My Last Random Thoughts of 2014

• I had the absolute best Thanksgiving holiday! I enjoyed my family so much. It was good to see them and hang out. The holiday was filled with so much laughter, which I can never get enough of. It was chicken soup for the soul. 
• I took some time Thanksgiving morning to reflect on all the things I have to be thankful for. I need to do that more often. It's far too easy to get caught up in all the things that I want and do not have yet. I am so thankful. 
• When my hair looks good, I feel great. Which is why my weekend was so dope. My perfect braid out was perfect. And, even on day 4, it was still fab. You gotta love natural hair, right?
• This week, I fell off my emotionless wagon. I'm sad because I was doing so well with it. It's hard for a woman like me to hold all of my emotions in. But, I have been doing just that. I slipped. I'll live. 
• Mary J. Blige's new cd "The London Sessions" was released today. It's a new sound for her. "Whole Damn Year" is still my absolute fave. I'm not totally sold on the whole project. I gotta give it another listen or two. You should def get into it. 

• I really need something to read. A series preferably. Something good. I haven't read in a few weeks and I'm annoyed by that. I have to correct that soon.
• There is a quote that reads "Remember you were beautiful before he told you" and I swear I repeat it to myself a lot. When you are used to hearing terms of endearment and being compliment daily by one person and then it ends, there is a part of you that will always long for it. I hate that I yearn for it because it makes me feel weak in a way. But, honestly, who doesn't want to be seen in the best light by people? It is an ongoing battle. 
• Mike Brown's killer was allowed to walk free without an indictment or a trial. He killed a boy and got a paid vacation. Eric Garner's killer, also a cop, wasn't indicted either. His death was ruled a homicide, the choke hold was illegal and yet his killer walked free. I do not feel safe here. I don't feel that my brothers, nephews, friends are safe here. I am the epitome of an angry Black woman today and I have every right to be.
• A Charlie Brown Christmas was on last night. I watched it because I love it. I saw Frosty the Snowman last week. All I need to see is Rudolph and Frosty returns to complete my Christmas cartoon trip down memory lane. I still love them all. 
• It's been a hard lesson to learn when you realize other Black folks are not as concerned with certain Black issues. There is nothing worse than a self hating Black person. I can never understand it. Nor can one reason with that level of ridiculousness. All you can do is pray for them to be enlightened and to stay 100 feet from around me. Please. 

Get Into It: "Dream It Alive"

Dream It Alive is a site dedicated to helping you plan your virtual vision board. Vision boards are a slight obsession of mine this year. I am all about them. I need to visualize what I want, need, and desire in my life. I spent too much time on things that did me no good last year. That will not work going forward. Positive thinking is the only path from here on out. I spent some time on DIA yesterday creating a few boards. The one below is my public one. I have a few private ones as well.  There are 10 category of "dreams" that you can add to your board. You can use templates or add your own personalized pictures. DIA also has questions that you can answer about each dream. I love that I can add depth to each picture with my own words. I really think this is the way to go for those who don't have the time or patience for traditional vision boards. I've printed all of mine out and hung them up so I can see them every day. It's a part of the visualizing my future. Very dope site that you should all get into. You won't regret it. Trust me. 

First of the Year Randoms

• You ever hear an old song, one you've heard thousands of times before. But, on this particular day at that exact moment, something in that song hits you deep? That has happened to me twice this week with songs I've loved for years. I gained a new perspective and some clarity over an old issue. It was dope in a very weird way. 
• I began this year on a positive note. Started my gratitude jar. Positive thoughts and a positive outlook are the themes for 2014. Anyone or anything that does not fall within those lines have to go. They are not wanted or needed. The most important person is me this year. May sound selfish but I need to be this way. 
• Surprise good conversations are good for the soul. And, are needed by this soul. Today was a very dope day. I enjoyed myself immensely. 
• My Saints won their wild card game against Eagles!!! We are moving forward. Seattle is up next and I cannot wait!! We Won!!! 

• Started my list of vinyl must haves. This is going to be a very extensive list. I started with the classics. Oh, and owning every Jay Z project on vinyl is a must. This is going to be fun. Also, have to find a local record store so I can go digging in the crates. I'm excited to replace my collection.
• Since I made up my mind about a few things, I've felt lighter. Like a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I prayed for it, cried for it, wrote through it and I deserve it. I know that. I feel this. I truly believe it. Thank you, God. 
• I've been reading the Harry Potter books from the beginning. I never read the first 4 and I felt I had to read them. I am currently on Year 5 (The Order of the Phoenix) and am falling more in love with the series (books/movies) as a whole. I do not care who knows I am a Potterhead. Absolutely love it. There is so much more information in the books. J.K. Rowling is an awesome vivid writer. 
• There is a commercial I love right now. It's a Sprint commercial with James Earl Jones reading the texts. It is hilarious to me. I love them as much as I love the AT&T kid ones. I say "Totes mcgotes" daily. Lol.

It's 2014!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! There are traditions that I normally do not partake in that I've decided I must today. My first meal of the day (@ 12:01 a.m.) was a piece of baked fish. My lunch was a plate of my Mom's cabbage, black eyed peas and cornbread. Which is amazing cause I hate black eyed peas and I'm not that fond of cabbage. But, the cabbage was great as was the cornbread. The black eyed peas still taste like I remember and I didn't eat all of them. I am all about positivity today and this year. I am expecting the universe to conspire to give me all that I want. I said last night that my resolution in 2014 is more. I want more laughter, happiness, money, prosperity, good experiences, etc. I feel like last year was a year that broke me down to my foundation. Which means that 2014 is a rebuilding year. I will be a better, doper version of myself. A happier, wiser, smarter, funnier Kenda. That is my wish for my 2014. I plan on only doing the things that make me smile and make me money. 

I was already excited about this brand new year. That excitement just rose exponentially after reading my Yahoo 2014 horoscope. Now, I do not live and die by my horoscope. I don't even read it daily anymore. But, the link was reblogged onto my Tumblr dash so I took a look. I was blown away within two sentences. I do not know any other Sag who has dealt with a more isolated year than myself. Reading it gave me chills and made me hopeful. It spoke on my desire for travel and wanting more. It just shows me that I have so much work to do on and for myself this year. I cannot wait. I thought about giving up my blog this year but I know that won't make me happy. Writing makes me happy. This is my happy place, right here on this page. I hope everyone has a fantastic year. We all deserve it the chance to be better, be more this year. Happy 2014, people!!!

Looking Forward

It's New Year's Eve and I'm feeling reflective. So, this post is a two in one. First, I wanna talk about the best thing of my year: my hair. This past year has been an amazing natural hair journey. I've had so truly dope hair days. From braid outs to bantu knot outs to two strand twists to wash and go's, I did it all with my own two hands this year. Most of these styles are trial and error. Some I got right the first time. Others, not so much. But, even when it didn't work, I just tried harder the next time. It's my hair so learning how to work with it is a must. I haven't been to a salon in almost 3 years. This is all me. I am thankful for youtube natural hair vloggers and the hair forums. I am grateful to the natural hair community for all of the information that has been at my fingertips. I did this. I'm so proud of me. Here are my favorite looks/styles of this year. I really fell in love with my own natural hair this year!!

Now, here is the second half. These are 14 questions that needed to be answered before the new year. Let's jump into it! Oh and Happy New Year's people!!!

1. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? *Right now, settling. But that won't be for much longer. 
2. Have you been a friend to yourself? *This year, I have been my own best friend. I had to be.*
3. What was the biggest risk you took this year? *Reached out to someone who hurt me.*
4. What have you been holding onto that you need to let go of? *Everything that was said between the two of us, the life we planned, the love we had.*
5. What was this year’s biggest time waster? How will you make a change? *Biggest time waster were the countless moments spent wondering "what if?" Prayer is the only thing can change it. *
6. In what ways have you supported yourself in being less than? In what ways have you supported yourself in being all that you can be? *I allowed myself to blame me for something that happened to me. I've supported myself by stepping out on faith as far as my writing goes.*
7. Right now, is your life a manifestation of your inner world, or is your inner world a reflection of your outward world? How can you get back into alignment? *My life is a reflection of my outward world. Has been all year. But, 2014 will be the year of manifesting my destiny. This is how I will get back into alignment.*
8. What are 5 things you can do to reconnect? *Stop letting my heart lead me, doing instead of talking, strengthening my faith again, reach out to friends more, keep myself in good spirits.*
9. What lessons can you take away from this year’s relationships? *Things fall apart without warning. You have to be able to function without them. You have to know how to put yourself back together and move forward. No one else will do it for you. Love yourself the most because you are the only person who will take care of your heart. *
10. Have you been compassionate with yourself? With others? *With myself, not so much. With others, maybe a bit too much.*
11. What has brought you the most joy this year? *My family, hands down.*
12. Have you been living in your truth? *More and more.*
13. How do you want to think and feel about yourself twelve months from now? *I want to think more positively. I want to be able to see the sunny side of things again. I want to feel better about everything. I want to be my old self again.*
14. What else do you need to say or do to be complete with this year? *I am so done with this year. I have said everything that I can say, I've written all that I can. I want to leave all of 2013 right here.*