He's Out Of Our Lives

Michael Jackson is dead. How weird does that sound? Michael Jackson is dead.

Michael played a huge part in the lives of many generations including mine. His musical genius and sheer talent far out weighed the craziness that surrounded the latter part of his life and it is this that, in the wake of his death, that the world has been forced to truly appreciate and adore. What really got me on that day was what was happening in my household NO DOUBT while when he undergoing a cardiac arrest. This is a true story and as unbelievable as the fact that he's gone.

My sister was round babysitting and on our return her, Henry and I began a conversation that we will never forget. An episode of South Park was on which focused on yet another celebrity p**s take. It was U2's Bono's turn and we began a discussion about who else they had been ridiculed in a way only South Park could pull off and get away with. Kanye West, Paris Hilton and Angelina Jolie were mentioned and we ended up on Micheal Jackson. Henry who's the biggest SP fan I know and an eternal comedian, began quoting the memorable lines in the MJ voice and my sister and I creased up with laughter. I then recalled a recent article about MJ being upset about the 50 shows he'd been signed up to do here in London. My sister hadn't heard about it so, with my encouragement I told Henry to tell her what he had said...'In the voice' as he had done with me when the article was published, again my sister and I creased up with laughter. We then went into a long exchange about how the hell he was going to manage 50 SHOWS???!!! Half an hour later Henry turned the TV over to Sky News... 'Oh My God... look at this!' he said. The laughter had come to a dramatic end.

The breaking news of his cardiac arrest stood before us. Shocked and somewhat sickened we watched the story unfold. At that point I didn't think he would die. I even tried to lighten up the mood by saying at least he doesn't have to worry about the 50 shows now, they couldn't expect him to do it now he's gone through this - death to me was not on the cards. Then they showed a recent clip of him when he visited London to talk about the come back tour. We looked at him and the reality of what could happen kicked in. He looked so weak. He looked like his body couldn't withstand such an attack. He died about 5 minutes later.

I know I am not responsible for Michael Jackson's death but the guilty feelings within me, knowing that while his heart was failing him, I was laughing at his expense are difficult to shake. The laughter has turned into a sadness I have never known. The tributes that have taken place since his death on the TV and radio just remind us all, that Michael Jackson was THE KING of pop and THE PRINCE of Motown soul. Tune, after tune, after tune, after tune and let's not forget the moves! The guy was simply amazing and his music will live forever and ever. Amen.

Rest in Peace Michael.

So wot's bin gwannin'!!

So besides quitting my job... what's been gwannin'?!! Well here's a pictorial rundown, most recent first and all the way back to where we left off on the 15th May. I suggest you start at the bottom and work your way back up...


June 12th 2009 - Hawk to sock bun and twist-out bump/quiff

Here's yet another attempt to calm my crazy hawk down for work! I took the back two thirds and turned it into a sock bun. Then took the front third and turned it into a twist out bump/quiff.

June 10th 2009 - Kamaal turns 11

My baby is getting bigger. He is at the start of the long road which will take him from a boy to a man. With secondary school only months away, it is time for me to let go, just a little and allow him the opportunity to grow. Here he is with one of his MANY gifts...with his chocolate cake... and with me...

June 9th 2009 - 'Fro Hawk to Puff and Bump/Quiff

Attempt number three. It's amazing the amount of style you can adapt around the Hawk...

June 9th 2009 - Meeting baby Elijah

I finally got to meet the new little man of the family. Baby Elijah. My nephew. He's sooooo cute! Look at his juicy kissy lips! And the boy is so cuddly and loves that close contact, he's still got that newborn, safe and warm attitude.




Here's the proud family - Baby Elijah , Carly, Isaiah and my bro Javan.




Me and baby E.J

Check out my mum's colourful twists. Blonds, reds, browns and blacks. An NS rainbow!




And Ms Kizzy's funky coils. She has lock ambitions. Her dream would be some Sisterlocks but with a baby on the way, the financial aspects wouldn't be warranted, so she made her own. She doesn't know yet whether she'll let them lock but I'm loving her style.

And a final one for this day, a picture on my mum's shelf that took me back... way back. To when I was Kamaal's age. Besides the NS cuteness the best thing about this picture is ... I'm wearing green!!!

June 6th 2009 - I Love My 'Fro Hawk

Still lovin' it!






May 30th 2009 -Park Life

The sun has finally made it's way to the UK. London in the summer time is a great place to be! There are plenty of beautiful parks for you to enjoy and since the sun doesn't like to stick around here, people make the most of it, including us...

May 29th 2009 -Fro Hawk to back flat twist & front Twist Out

Attempt number three to calm down the 'Fro Hawk for work. I flat twisted the back and placed some big twists in the front, that I took out the next morning...




May 29th 2009 -I Love my Fro Hawk

I just love this style. It's got so much attitude and makes me feel really powerful. Yep, it's definitely my favourite.

May 26th 2009 - 'Fro Hawk to Pom Pom head


This was my second attempt to calm down the 'Fro Hawk for work. The comments were flying -all good... there were plenty of admirers. The best for me was that the bumps looked like little pom poms.

May 24-25th 2009 - Afro Hair and Beauty

All I can say is... Change the name.... PLEEEEAASSSSSSEEEEEE!!!! This is the second time I visited this black hair exhibition at Alexander Palace, Wood Green, London. Once again it was seriously lacking in actual Afro Hair. There was stall upon stall of hair to cover up, straighten up and hide Afro, but you could count the specifically Afro/lock stalls on one hand and still have fingers left over!!!!! After last year's disappointment, I had no intention of going in but thought I would check out a seminar on Natural Hair care. I watched as a woman long straight hair, not sure if it was weave but it was straight, talking to people about natural hair while she commended the demonstrating stylist on stage with her, as he pressed a young ladies hair. As the steam rose from her virgin locks and the speaker piped up "Look everyone, it's so straight you wouldn't even know it's natural" It was at that point I left the seminar. What a waste of my hard earned cash!

My sister Kezia and I stood outside promoting Real Afro Hair and Beauty. She had removed her twists to show off her Black Power Fro! She looked amazing, especially with her Naturally Sexy t-shirt and bump.

Me on day one with twisted top 'Fro Hawk hair.

Baby sis with bump, looking damn cool and strong!

Day Two - with twists-out.

Thanks to all my helpers and those of you who signed up to our mailing list on the day.

May 22nd 2009 - Freshly Hawked up

Finally I got it done properly, all thanks to the skills of my little sis Kiz. I washed and conditioned it with front twists still in, a few days before. Here are the finished results.



I kept it like this for work but as soon as the working day was done, I took out the front twists and did a twist out on all the left out free fro

May 18th 2009 - Zain's Birthday

My baby, baby, is getting bigger. 5 years ago I was like this, tired and fed up and eager to give birth to my second child...

On the 18th of May 2004 he came...
Today my baby turned 5. No longer a little one. Here he is in his birthday chair and with his birthday Spongebob cake...




And finally here's my Janelle Monae inspired twisted quiff/bump...

Departures

Ah finally. Back to blogging. What a breath of fresh air!!

Me, well I've been busy as usual, where does all the time go? There just aren't enough hours in the day to do what I need to do. Fortunately I have been privileged enough to get myself 48 hours back. How? Well I have made a very brave decision to take voluntary redundancy from my part time job. It's time for my departure. After a long time off sick my return has brought about the true realisation that I no longer enjoy the job. What used to be fun and varied has become dull and monotonous. It takes me forever to get there...and back... and my heart just isn't in it, not even through that connection you develop with the people you work with - the ones who get you through the day (which, outside of the financial implications, is essentially what binds us to a job we hate). The people I connected with have either left, are on maternity leave or work a different shift pattern and so I see them infrequently. With all that said getting through work days have become harder, especially since I'm building a business and have 101 things to do.

It'll be a few months before I officially go but at least there's now light at the end of the tunnel... or should I say the runway!! The airport is an interesting environment to work in. You come into contact with so many different people, from all walks of life and from all sides of the globe. As I said I've made some really lovely friends there but for someone like me, the job does have a sell by date. Once you've made sufficient use of the perks (cheap flight concessions), you either move up or move on... if you can. I'd love to say I've been to loads of desirable destinations off the back of my job but unfortunately I haven't. After nearly 4 years service, my holiday list consists of 10 days in Barbados and two nights in New York. Now that's not right is it??!! And why is the list so dry? Well your concessions are a 'Standby thing' - if there are seats you get to travel, the big perk is that you mostly travel in business class and after three years service a seat in upper class if it's available! This is great if you can fly anytime and you don't have many responsibilities but when you have to fit it around kids and school it's no good at all. Standing by for a flight during the school holidays is a huge risk! There's the risk of not getting on at all, thereby dashing your partners and kids holiday hopes. Or alternatively and more so harrowing, not being able to get back!!! All that stress you lost from your relaxing break, instantly returns and the money you saved from your cheap flights is used to find you and your family somewhere to stay, till you can get yourself on a flight home. Luckily I have never had this experience but have heard the story on many occasions, so much so that I wouldn't take the risk.

But here I am, ready to risk it all. Give up my job to pursue my business dreams. A huge risk one would say, especially in these credit crunchy times, where jobs are being lost, left, right and centre. My heart goes out to all those in the struggle. For me, having struggled through the past year with all my teeth stuff , I'm going to take this opportunity to stop dreaming about the life I want to live and start living my dreams. Right now Naturally Sexy needs me! It needs me full-time to expand this celebration of our natural beauty, to really develop and maintain the website, to provide products, to blog (yay!!) and interact with all you Naturally Sexy folk out there and those of you who would like to join our party! I have the belief, the determination and the passion to succeed. You've got to start somewhere and just as the Daily Telegraph's recent ad campaign states ... It Pays To Think Big!

It pays to think big - Daily Telegraph

...Even my boss had to start somewhere...