The Mac Counter and Me...

This weekend I went out in search of two lipsticks: Up the Amp and Ruby Woo both by MAC. But of course I checked out dupes online, just in case I wasn't in love with the lipsticks. I went to the MAC counter at the mall that I felt most comfortable. Let me just say that I do not like going to the MAC counter at the Ross Park mall because I feel like they ignore African Americans at that particular counter. I can't say at all of the counters in Macy's, but I have had 2 bad experiences there. Anywoo, I go to the MAC counter at Robinson Mall, and was greeted by two sales women...girls...broads. They one girl was working on a client and the other one was just standing around. I politely tell the one that is standing around that I would like to try on Up the Amp. She obliges. After the application, I tell her that I HATE it (insert fake laughs here)! It just wasn't what I expected it to be. While this is going on, a woman walks up and states that she was looking for green eyeshadow. The girl working with me immediately grabs three shadows and rushes over to help the lady. I turn around and say that I wanted to try on Ruby Woo. She politely sanitize the lipstick, hands it to me and says 'Are you ok applying it yourself?' Is that lady you about to help ok with applying the eyeshadow herself. I then say, straight from the tube?!!?!? This broad hands me lip brush from her brush hip/roll thingy. Stunned, I say you are going to have to apply this for me. She does it, but promptly tells me if I need anything to let her know because she will be over with another customer.

Ok, here is my gripe. I would have more than likely brought Ruby Woo, and possibly some foundation. Resulting in a commission for the sales person. Instead, I politely walk away empty handed. What made her think that I wasn't going to buy something? Sure, I wonder aimlessly looking to jog my memory about things that I have seend on YouTube and putting together looks in my mind, but that is no reason to leave me to work on another customer. It wasn't like I was done with shopping or looking. This is normally the point that say 'Don't make me pull out my platinum card and blind you'. I'm a changed person and trying not to be like my momma. I cannot help but see a pattern forming at all MAC counters around the Western PA area: ignorance. Perhaps they don't know how much African American woman spend at stores in an average year, stimulate the economy and set trends. The Asians know, which is why there is a BSS in every neighborhood.

Have you ever felt like you didn't receive the best customer service at the MAC counter? I know that it isn't just me.

New Fall Shows...

This post is waaaayyyy overdue! I would have posted sooner, but I wanted to be sure that I would be hanging in with these shows for the long haul. Without further delay, my picks for fall shows...

Two Broke Girls: It's one of those sitcoms that makes laugh like once per show. I cannot pinpoint what makes me like this show so much or why I remind myself (and cable box) to watch it ever Monday.

Love & Hip Hop: Drama, drama, and more drama. Better than Basketball Wives and back for a second season with new cast members. It just started, so I will have to update later.

IRT: Deadliest Roads: Get that look off your face! I don't know how, or why I look at this show, but I do. Possibly the most boring show ever, but entertaining at the same time. From Hugh who goes it alone, to new partners Tim and Tino and the narrow roads of Bolivia...yeah, its that boring.

Revenge: At first I thought that this show was going to be really predictable, especially since its works itself backwards, but I was wrong. This show is so good to me that I watch it on OnDemand. But the only this is that I cannot see this shows plot lasting more than 1-2 seasons.

ABG (Awkward Black Girl): As seen on Youtube, one of the funniest webisode series that I have ever seen! The best 10 minutes on the web.

Milk and Honey: I learned about this web based series on another blog that I frequent. I watched the first webisode, but haven't seen any other ones since. I want see what's going to happen next.

Honorable Mentions...

Up All Night: It has its funny moments, I like Mya Rudolph, and it fills a void on Wednesday before Revenge comes on. Whitney: It comes on after The Office, if the TV is still on I'll watch it. I must admit that I am really missing 30 Rock.

Got some favorite shows? Comment below and let me know!

Spiritual Sunday

Normally on this blog I do not talk about my career or work for several reasons. But recently I have been dealing with some changes there and it makes me uncomfortable. Because of this I was feeling really down, defeated, and discouraged. It wasn't so much a change with what I do work-wise, more so people and their attitudes. I had been talking to the people in my enter circle, praying more, and just talking to the Lord asking for guidance, peace, and asking for today to better than the last. With the increase in my spiritual faith, I thought that things would get better, but instead they got worst.

I thought that it was something that I was doing wrong until I  watched T.D. Jakes' sermon on Secret Agents for Change. It was like it he was talking to me and my situation at work. I truly felt like God was putting this in place for me to see. During this sermon he talked about Pharaoh, the Israelites and making bricks without straw. He said that frustration is not the devil. What? How can this be? I don't understand. Bishop Jakes continued to say frustration will lead to a great reward. This challenge that I am facing will lead to a greater reward and develop me as a person. If I believe that through all of this frustration, a blessing will come. He knows the day that it all started and the day that it all will end; This too shall pass.

The message was so powerful that I was taking notes so that I could share it with you! Although I'm no T.D. Jakes, I invite you to watch the sermon so that you can be encouraged and most importantly be blessed!

Secret Agents of Change Telecast

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just in Case, Take Care: Part III

It's a normal Monday night, and I am looking at one of my new shows, Two Broke Girls, and the episode is about Max misinterpreting one of her friends gestures as more than what they are. She ends up kissing him in the streets...while his girlfriend is right behind him. (Click here for full episode). He confronts her and she asks him why didn't he tell her. He said that is was because he didn't know what do with his feelings for her and his girlfriend. Sign? Maybe.

My whole thing is that we've been friends for years, and yes we have even been intimate before. I've started my period and messed up his sheets, he's walked in on me having sex, we just have one of those relationships friendships. Did I think that it was weird that he came into town and didn't meet-up? Yeah, but what can I say. Is it weird that he hung with mutual friends and never bother to call me? I had to hear about it from them. But you couldn't call me? Could he have been hiding some feelings for me and didn't know how he would react when he seen me? Maybe. At the time that he came into town I didn't know that he had a girlfriend. To make matters worst, I seen a picture of him and his girl on his facebook page. Did I feel some type of way? Yeah, I did, but they look good together.

I'm at the point where I think that I need to just stay off of facebook. You see stuff that you don't need to see. I'm a realists and I know that the reason/way that I feel about him and this whole situation is because I was reading into things to much and because of the intimacy that we once had my feelings are distorted. I brought this on myself; he doesn't know how I feel about it and whatever feelings that he may have towards me, he can keep it to himself. To be honest, I think that how I feel about him is just a knee-jerk reaction that I had because I think that him having someone is going to effect what we have. Which isn't much, just open communication. I shared stuff with him that I share with my closest girl-friends. Why couldn't he do the same?

To be a good friend, I am going to keep my word and proof the resume and send it back to him...but after that, like Drake's new album, Take Care.

Afterthoughts: I read everything that I wrote and really sat down and thought about it, and I realize that the posts pertaining to Just in Case, Take Care are my initial reactions. Now that I have had time to think about things--I mean really think about them--I overreacted. Now that the initial shock and raw emotions have passed,  I am fine. Honestly. Writing things out and venting about a situations helps to put things into perspective and see things for what they really are.

Spiritual Sunday

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I decided to post something regarding Thanksgiving. Enjoy and be blessed!

11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried . 13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offeringsLeviticus 7:11-13 KJV

Just in Case, Take Care: Part II

Fast forward a couple of conversations and texts, he asks me to proof his resume. Sure. Friends do that for one another. Alright, the next things catches me completely off guard. He states that he would consider moving to PA for a job. Ok, move from a diverse, melting pot, brimming with more opportunity than here, back to PA. (This may actually be the point where I took things a lil' too literally). Oh huh, if that is what you want to do. Now before I get into this next part just know that it's funny how things come out right without you even prying--and just another reason why I feel like social media networks have corrupted our communication skills. So, on a IM conversation, we get into a conversation about sex. He asks me about my celibacy journey and the conversation goes from there. During this conversation he states that he gets in on a regular basis. Really? This is different. I ask

Me:You have a woman?

Him:Yes.

Me:Is it serious?

Him:Yes.

Me:Why didn't you tell me? Change you facebook status? Something that shows that you are seriously talking to someone

Him:You know that I like to keep stuff low-key.

Me:I think that you should have told me.

Mind you, we talk late night, text one another, all the things that if your partner finds they might be like who the bleep is this bleep texting you and you talking to all the time?!?! At this point, my ego is slightly bruised. Its my fault that I read too much into our friendship and that I possibly developed feelings and they didn't surface he told me this and a couple of waves of jealousy ran through me.

The conversation continues and I try to keep it together like I am not phased.

Me: So, what if you get a job up here. You can't just leave her.

Him: I'll bring her with me.

In my mind, I am like ok, this is too weird. I need to cut this short and hit him with the 'take care'. Basically 'take care' means if we talk again, fine, if not, that's fine too.I wish you no ill-will or harm; I wish you the best.

Trying to end on a positive note, I tell him that I will review his resume send it back to him. I try to end the conversation, but we go on a little more about random stuff.

Helater contacted me on IM and ignored him. He sent an email. I ignored him. It's to the point where I stay off of the computer during our normal chat session hours and refrain myself from sending my normal random texts during the work day

To be continued...

Click here to read Part I.

Just in Case, Take Care: Part I

You see it all the time in movies. Two people of the opposite sex who are friends make a pact that if one of them isn't married or in a serious, committed relationship by the time they are 30, then they'll get married. It's called a Just-in: Just in case (fill-in the blank). In real life, people have a just-in, but you may not call it that. I had a just-in...or so I thought.

Perhaps I was living in a dream world, or reading into our frequent conversations way too much. Either way, I feel some type of way. Although we live hundreds of miles away from one another, he came to this area and failed to call me to meet-up. Not even on no nasty type stuff either. I thought that was odd when I heard from other people, and facebook, that he was in the area. When we spoke again, he stated that he was really busy while up here. Whatever. I thought that we were better than that.

To be continued....

Note: Originally this was going to be one long post, venting about an issue that I had with a friend. After careful consideration, I decided to break it up into three parts. I think that once I get to the end of it my feelings may have changed some and it will actually play out in real time. This is not a work of fiction--true life

Product Review: Nivea Cream Oil Body Wash

One of the best parts of the day for me is taking a shower. It's the one time of the day when I don't have to be bothered with anyone, I can't hear my phone ring  and its just some short lived me time. Since I am really into skin care, I will splurge every now and again on some good body wash. About 2 months ago, I clipped a coupon for Nivea Cream Oil Body wash. I am already a fan of the lotion, so the body wash must be good.

 

From the first time I used it, I could tell that it was good; It was a creamy lather, smelled good, felt moisturizing, and it was cleansing. Now most of the time when you use a body wash, you have to put on lotions and moisturizers to have soft skin, and for it to stay soft. Not with this body wash! You can forget to put on lotion and you will  not be ashy--at all! Whatever they put in this stuff is good. I suggest this to anyone who is looking for a new body wash for the winter. Oh, how can I forget the price. I got the first bottle for $1.99 with a $2.00 off coupon. So even without coupon you are looking at $3.99 at participating retailers.

Spiritual Sunday

Photo by: Donna Kelly via Flickr

In my random spending, I went to the Chrisitian Family Store and browsed some of the books there. The store was also having a half off sale. I came across a book called Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working by Craig Groeschel. I flipped through it and to my surprise there were some parts that really stood out to me.

Book Description:

Normal people are stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Many of their relationships are, at best, strained and, in most cases, just surviving. Even though we live in one of the most prosperous places on earth, normal is still living paycheck to paycheck and never getting ahead. In our oversexed world, lust, premarital sex, guilt, and shame are far more common than purity, virginity, and a healthy married sex life. And when it comes to God, the majority believe in him, but the teachings of scripture rarely make it into their everyday lives. Simply put, normal isn't working. Groeschel's WEIRD views will help you break free from the norm to lead a radically abnormal (and endlessly more fulfilling) life.

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 Source: Amazon

I brought the book and plan to read a chapter a night until I am done. If anyone is interested in having a discussion about the book, just comment below. I'll do a book review on it when I finish.

There is no need to argue, people just don't understand...

Have you ever tried to express something to someone that just isn't on the same level as you? Last week while on my blissful, week-long vacation, I experimented with my natural hair. I went out brought some new conditioner, "Yes to Carrots", which was great. Also got some Shea Moisture Curl Smoothie stuff and was ready to go. With my twists out and YouTube at my beacon call, I embarked on my first natural hair style. Oh wait, first I did a bentonite clay mask treatment, which helped clarify the care and help with the detangling.

Alright, after washing, my hair wasn't exactly what I expected. I am assuming that due to my bi-weekly wash and presses caused some severe heat damage to my tresses. Having transitioned for over a year and wearing twists for three months, I thought that I would have more 'virgin' hair on my head. Instead, there were massive amounts of straight hair--everywhere. I pressed on. I decided that after looking at a couple of YouTube videos that I was going to attempt a twist and curl. Basically, twisting my hair then curling it around a rod. Simple, right?

After letting my hair air dry for 24hrs.+, the results were, well, lack luster. I had to do something with the crazy naps and curls that I had going on. The relaxed ends curled really well, but the roots were nappy with no definition. So being the creative being that I am, I attempted several things but was unsuccessful. Finally, I thought about the one thing that will save a bad hair day---a hat! I never wear hats, but I was borderline desperate. I found the grey beanie that I brought from Forever 21 and gathered the back of my hair into a twist and put it on. I left the bangs out in the front, kind of a free spirited look, with two sideburn tendrils. No too bad.

Now when I went to get my hair done on Thursday, I wore my hair like this. My hair dresser was like 'Oh you trying something new...you wanted to wear an afro...did you want to see how it would look natural?' Umh, yeah what's wrong with that? The way that she questioned me about the style just made me feel like we must not be on the same page hair wise and uncomfortable. She later went on to ask me what I did to it? What did I do to it? It was like I had an alien sitting on my hair. Now, although it was frizzy at the top, one can clearly see that it was a set of some kind...the ends of the curls were defined. I sent a picture, the one here to my friends and they saw absolutely nothing wrong with it, but then again, who knows. She later went on after she got done with it, to attempt to schedule me for normal wash and press in two weeks. I told her that I would have to get back to her. She casually stated that she had other clients and may not have the regular slot open. I said, Ok, I will be in touch.

If you are still reading this, you may be wondering what are you really talking about. First, taking a step out and attempting do something with my natural hair was BIG! (see 360 in 365 page) My friends were supportive and encouraging, but not so much from my hair dresser.  Also, here in Southwestern PA, natural hair isn't as accepted as some places, like Philly. I wasn't arguing with my hair dresser about anything, but I feel like she just doesn't understand my hair journey and what I am trying to accomplish. I also think that she is looking out for herself; having a steady client shelling out $40 every other week adds up. I am trying to get away from the heat and constant manipulation of my hair which means less money for her.  I just want to get it to a point where its completely natural. Perhaps, I should have been more up front with her and state that I was going back to protective styling and not getting my hair done as much. Especially since in 2012, I am attempting to be more a budget and save. There is no need to argue, people just don't understand...

Late Night Rambling..

Tonight I let my cousin talk me into going to a concert. But it wasn't just any concert. It was a concert held at a sandwich shop. Yeah, you read that right. It was in the lounge above a sandwich shop. Now, I don't mind supporting local talent, but when you pop tags off of clothes, put a full face of makeup, and sweat out your $40 blowout, I would expect for it to be at an actual lounge. This concert was held at MyCity Subs and Lounge, which I believe is a front for something. What, I don't know. Aside from the [illegal] liquor that was being served, the horrible acoustics,  smoke *cough* permeating your clothes and hair, and the stalkers (Yes, I had two stalkers), it was a decent night for $10. It was better than sitting at home watching the Braxtons...I think.

Bra Shopping...Sigh.

I am constantly looking for the perfect bra. I don't know what it is, or how this came to be but its an obsession of mine. Every store that I go into, I am looking...and especially for a deal. Last week, I was on a mission to return this shirt to the Gap and come right back out. Well, inbetween going to Sephora and trying on a couple of polishes, which I would like to suggest Traffic-Stopper Copper Top Coat by OPI, I came across a store called SOMA. Not quite Victoria's Secrect, but they had a 30% off sign in front. Upon walking into the store I was greated but what I like to call 'granny-panties'. Ok, no big deal, take me to the sales. I walked back and the sales woman asked me if it was the 'vanishing back' bra that brought me in. Huh? Just show me the sales. Anywoo, she showed me to the sales rack, which had a couple of bras on it, one of them being the 'vanishing back' bra that she spoke of. Now, granted I was the youngest person in the store right now; everyone else was at least 40 years plus. I took the best printed bra that I could find and tried it on. OMG! This was the best bra that I ever tried on!


Let me point out some of the best features of this bra. The material is GREAT. It's like the Victoria's Secrets Angel bra from like 4 years ago, but only with full coverage. It had just enough padding to cover up some of those embarrassing moments. It was a front closure. Conveient. The straps are adjustable, but you adjust them in the front! That's right, no more guessing if you have both of the straps in the right place. Streching your arms to do it or taking it off and adjusting. Its really supportive, for those of us that need it. Just great.

On the other hand, some of the cons of the bra is it reminds you of a sports bra from the back. I think that its because of the 'vanishing back' selling feature. Also, I am not really sure that I needed my back to be smoothed or that it really works. Ummh, the price. It was originally $50, but with all of the discounts, I ended up paying around $25. Not too bad, but not great either.

Overall,  I would buy them again, still cheaper than some of the Victoria's Secret ones. Don't let the look of the store fool you. Yeah, it's for the slightly more mature crowd, but if you are looking for a good bra, go to SOMA. If you are looking for some cute panties, go elsewhere.

Website: Soma Intimates

If you want to get married...

So this morning, I was talking to my best friend on phone and as usual we got on the topic of relationships and marriage. She said that she found this article If You Desire to Get Married, Here Is How to Get a Good Man. I pulled it up and read it. To my surprise it had a lot good tips, but most of which I already know, practice, or just choose to ignore.

I invite all of you to read the article and leave your thoughts. I am interested in how many [single] woman practice this. And for those of you that may be married already, did you pray for you husband?