exclusive first look

i was able to get my hands on a pre-release maybelline pulse perfection mascara! i think it's due out in stores in July but i'm letting you see what it's like before it hits the shelves of your local cvs/rite aid/walgreens/whatever. 

Before: mascara-free lashes

After: pulse perfected

ha! this last pic kinda looks like i have falsies on...

what do you think?

my dreamworld

I wouldn't be so damn sensitive, I'd let things go by
No matter what the weather, I'd learn to change, I'd change with the time

- Dreamworld- Robin Thicke

have you ever had the same dream once a year with little to no variation? that went on for a while when i was a kid. it was about this huge green, glowing witch floating outside my bedroom window. 

this is pretty common, but have you ever dreamt about the last thing you thought about when you went to sleep?

what if someone was playing the radio right before you wake up? was whatever song that was on somehow incorporated in your dream? my mom was playing the radio and in my dream the same song was playing in the convenience store i was in. when i woke up, it was at the same point it would have been if i was still sleeping. 

what about finishing dreams? you ever wake up and then go back and finish a dream where it left off? sometimes i get the last few minutes of the dream over again and then it continues like movie. my brother claimed her woke up one morning and went to bed one night and finished a dream...

you ever had a dream make so little sense or be so bad or so scary that you force yourself to wake up?

tell me about your dreams. 

memorial day

enjoy your first cookouts of the summer! (and your day off)

product of the month

MAC cleanse off oil ($21): read the review here

everything she said is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. i love this stuff. i used to rave about the pond's facial cloths; you may remember my review over a year ago. once i started doing a little more with my makeup, they said, "i quit this bitch!" after reading temptalia's review, i had to place my order. i tried it, and it really is a miracle product!

ooohhh, you gon' get it!

continued from twitter- things that should happen to anyone who has wronged me:

1. be forced to watch "the fashion show" 
2. hold a 20-minute conversation with tyra banks
3. be forced to listen to me sing the following: "can't live"- mariah carey, "love"- keyshia cole, anything by whitney houston, and "no one"- alicia keys"
4. have to watch "from justin to kelly"
5. have to ride the MARTA (or equally bad public transportation) for a week as their only means of transportation
6. be made wear clothing made of burlap in 90 degree weather
7. watch an entire golf tournament live, not on tv

can't think of anything else. what would be on your list?

a whirlwind of emotions

i'm not in a relationship and havent really been in about 2 years but i'm feeling these songs right now. they somewhat relate to what im feeling about various men folk. see something you don't know? i suggest you acquire it! something you remember but isnt a part of your list? get it! something you have but haven't listened to in a while? revisit it!

1. it's over now- 112

2. not lookin'- mjb and kci

3. blame it on me- chrisette michele

4. tired- adele

5. the blues- tony toni tone

6. side step- robin thicke

7. wreckless love- alicia keys

8. take the box- amy winehouse

9.  green eyes- erykah badu

10. no substitute love- estelle

11. you used to love me- faith evans

12. love changes- jamie foxx and mjb

13. again- john legend

Album of the Month

after hearing the title track, i was on this chick. i'll admit i completely slept on her first album and i need to go back and give it a listen. people say this sophomore release doesn't compare. i got a few more tracks before the official release and knew i needed the entire thing. and you telling me the first one is better? this girl might just be in heavy rotation for the summer. have you heard any tracks (other than 'epiphany')? do you have the album? thoughts?

we have a winner!

the winner of the mascara giveaway was entry #3: NESSA

thank you to all who entered!

currently reading

right now i'm reading The Black List by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell. the book was gifted to me by my high school mentors from the DC Chapter of the National Black MBA Association. yes, we still keep in touch. i last saw them around Christmas time. they like to see how the Leaders of Tomorrow alumni are doing. the book features stories of 25 prominent African-Americans in varying professions. the List includes, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Zane, Colin Powell, Serena Williams, and Russell Simmons. i'm excited to learn more about some familiar faces and to discover some who don't ring a bell. 

i'm still taking suggestions on books to add to my summer reading list, so what are you reading right now?

style warrior unveiling party

this evening, i attended the style warrior party @ the MAC in gtown. it pays to be friendly with the MAs. my girl, lauren, put me on the list LAST minute. they had free mixed drinks (made w/ ciroc) and food. i neglected to bring my camera and my friend forgot hers in the office so no pics, sorry :( 

you're not missing anything because that store is tiny and they didnt really decorate. probably because the collection is not scheduled to release until may 21st. also, they are still peddling that "rose romance"crappy-ness. 

i was in much anticipation of this collection. i heard about it first like in january. you can read more about it @ temptalia. 

so what did i get? i picked up 'bright future' and 'tempting' eye shadows. 'tempting' is part of the permanent collection and i had my eye on it but i wanted it in the special style warrior collection. 

what will you be getting, if anything, from this collection? any events going on in your area?

a little less negativity

i complain all the time about the bullshit that i suffer on a daily basis. let me try and think about some good things that happen. 

1. my nieces = the best two people to ever happen to me

2. some fellowship money for grad school 

3. a friend coming to pick me up, for a change (she got a car not long ago. yay her!)

4. an unexpected bday invitation (thoroughly enjoyed myself)

5. getting that guy's number who i initially thought was sooooo cute. (upon further inspection, not really but still nice)

6. old men buying me shots and asking for NOTHING more than my name in return

7. the people who comment on my blog and whose blogs i enjoy

8. my favorite MAC MA being there most times i go to the georgetown store. he is SO cute and nice and he knows his stuff. 

9. i had a good hair day despite going to the salon on a rainy day and bonus, my hair reacted favorably to the chemicals!

10. i successfully completed two semesters of grad school.

what are you happy about/ proud of? list some of your good news/good feely things in the comments

is that your complaint?

my supervisor called me into her office to tell me i'm doing a good job here but im too serious and should "smile more". 1. it's not so much that im serious but im FOCUSED. im new so im still learnin' some ish. 2. further, i'm here 3 hours a day so yea, i probably do treat it like it's "just a job". mainly because it is. 3. i aint the grinning-all-the-time type. try some cultural sensitivity! 4. who really voiced that complaint? all the people in here have probably seen me once, maybe twice and dont know my name...

i cant stand when people dont just speak to ME. you have an issue, tell me. or better yet, be an adult and have some manners and introduce yourself to me and maybe you'd get the smile you're looking for.

ugh. i wonder how long imma be able to deal with these WPs. this is the second time she came at me talking stupid in the couple weeks i've been here. first time, i was there before she rolled in and finished my tasks and was literally waiting 5 minutes to relieve this other girl for lunch. she gonna say, "this and that should be done before you sit down". no, honey, it was done before you rolled outta bed and strolled through the door because you "overslept". who does that after undergrad?

reader appreciation *CONTEST*

invrtdreflection is hosting it's first ever giveaway! get excited! i've won so many great items and while i'm on a fixed income, i do want to give back when i can. i'm giving away MAC zoomlash to my loyal, thoughtful readers. one lucky reader* will recieve the full-sized mascara ($12 value). this is one MAC product i have not tried but i'm sure it's fab! i'd love to hear the winner's review.

anyway, so how do you win?:

leave a comment on this post telling me either 1) how and when you fell in love with MAC or 2) your favorite MAC product or 3) your favorite MAC collection; and the winner will be chosen at random. last day to enter is midnight (est) Thursday, May 14th. note: you must have a google account to post on this blog

it's that easy! good luck!

*U.S. residents only. sorry...

buy 2 get 1 free!

that's been the theme of my grad life. upon entering, i got a fellowship that covered one class each semester (fall and spring). this year, i was told i wasnt getting anything. i guess someone declined because i got an email wednesday stating that i would recieve the same deal. so like this past year, i will take 3 classes and pay for 2. in this recession, that deal aint bad at all. glad i have a few less $$$ to pay back when it's all said and done. YES! 

no longer straddling the fence

i used to get asked, "how long have you been natural?" the answer: 22 years. i would get presses, braids, cornrows, twists, weaves, or wash and go. today, i got a texturizer.

a brief history

it took me for-ev-er to muster up the courage. i remember being told by baldheaded little girls in elementary school, "that's why you need a perm". my reply: "so i can look like you? no, thanks". most girls' hair was severely damaged and short. my mother told me that would be my fate if i ever put chemicals in my hair. though she herself had a relaxer at the time (she wears locs now) and my sister has one, she justified not letting me have one: "you dont have hair like me, you have hair like my mother". which was true and when grandma at age 60-something got a texturizer and her hair broke off badly, it was a definite "no, ma'am" situation. so i went without. 

i went without ANY chemicals. not even hair dye. that changed when i was 18 and went to college and let an atlanta beautician give me color for the first time at the pursuasion of a friend. the result, nothing really bad happened. my hair was WAY drier but nothing that could not be remedied with deep conditioning and moisturizers. 

getting to this point

last summer, i decided i couldnt do it anymore. it's too hot wearing it curly, and presses either get sweated out or revert as soon as there is any moisture in the air. i knew my hair was in no condition to get a relaxer at the end of the summer so i decided to get a sew-in for a couple of months. after that, i flat ironed my hair one last time on January 2- --- i'd like to pretend i know the exact day, but i dont. i could find out but whatever...i know it was the end of the month so thats good enough. anyway, from then, it was washing almost daily and deep conditioning about weekly. i got frustrated this monday and got some consultations and settled on a place not to far from where i work and go to school. made my appointment and here i am:

Next Steps

as you can see, i cut my hair. the next step is to cut it again. one of my goals for straightening my hair was to get a really cute cut. saving that for next time. this was drastic enough for me...

cerveza y una sonrisa!

*beer and a smile!*

it's cinco de mayo! (and my oldest brother's bday). this holiday has nothing to do with my life other than an excuse to drink. t.g.i.friday's is having 5 cent appetizers with a purchase of a drink at the bar. i'm IN! hope you enjoy whatever festivities are taking place near you! 

work in progress

this blog and i are under construction. stay tuned and continue to be patient, loves!

those on vacation and those who are moving (T and BGG), enjoy! can't wait 'til you get back!