/VA area. The numbers of sisters participating is growing and I was happy to see a total of 13 sisters in attendance. We had a ball, as has always been the case.


We went to Marrakesh, a morrocan restaurant in DC. I love the spot and it turned out to be a wonderful place for a Nappy Gathering. We had a private area and we were in full affect!!!

Ladies, you are all gorgeous and the vibe was so positive. I have grown to love these gatherings so much because nothing compares to meeting other nappy sisters that have such a positive outlook and a natural glow about them!

I will definitely be planning the next gathering very soon because 2mths was wayyy too long to wait to plan another event.

Stay Nappy-n-Happy ladies!!! Nat

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Susana Baca...



This is Susana Baca. She is a Peruvian singer that my sister turned me on to and I'm definitely in love with her music. Her music is traditional rhythmic Peruvian music with a flare. She has a very rich voice and that mixed with the seductive music makes it irresistable.

If you're interested in finding her CD List, click on the link and it will take you to a google list of her albums. I would definitely suggest you check her out if you like jazzy, Peruvian sounds.

My favorite songs by her at the moment are 'Negra Presuntuosa', which translates to 'Pretentious Black Girl' off of her self titled album Listen To Susana Baca and 'De Los Amores' from her 'Eco de Sombras' album Listen To Eco de Sombras.

Take a listen and let me know what you think...

Sara Tavares...



This is Sara Tavares. She is a singer from Portugal. She was 16 years old when she won two of Portugal’s most prestigious TV music contests. Born of second generation Cape Verdian immigrants, Sara grew up between two cultures. She has made music for a while, but has gradually incorporated more of her African roots in her compositions. Her second album ‘Mi Ma Bô, reached gold in her native Portugal and was a mix of African rhythms and melodic pop songs. Her new album ‘Balancé’ was released in February 2006. Sara produced this album herself, wrote/composed all the songs, and played many of the instruments. Balancé is a beautiful record where Sara shows that she's a talented contemporary singer/song writer, that has managed to combine in a subtle and honest way contemporary music with her African roots.

I love her music and if you've never heard of her, I think you'll like it to. It's very relaxing and rhythmic. I've included a video from the title track of her latest CD 'Balance'. My favorite song on this album is called 'Planeta Sukri' because there's an element about it that reminds me of Haitian music. Check it out and enjoy! Listen To Balance

PS - I love her locs too!

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Lala's engaged!!!!!!!


I thought this cartoon was just too funny, so I had to include it since I was announcing this. Lala (aka Copeland) just got engaged to her sweety!

I'm so happy for the both of you. It truly gives me hope that maybe, jussssst maybe, I will find someone too.

I hope you find all the happiness and fulfillment you deserve (and help with all them damn kids.. LMAO, just kidding). Can't wait to see you at the event this weekend!

Kisses and hugs to you Lala.. Nat

Monday, October 09, 2006

Single Parent Life...


I don't know what happened to my previous post, so I will try to recreate what I'd said.

As of this weekend, I again took custody of my 3yr old niece Aishah (pronounced Ah-jah). Isn't she the cutest? She is a beautiful, intelligent, and precocious child. I have had a bond with her since she was in her mother's womb and it's only grown stronger with time. Due to some 'issues' in her life, my sister moved in with me when my niece was 2mths old and I took on full custody of her from the age of 8mths - 2yrs by myself. I had to take custody of my niece again earlier this year and yet again, my sister is experiencing problems and I have my niece again.

Aishah's mother is my oldest sister and I'm the youngest. It seems as though our roles are reversed as I've had to come to my sister's aid many times. She's come to live with me 4 times in my adult life and none of those experiences have ended in a positive way. In short, my sister has some issues that she needs to address and I'll leave it at that (one of which is the fact that she is a single parent of 5 children). I have taken my niece at my sister's request and because I feel it's the best thing for her as she's the youngest of my sister's brood and if I can protect her from some unnecessary trauma, I will, but I have mixed feelings about the whole situation, as one might imagine.

I am a single woman with no children by design. I am not in a place in my life where I want children and since I'm still single, having a child means I'm living a single parent existence, which is tough. The cost of daycare is substantial, along with all the other costs of raising a child, not to mention the other huge affects this has on my lifestyle that have nothing to do with finances. I have goals and dreams for myself, one of which is traveling abroad and that's not feasible with a small child in my life. It also puts a cramp on any dating/social life I have as well.

I've vascilated back and forth about legally pursuing full custody of my niece, but I feel it's really my sister's responsibility to take care of the children she has decided to bring into this world. Not to mention that she rarely shows any appreciation for the sacrifices members of our family have made to care for her and her children. Suffice to say, some of the things my sister has done to me after helping her and her children, would have been enough for me to cut her out of my life completely. I love her, but I've had to put up some boundaries to protect my sanity and make myself a priority as well. I also don't want to make a sacrifice of that magnitude and have her feel as though that opens the door for her to have another child, since she is physically able to do so. I think my sister needs some help to address some issues she has or this cycle will continue in her and her children's life and will continue to affect the lives of those that love her.

All I can say is that I'm doing what I can for my niece at this point because she needs me and I'll always be there for her regardless. I will continue to be strong and try to be a source of strength for others in my family as well. I'm going to take it one day at a time and that's all I can do.

Pray for me....

Sunday, October 08, 2006

M.A.C. Cosmetics




I have always been addicted to M.A.C. makeup and I love getting my make-up done at their counter. My girlfriend and I went this weekend because Nordstrom was having a Fall cosmetics trend show and we purchased a ticket for $15 a few weeks ago. The event boasted light refreshments, mimosas, and makeup applications. You could choose from any of their makeup counters for your makeup application and you would get a very cute dark brown, faux leather, square makeup box for purchasing tickets. In addition, the cost of the tickets would be credited toward any makeup purchases you made that day.. Sounds great, right?

The event started at 8:30am and our makeup application appt wasn't until 1pm, but there's something to be said for arriving early regardless. There were no makeup boxes left by the time we arrived around noon. I was peeved, to say the least and there was such a crowd. It was raining yesterday, so I didn't get an early start and the only reason I really went was because I'd already paid in advance. Otherwise, I seriously would have stayed in bed.. lol.

I am not a makeup novice, but at the same time, I love to learn new techniques and it's amazing to me how the right makeup application can make such a difference in your appearance. The photos above are from my makeup from the day and I was looking pretty hot I must say (smile). I didn't have a photo shoot scheduled so all I could do was take a few shots with my webcam, but I think you can still see the makeup. I'm in love with the smokey eye look and it was done to perfection.

My makeup discovery that day was two-fold.. For one, I didn't know that M.A.C. now sold Studio Mist foundation. You know, what you see the pros using on models where they spray-paint the foundation onto their faces?? Well, now you can have that look too. It looked amazing and the oil in my skin didn't penetrate it like it normally does with my foundation (I usually wear studio fix powder). My second find was using Cork lipliner to do darken my brows after shaping them with Show Off brow set gel. I'm a brow addict and unfortunately wasn't blessed with thick brows, so I have to use smoke and mirrors illusions when it comes to my brows. Eboni, the makeup artist that did my makeup, did an amazing job with those two items and I hope I can recreate the look.. We'll see (fingers crossed). She also highlighted above and below my brows with a lighter concealer than I use under my eyes and although it looked a bit over the top, if I used my own color, it would look great for everyday application, so I'll be trying that too.

Afterward, my girlfriend and I went to Don Pablos for lunch and I was looking too fierce for DP's but I didn't have anything else planned.. hahaha! I kept singing that rap song.. "I'm conceited, I gotta reason'.. LMBAO!