"Mixed Silk" Shampoo by Silk Elements

I washed my hair with "Mixed Silk" shampoo by the Silk Elements line. Here is a video review. I give this product 2 big thumbs up! Hydrating, moisturizing, and non-stripping without leaving buildup. I definitely recommend this product to ladies of all hair types.

Natural Hair Care Can Be Expensive

If you're trying to save money by skipping weekly visits to the hair salon or beauty salon, going natural won't aid you in the regard. Natural hair care is just as, if not more expensive than caring for relaxed hair. Good, mid to high range sulfate, salt and silicone free products can be costly so carefully consider the reasons why you are starting this journey.

Tangle Teezer to the Rescue?

YAY! I ordered my Tangle Teezer tonight from Sallybeauty.com. I'll post a review once I get it!

My Hair at One Year Post Relaxer (Video)

As promised, more of what you love. Hair care info! I thank God for Youtube and hair boards. They have truly been a friend to me on this natural hair journey. It's so much easier for someone to go natural now. I hope to be a source of support and info as others have been for me. 

Look out for many more hair care videos to come. I have filmed dozens, I just need to post them. I also have videos coming up on Customer Service, and of course, my escape from Concrete Jungles. Stay tuned!

Big Red X on Ipod Screen (What Apple Doesn't Want You To Know)

You know what they say. Arm yourself with knowledge.

So I'm up working on the late night tip and discovered that my ipod might be truly broken and beyond recovery. I started to cry some baby tears because this ipod is VERY well taken care of. It's my second ipod. The first one (a 30 gig) still works well but I ran out of space so I gave it to one of my teens. I then went out and purchased a 160 gig Classic. I keep it in a case that covers every centimeter of it except the click wheel. I have never dropped it or gotten it wet. I only use it when connected it to either the jack in my car or my Bose Sound Dock. So imagine my surprise when this ugly scary message wouldn't leave my ipod screen:

www.apple.com/support/ipod

After trying all the normal steps on apples website to the point of my thumbs hurting, I decided to search youtube. And voila! There were like 2 videos on the art of smacking an ipod back into shape. When I tell you I beat this ipod like it stole something (with open palm of course- and taking care not to damage the screen)... Anyway, the ipod kicked itself right out of purgatory and into the land of the living. I got a plug icon on the screen which prompted me to plug the ipod into my laptop to restore it.

Yes, I said RESTORE. Unfortunately you will have to restore your baby to factory settings if you ever see this nasty error. But it's a small price to pay as opposed to a brand new ipod or a trip to the Apple store for repairs. Wouldn't you agree? And though I have become an Apple FanGirl over the years and destest all Microsoft products, I am not trying to put more zeros in Steve Jobs bank account. I haven't even had this ipod two years. I am NOT trying to shell out hundreds of dollars on another one- or even one dollar on servicing this one. So I tried a simple method and had rousing success. Try searching apples website for any real answers and you'll end up with red thumbtips and a nice fat bill from "The Genius Squad" at your local Apple Store.

I would encourage everyone to try little remedies like this first before shelling out the big bucks at shops or replacing an item. I wouldn't recommend opening up the case and fiddling around with chips and wires- but if a good smack on the back of an ipod can save me some dough- I'm all for it. Of course I'll pass that knowledge on to you.

So faithful readers, always back up your music, movies, games etc. And when your ipod acts up- slap that sucka back in line with a few well placed pops.

Miami "Cold" Snap

View outside my 3rd floor brownstone apartment in Brooklyn, New York after a snow storm in 2006. Yes, those are two cars next to him.

A friend just called me on some "Wooo Lawd" mess because it's considered "cold" in Miami. I guess, if you have nothing else to compare it to. Don't get me wrong- you need a jacket. But all this "Ooooo it's so cold" and calling on the Lord for 50 degrees and a little wind... Over the top.

Entire street outside that same window.

What do they know about cold so brutal you feel it with every fiber of your being? Wind that takes away your breath in your throat? Cold that makes your eyes water and turn your tears to ice on your cheek? Cold that freezes the tips of ears, noses, fingers and toes? Cold that cracks lips, skin and leather? Cold that makes every orifice in your upper body leak? And what of the snow? Snow that buries everything in it's wake? Including your front steps, your car, your legs up to the knee and your dog if you're silly enough to walk him? But wait. It gets worse! When you make it to a safe haven, away from the cold, wind and possible snow your body begins to thaw out, sending sharp needles of pain throughout your system as the blood begins to flow to those frozen limbs.

View outside my back window. THIS is a good gauge of how rough it was because unlike the front which must be shoveled and paved for pedestrians backyards are left to their own devices until the snow melts.

If you're not stomping snow off your Timbs upon entering a building, or rubbing your hands together while you blow on them to spark a 'lil heat, if you're not covering from toe tip to head top in boots, underarmor, tights, thermal socks, heavy jeans, a knee length or longer fleece lined coat, Isotoner gloves, a t-shirt, a sweater, a scarf long enough to wrap around your chest inside the coat, come up over the neck of the coat to wrap around your neck and come up over your lips right under your eyes which are covered with shades or glasses, replete with a hat, and ear muffs then you my friend ARE NOT COLD. Oh yeah- your little ipods/phones/pads would short out right in your ear if you try to have some tunes to keep your company on your trek ON FOOT through a North East Tundra. So run the 5 feet from your condo to your car that I'm sure has heat to go along with that AC, put on a jacket and suck it up.

Love,

A Nor' Easter.

RYNGRUPEVEF3

The Fleecing of America Part #1: High School Graduations

Some of you may know that my oldest "baby" graduated from High School this past year. Friday, June 11, 2010 to be exact. To make a very long story short, I calculate that I shelled out close to five thousand dollars on her during the course of her senior year.

I know. You're sitting there with your mouth agape. And though I can't remember ALL the fees, I do remember getting a "checklist" when she was a junior. Many of those activities, events and items cost well over $500. There were at least ten things on the list. Now, even though she didn't do all of them, she did enough. Coupled with her cotillion which took place that Sunday, June 13, 2010, I can safely say I spent well over $4,000 on baby girl.

Now, I'm not a penny pincher. Though I am not living as glamorously as I did when I was working in corporate America and getting bonus checks that were 5 digits, I still like to have nice things. I drive a late model car, that I purchased brand new. In fact, out of the five cars I've purchased in my life, three of them were brand new. Though I maintain my hair at home now- it's mostly because I'm trying keep it healthy and getting it fried, dyed and laid to the side every week at Maria's Dominicana Salon or Bonita's Bump N Curl kinda counteract that goal. However, I get my pink and white manicures, pedicures and eyebrows done on the reg. I still shop, eat out, purchase gadgets, do a bit of traveling, tithe (yes, 10%. Praise God from whom all blessings flow). But I'm sorry, thousands of bucks for a graduation, especially in this economy is some bull.

Keep in mind, I just got married last September. We're still paying for something things from that event. Though we paid for a lot of things cash and many other things were gifted to us from family and loved ones- we still paid a pretty penny for our wedding. We had about 100 guests, give or take 5 or 10. We had an open bar at a restaurant that overlooks the water and has an amazing view of the Miami night sky line. We had a lavish buffet, a stretch Hummer... yadda yadda yadda. So yeah. We already paid out the wazoo for our wedding. After all, me and the marriage thing is a ONE time event. So fairy tale it had to be. But over the top graduations... No.

I'm going to her THIRD graduation this year next Tuesday. She graduated from basic training back in September. She graduates from AIT next week. I'm sure the Army will have another 5 graduations before it's all said and done. And of course, she'll graduate from undergrad, grad and hopefully post grad schools. So...

I guess what I'm ranting about is the fact that these companies are pimping the hell out of these kids and their parents. We are not rich. When I had my big corporate America job I was upper middle classed at best. Now that I'm doing my own thing I'm scraping along the fringes of lower middle class, and POOR. So imagine my surprise when my 16 year old junior called me yesterday to tell me that HER ring is pricing out at a cool $700? Her sisters, just last year was $600. Are they mad?

And then if you try to get yours done with another vendor, they bar your child from participating in the ring ceremony which is supposed to be the "official moment when juniors become rising seniors". I saw the sadness in my 16 year olds eyes when I said "Hell to the no!" Well, actually I said "Absolutely not!", but I was thinking the former. Of course, after thinking about it, I can NOT deny her what her sister had just last year. Especially when she's doing so well in school, and balances all her activities and studies to perfection. In fact, because she's such a super girl, she's being honored at an event this Saturday. She won't even be around to accept the award (I'm accepting it on her behalf). She'll be out of town at a weekend conference for one of her organizations. Did I mention she's also been tapped to be on the Board of Directors at a non-profit that mentors inner city youth? So yeah, she deserves to get the ring she wants. But why does it have to be so damned expensive?!

Last point- after my oldest graduated last year there was this vendor outside selling replicas of their diplomas at $35 a pop. I know how much it costs to make those little plaque thingys. En masse- probably about $5 each. So do the math. 700 graduating seniors x $30 profits = $21,000 at ONE graduation. These companies are coming up on us and pimping us for every dollar in our pocket and we just smile and ask may we have another. I promise if we have more kids we won't even get sucked into this mess. And they won't know any better because we never exposed them to any of it to begin with.

#END RANT#