I am not my hair

11pm at night and I am exhausted. I just got home from a work event that involved running about 10k and solving impossible clues and all I can think about is the fact that waking up tomorrow morning is going to be more painful than running 10k. However as tired as I am, the inspiration I had today is too exciting to keep to myself so tired or not I must blog. What inspired me the most today was the fact that one of my team members in our "challenge" was one of the execs at the company I work for. What inspired me the most about this exec is the fact that she is young, black, female with dreads! Now I know we are in 2012 and America actually had a black president so black female executives are not as scarce as they used to be but I am pretty sure executives with dreadlocks or natural hair are still pretty rare! The company I work for is a pretty well known multinational with many affiliations with different groups such as some very famous soccer teams so to see someone at such a top level with natural hair is inspiring. I know that times are changing and natural hair is more accepted than it used to be even 10 years ago but the fact that the corporate world is beginning to realize that we as black women are not are hair is amazing. Ultimately it is what's in our head that really matters and not what on it that counts. Now I know when it comes to natural hair some of the people who probably speak against it the most are black women as they don't believe it looks professional, or its too hard to maintain or we are just not attractive with it but to shun what was naturally given to us by God because the previous standards that were set have still not been broken all the way is sad. Don't get me wrong, transition to natural hair is a very long and at times a difficult process and it takes a lot of patience, dedication and self motivation to keep at it but its still a very beautiful look and gradually a change that will have u wondering why you didn't do it sooner. So all I really want to say here is this. We are not our hair. The fact that a person can be judged based on what grows on their head is ridiculous. All that really matters is what comes out of the head. So whether you are the cashier at McDonald or you are the CEO of a top 500 company. You are not your hair. Focus on proving to people you are worthy by what comes out your mouth or your hair and take the emphasis off your hair. As a 7-8 year veteran of natural hair I can only say my hair has never determined my abilities and that as I keep rising to the top, just know it will be me who gets me there and my hard work not my afro puff I rock proudly to work everyday.

End of an Era

Its Victoria Day in Canada and surprisingly I am home. Not to say I will be out gallivanting but for the first time in awhile I decided to stay local and enjoy the sights in town instead of jetting to my usual play ground the DMV. I decided for once it might be a good idea to stay in Canada and probably forget about the DMV for this year. Now let's see if my DMV crew will miss me enough to cross the border this year to see me and know that if they don't. I clearly know where our friendship stands. LOL. I laugh but I am serious. Anyway on a more serious note, I am home surveying my room and trying to decide how to tackle the day of cleaning and it suddenly hit me that a chapter in my life is coming to an end. Just like most avid readers as u end one chapter in a book, you are anxious to see what lies ahead in the next chapter but at the same time the end of one chapter means u are getting closer to the end of the book and if its a good book that might be slightly upsetting because u propel yourself into the book, you almost can associate with the characters as if you know them personally. Not to say that I am talking about the end of my life which I pray is many moons away but just knowing a part of your life is over for good. Now let me say this, my 20s have been interesting to say the least. I can honestly say its probably been one of the best times of my life but at the same some of the worse. I survived 4 years of university which at one point I didn't think I would ever get out, I packed my bags and moved to the states with no idea of what to expect while I was there. Met some very amazing people and lost a few of them in the process. Fell for a couple of people who didn't fall for me back...painful but I am still standing. Moved back to Canada when I really didn't want to. I went back to school and did a waaaay better job than I did the first time. Went through unemployment a couple of times which could have broken me down but actually made me stronger. Finally found a job I enjoy and it seems like I am kicking ass in that as well. Made new friends in Canada and they have been great. Finally made it to Paris and loved it! Now I look back and appreciate how great my life really has been. I am a little scared as to what my life has in store and also afraid that a few things that I had hoped I could accomplish, seems to be taking longer than I expected, such as finding someone who will love me just as I love them, the joys of buying my own house. Having kids and finally settling down. For once listen to my mother and explore the trials and success of online dating or do I just actively go out in the world and pursue the next good looking guy I walk into? Is my career going to take off sooner than I expect? Will I finally lose the 30lbs I've been trying to shed for awhile and meet my deadline of my 30th birthday. As all these questions run through my mind, I can't help but reminisce on the last 10 years of my life and wonder if I really did make the right choices in life or am I finally realizing that if I could do it all over I would do it differently? I will say this, as dramatic,interesting, heart wrenching, painful,tragic, heartbreaking, fun and amazing the last 10 years have been I do know that it was my life and it helped to shape me into the woman I am today. So as I approach the next decade of my life so fast and furious I do know one thing. I need to get out of bed now and clean my room because no one will do it for me.