Here are some hair pictures...

DIY = OMG! What have I gotten myself into?

Okay, I took the retightening class on yesterday with my consultant, who is certified to teach retightening, yeah for me. But, um, this was truly an eye-opener for sure. I was giving my consultant looks that clearly said, "Are you serious?" My head gonna look a fool, because my brain ain't getting it. It doesn't matter how many degrees you have, seriously, retightening ain't easy. Oh it was okay when I was doing it with sample (which consisted of cardboard with yarn and string attached to duplicate a lock), but when I moved to my own head, shoot! (not the word I want to use).

Seriously, that hook tool was the devil, kinda like De.lta. I was contorting my body in different directions trying to mover the tool for my 3 part of my rotation and I couldn't get it for jack. Finally, I was able to do a rotation or two, but ya'll that was the most discouraging thing. Of course, she taught the class the way it is supposed to be done and when we moved to the clip tool, I had another look on my face, "Why didn't you just show me this first?" She said although the clip tool is the easiest to use, it has its pros and cons just like the hook tool. She said there is more opportunity to "marry" locks with this tool. She is absolutely right, I did it, but I was able to undo it, thank goodness. My issues is that I am a perfectionist and I want to do things right at the beginning and it is frustrating that I couldn't master this quickly. So I gotta practice and practice. I really found the clip tool much easier to use, but when you get closer to the scalp the hook tool works better. And a couple things I found helpful was I need to clamp locks down and clip locks away from the lock I am working on. Also, no distractions, because you will mess of the uniformity of the locking pattern and I am easily distracted when I am doing a million things at once.

So I have some old kinky twist hair and I am practicing on it for a while and in a couple of weeks I am going to schedule some time each day I have some free time to do a few locks at a time. Any other suggestions? I don't have a problem with the clip tool just mastering the technique. So any suggestions will be so helpful.

My hair has really grown and as soon as my lazy butt can sit down and upload the pics from my camera to my computer, you will see my progress.

I'm still on vacation...In my mind!

For those who had time, you see I had a very eventful vacation. I don't know about you, but when I come back from vacation I still need a few days of rest from the hustle of the whole vacation thing.

I have tons of pictures to upload and scan. I have been a bit lazy in trying to get this done because it takes so long, when I want to get it done quickly.

Quickly, my hair is doing fine. I have just been freestyling lately because it has been so hot. I even took the time to actually look at the lint in the back of my head and I just frankly give up. Seriously, I don't know how that much lint got in the last row of my hair. It is ugly and disgusting and I am not sure there is anything I could have done differently to insure I didn't have such a buildup. Yes, I have done the ACV rinse and even tried to pick some out, to no avail. So I am either going to always keep my hair rinsed or use a black sharpie. Initially I was stressed about it, but now, it is what it is. I have a few locks my consultant is going to have to combine or I'm going to lose them, okay it is really only two of them and I have not braided my hair for a braid out because they are thick near the root, then thin and back thick again. Any idea how that happened? I have no clue. I will be taking the retightening class on July 28th all by my lonesome. I had hoped to take it with another person, but there was no way since I would have been on vacation. So I look forward to and dread this next stage for me, but it is becoming a necessity because I need to be using that retightening money on other things, like gas! The shedding has decreased due to me moisturizing more. My hair is doing its thing and I do have a few more buds, nothing to get too excited over.

My book club has decided to use Breast Cancer Awareness as our community service platform this year. With two members surviving and one who just had a new diagnoses for a different breast, it was time for all us to stand collectively in this fight. We will be donating items and doing hands on volunteering for the cause. No new books of real interest to tell you about, hopefully when my mind stops thinking it is on vacation I'll have some new titles to share with you. On August 1-3, is the National Book Club Conference. I have attended 3 times already, I missed the very first one and the one in 2007 because they went to Ghana. I'll get to see some of my author crushes such as Eric Jerome Dickey and I hope I can get a picture with Tavis Smiley, even though I did a letter to him for one of my book club newsletters. Hopefully, he hasn't googled his name lately. (You would be surprised at the folks who are drawn to my book club website just because they googles their names and found info regarding them on the site.) My sister and the other ladies of 3 Chicks on Lit blogtalk will also be taping there during the event, so we will get to hang out some more. For more information regarding the event check the site at nationalbookclubconference.com.

This weekend at my 2nd job was CRAZY. On Friday, I walked in and 3 people had either quit or gotten fired. Another one bit the dust on Sunday. One has threatened her lawyer on us. One could only apologize for his situation (I think he has a drinking problem). One has no clue she no longer works for us. The other one should have seen the writing on the wall. Seriously, with the economy as it is, why are folks asses off jobs?

Anyway, hopefully this week you will be able to see pictures from my vacation, pictures of my hair and pictures of my family.

Until...

Sunday, July 6

I dropped off the rental car after leaving my sister in bed because their train didn’t leave until 7 p.m. and I was shuttled to the airport. I had to pay $3 to check my bag because I didn’t check in online. Bull…I didn’t have the energy to argue I just wanted to go home. Remember this, Delta is the devil! The guy told me that to not have to pay that fee I should check in online. Well, I was too dayum tired to deal with that at night, Delta is nickel and diming folks to death. RDITD!

Anyway, our plane from Orlando to Atlanta was on time, but the folks on it were some kinda idiots. I have never seen so many folks who were just rude and especially towards the flight attendants. I sat next to some skinny guy, who seemed a bit flighty.

Then I had a 3 hour layover in Atlanta. So from 12:15 until 2:00 I sat in that airport worried, because my connecting flight was not listed on the ticker board, but the airline folks assured me I was in the right place. Well, at about 2:30 it was posted on the ticker board (mind you this was after the airport had grounded planes due to bad weather, which equal lightning and rain for 30 mins) so I decided to go get something to eat. Well, when I returned my flight was missing again from the board, Ugh! There went my hunger. I cannot eat when I am nervous or anxious. Well, they changed our gate and at the gate it was listed on time 4:30 pm and 20 mins later it was 5 pm, then 5:20 pm, then 6:00 pm, then 7:32 pm and finally 8:32 pm. I was beyond pissed. I was sitting around that dayum airport on a slow simmer and remembering how much of a devil Delta truly is. I know some folks would say hey, it wasn’t Delta’s fault the weather was bad, oh, but it was their fault I sat in that dayum airport for 8 hours. I had 3 different gate changes and I am supposed to be happy? Not. I just kept waiting on them to cancel my flight. Unlike other passengers on my flight back to Montgomery, I could care less about my luggage; I just wanted to get home. The workers were peeved because the customers were peeved. One must experience being in an airport with flight delays and mass cancellations to really understand what it is like. I mean I lost 8 hours of my life that I cannot get back and Delta only said, sorry.

Okay here is the deal with the plane and our delay. First of all our plane was diverted, then when it came in, it had damaged which they were trying to fix. After not locating the parts they got us another plane which meant all things had to be transferred over etc. Then they made us wait another 30 minutes because the plane had too much fuel and they had to burn it off. That is why Delta can kick bricks, that was majorly wasteful. I could not believe that. You are nickel and diming us to death and you say it is because of fuel and you have the audacity to waste fuel. Shut up! Ugh! Luckily, I arrived home with my luggage and a thank you Lord for bringing me home and not allowing me to be on CNN and locked up for breaking my foot off in some Delta employee’s behind!

However, with the small inconveniences (except Sunday’s) nothing could change the wonderful time I had with my family. It felt good and will have a lasting impression on us all. Now if I can get my clothes washed and my suitcase put up before my next adventure to the National Book Club Conference on July 31, 2008…

Saturday, July 5

Up early and we went to the strangest McDonald’s I have ever been to. This Mickey D’s was out of some stranger extraterrestrial era. It was loud, big and it had too much stuff on its menu. Enchiladas, Philly cheesesteakes, pasta, and real desserts it was just too much. Seriously, my nieces were scared. It just worked my last raw nerve. From there we headed straight to the Magic Kingdom. We had so much fun. The Magic Kingdom has done some upgrades and it was evident. We had a great time and my niece enjoyed herself. Of course she is insistent we return next year with the whole and entire family. (Is she crazy?) Then we left there and headed to Sea World. We wasted our tickets there. It was too dayum hot and there was no shade except at the shows. We saw two shows and called it a day because Sunday was travel day. We ate at Black Angus Steakhouse and had fish, chicken and shrimp. Yep, we did. Then it was time for bed.

Friday, July 4

Back to dry land. Of course, we disembarked at a seemingly slow pace and going through customs wasn’t that bad. Plus, I didn’t buy a bunch of stuff. I did purchase a small tote to send half my stuff back with my cousin because I refused to pay $80 to Delta aka the Devil. We caught our shuttle back to the hotel and took our rental car to International Blvd where we stayed at the Doubletree Castle. Our room was ready and we checked in with ease. Barbara was the business in that when I called by phone she was very welcoming and when we checked in and left for lunch she left me a message, which I found was great customer service. We headed to our favorite ice cream shop; F.riendly’s and had lunch and ice cream, yummy! Then we took a nap before we were to head out to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Why didn’t anyone tell me that on the 4th of July the park will fill up and it will actually reach capacity? My niece, Hunny Bunny was so disappointed. So that was a bust. We did go out to dinner at our favorite crab place, The Cra.b House. It was okay, but I remember when it was the best. Then from our hotel terrace we were able to see the fireworks, and they were glorious. There is nothing like seeing fireworks through the eyes of a child they make what we take for granted become important again. So it was an early night because we had two parks to hit on Saturday.

Thursday, July 3

We were finally heading to CocoCay, which is RCI privately own island. I didn’t leave the boat. My folks did go snorkeling and being on the beach they had a fun time. I don’t do beaches, sand or heat so I was content to go to breakfast finally, nap and read a little. I heard my niece, Hunny Bunny was at the Children's program giving some little boy the business and when my folks asked her to take a picture she turned, posed and then went back to giving the business to the little boy.

At this point in the trip I am usually ready to go, so I was packing up my stuff because this is the night you put your bags outside your cabin door and ya’ll know I get a bit antsy when I am ready to go. So for dinner I had a New York strip steak with a wonderful Cabernet. (Mind you I had a glass of wine every night) My sister and I headed all over the ship to take photos and do our ANTM photo shots. And we wonder where my nieces get their posing from…Then we went to the club, but um, I think the DJ wanted us out of there because the music he was playing was whack! I left early.

Wednesday, July 2

So on this day we decided we would do a tour of the island of Nassau and Paradise Island. The whole family disembarked at the same time and when we got to the end of the walkway as is customary, there were some cab drivers there. So here is where you haggle some more. We had folks who only wanted to go to Atlantis (the ritzy hotel with the Michael Jackson suite that is $25,000 night with a 4 night minimum stay and it is booked solid for 5 years) and the others wanted to see historical sites and wanted to go into the hood so we could see what was what. Well, of course I got into another altercation with a local. I know right? The cabbie wanted to charge $20 per person (the cruise charges $40 per person). The day before they were charging $10 per person. So you know that is where I started with my bargaining then things took a strange turn. Ol’ boy was like he couldn’t do it for less than $20, I was like fine, I will find a cabbie that will, and the offer is $15 per person with the child being free. He got mad and I walked off and then he had the audacity to say, “I don’t like people trying to hassle and use him because he has a family to feed.” What did he say that for? I was like let me tell you something; I would never treat anyone unfairly and never intimate that I would. I made an offer; it was take it or leave it. So after that he changed his tune and we got our 2 hour tour. The island has and hasn’t changed much. Folks still struggling and the commercialization that has overwrought the island has its benefits and its detriments. Milk is $6 a gallon and gas is $5.79 and we are complaining? You cannot tour the Atlantis aquarium like you could in the past, unless you pay. I have seen fish, stingrays and sharks before, so no, cause the tour didn’t include feeding me or giving me some cold beverages. After the tour we were tired so we headed back to the ship for a nap and then dinner. Dinner on this night was tiger shrimp. Delicious. Then it was on to the club for dancing and drinking. I had 4 shots of patron for $4.48, which should have cost me $7.48 per shot. Good looking out A.ngus. The DJ was doing a good job and then he started playing Footloose and when folks started losing their minds over it I knew my time in the club was coming to an ending. My folks were in the lobby playing spades. Yep they took over a lobby for card games and you know how rowdy they can get. I cannot and I do not play cards, oh well. Funtimes.

Tuesday, July 1

The captain makes an announcement that the weather near CocoCay was bad and we would be docking in Nassau for an overnight stay. Um, yeah baby! I was happy as a lark, which meant I could party in Nassau without worrying about being late. Yes! So we finally got up around 11 am, we didn’t dock until after noon so we ate another weird lunch combination and then went shopping. I didn’t buy many gifts because frankly I just didn’t want to spend any money on wasteful stuff, plus it was a much needed vacation and dayumit I had to pay $80 to get my bag to Florida. The straw market has had a make over. Entering Nassau was a make over. You can no longer just walk into Nassau, you have to walk through their welcoming center which is just another ploy to get your money and then you can get to the shops and stores. The straw market was just as cramped and hot as hell, but haggling was still in effect. In the market I spent $15. Thrifty. Now I did spend money on my perfume though, I can only find it when I am in the Bahamas and it is much cheaper there. Don’t ask; just know it will last me until I get back down there.

Then it was time for my full body massage on the ship. I got a chatty Cathy, but I quickly went to sleep on her with snores. Yep, it was quite relaxing and picked up a little gel to use for relaxing.

Then it was time for the Captain’s dinner. We took family pictures and a group picture. We looked good ya’ll. I think I had a fish dish, unremarkable, I do remember it was tasty. Then we went to the room to make a quick change (and a power nap) before we hit Nassau’s club. We were informed our former party spot, the Zoo had burned down (found this out the last day on the ship) and when we would ask about the Zoo no one knew what we were talking about so we got some recommendations. One the workers on the ship recommended Fluid, Senor Frogs and Bamboo. We decided on Fluid. A BIG MISTAKE! From the outside it looked fine and when you initially walked in it looked fine. Then you had to go downstairs pay to get into a basement. Hells no! I knew I just wasted $30 in getting my sister, my cousins and myself in because I wasn’t even going to be there 30 minutes. One way in, one way out is not cool for me. Then we were being watched by the locals, which meant I was clutching my pearls and my dayum backpack. My cousins bless their hearts had to be my sister and my boyfriend or men, because the locals were too touchy feely for me. I mean one guy grabbed my arms and was going to pull me out on the dance floor. First of all, the music was local flavor and I didn’t understand it and the way the folks were grinding on each other, I knew dayum well that was not happening. The guy did get chairs for my sister and me and offered to take us to the next club and pay for everything. (Then I figured one of us would have had to go to the dayum beach. That’s where they like to take folks for illicit business. Not happening.) We were out of there quickly and my sister and I called it a night.

Just a little funny for you. When we were walking to the club a group of guys were trying to holla at me and my sister and my cousins got MAD! I was like what was the problem? They were like we were all walking together and it was disrespectful for them to holla at us, because they could have been our boyfriends. I just shook my head, because they were right. Seriously, that club was very uncomfortable. I did teach one of my cousins to never purchase liquor from clubs like that only get bottled beer only. Safety is key.

Monday, June 30 – Embarkment day

We began our morning with getting ourselves organized to load up for the cruise ship. Mind you my sister had been up most of the night working on my youngest niece, Hunny Bunny's hair. We decided to forego a big breakfast and eat McDonald’s. So we checked out and ended up taking an earlier shuttle for the cruise ship and were on the boat by 12:30 pm. But to my dismay and the detriment of the worker who told me we were not allowed into our cabins until 1:00 pm. Ya’ll I can be quite aggressive at times and I had spent about 30 or 45 minutes trying to get on the dayum ship and it was hot and my carry on bags were heavy. The worker, bless her heart, told us we could go eat. I was already questioning the fact she could not read, then I started to question her eyesight because we obviously had too many bags to walk around the dayum ship. So I told her in no uncertain terms, “I will be waiting these 8 minutes to put my bags up. I will not be carrying my heavy bags to eat and all over the ship. And if we couldn’t get to our rooms then they should not have let me on the ship until I could. And Carnival doesn’t do its guests like that.” She gave my sister a questioning shrug. Whatev, Strike One. And at 1 pm we went to our room which as expected was small and compact but not as bad as it could have been.

Then we proceeded to go have lunch (Yeah almost all my family was on the boat except for 4 folks. You know they couldn’t pass up a Wal.mart.) the food was a bit unrecognizable and when I found the hamburgers my plate was filled with questionable stuff. Strike Two. After lunch we went on a walking tour of the ship to get our bearings, but um, there really wasn’t all that much to see. Frankly, my first impression was the boat wasn’t as fancy or have the glamour of a Carnival ship. Stuff looked old. Then we prepared for our safety drill. One point to RCI, because it took all of 15 minutes. They have that drill down to a science so you were not held for an hour hot and miserable in the lifejacket. Carnival could learn something from RCI on this matter. Then it was off to our room for a nap because we had a late dinner seating. Our Waiter was the business, funny and silly and he took an instant liking to my niece Hunny Bunny. The food for dinner was a nice prime rib I think. We ended the night in the night club on the ship. We got drinks well under the price because the waiter had a crush on my sister. Fun times. Except when my sister when to get my niece, Hunny Bunny from the onboard daycare or kiddie program. She had blood on her shirt and a bandage on her forehead. Oh hell naw! Why didn't they contact my sister or something? Strike Three! My neice hit her head on a ledge when trying to get a ball that had rolled under a table. Luckily, there was no big scar, just bled a lot when it happened. (Note: the folks on RCI didn't want to give my sister a written account of the incident or a copy of the accident report, we did get a typed out account of the situation, but they were real funny about putting it on letterhead.)