Tuesday, April 20, 2010
I am So Blown
So, I learned some new information over the weekend that was very disturbing to me. I have to blog about it. The people in this post shall remain nameless, but I will use aliases. I visited the home of a woman I have known for quite some time. It was a small gathering. “Reese” has a new man in her life. Good for her. She would refer to the previous man she was dating as her booty call (and she was his booty call). Since I am a Christian, I don’t condone pre-marital sex in my relationships, so I was not thrilled about this information. But that’s her life. Anyway, the old man called her home while the new man was there. Instead of telling the guy that he is no longer needed, she pacified him. “Pat”, her sister, who was also there said, “You don’t have to answer to him. Tell him to go to home to his wife.” I was suddenly a deer in headlights. “He’s married?” “Oops!!”, “Pat” said. I said to “Reese”, “You were “dating” a married man?” She said, “So, “Ralph” was married too.” She said it in the most nonchalant manner. Ralph is this married guy she “dated” way back when and had his child. This is a sad situation because the person who has suffered from that relationship is the child. This guy never owned up to this responsibility; thus, the child grew up without his natural father. In fact, a few years ago Ralph showed up at a funeral we had to attend. Everyone, including myself, said hi to him. Reese’s son turns to me and asked, “Who’s that?” I said, “That’s your father.” Sad, right? So anyway, “Reese” is recently divorced due to her ex-husband of 14 years having an affair. Of course she was pissed and hurt. I would have been too. But how can “Reese” get mad at the mistress of her ex-husband when she was/is doing the same thing? I was genuinely shocked after this all sank in. There are certain things you just don’t expect certain people to do. I didn’t see this one coming. I also recalled what Steve Harvey said about men who cheat. He said men cheat because there are women out there who are willing to cheat with them. That is so true. And does she care about how her son views her? I’m a single mother with a 4-year old, impressionable son. As children grow up and become smarter and wiser, they begin to notice certain behaviors that people adopt. I would not put myself in a situation where my son would question my morals and view me as a home wrecker, ho, or the like. Think about how this can affect a child. Anyway, I hope she stops being a mistress because we all reap what we sow. Some people call it karma, but the bible is clear on the sowing and reaping process.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Homemade Hair Care Recipes
I am beginning to realize there are not perfect products for my hair. Well, at least not by my standards of perfect. Since I want to use products that are less chemically induced, I decided to search for homemade shampoo and deep conditioner recipes.
Let me back up for a minute. A friend of mine introduced me to a website called Hairlista. My friend perms her hair so I thought the site she sent me would not benefit me. After a month, a few of us were in an email exchange talking about hair. Hairlista was mentioned again. One of the ladies said that the advice she found and used there made a great improvement in her hair growth. I decided to check it out. I signed up for an account because you can’t view the website without signing up. After I signed up, I perused the site and came across a section called Hair Help – thin edges. I have a big problem with thin edges. The article mentioned some reasons for thin edges and some oils that can be used to combat thin edges. (I just noticed that the article linked to another site, Hairlicious Inc.) This led me to think about homemade deep conditioner recipes. I google everything so I found some great some great homemade shampoo, deep conditioner, rinse, and moisturizing recipes.
Here is what I found:
Shampoo Recipes
Instructables.com
STIMULATE
To wake up your scalp and your senses, try tea tree and peppermint oil!
Combine
1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid Castile Soap
2 tsp jojoba oil
1/8 tsp peppermint ess oil
1/8 tsp tea tree ess. oil
Mix all ingredients, then add 1/4 cup distilled water
Store in a bottle. Use as you would any shampoo, rinse well.
QUENCH
For dry hair, try this:
1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid Castile Soap - your favorite scent
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp glycerin
1/4 tsp avocado oil or jojoba oil
Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle and always shake well before using.
Apply to hair and allow to sit for a few minutes. Rinse well with cool water.
*Unfortunately glycerin doesn’t work at all in the winter when the air is drier so I’ve started mixing jojoba oil in with my moisturizer. This, combined with the other ingredients in my moisturizer, helps keep my hair soft and supple.
Avocado Condition
YouTube Video
1 pitted avocado
½ can coconut milk
1 oz coconut oil
2 tsp evoo
2 tsp honey
2 oz pure aloe vera
1 tsp castor oil
Blend together, use, and rinse with lukewarm followed by cold water
Hair Rinse
Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Company
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #1
This is a quick recipe for one application
Ingredients
2 tablespoon of cider vinegar
herbs of choice (see below)
about 2 cups of boiling water
Directions:
1. Boil the water in a small saucepan.
2. Add the herbs and vinegar. Cover and allow the "tea" to steep for at least 15 minutes. If you want a stronger herbal infusion, add more herbs, cover and simmer on the stove for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
3. Allow your infusion to cool. It should be used that day or refrigerated for later use. You may also double or triple the recipe. Just be sure to refrigerate the unused portion.
4. When you have finished rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, pour the rinse on your hair and massage your scalp. If you have very long hair, as I do, you can dip your hair into the jug before pouring its contents over your head. Avoid getting the rinse in your eyes, particularly if you have used essential oils. Also make sure the temperature of your rinse is just right for you.
5. Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.
6. Make sure you rinse out the shower afterwards, as some herbs can leave it looking slightly tea stained; similarly, watch out for your towels. The staining is only temporary and washes out very easily; it is more likely to occur with extra strong infusions.
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #2:
This recipe makes a larger batch and takes longer to prepare
Ingredients
2 cups of cider vinegar
1 cup chopped herbs of choice (see below)
Directions:
1. Place approximately 1 cup of chopped herbs in a glass jar.
2. Cover with 2 cups of vinegar.
3. "Steep" this mixture in a tightly closed jar or bottle in the refrigerator or in a dark,
cool place for two weeks.
4. Strain steeped vinegar from herbs through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a fresh, clean bottle.
5. Refrigerate up to 6 months. (I always leave about a weeks worth in my shower!)
6. Tip: If you don't want to wait two weeks, speed up infusion by heating the vinegar before pouring over herbs. "Steep" for a few days!
7. When ready to use: dilute 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the herbal vinegar in 1 cup of water. Rinse through wet hair after shampooing. Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.
Scalp Energizer
Motown Girl
2 drops pure peppermint oil
4 oz water
Place ingredients in a spray bottle and spray directly on scalp. Shake well before each use. This relieves itchy scalp.
Hair Growth Mixture
Motown Girl
¼ cup pure vitamin e oil
¼ cup castor oil or jojoba oil
15 drops rosemary oil
15 drops peppermint oil
Place ingredients in a container and mix well. Use one finger to dip into the mixture and gently massage into the area.
You can use every night only if you clean your hair often. It is important to rinse off heavy oils so they won’t clog your hair follicles which cause itchiness and slow growth.
Let me back up for a minute. A friend of mine introduced me to a website called Hairlista. My friend perms her hair so I thought the site she sent me would not benefit me. After a month, a few of us were in an email exchange talking about hair. Hairlista was mentioned again. One of the ladies said that the advice she found and used there made a great improvement in her hair growth. I decided to check it out. I signed up for an account because you can’t view the website without signing up. After I signed up, I perused the site and came across a section called Hair Help – thin edges. I have a big problem with thin edges. The article mentioned some reasons for thin edges and some oils that can be used to combat thin edges. (I just noticed that the article linked to another site, Hairlicious Inc.) This led me to think about homemade deep conditioner recipes. I google everything so I found some great some great homemade shampoo, deep conditioner, rinse, and moisturizing recipes.
Here is what I found:
Shampoo Recipes
Instructables.com
STIMULATE
To wake up your scalp and your senses, try tea tree and peppermint oil!
Combine
1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid Castile Soap
2 tsp jojoba oil
1/8 tsp peppermint ess oil
1/8 tsp tea tree ess. oil
Mix all ingredients, then add 1/4 cup distilled water
Store in a bottle. Use as you would any shampoo, rinse well.
QUENCH
For dry hair, try this:
1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid Castile Soap - your favorite scent
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp glycerin
1/4 tsp avocado oil or jojoba oil
Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle and always shake well before using.
Apply to hair and allow to sit for a few minutes. Rinse well with cool water.
*Unfortunately glycerin doesn’t work at all in the winter when the air is drier so I’ve started mixing jojoba oil in with my moisturizer. This, combined with the other ingredients in my moisturizer, helps keep my hair soft and supple.
Avocado Condition
YouTube Video
1 pitted avocado
½ can coconut milk
1 oz coconut oil
2 tsp evoo
2 tsp honey
2 oz pure aloe vera
1 tsp castor oil
Blend together, use, and rinse with lukewarm followed by cold water
Hair Rinse
Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Company
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #1
This is a quick recipe for one application
Ingredients
2 tablespoon of cider vinegar
herbs of choice (see below)
about 2 cups of boiling water
Directions:
1. Boil the water in a small saucepan.
2. Add the herbs and vinegar. Cover and allow the "tea" to steep for at least 15 minutes. If you want a stronger herbal infusion, add more herbs, cover and simmer on the stove for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
3. Allow your infusion to cool. It should be used that day or refrigerated for later use. You may also double or triple the recipe. Just be sure to refrigerate the unused portion.
4. When you have finished rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, pour the rinse on your hair and massage your scalp. If you have very long hair, as I do, you can dip your hair into the jug before pouring its contents over your head. Avoid getting the rinse in your eyes, particularly if you have used essential oils. Also make sure the temperature of your rinse is just right for you.
5. Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.
6. Make sure you rinse out the shower afterwards, as some herbs can leave it looking slightly tea stained; similarly, watch out for your towels. The staining is only temporary and washes out very easily; it is more likely to occur with extra strong infusions.
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #2:
This recipe makes a larger batch and takes longer to prepare
Ingredients
2 cups of cider vinegar
1 cup chopped herbs of choice (see below)
Directions:
1. Place approximately 1 cup of chopped herbs in a glass jar.
2. Cover with 2 cups of vinegar.
3. "Steep" this mixture in a tightly closed jar or bottle in the refrigerator or in a dark,
cool place for two weeks.
4. Strain steeped vinegar from herbs through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a fresh, clean bottle.
5. Refrigerate up to 6 months. (I always leave about a weeks worth in my shower!)
6. Tip: If you don't want to wait two weeks, speed up infusion by heating the vinegar before pouring over herbs. "Steep" for a few days!
7. When ready to use: dilute 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the herbal vinegar in 1 cup of water. Rinse through wet hair after shampooing. Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.
Scalp Energizer
Motown Girl
2 drops pure peppermint oil
4 oz water
Place ingredients in a spray bottle and spray directly on scalp. Shake well before each use. This relieves itchy scalp.
Hair Growth Mixture
Motown Girl
¼ cup pure vitamin e oil
¼ cup castor oil or jojoba oil
15 drops rosemary oil
15 drops peppermint oil
Place ingredients in a container and mix well. Use one finger to dip into the mixture and gently massage into the area.
You can use every night only if you clean your hair often. It is important to rinse off heavy oils so they won’t clog your hair follicles which cause itchiness and slow growth.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Why Did I Get Married Too Review
It was ok. I didn't like how Gavin and Patricia fought. Patricia did some over the top things to get back at Gavin that were unrealistic. Tyler never really gave any in depth information about how they got to the point of divorce. We only know that Patricia never communicated what she was feeling and that she was never the same after Noah died. Why were Janet Jackson's breasts overly exposed throughout the movie? I didn't like how the movie ended. I like Dwayne Johnson, but why was he cast for that role? Angela and Marcus was also over the top. The airport scene and the job scene were, again, unrealistic. Calling the girl a ho and fighting on national tv. Also, we know Terry and his wife were having problems, but more could have been added to their story. The movie was funny, but I liked the first one better.
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