Friday in a flash!

Whew damn am I being a slacker or what?! I haven't Friday Flashed since July 3rd. lmao! I have good cause though. Work, school & creative ventures have kept my mind hemmed up, so don't hang me, ok? So before I leave work today, I thought I'd Friday Flash for you really quick.

Ready, Set, GO!

* Cosmic Bowling tonite! Woooooooooooo! 11:30-1:30. Good music, great company, liquor and my wack ass bowling skills!! FUN TIMES ahead!

* TLOML has her 1st meeting tomorrow with the lesbian greeting card co. she's gonna be modeling for. I'm such a proud girlfriend =-)

* And then after that above-mentioned mtg, WE are having a date nite! Actually a date day. Movies, dinner, shopping, wutever else we can get ourselves into. And today was payday too...HELL YEAH!!

*Speaking of PAY DAY. Let me not get too excited about it cuz the funds are already spoken for. lol.

*Been watching True Blood like my life depends on it. "im here fa sookie" LOVE that show! Big thanks to Denae's family for keeping me well-fed and caught up with the show, cuz I dont have HBO.

* July is over? Really? *sigh* My favorite month (my bday month) has come and gone like Joe Turner. (google it u illiterate sons of... :) But August will prove to be quite the adventure seeing as how i'll be making that transition to PT employee FT student. *prayers,blessing & good vibes coming my way please!!!!*

*I really wanna relax my hair :( Lord be some soothing salve for my itchy scalp

* Elijah?? Hm?

*lol. TLOML gets the above flash.

*I miss Michael.

*Joe Jackson can kiss my big bubbly caramel ass.

*Janet can too =-) but she can enjoy it.

*Unveiled my online magazine for women of color writers and i must say i'm proud!! www.OpenZine.com/SepiaMagazine Check it out!

* and i am GONE!!!

Enjoy the weekend yall!!!

Introducing my new Online Magazine!!!

I'm SO excited to unveil my latest creative project first to my tweeters and now to my favorite bloggers!! (most who also happen to be my favorite tweeters. lol) Anywho, this is the newest addition of the dozens of ideas Ihave floating in my head and i'm patting myself on the back [asi type] for actually seeing this one through to the end!!

Introducing to the blog-world-

Sepia Magazine!- An E-zine for the verbally inclined women of color!

All of my women writers, poets, lyricists, artists of all forms, click on the link above & check it out! Please feel free to spread the word ;-)

Conversations in my head. Round 7. Conference call

* Ring Ring

Solange: Hello?

Me: Hold on Solo. Gimme 2 minutes

*Ring Ring

Cassie: Hello?

Me: Cas, stay rite here real quick. I'll be back.

*Ring Ring

Amber Rose: Ms. Rose speaking

Me: Girl hold on

2 minutes of button pressing and wire crossing later....

Me: Okay, is everyone here?! Amber, Solo, Cassie??

Solo: Um what is going on?

Me: Solo, wait your turn. I called you earlier this year, u should already know what's up. Cassie? You there hunny bunny?

Cassie: Yeah. Who is this. Hey Solange, girl!

Me: Uh uh no, there will be no fraternizing on this conference call. I brought yall here for a reason and it's not to play pretty pretty princess with each other k? Y'all have done enuf of that and that's why you're in this predicament now.

Cassie: I don't understand.

Me: Obviously. And you're the one who started this shit!

Cassie: What shit?

Me: *sighs*

Cassie: Is this about Diddy? Are you one of his hoes? Look, I told y'all to st-..

Me: Girl boo, save your self riiiiight now. I dont hardly want your saber tooth tiger over there. U got that. Don't get it twisted. I have somebody whose bottom lip doesn't spend most of its time mopping the floor, k? So stop it. This isn't about Doody. This is about your scalp.

Cassie: Huh?

Me: Your scalp bitch your scalp!! Whew, chile...i'm sorry. Just had a moment there. It's just that i'm so mad at you for setting this trend ablaze, I dont know how to control myself.

Cassie: Oh, u dont like my hair?

Me: Understatement of the entire history of the universe. I loathe your hairscalp with everything inside of me. My ancestors are turning over in their graves imagining you stepping outside the house lookin like gangrene done ate up half of your head. Cassie why? Girl you have some beyootiful hair. You hear me?! Women pay 500.00 dollars a pack for that thick silky shit! And what did u do? Shave HALF of it off. Now why would you do that? At least commit to the Montel Williams look and do the whole damn head. But noooo. Someone convinced you that only half of your scalp needed ventilation.

Cassie: I just needed a change.

Me: No. Fail. You need a change now. You didnt need a change before. Well, maybe a career change, but that's neither here nor there. Your hair was fine. If u wanted a change, you coulda threw some color in it. Cut it a little. Hell dred lock it. But what you did is unforgiveable cuz now you have other women thinkin it's the thing ta do. I'm done with you for now Cassie. You're on punishment. Amber? You there hun?

Amber: Uh huh. But I only have a few minutes cuz Kanye jus text me. He's on his way.

Me: He can wait. You aint givin up the ass anyway. At least not to him. Anyway, I have a few words for you as well.

Amber: Before you even start, I shaved my head months before anyone even knew who I was.

Me: Now see, I was actually gonna be nice to you. Yes, I know you shaved your head before you were even a glimmer of relevancy. I do believe that's why it looks halfway good on you. You rock it with originality and confidence and the look on your face says you dont really give a good fuck about all the rest of the birds who claim to shave their heads for a righteous cause. You realize it's solely because you're an attention whore and I'm thankful for your non-denial. It's a refreshing breath of fresh air.

Amber: Um, okay. Thanks...i guess.

Me: Mmm hmm. No problem. One thing though. Really Amber, it's time to ditch the college dropout and go back to your girl friend. You're too fly to be straight. K? Thanks.

Solange: Ooo is it my turn now? Goodie!

Me: Is that sarcasm I hear over there Ms. Knowles?

Solange: I AM NOT MY SISTER!!!

Me: What in the bloody hell? Is your last name not Knowles? I didn't say anything about Beyo-uhh the other one.

Solange: Oh. Yeah. Hm. Sorry about that.

Me: Whew chile you need some therapy for that. I'm concerned. Maybe I wont lay into you too hard. I just wanna ask a question. Do you not own a brush?

Solange: Of course I own a brush. Plenty of them.

Me: Has the baby hid them all from you?

Solange: Not funny.

Me: Not trying to be. But hunny that hair is not the bizness. You wanna chop it all off, fine. At least u did the whole head. But why does it have to look like that? It looks like nappy taco meat and corn nuts, Solo.

Solange: See why do we have to submit to the white man's version of beauty and silky fine hair?!

Me: Now wait a minute sista, dont go all Malcolm X on me when just last month you were the sew-in's best friend. I have nothing against natural beauty, but natural does not have to mean uncivilized. U are giving natural a horrid name with that mess on your head. Spray a little rosewater and shea butter oil on it and run a brush through it one good time. That's it. And i'll leave you alone.

Solange: I'll think about it.

Me: Dont think about it, be about it. Ok ladies. It's been fun. Cassie, u can take your ass outta time out now and head straight to the store to purchase some Rogaine and Doo Grow oil. Amber, keep doin you hun and come back to pitch for the ladies team. Solo, i'll pray for u girl. Tell Beyonce I said heyyyyyy!

*click*

My hair!

It's been a minute since i've updated my hair tales. As of today i'm 9 weeks and 5 days post relaxer. My hair is actually doing quite well! The new growth is pretty thick, especially in the middle of my head, but since I stopped putting heat on it and have been strict with following my moisture regimen, it's extremely soft and manageable. *yayyy!* I have only blow dried and flat ironed one time in the past 5 weeks and that was for pride wkend. [ my hair had 2 be hangin & swangin even if it was only for a few hrs before i had my head in the toilet :( ]

Air drying, moisturizing with Wave Nouveau, ORS olive oil lotion & Elasta QP Mango Butter <---New Product!!* and sealing with either my Hot 6 oil or my Doo Grow Mega thick oil...has my hair HAPPY as i dont kno what. I've also been bunning daily to keep my ends healthy.

I'm sooo anxious to relax! I'm holding out until Friday July 31. I'll be eleven weeks post and I think that's about the extent i'll be able to make it this time around. My Nourishair vitamins & my regimen is really making this a great summer of growth! I just hope I can retain most if not all of the length. I feel like im obsessed with looking at every strand of hair that comes out of my head. I have been a little worried with the amount of short pieces of hair i'm seeing on my shirt and around my sink when I comb. It's not a whole lot but the fact that any is breaking off at all bothers and perplexes me. With as much moisture and oils I have in my head, i dont think i should have any breakage at all!! [ grrrrrr ] Im thinking of upping my protein use just a tad. Maybe that will stop it. Another thing that's bothering me is the back of my head is soo freakin sore! My scalp all along the back is tender to the touch and hurts when I comb it. Wtf is that!? Never happened b4 and its scaring the crap outta me. I googled the symptoms and some people said ponytails in the same spot can cause it, lots of new growth can cause soreness (a lil wierd) or an allergic reaction to a product. I dont kno but this has 2 stop or I wont be able to relax my hair next wkend :(

Today's bun!

Really quick question...

What in the bloody hell is this!!!? Neyo?! Is that you? Lawd.

Randomness just because

So if u havent read in between any of my cleverly transparent lines in the last week or 3 of posts, i've got lots going on here in my world of beautiful chaos. Let's discuss, shall we?

My job
*sigh* actually make that a *double sigh* . In pursuit of an excellent education at Mills College, I must forego my nice & comfy paycheck that I have grown quite accustomed to over the past 3 years. I currently work 8 hrs a day, 5days a week, from 730-430. That doesnt mesh so well with the full courseload of classes that I need to take in order to graduate in 2 years. I've been doing school part time since 07 and I just cant do it anymore! I need to knock these 4 semesters out and snatch my degree and RUN. So something has to give. That something will be my: $50 monthly nailart expenditures, weekend movie runs, frequent eat-outings, random trips to ATL or anywhere else, electronic gadgets (but oh how i want an Ipod Touch), 85.00 hair appntmnts (those have been on the outs anyway), monthly hair product/makeup hauls, wkend trips in San Fran and the list goes on. Have you seen my life?? Oh yeah, i just tossed it out the window right along with my PAYCHECK! *quadruple sigh* So yeah, I gotta let it all go and cut back to working part time. Only now it looks like I wont even get part time hours with this new position i'm being offered. 12 damn hrs a week. That will cover my portion of RENT and just barely. I'm on pins & needles here, trying not to stress too much. But it's so hard. I'm just trying to keep in mind that i've been blessed with the opportunity to go to school and not pay a dime outta my own pockets, so that is keeping me uplifted. Now I just gotta scrounge the $$$ to pay a few of those little irrelevant things called B I LL S! If anyone knows of any legit work at home/online jobs that have absolutely nothing to do with filling out surveys for 2 cents, please hip me to it. Thanks.

My writing
I am a writer, if u haven't picked up on that. It's what I do in one form or another. Blogging, poetry, fiction, etc. Words and myself get along very well. But there's a problem, I have a slight tendency to start something...and it will be a really great something...and then I drop it like it's hot. (and not in a good way) I havent finished a body of work in so long it's shameful. I blame some of it on my brain being drained from all of the academic writing I have to do for school (Im an English major), the rest I blame on my sucky attention span. With the passing of my 26th bday (on July 10th),I acknowledge that I am not getting any younger. I will be 30 soon. Lawd be some good anti-aging genes & a potent memory stimulator! I need to make my published mark on the literary word before 2013. So I announce it here today at 12:12 pm, Chanel will finish a book and get it published & selling like hotcakes before I hit the big 3-0. I will do it. I need to tape up pictures of Oprah's Book Club logo, Michelle Obama and Michael Jackson as my motivations. *note to self* So y'all watch out for me okay?? And dont be afraid to ask me how the writing is coming along every now & then. I'll need the stimulant.

My website
So I purchased a web domain and a host for my site. I even started tinkering with it a bit. But then I realized that while my knowledge of html once pushed the limits of fly creativity on powderpuff userfriendly sites such as MySpace, Blackplanet and Downelink... in the real world of web designing, I SUCK ASS. smh. Blessings and bday gifts go out to webmasters who do this stuff for a living. It's beyond complicated. I'm willing and ready to admit that I need some help and quick! Before I completely hand it over to a pro (money i don't have cuz um, well u read my job situation) i'm gonna make one more stab at it after I buy a copy of Web Site Building for Super Dummies. I plan on making that purchase this Sunday. This is not a game. lol. I'd love to have my website up and running by the end of august. Keep your fingers crossed and positive vibes flowin freely cuz rite now it aint lookin so hot!!

So yeah. Got a lotta fricka frack goin on, but i'll sort it out and keep it movin cuz that's what I do!

HAPPY MONDAY! -Bday Recap

Goodmorning love bunnies! [he he] So it's Monday & i'm all smiles *gasp!* T'was a BEAUTIFUL birthday weekend thanks to tloml & she has put a smile on my face strong enough to face an entire monday!! Love you baby =-) (Oh and thanks to everyone who wished me a happy bday)



Let me give u the rundown of what we did:


Friday- we laid around the house up under eachother for most of the day, which is always lovely. Went out to dinner at a great chinese bistro (chow mein, fried rice, orange chicken & garlic shrimp if u must kno) and then hit up some cosmic bowling until 130 in the morning. LOVED it!

Saturday- She surprised me with tickets to the musical Beach Blanket Babylon in San Fran. I've been wanting to go since forever now & it was absolutely hillarious. Im serious, if you're ever in the city, u gotta check it out. I can't even begin to describe what the show is about cuz its about so much. lol. It's an over the top variety cabaret show and they cover everything in the current news & its just funny as all hell. Elaborate costumes, catchy songs, great voices, risque humor, dancing, i loved it. And we'll be going again.

After the show we went out to dinner at this little Italian restaurant. My food was okay (the bread & wine was delish but the spaghetti was ehh. Im jus use to it the way I cook it! Sue me.) but she fell in love with her dish so it was cool. I love little Italy at sunset, absolutely beautiful. San Fran is a gorgeous city all the way around tho. Jus does something to my spirits when i'm there.

View as we were crossing the street. My gf said I looked like a tourist. lol.

Sunday- Took an impromptu drive up to Stockton cuz we were both feenin for some food from Sonic. lol. Came back home and spent some time with a friend at her family's house cuz they have HBO and we had to watch True Blood. Went home, watched The Secret Life of Bees and then crashed. I was exhausted!! It was a great weekend. Oh wait, my cake!! Omg she bought me the best cake ever. It's from Coldstone Creamery. Doesn't it look heavenly? It was. There's like a slice & a half left and im gonna tear that shit up when i get home!!;)

So yeah, i had a wonderful b-day and i'm looking forward to another year in my skin.

7/12/09

Guess what today is??!

MY BIRTHDAY BITCHES!! Woooooooooooooooo!

26 today...old as dirt. *sigh* But my gf told me to say that i'm twenty-sexy =-) I like that. Anywho, i'll be MIA cuz she has plans for me this wkend so i'll be back Monday with all the lovely D'tails. Have a great wkend.

Michael Jackson's Memorial In pictures/video

I'm not going to say much because I feel like my heart is bare right now and i'll probably go on and on talking about the many times during this memorial service where I broke down. So i'll give it to you in beautiful pictures and very few phrases here & there. Just know that it was the classiest, most heartfelt, goodbye ever. Thank you to the Jackson family for sharing this moment with us.



The processional...it was very hard to watch.



MJ will be buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery...I will be visiting sometime in the very near future.

Queen La read a beautiful poem from the best Poetess ever, Dr. Maya Angelou. Brought the first round of tears to my eyes.
Brooke Shields truly spoke from her heart.



A very prego J-Hud sang the Free Willy song...she almost got me.

Ohhh but when Stevie sang Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer, I was through. He was magnificent.


Usher poor baby, bless his heart. He was overfilled with emotion. Had me all teared up.


Jermaine did a touching tribute. He held it together. Barely. But he did it.

All of the brothers were pall bearers. Touched my soul. And they were all wearing sequined gloves!

Beautiful gold casket. I can't believe he's in there though. It has not sunk all the way in yet.

At the end, the family came on stage and Marlon spoke for awhile. He broke down. Very, very sad. Janet was looking great. Heartbroken but strong. Im so worried about her.

And the moment that completely did me in was when Paris, Michael's oldest daughter, tried to speak and all she could get out was that he was the best daddy and she just wanted to say that she loved him...before dissolving into tears...omg. I was through. A mess.

This is a sad day for me and for so many others, but like I told tloml, we gotta look at MJ's life in retrospect and realize that he busted his ass to make it to the top. He IS the American Dream and yes it's very possible. His life wasn't perfect and he died way too soon, but he built a legacy through his blood, sweat and tears and whatever it is that we hope and dream for, we gotta be willing to work hard for it. Time is of the essence so we gotta make life count ASAP.

RIP Michael Joseph Jackson. The world has stopped in it's tracks for you over the past week and you deserved this kind of treatment BEFORE you were taken away....

Friday in a flash!

I've been missing in action this week for a few reasons. 1 i'm still shaken from Michael's death. My mind is all over the place and I can't really nail down any soild thoughts right now. And 2 I haven't been at work for most of this week and my gf has been on the computer at home most of the day doing hmwork so I havent really had an opportunity to post. But im here now and it's friday so I mite as well give it a try!

* Sarah Palin announced that she's stepping down from her position as Russian Gate Keeper Governor of Alaska today. I wonder who will be in charge of planning the month long Alaskan festivites once she's finally gone? Russia can now breathe a little easier cuz the little American pitbull in a skirt will no longer bother to look out of her window every other hour to make sure they're behaving themselves. Gee golly dontcha kno

* This week doesnt even feel real to me. I kinda feel like im floating, dreaming, in some pseudo-reality. And im not drunk. lol. Its just wierd.

* Al Sharpton is a mess. Did anyone see the pics of him at the memorial held for Michael in Harlem?? Grindin up on that woman like he was in a 1930's Mississipi juke joint. Sat down somewhere Al. And eat something. You're shriveling away!

* Janet Jackson broke my heart at the BET Awards. ;-( As if it needed to be broken any further...

*Speaking of the BET awards...lmao. BET should cancel itself. Immediately. From Tiny & Toya to that other new Pay Yo Bills Off game show...just a hot ass mess.

* Oh and speaking of Tiny. Why does it look like someone injected her top lip with steroids? Only the top lip though. Its all swolt up (yes I said swolt) and sits kinda crooked on her face. Geesh. TI should win a grammy just for waking up to that face on a normal basis. Once would do it for me.

*Saw Transformers last wkend. It was excellent. Kinda lengthy, but good. Megan Fox is hot.

*Goin to see My Sister's Keeper tonite. Im prepared to cry like a punk.

*Oh did I happen to mention that i'll probably be leaving my nice lil full time w/full benefits w/ a nice paycheck job for a less than part time, less than sufficient NO benefits at all job? Hmmm. More info on that move in another post.

* I'm working on my very own website :-) More info on that soon to come also.

* I'll leave on this note. For someone who was so over-speculated, Michael Jackson was severely overlooked. The people around him saw that man being destroyed. I'll stop short from saying that he was self-destructing because he most definitely had help. As society publicly ate away at him, his family and the few people who had direct access to him never stood up for him and offered solace in the midst of what had to be the most painful turmoil to endure. Piranhas have been after Michael since he first step foot on a stage, and not only were they drawing blood, they shared his. Family. The word is only as powerful as the meaning you give it.
I always wished that some nice, old grandmother would some kinda way find Michael and convince him to let her take care of him for a few months. Feed him, soothe his soul, pray for him, listen to him, wisely advise him, let him cry his heart out. That is what he needed. If he had that, I guarantee he would be alive and well today basking in his newfound glory. But it never happened. And we have lost the greatest talent this side of heaven and possibly on the other side as well. God is enjoying him now though. Moonwalk & all. I'll find my comfort in that.

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend everyone.