My First "Movie"

As you know I have a ton of creative ambitions. I want to make films - I want to tell stories that affect change and make people really think (and by make I want to produce, write, edit, all of it). It is of extreme importance to me to become abreast of the process of being a filmmaker. I want to learn everything I can. While in L.A., I worked with so many talented writers and saw how the story came together on the page. I decided that at this stage in my career, it was time to learn how to "show" the story. I am seeking all I can about the various programs to make films. A friend of mine shared his Adobe Premiere package (I can go to his office and practice). I was extremely fortunate that a workshop was being offered her in Final Cut Pro. I've learned so much in my time here! So I wanted to share with you my first ever "movie". It is a two minute story. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. (I know some of the transitions are cheesy but I had to for class!)

She Makes Me Wanna - Be a Mom (Eventually!)

I don't talk much about motherhood. I know it is an amazing thing but its never been at the top of my priority list. I pride myself in being a bit of a gypsy, free spirit girl (my motto, I need to be able to fit my life into my car just in case I have to move around really quickly!). Kenya was one of those people I saw as the same way. In college she was super "dope" - she had an original style of dress and she was genuinely a sweet girl. Something about her didn't translate Baton Rouge (not that anything is wrong about BTR natives, she just seemed more worldly). Although we never discussed her future plans I just assumed she'd become some world traveler who lived a unique, non traditional life. Well even though we haven't lived in the same place in forever, Kenya and I keep in touch often and she's living a very traditional existence in a very unique way. I also am a huge fan of the outward show of love she displays for her husband - it is so common for women to talk about what men aren't doing; Kenya takes time to say be uber supportive of her hubby. She's the hip, cool type of wife and mother (she gave birth some beautiful babies!) that makes me consider EVENTUALLY becoming a mother (eventually not any time soon!). Take a second to get to know Kenya Afumi Lewis - see what she makes you wanna do!

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NAME:KENYA AFUMI LEWIS
AGE: 33
HOMETOWN: BATON ROUGE, LA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: ATLANTA, GA

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: SOME COLLEGE
OCCUPATION: SAHM/DESIGNER
AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP: AN ACTRESS. I WAS ALWAYS REENACTING SOMETHING I SAW ON TELEVISION. I'VE ALWAYS HAD A VERY VIVID IMAGINATION. I'M STILL PRETTY ANIMATED, OR SO I HEAR.
DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO: YES. I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN I WANTED TO STAY HOME WITH MY CHILDREN. I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING THEM GROW. I ACTUALLY TAKE PICTURES OF NEARLY EVERYTHING THEY DO AND TRY TO CHRONICLE THEIR YOUTH THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY. I KNOW THESE MOMENTS ARE FLEETING.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER: I STOPPED WORKING FULL-TIME 5 YEARS AGO (JUST BEFORE MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN). AS FOR DESIGN, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ARTISTIC, BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FIND OUTLETS TO CULTIVATE MY CREATIVE TALENTS INTO MARKETABLE SKILLS. SO SOMEHOW, I CONVINCED MYSELF TO BECOME A NURSE. I STILL WONDER WHAT I WAS THINKING. THANKFULLY, I HAD A REALLY CLOSE FRIEND WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO BECOME MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT MY DREAMS. SO, I MOVED TO ATLANTA FOR A MORE AMBITIOUS APPROACH TO LIFE-AN ORDAINED MOVE. SOON AFTER, I ENROLLED IN FASHION DESIGN AND MARKETING CLASSES AT NIGHT WHILE I WORKED FULL-TIME. I'M STILL VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT DESIGN. MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED A T-SHIRT LINE LAST YEAR AND ARE PLANNING TO LAUNCH A CHILDREN'S LINE EARLY NEXT YEAR.
ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAMED OF: YES. IN SO MANY WAYS. I REALLY LOVE BEING MARRIED. MY HUSBAND IS TRULY A GODSEND. IT'S ENCOURAGING THAT MY DREAMS AND GOALS ARE HIS, AS WELL. HE'S SUCH AN INSPIRATION.
AND, OH MY BABIES! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A BIG FAMILY, AND PARENTING IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME. I CONSTANTLY ASK GOD TO MAKE ME A BETTER WIFE AND MOTHER. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING BOTH.
WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION: MY MOTHERS, KATHI NEWTON AND RUBY LEWIS. BOTH VERY STRONG WOMEN.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN: I REALLY LOVE TRAVELING WITH MY HUSBAND.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DREAM: MAKE SURE YOUR DREAMS AND GOD'S WILL FOR YOU ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM ONE ANOTHER.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OR MOTTO:
FAITH WITHOUT WORK IS NULL.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN. GEORGE ELIOT (MARY ANNE EVANS)

Samantha Jones - Friend in My Head

As I've said tons of times before, I didn't get into Sex and the City until way later than everyone else. Once I did I was hooked. I gain new insight into myself all the time from this show. My latest friend in my head is none other than Samantha Jones from the show.

On first glance it may appear that Carrie is my prototype - she's a great writer, fashion forward, and seeks to be in love. Well, what I've recently discovered (well more like accepted about myself) is that I have much more to learn from Samantha. Its easy to say that Samantha is a just some cougar in heat. That is so not the case! Samantha Jones is so much more.

She is a consummate business woman. Throughout the course of the show we saw her build her business into a power PR firm and she put her boo on the map by constructing a PR campaign revolving around some silly play he was in! Episode after episode, we see her set her sights on something (more often someone) and by the end of the show she lands her conquests. In my head I see us discussing strategies for promoting my business and building it as she did hers.

Samantha is not the typical prototype for a "lady", but she's all woman! There's a quote that says, "Well-behaved women rarely make history.” I've been trying to follow so many self imposed rules for so long that if having a friend like Samantha in my head is totally necessary. Samantha is always confident and projects that confidence into everything she does - a quality I definitely need to develop! Also she's not afraid of admitting what she truly wants. Sometimes I feel like a "bad girl" because at my age marriage is the farthest thing from my thoughts (and because I feel that way I tend to attract others who do as well). I'm really just trying to enjoy myself, date and have a good time. Samantha would be a friend that would encourage that type of behavior. We'd sit and share our exploits of whatever the new fab-o cocktail is at the new fab-o spot, while meeting and attracting new "boos".

Samantha Jones is a friend in my head because I respect her authenticity and self acceptance. She's obviously a fictional character but when there's a quality in someone else you truly admire, then you embody that quality yourself. Inside of me lives a ball-sy, vibrant chick like a Samantha with enough confidence to achieve anything I set my mind to. I'm ready to let that woman come out and play. Only rule? There are no rules!

I Want To Be Recognized

As you know I love love love Oprah. What you may not know is that I'm fanatical over personality tests. What better than a test from Oprah!?! Its like the best of both worlds. This month the Oprah magazine asks, "Who Are You Meant to Be?". Its filled with information to help you realize your potential and help you discover the path to your destiny. She offers a great quiz to help you determine who it is you are striving to be (you can click here to take the test).

More...I was excited to take the test and felt a huge "a-ha" moment when I got the results. According to the test, I'm most striving to be recognized. The explanation for that answer was very revealing. It says "You are an achiever: Ambitious, competitive, and hardworking: That's you. With a clear image of who you are, you work tirelessly to make sure your accomplishments are recognized. Your drive for success extends to your family, and you invest a lot of energy in helping them live up to your expectations. Thanks to your knack for diplomacy and abundant charisma, you often inspire others."

WOW! Such a huge insight. Of course I want to be recognized - let's review: My huge part of me wants to become a reality TV star. I come alive in front of cameras. I've had a personal website since the days of geocities. Now that I have a blog, its entire focus is to share stories about my life and my pursuit to become the person I desire to be! The fact that I have a blog (and Twitter and Facebook accounts) all point to my desire to share my life with people. This desire has been longstanding - I've always enjoyed doing things in such a way that others would be able to see and recognize. I'm moved by living aloud - I don't consider my "accomplishments" to be so great if they aren't big enough to make people take notice. I do well in jobs where my contributions clearly make a difference (that's why being a good Hollywood assistant was right up my alley-if you assist your boss well, everyone they work with will know! And just to take it a step further, this desire to be recognized is even visible in my astrological chart - my chart is ruled by the sign Leo (all about recognition). Want one more illustration? If you take a look at some of my idols, they are a group that has no problem being seen (Presidnt Obama, Victoria Beckham, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, to name a few).

So what's the problem? Well behavior that brought focus to self was not really encouraged in my home growing up. It was ingrained in me that no one likes people who stand out too much or that really like being seen (look at my idol list - those folk don't always get portrayed in the best light). In my house it was encouraged to be more modest. I was taught that it was better to let go of the desire to be recognized and be more subdued. At school, I seemed to always be in trouble when I was bold or outspoken. I learned to simply tone it down and be a "good, nice" girl. Now as a woman, I often find myself playing it cool, being good and doing "right". But what I realize is that the desire to be recognized hasn't gone away simply because I've repressed it! It won't ever go away, it is a part of who I am.

I'm grateful to live in a city like New Orleans where creativity, spontaneity and simply being yourself are encouraged. I think here more than anywhere else I'm able to fully be myself (trust me my boldest doesn't hold a candle to the many people I meet here!). I'm clearly see that I want to be seen and that is just fine! I accept my desire for recognition and unlike the past, I'm ready to move into that space!

The Day I Met the President ... of the United States!

Yesterday I had a life changing experience - I got to ask the President of the United States a question ... in REAL LIFE - not just in my head!

I've been in a beef w/my bestie and in an attempt to make up, he invited me to go to the President's Town Hall meeting here in New Orleans. I was stoked! Around 1500 tickets were available for the general public and they were given away in a lottery style. My bestie won and I was elated that he took me. We went to hear the President speak about what's happening in his administration right now. It was amazing! During one part of his speech I was moved to tears. He spoke about the how students who had come to New Orleans after Katrina were to be commended because they came after the storm and had seen what had happened. He said people in New Orleans were true believers and that's what the country needs. (Of course I was in tears at that point. That's exactly what I feel about being here - that I believe in what this city has to offer so the fact the leader of the free world agreed was enough to move me to tears!)

So after his speech he opened the floor for questions. I generally have questions - when I go to events where the floor is open for comments I generally ask. I raised my hand with no idea if he'd call on me. The people he called on had great questions so I was a little intimidated but I kept trying. My bestie said if you are trying to ask a question you are going to have to really want it. So when President Obama looked my way I sent all of my energy his way. I didn't scream or wave my hands, I simply focused on making contact with him. (I've been working on directing my energy in meditation but I digress.) He looked my way and then directly at me and said you young lady. I was DONE! I was so nervous and I said, "Good afternoon President Obama." I must have melted right then and there. I could hear the crowd laughing and then I grabbed my chest area (I guess my friends are right when they say I'm animated in my speaking). He said OMG I broke her heart. I began my question but he stopped me and said, "What's your name?" Now if you know me, you know I've been working on this DaVida Chanel brand. I always always say I'm DaVida Chanel because I want people to associate me with my first and middle name. For the life of me when that man asked my name I could not remember it! He asked again and I was able to mutter, "DaVida". I began my question which was involving environmental issues (I wanted to know where providing more energy efficient standards is on his administration's agenda; the crowd felt me because I apparently got an ovation of applause). He looked me directly in the face and answered my question.

When it was over, I was amazed at what had just happened. I've always had a thing about Presidents and the election proces (since the first time I read about President Kennedy I was hooked). The Reagan years were of particular interest and of course, I was into President Clinton. This past year's race was full of people I resonated with (I love Hillary Clinton and was a fan of John Edwards pre-baby mama drama). But when Senator Obama stepped on the scene, I was ON IT! I felt like he had the potential to be a great leader and I really got into him and his story. I also find it interesting that the majority of Americans will never see the current President while in office. Until yesterday I never thought I'd be fortunate enough to see a President (unless of course I made a lot of money or got famous enough one day). I'm still in awe of what happened.

In short, it was simply a question I got to ask and that was answered but something about that moment confirmed that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I think my question got local officials thinking about an area they were not and it allowed me to really get involved in something I believe in here in the city (a representative from the mayor's office gave me her contact info to become involved and tonight I was invited to a mixer for people interested in turning our city green). I'm a person that is moved by the synchronistic events of life and talking to the President was a huge event in my life.

NOTE: I JUST FOUND THE LINK: http://www.wdsu.com/video/21308126/

Now that I can mark President Obama off my list of people I want to meet, Oprah moves to the top of the list. At the rate things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if I see her soon!

She Makes Me Wanna - Be Fly

I love meeting people online, especially new female friends. I think connecting with people through social networking allows you to really see if you have things in common. And there's a certain level of authenticity that you feel from reading the blogs and online posts of others. When I saw Princess Dominique on Twitter, I had a feeling she was my type of woman! She is this great writer with a mean shoe game and is really into supporting the efforts of other women attempting to follow their dreams! Additionally and equally important, she has a sense of wanting to do her part to make this world a better place. She is extremely passionate about domestic abuse and doesn't make any qualms about it throughout her blog. She offers numerous tips, giveaways and other fashion advice that make me stop and take notice. I was even fortunate enough to be featured as a Stylista of the Week on her site! Princess Dominique makes me want to be fly, check out her story to see why!


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NAME: Linda "Princess Dominique" Grosvenor
AGE: 40something
HOMETOWN: Bronx, New York

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Cliffwood, New Jersey

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Currently pursuing a Masters in Counseling

OCCUPATION: My job is two fold, I am a full time writer who is also in ministry with my husband who teaches singles and married people how to love better via our website www.ThePluralThing.com and I also split my time with keeping hundreds of thousands and soon prayerfully millions of people how to have style without breaking the bank via my website www.PrincessDominique.com. The website caters to both men and women and dabbles in fashion, beauty as well as home decor.

AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP: When I was a child I wanted to be a stewardess. I think that's what they called them back then. That's what I wanted to be because they wore the flyest uniforms and I figured if I got to wear that every day, then I'd have a job that I simply loved, but before I got a chance to grow up, I fell in love with poetry and the love of writing got its hooks into me good. I've published poetry, fiction and now that I'm writing strictly books that assist people with having better relationships and satisfying my love of fashion via my website, I've never been happier.

DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO: I am absolutely thrilled by what I do. They say if you do what you love it will never feel like work, and it doesn't. I find myself looking up at the clock and it's 4pm. My only down days are days when my Internet signal acts funny, other than that I enjoy discovering really beautiful things and helping people.

HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER: My career started accidentally. I thought I was writing a letter to a magazine editor and it ended up becoming a novel. It just kept getting longer and longer and longer and took on a life of it's own. It because my first self-published novel and sold 13,000 copies without me leaving New York City. All I had was a website and a pesky attitude, if I must say so myself--and mind you, I'm the first person to tell you, I'm "no" sales person.

ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAMED OF: Yes, I am. I dabble in a little consulting too. I am in love with life and I love teaching other people how to get there and do what they love for a living too, be it interior design, fashion, being an author or a stylist. I run a fashion website and I get to meet people who create a myriad of products. I enjoy helping people and watching the look on people's faces when they finally see their dream come to fruition even though for years they've wrestled with the notion that maybe they couldn't do something.

WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION: I am inspired by all women, in all cultures, of all races and all ages. I think that there are women in some parts of the world that still don't have rights and still cannot walk with their heads held high. Those of us who can, must do that for them. There is no reason for us to be downtrodden. If we have the freedom to live our dreams, then we must. We have no time for jealousy, envy and tearing each other down over trivial matters. We are individuals, we aren't here to outdo each other. Life isn't a popularity contest. When I see a woman doing what she was born to do, I smile, because I simply love that!

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN: I am totally and completely enamored with the beach. I walk hand in hand with my honey. We love to sample Spanish and Portuguese foods and just relax--no crowds. Just give us a patch of sand, a tropical breeze and a crush of waves and we're all set.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DREAM: I say hit the ground running and don't stop. Be friendly. Don't be afraid to smile and meet people and ask questions, that's what it's all about. If I happen upon someone's website and I'm curious about what they do I don't just skip off into the sunset, I shoot them an email, send them a congrats, you never know what can come out of that.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OR MOTTO:

When it comes to relationships I always say, "Avoid Counterfeits, Love Better and Marry Well."

When it comes to style I always say, "Fashion isn’t about buying the most expensive designers, it’s about learning the difference between overpriced items and quality products and then discovering your own style.”

For Relationships you can find Princess Dom here and sign up for free.
For Fashion you can find her here and subscribe for free update and free giveaways.

My First Event!

I am over the top excited! I'm hosting my first event in the city of New Orleans! I can't believe it is just a couple days away. I love hosting events - I like setting a tone and having people come and experience a particular vibe. Since I'm so into social media networking, this event is aimed at people who enjoy Twitter and Facebook. The aim is for people who connect in virtual reality to connect one on one! I'm so excited. I'm not sure if anyone will come but I sure hope they do! I can't wait to let you know how it goes!

She Makes Me Wanna - Be a Boss

For the most part, I'm older than all of my friends (for the most part, taller too but I digress). It has worked out that the people I'm closest to are younger than me (there are exceptions but for the most part, I'm older). When I meet women I generally feel like a kid. It is my insecurities over what I've accomplished and it has nothing to do with them - it is all me. When I met Davina Douthard, her confidence and poise demanded me to shine and allow myself to be me.

Davina is an image consultant and when an old boss of mine decided to work with an up and coming singer, he called her in for her expertise. She and I worked closely with the artist and I was able to really see how she made her vision come forth when working with an artist. It was ironic because it appeared that she was just helping the singer become more of who she was inside. That intrigued me about her, I wanted to get to know her better and really become friends with this woman (so funny because she's just a couple years older than me but I see her as a woman and me as a girl!). As I got to know Davina more, I realized she was a juggernaut when it came to her career. I met her as an image consultant but learned that she wore many different hats and held many different titles but they were all under HER company. She worked for herself and she did work that benefitted others. She was stylish, chic and kind. She was a lot of what I wanted to be but most of all she was a BOSS! Someone who ran a business in which she founded (sound familiar? She's my mentor and inspiration behind DaVida Chanel Productions!). And that is what she makes me wanna do ... Be a Boss (in my Kelis voice!).

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NAME: Davina Douthard
AGE: Old enough to know better & young enough to still learn something new!
HOMETOWN: Inglewood CA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Los Angeles, CA

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Public Relations, UCLA & Organizational Leadership, Chapman University
OCCUPATION: Image Consultant
AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP: An Image Consultant (I didn’t know that is what I would call it, but I knew that is what it was).
DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO: Yes!!!
HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER: While being raised in Inglewood, a working class community in Southern California, I unknowingly started my career at the tender age of eight (8) years, when my mother enrolled me in a local program to provide the neighborhood children with a positive outlet. The program called Itty Bitty City was an organization which taught children self-esteem, confidence and etiquette through modeling and personal development training. The program held many events including fashion shows, dances and social activities to allow youth to interact in a positive and nurturing environment. The program proved stimulating for me as I participated year after year.
My fascination with image began to emerge as a youth as I would find myself spending countless hours watching programs related to image. At the time, I did not define it as image, but looking back I understand that my fascination was about image and the value of how others perceive us. The programs I watched varied in nature from fashion programs such as Elsa Klench’s style to biographies on movie stars like Marilyn Monroe and presidential figures like John F. Kennedy or simply watching old Hollywood movies. I am really influenced by the Golden Years of Hollywood. The men and women of that era were phenomenal. They were always polished dressers, excellent orators and remarkable entertainers.
I took a significant interest in the training I received at Itty Bitty City. While in college, at the age of sixteen (16) years, she became a certified teacher at one the most prestigious modeling and personal development schools in the nation. My goal was to teach other students the valuable lessons I learned as a child. I continued on to represent that organization as a public speaker to promote self-esteem and confidence at many seminars throughout Arizona and California. I continue public speaking today.
My attraction to image led me to pursue a certificate in Public Relations with an emphasis in entertainment careers from UCLA extension. I believed this education would prove valuable as I guided my clients in shaping their image before their publics. My desire to continue my educational pursuits led me to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree from Chapman University in Organizational Leadership. With this education, I have helped many professionals and leaders become better presenters before their colleagues and constituents. I have worked with many prestigious organizations including Arista Records, Capital Records, RCA Records, Cirrincione Associates, Silverbird Entertainment of West Africa, the State of California Regional Centers and many others.
ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAMED OF: Yes, but I am far from finished. I have a lot of goals to still reach.
WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION: My mother and all women! They all have life stories and experiences that can or have inspired me!
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN: I love to travel! I love to hear music and watch people, so I will attend parties. I love to cook and bake and that is fun to me.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DREAM: Stick to it. Don’t let people distract you from your purpose. People will try to tell you what you are doing is foolish or does not make sense. Maintain your relationship with the Lord and when you have a question or doubt, ask the Lord for guidance. His way is always the right direction. People usually don’t know the right answer for you. When I first started doing image consulting, many people did not know what it was and many thought it was a cute idea, but not a viable business. Look at me now! Your purpose is defined before you arrive and sometimes it is something new! The other thing I want to say to women is STOP tearing other women down. When another woman is doing something positive, congratulate and support her. Don’t try to sabotage her success.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OR MOTTO: “The impossible is that which has never been done, until someone else does it,” which means basically that nothing is impossible.

Visit Davina at www.davinadouthard.com

My Hair-story

This week Chris Rock was on Oprah discussing his new documentary "Good Hair" that is coming out later this month. It was quite interesting and reminded me that I have quite the hair-story myself! And since this is where I share my stories ...

• 1976 - the year of my birth! My aunt took me to the grocery store (back in the day, photographers would set up at the grocery store for photo shoots). I was so bald that when he saw me he said what a beautiful little boy! She got so mad, she immediately took me to get my ears pierced then brought me back later.
• Me around 4 or 5 - my hair started to grow but not really long, more like out.
  It was a thick, massive mess and I'd get it combed once a week and it would pretty much stay (here's the end of the week so it is ratty). I hated HATED to get my hair washed and combed. My family's hair is not as thick as mine so no one was used to it. It would hurt soooo bad.
• When I was around 7, I met Ms. Boogie. She pressed my hair from that point until like junior high. It would look really pretty after but the process was OMG! ALL DAY LONG! I'd literally get dropped off around 8ish and get picked up around 4! She baked pies as well so it wasn't ALL bad! (LOL! I fell in love w/lemon meringue pie getting my hair pressed).
• I always had alot of hair but the pressing made it LONG! I mean LONG! From that point people began to associate me w/long hair. But, because it used to hurt so much and take so much time, I hated doing my hair. I lived with my Granny who was anti most things (gel, curling irons, water in your hair not to mention the phone but I digress) - she was just old school so I never really put much care into my hair when it wasn't time to get it done. I'd wear ponytails a lot! But my ends would always stick out b/c I couldn't get them back!
• 8th grade - HAIR DRAMA! More...
  As I've said before I'm from a small town so my peer group was pretty much the same from 1st grade on. Around the 8th grade, everyone started getting new hairstyles. The Wave Nouveau was in and the most popular girl had one and it was growing out quite well! Most people were getting that one style with the short hair up top and long in the back. Literally EVERYONE got a haircut in the 8th grade except me and the second most popular girl. My world crumbled when she came to school with a nice shoulder length cut w/bangs. ARGH! I HAD to get a haircut but my folks weren't hearing it. I thought about it all day at school and when I got home, I took matters into my own hands and decided to cut my own hair. I knew no one would be home when I got there and I went to work. The plan was to just make it a little shorter ... that plan went awry because I had no idea how to cut hair! I put it all in a ponytail and would snip at the ponytail. It was bad (real bad Michael Jackson!). When I saw it would get no better I decided to roll my hair up on rollers in an attempt to hide it from my Granny. I hid all the cut hair so they wouldn't see it. I had to come clean so I waited until there were a lot of people over and went into the kitchen and plead my case (I figured she wouldn't kill me in front of folk). It was soooooooooo ugly! I had like a bob but it looked like ^^^^ on the ends! A MESS! My family's punishment...they didn't take me to get it fixed for like months!
• Luckily my hair grows fast so by the graduation it had grown back and then some.
  I had gotten a relaxer after the cut incident and it was beautiful. I wore it straight, super curly or deep waved. I got a new cut (professional cut) before graduation and thus began my infatuation with the even bob. I would wear that style all the time (it happens to be my current style!)
• When I moved to Indiana I was fortunate to find an amazing hair dresser that kept my mane WHIPPED! It was super long (back to high school long) and growing well but ... I was really convinced that if I went natural I'd have curly locks. He refused to cut it (I wanted a BIG CHOP), so I found some lady in Indianapolis to release me from my hair (so funny that Solange just did that-girl I had that epiphany in 2002 when the big push for natural was going down! You are late!). My dear friend Kendra came to the salon when she was done. I knew from her expression it was bad so I began to bawl! I looked in the mirror and I looked a HOT MESS! I had to go back to Denzel who cut it correctly and I had a TWA (teeny weeny afro). He dyed it some awesome shade of red but it was a disaster - my head is REALLY small w/no hair! Only one picture of this exists and the one person I trust with my life has it! (Karla, you have my permission to sell it if I ever make it big enough that people would care - those funds can go to the Kennedy college fund!). As it grew out, it became more of a mess and I generally wore my hair covered with colorful head scarves. As it grew, it grew out not down so it never seemed to grow.
• I went to Houston for law school and this hairdresser suggested a light relaxer to get the hair growing down and then I could get the natural I desired. I took her advice and rocked a cute pixie-like cut for a while.
  As it grew I got it pressed (at no other than Headliners Salon - Mrs. Knowles shop!) instead of relaxed and when it was the optimal length I found a natural hair guru who got me right. I had a REAL fro/natural!
  I experimented with different looks (twist outs, cornrows, roller sets) and really enjoyed it!
• During this time of being natural I also started to experiment with full head weaves. The first was a disaster. It was super cute BUT I didn't know how to care for it. I'll never forget my friend Kacy came over and was like girl, have you combed it! (I hadn't which explains why it was matted!) I got better with the weaves and this became the most versatile hair time of my life.
• I moved to L.A. after school and was lucky enough to find an amazing stylist, Ms. Amber.
  Amber didn't like relaxers at all and she pressed in such a way that wasn't greasy and my hair moved and flowed. She liked cool cuts so we did quite a few fun styles.
• I decided that I wanted a texturizer so I went to . She was amazing too!
  It grew out and I got a free style, cut and color at the Kimble salon. I rocked that look until I moved back South. I got back to Louisiana in Nov of '08 and it was clear my current hair which I got texturized once a year in Cali' was not going to work here. I went to Houston for the holidays and let Kimberly work her magic. It was clear I'd need my texturizer more often and so I found a guy here that does that just fine. Problem is my hair is nothing special so I'm seeking a fire colorist to bring my new vision to light. So for now the hair-story has halted but I'm sure it shall continue.

So as my hair-story continues, I'm sure you have one as well! What's your hair-story?

Oh and here's the Good Hair trailer ENJOY!