Why Wednesday: Slacker Edition

Why am I just remembering about Why Wednesday after a gentle reminder from Lady C who also forgot?

Why have I been slacking since I'm not working and "trying" to pack?

Why am I still packing and I have been at it for weeks, no months?

Why have I watched at least 2 movies per day while packing so I am now caught up (not really caught up, there's a lot out there)?

Why is this not having cable have perks?

Why am I so glad for Redbox since I am so cheap?

Why did I forget that you can rent dvds for free from the apartment complex?

Why do they have a pretty good selection of movies, including some recent and old school ones?

Why did I watch Office Space again just for the hell of it?

Why did I want to watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith after seeing Killers, but they didn't have it in the office?

Why do I own Mr. and Mrs. Smith (one of the few movies I own), but it is packed up in a box in my storage unit?

Why do I want to make the trip to go get the movie?

Why did the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo disturb me IMMENSELY, but it was so well made?

Why is that the first of 3 movies which are all longer than 2 hours?

Why do I know we can make this an eventful edition of Why Wednesday even though we are getting off to a late start?

Change?

From "Night of the Living Homeless". In this episode, homeless people come to South Park. They go around asking “could you spare some change” and once you gave them change, they would ask for more change and then more people would ask for change until it became an epidemic and there was no more change!!! Scared yet? You should be! Cartman is obviously upset and anyone who is an avid South Park fan, knows that he hates homeless people. And hippies. And Jews. But I won’t be talking about homeless people, hippies or Jews today, today I wanna address some common phrases we often hear about change.

Change is scary

Anything that is different is scary. Hell, life is scary, but we have to live it. And although I know this, I still find myself scared of change. I suppose it’s because I don’t know what to expect and that scares the crap out of me. As a child (and now as an adult), I would always plan and plan and try to anticipate every possible outcome to a situation, so I would know what could happen. You know what, I ended up scaring myself MORE because I have a really active imagination. I could take something simple like if I study, I will make an A on a test, OR I could have fun and not study, fail the test which will make me fail the six weeks, which will make me fail the class, which would make me drop out of school and not go to college, and because I didn’t graduate, ending up working at Mc Donalds for the rest of my life with 8 kids and 10 baby daddies. Wait, what was I talking about, oh yea trying to anticipate EVERY outcome is exhausting and unproductive. (READ: Trying to anticipate ALL outcomes is not the same as thinking and having some common sense). Come to think of it...I guess it worked for me though.

Change is hard

Having to meet new people, go to new places, have new experiences is difficult, because you are not in your comfort zone. It’s part of our nature as human beings to stick with the familiar even if it is not good for you. When looking at non-ideal relationships and situations, our first thought is “why don’t they leave,” “if it were me, I wouldn’t deal with that,” and the like. I admit I say it too, but it’s easier said than done. Your experiences are different than anyone else’s. It takes some real strength to make major changes (not what outfit, hair style or shoes to wear....think bigger) ←- That’s what she said! Sorry I just had to do it.

Change is necessary

We change everyday of our lives, we grow older (even if you refuse to admit it), wiser (well some of us do), our bodies change (gravity is a b!tch), the seasons change, laws change, our economy changes. But in order for things to get better, something has to change. For example, with the economy in the situation that’s it’s in, many flaws in our financial systems are more apparent. When the economy took a tumble, more credit unions and banks closed than ever before. In fact, the credit union system had to be made over to ensure that in the future corporate credit unions are more readily able to withstand changes in the economy. It was not until a number of the corporate credit unions, which provide services to natural person credit unions, were in trouble that the problems became evident.

Change is unavoidable

There are some things that are unforeseen and even if we do see them coming, we cannot do anything to stop them from happening. People get sick, people die, and no matter what precautions one takes, or how you live your life, you are not exempt. And even if we know something is about to happen, like when you see a tall person fall slowly, you KNOW they are gonna eat the dirt because they are like moving in slow motion, but you can’t do anything to stop it. Also we cannot stop Tyler Perry from dressing in drag and putting out movie after movie with the same storyline...no one can(unless maybe Oprah steps up and puts her 2 cents in).

Change is good

One thing many people fail to realize is that change can be good. There is always a silver lining or however that saying goes. What if you read every book in the world, talked to people from all walks of life and had lifetimes of experiences, but as a person nothing about you and how you viewed the world changes, you remained the same? You would be as useless as a dirty sponge; you absorb all this information, but do nothing with it. Everything we learn should change us, if it doesn’t, well.... that’s just a waste.


So I this to say to Cartman, I need some change dammit! I don’t know if this change is good or bad or what it’ll ultimately mean, but I know I need it. So "respect my authoritay" or I’ll kick you right in the nuts!

Sew-Ins No-Wins

I got my first sew-in almost two weeks ago and at first it hurt more than (what I believe) child birth does. And before you get it twisted, the braid (in a circle around my head...well more like a square...like you lol jk) was not tight. At. All. In fact, I felt no pain until she started to sew in the middle of the braids and do the closure. I was this close (holds thumb and index finger really close together) to telling ole girl to just stop, pay her her money and be out. I literally had to take some pills to get through the last part and I had trouble sleeping for the next two days. And I wouldn't consider myself a punk when it comes to pain, but for serious that ish hurt like no other. And this is coming from someone who has had almost every kind of braid known to man done on my hair, including crochet braids (and I distinctly remember one time some hiefer did the corn rows under instead of over...woo if you know what I'm talking about, I'm sorry, I feel your pain but, this hurt worse).

So after the pain subsided and I was liking how my hair looked, then the itching came. At first it was just slight, and it progressed to a full-fledged force all over my head. I tried oiling my scalp to no avail. So then I go to Google and type in "itchy sew-in." I got some information almost all of which stated not to get cheap hair, but I already did and got it installed, so what's next? I see something about aloe vera and tea tree oil, which I have in my natural hair arsenal, so I decide to try it.

I tried to apply some aloe vera with some tea tree oil in it. By now my hair is looking kinda fuzzy from all the manipulation and scratching (and did I mention the hair was cheap?), but so far nothing has worked. So I finally say F this and proceed to try to wash it with some tea tree soap (Dr. Bronner's) which was an experience in and of itself. the hair got heavy, It was difficult to get to my scalp (which to me is how a good sew-in should be, but what do I know), but I did the best I could.

So even after all this, my head is still itching and looks even fuzzier (more like it has been up for a month instead of just 1 week). And the itching is just to the point that I just want to shave all my hair off for some relief. And my scratching has caused little scabs, but it had to be done. I even woke up in the middle of the night to scratch my scalp (or rub it since I had my satin scarf on). I was to the point of taking the style completely out... after only a week which is unheard of for me with any hairstyle.

So after yet another search online for remedies on Tuesday, I found that a few people mentioned Witch Hazel, which I also have, so on my lunch break I went home, mixed some Witch Hazel, distilled water and a few drops of tea tree oil in an application bottle and voila the itching was almost all gone (ALMOST because I only applied it to areas that were itching at the time). When I went home for the day, I reapplied the witch hazel mix, then the aloe vera mix, then some oil on my scalp, which seemed to help alot.

So today is one day short of 2 weeks, and it will come down tonight!. My first sew in looks a fuzzy mess now, BUT at least when I get it done again (which I am willing to try at least once more since I have all this knowledge and my first time may have been a fluke), I know what to do.

A few tips, I've discovered from my online search:

-Use human hair (it causes less irritation than synthetic for most people because less chemicals are used)

-If you are not a baller (like me) and you MUST use synthetic hair, soak the hair in some vinegar and water and let air dry prior to installation to get rid of the chemicals used in the hair

-Make sure your scalp is clean and well-oiled prior to installation

- If your head starts to itch, do not scratch it (I know I know...do as I say not as I do:( ). I would try the witch hazel and water trick first since it actually worked immediately, then the aloe vera and tea tree oil if the witch hazel doesn't do the trick, and finally if neither of those work then wash and condition your scalp

General tips to keep in mind when you have protective styles with fake (meaning not grown by you) hair:

-Make sure your hair is clean prior to installation (should be a no-brainer)

-Wash at least bi-weekly to prevent build up and to have a healthy scalp (no one like a smelly weave...no one)

- Oil your scalp regularly

- The take away message here is to not neglect your hair, just because you have it done, beauty never rests

I didn't post the entire process like Lady C, but below are a couple of pictures of my hair before and after the itchiness.

After 2 days (done on Saturday night, this is the Monday after)

After 1 week (itchiness has begun and the fuzziness as well)

Final Day...it's coming down tonight! (it's fuzzy to death and the picture doesn't do it justice...or I'm just that nitpicky.

Does the Pain Ever Go Away?

No picture today, just a Miss V original. This is just something I was feeling and decided to write about it.

When you lose a loved one, you always hear people say,

I’m sorry for your loss, but never “the pain will go away.”

When your heart is grief stricken, you don’t know how you’ll ever move on,

It seems like everyone is just saying meaningless words, because my loved one is gone

Perhaps it's wrong for me to feel anger at those

Who are quick to tell me that "everything will be ok"...I suppose

I know they mean well, but it just seems obnoxious to me

That they can tell me that with certainty and appear so carefree

When you lose someone you care about, it is finally revealed,

Those who really care about you, or just wish you ill will

Your true friends and family in their actions they’ll show,

What they really think about you and you won’t feel so low

Loss brings out the worst, what people try to hide inside

And your conscience you’ll have to rely on to be your guide.

Because along with the pain of the loss you’ll have to deal

With the evil people show, everything will feel surreal.

When you lose someone who is your heart and soul,

Pushing those feelings of pain out of your mind is your only goal.

Some sense of normalcy is all that you seek,

Because the thought of your loss makes you want to weep.

The memories you’ll always hold in your heart

And life goes on, and this is where the difficulty starts

At first everything seems like a dream, well more like a nightmare

So you have come to the realization that life isn’t fair

Now the world looks different, it doesn’t look the same,

Like at any moment someone else will be claimed

But you have to move on, be strong and proclaim

And move forward, progress, and succeed in their name.

So I ask and plead when someone you know

Is grieving over a loss that you may never know

Sometimes they just need for you to say,

One day, someday, the pain will go away.

Why Wednesday?!

Why do I have so much to do and what appears to be so little time (although I have plenty of time...PLENTY)?

Why do I need to make a list to keep up with everything?

Why will I inevitably lose this list or not even look at it again?

Why am I uncertain about what the future holds for me?

Why does this week seem to be surreal?

Why am I sad about leaving my job when I complained about it so much?

Why did I meet some great people here?

Why will I take some fun memories as well?

Why did I learn so much here?

Why do I hope that I find another job that has all the good things this place has and none of the bad?

Why am I being silly enough to think (hope) this actually happens lol?

Why was this my first "real" job?

Why have I been holding off packing my stuff up here?

Why have I started to mentally take pictures of the people and this place so that I don't forget it (like I ever could)?

Why am I sad about leaving despite the fact that I mentally checked out months ago?

Why do I think that the reason that I will miss this place so much because of all the events that occurred in my life while I worked here?

Why will I be back later with some happy whys?