Inspiration

I want to start my week off right. I want to go to bed with a smile on my face and wake up with a warm heart. I'm going to drink so tea and cozy up to a movie I haven't seen in years. I'll let you know how it went  after the movie is over.

Oi gente,

This life I am living now is becoming pretty routine. The first week felt like an intense teaching boot camp the second week and being thrown headfirst into a classroom didn't feel any less intense than the first week. If anything it was 10x worse. I love it though. I love my kids so much that the lack of sleep, exhaustion, and stress is nothing to me. It's paying off so far. The kids love my class and I love my second graders. It's kind of sad that I'm at the halfway point with them. Summer school will be ending in two weeks and then i head back to new Orleans for some intense training at KIPP. Back to more lesson planning then I'm heading to bed at 10PM on the dot. Point. Blank. Period.

Knowledge is Power.

Lesson Plans, lesson plans and more lesson planning. I hope I don't burn out by the end of this week. i do not remember the last time I had this much work to do on a daily basis.

Final Destination

So I spent one week in New Orleans apartment hunting with a fellow corps member and getting to know the area. I met a lot of people in the GNO corps. I was also surprised and also a bit disappointed that 85% of New Orleans corps members are white and there is only a little sprinkling of black corps members even though the majority of the students we will be teaching are black. TFA needs a new recruitment strategy because all of these white girls act and talk exactly the same and the vast majority of my peers act like they have never seen or talked to a black person in their entire sheltered lives. If another  white girl/boy tells me about what they read about black people in the lone African American Experience class at Cornell University I am going to lose it.

 Now I'm at my temporary residence in Atlanta. I will be staying on campus at Georgia Tech for exactly one month while I engage it what some have said will be the hardest most intense five week training I will ever endure in my lifetime. OK. I'm pretty sure these people haven't run collegiate track and field but I'll take their word for it. I start training tomorrow and so far my schedule is looking pretty intense. They did not give me the details but I have to be on a school bus at 6:30 AM in order to get to the elementary school site I will be teaching at for the summer.

Bring on Institute training. 

Halfway Point

We made it to Chattanooga Tennessee in one piece. We will be making the second half of the trip to New Orleans tomorrow morning. Even though I reduced all of my things to approximately 100 items I still feel heavy as I travel. My bag is stuffed to capacity and my suitcase is still overflowing. I think my problem was grouping things together. I grouped my socks, books and electronics together so now that is creating a problem. I also realized that my iPad charger charges my iPhone as well so now I have a duplicate charger. I don't have much stuff right now but I feel heavy and my goal was to feel lighter. This got me thinking about another challenge I want to start when I arrive to my destination and for the future. I'm going to create my own Five a Day challenge where I will be throwing or donating 5 items a day for one full month. This challenge will continue to reduce unnecessary clutter. Alright I'm off to meditate and rest up for tomorrow,

100 Items Challenge

Miscellaneous

1.     Bible

2.     Important documents: Passport/ Credit card/ Drivers license/ Social Security card

3.     Check book

4.     Teach for America Pre Institute Work

5.     Planner

6.     Notepad

7.     Keys

8.     Camera

Electronics

9.     iPad

10. Laptop + Charger

11. Phone + Charger

12. Headphones

13.  External Hard drive, Flash drive

Shoes

14. Brown boots

15. Black flats

16. Sandals

17. Shower flip flops

18. Running shoes

19. Toms

20. Pumps

Clothing Items

21.  Casual black dress (can be dressed up or down)

22.  Casual floral Print dress

23. Floral print dress

24. Dress

25.  Blue jeans

26. Black slacks

27. Blue Slacks

28. Kaki Pants

29. Casual black pants

30. Blue shorts

31. Kaki shorts

32. Dress suit

33. Socks

34. Underwear

35. Pink T-shirt

36. Striped T-shirt

37. Blue T-shirt

38. Beige T-shirt

39. White shirt

40. Vest

41. Navy blue button down shirt

42. White button down shirt

43. Navy Blue Cardigan

44. Beige Cardigan

45. PJ shorts and shirt

46. PJ shorts and shirt

47. Sweat pants

48. Sweatshirt

49. Rain jacket

50. Track shirt

51. Track shirt

52. Running shorts

53. Running spandex

54. Running spandex

55. Black backpack

56. Shoulder bag

57. Brown purse

58. Black purse

59. Sunglasses

Bed/Bathroom items

60. Body Towel

61. Washcloth

62. Soap Bar

63. Conditioner

64. Spray bottle

65. Shea Butter mix

66. Contact solution + Case

67. Toothbrush + toothpaste

68.  Glasses + Case

69.  Brush/ Wide tooth Comb

70. Lotion

71. Satin Scarf

72. Twin sized bed sheets

73. Blanket

74. Pillow

75. Iron

Kitchen/Bedding ( to put in storage)

76. Lamp

77. Sheets

78. Comforter

79. Pillow

80. Pan

81. Large pot

82. Small pot

83. Knife/fork/ spoon

84. Bowl

85. Plate

86. Water filter

87.  Stereo

88. Baking pan

89. Cooking Utensils ( measuring cup, spatula, spoon)

90. Coffee mug

Organizing the Process of De-Cluttering

I move to New Orleans in less than 24 hours.

I spent all day yesterday doing laundry, sorting clothes and deciding what exactly I want to pack. I’m at a roadblock right now and I have absolutely no idea where to pick up. Do I start with clothes? What about the other items? What do I do with books? I have decided that the only books I will take with me will be the Pre-Institute workbooks I need for Teach for America, planner and one or two notebooks. All other books will be bought and read on my iPad (graduation gift) from now on. Now, what am I going to do with the hair supplies? Should I group them into one “thing” or do I separate? My goal for today is to reduce, reduce and reduce! I refuse to burden myself with more useless crap. Inspired by the minimal student, I decided to make a list of 100 items separated by category. Then discard or store anything else. I realized that the best way to attack so much stuff is to list the things you want to keep and discard the rest. As I go through my things I begin to second guess myself more and more until I’m left with the same amount of stuff I started out with.  

Things to consider: I will need professional/ business casual attire for training in Atlanta during the summer. I will also need casual clothing items for weekends. Luckily, since the weather in New Orleans is generally warm year round I do not have to drag my hunkin’ NorthFace coat down there. Whew. 

Lessons Learned: 

1. Start at the end and work your way backwards. In other words, don't try to attack everything all at once. Make a list of what you want to ultimately end up with and then bag the rest of the stuff to store, donate or throw away later. 

Minimalism as a New Chapter in your Life

I've been trying to simplify my life for years now and it's a slow process. It started out as simply a purge of books, clothes, shoes and electronics and it led to the beginning of a more frugal lifestyle. I only went to the mall twice this year (not including the shopping malls I visited in Brazil), I became much more cautious of my spending, started meditating, ate out less and cooked more, and spent more time cultivating relationships with family and friends. All of this has created a solid foundation for fully embracing a minimalist lifestyle. I'm ready now to let go of all the junk I've been holding on to that I know are not important. I'm also ready to take that giant leap and plunge headfirst into simplicity.

Point.

Blank.

Period.

Moving to New Orleans

The past few weeks have been extremely hectic with track, school, graduation and preparations for moving to my new home in New Orleans. I'm driving from DC to New Orleans in two days and I have accomplished zilch when it comes to packing. I realized today that the reason why I have been avoiding this mountain of college crap is not out of laziness but more so out of fear. I'm afraid of the monstrous heap of laundry and I'm afraid of the ultimate and much needed purge of unnecessary items. I have fallen off of my minimalist journey a little bit and it has led to the acquisition of many things I know I do not need.

On that note, I am going to take this day and the time to purge. My plan is to reduce my wardrobe to half the size it is now. I want to start my new life in NOLA fresh and clutter free. That means I'm going to try and limit my possessions to 100 necessary items.

Point. Blank. Period.

Senior hurdler sets example on, off track for RU - Daily Targum - Sports

Senior hurdler sets example on, off track for RU - Daily Targum - Sports

Yup that's me! :)

Natural Hair in the Media

This is a great story and a total inspiration for natural women who are constantly told that natural hair is unprofessional.

Happy Easter!

Well Sunday came and went faster than the speed of light. I had a relaxing Easter Sunday at church with my best friend and my second family down in Trenton. Hope you all enjoyed this gorgeous 75 degree tropical weather like I did!

Things that Don't Work in My Hair

When taking care of natural hair it is important to take notice of and avoid things that don't work in your hair. This requires you to take time to "listen" to your hair and figure out what your hair responds well to and what it does not respond well to. 

Here are several things that do NOT work in my hair and why (what works for me may not work for you and vice versa): 

1. Gels ( both harden and dry my strands) 

2. Baking Soda rinses 

3. Kinky Curly Curling Custard ( It worked when my hair was short but as it got longer it became a hassle) 

3.  Shampoos ( even Sulfate free) - In general my hair responds well to Co-washing 

4. Excessive use of products ( expensive creams, hair smoothies etc.) = Product buildup and matted hair 

5. Mineral oil

6. Protein based deep conditioners  ( make my hair hard, knotted and difficult to detangle) I usually need to follow with a deep conditioning moisture treatment

What my hair LOVES: 

1. Water 

2. Leave in Twists

3. Shea Butter 

4. EVOO

5. Co-Wash 

6. Low Manipulation styles 

7. Apple Cider Vinegar rinse instead of shampoo 

Long Overdue: February 2011 Naturalista Takeover @ Rutgers

Graduation and Natural Hair

I have been debating whether or not to wear my hair curly or straight for graduation. I was leaning towards curly and went online to see if I could find pictures of anyone else who wore their hair in a natural style or up-do for their graduation photos. I couldn't find ANYTHING! So the day before my graduation photos I was short on time and did not feel like straightening it so instead I improvised.

• I had about three day old hair already so spritzed my hair with water to dampen it a bit instead of washing it 
• Sectioned my hair into in four parts 
• distributed Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding throughout each section and made two medium sized two strand twists in each section 
• Sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes until it was dry and took each section out

It looked great! But my biggest worry was that the cap would not fit over my hair but I smoothed the top down and the cap fit perfectly. Here is a picture of the final look and my graduation photo! I was surprised that my parents actually liked my hair natural instead of straight. 

To My Mother...

A Tribute to my Mother 

I walked through the front door of my house in Northern Virginia with my laundry in hand and eager to start my winter vacation only to find my father in his office working vigilantly on the computer with a strange looking device by his foot. On the computer screen connected to this strange device, I saw a young child about the age of six or seven standing next to an older woman of a similar complexion hand in hand and smiling as though she had the world in front of her eyes. The older woman was my mother and the “world” was simply a giant Aladdin themed birthday cake. There was something peculiar about the footage of my seventh birthday party I noticed as I continued to examine the way I clung to my mother as though she were my only advocate, and tried to emulate every movement she made from her hand gestures to the way she angrily told my older brother to stop acting “foolish.” I remember little of the moments in which I looked up to my mother with adoring eyes and more so of the violent temper tantrums and the, often hurtful, words exchanged in these altercations.

 I realized in that moment that much of the tension that ensued between my mother and I was fostered by strong feelings of envy I developed growing up in middle-class suburbia. As I started hanging out around my white friends at summer camp and school in Atlanta, I grew envious of the things they had and eventually angry that I could not have the same. I was often the only black child in the mix of Anglo-Saxon white girls and instead of emulating my mother I began to emulate my friends. I wanted to wear my hair out to be free, flowing and straight like the white girls but my mother refused and sent me on my way each morning with two chunky braids on each side of my head. I became enraged when my mother would pick me up at eight o’ clock at night from sleep over parties while all the other girls would return to school Monday morning only to talk elatedly about the movies watched and the games played in my absence.  My mother and I grew apart because I wanted her to be something she was not. I longed for her to be a stay-at-home mother like my next door neighbor and have cookies and milk prepared for me when I came home from school. I wanted her to buy me the same toys and the same clothes my white neighbor would flaunt before me. She was not that kind of mother. She was an educator, an enforcer, and authoritarian. Most importantly, my mother was a Black woman. She carried with her a burden in every gesture she made, each word that rolled off her tongue and the way she raised her three children, one of whom is autistic. My mother, like many Black women in America, was given a different set of rules than the white women in suburban Atlanta. She had to adjust her actions in order to conform to societal standards and avoid racial confrontations in order to provide a comfortable life for her own family. 

5 Hair Habits That Will Change Your Life

5 Hair Habits That Will Change Your Life

Natural Hair Workshop and Other Updates

Updates:
Friday night: I hosted a natural hair workshop at a church in Trenton. It was quite successful and I am pretty sure we will be hosting a few more in the future as well as a workshop for young middle and high school girls interested in learning more about natural hair care.

Saturday: All day track meet in rain, wind and frigid temperatures. I won't find out the exact results of the meet until much later due to inclement weather conditions. I did well though and I am pretty sure my school won the meet.

Saturday night: Went to the Caribbean Day festival after party at a lounge in Piscataway. Fun but definitely too crowded hot and humid. I straightened my hair after the meet earlier that day but as soon as I walked into the room it reversed right on back to its natural. I felt so un-Jamaican that night.

Sunday: Ate chicken and waffles with my roommate and cleaned. I cleaned the kitchen, my room, the living room and bathroom. Cleared my head and my mind and made dinner. I feel so much better now that my work space is finally clean and now I am working on this 10 page paper due tomorrow. So far I have about two pages done.

Is Your Nighttime hair Regimen Becoming a Hassle?

Don't become that "nega do cabelo duro que nao gosta de pentear." In Portuguese that translates to black girl with difficult hair that hates to style it. I've learned not to dread doing my hair at night before I go to bed. Let it become part of your "you" time. Seriously just put on some music, watch a movie and de-stress while you do your hair. Don't let it become that dreaded part of your day.

New Hair Regimen and Natural Products

It took me almost a year to figure this out but I have discovered the three things that work for me better than any product ever has. Those things are: 

• Water
• EVOO ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil) 
• Shea Butter 

Over the course of the semester running, school, and job responsibilities have made it difficult to really focus on how I have been taking care of my hair. I've noticed significant growth since January but I think it's mostly due to low maintenance styling, no heat, and few products. I have stopped using unnecessary products in my hair. Mostly because it hurts my wallet but also because I can't pronounce half of the things on the jar (if you can't pronounce it you probably can't eat it and if you can't eat it then don't put it in your hair). I  always hear people complain about how natural products are expensive whatnot but I think they are just looking in the wrong places. Seriously if you want to go natural for cheap buy a jar of shea butter in bulk ($12.00 jar will last you at least a year no joke), EVOO, and a spray bottle for water. I know it may seem like a lot but it lasts! 

Here's how I use it:

• Once a month I clarify my scalp with a vinegar rinse to remove product buildup
• Deep Condition or Co-Wash if necessary 
• Pat dry with a towel and section detangle hair 
• Twist each section and distribute shea butter throughout each section 
• Let dry and take out the twists

At night before you go to bed 

• Separate hair into 4 or 5 sections
• In the spray bottle mix water with EVOO 
• spray and comb each section with a wide tooth comb
• Re-twist each section 
• Sleep with bonnet or scarf

I've been doing this for the past month and my hair has NEVER felt so soft before. 

Waiting for Superman

For those of you who seek to reform our educational system this is a great movie to watch during your free time.  I had a moment of clarity when watching and I'm glad I made the conscious decision to dedicate my life to educational change. There is no way you can sit around and do nothing after watching this. You'll want to get up and do something!

Instead of doing my own work right now I am sitting here helping my cousin with an essay she is writing for her english class about a theme in the Iliad. It bothers me that she cares more about "getting by" than actually putting in the time an the energy to actually understand the concepts she wants to discuss in this paper. In a nutshell, she is basically telling me to write the whole paper for her (as if I don't have things to do). I have no problem with "helping" but doing this paper for her defeats the purpose of her getting an education. We are so worried about the letter grade we lose the concept of substance in the midst of our competition. It bothers me that she is unable to put together a decent 5 paragraph paper that consists of a clear thesis and supporting body paragraphs. I blame her teachers for failing to make writing  a priority. She is fine with math and science but her writing needs some improvement. She doesn't understand yet that writing is power. It doesn't matter if you can solve a math problem but how will you communicate if you can't write a decent essay?

This system is broken and it's time to start fixing it from the bottom up. Let's start with some decent teachers.

Trip to New Orleans

My trip to New Orleans last week went well! I had a great time giving a sample teaching lesson to enthusiastic kindergardeners. So now I have two job offers at two different charter schools and I'm pretty sure I know which one I want to pick but TFA has asked me to make an impromptu trip back to New Orleans this Wednesday ( as if I don't have 50 million things to do this week) in order to check out the other charter school I did not get a chance to visit before I make a final decision. I feel like I have established a rapport with the principal and the kids at this one school and that is where I am leaning at the moment. Who knows what will happen this week though... 

Are YOU Protecting your Hair?

Do's and Don'ts of Protective Styling 

The weather is indeed getting warmer, especially for you ladies in the south ( so jealous), but that doesn't mean that you should stop protecting you delicate strands. Here are some tips:

Do: 

• Wear cute beanie's and hats  ( check out Forever 21, H&M) 
• Twist your hair for the week and wear a twist out for the weekend
• Pull your twists into a bun or pony tail 
• Pin twists or braids into a style of your choice
• Wear hair out occasionally 
• Moisturize twists/braids daily by applying a light cream or oil and/or water
• Make sure ends are protected and or tucked in 
• Try to keep ends of your hair from rubbing against your collar or clothing ( I've been experiencing some breakage because of this) 
• Co-Wash hair with twists in and and re-twist if necessary for a polished look ( this keeps breakage to a minimum) 
• Detangle in the shower or when hair is wet/damp 

Don't: 

• Overuse products ( keep it simple!) 
• Use gel 
• Wear hair out every day 
• Comb or brush daily 
• Overuse heat

Anything else you think we should add to this list? E-mail Naturallyminimal@gmail.com and let me know! 

Busy Week

Hey everyone! I know I haven't posted in a while but while March Madness is taking place on ESPN I have some madness of my own to take care of in my life. There is so much to do in this month alone and so little time to do it. I will be in New Orleans Wednesday in order to give a sample teaching lesson to first grade students at a charter school I am interviewing at for Teach for America on Thursday. I'm excited and nervous at the same time because I feel like I do not have enough time to prepare! I have three midterms this week and I already know I will be missing one due to the fact that I won't be here on Thursday as well as my organizational responsibilities. I feel OVERWHELMED. Why is everything happening THIS WEEK? Nothing seems to be going the way I plan it and at this point I am just trying to make it through the week. I went back to check my e-mail and my school deleted all of my messages before March 11. I lost so much information and this is definitely not helping. I am hoping that this trip to  New Orleans is a smooth one.

Natural Hair Salon in DC area

Any naturals out there that live in the DC metro area like me? I already know how hard is is to find a hair salon that caters to natural hair. Here's one I want to check out while I am home:

• Noire Salon

Or you could follow owner Camille Reed on Twitter for updates here:

• Camille Reed

Home for the Weekend!

Technically I'm supposed to be home for Spring break but I have to be back up at school on Monday for track practice. I am enjoying what little bit of time I have left here. Tonight I have to study for the Praxis II exam which I will be taking tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM. I'm kind of nervous but I hope I do well and pass.

Wednesday Morning Routine

My favorite thing about Wednesdays is the fact that I don't have any class so I can put a little bit more time into my morning yoga routine and meditation. I took about a half an hour this morning to do some yoga ( I used the intermediate yoga routine video I posted earlier) then I used the next half an hour for some much needed mediation and I feel great! I washed my hair last night, let it air dry for a bit, slept with a bonnet, woke up, fluffed it out with my hands. it is still a little bit damp in some areas but for the most part it's ridiculously moisturized. Here's what I did: 

• Co-wash ( finger combed) 
• Left about a tablespoon of conditioner in and squeezed out excess water 
• Wrapped a light cloth around my hair for about 10 minutes 

20 minutes

• When I took it off I massaged scalp with some oil and distributed a light cream throughout my hair and placed a bonnet over my head 
• Went to sleep 

5 minutes 

Results? 

After doing yoga and meditation

Utilizing Technology

Technology is the minimalists' best friend. Use your laptop as a calendar, organizer, planner, notepad, photo album etc. It will allow you to de-clutter some of the old notebooks and planners you have laying around your desk. Make sure you back up your files on a hard drive but it's a worthy investment. You will save a lot more money, time and space in the long run.

Initially I was weary of devices that replace the actually experience of reading a book but I came around. The Kindle for example is a great way to buy and organize your favorite books and allows you to save money and space. I wouldn't completely substitute the Kindle for the paperback or hardcover but for the most part, it is a bit more environmentally friendly.

Technology does allow us to keep our workspace clean and free of clutter. Who really wants to break their back carrying around a million books when you can literally store the same amount in a paper thin Kindle/iPad/laptop.

Nneka - Heartbeat (Live In Philly) HD

Minimalists We Love

Nneka 

Quotes for the Minimalist

 “In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple.”

- Lao Tzu  

Minimalism: How to Become a Minimalist

I strive for this kind of simplicity in my life

1. Start by letting go of the unnecessary items that are taking up space and you rarely ever use 
2. Only buy things you need. Stop buying things you do not need
3. As far as clothing goes, start mixing and matching. You don't need to buy a new outfit for every occasion 
4. Clean your floors make sure you don't have random items laying around
5. Donate old items and clothing that you do not use to a thrift shop
6. Emotionally let go of material items
7. Give away old bottles of hair products that you do not use and clean up your bathroom space!

These are some basic steps you can take towards a minimalist life style.

The Natural Minimalist: Working out with your Natural

Working out and having a natural can be a pain in the butt. You have to wash it more often to get the dirt and salt out of your scalp but you also understand that it’s the middle of the winter and you don’t want to walk outside when it’s 20 degrees with wet hair. Here is what I suggest:

Nighttime Routine

1. Co-wash your hair in the evening after your workout or every 2-3 days 
2. Pat it with a T-shirt to get the excess water out 
3. Do chunky twists using a light cream and some oil (use a wide tooth comb only no Denman brush please*)
4. Sleep on it with a bonnet or scarf tied lightly around hair

Total time: 15-20 min 

Morning Routine

1. Wake up and untwist: your hair will be dry for the most part
2. Grab large sections and blow dry the roots while stretching hair (on a low setting please)
3. Style or wear it out

Total time: 10 min

*Denman brushes should be used on occasion to avoid breakage

Weight loss and good skin

It’s a 2 in 1 deal so you can’t go wrong with this. 

Try substituting all your juices for water and you’ll notice a significant change in two weeks. Cut soda out completely (it gives you gas anyway so what’s the point).

So you fell asleep in class again...

Do you find yourself always tired during the day even after you got over 9 hours of sleep the night before?

Let me let you in on a little secret…

Consistency is key. Now I’m no scientist (history and political science major) but I have found that the key to reducing drowsiness during the day is to be consistent about your bed time and wake up time. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning (with an emphasis on the latter). Even if you do find yourself staying up past your chosen bed time the key is to continue to wake up at the same time. Don’t try to oversleep because you feel like you need the extra hours. Your body works over time to adjust to such changes and will therefore lead to exhaustion. 

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga Benefits: 

1. Lowers blood pressure
2. Reduces anxiety
3. Relaxes muscles allowing you to sleep better
4. Promotes flexibility

De-Cluttering Relationships

I stressed in an earlier post about the importance of de-cluttering your relationships. We all know too well that we are constantly carrying around a bag full of unnecessary and parasitic relationships so now its time to get rid of that garbage. This is one of the hardest things to do because it forces you to sit down and evaluate the value of the relationships you have forces you let go of old friends which are more so like the expired cream cheese in your refrigerator which you know you will never use again yet you hold on to it anyway because you don’t want to be wasteful. We are all guilty of hoarding. But listen, if you want to get rid of the smell, start new and fresh and make room on the shelf for new ideas and a healthier lifestyle you must get rid of that baggage. As you already know by now I love bullet point and making lists, here are some of the simple ways that you can de-clutter some of the relationships in your own life. 

1. Do you have a Facebook/Twitter/Myspace or all of the above? Try limiting your use of social networking sites to one site 
2. Start sorting through you friend list and c

Eliminating Stress

I am sure you are all aware of the many diseases and health defects that plague the black community and even more specifically, black women. We tend to be more susceptible to disease and have a higher chance of fatality as a result. The reason for this is not because genetically, this is our destiny but more due to the fact that we tend to have more external factors that create stress in our lives. It is proven fact that stress lowers our immune system and as a result, our bodies are not fighting the diseases that plague our lives. Due to the fact that many of us are working women, we do not put an emphasis on leisure activities that contribute to eliminating stress. Ladies, we must set aside 20-30 minutes a day in order to de-stress. Find an activity that you enjoy and commit to it starting three times a week and gradually integrate it in to your daily routine. Here are some ideas:

• Running, Jogging
• Swimming 
• Bike, Elliptical 
• Yoga
• Meditation 
• Walking 
• Hiking

Remember don't over schedule your activities and make time for YOU!!

The Dangers of a Single Story - Chimamanda Adichie

For the girl who has too much to do

Never just wake up and start your day without some careful planning. Grab a notebook, planner or calendar and list everything you need to do for the day and check each task off upon completion. Always set aside at least 30 minutes a day to tidy up your living space and clear your mind. I promise, the environment has a huge impact on your state of mind. 

• Make up your bed 
• Throw away receipts, papers you don't need etc. 
• Put all bottles, hair products, jewelry in it's proper place
• When your things are out of place then so are you 
• Wash the dishes, take out the trash 
• Open the window and let the sun shine in
• Put books on the book shelf
• Place clothes in closet or in the hamper 

15-20 minutes 

When your done clearing your mind and space

• Grab your note book and sit down at your tidy desk with a cup of tea and PLAN. 
• Write down everything you need to do for to day including leisure activities and breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• I usually divide it by assignments and schedule (what are the things you need to get done and when do you plan on doing it?) 
• Now start your day and get it done

I Will Teach for America

So much for simplicity...

My friend told me to listen to this song today. Ambitious Girl by WALE, or however he chooses to spell his name. She says I'm always busy and and on the go. She says even when I give hugs they are short and quick and then I'm on the move again. She made me feel like this cold and distant person that has become incapable of finding love. This song bothers me because WALE ends up talking about how much he admires this "ambitious girl" how much he wants to be with her over the unambitious girl he's with and more importantly how he even wants to be a part of her hopes and dreams. Only one problem. He has never met her and according to the song, he's probably never going to meet her.

Do I want to find love? Certainly. Do I want to find it now? No. I have no time to be fussing around with relationships.  I can barely find the time to get four pitiful hours of sleep.

Who said that your natural can't be professional?

What Teach for America sees is what Teach for America is going to get. I went to my interview for the program with an Afro and I got into the program with an Afro. I was asked to send in a photo of myself to send to schools during the hiring process and what they are going to get is a girl with a 'Fro. 

My roommate surprisingly took this quality photograph with an iPhone. Yes ladies, we can now do free semi-professional head shots with the help of an iphone a little bit of editing. 

Interviews, exams, and track meets Oh MY!

As I am sitting here preparing for an interview I have in exactly 58 minutes with the founder of a New Orleans Central City elementary school and pondering on what will become of my day, I cannot help but to crave Dunkin Donuts coffee and chocolate/glazed donut holes. No it is not the healthiest choice. But I got NO sleep tonight and I have an exam and a paper due tomorrow and another exam/paper/assignment due on Tuesday. I plan to use this gorgeous Sunday to do absolutely nothing but WORK and stress out. Maybe I will take some time out of my day for meditation but all I want right about now is DUNKIN DONUTS.

Atlanta Weather Update for Jan. 11, 2011

This is exactly how I feel right now! I love her!

Shoes for the Minimalist/Environmentalist

Cheap, Cute and comfortable. Toms is an environmentally friendly brand that provides a pair of shoes to a child with every pair you purchase. 

Check out the Website here:

http://www.toms.com/our-movement

Challenges

Today we had prelims for Big East Championships and I came nowhere near meeting my goal. I knew I had more in me and I could've put more into my race but when I was running I gave up. My spirit sunk to a low and it reflected itself in my times. It was mediocre and not even close to what I know I am capable of running and what I have done in the past. I got worked up before my race. I became nervous and I usually don't get that nervous before I run. I let the competition get to me when I should've focused on my race. I know I would've done better.

Natural Hair and Minimalism

Waiting patiently for warm weather

The other journey to becoming a total natural is coming. I’m still waiting to grow the color out of my hair. I am trying to transition to a point in which I will not need to use any heat whatsoever in my hair. I have successfully terminated the use of the flat iron but I still blow dry my roots every so often to stretch it and or sit under the dryer to dry my twists. My goal is to eventually cease the use of heat in my hair. I am confident this will happen one day. Also I have become more aware of what I put in my hair. Water  and shea butter have become my best friends and I just need to get my hands on another jar of shea butter so I can mix together a shea butter mix or something for my hair. When it comes to hair chicas, less is more. 

Challenges of Becoming a Minimalist

I realize that the two journeys I have decided to embark on are being compromised by my lifestyle. I feel like ultimately I will need to adjust the way I live my life in order to fully embrace a minimalist lifestyle naturally 9hence the name naturally minimal). I feel like I over packed for the weekend. I packed an extra pair of everything “just in case.” But I know for a fact my bag could’ve been much lighter. If I want to be a minimalist I can’t burden myself with activity. That is my first problem and this problem will technically not be solved or eliminated until I graduate. I’ve made a commitment to track and field, being the President of my Pre-Law Fraternity, and Teach for America. I can not quit now but I do know for a fact that once I graduate two things will be eliminated and I can focus on one thing and put all of my time and energy into my job. I cannot wait until that day arrives. I feel like ultimately I will be maximizing the quality of my life if I do this. I have already begun minimizing the number of people in my life. I am starting to reduce it to the people that I need to communicate with on a daily basis and those I care about and that matter most to me. The rest of the pointless banter I receive by socialization is time wasted in areas where I feel like I could be developing the other relationships in my life. I have already reduced my friend list on facebook from 600 to a 200. Eventually I want to delete my facebook altogether but I need to find a way to stay in contact with my Brazilian friends before I drop off the face of the earth. But ladies and gentlemen, it comes down to this: I need to simplify not only my lifestyle but also the people in my life. 

Peace on a Crowded Bus

At this very moment I am currently on a bus full of restless girls in the middle of Nowheresville Pennsylvania en route to Akron Ohio for Big East Championships. We left at 11am this morning but I don’t run until Saturday around 2pm. I am trying to find a center on this noisy bus. I am trying to find a center of peace and solitude but I realized that I am far from it. How does one find peace in these types of environments? How does one even begin to meditate while a gigantic charter bus jerks you in and out of your seat and makes in a necessary point to hit every speed bump and attack every curve. How? Well I will attempt to try. Maybe I’ll come up with something soon.

Time and management

What I should've done but have not yet done today:

• Study for Portuguese Lit Exam 
• Laundry 
• Grocery shopping 
• Read for Women and Law class 
• Workout (cardio and weight lift)
• Dinner with the family
• Wash hair, condition, detangle twist
• sleep 

I was up all night talking to my friend until five in the morning only to wake up again at 9 to go to an appointment with my mom. It's 4:38PM and I hope to be in bed by 11:20 or 12 should I get started?