Hair Care

Over the years I've been asked many questions and gotten many comments about my hair. They range from the best: "Your hair is beautiful!" to "How do you keep your hair so healthy that long?". Notice I didn't add the comments "Your hair is too long!" Oops!I guess I just did! So it would seem that some people find long hair to be unsanitary/unkempt, but this is for the ones who wish to know my secrets.



I'll start by inviting into my personally routine then finish with tips and tricks for other hair types. Most I've learned from my mother who is a hair stylist by profession (my source creds :3).



Firstly I don't wash my hair daily! Ya sounds gross (at least some people think so) but doing so will dry out your hair. Obviously if it needs it then do so and I do but unless I'm dirty my hair stays up. When I shampoo it's only the top half... about half way down the full length as this is the part that gets the greasiest. Don't worry though the rest of your hair is getting washed just not directly and not lathered. Now I personally use BIOLAGE at the moment. I switch it up a bit (seems to make my hair a bit fluffier) with this awesome Paul Mitchell collection.



Secondly, I condition just my ends. This refers to the part I didn't wash directly ... about my neck down. I am currently using a BIOLAGE cream conditioner with which I use most every time I wash and a mask called 'It's a miracle 10' which I use once a week as a deep conditioner. (FYI I get these things from my mother. They tend to be only salon products though I have seen BIOLAGE in the stores I'm unsure about the other products mentioned here.) The 10 I leave in for a good 5min plus the BIOLAGE about 3min or as long as it takes me to finish my shower. Then rinse!



Now that the shower is over: summer showers are the best because they are typically colder (heat so kills hair). I have a few things that I add to my hair. They aren't an everyday thing for my just when my hair feels like it needs it. Say frizzy at the ends or looking dry and split. So the first thing is something called BIOSILK. It smells awesome and makes my hair all silky smooth. :3 Love it (though it's pricey). I just add it to my ends (notice a trend here :) with long hair the ends need the most love). I just need a dime maybe nickle sized little squirt and it covers all my hair (last measured at 3ft ... in case you care). This BIOSILK can also be used on your body so if you have dry skin or even patches of dryness just rub a bit in and presto. The other thing I use is by Redkin and it's called EXTREME. This I will use like a detangler. Since the wind really doesn't like my hair ... well most things don't seem to ... it tangles like so easily. I just add a good bit of EXTREME and thoroughly massage in my ends and a brush will slide through with nary a problem.

And speaking of brushes, I use a square head boar hair brush (I imagine these products are helping the brush hairs stay supple-ish as well). I think a hair brush is better than the plastic bristles because the hair will give. *shrug* I very well could be wrong on that one. Though the boar hair brush will make my hair shine: crazy luster when it's brushed dry.

I also let my hair air dry when possible. If I need it dry fast to put it up or style it then I'll blow dry it otherwise it drys on it's own. And I almost never put a pony tail in my wet or damp hair. Since you hair is most brittle when it's wet it will break and bend and stretch if you try to tie it up. If I need it out of my way I put loose plaits in it and use a very small band at the very last strands loosely to minimize damage.

And those are my secrets... well secrets no more!

If you have dryer hair then you don't need to shampoo as much and if you have greasier hair just watch it a little more often.

I hope all this blathering helped out someone!

Saoirses' Boo-Boo

The unthinkable happened yesterday! My poor little warrior Saoirse was hit. What happened, at least through speculation since no one actually SAW it, was a gent backed into her while she was parked. See I went to see my partner for his lunch. I parked Saoirse were I always do: on the curb under a tree at the back of the lot right by his car (or as the case may be MY car since he sold his). We took the Princess out to get some food and on our way back to his place of work he gets a phone call. His coworkers normally prank us by moving my bike when we get food or getting really close when they drive by customers cars so we was thinking they was joking until they was real serious and Daniels’ like “You’re not going to like this.” Man was he not kidding! I was shaky and upset and that’s before I saw her on her side. Then I was sick!

The gent was of Indian decent (that being from India though I suppose it doesn’t really matter) and apparently decided not to have anything done to his car that was recommended (things they say he needed done to be safe…like breaks). It was a pain just to get the cops out to the scene of this most tragic crime! The dispatcher claims its private property (though the cops apparently come out and ticket people all the time so what’s the difference with an accident?!). Daniel (being an employee) convinced the dispatcher to send an officer out. Granted all the guy did was take down the man’s information and then was on his way.

I took a few images while loosing my appetite. Both before she was touched (after having been damaged) and after she was picked up. I got the concrete curb where my paint shall remain; never to be back on Saoirses’ beautiful body again!

Sigh. If that man hadn’t said he was sorry I’m not sure what I would have done. Probably nothing reckless or violent to him but I would have been very irate once the sadness wore off. To which it did rather quickly!

At the moment Saoirse has some nasty road rash all down her right side, her front ‘tire guard’ is all banged up, the oil pan (at least the block were the oil is put and from where it’s level is checked) has some pretty nice scars, and the tail pipe is no longer pristine. That’s just some of the superficial damage not even including the blinkers, mirrors, and all my petals and handles. Or even the internal damages to which I know there is something. For one after she was set up right she started to bleed. Jeff nor Daniel could determine where she was leaking from exactly, just that the oil was dripping onto the left side tail pipe and then the ground. It’s possibly just an overflow draining after the tip caused oil to go everywhere throughout her systems!

For another after Daniel attempted to start her she idled a little off with some stuttering in her tail pipes (I couldn’t have placed the difference but he knows his vehicles). When I took her for a wee spin around the lot she sounded like shit. She didn’t want to rev high enough to really shift; all sluggish like!

Once Daniel went back into work I moved everything to a quite little cubby and began the long process of calling insurance companies. I began with mine (being as I’ve never had this happen before I had no idea what to do and my rep wasn’t in so I wasted a bit of time with my insurance) then they gave me his insurances phone number. So I called them and got my incident number. Now I got to wait till Monday, call my rep so he knows and wait for his to call me back.

After all that shiz I rode her home and found that she doesn’t like to lean anymore (makes a strange noise when I do… kind of scary when you’re truckin’ down the road and your bike starts making noises!) On the way another gent (also of Indian decent) bloody pulled out in front of me. Thanks the gods my breaks were working just fine or I would have T-boned the arsewipe. Actually used my horn for I think the first time ever when in crisis mode and all the gent did was look at me like I was some bug on his windshield! Grr! I’m not particularly a races person but if people of this race keep messin’ with me like this I might just convert!

I got her home virtually safely and took a lot more pictures of all her battle wounds (she was virtually attacked in her sleep! Raped I tell you!) and called a friend to tell the bad news. She was like “OMG!” Which I must say cheered me up a bit.

Julie and Julia

So I'm watching the movie Julie & Julia with my niece (good thing she's under 2 years old). It's quite funny really and that is a great idea for a blog ... unlike this thing I've got going on here. Witty writing, structure and planning, and a connection to readers; all the things I don't have here. *sigh* I'll have to trudge on.

Oddly enough this movie is reminding me of all the Italian an old school mate taught me. LOL! If only I had someone to speak with.

For those people who like chick flicks this is definitely something I would recommend they watch. Even people who don't, actually. Though my boyfriend doesn't wish to watch I'm sure he would have enjoyed it. There is this horrible 'dean' at Julia's school who is just so cruel to her. And of course Julie is so not nice to her husband. Note to those men who would watch this... show sympathy to your woman when she is having a breakdown. Just get some reporter to call and ask to write about her wonderful hobby, it'll cheer her up instantly! :3

Kiki Strike Casting Call

Kiki Strike Inside the Shadow City
Starring:

Dakota Fanning as Kiki Strike
Emma Watson as Ananka Fishbein
Emilia Schule as Betty Bent
Katie Leung as Oona Wong
Emily osment as DeeDee Morlock
Venessa Hudgens as Luz Lopez

Should they ever decide to turn this novel into a movie! To which I believe they should. It's an endearing novel about 5 young girls with remarkable talents that go unappreciated until the day Kiki; a mysterious girl, brings them together to explore a forgotten city below Manhattan.

I'm not the best at determining who the best person is for reading a book however I would definitely encourage any grade school girl to read this. It's good a good adventure and some good morels hidden within.

Busy Update

I’ve been so busy recently that I have been unable to update this blog. I do apologize for my preoccupation. I’ll take the time now to update everyone on what I’ve been doing. :3

Firstly, the thing that is taking up the most of my time is babysitting my niece and nephew. On the days I’m not at work I’m at my sister’s house taking care of these little ones. They are a blast to be with, always entertaining me and really “who needs a gym when you have a 2month old that demands being held and that you walk around or ‘squat’ while holding him!” Those of you who have or have had this then you know what I’m talking about. Those that don’t … be thankful! :3 I love them!

The oldest is my niece Mallory at 2 ½ years old. She is at the stage where she likes to push ones buttons (with full understanding) and is very jealous of her little brother. Anything that you have is HERS (by her decree of course) and she throws a fit if you don’t give it to her and quickly I might add. However, when she’s not demanding she’s a doll. She’s slowing learning her letters and body parts (it’s fun teaching her) and anything else that she looks at really.

The youngest is only 2 months old (I think I mentioned this already) and demands attention. He still sleeps most of the day away however, when he’s awake you better be holding him or in the least entertaining him with something that makes noise and is brightly colored. :) I don’t mind this in the least however; it’s quite difficult whenever Mallory sees that I’m stimulating Ryan’s mind with something she deems as hers. When this happens her first reaction is to run up and grab for it. We’re (we being her parents and I) working on the grabbing problem; she’s started asking for what she wants. And the heavens forbid should one start to cry… it’s like a mad house because then they both cry.

As I’m sure the image of Ryan and I can show you I’m also still crafting. The one I’m working on here is of a Celtic cross and an Irish saying. It’s taken me quite some time though I don’t work on it everyday. If I did I’d say it would be done within the month. I’ve been commissioned to make one of my amigurumi for a coworker though it’s slow in coming due to my lack of time. Too much to do and not enough time! *sigh* The portrait for my uncle is coming along nicely though I still haven’t gotten he face quite right. *chuckle* Maybe I’ll give it to him faceless.

I’ve also been inspired to pick my novel back up. It’s been in the making since high school (which is like forever ago) and sadly it’s a long way from finished. I’m debating on posting the beginning online but I’m afraid of the criticism. I can handle my uncles since he’s family and I have to put up with Daniels when I read it to him but with some really talented people out there… yah! I have posted some of it on my facebook for some select people to read and a few strangers but I haven’t gotten any review as of yet. But then I don’t have much time to check everything.

Speaking of facebook…its application ‘Castle Age’ is a wee bit addicting. <.<;

April 10^th Daniel and I went to the Equine Affaire for a fun filled day of horses. He wasn’t as thrilled as I however he did seem to enjoy himself. Granted I paid for everything save his hat (which looks really good on him). There was a beautiful Paso Fino stallion being put through its paces, as well as plenty of other glorious breeds including but not limited to one of my favorites, the Frisian. Granted I didn’t see any Arabians. There were two clinics to which I really enjoyed and that were quite helpful with my work with Trouper. I plan to look both women up since I never did find their booths.

There were many extraordinary booths and artists this year. Some artists were better than others but all very good. Having a critic walking around with me was entertaining as well for he kept critiquing the art, even the pieces he liked he found flaws. I definitely acquired much inspiration for my own art work, so I fear updating this blog won’t be a regular nor scheduled thing.

Lastly, Sunday April 11^th I went over to my mothers’ to work with Trouper. Thanks to the Crop I purchased at the AE he listened surprisingly well. I didn’t really even have to use it. We of course were working on ground work mostly walk and stop and all he needed when we first started was a gentle tap on his side with the command and he obliged me; to stop a tap on this chest. After a few times of this he didn’t need the crop at all; just the command and following my lead. I was so happy with the work we did today. I also worked on his fighting me for grass; one of the gents as AE was saying how he would keep the horses head up ( a gentle tug up on the lead when he would try to drop his head to eat) until the horse just stood patiently then drop the lead and allow him to eat. After a few head tosses (which I allowed, one really can’t get angry with an angry horse… it’s just not fair) he once again obliged me. Maybe it’s just me being for forceful in what I want (he is, after all a well trained horse just a bit lazy and stubborn) rather than these new methods to achieving ones goal.

Until next time!

Health Care Reform

Okay, now I know this one is going to start some fires! It started mine and I really don't like politics! I try to stay away from them as much as possible ... just don't like conflicts!

So to start, the other day on the radio (not all that reliable I'm sure) I heard that the gov is planning (or at least trying) to implement taxes on pizza. Not just taxes but a tax of 18%. I find this a bit outrageous! First off why? Secondly if Mrs. lady president wants to cut back on child obesity then perhaps she should have some program to help them... umm let me think... exercise! I find the largest issue with child obesity is that these children aren't playing enough and eating too much. It's not what they eat but how much! That's my opinion anyway. Of course pizza isn't the only thing being used here but it's the main one that bothered me. Come on a pizza pie is like the hot dog in America... a mandatory thing! If this happens I guess I'll have to make more from scratch. *sigh*

The other thing I heard about all this BS is health care plans. This one I heard today and it's disturbing! Mandatory Health Care! Really? People can't afford Health Care (at least some of us) so now we are going to be fined for it? That's like punishing a child for something they can't help. What kind of since does that make?

And the people will be paying for this health care through our taxes. I mean, the governments money is actually the peoples money right? So that means we are paying for it anyways just not reaping the benefits all the time. This almost sounds like some will be paying twice. Let me think. First we are forced to acquire health insurance (good only if one can afford it); I hear they are lowering the cost and raising the coverage received (both good things); however, to pay for this "li'le" change they will be raising taxes. So we buy health insurance and our taxes go up. Where's the price cut? The benefit they say this will bring? *shrug* Maybe it's just me who doesn't see it.

Now correct me if I'm wrong for I am getting all this from a third party...maybe even a fourth or fifth and I haven't read any articles as of yet. I plan to do that next! I just needed to get all this out.

Archery...a spectators sport!

Obviously I need to work on my Archery skills. I realize that I need to lower my right elbow but trust me ... it's a little harder than it seems. At least for me. Okay Ya I'm a weakling. ;p I forgive you for thinking it! ;)

I actually came out to mom's to help her with her taxes and that being quite easy decided to brush down big brother and play with my bow. Trouper was a very dirty boy today. Having obviously rolled in the mud. He seems very happy to have his winter blanket removed finally and seemed to enjoy his brush-down. LOL! When I was brushing him he went and started to lick my legs. Eek! So much for my shower this afternoon! Don't ask. It was kinda funny because he kept insisting on licking any part of me that was close enough for him to reach. My legs not being the only target for his slobbery tongue. *sniffle* My poor shoes. TT And his poor feet! The farrier is needed greatly. He keeps getting little rocks stuck in his hoof wall. Does that make since? He really wanted his feet cleaned out too. I know this because he didn't fight me at all... in fact he gave me his feet. Maybe it had something to do with me being in a really good mood and taking care of him! *shrug*

I got all covered in horse hair. Don't you just love the smell of horses? I do, so I don't mind having his sent all over me. :3 *chu*

After cleaning up big brother I left the pasture and got my bow and arrows out. Stringing the bow is surprisingly easy, even making sure not to twist the limb. However getting me elbow down is a different story. My muscles aren't sore so I'm not sure why I can't do it. Perhaps I need someone here with me to "put" my elbow in the correct position every time I don't. Of course I am thinking about how my body is being held when I draw and I can tell it's not correct though when I try to fix it my aim seems off. Maybe it's still not right even when I try that. *sigh* Self taught things can become quite difficult at time like these. Maybe that's why I'm not all that good at belly dancing (according to a certain person, not counting myself of course).

I did, however lamely, get a "bulls eye". LOL! Ya, my umm, ya! It's a bit of a cheesy target but it's all I was allowed to use around here. And it's not like the ground hogs are just sitting around asking to be used for target practice. Though I'm not sure I could hit even those nasty little things! It's funny too! My arrows just go right on through that old bale of hay. Sometimes at least. Other times they bury themselves to the fletching. Oh, and the can is just a visual for me to aim! In case one was wondering. :3 I hit it pretty good didn't I! Ding dong it's dead! *dances* Sadly that is the first time I hit it ... maybe even the last judging the way I'm shooting. Granted I am hitting the bale of hay every 4 out of 6 times. A few time I buried the arrow into the ground behind the hay it went completely through the bale first so I guess that number could go up.

::Side note::

Archery: a spectators sport! See Trouper watching me? I wonder what he's thinking about as my arrows fly from the bow! He's probably laughing at me since my elbow is way to high, I don't have the string pulled back far enough and it's a bit crooked now that I'm looking from a different perspective. Could also be my self photography. I'm thinking my little camera took the picture faster than I could draw back! I say this because the other photos I've got it drawn back far enough just my elbow is the problem. :3 Maybe I can get someone else to help me next time.