Ohhh the 'fro

I have a love hate relationship with my afro. One day I love it, next day it hates me. Keeping and maintaining an afro is not an easy feat.

Rockin' my 'fro!

There's nothing like getting your 'fro just right, only so that someone can come up to you, compliment and try to stick their fingers in your hair. Excuse me but I don't know where your fingers have been and Afro Etiquette 101-Don't touch the 'fro. Always admire from afar. Compliment and leave it at that.

My biggest dilemma is keeping my 'fro moisturized. I have thick, natural, black hair, so I understand it's not going to be silky, shiny and glossy like caucasian or asian hair. Fine, I get that, but I struggle to keep moisture in my hair on a daily basis. (There's got to be nothing worse, than seeing a 'fro that looks like a scouring pad on a sister or brother's head.) I am a big fan of leave-in-conditioners (you have to be when you have natural hair), but even then, I think they only do the job half of the time. To keep moisture, I try to keep my hair in a style for several days, whether cornrows or twists, that way, I am not stressing the hair (virgin hair is very brittle.)

I really like this style!!!

I do like defining my curls with EcoStyler gel and on occasion, I will wear my 'fro like that. It's just that there are times when I think my hair couldn't care less for me and no matter what I do, it's hellbent on doing it's own thing. My only reassurance that I am doing something right, is when I get a comment on how nice my hair looks or how healthy it looks, then I know that maybe, just maybe, my hair doesn't hate me as much as I think it does and like everything else in life, just wants a little TLC. Also I need to stop complaining abut my 'fro because my husband loves it and he hates when i hate on the 'fro. MM

Text Etiquette for the Text Generation

There is nothing more rude and annoying than speaking to someone who is not listening to you (or only catching a few words) because they are too busy texting.  I love technology as much as the next person, in fact I would go so far as to say my husband and I are technology buffs. However, what can be so important that you can't put the phone aside to have a normal conversation with the person that's in front of you? I find this to be a common thread amongst Blackberry owners. I have nothing against Blackberries albeit I don't own one, but I enjoy my SmartPhone.  I talk, I text, take pics and record and enjoy sharing them with friends and family. I do however observe cellphone talk and text etiquette.

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

More often than not, the conversations these individuals are having are not important, people are usually gossiping or sending jokes. As a business person, I understand the need to use these forms of communication to stay abreast of trends, but I don't understand how a simple request for milk turns into a half hour conversation when you are already conversing with someone. Unfortunately, what this has created is a generation and generations to come of people with very poor communication skills. The inability to make eye contact and certain forms of anxiety are some of the resulting side effects of this "text generation".

Feel free to talk, text, etc. but be aware of your surroundings and practice courtesy to those with whom you are spending time. Put the phone down! MM