Transition Tuesday...

Hellooooooo...I keep taking these extended breaks and when I come back and blog it feels that I have been away forever..

There have been so many things that have taken place over the last week..First off I had to move and that was nothing short of a hot mess...The movers took 4 hours longer then what was scheduled and even had to come back the next day to finish.  In the midst of all of that I had to prepare for my Church's annual picnic--which was Awesome--and it was hot as SIN outside.  And to top it all off, all week long I have been out-processing the  military!!

I am now a civilian, straight up and down! I feel like I have escaped from my very own personal prison! I am trading my steel toe boots in for stilettos and my pony tail holder in for an afro pick! So if you notice an increase in my blog activity it is because I have some free time now to do what I enjoy!

*sneek peak - tomorrow I will be blogging about my consult with renowned makeup artist Jennifer James :) *

Remember love is life and life is living!! Enjoy it all!

And it Begins...My Journey into Make-up Artistry

I realized something today, the best blogs are like old friends.  Even when you don't talk to them everyday when you finally catch up with them its like no time has passed at all.  Now I know that I should update everyday sometimes multiple times a day but it is good to know that I have some faithful readers that always pick up right where I left off...

These last few days have been so busy but I am excited.  My vision of becoming a make-up artist (MUA) is in full effect..The other day I shared that I was blessed with some finances and it was just in time for something very special.  Well here goes the great news!!

Earlier this week I was on my part time job (Twitter-hahaha) and I noticed a very interesting tweet by a seasoned MUA, with an impressive and diverse portfolio, in my timeline.  @JenniferJamesBeauty was offering 1 on 1 personal beauty sessions for a small fee (let me say that there is no price that can be put on her energy, her professionalism and her sweet spirit..she is truly a blessing).  Needless to say, I signed up immediately and once Jennifer James called me to talk more about my consultation, I could have fainted. I mean, I do tend to believe that everything I want I can have if I extend my faith and its in the will of God, but this was too much. I shared with her the items that I already had in my flygirl inventory, she made some awesome recommendations and sent me out into the world to begin filling holes in my personal stash. Now I don't know about you but when I have a dream and it begins to come into fruition, I get excited.  I sorta kept my cool on the phone and then went to call my entire flirty, fabulous and free fam and tell them that I had met the catalyst for my future endeavors.

It is amazing to me how one conversation, one person, one phone call can help solidify something that you believe in.  I knew that within my life plan, I would someday be a MUA and I knew that in order to do that, some things would have to come to pass, I just did not know that it would be now.  Jennifer has been awesome and so has some of the other MUA's in my Twitter family.  I even got a response from @samfinebeauty to a question about his latest DVD. Later on this week, I will begin to introduce some of these wonderful people and share some of the awesome tips that I have been getting all weekend.

I cannot wait to do a M A C haul blog and to tell you all about my skype session later in this week..until then the #1 beauty tip that I can give is get your rest...beauty sleep is not a myth it is a necessity!  

*click on the links to visit the pages of anyone mentioned in the blog!*

C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)

Sidebar: Looka here, if one more person sends me a threatening message about me not posting everyday we are going to fight...I am trying..well not hard enough, but I will endeavor to do better.  One of lovely new Tweeps Misha or @TheFabChick as she is known in the twitter world, offered me some lovely advice (Click on her name or her Twitter Link to experience sheer fabulousness, I love her tweets and her blog is a great read for any fashionista out there). 

I posted a tweet that said:


"I'm such a fair-weather blogger. I write a good one and wonder how I will ever top it...I need to be more committed."

Her response was hilarious and true:

  

@cocoanaturale gotta marry it! put a ring on it and say till death do you part with it... lol

I realize that she is right, I have always known that I needed to develop some type of sticktoitiveness to be a blogger and I am up for the challenge.  I love to write and surely with the random things that take place in my life, I wouldn't believe half of it if I did not put it here for the world to see!

Now to the regular scheduled programming....In my last blog, I shared that something crazy happened to me yesterday (as usual) so I guess what better time then now to tell it.  The story starts back in November when I dropped out of school, allegedly because I was heart broken and love sick -- truth is, I was being lazy and I did not feel like pressing through personal issues and handling my business.  Anyway, I left school and chilled for a few months thinking I could not go back until I payed for the classes that I dropped. Fast forward to last week...I received an email from my old academic counselor encouraging me to come back so I called her and told her my situation and she signed me up for classes for the next semester which starts next week pending a talk with financial aid.  To make a long story short, financial aid cleared me for re-entry, stated that I did not indeed owe a balance and that I could start school as planned.  I was so excited, I love school.  I am a straight A student and I enjoy every bit of the process so I logged right into my student portal to look at my degree progress and snoop around.  In the midst of my record review, I happened upon a section that listed all of the financial transactions on my account and I noticed a transaction listed that said stipend from back in Februay.


At this point I am like...hmmm--what is this, so I call the Financial Aid lady back and she stated that I still had some good old fashioned free money (i.e. Pell Grant) money left in my account and they sent a check to me in February.  I almost dropped the phone! I remembered receiving a letter from them but I figured it was an invoice for the class that I dropped so in true Negro fashion I never opened it. (I know, I know--I am on the road to financial freedom and debt free living, it was just a ghetto lapse in judgment) 


I got off the phone with the lady and decided to run home and see if I could find this letter, now almost 4 months old. It was a 50-50 chance and worse case scenerio they would have just issued another check but I just had to look.  I walked in the door, walked over to where I thought it might, could, hopefully, wished and prayed it would be and guess what---I found it.  


You could have pushed me over with your thoughts.  For four months there was a nice chunk of change right under my nose waiting to be discovered and I could have used it on more than one occasion.  At first I was through with myself for not opening the letter when I got it.  That thought went away when I realized that everything happens for a reason and just think, it was like having a bunch of money in a savings account that you do not see/touch.  Either way, I am glad to have it and it came at a perfect time too, just in time for me to----(tell you tomorrow!!)


Fly is not always easy but it sure is Fun--

Later XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

A series of Random Events..

So this weekend proved to be rather eventful and I really did not know if I had the energy to write about it. Okay that is only half true, so much happened I did not feel like writing about it is closer to the truth. But anyway, I am ready now...

This weekend proved to be one of those weekends that change you and how you view your life and where it is headed.  For the last few months, I have been living life a little "willy-nilly", and it all came to a head, so to speak, on Friday night. I won't go into all the random details but I will say this it involved the spiking of my coca-cola (alledgedly--I needed to loosen up a bit), a chemistry-less kiss, an argument that I did not find out the root of until Monday, and the shedding of tears by some new friends. All in all it was a bit much but I learned some valuable lessons that I am ready to share.

Lesson #1 - When in a room full of people in various stages of drunkeness, if you do not plan on drinking, get your OWN bevarage.  No matter how close you are to the individuals--alcohol makes people do crazy things.

Lesson #2 - If you do drink, and you have a taste for Vanilla Coke--3 parts coca-cola and 1 part Crown Royal will meet that need.

Lesson #3 - No matter how old you are peer pressure is a part of life. However (comma) it is not an excuse.  The reality of life is no matter what you may say, everything you do is because you want to.  Excuses only come after you realize "you done" messed it all up.

Lesson #4 - Testing the Lord is not a good idea.  Example - Lord I know that I said that I would not do this thing any more (whatever it is you know you shouldn't do) but I want to see if I am really over it. News flash - I am stupid! Thankfully, the Lord showed some grace and it turned out well, there was no love lost - literally! I kept all my virtue and I am on the mend.

Lesson #5 - Be who you are, do you, stay true to what you believe in..because if you are not, it is a long journey from who you have become back to who you were created to be. I cannot become a bad girl because people do not like squares.  I can not become your dream girl-I have to be what you like when you meet me. Potential is not enough, who I am today is what you see.  I can only be who I am, I like it and I need to walk in it!

Overall, I am glad that it all happened. I have seen some parts of me that need to change and I am a work in progress. Sometimes you do not know where you are until you are shown. And I have truly seen myself this past weekend. I am not upset, I have been fortified and have packed away the lessons for future reference. 

Now wait until you hear what happened to me yesterday! LOL...

Friendship Friday ~ Quick Quote of the Day

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”  ~unknown

Today I am grateful for the people that are in my life that make the days more interesting and the evenings bearable.  I was on the phone with a friend that I had since I was in elementary school and he was reading a blog from a few days ago and I made mention to a particular event and he messaged me to tell me he remembered it! How awesome is it in 2010 to have a person that is not related to you share an event with you from 1989.  If you don't know I will tell you--It is awesome.

So today I celebrate friendship! New ones and old ones.  Face to face ones and long distance ones.  Virtual ones and ones that have need to be watered.  I am grateful for all of you and I know that I need you in my life.  It has been said that friends are the family that you get to choose and I am blessed that you all at some point chose me.

A funny thing happened on the way home...

Today Yesterday was going to be throwback Thursday and I was going to tell a funny story about something that happened to me some years ago that had an effect on me.  Well leave it to my life to change that.  I was on the way home and since me and the boy had not had dinner yet I decided to grab some fine McDonald's Cuisine (sans toy because my son has had some behavior issues and nothing says loving like an 'un-Happy Meal) before we headed to the house. I was extremely excited because I had an  Oreo McFlurry and I had been feening for something sweet. 

So..we drive home and just as we go to turn left into the housing gate (I live on a military base) the officer at the gate directs me to turn into another area.  At this point, I do not know what is going on, all I know is that I have a sweet tea and a McFlurry that was calling my name and I did not have time to play these Major Payne war games. I pull into the designated area and immediately my truck is flanked by random high ranking military members and police officers.  All I could think about was "Oh Lord, whose cheerios did I pee in to make them get me like this?", it was 11:00 and all I wanted to do was go home and lay it down. One of the random Men in Uniform (sort of like Men in Black with no one nearly as fine as Will Smith) informed me that this was a random measure to submit all active duty personnel that came through this particular gate to random drug testing.  I looked at him like he was crazy, not because of the drug testing, but because of the fate of my delicious yet melting Oreo delight that was in my cup holder. 

Well..after the officer searched my vehicle and made me put my phone in my glove box (nobody puts Berry in a glove box, I will be writing a strongly worded letter about that!) me and my son had to board a bus to be taken to the Urinalysis testing area.  Now for you civilians that may happen to come across this blog, drug testing in the military is very evasive.  Once in a stall, an observer has to see the urine leave your--I will just say body--and enter the cup.  There is no pee and place in a window. Someone is there with you from the time you get your cup in your hand to the time you are placing it, full, on the counter to be sealed and packaged for shipment to the lab.  It is a rather embarrassing process but thankfully I do not have shy bladder and while the nice lady rattled on about something, I did my thing and made haste out of the restroom.

Once I finished my duty so to speak, I was allowed to retrieve my belongings, to include my 4 year old, and wait for a bus ride back to the housing gate where my truck, my BlackBerry and my Oreo McFlurry waited for my return.  Once in the car, to my dismay, my ice cream was melted, my cell phone was acting up because of the temporary neglect and my son was delirious from a lack of sleep.  It was now after midnight and all I had to show for it was an empty bladder, a wilted side salad, a watered down sweet tea and 43 missed tweets..so much for throwback Thursday, this is more like Melted McFlurry Friday!!! 

Give me you...

Give me you, give me all of you... --Mary J. Blige

I know that my blogs of late have been very "relationshipy" but it is what it is.  I do have a couple of other things in mind but I can only go with what's on my heart.  All day long I have been thinking of my future and what I want out of it.  And all day long I have seen people's social networking statuses forsake one horrible situation after another.  Is anyone happy? Anyone Dangerously in Love (thanks Beyonce)? Did everyone settle? Is anyone satisfied with their current situations? I choose to believe that the answer is yes, they are just to busy being happy to tell about! I rejoice with those that rejoice! That is all...On to something else...

Some Say the Blacker the Berry...

....the sweeter the juice; the darker the flesh, the deeper the roots....

On so many levels that should be beneficial to a deep chocolate sister like me..but oh no, I am here to tell you it is not.

Picture it elementary school 1989, I was in the fifth grade and I developed my very first crush.  His name was Wi--okay I am not saying, but anyway--he was handsome, smart, fit and he looked simply dashing in his school uniform. One day one of my friends went and told him that I was pining over him, unbeknown to me of course, that is until she came over to me and shared his reply.  My crush thought I was nice but he was not interested because I was just to dark.  Up until that point my complexion was never really an issue for me.  My mom was caramel complected and my daddy is very dark so I saw both ends of the spectrum. I did not understand what the big deal was then and I had no idea that is was the beginning of a cycle that still has not broken in my life.

To understand me there are a couple of things that you must know.  I have always been the girl thathad a large circle of friends because of my sense of humor and my quick wit.  I never struggled in making and keeping friends, male or female. Once I got to high school and really begin to "smell myself" like my grandmother would say, I began to hear one common line from the opposite sex (that I still hear).  "Yeah, I know her...do I like her?..I mean yeah she cool...she is cute to be a Dark-skinned girl." What the....? When did cute have a complexion clause.  I am so sick of the light is right--black is whack attitude that I get all the time in the dating arena. 

There are certain things about myself that I will not/cannot change. I am who I am, the skin I'm in is alright by me..No, I am not trying to revisit the Back to Africa movement. No, I do not rock a fist pick in my curly fro. No my ringtone does not chime 'Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud' (even though I am) and no I have not raised a fist for the cause and chanted Power to the People at various hours of the night but that does not change the fact that I am a black woman, phenomenally (shout out to Maya Angelou). I have feelings and emotions..issues and problems like everyone else regardless of their skin tone. But what I do not have and what I will not make part of my life is a complex about my complexion...Thank you India Arie for loving Brown Skin and thank you Eric Benet for going home to Chocolate Legs...Everyone is entitled to have a preference, we all have certain characteristics that we find pleasing over others--I get it.  I am not a hater, all I am saying is chocolate girls need love too.

"Settle for my love.." H-e-l-l Nah!!

Sike!!! It seems that there was a sign posted over my head once I became single a couple of weeks ago that said I was desperately seeking someone…News Flash—NOT TRUE!!

I love being in love, don't miss me--I love to cook, nurture and back it up all in the name of L-O-V-E but one thing my last relationship did for me was show me that I did not/do not have to settle. I will admit that in times gone by I would tolerate/settle for things that I surely should not have. Whether it was a person whose belief system was different than mine or someone who had nasty habits that I did not share, desire, or enjoy—I allowed people in my life that just were not qualified. I have now placed a zero tolerance policy for these things on future relationships. I get that people are not perfect, I am not seeking perfection. I would however like peace. I do not curse so I don’t want to date sailor mouth Mike..I have one child so your 6 children are a bit much for me. I do not smoke so can you’re your black & mild or your Newport 100’s please blow your second hand smoke over there -->

I do not think that it is too much to ask and if it is, I am willing to be single and risk it. Settle and desperate are not synonymous with the word single...

So with that being said:

Random person #1: I appreciate the texts and phone calls but I have not seen you in ten years and I am suspicious of your intentions. It is flattering creepy that you care about me and desire to be with me and you don’t really know me like that. Honestly that seems like some female type stuff to me--but more importantly who wants to enter a long distance relationship after only talking to a person for a week or so, I am thinking you are a little lonely and I unfortunately am not the solution…

Random person #2: I love a person that is honest…however your admission to having 6 kids and 2 felonies takes you out of the running. It is good to hear that you have dreams and a plan. But potential has never saved a life nor will it be the foundation of any relationship. It was very nice interesting talking to you. Good luck with your probation/parole.

Random person #3: I am proud of you for all your accomplishments, it is awesome that you have known success in different business arenas we all desire prosperity. However, when I ask a question about your endeavors and your response is foreign to me you cannot get upset. I mean you are not the POTUS; I have not been on watch for your particular trade. I apologize that me not having heard of you or your business hurts but telling me to Google you was too much. (Sidebar: I did it because I really wanted to know what the individual was talking about—the article was from 2004 and only mentioned the person in two sentences. Chile boom!)

I am not desperate. I love me and I will not settle for something that causes me to sacrifice that..so for now I will enjoy being fabulous, flirty, free and of course Fly…

MAC and Macy's (STL Edition)

First let me say that I have never met a mall that I did not like..especially when it has a beautiful make up counter.  While in St. Louis on business, I decided to stop into Macy's and see what I could buy.  The first thing that I noticed when I walked in and made my way to my favorite counter was a beautiful Carol's daughter counter.  I was a little disappointed that I straightened my hair for the trip and was not in curly girl form as usual.  I decided that I once I got home I would look into some products and make up for not being able to stop in.

After walking past a few other things, I happened across what I had been looking for...(cue angelic harmony) the MAC counter.  The first thing that I noticed was that there was a woman at the counter that looked like me.  Do not get me wrong I have no color preference when it comes to shopping for make up.  It does not matter what color you are as long as you understand how to work with my skin tone I am good to go.  But it was good to see another chocolate girl with beautiful skin and some RED..I mean Red lips!

Anyway...on to my finds--my first stop was the blush area. I just dived into the blush wearing arena a couple of weeks ago with my purchase of Raizin during my last big MAC purchasing event and I figured I was ready for something with a little more color. After testing a few different powders, the chocolate MAC associate recommended a cream (Laid Back).  After I gave her the 'side eye' I decided to let her do her thing and apply it to the apple of my cheek and I am here to tell you--I loved it.  The color is a very rich berry with brown undertones and it did wonders to add dimension to my normal matte finish. Overall, a little went a long way and she introduced me to my favorite brush's  little brother, the 188 brush (not pictured, but purchased).

Next came my quest for a lipstick. I am generally a lip gloss kinda girl but I wanted something a little more mature and with more color pay off. I decided to go for a color from the Viva Glam collections so that I could not only be fly but I could also do something, albeit a small something, in the fight against AIDS/HIV.  I decided on Viva Glam VI, it is a beautiful pearl plum that goes on smooth and when paired with a chestnut or nightmoth lipliner and my new Decorative Lustreglass lipgloss gave me the prettiest purple lips ever (not purple like the hyena in Lion King purple--purple as in Purple Kisses by The Dream purple!!)

As I was walking to the counter to pay for my addiction purchases, out of the corner of my eye I spotted the prettiest reddish/orangey eyeshadow on a small yet colorful display in the middle of the sales floor. I walked over and saw that it was the new To The Beach collection and it had just debuted that day.  The first thing that I noticed was the packaging, the shadows were housed in a green (the website says chartreuse) container with a seashell on the lid. Once I got past that, I reconnected with the shadow I saw moments earlier and her name was Firecracker! I had to have it, I also picked up a MAC staple color that was rereleased in this collection, Humid--in all its green glory.  I could not leave without something 'beachy" for my soup coolers so I grabbed a new tinted lipglass in Flurry of Fun that I can only describe as peachy golden goodness. It looks great alone or paired with your favorite liner, lipstick combination (and it has a seahorse on the cap--it's the little things that please me. 

When I got home I felt like a kid in a candy store with my new summer colors and my second blush.  I rate this business trip a sucess!!

Home is where the Heart is....

Im baaaaaaaaaa-aaaaack!

I know I have not been on my blog job like I usually am but I was the front row passenger on an emotional roller coaster and I just recently unbuckled the seat belt.  My plan is to make up for it today and possibly tomorrow with a couple of make-up blogs (sorry for those who could care less about my habit) and then we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I have so missed being able to pour my heart out on these pages and I thank all of you who have sent me messages and emails looking for "your fix".  Over the next coming weeks I am going to be trying to really decide what overall direction I want F.G.I. (Fly Girl Interrupted) to go in and if I am ready to drop the anonymity and come out of the blogging closet. Depending on what I decide, look forward to a few minor changes to spruce things up a bit.