CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!......

While perusing the web... Well, actually sneaking on NaturallyCurly.com. As a bonified & happy pj (product junkie), I've honestly been rationing my time on the site to cut down on any temptations to buy. Anyhoo, I came across this article on there.

And so it reads:

PILL TO "CURE" TEXTURED HAIR?
Scientists who discovered the ‘curly gene‘ are developing a treatment that could spell the end of hair straighteners.

It is hoped the breakthrough could lead to a pill to make hair straighter or curlier, rendering the must-have beauty accessory redundant.

The discovery will also make it possible to predict whether a baby will have straight or curly hair.

And it may even help police, with DNA found at the scene of the crime indicating how wavy a suspect’s locks are.

Researchers in Australia identified the trichohyalin gene as being mainly responsible for creating curls.

Although it was known to play a role in the development of the hair follicle, Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientists have discovered its role in curliness.

Professor Nick Martin, author of the research, said a variation in the gene determined the straightness or curliness of hair. Professor Martin said it may be possible to come up with treatments to make hair straighter rather than relying on heated hair straighteners.

He said: “Potentially we can now develop new treatments to make hair curlier or straighter, rather than treating the hair directly.

“I will be discussing this with a major cosmetic company in Paris in January,” he said. (NaturallyCurly guesses this is L’Oreal, who supposedly has been working on a pill for curly hair for some time.)

— The Daily Mail

Oh, heeelll nah!!

I don't know about you, but this really pisses me off, and makes my heart ache. I mean, do we really not like ourselves this much?! Is it really that serious?!

Goodness! I almost don't even know where to begin. And here me out on this.. This issue goes beyond the black community. This is every woman. Black, Latina, white, Indian, and on and on. What is there not to love about your textured hair? Whether its straight, wavy, kinky, curly or d. all the above. This is who you are. God exclusively fashioned each and every one of us to be a unique individual. When will we embrace the beauty in our own creation? When will we bask in the attributes about ourselves that set us apart from the next person? Geez.

And don't get me wrong. I have no problem with mixing my look up by having my hair blown/flat ironed out. Or throwing on a weave or wig every now and then just to do something different or for a protective style. That's not what I'm talking about. My issue is with people seeking to permanently alter their look because they feel that what they were born with less than par physical characteristics. And don't even get me started on ingesting a damn pill that has God-knows-what in it!

C'MON SON!

I don't know. Let me take some deep breathes. I feel as if I'm rambling here.
What are your thoughts on this?....

CO

Post Title → CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!......

IS BLOOD REALLY THICKER THAN WATER?...

Good Morning Lovelies,

Today I want to talk about family. More directly, how do you deal with a not so positive family and keep a positive mindset. I bring this up because I, like most people, have a family with some disfunctionality. And I must admit, it goes beyond the immediate. I actually have traced it back to my grandparents. Trust me. This is far enough. I see how something tragic & painful from your childhood can affect EVERY aspect of your life. From sibling to spousal relationships..to friendships..to daily social interaction. Even down to how you raise your children. Have you considered this?... I have. In fact, I've considered it a lot seeing as I don't want to repeat any of the same negatives in my life and the raising of my child.





Which brings me to the gist of this post. My question is how do you handle any negatives that may come from your family? And by "negatives" I mean habits, verbal, emotional, (d.) all of the above and then more. Do you confront it full-blast...lovingly...timidly or not at all? Do you or have you totally separated yourself from your family? Do you spend time w/them in small infrequent doses, or suck it up, turn a blind eye & hang w/them all the time because they're still family?...




I ask these questions because I don't believe in surrounding myself with negative people or in a negative environment. Not at this point in my life. It's just not healthy. Regardless of who it is. No, I can't see myself completely cutting off from family (unless it was a really dangerous situation) but I will back away & do them in doses, if necessary. Don't get me wrong. I love my fam dearly, but if I feel like my (or even more so, my daughter's) emotional, mental and/or spiritual well-being is at stake of being tampered with, drained, or dare I say, "infected" by any negative habits, thought patterns, words or deeds coming from family then blood relation or not, our time around family will be limited. Does this make sense?...

So tell me your thoughts on this...


**Please note that this post was written during a family drama occurrence.**

Post Title → IS BLOOD REALLY THICKER THAN WATER?...

TWEET ME...IF YOU PLEASE

Hi Beautifuls!

I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend! It's a little hot in the "A". I believe our high is around 85. The sun is out full-blast. It's a beautiful day, however I must admit that I miss that cool breeze. I hope that the weather is lovely wherever you are. =)

I have a quick confession to make... I've been on Twitter for awhile now (shockingly since September) but honestly was not sure whether I would stay with it or give it up. It seemed a bit much to constantly type in random things. I suppose my concern was not fully being present in daily life if I continued with Twitter. However, I think I've figured out the best way to roll with it. Not quite sure I fully understand what I'm doing buuuuuut... if you're really interested in my daily goingon's and observations, follow me on Twitter.

Peace Out....
CO

Post Title → TWEET ME...IF YOU PLEASE

HOW PRETTY!!

Just because I think they're pretty.....


Christian Louboutin's Pink Petal Sandal - retails for uhmmmm, slightly under a grand


...One day, my precious.....One day.....

Post Title → HOW PRETTY!!

AND YOU'RE OUT!!!

Good Morning, Beautifuls!

I hope your weekend was wonderful! Mine was good and full of busy. I got to greet a new baby and meet some more healthy & raw food enthusiasts. Always a pleasure to be around like-minded individuals. We actually had a speaker talk to us about growing our own food. I so need a yard.

After my busy weekend & the weather totally initiating me into a Spring attitude, I began to contemplate my Spring cleaning. You know, baseboards, windows, loosing old furniture and clothes. But not just household cleaning, also emotional and mental cleaning. I don't know about you but my stress levels have been higher than normal. Which I totally attribute to the overall effects of our current events. So of course, I've begun to consider cleaning out all possible antagonists to my mental & emotional well-being. (This is, of course, on top of exercise and eating my best.) Those antagonists being bad news, negative talk/thought, pessimistic people, music/entertainment, etc.,etc. I have to avoid these things like the plague. And have my mind, my thoughts focused & fastened on the good and the positive.

Speaking of music, some of it irritates me to listen to. I think, "Is all you can sing about sex?". Not that it's a bad thing cause it sure as hell is not. It's all to the good when it's good and wrapped in a committed, monogamous relationship. For me, at least. But my point being is, "Is that the most you have to offer?" Cause if that's the scope of your thinking, your purpose, then I've got to loose you and move on. And that goes for relationships, too. But I guess I'm just assessing where I am, where I want to and plan to be. And in that assessment, some things.. some people.. some thoughts...some habits must be loosed.

What about you, Gorgeous? Have you considered mental/emotional Spring cleaning?.....

Post Title → AND YOU'RE OUT!!!

Ooh..That Belt's Getting Tighter!

Hi Beautifuls!

I hope that all is well in your world. In a previous post, I talked/asked about ways to bring in extra income. Since then, I've made some adjustments in my household to cut down on expenses.

I've chosen to nix my land line(got that from InstantVintage and Ms.M) and cable (got that from Gem over at BohemiamBookworm). Now, I have to admit that the land line was an easy decision to make. Both me and my daughter have cell phones so it truly is no big deal. But my decision to lay the cable to rest has really been tough. More so on myself than my kid. Right now, I'm mourning not being able to watch some cable shows that I normally did. They had become staples in my life. For instance, Fridays while hennaing my hair I loved to watch TLC's "What Not To Wear" followed by Scifi's "Battlestar Gallactica". ...May they rest in peace... Saturday's I would (if home) catch HGTV's "Find Your Style" and "Divine Design". Then later on maybe catching some anime' on Cartoon Networks Adult Swim....shedding a tear.. And finally, Sunday night with Style Network's "Kimora Lee's Life in the Fab Lane"...sigh...

Now please hear me when I say that I am looking at the positive side of this and noting that this will result in me not being so hooked to the tube. And force me to be more "in the moment" of real life. I do understand and see that. I'm just honestly saying that I will miss some shows. But I digress..this is all for the better.

As far as food, (and this one I got from Chef Jenya), I'm more focused on buying in-season organic foods. Yes, organic can be more expensive than conventional foods. However, purchasing in-season items is not as high. And even more important, it's worth the cost because you're investing in your well-being and peace of mind.

Now as far as my pjism for hair products is concerned.. well,that ain't changed. (Curljunkie is so calling my name right now.) The only thing is that I'm picking and choosing when I purchase. Hey, you gotta give a girl sumthin!! :)

Do share...what have you done or what are your suggestions? And how are you handling these changes? What are the positives that you have seen in your changes?...

Post Title → Ooh..That Belt's Getting Tighter!

WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR WORLD?....

Good Morning Beautifuls!


The above picture is what we got in the "A" on yesterday. Pretty much all day long. It was absolutely beautiful coming down, however the air/ground temps were a bit too warm for it to really stick until the sun began to go down. So I was a bit disappointed by that. I want more snow. More like 5 to 8 inches that will stick around for a couple of days. Not a half-day or barely a day.

Our weather has been so weird lately. On Friday and Saturday, our temps were just in the 60's. I swear I was out and about on Saturday in 3 qtr length top w/a tank top under it and some slacks. Then God just flipped the script on Sunday to a totally different flow.

I must apologize for my sporadic posting. I'm having vacuum cleaner issues and I have a cat. Combine these tWo factors and you get a recipe for a high level of "allergens" in the home. And yes, it is affecting me. Itching skin and all. I just popped a benadryl last night. (Yes, I'm getting desperate if I'm taking medicine like that). However, I did purchase a vacuum cleaner that is supposed to be really good when it comes to sucking up pet hair. No, it was not that Dyson D17, D14, or whichever number it is for their pet vacuum. That $500 investment is on my future list. Can't do that right now. The only thing is that I had to order it because they didn't carry it in the store. So you know when it gets here, I'll probably vacuum the whole place twice.

Well, that's what been going on in my world. Oh, I did go to a nice Mediteranean restaurant named Zaya. (I'm still doing birthday dinners.) It's a nice spot with a cool vibe and good food. If you're in the "A" or ever visit, you may want to check them out. Oh, I've also been enjoying Jamie Foxx's new CD "Intuition". I purchased based on Urbancurlz mention of it. (Btw, great blogger.) I must say that it is a good CD. It got me through Friday's traffic hour.

Well, that's enough about me. What's going on in your world?....

Post Title → WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR WORLD?....

Good Hair - The Documentary

Hi Beautifuls!

I was perusing my usual blogs favs and came across a post about this film on Afrobella's site. Comedian Chris Rock has done a documentary about black folks and hair which has peeked alot of folks (natural heads) interest, including my own. Here is a description of the film.

When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head! Director Jeff Stilson’s camera followed the funnyman, and the result is Good Hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African American hair culture.An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.

In all honesty, I wonder if he has done this topic justice. (This is how I feel about it.) I do want to see the film and I do like Chris Rock, however, as he is a comedian I'm a bit concerned about his delivery on this topic. Part of me wonders if he talked to some non-celebrity "natural heads". Just curious. If anyone has seen this, please share your opinion/review on this film.

Post Title → Good Hair - The Documentary

25 Things About Me

Okay, Mrs. Bohemian Bookworm got me. So after being schooled, I am responding to this tag of 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about me. I really enjoy these!

1. I cried at the end of Bram Stoker's "Dracula".

2. I'm squeamish when driving over tall bridges.

3. I dream of having a tattoo.

4. When I was a kid I really wanted to be a veterinarian. My mother talked me out of it to go into computer science. My occupation is in neither of those fields and I'm still trying to figure out what it is I really wanna do. (Lesson: Always follow your dreams.)

5. I was overweight as a child so I'm quite anal about being overweight.

6. related to no. 5. At 12, I could down 4 quarter pounders w/cheese and some fries and a soda. As an adult, I have an extreme disdain for McDonald's and often roll my eyes whenever I drive by one.

7. I fight being shy.

8. I used to love 2 Live Crew music.

9. I would love to go hang-gliding.

10. I socially function best in small crowds.

11. I had my first boyfriend at 18.

12. I wanted a big family, like 4 to 5 kids.

13. I was in a major car wreck when I was 19. The car was totalled but I walked away w/only 2 scratches.

14. I enjoy sci-fi, fantasy and anime' films.

15. I have always loved spinach, even as a child.

16. I have to work at being assertive b/c I hate/fear conflict.

17. I always look out of my peephole before opening the door to leave home.

18. I want 1, maybe 2 more kids.

19. I love roller coaster rides.

20. I'm a romantic-realist. (Huh..does that make sense? I know, that was a bit oxymoronic.)21. I am fearful of failing/making major mistakes which has hindered me from marrying again. (I'm working on that.)

22. I love the color blue, like the sky or sea.

23. I want a Yorkie so bad!

24. My taste buds are changing, so I may begin eating something & abruptly stop, not wanting it anymore.

25. I'm afraid of living the rest of my life/dying alone.

So there you have it.
TAG!! It's your turn now!...

Post Title → 25 Things About Me

I Swear I'm Not a Conspiracy Theorist!

Good Morning Beautifuls!

I hope that all is well in your world! I just had to share some information with you. I really do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist but doggonit when I just think about stuff (i.e. our standard American diet, the pharmaceutical/health industry, etc.), things become pretty obvious to me. I found a link to this article on Welikeitraw blog. So I just had to share this article with you.

FDA scientists complain to Obama of 'corruption'
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR – 3 days ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an unusually blunt letter, a group of federal scientists is complaining to the Obama transition team of widespread managerial misconduct in a division of the Food and Drug Administration.

"The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the scientific review process for medical devices at the FDA has been corrupted and distorted by current FDA managers, thereby placing the American people at risk," said the letter, dated Wednesday and written on the agency's Center for Devices and Radiological Health letterhead.

The center is responsible for medical devices ranging from stents and breast implants to MRIs and other imaging machinery. The concerns of the nine scientists who wrote to the transition team echo some of the complaints from the FDA's drug review division a few years ago during the safety debacle involving the painkiller Vioxx.

The FDA declined to publicly respond to the letter, but said it is working to address the concerns.

In their letter the FDA dissidents alleged that agency managers use intimidation to squelch scientific debate, leading to the approval of medical devices whose effectiveness is questionable and which may not be entirely safe.

"Managers with incompatible, discordant and irrelevant scientific and clinical expertise in devices...have ignored serious safety and effectiveness concerns of FDA experts," the letter said. "Managers have ordered, intimidated and coerced FDA experts to modify scientific evaluations, conclusions and recommendations in violation of the laws, rules and regulations, and to accept clinical and technical data that is not scientifically valid."

A copy of the letter, with the names of the scientists redacted, was provided to The Associated Press by a congressional official.

"Currently, there is an atmosphere at FDA in which the honest employee fears the dishonest employee, and not the other way around," the scientists wrote.

FDA spokeswoman Judy Leon said in response: "We have been working very closely with members of the transition team and any concerns or questions they have on any issue, we will address directly with the team. Separately, the agency is actively engaged in a process to explore the staff members' concerns and take appropriate action."

Senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers are urging Obama to appoint a commissioner who will shake up the FDA and restore the confidence of its working-level scientists and medical experts. But industry officials fear that approval of new drugs and devices could be delayed by endless scientific disputes — which is the agency's reputation.

The FDA dissidents have previously taken their concerns to Congress and found support from lawmakers in the House.

In the letter the group singled out mammography computer-aided detection devices as an example of a technology that should not have gone forward. The devices were supposed to improve breast cancer detection, but instead studies showed they were associated with false alarms that led to unnecessary breast biopsies.

Since 2006, FDA experts have recommended five times against approving the devices without better clinical evidence, the letter said. In March of last year, a panel of outside advisers supported some of the concerns of the FDA's in-house scientists. Nonetheless, FDA managers overruled the objections and ordered approval.

Top FDA managers "committed the most outrageous misconduct by ordering, coercing and intimidating FDA physicians and scientists to recommend approval, and then retaliating when the physicians and scientists refused to go along," the letter said.

A spokeswoman said the Obama transition team had no comment.

And this is one of the reasons why I've chosen to seek to live more "natural".
Ummhmm....

Post Title → I Swear I'm Not a Conspiracy Theorist!

IT'S OFFICIAL! ....I HAVE A TEENAGER!

LOL

Post Title → IT'S OFFICIAL! ....I HAVE A TEENAGER!

What Will You Purpose To Do In '09?.....

Hi Beautifuls!

2009 is quickly approaching and I was wondering.. Have you considered/planned for your new year?.. I have.

Here's what's on my list:

1. Take up yoga
2. Run/walk the Peachtree Road Race
3. Get passports for my daughter and I
4. Do a juice fast and purpose to do a fast each quarter
5. Take a raw foods class
6. Reunite myself with consistent work outs
7. Continue to seek personal growth
8. Continue to embrace life and living
9. Continue to seek to understand more & not judge
10. Continue to learn/accept/embrace who I am & hopefully inspire others to do the same
11. Community service
12. Definitely get a side hustle

Gosh, this seemed long as I was typing it up but it's really not. Half of these I've already started working on. What can I say.. I'm always on this continuous journey of self-improvement of physical, mental, and spiritual. I suppose I see learning and improving myself as a lifelong journey that I've come to embrace. Sometimes I really enjoy it. Other times I want to run from it. Nevertheless, I embrace it.

Either way, I'm really looking forward to the new year! Wish I could tell you that I'll be celebrating at church or at some cool,swanky party somewhere (hell, maybe just a party) or something exciting. Not. I'll be fundraising at the Dome (Chick fil a Bowl). It's cool. It's all for a good purpose.

However you choose to bring in the New Year, be safe! Live life fully and love completely! And definitely "do you".

See ya next year!
Much Love..
ChocolateOrchid

Have you made a list or plans for yourself for 2009? If so, what are yours?....

Post Title → What Will You Purpose To Do In '09?.....

OVER RE-MIXES!!

I am so frustrated w/the music industry right now! I just heard a damn remix of Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" with R."damn" Kelly screwin' it all up!! I was already pissy about them adding Bey to Justin Timb's song "Until the End of Time". I am so sick of this!

Why must every song be remixed? Can't you just allow a song to be enjoyed as it was originally made??!!

C'mon people!...

Speak on it....

**UPDATE. ATLANTA DID SHUT THIS ATROCITY DOWN!! THE RADIO STATION CAN PLAY THIS NO MORE. THANK GOD!**

Post Title → OVER RE-MIXES!!