My May...

Where do I start? This past May was a bit busy and a bit different. My hair was acting a fool. I went from April 11, 2008 until May 29, 2008 which is just short of 7 weeks before my retightening. My head was a mess. I had a little afro on the left side where several of my baby locs slipped completely out and the right side um, let's just say my consultant had a few to put back in on that side too as well as combine a few to make them stronger! And the shedding! OMG! My curlie ends, were not really curling like they normally do and the ends were just shedding so bad I was getting nervous. I mean a little is one thing but my ends were hanging on by threads and some of my locs were thinning, which is why some of them had to be combine to create stronger locs. Hot mess! Of course I told my consultant about it and she suggested the SL conditoner cream on my ends and to moisturize my ends regularly. So we will see. I will say the shedding isn't so bad, but hey it has only been a week. Other than these few mishaps, my hair is doing what it does. I have few more sealed ends which I tend to seek out when I am bored. Yep, these 5 sealed ends make my day. LOL!

Okay, on to what other things have happen this month. On May 3rd, a former worker from my second job was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who refused to let her move on. She was 19 years old and had a 2 year old and a 5 month old. When we hired her we didn't know she was pregnant. I was so pissed! I mean you couldn't tell during the interview process, but when she got hired it was SO obvious. Nothing we could do, but I found her to be a sweet girl with a lot of challenges ahead of her. She wanted to work and she was reliable and responsible. Now, near the end of her pregnancy she wasn't worth two pennies put together, but I enjoyed working with her. I remember her talking about this guy saying he was older and would give her money and she didn't have to do anything. I remember to this day that I told her to be careful, because older men are possessive. He was 42 years old and he shot her in the head and chest and five days later killed himself. I cried when I found out about it because she left two beautiful babies, and one thing about her was she loved her children. RIP Shyya!

Another heartbreaking thing happened to my book club member. Mary just completed her cancer treatments at the end of 2006. Well, after her routine 6 months check up, they found cancer again. This is how I told my book club members:

When my aunt and uncle moved into their house, my grandmother planted a rose bush on the corner of the porch. It was her gift to her son and daughter-in-law. That rose bush has withstood harsh weather, being cut down numerous times and many droughts. Still it flourishes. Right now only a stump remains, but it has been in this situation several times before and each time like a rose growing out of concrete, it has risen. I know by the end of the year I’ll be stopping by it to smell one of its delicate red buds and inhaling its intoxicating scent. That rose bush is a true testament to resilience. It has to be, because it takes a beating but doesn’t give up.

Like that rose bush, enduring life means not giving up and accepting it takes strength, courage and understanding to live. I wrote this to inform you as Imani Sisters that each of us has a strength and courage to withstand life’s obstacles. On last Thursday, Mary informed me her breast cancer had return to the other breast. I immediately barraged her with questions she couldn’t answer and in her typical fashion, she kept up the strong voice and face. You have to be strong when faced with such an obstacle. She asked that I refrain from telling everyone until after our meeting on Saturday. As you can imagine there is a sense of shock and a need to deal and accept what one must face and she really wasn’t ready to answer our questions because she didn’t have the answers and she was still dealing with the diagnosis.

So I have been dealing with that and trying to be supportive. Ladies, please check your breast. Mary found the first lump by doing a self-exam and this time the doctor's found it. It is a different cancer and a different breast. By age 35 you should have a baseline mammogram and at 40 you should have them done every year.

Now on to some not so sad things. I am in the process in getting ready for the family cruise that set sails on June 30th. Um, next week I am going to post 20 Reasons Not to Go On Vacation With Your Family. And when you read them make no mistake about it, it has happened. LOL!

Read a couple good books this past month. Our May book club read was, Casanegra by Blair Underwood, Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due. It is a mystery/suspense novel that I LOVED. This book kept me guessing until the end. The themes were so diversified and the storyline so rich it is one book once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down. This was the best book I have read all year, and I have read a lot of books. Next, if you like steamy erotica with a storyline check out Up All Night by Delilah Dawson. Let's just say it takes sexual fantasies to a whole other level. I am currently reading Don't Blame It On Rio by Jewel Woods and Karen Hunter it is a nonfiction book about why African-American men are going to Brazil for sex. And I am reading Beneath the Bruises by Dywane D. Birch, he is one of my favorite authors and he also has become a wonderful friend. It is about a domestic violence victim and her journey to self-discovery and moving towards a healthy life.

This month promises to be crazy as well, but I am going to try to do the post them later posts so my posts aren't a novel.

Hope you are loving life and living it to the fullest.

Next week a funny post...