Wednesday, May 20, 2009

FASHION || fat girls got style? well, duh!

So I forgot about this, but it's a cool little blurb about the Fatshionistas. I don't have much more to say about it, but that it's good that style is not just for thin women. And, believe me, being stylish as a fat girl is reeeeeaaaallly hard, given the limited retail options. Go 'head my fly, fat, fashionable sisters! Go 'head!

So here it is, from Jezebel: http://jezebel.com/5259671/stylish-doesnt-mean-skinny-meet-the-fatshionistas

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

LIFE || talkin' 'bout good and bad hair. . .

I've been trying to get this or something like it out for days:

I've given into the myth that straightening my hair makes it more "manageable". Reality: When I wore my hair natural, it took about as much time or less to make it cute as it does with this relaxer. I've been guilty of wanting my hair bone straight, and have endured the burn of the relaxer to get it so. (It's funny now, because I'd prefer my straightened hair, now, to have some 'kink' in it) And ultimately, the time when I had the most "gorgeous hair" was the time I did not use chemicals on it.

I wouldn't call myself a slave to my hair. I don't judge other people (or their worth, or their blackness) by how kinky or straight thier hair is. I've worn my hair naturally and loved it, and worn it relaxed and loved it. But the point of all of this is that I watched Tyra a few days ago and was so saddened by the self-hate black women still have. If it's not about skintones, it's about hair texture.

When women will refuse to date men of thier own heritage in fear of having a child with "bad hair", there's still a problem. When a little girl wants to wear only the straight "Hannah Montana" wig, instead of her cute little kinky ponytails and barretts, my little heart aches. There was a mother who permed (relaxed) her little girl's hair at three years old and another mother who avoided introducing her daughter with a natural haircut out of embarrassement that her hair was no longer straight.

What is up? I mean I know what is up. In America, beauty is anything that is close to whiteness: light skin, straight hair, svelte figure, slight features. I know that. It has been this way forever: good hair, bad hair, black women being afraid of the sun (and not for health reasons), brown paper bag tests.

It sucks that beauty comes in so many different packages, but we're too busy being blinded by the wavy texture of someone's hair, than to look at the real beauty that lies in the dark face staring us in the mirror.

It's so sad that this thing is REAL. That girls are still being brought up to find themselves ugly because their hair kinks up when wet instead of curls or waves; That they are dark chocolate instead of caramel. Most, if not all people want to feel attractive; little girls, big girls, grown girls want to feel pretty. It's so hard when everyone is telling you you're not.

This is so just the tip of the iceberg of my rambling thoughts. Please share any of yours. . . Need inspiration: The classic good hair/bad hair, light-skinned/dark-skinned battle from Spike Lee's classic joint: School Daze.





In the words of Dap: We need to "WAKE UP!"

Sunday, May 10, 2009

FOOD || cooking stuff and thoughts about it. again.

So for Mother's Day, I planned a brunch. I'm trying to get some experience cooking, well mostly baking. I've realized I love baking things, not just sweets, and if I could bake something everyday, I would. Luckily, I have no classes and I have no job (at this moment) and I'm at my mother's house so I have room and time to try recipes.

But back to the brunch, it turned out well. My mother and sisters seemed to enjoy it and that made me really happy. I was also really tired as I started at 9 AM cooking up things.

We started off with banana chocolate chip muffins (walnuts in some for my mom) and then fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and grapes) and mimosas. That was followed by spinach quiche, drop biscuits, pan-fried chicken breasts, rice, and bacon (for my mom.) It was tasty. I'd never made quiche, biscuits, or muffins before and they all turned out great!

I wish I would have oven-fried the chicken, because I really don't like cooking on the stove top. I'll try a few more things to see if I just have an aversion to
frying things, but in this cooking journey, the baking has been the most enjoyable.

I only hope to get better and better and to make people a bit happy with what I can make.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

MUSIC || mother's day.

Mother's Day is coming up!
One of my favorite things about that day used to be that it would be the only time of the year I could hear "Mama Used to Say" by Junior. I can listen to it whenever now, because I know the artist and important information. But the point is this was my favorite Mother's Day song because it was upbeat, fun, and made me want to dance. Also, Junior's falsetto is quite amusing.

So whenever I listen to this song, I remember being a kid and waiting for this song to come on the radio.

Now, I saw the video for the first time today, and I really don't know what scrubbing yourself in a bathtub and a cartoon house have to do with what your Mama Used to Say, but hey, I still love the song.

IRL ||morning randoms for you.

1. Clearly, I think I'm missing my housemates. But I will be in Detroit for the rest of the week. . .

2. Spent the morning with Faith Evans and the fabulous Chaka Khan. Lovely.

3. Feeling weird because every time I listen to "You Gets No Love. . . " this line always stands out: "Just because I let you get some, that don't make you the one. We ain't even in love. . ." And I like it. Just bad.

4. I am kind of obsessed with the new BEP's "Boom Boom Pow." I listen to it whenever it comes on. I kind of think it's a silly song too, with Fergie's screeching in the middle.

5. I want, like, a bizillion dresses! I think I might start switching over to a mostly dress/skirt wardrobe. I think that would be fun. I've been slipping into jeans and t-shirts lately. Like, real t-shirts-- not the fitted ones with the flattering necklines, but like standard 2X t-shirts. Get it together Miss .renae.

Friday, May 1, 2009

IRL || busy weekend ahead.

Cupcake baking at home in Detroit.
Bridal shower set up.

Bridal Shower in Southfield.
UofM graduation and yay-ing for my sorors in Ann Arbor, of course.

It seems like a little bit, but I can't find time to really do much else this Friday and Saturday. Hopefully Sunday will be chill. I may stay in Detroit to watch the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

By the way, I am still afraid to go back to my room, but I have to go and make sure no more spiders have made little pods on my ceiling. That way I, or my sister, can kill them and spray again. I really hope they are all gone. I still feel ill thinking about it.