Holiday Reflection 2012

This time of year is always bittersweet for me...while I celebrate Christ's birth and enjoy precious time with family and friends, this is also the time of year that I lost the first man in my life...my father. Though I am saddened each year by that void, and accept fully how that loss has shaped the person I've become, those shadows are tempered by the brilliance of the light that is my mother's love. It is unfailing, unconditional, indestructible...and I thank God for her. As many of my friends have made final goodbyes to their parents, over the last couple of years, I am so grateful for EVERY day God grants me to share with MyMama on this side of Heaven. She is my coach, my champion, and my number one fan...as you celebrate this year, take a moment, step out of the mundane pettiness of your lives and really appreciate your loved ones. Hope you had a Merry Christmas! Peace & Blessings in the new year!!! And that's all folks!

P.S. I know I said I'd be blogging more regularly...but it just hadn't happened yet...maybe that will be my New Year's Resolution...on second thought, nah...Lord KNOWS I never keep those!!!

Oh, Yeah...I Blog, Too!!!

This is a pic of me (and my curly fro') in my absolute favorite t-shirt ever!!! This pic is old, so this shirt is now slightly less green with a few signs of wear and tear...but, still perfectly wearable...so don't judge me. It is the perfect look for myself and my many task managerially challenged cohorts. Want one for yourself? Here's a pretty fair replica:

I am not one of those fanatical (read organized) bloggers who regiments a blogging schedule and sticks to it...nope, that's too much like a grown-up. I'm more of a I-was-reading-someone-else's-blog-and-remembered-that-I-had-one-too type of blogger. I mean...as you can see...it's been a while!

It's really unfortunate because I always have so many things I want to share: natural hair care tips/products/pics, travel tips/products/pics, educational tips for parents, teachers and homeschoolers, and of course MY AWESOME OPINIONS. The problem is I just never really make the time.

HOWEVER...HEAR YE, HEAR YE...THIS DAY MARKS CHANGE IN MY LIFE!!!

I have realized that in order for me to get to the level I am pursuing in entrepreneurship, I absolutely have to do better. (I will blog at some point about how I didn't have ANY time-management skills until I went to nursing school, at a later date.) So I will, for the first time, seek to consciously adhere to a rigorous and demanding, PRE-DETERMINED schedule in this self-governing role, with no oppressor (read boss) to act as taskmaster...starting with a weekly blog. I am my own system of checks and balances!!! So, in my best Mystikal imitation: Hea' I go, hea' I go, hea' I go...

Peace to you and yours...

***UPCOMING TOPICS***

Tips for traveling with small children

Us in Paris, France - with link to album

Being an active participant in your child's education - with links to awesome supplemental sites

My natural hair regimen (or lack thereof) - with link to album

One foot in front of the other...

Earlier this year, I started on the journey to a healthier me. It has been something I've revisited a few times over the past decade but I haven't actively engaged in seeking better health in almost 15 years. At that time I was successfully able to use Weight Watchers to lose over thirty pounds. My mentor/big brother and I were RELIGIOUS about counting the points and getting our exercise. However, once we were no longer working together and I started college, I just slowly drifted back into bad habits. It didn't help that he and his wife had pretty much spoiled me to eating whatever they prepared [:-P]; so basically I hadn't had to do any real work. Once I was the person having to measure and calculate, it became so much more tedious.

Fast forward fifteen years and enter MyFitnessPal. MyLilSusta (my little sister), who is so much more technologically inclined than myself (I'll address the disparities between her public suburban education vs. my public inner city education at a later date.), began using the app. Once she explained it to me, I thought it sounded much like the Weight Watchers approach, but WITHOUT a lot of the measuring. You do have to know how much you ate but the app keeps up with all of the data and compiles it for you. It measures caloric intake, nutrients, fat, fiber, protein, etc. AND will calculate the calories burned from your exercise! The only downside is that occasionally, since the information is entered and verified by other users, you may find some erroneous nutritional information. I don't mind verifying occasionally.

So as of the second week in, I am down four pounds. I have not exercised yet but I'm getting there. I am not trying to become the spokesperson for weight loss or even for MyFitnessPal; I just want to be a better, healthier me, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. So follow me as this becomes a part of the journey of my life, as I am SURE it will be a very entertaining trip!

Introducing....

....ME!!! I created this blog to discuss, question, introduce and explore topics that interest, inspire, incite, or impress me. It is a must-follow for the trendy, urban professional who enjoys travelling, the social scene, stimulating conversation about current events, urban and pop culture, and all things literary. I will, however, also be discussing pretty much any/everything else that catches my fancy. It is my hope that individuals will subscribe and share, to create  a community of passionate, diverse individuals sharing our perspectives...and learning from one another's experiences. I will post my opinions regarding books, movies, culture, travel destinations and current events. I am a writer and a poet...I will share the fruits of both here. Your feedback is both welcomed and appreciated. This post is a pretty good indicator of my personality: random and all over the place...LOL! But, hey...like it or love it, trust, THIS is it..who I am...what I do...this is me...in all my...kaotiximplicity...