Entering Year Two of Locdome

I am so excited to be completing my first year of Locdome till death do us part... I think back to 2002 when I first went natural for the second and last time. I was always admiring locs but never had the determination or commitment to get them... plus I looooved my loose hair. Adored it even. I loved my afro puff, and chunky twistouts... over the years I'd even learned to love my hair in twists, boxbaids and the occasional extension hairstyle or cornrowed style. It was so much fun... and I would find myself saying, "locs aren't versatile enough for me... I could never get them cause then what can you do with them?" The answer is: a lot! Granted my babies are just starting to get that "drape" affect, but I am already seeing the flexibility. It helps that my locs have plumped up to be a really good size from my little comb coils I first began with. And it's nice to feel my hair moving and blowing in the wind. I never experienced that when I was fried out (relaxed). My hair would get to a certain length and stop. I've already surpassed it with my natural, healthy, God-given mane. And I look forward to all the up do's and pin-ups and curly loc styles I can stand. I still haven't yet decided how long I will let them get, or when I will color again... but trust me that the possibilities are endless. Do we have our days where they are rude and unruly? Sure... I mean, look whose head they're on! :)

But I can truly say that I have enjoyed every minute of it. And my hair is a true representation of who I am.. natural, wild, easily tamed, and beautiful. I went to the My Black Is Beautiful tour yesterday. And despite being a little poorly organized it was great just to be around like-minded sisters who care about our health, hair, skin and love... I saw locs to die and envy for and got so excited about the journey to come. It's been fun to learn new things about my hair and how to care for it that I didn't do well when I was a loose-hair nappy.

I mean, I maintain my own locs! That is huge for me ya'll... the little tomboy who still doesn't know how to cornrow... the girl who had to practice just to learn how to two-strand twist her hair! Craazy. So it's a thrill to be here for me. And now that cowrie shells and tams and headbands and ponytails are starting to take flight... whew... I'm just excited. Happy to have a head of healthy, NATURAL, hair. Growing as it should be without unhealthy manipulation or assimilation to how they think my hair should look. I cherish you today, hair. And everyday.

This follows along with this blog because we all need to be healthy from the inside out. And this includes our hair. If our hair is healthy, that is sayin a lot about the inside, what we're feeding ourselves, and how it's coming out of us via hair follicles and our skin. Even though, my skin has been going through a thang lately, but I digress.

At any rate, about to get out and go for my five-mile walk and then I have to put in some work later for a new contract I picked up for June. Yay... forward!

I Joined The Mile-High Club

OK, so not in the traditional sense of the phrase... but it got your attention. :)

So on Thursday, I had this bright idea to walk to my "neighborhood Target." *sigh*

In my whip, I get there in 5-10 minutes, tops. On foot, it was a 3-hour adventure. I went thinking it was about a 4 mile round trip journey... so without Googling, I strapped the sun into his stroller with a couple snacks, some ice water and my iPod. The object of the mission: get an armband for said iPod, a nightlight for the sun's room, and a battery for my sports watch.

I left my home at 6:20. I returned home at 9:30 (to my credit, I spent more time in Target than expected cause I wanted them to change the battery and when I got into my watch it was a complicated mess to get the battery out and THEN I stopped at the local currency exchange to get quarters for laundry). I arrived dripping buckets of sweat with tense quads. Yikes. I Google map the route... and found out my presumed 4 mile walk was actually a SIX-MILE walk round trip... owww!

As probably expected, I didn't do laundry that night... but I did take a hot shower and sit my ass down somewhere. Friday, I walked to the stores and back a brisk two-mile adventure to stay loose. And did my laundry, finally. Saturday, I just chilled and stretched waiting for Sunday.

Sunday morning, my alarm clock went off at 4:30 a.m. and I told her to shut her trap. I laid back down and then my BODY'S alarm clock woke me at 5:20... I remember hoping that I heard rain on my rooftop so I would have a good reason not to go. I looked out my window... no rain. *sigh* Then I said, "well, the people I was originally riding with aren't doing it anymore... I'll be lonely; I should stay home." 10 minutes later, I got out of bed tired from excuses.

In my car on the way to the expressway to go downtown, I had the bright idea on how to avoid traffic, parking woes and tickets, paying for meters etc. by just driving my bike and I to 47th and Lake Park in Hyde Park and riding in from there. It seemed like such a good idea at 6 in the morning. My bike and I hit Lake Shore Drive in all it's windiness at 6:20 a.m. I trecked from Chicago's luxurious Hyde Park neighborhood (southeast)... all the way to Chicago's uppity northside (where the ride turned around) 20 some odd miles away. Before doing so, I met up at the official beginning (approximately 10 miles away from my start) with a friend who by the glory of Facebook met me down there so I wouldn't do the ride alone. Thanks God, for Facebook status updates.

We biked to Bryn Mawr (the official turn around spot) and stopped in the rest stop for bananas and muffins and H20... somebody who will remain nameless didn't bring any water bottle and I told him if he thought I was getting back on LSD with him to head back another 20 miles he was sadly mistaken lol. But in essence, it was a good idea for BOTH of us cause that sustenance really helped us get back. Without it, we would have been in a world of ish. 35-40 miles later I was back at my truck, wondering why my butt was in so much pain... it still is, right now. BUT I did it. AND Chicago's Lake Shore Drive in the morning, is beautiful. More hilly than I remember it ever being when I drive my car over it tho. lol A great workout. My legs have put in so much work the past couple days, so many miles (hence the title) if I didn't keep it going, I would have to kick myself.

It did give me the courage to think I could brave bikers on a consistent basis. I admittedly was nervous about it. I'm going to get some padded biking pants to see if that helps any... cause more than anything, the ass area was the worst part of it all. It is why I gave up spinning classes... just real rude to the ass. Next time out with my bike is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Sporadic rides will condition me (and my ass) for my next big ride in July. I found friends to do it with while in Grant Park recovering before the ride back home. See...

The bike path (I had to take the bike path back to the south side/car because they were clearing off bikers to make way to open it up to the cars again) behind Lake Shore Drive is beautiful... riding right there next to the lake, behind the museums, riding past the Chicago Fire Fighter's tribute... very calming even with walkers (walking two abreast) who refuse to move over ANY when you say, "on your left!" knowing you can't pass them because traffic is coming from the other direction. Assholes.

The pleasure is in knowing, I could do exactly what I did before, parking near the drive and getting busy. It was a lovely day ass pain aside. After we loaded the bikes into my car, we went for brunch where I enjoyed a spinach and feta cheese omelet, wheat toast, turkey sausage and hash browns and more glasses of water. And was home by noon. I slept the rest of the day though and finally got up to stop by a holiday BBQ around 7 p.m.


I was back in bed by midnight... pooped!

30 Days to Form a Habit

I had a little bout of the lazies directly after getting back from Florida. And that lazy turned into my new habit vs. doing my program.

I knew I should have taken my workout with me, but I just couldn't see toting my weights in my suitcase. In hindsight, I could have packed my bands and just did altered moves because once you stop for a bit it's hard to get back in it because the pain you have to prepare for is all brand new. And brand new pain is worse than "feeling the burn" pain.

At any rate, I've still been eating well and haven't gained any weight and I'm ready to get back in the "habit." I've been a busy bee, with different volunteer work and working my job(s) but I've also been looking for new contracts and work. So I haven't been totally useless and up until last night, I hadn't touched my bar since Cinco de Mayo. Progress indeed... but last night I made a couple Screwdrivers to take the edge off after a conference call of inaccuracy and ineptitude.

Be that as it may, I will start using a calendar (I look at one every day at my desk) to plan out what I should be doing... because in essence, I should be working out in the early mornings, scheduling a part of my day to study, working a block of hours etc.

If it's one thing I am coming to terms with is that I will be 30 in a little more than seven months and there's so many things I need to get together professionally and personally by (preferably before) then. My work situation, weight situation, etc. are going to do nothing but discourage me extra if I am still experiencing the woes with them as an full-fledged adult. I say that not saying I'm not an adult now, I'm as adult as they come but there's something serious about leaving your 20s behind.

This Sunday, I will be Biking the Drive. And I bought a new bike on Sunday when I was volunteering for early registration and packet pick-up for the event. I fell in love with The Globe:
a lil hybrid baby like the one pictured, but in silver. She even has a lil bell. :)
I had been contemplating for months on what kind of bike to get. And after test riding a couple, this one was the winner. I also bought a helmet, say whaaaat? I can't wait to ride it this Sunday, but lookin forward to putting plenty of miles on her.

They say the drive is beautiful, so my friends and I are gonna get out there at the very beginning (5:30 a.m.) and ride Lake Shore Drive and watch the sun rise... and then have a nice pancake breakfast afterwards.... soooo looking forward to it.
So, SUNDAY is the (official) day where I will have my stuff back together. I am letting that be the symbolic beginning of my fit life... again... and 30 days to form a habit... I think I'd only done the program a few weeks before Florida came around. I have got to shake this stagnance that tries to overcome me... continue to live freely even when life tries to hinder me. You know?

Can you commit to something for 30 days to make it a habit? Let's start today. For me, that means starting to remodel the house. I will be starting that today in just a few hours. Tell me what your commitment will be... and let's do it together.