TalulaZoeApple

Star Jones and a Two Piece.

I am not talking about the two piece that comes with a biscuit. I mean a bikini. Why, you ask? Because you know you wanna see it.

 

 

I think she looks good for 46.

. . . and I have missed you, too.

Heeerrrrrrreee'sssss Talula,

I am back guys. FINALLY. I have been trying to get back to Dallas for two days. Note to self: Never ride standby during the holidays.

I waited literally all day yesterday for a flight only to be continuously bumped to the next flight until a merciful friend picked me up from the airport for a brief reprieve. During this time, I went to a movie, ate a real meal, and slept like a baby on the most comfortable sofa in the world.

But I digress.

This morning back to the endless waiting. Do you realize how much of a disappointment it is to be the next in line to get called onto a plane only to hear the words, "Sorry flight #12345 is now FULL." ARGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

I was so down and out. That's when the little voice on my shoulder said, "You are never leaving Chicago. You are gonna be waiting for days." I call this voice Doubt. Doubt's little voice had grown considerably over the past few months. Then a little voice on the opposite side says, "Well, if you are waiting here, it must be for a reason. Because we are God's children and God only wants the best for us." I call this voice, uh, I don't remember the lady's name.

Let me regress.

I was feeling down and out. Wondering if I should leave and go to another airline to pay an outrageous fee to get home today. That's when a woman who had also been shuffled around walked up to me and says, "Happy New Year," and sits down. She offers me cookies and then starts talking. From the moment she starts talking I know that she is a Christian. She is so darn light-hearted and happy-go-lucky when the older lady who sits on my opposite is so down in the dumps. Mind you, we (me, Happy, and Grumpy) had just missed a flight and had a gate change. So after we trekked over to the next gate. This woman finds me again. The three of us start talking again only to be joined by another Negative Nelly. Only this woman curses and has a bad Mary J Blige blond do. In the midst of my doubting and these women complaints, the Cheery Christian says, "I am not worried, I prayed for favor today." And just like that I remembered how I used to be. I used to be that Christian encouraging others, always praying, the one people came to for advice, even strangers. Somewhere along this boulevard called Life, I had become a bitter character always doubting and complaining.

And what did I really have to complain about. I spent the holidays with my family. My mom is alive and well and so is my sister. These two, a few years ago, had been in and out of the hospital alternately. A few years before that my father had passed away. Through it all, I had kept my faith. It is easy to keep the faith when the turbulence is outside of you, meaning happening to someone else. Moving here to Texas and hitting turbulence on the job front, being financially strapped, and without a supportive Christian network, I, too, had become bitter and disenchanted. I needed someone to encourage me, but it is difficult to seek that kind of help when you are so used to being the strong one. I had been feeling like my prayers were falling on death ears so I stopped praying.

I look up at the monitor. What do you know? The Cheery Christian is number one on the standby list for the 1:25pm flight. The same one the agent had said was hopelessly overbooked. The same one the agent had requested some passengers voluntarily give up their seats for a free later flight and a $300 travel voucher.

Just like that her name is called. Next flight 2:25pm.

So, I am feeling pretty encouraged, just gonna wait until my time comes when, Mary J finds me and starts in with her usual whining and complaining. She has the brilliant idea of buying a ticket at another airport and having her friends pick her up because she was tired of waiting. No excuse me, let me quote her, "This don't make no damn sense."

The agent now exclaims that the 2:25pm flight is full and we should trek over to yet another gate. The crowd clears and it's me, the agents, and Mary J. I get on my cell to call to see how many flyer's miles I have to lower the price of the ticket I am contemplating buying when one of the agents comes back from the plane and starts calling names. I am literally standing at the agent's desk, listening to the  voice response operator ask me to press one for English when Mary J says, "Humph, you might get on this one."

I press one. Afterall, I am number 19 on the list of standbys. I have been disappointed before.

She is calling names and no one is responding. I see a glimmer of hope. The operator exclaims, "If you would like to redeem your reward points press two."

She reads three more names. I press two.

Two more names. I hang up. Feeling giddy I ask, Have you called ***insert my last name***? She says, "I'm about to call ***insert my last name***in a minute."

She says, ***insert my last name***," but I can't hear because Mary J blond hair is standing in the way. So I ask if she had called me. She says yes and hands me the pass. I run like I just been told to "come on down, you are the next contestant on the Price Is Right."

I am running and thanking all the agents along the way. I make it to the airplane door and I hear the agent state, "I am gonna shut the door once this lady gets on." I say, "thank you and God bless you." Surprised she says, "God bless you, too."

I was so happy, you could have sworn announcer Rod Roddy had told me I had just won a new car.

 

Just like my angel before, God sent me an inspiring word from a stranger and I know now what has been bugging me. I need a church home. Regular worship is strengthening, without it, I had become weak and passive. Also this encounter answered a question I had about places of worship. I had gone to a church and felt a real spiritual connection, the only problem, the church only had two other black people there. Well, the Cheery Christian is a white woman. She spoke with such  Godly authority, like the women I have known from my previous church experiences. Somewhere between her cheery disposition and my cantankerous attitude she managed to lift my spirits. So, I think I will pay that church another visit.

Merry Christmas

See you guys in a week!!

Have A  Merry Christmas ya'll.

Hair Guide - Part Deux - The Hair Chart

There is a ratings scale for hair texture that exists to help natural girls navigate the wide wide world of hair products. I have included the types with pictures. I hope this helps.

Type 1 is straight hair. Type 2 is wavy hair. No need to include these.

Type 3b hair is very diverse with many subcategories. This is the realm of mixed-girl hair. Or for those of you with "Indian" in your family.

Type 4 and its subcategories are kinky/afro type hair.

 

3b1

 

3c

 

3c2

 

4a

   

4c

Now most of us are somewhere in between these categories, or in my case a mixture of about two or three. Most hair care products for natural hair use this guide. I hope this helps.

Accepting Your Hair Texture - The Nappiness Guide To Happiness

I have been on a natural hair journey for about 4 years. Having relapsed about twice, I have now been natural for over a year. Meaning no perms, texturizers, and a big chop.

My initial venture into natural hair ended in a relaxer due to my own ignorance and insecurity. It is difficult to gather courage to wear your hair in a way that has been vilified by the people closest to you since you can remember.

My father's side of the family is said to have 'Indian in the family'. Okay, right! My mom is said to have Indian in her family too. **insert sarcasm** With all these Indians in my family, how come I have never been to a Pow-Wow? I'm just saying.

My aunts and uncles on my dad side would fawn, literally fawn, over my sister's hair. She looked more liked them with a straighter grade of hair. I thought this was the dumbest thing an adult could do. I, on the other hand, looked like my mom with big thick curls that needed the fear of God to be put in them to behave. lol

As a child, I hated to get my hair combed. I had really long, thick hair. I, also, had a fear of the dreaded straightening comb. How damaging is it to come at a child with a searing hot iron, talking about, don't move or I'll burn you? That's some Penny fom Good Times abuse. lol. And I hated it.   

Then came the perm at around age 13. Whole other story.

So natural felt good. Except for my family, who daily told me I needed to perm my hair. There were jokes and ridicule. Finally, my brother, who wears locks by the way, told me my hair made me look old. I felt so bad, I relaxed my hair again.

Then I moved away. Without the daily put downs, I found the courage to go natural and have never looked back.

One day while waiting on the train, a black girl looked at me and said, "You have really nice hair. Is it natural?" So I said "Thank you", feeling good about my natural choice, "it's natural." The next thing she said made me sad again. "Man, you are so lucky."

Lucky? That word brought me back to my child hood and my Indian hair having relatives fawning over hair texture like it gave you superpowers or something.

So I am including a Nappiness Guide for all of you texturally challenged folk looking for the courage to go natural.  

1. Expectations - Don't expect Tracee Ellis Ross' hair, if you don't have Tracee Ellis Ross' genes. Be happy to be nappy.
2. Learn to love your kinks - Stop calling it curly-kinky or curly-afro. That's just a way to distance yourself from your hair's Africanness. Put an 'Indian Hurr' twist to it.
3. End of an era- You cannot use the same kind of shampoos, conditioners on natural hair that you have used on relaxed hair. They are incompatible. I like Miss Jessie's products and natural oil concoctions I make myself.
4. Have fun. Try different styles, accesories, and scarves.
5. Find online communities and blogs that support the natural hair thing. It's not so hard. You are on one now.
6. Share your hair stories. There is healing in sharing so drop me a comment.

I love my hair because it is my God given gift. I wanted to add a picture but the flash put gold lights in my hair and you could not see it clearly. Oh well.

And I Would Like To Thank All of The Little People

I have just been awarded the:

 

By Full Complexity! Thanks.

So, I must nominate a few people.

Sincerae over at A Very Fine Romance - Blog about romantic history of the world written by an American teacher in Turkey.

Brian Barrons over at The Great Wall  - written by a teacher in China

LH over at The Breaking Point - He is always up for some cerebral sparring. Plus he won't get mad at you for telling him he is dead wrong. lol

Full Complexity of course.

Stan of course.

The Black Snob - Great political blog and a fellow TJ Holmes stan (stalker + fan).

And Jazzy!

 

Now I must include ten honest things about myself.

1. I skipped the fourth grade.

2. I love my natural hair but there are days when I am so tempted to relax it. I am like Pookie and that relaxer is like creamy crack, "It just keeps calling me!!!"

3. I used to say I did not want kids ( and I meant it) but I see so many people with happy families that I think I may be changing my mind and it's scary.

4. I want to find a church home that feels right. I have not found one yet.

5. I love to paint but never seem to have the time anymore.

6. I love to write and have yet to finish my first novel.

7. I endeavor to do both real soon.

8. I love blogging. I may be a little addicted to it.

9. I only started driving about two years ago.

10. I love unique jewelry and clothes but have yet to learn to coordinate these into a fashionable outfit.

What You Do?

A 'good Samaritan' saves a co-worker from a car after a crash. The co-worker is now a parapalegic and wants to sue the guy who pulled her from the car. Should she? A court has ruled yes.

If you could help a stranger would you? What would you have done in this exact same situation?

Inquiring Minds Wanted To Know Part Deux

Here is the link #1:

http://www.freep.com/assets/PDF/1030_new_text_messages.pdf

#2:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=C4&Dato=20081023&Kategori=MULTI&Lopenr=810230803&Ref=PH

***You were forewarned!!!***

Thandie Newton And Her Cute Kiddies

Here is actress Thandie Newton ice skating with her girls, Ripley 8 and Nico 4.

 

 

I see these two are trying to give little Zahara Pitt a run for her money in the cuteness department.

 

   

Baby Z wins.

Inquiring Minds Wanted To Know

Here are a few texts in the Detrait scandal. I left the really bad ones out. Trust they do get really bad.