In My Ears: Marsha Ambrosius

Dude...its not that often I'm completely stuck or excited about an artist. I like a lot of folks, a lot of music...but getting excited for an album comes only once in a blue moon. But...I'm feeling this way about this lady, Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.

Me and DH went to Best Buy this weekend to actually pick up the album after he got tired of me trying to stream songs on my BB, lmao. But yeah, it wasn't out yet. I've probably heard every song from this album and her mixtapes already, but when someone moves me, I like to actually go and pick up a CD from them. Show them love and appreciation for their art.

So the songs I'm loving...first if you haven't already, find a link and download her Sextapes. This is a mixtape of Marsha, sweet loose Marsha inserting herself on songs that you would have on a love making CD. Just google Marsha Ambrosius and Sextape and you can pick your poison on how to download. You can also go to youtube for specific songs, but I'm sure you will want to add this to your repertoire.

Where will I be tomorrow? Online here: http://www.marshaambrosiusmusic.com/ . Marsha is having an album release party and hopefully singing all the songs from the new album. Its going down from 10:00PM - 11:30PM. The baby will be fast asleep (hopefully), and I'm going to stream it on the big screen TV loud and get the party started (keep your fingers crossed for me with the whole sleep, party, loud music illusion I'm having).

Bossip is offering a pre-listening party. You can click here: Listen, but still buy the CD ok guys! Number 2...yeah...that deal.

I ran into Marsha, literally, ran into her coming out of happy hour. She was in town for the BET Honors. She seems mad cool and humble. Even humored one of my co-workers who was trying to holler at her and invite her out with us, lol. She just blushed and said she already had a man. When she could've said "Negro, do you know I'm Marsha Ambrosius, the Songstress!".

Here is her most recent video...powerful to say the least. I heart this girl!

Trendsetters

At the recent Moschino Fall/Winter Fashion Show in Milan, this was the new trend runway style

Does it look familiar? Kinda like this shirt...

Mixed with this skirt?

 

Exactly! These were the outfits me and my BFF D wore for her 30th bday last month in Chi town. We knew we were trendsetters that night, but damn Moschino. You just gone duplicate the whole outfit...and we don't get nothing!

#imjustsaying. We are doing major things out here. Get ready for us. BMF girls changing the world!

Facial

So this week I had one of the most amazing facials.
The facial...was about 90 minutes and included a massage and was extremely beneficial for my mind and body. It included extreme exfoliating, cleaning, massaging and a lesson on natural skin care...my fav. As you know I'm on a mission for find natural awesome inexpensive ways to care for my skin and hair.

So the awesome advice...same as I hear with natural black hair, be easy. We don't need all the chemicals, scrubs, astringents. We have to be tender with our skin. I was instructed to wash my face with honey only! And if I need an exfoliant to use honey with a little fine sea salt mixed in. As a toner, she swears by the ACV, so I'm trying that with a cotton ball and cut with water. As a moisturizer I have Tamanu oil. This is a "miracle" all natural oil that has so many anti-bacterial and healing properties. I will do a full review on this oil and this regiment in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it won't go from sugar to ish like the OCM did.

For now, I'm enjoying my fresh face, my makeup lays awesome when I wear it and I feel great. I believe I will be adding facials to my monthly splurge:-)

In my ears: Theophilus London

So Theophilus...

First of all he has an awesome hilarious name. Not sure if it is his real name. There are a few bloggers out there that get into the meat of the human, where they were born, their name, their struggle...yeah not me. I'd rather make up mental stories about the person and let that be it. Who cares whats real right...other than the music.

Theophilus was born Theophilus. People called him Theo. He didn't like it, but blessed me to continue to do so. But what he did like...making great music. I was recently provided some tracks from this dude, that I really like. He's hip hop. And I like hip hop so I like him. Actually he's kinda neo-hop or hip-neo...not sure if that's a category yet, but I'm owning it. One of the tracks feature Jesse Boykins III, a mad arrogant cat who I saw in concert a few months ago. His music with Theo (he lets me call him Theo) is good.

I'm posting a couple youtubes of my favorite songs right now from Theophilus. He was recently in DC and I had totally planned on going to the concert and rocking out with all the other 20 year olds (yes all the other) but my early onset Alzheimer's made me mix up the damn days. Anyhoo, I support you from afar Theo.

Enjoy...
                                                                        I want you.

                                                                        Connected.
                                                                     (Jesse and Theo)

I wear my sunglasses at night...

My most recent purchase...yes the picture is pixilated, but you get it. These are my new addition to my Amberesque style. I got them on my weekly shopping trip. The are a hit! You will see them in lots of pictures to come.

I don't spend a ton on sunglasses because I lose them or break them or my friends steal them from me. But these are some I plan to keep around for a while. I also bought another pair which will be featured soon.

Enjoy me!

Amber Rose - The BF I Never Met

So there are not that many times in life, I see pictures or hear things about someone and feel like, yeah, if we met, we'd be BF's. With my actual BF, it happens all the time. She has fake friendships with Oprah and Beyonce to name a few (she obviously has an over inflated ego right) but she talks about them like, yeah, I'm a lot like Beyonce, and if we ever met, she'd love me.

I am not sure if this only happens on vacation or if in real life, we embody the spirit of the these ladies we don't know. I currently feel that way about Amber Rose. In a recent trip to Chicago, my friends kept referring to me as Amber Rose. I believe I had embodied her spirit...and stretch pants, lol. I was rocking stretch pants, a tank top, fierce fur boots, a short leather jacket and a smile in like 5 degree weather. Extra awesome. I felt like Amber would be proud of me for being balls to the wall and looking mad cute doing it.

So you may be wondering, what I love about Amber. She and I are the only chicks that can do this...

...and look like a hit! Ok, yes, she may have a little bit more skill doing it, but I am coming into my inner Amber for real and in no time...you probably won't be able to tell the difference between me and her.

The hair, the stretch pants, the tank tops, the skirts...oh my! Bottom line...this bitch is bad. She and I would have a blast, or should I say, will have a blast when we meet. We will share stories about our times at the barber shop and how we BMF.

Yes, me and my BF may be dreaming thinking like we look like, feel like and would be friends with these ladies, but on our trips...we have fun channeling their energy. They make for awesome photo opps! I am attempting in my everyday life to channel her and my other BF's I've never met. Throw a little Amber in my sunglass game, or my shoe game, who knows where she will show up next!

Just for a fun photo montage to our BF's we never met, here is the Detroit Amber and Beyonce in Chicago about 1 or 2 years ago.

Detroit Amber and Bey about a month ago in Chicago...

So, Amber if you are reading this somewhere, holler at me. We have some catching up to do.

Reflections - Part 1

So yesterday, I received some sound advice...that I need to take a look in the mirror at myself...

And I have been doing just that for the past couple of months.

I think it is easy to judge other people's behavior, but probably more difficult to take a look, a real look at you in the mirror. Flaws and All. What I have been doing is looking inside myself...trying to discover what I am feeling, really becoming in tune with what I have been feeling and trying to articulate that to myself and those around me.

I believe I haven't done this, at least, not well since I have been married and become a mother. Most of my past few years have been about looking out, at my external relationships and not about looking in, at me. For the past month or two I have been doing a little project with myself. After I shower, I stand in the mirror naked. I just stand there and look at myself. Sometimes its for one minute, other times it may be for 15 or 20 minutes. I'm trying to rediscover myself, my body, my perfections, my imperfections. I just take the time to think.

I think when you become a  mother your life becomes rushed. You don't have time for you. You don't have any privacy, your body is taken over, your mind is taken over, your space is taken over and you become a vessel for your family. Which is what a mother, a matriarch is supposed to be. However, if we don't continue to feed ourselves, our souls, how much good are we really to those around us.

I'm a total work in progress...but I do think that I need to look in the mirror...more. We all do. We may or may not like what we see. But, overtime, I plan to not only like it, but LOVE it.

I will keep you posted in my new series called Reflections...

Flaws and All

I'm a train wreck in the morning (Dearborn Amtrak)...
I'm a Bitch (capital B) in the afternoon...
Every now and then without warning (maybe a little warning)...
I can be really mean towards you (I know...it totally sucks)...
I'm a puzzle yes indeed (I kinda like puzzles though)...
Ever complex in every way (yeah, I'm pretty messy)...
And all the pieces aren't even in the box (damn...you destined to lose right)...
Yet...you see the picture clear as day (wow...who does this?)...

This is like one of my favorite non-party Beyonce songs...or songs period. And how I feel this morning. I'm such a mess lately. I'm not sure why anyone loves me...but its me. Accept me flaws and all...

Sleep Update...

So, yeah...me and sleep. Love/hate relationship. As you've read...it doesn't necessarily work out with us without a third party. That third party may be liquor, pills, sex...but yeah, something typically has to come between me and sleep. And lately...I've been trying this whole, just go to sleep on your own thing, and that is not that deal.

Did I just try to do this for giggles...no! Its because I left my pills in Detroit and won't be able to get to my Dr. until next week because of my stupid training. But I am tired. Super deliriously tired. I've had a lot on my mind lately...you know the whole trying to get my life together thing...and I am up thinking about that, checking emails, working, texting, all of that instead of sleeping.

So, for the past week, I've maybe slept...uh...4 hours. Maybe. I'm in a stupor. I'm now...at 5PM on a 70 degree day in DC laying on my super soft sheets, in my awesome comfy comforter and not at happy hour. I want to go to HH, drink outside on a patio somewhere, listening to smooth jams. Maybe after I take a nap (if I can take a nap) I can go...have some scotchys and get a full night of sleep.

Wish me luck!

Growing with Braids - Fail

So about a month and a half ago I did this...

Braids...dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. I was having a moment, frustrated with my journey and decided I just wanted to not deal with Sasha or look at her for a couple of months. Yeah, no. It didn't work. I kept these very painful braids for about 1.5 weeks and took them out. Soooo painful and I had complete anxiety the whole time because I felt like my hair was falling out because they were soooo tight.

When I took them out, yes, my hair was a little thinner in the front, but my front is always a little thinner. However, a month and a half later, I still feel its a little thin:-( Did the braids do this? Did a week and a half change my whole ish? I don't know. What I do know is that I will NEVER (and I rarely say NEVER) get it done again. I go through this stage maybe every 3 years and try braids when I want to grow my hair out and I never keep them longer than a month.

So, yes, some naturals say you can grow it out with braids. I say, just let that Monkey do what it do.

End of 2nd Cycle of HCG

So here is a picture of me about a month before I started the HCG...

Here I am after the first cycle of HCG (20 lb lost)

And here I am after the second cycle (another 20 lbs)

I have been off the diet for about 2 weeks and have maintained a weight loss of about 36 lbs! I am so excited. I'm in "phase 3" of the program which is pretty much eat what you want within 1500 calories, but I haven't been counting calories or exercising like I was on the diet (which has shown with that extra 4 lb gain).

I plan to start the diet again next week and am kinda preparing myself this week for it. I plan to start drinking my cleansing tea again this weekend to rid myself of some of the patron and scotch and girl scout cookies I have been consuming and will hopefully lose another 20.

My final goal weight is only 25 lbs away, so I'm really excited about hitting it and maintaining it! I hope to be there by April...so wish me luck.

There have been a lot of exposes' about HCG and how it may or may not be healthy, but I really don't think there is anything wrong with it. The doctors have said nothing bad, just that they aren't sure about the effects, but if you see this banging body, you can see the affects, lol. Just kidding...but I really think its the low calorie intake that makes all of the difference. I do about 1000 calories per day on it, and no matter if you are spraying HCG or not, you are still going to lose weight with so few calories. Add to that a workout plan and you will have Amber Rose body in no time.

My process again started in like Sept. I did Sept - Oct for the first cycle. Was off through the holidays and started the second cycle Jan - Feb. I plan this next cycle to go Mar- April.

6 Months Natural Update

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So, this weekend I tried Ms. Jessie's Curly Pudding. Yeah...I have a love hate relationship with it. First let me say I will not buy this again. Its $40 damn dollars. Yes, you get a big (ger) jar, but it takes a lot of product for my hair. After a few days using it, I'm already 1/2 through with it. But it gets worst...it only lasted for 1 damn day! The next morning, my shingled wash and go was mad thirsty and totally white! For a product that expensive its a blower.

Also, it takes about 3 hours for the product to turn from white to clear. Yes, it smells amazing. Yes, it makes my hair feel amazing, really moisturize and not crunchy like my EcoStyler gel...but a 20 minute shingle, 3 hour wait and in the morning having to wash it out...no thank you.

My hair in these pictures was a mix of one day Ms. Jessies, the next EcoStyler. And guess what...only I can tell the difference. Can you? Nope. But $40 compared to $4...I'm going with EcoStyler. Yes, my hair is crunchier, but it last the next day without the snowflakes of the Ms. Jessies and I can wear a wash and go for 2 or more days.

I will use Ms. Jessies maybe on a date night with the DH where he will be running his hands through my curls and wants to smell it. But for everyday, I'm going with gel until I find another pudding that is more economical and flake free.

My New Style: Harajuku

Somehow...this has developed into my new style. I recreated versions of these outfits without even seeing the photos first!

(Source)

First look...Preppy Harajuku

Second Look: Sexy Harajuku

I just found the Gwen Stefani Harajuku's which is hilarious because they have both of my looks combined. I'm into a new prep/sexy/varsity look and I'm loving it right now. It makes me feel really comfy, yet sexy, and different what everyone is doing. I'm not addicted to cute sweaters and socks. They show off all of my best assets.

The pix above were taken at my BFF D's 30th Bday weekend. I was in the absolute best shape of my life and typically am when I'm with my D girls. We sleep all day, eat once, and party the rest of the night. Now I remember why I was so tiny when I moved to DC.

Below is me recreating my Harajuku sexy prep in DC at my friends dinner.

I'm really interested in seeing how this new style is going to play out. I'm having lots of fun with it right now.

Oh, and we'll get to that awesome hair in a minute!