New Music: The Dream "IV Play" & Fantasia "Side Effects of You"

It's new music time again!!! Let's begin with two projects that I cannot stop playing. The Dream is back. I can honestly say he never disappoints me. His cd's are always full of good music. "IV Play" is no different. I have my favorite tracks already. They are "High Art" which features Jay-Z; "Turnt" which features Beyonce' & 2 Chainz; "Where Have You Been?" which features Kelly Rowland; "Equestrian," and "New Orleans." The cd is very feature heavy but it didn't really bother me. The music is just good. I can let the whole thing play which is a plus. I think if the right singles are dropped it could be a great summer cd. I think I like "IV Play" as much as I liked his debut.

Also, back with new music is Fantasia. Her new cd "Side Effects of You" is a banger as well. Her first single is "Lose To Win." I wasn't a fan of this song until I saw her "American Idol" performance followed by her album release performance. She slayed both of them effortlessly. I became excited about her new work. She didn't let me down either. I love "Side Effects of You" (the title track), "Change Your Mind," "In Too Deep," and Without Me" (which features Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott) the most. The entire project is golden to me. Great music from Fantasia. Both projects are worth your money. I am loving the direction that R&B is returning to. Get into this.

Movie Review: "Fast and Furious 6"

I am a fan of the "Fast & Furious" franchise. I've seen all the movies multiple times. Well, except for "Tokyo Drift" and that film isn't really a part of the true franchise. Since the first film, I have been all about Vin Diesel and Paul Walker's characters. I have loved the addition of all the characters, especially Tyrese and Ludacris's characters. The films have gotten bigger and better. "Fast and Furious 6" is no different.

From the opening scene, I was hooked. The storyline is slightly different than any of the other films. The car scenes are bigger than before. The toys (i.e cars, guns and explosives) are bigger than before. The bottom line is to get Letty back. Because as Dom says "You never turn your back on family." The things that transpires after the first 5 minutes of the movie are amazing. The Rock is back in his role as Hobbs. And, he does it so well. Tyrese and Luda are back with their wittiness and great one liners.

The movie was just a great way to spend two hours. It was really good. Also, really loved that the original four (Vin, Paul, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez) were back for this film. Especially since Rodriguez wasn't in the 5th film. If you are a fan of the franchise, you will LOVE this one as well. I have no real complaints about it. There is one thing I didn't love but I know it was needed. I will be buying this one as soon as it comes out on dvd. Get into "Fast & Furious 6."

P.S. - ********************SPOILER ALERT********************


There will be a "Fast and Furious 7" (July 2014).
And, I cannot wait to see it!!!!

Ladies Love Lyrics: Chrisette Michele's "A Couple of Forevers"

This is the epitome of a great love song. It's been a while since I've heard a love song that didn't make me feel sad or indifferent. The song that gave me a euphoric feeling is Chrisette Michele's "A Couple of Forevers."  This song sounds like love feels to me. It isn't a typical love song. I love that it talks about the reality of love, that it is work. A relationship worth having takes work. The lyrics really make me happy inside. Chrisette's voice is ridiculous on this song. I am a fan so I am clearly biased. I cannot wait to hear the rest of her new cd "Better" when it drops. The video is also very dope as well. I LOVE the soul sampling of one of my favorite songs ever, The O'Jay's "Stairway To Heaven." Let's get into the lyrics below.

"I see it clear, my heart is here
We got each other, let's take it from there
And if I could I'd love you forever at a time Oh, oh, oh
What we been through no one else knows
Cause all that matters is how far this goes
And it will go until it starts again, Oh, oh
Me and you are built like armor
Nothing can stop love from loving on us
You know I'm not asking for much

Just a couple of forevers
A couple of forevers
I'm the only one, you are the only one
Together til never

I'm talking about forever
Just a couple of forevers
I'm the only one, you the only one
Together til never

It can get hard, damn it gets rough
It can get crazy but not for us
Guess we gotta struggle just to stay apart
Me and you are built like armor
Nothing can stop love from loving on us
You know I'm not asking for much..."

Blame It On The Theraflu

I had a dream tonight. So real that it woke me up out of a Theraflu/Tylenol Cold & Sinus induced slumber. I passed out before 8pm last night. My dream was so vivid. The colors were shiny and beautiful. I couldn't wait to get some of the main points on paper. I feel inspired by it. Words means things (cc: Crissles). The words that were repeated throughout my dream were: vulnerable, They are words I normally don't associate myself with. But, if I am to be honest with myself, they are relevant. "Vulnerable" means capable or susceptible of being hurt, wounded; open to moral attack, criticism, temptation." I feel vulnerable at this point in my life. Totally open, raw and exposed to the world. It is one of the worst feelings. I can't cover it up or fake it. Every day, I try to overcompensate for this feeling. It is a fairly new emotion. I hate it.

The other word that kept showing itself in my dream was "option." I've been feeling that I was out of options. I know now that I'm not. I just let myself become consumed by what I was feeling. The reality is I have a plethora of options available to me. The world is still my oyster. Finally, someone in my dream who is actually not alive any more asked me this "what do you want?" That question was the point where I woke up. I wrote down a list of things that I want. My list scares me for many reasons. The list came from my heart. I do not know if I can have all the things on my list but they are what I want. My main objective is to make sure that I protect myself, my life and my heart at all costs. That may sound a little selfish. I'm ok with that. I am the most important person inn my life. And, no one else will take care of me or make me the priority that I will. It's ok for me to be selfish and take care of me. My dream actually made me feel really good about a lot of things. Things that I wasn't too sure of before. I may be rambling because of the Threaflu. But, I wanted to get this out while my dream was fresh in my mind. Happy Saturday people. I'm about to doctor on myself and go back to sleep.

It's My Hair: Trying New Natural Styles

Hello, naturalistas!! This natural hair chick is back with new styles to discuss. I have been trying new things whenit comes to my natural hair. I have relied heavily on braid outs and buns. And, they have worked wonderfully for me. They have been my default styles. But, I've been yearning for change. Somemthing different, something new. I just feel like something has to change. I started with something small: my hair. I am also thinking about going a few shades lighter as well. Probably like a chocolate brown with some high/low lights. My hais has been jet black since 2009. I'm over it.

First up was the Bantu Knot Out. Another YouTube vlogger that I follow is SimplyYounique. Her video on Bantu helped me out tremendously. The first picture was my hair after I knotted it. (Also, my eyelashes look so dope in the photo). I slept with my hair like that overnight. The next morning, I unknotted my hair. I LOVEd my results. The picture directly below shows my results. My hair was very curly. This was the way I wore my hair for Mother's Day. I will be doing this again. It toook a little time to bantu my hair. But, it did not take long at all to fix my hair the nex day. Great new style for me to rock.

Then, I tried my hand at a twist out...again. The first time I tried this, I failed miserably. But, then I found instructions that made it easy. I follow Naptural85 on youtube. She is a natural hair vlogger that I love. Her Twist out method was fool proof. I will say that this style is not cute when being twisted (peep the above picture lol). I did it late at night and went to bed. The next morning, I was anxious about my results. I started untwisting my hair while not looking in the mirror. Once I was done, I shook my head to fluff my twists out. When I finally turned to the mirror, I was very happy. This twist out was a win. I loved this style too. I am so thankful for the natural hair vloggers. They have helped me on my natural hair journey. As usual, there will be more to come from me and the "It's My Hair" series. Happy Sunday, people!

Around These E-Streets (VII)

° In this time in my life, this article was right on point. It's titled "How To Love." I think that I needed to see this. Because clearly I haven't gotten it right in my life. The article was a great read. 

° I am not a fan of Angelina Jolie. I think she is mostly overrated as an actress, although I did love her in "Taking Lives." But, she has done something that takes incredible courage. She had a preventative double masectomy. Her story is incredible. Breast cancer is a huge issue in my life because it runs on both sides of my family. Taking the BCRA1 test is a huge deal. I have been contemplating getting the gene test done. After reading this, I thought about what I would do if it were me. And, I think I would do what Angelina did. It would save my life. Great story. 

° Andriod is changing. There are so many new things coming to the Andriod system. This article talks about some of the things. Also, just read this article that states BBM, the Blackberry messenger system, is headed to Andriod and iOS systems this summer. BBM is the one thing that all BB users loved. It is a quick group messnger service. I would love this. It will be free via Google store.

° One of my favorite groups Danity Kane may be on their way back. The group was broken up by dream killer Diddy a few years back. The girls only released two cds. Both were great and I still listen to them. The word is the girls have new management. I would love for this to happen. They were a dope group.

° The first trailer for "The Best Man Holiday" (follow up to the classic "The Best Man") is here. It comes out in November. I cannot wait to see it. I loved all of the characters and the first movie. Great movie with Black actors. 

° BET and Debra Lee have made another erroneous mistake. TJ Holmes' show "Don't Sleep" has been cancelled. It was a very intuitive news show that aired a few nights a week. From the tone of this article, it sems like there is bad blood between Holmes and the network. For a network that is called "Black Entertainment Television," the network has been steadily declining in its focus. There is no news coverage on the netwrok. I am sad that they did this. I really enjoyed the show. I am a fan of TJ's. I hope he lands on his feet. 

° I think Zoe Saldana is a gorgeous woman. She is an ok actress. But, she has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Pretty woman saying stupid things. I just want her to stop it. Oh and pick up a dictionary, por favor. 

° The idiot who shot 19 people at a second line here was arrested Wednesday night. His bail is set @ $10 million. Frankly, he gets what he deserves. Asshole. 

° I have been a fan of JasFly since I watched her on Jumpoff Tv on Youtube. She is now on VH1's "The Gossip Game." She wrote a very dope open letter about colorism and Black people. She talks about the divide of Black people. This whole light skin versus dark skin Black people issue is stupid. The bottom line is that we are all Black people. Great read. 

This Reader's Review: Part XV: "Decadence"

"Decadence" is a riveting story of Nia Simone Bijou. If you are familiar with Eric Jerome Dickey's work, then you know that Bijou is the main character from "Pleasure." In a way, "Decadence" is a sequel to "Pleasure" because it tells us more about Nia's life since then. In this book, Nia's life has changed drastically since we last heard of her. She has grown as a woman and a writer. Her life has new characters in it and new drama. All of it leads to a great story. Nia is a woman after my own heart. She is a self described "word slut. book slut as well." I can identify with that. She quotes Anais Nin, another favorite of mine. She is also a woman very in tuned with her sexuality. She craves sex.

"Anais had taught me well." - Nia Simone Bijou

This book is hot. Scorching. When it comes to the sex scene, I haven't read anything that moved me like this in forever. The sex scenes alone are insane. The sex scenes made me blush. And, I am no where near a prude. I am a very sexual woman. Reading this book made me feel some kinda way. The book is only 240 pages. For me, that's nothing. I read extremely fast. It took me hours to get through "Decadence" because it was so intriguingly good. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the book. Even if it left me hot and bothered and thinking some insane thoughts. Eric Jerome Dickey can def construct a dope, deep sex scene.  I am all the way here for it.

"Love has too many side effects. I have suffered them all." - Nia Simone Bijou

I loved the journey that EJD took me on with Nia. I loved immersing myself in her world for a few hours. I loved that she is a smart, well read, word loving, sexual being who doesn't allow any one to label her. Nia Simone Bijou is her own woman. That makes her a wonderful character to me. I've read almost all of EJD's books. "Decadence" has to be one of my favorites. I love a book when the author paints a picture with words so vividly that I can see them. EJD did exactly this for me. That makes it a win in my book. This is erotica done right. "Decadence" is a great read. I would recommend it to everyone. I already made one person in my life read it. He loved it as well. Get into Eric Jerome Dickey's "Decadence."

The irony related to my own life that is in "Decadence" Two things in particular. I wasn't prepared.
— °MsK° (@KatchKenda) May 11, 2013

Ladies Love Lyrics: Mylah "Many Miles"

Mylah is an artist that I've blogged about before (here & here). I am a fan of her voice and her grind. Her latest EP "Silver & Gold" is so good. My favorite track is "Many Miles." This particular track spoke directly to my heart. The lyrics could've been penned by me. "Many Miles" by Mylah describes a woman needing answers after the sudden end of her relationship. This woman is searching for clarity and closure. I've been that woman more often than I should've been. Anywho, everything is better with music. Get into these lyrics. I searched high and low for a YouTube of this song. Finally found one but could not embed it for some reasons. You can catch it here. Enjoy!


“There was a time when I was your everything.
I can’t even lie, you were mine too.
There was nothing that I thought would go wrong.
But love sometimes makes a fool out of you.

(Chorus) So tell me
What made you different baby?
What made us fall apart?
Do you have a heart?
You were hot and cold in an instant,
closeness became a distance.
Your body’s here
but you’re really miles away
so many miles away.

Is it someone new?
You can just tell me.
I’m not insecure
I just want to know
Cause right now
this don’t make a bit of sense
How you woke up today
wanna throw us all away.

Tell me
What made you different baby?
What made us fall apart?
Do you have a heart?
You were hot and cold in an instant,
closeness became a distance.
Your body’s here
but you’re really miles away
so many miles away.

Now if you’re really tryna go
then go ahead and leave.
But baby stop and think
about what we have.
Cause if you walk out the door,
I’ll take my heart and seal it up,
put two fingers up.
No love’s gonna live here 
anymore.

What made you different baby?
What made us fall apart?
Do you have a heart?
You were hot and cold in an instant,
closeness became a distance.
Your body’s here
but you’re really miles away
so many miles away..."

May I Be Random Again??

° I babysat one of my niece's last weekend. It was the first time I kept her over night. We had so much fun. She's only 19 months old but she has so much personality. She's saying a few words now. I really enjoyed her. 

° Someone gave me a compliment via Tumblr the other day that really touched me. Souljunkee said I was "just deep, and courageous in the way she uses her keyboard to shine a light on her journey." I was sincerely moved. And grateful that my light shines even when I don't feel all sunshine and rainbows.  

° I do believe that I am a kid at heart. I have discovered that the Hub channel airs "Animaniacs." This has made me very happy every weekday @ 6pm. No matter what else is going on, I know I will laugh at the foolishness of Wakko, Yakko and Dot. Oh and Mindy and Buttons and the Good Feathers.

° Every week I say that Shonda Rimes and the writers of "Scandal" cannot get any better. And, every week I am dead wrong. This week was no different. The finale is going to be sick. I will be sad until it returns in the fall. 

° I have decided on my next 2 books. Eric Jerome Dickey's "Decadence" and "The Autobiography of Assata Shakur." "Decadence" is the follow-up to "Plelasure" which I loved. I also need to find another trilogy to get into. Something as good as "The Hunger Games." All suggestions are welcome. 

° After having a bad allergic reaction, I am trying my best to stay away from shrimps. This would not be so hard if I didn't live in Louisiana. Seafood is a huge commodity here. It also sucks becuase I love shrimps. But, they do not love me back. *le sigh* 

° Justin Timberlake announced that "The 20/20 Experience Part 2" will be released on September 30th!!! I am uber excited about this. Especially since I am still bumoing his double platinum "The 20/20 Experience Part 1" daily. *I am typing this as "Spaceship Coupe" plays right now"

° So, I learned what trypophobia was this week. It is the fear of clusters of holes. My eyes will never feel the same. I knew I didn't like the Hershey's Air commercial becuase the "holes" in the cany looks gross. I did not know this was a real thing. I have this. I hate this. 

° I think I am over online journaling. I haven't written on Penzu in over a month. I think it was good for me then. Now, I'm not so sure. Anyway, over it. 

So You Had A Bad Day...

A picture/gif is worth a million words. This one is eerily accurate of how I feel inside. But, I put a smile on my face  every day. One day, it'll all be different, better. Today clearly isn't that day.

Places I Must Visit: Cabo and Punta Cana and Barcelona

In honor of Cinco de Drinko (nee Cinco de Mayo), I decided to choose a couple of Spanish speaking countries. I have always wanted to go to  Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Barcelona, Spain. All beautiful countries in their own right. While I won't be out celebrating Cinco de Mayo, I will have a margarita in honor of the holiday. Let's discuss my three places I must visit in this lifetime.

I've wanted to go to a tourist city in Mexico for a while. I have just decided that Cabo is that place. All the pictures I've ever seen of this city are gorgeous. From the hotels to the restaurants to the beaches, Cabo San Lucas looks like a fun time to be had by all. I would def indulge in plenty margaritas on every available beach there. It is def on my short list of places to go soon.

Second on my list is Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Breathtakingly beautiful. I want to go here for the beaches and the sunsets. This is a vacation destination hot spot. I have friends that have been before. They all say it is the place to go. The more I hear about it, the more I ache to go.

Last but not least is Barcelona, Spain. I am a fan of old buildings with history. Barcelona has this. Museums, restaurants, hotels and historic art are all reasons that I need to visit here. The city is so gorgeous at night all lit up. The history of the city is very interesting. I cannot wait to make my way there and explore all it has to offer. Hope you guys are enjoying this fine Sunday. Have a drink or three for me! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

My Poetry Corner X: "Between Us"

"Between Us"

The space between us fills up with 

all the words we do not say
the phrases we won’t allow ourselves to utter
supposedly it’s better this way
we talk around the issues
discussing safe topics
that exist outside the perimeter

In between us
lies what’s left of our love
we can no longer touch it
or feel it
because we broke it

We took something beautiful
and turned it dirty

Now we’re forced to act as if
it never existed
as if the remnants of who we used 

to be aren’t scattered
on the ground in front of our feet

So you’ll ask how my day was
and I’ll ask about the weather
as we dance this dance
while continuing to pretend
that we weren’t once a couple
madly in love.

Outside (My) Movie Box: Part 12

 

Movie Night returns!!! Movie watching is a hobby I do not indulge in enough lately. So, I decided to rectify that. I spent one Saturday watching movies. Between Netflix and recently purchased DVD's, a stormy day was made better. All three movies were filmed in my city (New Orleans for those who do not know). All different but all good in their own way. Two of the films just happen to star Bruce Willis which was a total coincidence. I want to tell you all about them. 

Next up was the film "Looper." It stars Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. I am a huge fan of Bruce and Emily. This film was odd at first to me. It took a while for it to get interesting. So the beginning of the movie was slow. But, when it picked up, it took off. This movie is set way in the future, 2074. When the mob wants to get rid of a person, they go back in the past to do it. Gordon-Levitt plays a "looper," a man who works for the mob and kills people who are sent blindfolded back in time.The movie takes a different turn when Gordon-Levitt learns that he is next on the list. Bruce Willis plays the older version of Gordon-Levitt. The ending was unexpected but worked well. Once I got into this film, I could not get enough of it. Great movie. 

Then, I tuned into NetFlix for more films. I found "Fire With Fire" starring Bruce Willis, Josh Duhamel, Rosario Dawson and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. This is a movie about a man (Duhamel) who witnesses 2 murders and does the right thing by testifying. Willis is the cop that talks Duhamel into testifying. Dawson plays his FBI Witness Protection officer. This movie was pretty good from beginning to end. Duhamel was a beast in this movie. He was my favorite person in the whole movie. The action was awesome as were some of the fighting scenes. I also loved seeing Vincent D'Onofrio playing a really awful guy. I haven't seen him in anything since he was Detectuve Goren on "Law & Order Criminal Intent." He was amazing in this film. I think this was a straight to DVD movie which I really don't unerstand because it was really good. 

 Then, I watched"Seeking Justice" starring Nicholas Cage, Harold Perrineau and January Jones. Cage plays an English teacher at a local New Orleans high school. His wife is brutally asssualted. This brings in a man from a vigilante group with an offer to take care of the guy who hurt his wife. What follows is a crazy, high paced incredible story. I loved every moment of it. Cage is, as always, excellent. The storyline was interesting and captivating. I was actually sad when it was over. This was my first time seeing January Jones in a movie. I really liked her in it. I actually remember when this was being filmed here. Shut down traffic one night to film one dope scene. This movie was a great choice as were the others. If you haven't seen an y of them, I suggest you do. Get into all of them.

Ladies Love Lyrics: Tamia's "Officially Missing You"

 

 

This is a throwback but still awesome. I have loved Tamia's voice since "You Put A Move On My Heart" off of the great "Q's Jook Joint" cd. I heard this song a few weeks ago and it's been stuck in my head ever since. I love everything about this track and the video. Great music will always stand the test of tiome. This track qualifies. Also, I've seen Tamia live and she gives a great show. That voice is still amazing. Enjoy this walk down memory lane.

 

"All I hear is raindrops
Falling on the rooftop
Oh baby tell me why’d you have to go
Cause this pain I feel
It won't go away
And today I’m officially missing you
I thought that from this heartache
I could escape
But I fronted long enough to know
There ain’t no way
And today
I’m officially missing you[Chorus]
Oh can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do
Hey baby say it stays on my mind
And I, I’m officially
All I do is lay around
Two years full of tears
From looking at your face on the wall
Just a week ago you were my baby
Now I don’t even know you at all
I don’t know you at all
Well I wish that you would call me right now
So that I could get through to you somehow
But I guess it’s safe to say baby safe to say
That I’m officially missing you..."

Movie Review: "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

I can admit that I was championing the star of "Beasts of the Southern Wild" little Ms. Quvenzhane' Wallis without watching the movie. But, I felt that a 9 year little Black girl deserved to be championed. I finally sat down to watch her debut film. I was intrigued by it because it was filmed in my home state. Although the area is unfamiliar to me, I just wanted to know more. The movie was so good. Better than I thought it would be. I loved it. This film is based on the very unique relationship between the father Wink and his daughter Hushpuppy. They are very poor financially but rich in family and love. The town they live in is called "Bathtub" and it boasts a population of 87. IT seems to be a place where everyone knows everyone else. The film opens with Hushpuppy talking to the audience, telling her story. My favorite line has to be one that Hushpupy states twice in the film:

"I'm recording my story for the scientists in the future. In a million years, when kids go to school, they gonna know: once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub."

 My favorite scene in the movie.

Throughout most of the film, Wink is very hard on Hushpuppy. She has no mother and only has him. She is very smart and resilient for a six year old kid. They weather a huge storm and a quarantine. She is very scrappy. She lives in a "house" across from Wink's house. I did not understand that. She cooks for herself. She gets herself up and off to school.  She spends almost all of the film with wild hair and dirty clothes. The ending made me cry. I didn't expect that. It was a really great film though. I would recommend it to everyone. After watching it, I still believe that little miss Quvenzhane' Wallis was robbed of her Oscar. She was amazing in this film. She was only five years old when this was filmed. She is not a trained actress but she showed so much strength in her acting. She has amazing control over her facial expressions and emotions. I cannot wait to see what else she will do. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" gets an A+ from me. It is definitely a must see. 

Hush Puppy and her Daddy, Wink in the Bathtub. 

Classic Music: Jay Z's "Reasonable Doubt"

Jay Z is my favorite rapper. Ever. If you've been here more than once, that becomes abundantly clear. I am a fan. "Reasonable Doubt" is a cd that I can clearly remember the first time I heard it. I was a freshman in college. My friend's roommate had the cd. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before. There was something about his voice that drew me in. I was sold. I've written about the cd before here. It changed my view of rappers and Hip Hop. Before then I was a R&B and Bounce girl. A clear product of my environment. Music has always played a special place in my life. This cd is definitely in my top ten of  favorite albums. 

I can still listen to it and vibe with it today...17 years later. Jay's music has become a regular part of my life. My favorites on RD haven't changed. They are still "Feelin It," "Can I Live," and "Politics As Usual." Timeless tracks in my book. Jay's delivery has changed some but his heart hasn't. He can still drop a song that I will love, still spin a story in a set of 16's. He is that good still. Even in his 40's, he's doper and more lyrical than most current rappers. That is a fact so don't debate me on it. "Reasonable Doubt"is a classic for all of those reasons and more. I love to hear him before them even more. Get into this Hip-Hop classic. 

It's My Hair: I Won Curls Unleashed!

I have long said that the power of Twitter is an amazing thing. It can connect you to people you never would've known. It can introduce you to new products, websites, writers, artists and thoughts. I have found some amazing people/things because of it. I've purchased items from small businesses that I would not have found if not for Twitter. I've won a few contests because of it as well. That was the case a few weeks ago as well. On April 10th, I won the above Curls Unleashed products through a giveaway by Ebony magazine (@EBONYmag). The question was simple for a natural chick like me. I was the first person to tweet with the correct answer. I LOVE free things. And, free products for my natural hair journey makes it all even better. I couldn't wait to get the product and try them out.  

Curls Unleashed is a company that offers 7 products for natural hair. They are: Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo, No Restrictions Moisturizing Conditioner, No Boundaries Leave-In Conditioner, Let It Flow Shine & Define Mousse, Set It Off Curl Boosting Jelly, Second Chance Curl Refresher, and Take Command Curl Defining Creme. I won 6 of the 7 (plus a great cup). Also, I will be buying the leave in conditioner to try it out. Let's review them. 

• Lavish in Lather Sulfate-free Shampoo - I haven't used shampoo in months. So, I was curious to try this. I love the way it smells and the feel of it. It has more than enough slip so I felt like all of my hair was covered. I did notice that my hair felt a little dry. My hair and scalp felt so clean afer I was done. 
• No Restrictions Moisturizing Conditioner - This smells amazing. I kept it on under a plastic cap & the dryer for 25 minutes while I was on the phone. So, it was kind of a deep conditioner. It felt great after I washed it out. I felt like this product definetely moisturized my hair.
• Let It Flow Shine & Define Mousse - This was one of my faves. I loved the way my hair felt after applying it. The look was great too. 
• Set It Off Curl Boosting Jelly - The smell is not a great one. The product works though. I love the look it gave my hair. I didn't have to use a lot to achieve the look. I just am not a fan of the scent. 
• Second Chance Curl Refresher - Very dope product. Used it on 3rd day braid out and it revived my curls. 
• Take Command Curl Defining Creme - I do not like the smell of it. But, I loved the way it made my curls look. This was also a fave. I know I will be using this on a daily. 

All in all, I've had a great first experience with this line. My hair felt soft and  manageable for days after the inital use. I am proud to say that Curls Unleashed is a win for this naturalista. I love getting free things. This was right up my alley. I am really happy with the way this line worked with my hair. I will be blogging about it soon when I try a new hairstyle. Natural girls, if you haven't tried Curls Unleashed, please do. Get into it. 

Let Me Tell You A Story In Just 6 Words

I started a series on my Tumblr page. It is entitled "6 Word Stories." I started writing it as a way to get my thoughts out. I just wanted to see where my head was at for the last month or so. It is very hard to tell a story in just 6 words. But, that's what I did. Every one is a glimpse into my life, my emotions. Words mean things. My 6 word stories have been very useful to me.  So, I wanted to share what  I have come up with thus far. I will also be updating the list so, stay tuned. 

• Nighttime used to be more comfortable.
• When did we stop being us?
• Today I forgot I was sad.
• I miss you all the time.
• When will my heart stop hurting?
• What happens when you stop caring?
• Every night fighting the same fight.
• This once was my favorite time.
• I'm going to be happy today.
• Music always makes everything much better. 
• Laying here I realize I'm tipsy.
• Smiling deeply from within all day.
• Made myself stop obsessing over you.
• Yes my ego is still bruised.
• Nothing people do surprises me anymore. 
• My brokenness is becoming my reality.
• If possible, I feel too much.
• I don't need much just you.
• Weird day turns better via text.
• I cannot stop dreaming of you.
• I appreciate laughter, music and books.
• Desires a sunny beach filled vacay.

Men and Women Are Just...Different

Last night, I read this dope article by Demetria L. Lucas (aka A Belle In Brooklyn). The title "Why Don't Men Get Brokenhearted" was enough to get me to read it. As this is a topic I've thought about often. Men and women are just different when it comes to handling the end of a relationship. I think men compartmentalize their emotions. Women do not. No matter how strong a woman is when her heart has been broken, all bets are off. I really hate that opening yourself up to love also comes with the possibility of having your heart broken. It truly sucks. It reminds me of that quote "Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you and trusting them not to." And, the reality is that heartbreak changes you. What exactly do you do when you've been destroyed? How do you pick yourself up from that? I still have no clue. This article opened my eyes to some things.  My favorite part of her article was this:

For clarity, men are not women with penises. Via nature, they're wired differently, and via nurture (i.e., socialization) they're usually taught to respond differently from women -- for instance, holding back tears that women might let flow or clamming up when women would want to talk. 

Some women make the mistake of assuming that men don't have feelings just because, in general, they don't express them the same way women do. And some women use that faulty reasoning to treat men with less care than they should, which is never OK. Expressing their feelings differently doesn't mean men don't have them.  

It sounds as if you may be in the midst of your own heartbreak and don't understand why the object of your affection doesn't feel the way you do.

I've been here in this broken place twice. Which is two times too many if you ask me. I know how I "handle" heartbreak. Handle being the operative word. I cry a lot. I write until my fingers hurt. I listen to music that only speaks to that exact emotion which in turn makes me cry even more. I drink too much. I think way too much. But, what I don't do is talk a lot. I hold my cards very close to the chest. I don't want everyone to know how sad I am or how broken I feel or even how angry I am. I keep almost all of that trapped inside me. I have male friends who've gone through breakup's but they never act like I do. Except the drinking. That seems to be a given. I know that men and women are different. Women can be too emotional but men are culturally programmed to not show emotions. It's just odd. It makes me question so many things. Granted I would not be ok with a man bawling in front of me on a daily. That's not what I want. The article just really stuck with me. For reasons. It was very interesting and I had to share. 

Around These E-Streets (VI)

° My heart is still very heavy days later . The Boston Marathon Bombing is just so sad. How cruel and evil can people be? I do not unerstand and I never will. An 8 year old child is dead. None of us should be afraid to leave our houses. This has to stop. 

° Republicans are dumb and stupid. I say this with no remorse. Senate failed to pass a law to increase background checks for purchasing guns. President Obama was not happy at all with this. He looked pissed. I totally agree. What about the kids in Sandy Hook and the movie theater patrons in Aurora or the daily gun murders in the US? Do the Republicans jus not care about human life?

° Kid Rock (who I thought had stopped making music) is in the news for 2 things lately. He is on tour (why?) and his concert tickets are now $20. And for bashing the prices of the Jay-Z/JT concert. Ummm, sir? How much have you charged in the past? I hate when folks want to forget from whence they came. Shut up, dude.

° The Galaxy S4 launch date is near. I cannot wait because I really want this cell. I signed up for the pre-order with Sprint. April 27th is the day!

° Forget your education, find a husband. Yes, that's what this author wants women to do. It's laughable on so many reasons. If I would've married the guy I was with when I wasn 19-21, I would be a 33 year old divorcee. That is the truth. Read for a laugh.

° There is a new African-American natural hair care blog launching soon. It is MadameYou.I will be very interested to see what info is available here. I am always looking for a new site to read on care for my hair.

° The fact that President Obama had to take timeout to answer such trivial questions makes me sick. The fact that Jay & Beyonce's trip to Cuba is national news. We have got to do better. Seriously.

° I am watching this North Korea issue closely. It kinda scares me. You guys should pay attention too.

° I am NOT a Kobe fan. But, even I hate to see his season end like this. [Drake voice]"My n***a Kobe, I hate it had to be him." Hope he gets well soon.