Loc maintenance

So I have taken to making my own hair products for my locs.

I have this delicious concoction I'm currently using that is making my hair so soft and shiny.  I've been getting tons of compliments, even in my predominately white suburban hole in the wall town.  The mix:

Pure unrefined Shea butter
(This company sells it by the brick.  Well worth the minor expense for all of its uses.)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9NV2D4/ref=cfb_at_prodpg

Pure unrefined extra virgin coconut oil

Jojoba oil

Peppermint oil

~Whip the ingredients together and apply to scalp and down the shaft of your locs.  This has been a great protectant on my hair during this cold dry winter.

I've found this new locking butter also.  It smells delicious and is supposed to help with dry scalp.  I've tried it twice now and i'm a fan.  I'm always wary of anything that has beeswax in it but there must not be much in it as it is pretty far down on the ingredient list and there really is no heavy build up felt.  Not too strong of a hold either.

Cocnut Lemongrass by Lockology www.lockologyforlocs.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E494P4U/ref=cfb_at_prodpg

Happy hair days!

Reading list I'm looking forward to

Hmmmm



1. This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I Own by Jonathan Rendall:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880...

2. One of Us by Alice Dreger:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674...

3. Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312...

4. The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green by Joshua Braff:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003...

5. Thirsty by MT Anderson:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763...

6. Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763...

7. Fly on the Wall by E Lockhart:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385...

8. The Untelling by Tayari Jones:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446...

9. The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810...

10. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399...

11. The Enormous Room by e. e. cummings:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486... 

12. Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312...

13. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679...

14. This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005...

15. Kendra by Coe Booth:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439...

16. The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679...

17. Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone: The Carter Family and their Legacy in American Music:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743...

18. The Last Summer of Reason by Tahar Djaout:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803...

Hind sight is 20/20

So I'm back in school again (go Dukes!) and still working full time and being a single mommy.  I have made it through a crazy first semester after being out of school for six years.  I took 13 credits at JMU and 3 credits at BRCC.  It was rough to say the least.  Thankfully I had organized my life ahead of time.  My friends and family helped a bunch by watching Lo while I was at night class and putting her on the school bus in the mornings.  I prepared freezer meals and slow cooker meals ahead of time and splurged and bought Lo the junk food she loves most: corn dogs.  I wrote out detailed calanders and schedules for my mom, myself, and my boss.  I scoured the papers for great deals on back to school supplies (made out like a bandit at Staples) and bought a surplus of printer paper (using lots of rebates I hardly spent anything), ink, notebooks, and writing utensils.

Chemistry kicked my butt last semester.  I ended up with a solid C, my lowest grade, and I'm not so sure I even deserved that.  All of my classes were extremely interesting to me and I loved my teachers (especially the hott History TA).  I love my new school and keep asking myself why didn't I come her from the beginning?!  I would saved a hell of a lot of money going to a public school near my "hometown."  Its very frustrating to look back and see where I was wrong about such a big decision.  I remember people asking me why I hadn't applied to JMU when I was younger and me being snobby about it.  I didn't want to go to the local party school and be surrounded by many of the kids I knew would also be attending from my high school.  I anticipated being treated like the "old lady" in all of my classes but everyone is so pleasant and sweet.  The highlight of my second week of classes was when my seatmate in my History discussion class casually asked me if I would be pledging any sororities this semester.  I was amazed that I looked young/ cool enough that this would even be an option for me in her opinion.

Overall it was a cool experience that caused me a lot of well worth it stress.  I applied to the nursing department in December and found out January 31st that I was rejected.  So on to bigger and better things I suppose.  This was my third nursing school rejection (UMD and PGCC in 2010).  I think God is trying to tell me to let it go.  So I've now changed my major to Pre-Occupational Therapy.  A better fit in my opinion now that I have researched it more.  And yet another piece of advice that I didn't listen to as a young adult.  One of my advisers at SU had tried to persuade me to double major in Athletic Training and Occupational Therapy because he said he thought I would enjoy it.  Not fully understanding OT at the time I casually dismissed the idea.  Now I have to wonder how differently my life might have been had I listened to him.

So my goal is to graduate with a BS in Health Sciences next spring but in order to do this I have to take 4 classes this summer.  Crazy right?  But hopefully worth it!

"I'm letting go of the thoughts that don't make me strong." ~ Jason Mraz