Reverb10: Dec 7 & 8
Studying, studying, studying...finals finals finals. I'm not sure if I'm doing better, worse or the same. I took a daytime cold medicine, so currently I'm feeling pretty snazzy. (Okay, not *snazzy*, but...) So now, I'll enjoy a brief study break from preparing for my Political Science Research Methods final.
December 7 - Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)
I've discovered community offline. One example? My fellow resident assistants. This year was kind of a tough time with my friends - they were slowly but surely falling apart and some of them were having such serious problems that I had to step away from them completely. Others, slowly morphed and changed until it seemed like I didn't know them anymore. I was also getting into the swing of my (then) new job, as an RA. As sad as it sounds, when you become an RA, it's almost like your life revolves around Residence Life (if you let it). You begin to bond with your fellow RAs because they have a mutual understanding, of the inconvenience, the stress, the disrespect (from both higher-ups and your residents), yet ultimately rewarding job that you all share. I've been hanging out with a lot more of them lately, and I don't regret it.
Also? The natural hair community, both online and off. When I cut my hair, I was wholly unprepared by the sheer volume of information that was available at my fingertips: youtube, hair blogs, forums...even now, I still have trouble processing it all as I continue this journey with my kinky curly head of hair. But offline, there's a group of young women - some of which were my friends before, some of which were casual acquaintances, some I didn't even know - that form a loving community that have become some of my better friends. It doesn't hurt that I have a few things in common with some of them beyond what grows out of our scalps.
Yes, it's still a bit strange that I can't whip my hair back and forth like I used to. And I can't lie - sometimes I miss the way it fit primly under my favorite hats, or the perfect waves and swirls it made after a date with a flat iron and some pin curls (make no mistake, I loved my hair when relaxed, too!) - but I love my hair just as much, if not more now. I love that for once, I have freedom and independence. I'm not shackled to a salon chair to be presentable, I'm not even bound to use the products sold in the "ethnic hair" aisle or the beauty supply shop. (Why do that when you can pick up some natural oils and whip up your own?) I savor the moments where I can stand in the shower and get my entire head wet without worrying if I can make a last-minute hairstylist appointment. I love that I'm (slowly) learning how to do things for myself, like wash, condition, detangle (I hardly ever did these things when I had a relaxer) as well as style it with twists, braids and the like - unimaginable just one year ago.
As for who I'd like to connect more with in 2011? In a few words, the people that I "do" for. My residents and the readers of my blog. Let's cross our fingers!
Wow, that was surprisingly easy to write. Anyway, on to the next one:
December 8 - Beautifully Different.
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different - you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)
Wow, this is hard. I'm really not sure.
I think one thing that may make me different is the way I look at things. I try to see things from various different sides (part of my over-analyzing I'm sure) from the positive, to the negative, to the just plain weird. Sometimes it can help me bring a new perspective to a stale issue.
I think another thing may be my strive for self-improvement. One of the most boring scenarios in the world (to me) is stagnation. I'm always on a quest to evolve, learn and try new things, even though sometimes I'm a bit reluctant. I'm trying to adopt the mindset of trying new things, even if they're scary (as long as they don't hurt someone, kill someone or send me to jail, according to my current lady crush, Mimi Imfurst). And there's nothing wrong with learning something new!
I think I'm growing a more...how do you say...extravagant (who knows) personality. Maybe it's growing with my afro. I love to see other people unlock their potential as well. I don't like seeing a magnificent creature down herself (or himself, or themselves, etc...). I tend to take grand efforts to help fix this problem. It has earned both admiration and ire. But I can also be painfully blunt...which can be a little rude at times. It slips out. I'm working on it.
This ended up being more of a description of myself and how I've changed rather than what makes me different. Maybe that makes me different? (Ha!) But I've tried to curb the habit of comparing myself to other people. Am I as pretty? As brilliant? As talented? As charming? As much of a sex magnet? As revolutionary? As successful? As special? As worthy? As blessed? (That's a lot of "As"'s. The word is starting to look like gibberish.) I've been in that habit for years - starting with my siblings and continuing on as I got older. It's cruel and unusual punishment since you never win. A negative comparison undermines yourself but a positive one is fleeting. The thrill of victory is exhilarating but you don't get much reveling in someone's defeat.
I don't know, maybe I'm just ranting and I make no sense. Either way, I should go back to studying - these notes aren't going to review themselves. :(
Wow, I just spit up a ton of cosmic funk (don't EVEN know why I wrote that...but it is staying) in this blog post. And now, I'm caught up! Yaaay!!
December 7 - Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)
I've discovered community offline. One example? My fellow resident assistants. This year was kind of a tough time with my friends - they were slowly but surely falling apart and some of them were having such serious problems that I had to step away from them completely. Others, slowly morphed and changed until it seemed like I didn't know them anymore. I was also getting into the swing of my (then) new job, as an RA. As sad as it sounds, when you become an RA, it's almost like your life revolves around Residence Life (if you let it). You begin to bond with your fellow RAs because they have a mutual understanding, of the inconvenience, the stress, the disrespect (from both higher-ups and your residents), yet ultimately rewarding job that you all share. I've been hanging out with a lot more of them lately, and I don't regret it.
Also? The natural hair community, both online and off. When I cut my hair, I was wholly unprepared by the sheer volume of information that was available at my fingertips: youtube, hair blogs, forums...even now, I still have trouble processing it all as I continue this journey with my kinky curly head of hair. But offline, there's a group of young women - some of which were my friends before, some of which were casual acquaintances, some I didn't even know - that form a loving community that have become some of my better friends. It doesn't hurt that I have a few things in common with some of them beyond what grows out of our scalps.
Yes, it's still a bit strange that I can't whip my hair back and forth like I used to. And I can't lie - sometimes I miss the way it fit primly under my favorite hats, or the perfect waves and swirls it made after a date with a flat iron and some pin curls (make no mistake, I loved my hair when relaxed, too!) - but I love my hair just as much, if not more now. I love that for once, I have freedom and independence. I'm not shackled to a salon chair to be presentable, I'm not even bound to use the products sold in the "ethnic hair" aisle or the beauty supply shop. (Why do that when you can pick up some natural oils and whip up your own?) I savor the moments where I can stand in the shower and get my entire head wet without worrying if I can make a last-minute hairstylist appointment. I love that I'm (slowly) learning how to do things for myself, like wash, condition, detangle (I hardly ever did these things when I had a relaxer) as well as style it with twists, braids and the like - unimaginable just one year ago.
As for who I'd like to connect more with in 2011? In a few words, the people that I "do" for. My residents and the readers of my blog. Let's cross our fingers!
Wow, that was surprisingly easy to write. Anyway, on to the next one:
December 8 - Beautifully Different.
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different - you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)
Wow, this is hard. I'm really not sure.
I think one thing that may make me different is the way I look at things. I try to see things from various different sides (part of my over-analyzing I'm sure) from the positive, to the negative, to the just plain weird. Sometimes it can help me bring a new perspective to a stale issue.
I think another thing may be my strive for self-improvement. One of the most boring scenarios in the world (to me) is stagnation. I'm always on a quest to evolve, learn and try new things, even though sometimes I'm a bit reluctant. I'm trying to adopt the mindset of trying new things, even if they're scary (as long as they don't hurt someone, kill someone or send me to jail, according to my current lady crush, Mimi Imfurst). And there's nothing wrong with learning something new!
I think I'm growing a more...how do you say...extravagant (who knows) personality. Maybe it's growing with my afro. I love to see other people unlock their potential as well. I don't like seeing a magnificent creature down herself (or himself, or themselves, etc...). I tend to take grand efforts to help fix this problem. It has earned both admiration and ire. But I can also be painfully blunt...which can be a little rude at times. It slips out. I'm working on it.
This ended up being more of a description of myself and how I've changed rather than what makes me different. Maybe that makes me different? (Ha!) But I've tried to curb the habit of comparing myself to other people. Am I as pretty? As brilliant? As talented? As charming? As much of a sex magnet? As revolutionary? As successful? As special? As worthy? As blessed? (That's a lot of "As"'s. The word is starting to look like gibberish.) I've been in that habit for years - starting with my siblings and continuing on as I got older. It's cruel and unusual punishment since you never win. A negative comparison undermines yourself but a positive one is fleeting. The thrill of victory is exhilarating but you don't get much reveling in someone's defeat.
I don't know, maybe I'm just ranting and I make no sense. Either way, I should go back to studying - these notes aren't going to review themselves. :(
Wow, I just spit up a ton of cosmic funk (don't EVEN know why I wrote that...but it is staying) in this blog post. And now, I'm caught up! Yaaay!!