So true .....

photo via pinterest

Gone girl... a page turner it was not.

Last October, the movie Gone Girl was showing in theatres. Seen the trailer a few times, wasn't sure of what the story was about apart from the obvious fact, a girl is gone.... The movie featured Ben Affleck as the main character and Tyler Perry. Now wait a minute...they peeked my interest, I have never seen Tyler Perry in any movie other than the ones he produces/direct. Now am planning to watch this, already got a few friends to agree to watch it.

Fast forward a few days and it's my birthday, I unwrapped my presents and I find this

Gone Girl by Gillan Flynn

This is my first time ever writing a book review but I thought it will be a great way to get my thoughts on books I read. 

Synopsis of the book:

Former New York residents Nick and Amy Dunne move to North Carthage, Missouri after losing their jobs in the economic downturn. Everything seems okay, although Amy is having a bit of a hard time getting use to how small town work. Nick is reunited with his sister Go  and running the newest watering hole, The Bar . It is their fifth wedding anniversary and Nick is not really looking forward to Amy's anniversary ritual of clues and presents but this time something is different. Amy is gone... disappeared. The investigation begins as secrets are revealed and lies are uncovered. Is Amy missing or dead? Is Nick the killer?

What I like about the book:

I like the book cover, really appreciated not getting the bookcover with the actors from the movie on the front ( I cannot stand when publishers do that!). I think it looks clean and fits the theme of the book. The writing style with the chapters written like diary entries only featuring the two main characters is different and interesting perspective. The story is very different from anything that I have ever read before and was not at all predictable.  The characters were well rounded I felt and very much realistic; you loved and hated them all at the same time.


What I did not like about this book:

It took me three months to finish reading this book and I almost could not believe it took me that long to read. It wasn't a difficult read per se but it was definitely not the page turner I was told it was.  Found the pace quite slow and I felt the book only started to pick up after the middle of the book.

Would I recommend this book:

Yes I would.  For me I would probably not read it again like I usually do with books that I enjoy.

Rating:

3.5 bookmarks

Morning musing...

True success comes from and when you are your true self.

   Being your true self, what does that mean? How do you find that? your true self?

That's the question...

Natural hair stages

                                                                                 image via vnatural.wordpress.com

Stumbled across this illustration and could not resist the urge to caption it

Stage 1: OMG, what did I do? I look like a boy and these earrings are so not helping.

Stage 2: hmmm this my natural hair sef when will it grow

Stage 3:Looking FABULOUS!

Stage 4: Yeah it is all mine.

Currently in stage 2, can't wait to reach stage 4, looking forward to stage 3.

Happy Earth day, Everyday

                                                                                                       image via pinterest                                    

Yesterday, April 22nd was Earth day. Who knew, not I for sure, yesterday was the first time I ever recognized the day. Earth hour, I know about but not Earth day. All the same I decided to embrace it and find out more on how to mark the day. One thing I did was read a survey and educate myself on ecotriva from this website below

http://www.earthday.ca/resources/ecotrivia

A few tips, I learned and would like to work on include:

1. Unplug electrical appliance when not in use, from laptops to kettles to toasters. This will not only be earth friendly but save me money. That I can definitely get on board with ( smile)

2. Keep my showers short and quick, especially as I already take too long and use up too much water on days I wash my hair. 

3.Keeping car idling to a minimum.  A minimum, as this cannot be help sometimes due to our cold Canadian weather. However a great tip/eye opener I learnt was the fact the car is idling when in a drive through, going forward, I will park the car and walk into the restaurant.

4. Stop being lazy and go out of my way if need be to recycle. This will require some effort especially in places where recycling facilities are not readily available but I am now more willing look or ask for a recycling bin.

5. Use less disposables. From fashion, to packaging to cleaning materials, our society tends to lean towards disposables, disposables that end up in landfills. I plan to learn, investigate and use other alternatives. For example, purchasing more classical fashion of good quality fabric that would not need to be tossed out after a few wears, using cloth napkins and less paper towels, using actual plates and less Styrofoam, taking my re-usable bag to the grocery store etc.

Ideas for the future

- Plant a garden. A garden instead of a backlawn, one that is a rock garden that consist of food crops in rotation to keep the soil healthy and mixed in with some flowers of course.
- Would love to own a home with energy saving features and possibly a solar panel. 

Words to live by....

Valentine's day just went by, a day to share love or express love in different ways that the media, the world encourages, influences and in some cases dictates that we do. As much as there are so many people out there taking part in the festivities, there was so many others hating on the holiday.

All the blog posts and vlogs on valentine 's day outfit,events  for couples and singles in the city got me thinking. What is all this about? in one word HAPPINESS! We are all looking for love for many reasons, the underlining cause is HAPPINESS. We do it all to be happy and that I think that is admirable.

Like most times, when I feel inspired, I went looking for happiness quotes. Here are a few that I found that resonated with me.

Happiness: a calm awareness of the present moment, of sensation, consciousness, thoughts, and perception.

Everyone has a different idea of happiness. Follow your own path, not someone else's.

A loving family and friends....... that's happiness.

Be happy you're alive!

Happiness is a natural outcome of being able to be oneself

Make happiness your goal, and do whatever it takes to achieve it.

All photos cutesy of Pinterest

Happy Valentine

All images courtesy of pinterest

Face

                                                         image via HeyfranHey

Face, like ashiek118

My Girls, My Beautiful

It all started with this picture of Grace Jones, that I saw a long time ago, then recently, I catch myself in the bathroom mirror doing a sideway version of this. Ever since then I haven't been able to stop myself from doing this each time. Years ago, my sister would tease me telling me that I look like Grace Jones, am ashamed to say I didn't think Grace Jones was beautiful; infact I thought she looked like a man. My perception of beauty has matured since then and  if my sister were to tease me now.I would definitely pull that face again.

This picture got me going with a whole train of thought and I went searching on internet, spent hours looking at images of strong , fierce women that i grew up watching. All these women, love, love them for all they have inspired in me.

 All images are from pinterest.

On Repeat....

Been currently obsessed with these two tracks. Been listening to their music for as long as I can remember.

These get me grooving and dancing, my current get ready music.

Enrique.....

                     

Marc...

My natural hair is me

                                                                      via Le Coil

Recently I have been confronted with what it means to wear my hair in its natural state. It has been 3 months since I took my braids out and have been wearing my hair in twist out, updos and buns. Personally I have really enjoyed it and had a lot of positive reactions to it. So much positive reactions that the one negative ( nose turned up) reaction/ comment stopped me in my tracks and caused me to think.

3 years ago standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I cut off my relaxed ends, did  the big chop. The only negative reaction I had at the time, with my twa was from two family members who soon stopped the teasing when they saw and came to understand why I was natural. With friends, my brother and younger sister, the latter two being my greatest supporters cheering me on, I navigated through my natural journey.

On hair forum and blogs, I read about negativity that other naturals encounter and thought I could relate ( remember the two family members)but really I now know that I didn't really know the half of it.  My large cheer quad boosted up my confidence in the new natural me that I was and am able to be natural and love it.

I have been thinking, I have take for granted the great support I have. I have been thinking about what my natural hair means to me. I do not have the amazing curls like much type 3 or 4a naturals, my kinks and coils need some manipulation to clump together in a curl ( usually after being in twists). But I have come to love it as it represent me in every sense, in ways that even I do not even know but am coming to learn about.

Will I ever go back to getting a relaxer, most people that know me, already know that answer, NO.

I came across this picture on Le coil and it spoke to me, it captures how I feel about my hair, my natural hair, so natural, so me, so in tune with me. My natural hair is me.

Music: On repeat

Am so late on this song and this group. Just found out about them and this song while reading about the recent MAMA - Mtv Africa Music Awards.

This song has been on repeat. Love the rhythm, love the video, love the styling, love the way it makes me feel.

Ahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Stampede styling

The Calgary stampede kicked off yesterday. The Stampede has a special place in my heart as it was my first official outing and total immersion in Calgary when I moved here. I moved to Calgary a week before the Stampede that year.

One thing that stands out during the Stampede is the fashion, conservative office folks leave their suits at home and put on their best western duds. Even the police wear  Stetsons during the 10 days of the greatest show on earth.

Given that I am originally from the east cost ( like they call it here in Calgary), I don't feel myself going full on western stylewise. So for this year's Stampede, I turned to some of my favorite blogs to gather inspiration, here is what I came up with.

The following images are from the blogs, Kendi Everyday, Simply Cyn , Moiology, My Little Secrets and My Small Wardrobe .

The Canadian tuxedo is an obvious classic and Old navy is a great spot to find all shades of Chambray shirts. The trick to a good Canadian tuxedo is to wear different shades like Sasha from Moiology does very well. 

Rompers are common during the summer and to add a western feel to them would be to do it in denim. Again Old navy has this great denim romper here or a denim dress as rompers can be annoying when nature calls.

Some other clever ways to do denim

Now I know the dress that Cynthia from Simply cyn  has on in the picture above is not denim but I think doing the denim look works.

A gingham dress is a unique way to go as well. I am also inspired by this leather mini with a plaid shirt. A great way to kick it up a notch with the plaid shirt.

With these inspirations and more I feel ready to do Stampede this year.

Yeehaw!!!!

                                                                via lighthousepub.ca

Yayyyy!!!!! it is Canada day today. Apart from the fact that it is a holiday and a break from work. I personally have never really done anything festive on this day. This year, I decided that this will change and am off to join in some if not all of the festivities. There is so much sadness and seriousness in the world, I believe we have to take advantage of opportunities to celebrate and have fun.

Calgary this year have made things easier by posting all the events for the day on a website. Plus there are shuttle buses to take you from one venue to the other, so yes I am leaving the car home as well.
http://www.calgarycanadaday.ca/

I plan to document some of the festivities I get in today and hopefully post on the blog. It would be great to look back next year at this and see what I did.

Cheers to all who call this great country home.

Natural Hair Reaction

Sunday afternoon in apartment lobby, with laundry card in hand. 
Knock, knock

" My laundry card does not work." I say

"Hi", says the Building Manger, " You look different."

" Really"

" Did you gain some weight?" she says.

With a frown, " No"

" But you look so different" she insists.

" No I haven't gain any weight" I say. " you saw me just a week ago, the only thing that has changed is that I took out my braids."

" Oh yeaaahh! you look soooo different, come I will get your card  to work."

Monday Morning, at work

click clack click clack, space space click clack (Typing on my keyboard) 

" wow, what did you do to your hair"  Sheri says.

" she went and cut it all off"

I look up to see a small crowd is gathering. " No I did not cut my hair, maybe a little trim but no I did not cut it. My hair just shrinks up, that all, see" I pull one curl extending it to show it's length.

" It is curly, can i play with your hair?" Angela asked with excitement in her voice.
"No, I don't like it when people play in my hair" I responded.

 Same day, the last hour of work
"You have one curl sticking out" Angela informs me with a grin on her face. She still has that look of bewilderment. " I like your hair, it is like my sister-in-law's hair and I am always playing in it"
Tucking the culprit curl right in, " You can touch my hair if you like, it is almost time to go home so, I don't care very much if it is messed up"
" I love it, it is so soft" Angela touching my hair very carefully. You can tell she is trying not to mess up my fro.
"Erin you should come touch it"
"No" says Erin, giggling by my desk.
" It is okay Erin,  you can touch it"
"It is so soft (giggles), it is like a pillow" Erin practically squashing my fro like it is a loofah.
Freeze, now my thoughts at the time  was "my hair is not a loofah but you know what? let her knock herself out, it does not matter anyway, she is just curious." 


The next day at work, in the hallway
Helen stops me, " Hey I love your hair,  I keep trying to explain to every one that it is your real hair but they keep saying you cut it. I told them that you took your extensions off and you are natural so your hair looks short."
" I like that you are natural and don't use relaxers"
" Thanks Helen, I tried explaining too, but no one is getting it so I stopped"
" I love your hair like this, it looks good for the summer, fresh"
" Thanks Helen" with a big smile on my face.


A few days later.... at lunch
" Do you like Jenell Monae?" asked Savi
" Yes" wondering where this was going? I had my hair in an updo the day before and she had asked me if I cut my hair and I described the whole roll, tuck and pin.
Savi shows me the day's metro paper.It had a picture of Jenell Monae with a scan code for the hair tutorial. 
" Savi, this looks complicated" it was a updo but the front was not the usual pompadeur but a 40s press curl.
" it is not that complicated, besides there is the code, you scan it and do it" 
" Okay Savi,  I will take a look at it, thank you" 


A few different reactions I got for my natural hair, days after I took down my braids and wore my hair in twist-out afro and updos. I wasn't too surprised with the comments but was a little surprised at the amount of attention, which even after three weeks am still getting. To be frank, I don't like the amount of attention, but that is just me, I get really uncomfortable if I get too many compliments for my looks. Especially when it comes in the form of getting a good morning or hi greetings like 5 times from the same person in a space of an hour.I know I know, I should learn how to take compliments and move on. One thing I can say is I appreciate the compliments and reactions, they have all been positive and have made re-embracing my natural hair easier.

Wise words

“Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

Dalai Lama

Natural Hair inspiration

Since I decided a month ago to wear my hair out this summer, I have been bombarding myself with pictures of naturals with their twistouts and afros. To inspire and recondition myself as to what my natural hair looks like and is capable of doing in its loose state. Here are a few that caught my eye.

                                   

via black ivory

                                                    via HeyfranHey

Banana pecan chocolate chip muffin

One of my favourite past times is cooking.  Believe it or not, I enjoy reading recipes, watching them too on youtube/tv and then trying to make them. One of my favourite websites for recipes is allrecipes.  I was even more excited to find out about their youtube channel and stumbled across this recipe for Banana muffin.

I love this recipe as it is simple, easy and there are lots of suggestions on allrecipes on how  to spice it up. And spice it up I did, I followed the recipes exactly with a few additional. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients and a dash of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients. I also added a 1/2 cup of chocolate chops and a 1/2 cup of chopped pecans ( you could use walnuts).

Lastly, I am very conscious of the amount of sugar I take in so instead of a 3/4 cups of sugar it was more like 2/4 cups and a dash. 

With all that additions and subtraction ( the sugar), it turned out great that I have made these muffins 4 times! Here is what my muffins looked like.

They taste delicious as well that I have been snacking on this and might I say, it has been helping with my sweet tooth.

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to

 get my work done and try to love somebody

 and have the courage to accept the love in

 return.

Maya Angelou

Pic of the week

                                           image via hey fran hey

Came across this picture on HeyfranHey tumblr and it made my day. An image I would like to come true for me.