SEQUENCE

Greetings! I've returned to my blog after taking some time away to focus on other projects, specifically my new instrumental EP Sequence. After my first experience at Afropunk 2016 in Brooklyn, I came back outrageously inspired to complete something. I usually spend a lot of time studying skills, dabbling and practicing here and there, but I needed to complete something from start to finish, title it and release it. I believe for some of us who deem ourselves infinite students of everything, it may be hard to get out there and officially execute something. I've wanted to just stay hidden and perfecting things until the time became right. But I began to realize that I wasn't practicing the art of release. There is an art to sharing your mind, skills and creations with others. It's similar to being a musician who lives in the practice room but doesn't practice performing. So I began on a journey that would only end once I released my project out into the world.  

SEQUENCING YOUR STEPS

In order to get from where you are now to where you want to be, like with any journey, you must envision your path step by step. Thinking about traveling from New York to California for the first time or any time without any planning, maps or directions would take a considerable amount of time and may seem impossible during most of the trip. Your resources wouldn't be utilized correctly and neither would your energy and stamina to travel. If you had all the time and resources you needed to explore everything in that manner then this wouldn't be much of an issue. But if you are determined to get to your destination, and have some limitations, whether it be money, time or skill, then you will need a strong foundation to lead you through to the end and guide you back to the main path if you get lost. A foundation is necessary for increasing the chance of success. It actually makes it less about chance, and more about precision and calculation.

Whatever it is you want to accomplish, whether it be graduating from medical school, writing a book, traveling to Ghana, or composing a song, it can be accomplished step by step. It is the act of stitching together a series of small individual steps that will allow you to experience movement forwards. Momentum will be the result of constant motion. The key is to break larger steps into smaller ones. You continue to break down steps into smaller pieces until they are the perfect size for you to handle. That size will depend on your resources (time, money, and skill).

Sample Sequence

For example, my next goal is to start doing violin performances again (It's been quite some time since I lived the performance life). Instead of jumping instantly to envisioning myself performing on stage, I first will envision myself creating my routine, then practicing that routine, then recording myself on camera for personal review, then performing it in front of only my husband a few times to get used to the difference in pressure and concentration. After that, I would perform the routine in front of my husband and dad and a couple other friends and family members. Next, I'd go outdoors, across the street to the park/field and play openly outside. After that, I'd most likely go to an artsy area/street and sit on some steps to play for people passing by. This is a real example of working your way up, so that you can grow internally with the process as well. We have to condition ourselves psychologically as well as tuning our skill sets. 

THE LESSONS LIST

I comprised a list of things I learned from the experience of producing my first EP completely on my own, lessons that I will be carrying over to my next project to make my process easier and more efficient. Here is a summary of those notes.

1. Not every creative session will be productive or inspired. 
2. Restriction of resources forces you to rely more on creative survival, thus birthing perspectives and opportunities that may otherwise not exist.
3. Deadlines are as useful as they are hindering, depending on what state of mind you are in at the time. 
4. Make use of negative moods/energy as they can create a passionate and driven work environment. 
5. Get help with aspects of the production that aren't within your skill specialty if it hinders the progress of the project.
6. Think less, feel more.
7. Take scheduled breaks during long stretches of creating to stay fresh and avoid arcing downward in energy and inspiration.
8. Simplification and minimalism can save challenging aspects of a project, providing space for clarity. 
9. Throw yourself out there; be brave.
10. Don't over absorb your work as you run the risk of conjuring up unnecessary issues with it. Do as much as needed and move on.

GUIDES

I kept diligent notes, spreading my mind out through various notebooks during the creation, recreation and refining of this EP. Writing through my process served as a guide, a lantern through the dark wilderness within my mind. It kept me from getting too lost. I was also beautifully guided through parts of my journey by my good friend and Master Sonic Adviser (as I've titled him, mentor would be another acceptable term). It's a blessing to be able to discuss the sonic realm with someone so fluent in frequencies. He helped tune my perspective on seeing and understanding how sound works in the digital realm, as well as a bit of the analog realm, where his focus deeply lies. I must give a grand and eternal thanks to Ben Ferrari. 

SEQUENCE IS THE JOURNEY

The Sequence EP was most certainly a journey. From beginning to end, lessons were learned, problems were solved, frequencies were explored, mistakes were made. There were painful breakdowns and triumphant breakthroughs. Deep moments of doubt and depression. Feelings of fear and solitude. Confusion. Learning curves. Pure and utter determination. There was a lot of time spent cutting through thickets of unknown digital and sonic lands. A way had to be made. A path had to be blazed in order to get through to the other side. Although Sequence is imperfect, it was through the imperfections that peace was found within the project. When you've done the best you could possibly do, at your current stage, with your current resources, the next step is to accept your creation for what it is...the highlights and the shadows. Fall in love with what you've done because it is you who have done it. 

Margo

The Four Stages of Learning and My Musical Journey

There are four stages of learning. The first stage is Unconscious Incompetence. This is when you are unaware of the mistakes you are making. Stage two is Conscious Incompetence, when you become aware or have been made aware of what you have been doing wrong. The third stage is Conscious Competence, when you can now execute the action correctly, but it takes concentration and mental energy to do so. The final stage is Unconscious Competence. Here is where you can execute the action automatically, as it has been deeply rooted within you. In order to move up this ladder, you must practice this action over and over again, as each time you repeat it, that neural pathway gets coated with myelin. Keep coating the pathway to reach the fourth stage. But don't practice bad habits as they can be stored in the unconscious as well. Whatever you are striving to gain efficiency in or master, it is important to be aware that you are on this ladder to begin with. Being aware that you are unconsciously incompetent is a glorious thing. It means you are on the path. I usually reach conscious competence in a lot of things but I continuously strive, never ending...that is the great feature of our human kind, we are deeply programmed to survive and strive. Never ending. Never give up even if you have lapsed for any amount of time. Become efficient and then a master, and then a teacher.

I must add that my personal journey in music has been a long and strenuous one. I recently have let it sink in that I am on a path towards unconscious competence playing the violin. It is so necessary to get to this stage because it is very hard to perform for people if you are still using up all of your mental energy trying to get through the piece. You can practice over and over again, a thousand times by yourself, but it is different when you must play in front of even just one person. This idea is also the same for studying any subject and then being tested. If you only learn the material enough to get through it, you may not have enough mental energy left to perform well when tested. You must learn the material deeply so that you can free up space needed to control the pressure of recalling information for a test or when performing.  Which is why not only comprehension but deep memorization is also another great method of achieving unconscious competence. Or is memorization a by-product of practicing/studying so much? I recently put myself to the test. I've heard that perhaps doing something one thousand times will earn you mastery over that skill. I cut that number down quite a bit for my experiment. Working on Bach Partita No. 3 in e major, the Preludio. I played the first five or six lines with a goal of a hundred times. I marked each time as a tally on notebook paper I kept nearby. By the time I played the passage 50 times, I had the section memorized. These types of self studies and experiments are very beneficial to me because it puts an actual workable number to the energy that I am putting toward something. Instead of what feels like a countless, endless amount of practice, I know that around 50 times playing a section, I will have it memorized. This gives me confidence, hope and the energy I need to play it another 50 times. I know that my work in not in vain. My whole time studying violin, then my very long lapse in playing due to my mother's sickness and then passing, I never really knew how to measure my practicing. Now I know, now I can measure exactly where I am on this ladder to mastery.

The violin is a very intimidating instrument, and so are it's players but that is something I just have to get over. The competitive nature of the string world is something that will have you stop playing because you feel like you are not as great as another. But forget that, play because the strings resonate with your soul and being. Play because it is the only way you know how to sing. Play because you love the melodies and the harmonies. Do not get caught up in the madness. In whatever you do, do it as if you are the only one left on the planet and this is how you are choosing to spend your time. Do not think you cannot master something because you have not mastered it before 20 or 25 years of age, or 30 or 35, or any age. Do not compare yourself to the prodigies. Do not compare yourself to the greats. Just focus, measure your practice, emulate, listen, record and try not to give up. It's very hard! But that's the great thing about playing the violin and working on other skills that are not easily mastered, not that many people are doing it in the grand scheme. I am not worried about being the best, being world famous, playing for kings and queens. I just love to sing through my strings. That is all. Much love and blessings to you. Peace and productivity to all. 

Judah Ra and the Infinite Mixtape

I have recently had the pleasure of experiencing the cosmic sounds of Judah Ra. His newest project, Infinite, is surely a unique experience. I find that it is difficult to carve out one's own individual sound amidst so much music being created, but Judah Ra has found his own corner in the world of voice and sound. Recorded in 432hz and 528hz frequencies, his Infinite mixtape is designed to heal, promote meditation, and cleanse chakras. Not only does this make Judah Ra's music enjoyable from an entertainment perspective, it shines as a tool to aid well-being. One of my favorite qualities of his music is his vocal timbre, which is clear and direct, something I value in hip hop and beyond. I have included a song from his Infinite mixtape, and a link to the rest of the project on Soundcloud. Visit his Instagram for more information on his music and purpose.

Click here for the full INFINITE mixtape

7 Ways Houseplants Can Benefit Your Health

Grocery Foliage Acquisition
I was at the grocery store a few days ago and instead of rolling through my normal route into produce, I was drawn to the plant and flower section I usually skip every time I go grocery shopping. I found some foliage and decided to add it to the beginning of my houseplant collection. Having plants in your home provides many great benefits to your health and environment. Here are seven ways houseplants can benefit your health. 

1. Purifies air
Plants can absorb toxins out of the air and convert them into food for themselves. This is especially great for those who live in apartment complexes where air is often reused and circulated throughout the vents. During the winter, when it isn't as likely to keep the windows open for fresh air, keep some plants indoor to help purify the air quality. 

2. Natural humidifier
Another way houseplants can benefit your health is by releasing vapor into the air. The added moisture content in the air will help decrease dry skin, which I happen to deal with more often than oily skin. 

3. Improves health
In addition to air purification and humidification, houseplants have been shown to improve overall health including diminishing fatigue, cold and flu symptoms. Plants hold so much healing power, and just having them in your presence is enough to reap some of the benefits. 

4. Promotes easier breathing
The most known benefit of surrounding yourself with plants is easier breathing. As you may already know, plants pull in carbon dioxide and release oxygen that we breathe in. It's actually quite beautiful, the symbiotic relationship between humans and plants. It is as if we are one living, breathing, pulsing entity with nature. One breathing earth. Inhaling the other's exhale. I love it. Also, the added oxygen will improve sleep. The more plants you have, the greater the affects. 

5. Increases focus
Houseplants can benefit your focus and mental stamina. I believe it is because there is something wired in our brains that responds positively to beauty of plant life. There is something deeply calming about a vibrant green plant, thick with leaves, standing tall or stretching wide. We find comfort in the natural phenomenons that surround us and provide for us in just the right ways.

6. Eliminates cigarette smoke toxins
I happen to be surrounded by smokers in every direction in my apartment complex. This has been quite depressing, especially after bringing my baby home and into my world here. I loathe the smell of cigarettes and the fact that plants have the ability to pull the cigarette chemicals out of the air gives me hope and happiness. The Peace Lily is a plant especially suited for the task of neutralizing the ill effects of second-hand smoke. I'll need about 50 Peace Lily's around here. 

7. Encourages greater well being
Something that I have noticed while in the presence of bright foliage is that I am just more happy in general. Houseplants have the power to contribute to a greater feeling of well-being. This is absolutely amazing and is one of the main reasons why I went out and bought some plants. There is a certain sense of tranquility and optimism that plants give off naturally.

Green Thumb Dreams
I currently have six plants in my home, and I have actually experienced the happiness that comes with having them around. My only future problem is the task of keeping them alive. My grandmother, a seasoned green thumb, gave me some tips and I am ready to try (again) at caring for plants. I grew up with my mother and one of the spare rooms in our house fully dedicated to her plant collection. It was just another fixture in my existence back then, but now, I desire to have a collection of plants that I can nurture and care for. I've been waiting for this stage of my life to activate, and perhaps finally, it has. 

The Art Festival With No Artists: A Saturday in June

My husband and I usually travel to a local coffee shop on the weekends in order to catch up on work in a fresh environment with some vanilla or chai lattes and cappuccinos. This Saturday, we decided to head to Legacy Village, an outdoor shopping plaza that has a balcony area with WiFi that sits above a Starbucks. We had our baby with us this time and were prepared to grab some food and get to work. Pulling into the plaza we noticed that an art festival was in mid swing, Art in the Village, and of course I was ecstatic about that! I love discovering art walks and summer festivals. But before we started down the path filled with white tents and vendors, I had to run over to C'est Macaron! to try some macarons for the first time.

I absolutely love these delicate delights! I bought two raspberry lemonades and two pistachios macarons. They are light and flaky on the outside, slightly chewy within the inner layers and then the meringue right in the middle is bright and flavorful. A beautiful treat to experience. Moving on to the art festival, I must admit that I did not enjoy it. Just to quickly describe my experience, I will say that it was stuffy, and supremely arts-n-crafty. We were walking around thinking we would feel at home around fellow creatives, but there were no artists there! Arts and crafters...yes, plenty of people who do crafts and glue rhinestones on to cat clocks. Like these were the kind of arts-n-crafts that no one wants to buy...ugly, terrible items. I'm not saying that all the vendors items were unsightly, I did see some (as in very few) items that were pretty cool. One of those cool items were some wind chimes made out of sheets of crystal. I really enjoyed them, I adore wind chimes deeply and we might have even purchased one if the vendor wasn't terribly rude. I pulled out my phone to take a picture of his work and he started screaming at me, so rude and disgustingly. 

Like I understand if a creator does not want their product to be photographed, that's no problem at all. You should most certainly put up a sign saying no photography if it's that serious. This old, pale man just had a mean and short spirit within him. I politely said I would delete the picture, and that I was just a local blogger that wanted to capture the images of the art festival and he rudely said he doesn't want to be featured on any of the internet and blogs and stuff. Hey old, pale guy, if you want to conduct business with people and sell your stuff, learn to talk to people with respect. You aren't the only human being roaming this earth. Hmm, I could say it was because I am not as pale as he was that he decided to be rude, or because I am not as old as he is, perhaps he has no respect for people who still have more years ahead of them than behind them. I didn't let him ruin my time though. You come to the realization that dealing with some rude people is part of the lifestyle of blogging and photography. MOVING ON...

We went to get some lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Byron (my husband) put Julius (my son) in a highchair for the first time. He is still in the stage of babyhood where he just wants to chew and grab everything in sight. That was my second time eating there. I remember applying for a waitress job there several years ago. I even had an interview but they never called me back...boo.

I didn't really like the way this picture turned out but I wanted to share some sort of proof that I was there. 

I've been extremely attracted to the bright blue and teal realm of the color spectrum lately. I saw these boats hanging up outside of L.L. Bean and grabbed a shot of them just because. I will call it color inspiration. 

I couldn't end the days events without going to pick up the next book in the series I'm reading. Finally enjoying the Divergent book series. We went to Half-Priced Bookstore first, but they didn't have any softback versions. So we headed over to Target to see if they would have my book.

And they did have it! Yay! I was so excited. This was the first time Julius sat in a shopping cart seat. I liked that there was a strap the secured him extremely well. No reaching, no tipping over, no falling, no worries. Unrelated...I am trying to get back into the habit of writing. It's so strange, when I open up a new blog post, my writing changes. Similar to an actor that is too self-aware in front the camera. I become too self-aware and thus inhibiting my natural flow of thinking and writing. I believe the more I write, the more I will be able to express myself in my natural rhythm without overthinking. Okay, that is all for now. I swear I am trying to post more now that I have organized my blog goals a bit better. We shall see. 

August Loves

Perm Rod Set feat. Creme of Nature Argan Oil Mousse

Day Three Perm Rod Set

PERM ROD SET SUCCESS
I tried my first perm rod set and it turned out great. I've been wanting to try out perm rods for a while now because I am naturally someone who doesn't like to invest a ton of time with the daily upkeep of my hair. I needed to have it set and locked in with a moisturizing product. I can't blame my need for semi-low hair maintenance on being a new mother as I've never been one to desire a routine of nightly twisting or morning wash n go's. I adore the results those efforts produce, but realistically, the least amount of work I have to do with my hair, the better. 

WHAT I USED
I bought about 6 or 7 packs of perm rods, each containing 8 or 10 rods I believe. I wanted to play it safe because running out of rods will mess up the results. Having too much hair wrapped around one rod to compensate will cause the definition to be inconsistent and kind of jacked up. Each pack of perm rods were one dollar at my local beauty supply store. I also picked up some Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style and Shine Foaming Mousse as my setting product, as well as a new hooded dryer. I foolishly ruined my old dryer by trying to prop it up and covering the air vent causing it to short out. I already had some Carol's Daughter Leave-In Conditioner, which is an important step in the process. In addition to a leave-in conditioner, I used a deep conditioning treatment...some protein packs, I think they were Creme of Nature as well. I'm not completely certain, I threw them away and forgot, but they did have a protein treating aspect. These were the ones that are sold individually, like $1.99 a piece. I need to invest in a full tub of deep conditioner, but I can't seem to make a commitment. I'm going to just list everything out underneath this...

PRODUCTS
Creme of Nature (or any protein treatment) Deep Conditioner
Aussie Moist Conditioner
Medium-sized Perm Rods
Carol's Daughter Leave-In Conditioner
Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style and Shine Foaming Mousse
Paddle Brush
Hooded Dryer
Headband
Mesh Net Hair Cap
Extra Large Bonnet

MY PROCESS
1. Co-washed hair with Aussie Moist, detangled
2. Applied deep conditioner, shower cap overnight ( I hadn't deep conditioned in a while but I'm not even sure if the overnight treatment made any difference).
3. Rinsed out deep conditioner, put in four sections.
4. Applied leave-in conditioner throughout entire hair moderately.
5. Made smaller sections, about 1.5 inches thick and generously applied mousse until saturated and then I brushed out the section until smooth. 
6. Rolled hair onto perm rod. I used the method found in this Youtube video by JayHairBigga
7. Sat under dryer 1.5 hours.
8. Carefully unraveled with oily fingers, and gently separated.

Day 5 Perm Rod Set

GENERAL TIPS
1. Fluff minimally: Your hair will naturally expand over the days to come, especially if outside in regular wind. Your perm rod set will last longer if not overfluffed and separated initially. I did separate my hair moderately, so that I didn't feel like Shirley Temple. 

2. Saturate and dry: Before rolling your hair up the perm rod, seriously saturate your hair with the mousse. Make sure your hair is at least damp before you put the mousse in. This is ideal for those using a hooded dryer, which I would recommend if you are like me and don't want to sleep in rods or gamble whether or not your hair is completely dry. A hooded dryer is a must. 

3. Product hold factor: If spending a lot of time outside, you probably should find a mousse or setting lotion that is known for its hold factor. This Creme of Nature Argan Oil Mousse has a nice balance of shine, softness and hold, but I want to experiment with other mousses to see the difference. 

HOW I SLEEP
My hair might need a little oil before bed, so I oil it up without disturbing my curls to much. I use a headband to pineapple my hair. I just put the headband on in its regular fashion, and then push the back up a bit to move all my curls to the top-front of my head. I then put a mesh cap over the curls only and then finish off with covering my entire head with an extra large bonnet. 

PERM ROD GOALS
I want to have an initial investment of time doing my hair that will pay off with minimal upkeep while still maintaining moisture, curls, cute styling and overall good health. I want to wear my curls out for a week straight, enjoying its natural progression to a fuller state. After that week of just pineappling at night (pure heaven), I will have begun to see the moisture level of my hair gradually decrease and will eventually add moisture back in and seal. At this point, I will enter week 2 of this perm rod set. Week 2 will be re-moisturizing and either 2-strand twisting, flat twisting or putting bantu knots in before bed. This second week will also be a week of trying out different hairstyles/protective updo's.

I will not be doing this during week 1 because I don't want to mess up my curls, but I did do a cute frohawk in the first week. Pretty much any style that just pins up some areas is okay but I'm not risking messing up my curls until week 2. After week 2 is over, depending on how I feel or the state of my hair, I will either wash and re-set my hair, put in a longer term protective style such a crown braid or two big flat twists for another week, or wash and marley twist my hair. That's my plan! These are the all the steps to how I did my perm rod set. I am totally in love with this process and the results. I have never successfully had a natural hair routine that truly fit all of my needs, schedule and energy level but this right here is it! Finally.....

Lola

How To Cultivate Creativity

I have been trying to tap into Charlie recently, attempting to cultivate creativity. Charlie is the self of mine that can dive head first into musical practice, digital creation or any creative process. I have been in August mode for weeks now. I think August might be my default self. August brainstorms blog post ideas, plans projects, organizes, schedules to-do lists, executes ideas and networks. August is driven and naturally falls into leadership roles. I have been operating in August mode for a while now and I need to transition over to Charlie, The Creative. I am all me's all the time, but different sides take turns dominating depending on where I am at mentally, and there are certain triggers. So here I am now, attempting to trigger Charlie.  

So how do I trigger Charlie? Well how about doing some record shopping, some photography, listening to a ton of music, relax a bit, find some inspiration, relax a bit more, find more inspiration and then push myself into a zone of creativity that has no rules, no regulations and no structure, just like this sentence I am currently crafting. It is when I let go of my need for perfection, precision and professionalism I can find Charlie. August has a strong hold over me, but sometimes, a lot of the times, I must let go. It's balance. It's survival. So where does record shopping come into play? You know how you set the mood for an atmosphere you want to cultivate? If you are trying to study, you might shut off the TV, put on Mozart Pandora, make some coffee or go to the library. This sets the atmosphere so that you can be active in a certain mode needed to accomplish a particular goal.

This is what I do when trying to cultivate creativity and trigger Charlie. I blow out my fresh linen scented candles and light up a Patchouli incense. I surround myself with record store types of atmospheres and buy music. I play music that inspires me to create music. I watch YouTube videos of violinists playing covers of songs I enjoy. I must surround myself with the atmosphere that will get me in the proper states of mind. And more importantly, I must summon up the right amount of initial energy to thrust me in the right direction of action. Thinking about it just isn't enough. You must put in that first and often gruesome amount of energy to get the ball rolling. It's almost like waking up from a good slumber, it's hard, but once you are up, you are one step closer to your next step.

Create the atmosphere
Summon the energy
Produce the goal

Z.

How To Blow Dry Natural Hair Without Heat Damage

The blow out! I bought a new blow dryer, my old one stopped working mysteriously. The last time I blew my hair out was about eight months ago. I rarely put heat in my hair. Actually, I rarely do much of anything to my hair. I am someone who loves having hair, but I do not like spending a lot of time doing it. But this time, I wanted to blow it out and wear it like this for a little while before I put my twists back in. It is important to me to blow dry natural hair without heat damage. As I'm sure you know natural hair is prone to dryness, so my technique reinforces follicle protection. This process was not that difficult and it turned out very well. I did not damage my hair, which makes me very happy. The last thing I want to do is damage my hair trying to be cute, it's just not worth it. Okay so here is what I did...

First I washed my hair, co-washed to be specific. I did not have a lot of product build up so a shampoo was not necessary. After I washed my hair, I deep conditioned it and twisted it up under a t-shirt. Once it was no longer dripping wet (but still damp), I applied heat protectant and olive oil. I put my hair in about eight sections as I go. Depending on which area of my hair I'm working with, I may part that section in half again. After I add the heat protectant (which I spray into my hands first) and olive oil, I take a very wide-tooth comb and do a light detangle from the ends up, then blow dry the section on low with the wide comb attachment. After the section is able to be combed through, I turn the hair dryer up and run it through my hair a few times. Once it feels a bit dry, I add just a little more heat protectant and olive oil to refresh it a bit and give it more time to straighten out under the heat. If I don't refresh it with the product, it gets too dry and potentially damaged before it gets completely blown out to my liking. After I refresh and run the blow dryer through my hair a couple more times, I add even more of the mixture to the ends, and run it through 1-2 more times. This entire time, I haven't been focusing on the ends as much as the roots and middle. 

Once a section is complete, I brush it out with a wig brush and very loosely twist it. Once I get to the ends of the twist I add a drop of Aussie Moist conditioner and olive oil to the ends and twist. It might seem like I'm over doing it with adding heat protectant and olive oil, but it keeps my hair from drying out throughout the process. I experienced no heat damage and my hair came out great! I'm trying to get better at writing out my process, so excuse me if it seems a bit confusing. My husband suggests I make some videos in addition to this. So I will work on getting those done sometime in the future. Please contact me, or leave a comment if you have any questions regarding my blowout process or anything else hair related. I would love to hear from you. Oh and one more thing, Micheal Jackson's song Butterflies is just...exquisite. Exquisite I say. Well until next time darlings..

Lola Z.

Coventry and Cafe

Every Saturday, my husband and I go to Phoenix coffee shop on Coventry Road. My dad or his mom will watch the baby and we pack up our laptops to enjoy a morning drinking lattes and working on various projects. I've grown to look forward to our cafe date. Some days we are more productive than others, but either way, it is good to get out and get to work in a different scenery. 

I have been pretty upset lately regarding the loss of a hard drive that contained a couple years worth of photography I valued greatly. It has to be somewhere around this house. A part of me won't give up hope, one day I will find it and reunite with my lost photographs. After venting again and again to Byron, he finally suggested I move on and just take new pictures.

I've been in a photography slump for several weeks so I decided to take advantage of our Saturday morning on Coventry and take some shots after our time in the coffee shop. It was a rather cold day out, despite the sunshine, so we quickly strolled down the street filled with boutiques and various shops. We stopped in Big Fun Toys, a vintage toy store stocked from floor to ceiling with various goodies. I really need to spend more time in there. 

On another note, I just wanted to share some of my goals for this week. I plan to wake up everyday with a to-do list ready to go in my phone. Outside of my various chores and tending to my baby boy, I plan on practicing violin and piano. I want to continue collecting my new batch of photography and creating new blog posts. I also want to get a workout and yoga session in. These are my goals. I know that everyday won't turn out exactly how I want, but I at least have a goal to shoot for. 

I am trying to be less of a perfectionist and relax a little bit. This is a daily struggle of mine because I have strangely high expectations of myself. The current exercise is letting go and relaxing. I'm not a robot.

Z

Scrabble and the Chaos Percentage

Greetings, 

I wasn't sure how to start off, so I am just going to begin. Some updates are in order. I have been working on switching over my blog to a new platform, one less dependent on computer code and more automated. This will make my blogging process more bearable. I am trying to get back into the habit of writing. My blog has gone through many stages and I am beginning to come into a stage that is a blend of all of its past forms. I am usually so severely reserved that I find it difficult to open up, but once I do, I can be pretty transparent. I will find my middle ground. 

On another note, I love playing Scrabble with friends. We played a game recently and I like to take a picture of the board after playing to capture the creative process involving all of our minds. This is one of my favorite games to play and I will be collecting a series of shots that forever hold the memories of our Scrabble expeditions. I must apologize for the randomness of this post, I am just free-writing at the moment. I'll have to do this every now and again in order to get the energy flowing in my brain the right way. It can get stopped up like a drain. There is so much on my mind, so many projects I want to immerse myself in, so many chores to manage, and so many diapers to change. I have come to realize I thrive in just the right amount of chaos. There is a certain percentage of mayhem that is perfect for me to be productive, creative and just a bit crazy. I will say the ideal chaos percentage for me is about....67%. Enough chaos to light a fire under me, but not too much so that I have a mental breakdown. Mental breakdowns are no good. 

This was nice, writing. I know I can do with with ease if I am chatting with one of my friends or family members, but I tend to cease up sometimes, not knowing how much is too much to share. As I've said before, I am reserved. I am shy, but also very expressive. I guess now I need to calculate my communication percentage. What is too little, and what is too much. I'll get back to that question soon enough. Until then...

Zee

Yoga Beginnings

I decided to begin venturing into the practice of yoga. This is something I have been wanting to do for quite some time. I am no stranger to movement, as I have spent over a decade practicing ballet. Although lately, my body has been dormant, lacking variety of motion. The reason I want to incorporate yoga into my daily life is to give my body the opportunity to move and stretch in ways that will open up stagnant areas, rushing in higher amounts of nutrient-rich blood. This will cleanse the body, preventing long-term build up which may lead to disease. Many of us position our bodies in the same set of positions every day, decreasing blood flow to certain areas. I have some of my own problem areas that I feel could become worse if I let them remain immobile for the next ten years. I have the chance to extend my time here on earth by changing and enhancing some of the things I do everyday such as yoga and my diet. All of this is directly leading me to a greater state of mind, happiness, and inner peace. 

I found an amazing series on Youtube to officially begin my journey into yoga. It is a 30 day Yoga Camp lead by Yoga with Adriene. I have already completed the first two days. She really warms you into the practice perfectly. It is hard to describe her amazing method of instruction, but I will say that she leads you from one movement to the next very naturally, including daily mantras that truly provide mental therapy along with the physical. She knows what you are thinking and she addresses those thoughts from a quirky, lovable and wise perspective. In your own home, you are ushered from the beginning of your journey through to the end, where you are left feeling stronger, activated and at peace. Following her instruction, I have found myself sleeping much better, especially with a steaming, candlelit bath afterwards. Every day I look forward to starting the next yoga camp video because I know that she is going to challenge me just a little bit more than the last video. Productivity is something that has increased in my life since I began my practice in yoga. Everything has been better. 

A few days ago I got in the car, drove to Five Below, a store with various items all priced $5 and below. They have a pretty nice basic exercise equipment section. I purchased a yoga mat and two blocks. I began yoga that very day. Purchasing those three items was the small push I needed to jump right in and begin this journey. I did not spend a lot of money on a mat or blocks to start because I always have the option to upgrade once I feel that I have earned it. But I may just keep these, they are good quality materials. The reason I bring this up is to say that I did not let the desire of acquiring fancy yoga equipment, apparel, or studio membership keep me from starting my journey. Spend no more than 15 bucks and work with Adriene. Simple.

Lola Loves

The Regaining of My Musical Perspective

I am still trekking along on my journey back to the violin lifestyle. Today I hit a very special place in my violin advancement. Somehow I regained my musical perspective. Something just clicked and I found fluidity in my bow arm, intonation in my left hand and the glories of proper phrasing. I am currently playing the Giga of Bach's 3rd Partita. I will eventually go back to the Preludio, which is exciting and very fun to play. I am taking it one measure at a time, working in smaller chunks of measures per day. This might not seem like much, but I am in essence, choreographing each phrase, sculpting every element of the passage.

Knowing which notes to play short on an up bow and long on the down bow...Knowing when to crescendo over the full measure or in short bursts over groups of 16th notes. I have regained this perspective. The ability to see the shape and form surrounding the sound that I create. This is as important as the intonation. I have been working the past few weeks on some various scale exercises and technical etudes in hopes to train myself a little bit before working on a piece. Of course I will continue my technical practice, but I have now added in some actual music to play. I feel like I've earned it now. Also, I am excited to begin recording my practice sessions. Little excerpts here and there. 

It has been a very long road for me and my violin. I've been studying the craft for 17 years. My parents have sacrificed a lot over my lifetime in order to provide me with some of the finest instructors and musical experiences. I majored in violin performance in college. It's just something I need to do, if not for anyone else, for myself. It is very hard to jump back in once you've stopped playing for a few years. I would say it is the equivalent to being on the football team in college, going cold for several years, then expecting yourself to jump right back in at the same physical level you used to be at. Yes, your mind may be there, but your actual physical skill may not match. That can take a toll on your confidence, as it has mine, but as with most things in my life, I continue to push forward, depsite how many times I stop. If you have stopped doing something you were once good at or once loved, push through and begin again. It feels great. It is reviving. 

Charlie Loves

Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls

I bought my friends Miss Jessie's products this year for Christmas, since they are natural haired ladies. I got jealous from my own gift and decided to buy myself some as well. The Pillow Soft Curls is meant for wash n go's it reads. It says it's for people who don't want Ramen noodle definition and instead want a larger expanded curl. My hair usually takes on a crispy feel when I put even a little too much of any type of gel or anything really. I used this product for a twist out instead of a wash n go. I usually don't do wash n go's because my hair is really strange, I have too many different textures and some areas just hang loose in curls while other shrivel up dry in tight coils. I meant to post this a while ago but I have not been perfectly aligned with my schedules lately. I have so much swirling around in my head, so I at least need to make sure I don't look as crazy as I actually am. This post isn't going to be as long as usual, I need to move on to some other things, photography and music related so I can get much more exciting things up! 

Violin Practice Session 1&2

I think I figured out how to keep myself connected a bit more to my practice sessions. Usually, I begin with hopes of reigniting the old flame, but then I am unsuccessful because I expect myself to fall right back in where I left off in my music major highness. When this does not happen, I am left stunned and unimpressed with myself. Instead of wallowing in the reality of a talent gone cold, I have decided to begin journaling a short summary of each run through of a study or piece. I write down exactly how I felt I did, as if I were critiquing a student. I jot down what I did wrong, what I did right and what I need to work on for next time. I also notate the thoughts I had while playing, keeping track of my state of mind. I enjoy writing so combining the two really gives me an eagerness to begin my next session. This eagerness is not something I have experienced in quite sometime. It is refreshing and beautiful. 

Excerpt 12/29/15: My goal is to get a fuller, richer and more fluid sound. I think my problems with my right arm fluidity and confidence spawn from my timid nature of practicing, not wanting to be heard or to disturb. I need to get over that as well.

Excerpt 12/30/15: This run was the best so far. Clear and confident. Tone much better, larger percentage of correct notes. Caught 4th finger mistakes early in the etude. Trouble with 4th to last measure, need to spend time practicing that measure. 

Taking it slow I am. My usual problem: Wrap myself up with such energy towards something and end up overdoing, overshooting, overexpecting...and then I burn out. The flame burns rapidly and then it dies just as fast. This is not ideal when trying to begin again on a path once steadily traveled and most recently abandoned. I want it again. I really do. Such a shame to let something so precious go to waste. I will practice a bit every day, and then once I make that habitual, I will practice a bit more every day. I will write after each run through. My husband got me this journal for Christmas. As soon as I ripped through the wrapping I knew it was something special. 

Charlie

Gathering Inspiration and Maintaining Entrepreneurial Energy

Gathering inspiration for a large project or business idea is one of the best ways to get the energy flowing. Everything is inspired, either consciously or subconsciously. Most of the time I already have set ideas ready to be put into motion. Other times, I need a push in the right direction. This is when I reach out to grab inspiration, as many creatives do. I have a method that reduces the chance that I will pull too much from one source. At the very least I will have two parent sources of inspiration, in which I will combine to create the child. Two separate things joined together to create something completely new. This structure can produce an infinite amount of creative combinations just like how we people are such an amalgam. I love this process dearly, utilizing sites such as Pinterest to collect and organize my visual thoughts. There is also another application I stumbled across called We Heart It, which is similar to Pinterest as it collects and organizes images but it has a completely different type of feel. There are a lot of emo-types collecting semi-depressing picture quotes but bypassing those, it's a relatively fresh site for new images and inspiration.

I am on an incessant, never-ending journey towards greater entrepreneurial freedom. The journey is constant, only evolves as lessons are learned and knowledge is gained. I am back in motion, also with help of my sister who has injected me with some of the same energy I once had an abundance of. She has been a true gift. It is crucial to have a source of strong, positive and moving energy. It is also important to have multiple sources of energy to pull from because it wont always be continuously flowing from one direction. An arsenal must be put in place consisting of people, films, music, books, and whatever else is needed to keep your flame flowing. The most essential thing I can say to anyone reading is that it does not matter how many times you become idled in your journey, you must continue to start again. Journeys are lengthy, exhausting treks from one place to the next. We are bound to take rests, get lost and encounter troubling times. We must steadily start again. Let us continue continuously. 

August

How I Maintain My Senegalese Twists

I love my hair in twists. It's the best and easiest thing that has happened to me in my natural hair journey. In college, I wore my hair in kinky twists, much shorter and light brown. This is a whole new experience that has resulted in me being very happy that I don't have to worry about keeping up with my hair all of the time. 

While in the twists, I wanted to make sure my hair wasn't just drying up, so I put together an easy regimen to maintain my Senegalese twists. I've had them in for a little over two weeks now. Daily I have been spraying my hair with some leave-in conditioner. A little on the roots and down the twists about halfway. 

The leave-in conditioner that I am using currently is Creme of Nature Argan Oil. It has some strengthening properties and I wanted to be sure my hair could withstand the weight and movement of the twists. After I moisten it with the leave-in, I spray some of this sheen spray over it all to keep it with some shine and flexibility. After doing this, I truly feel like I have a healthy situation going on up there. 

I try 95% of the time to sleep with my satin scarf wrapped over my head after I bun it. After about two weeks, I felt like I needed to refresh my hair. It was looking a little worn and didn't have that fresh look to it. With these twists in particular, they look best super fresh. So I took down one twist at a time and rubbed on a glob of this Pantene Natural co-wash conditioner right onto my scalp at the root of that portion of hair.

I slide the conditioner down to soak the rest of my hair while also dabbing on a bit of Argan Oil Eco Styler Gel at the root. Afterwards, I spray the section with a little sheen spray and retwist. Such an easy situation. I am in love! I considered that to be my wash. Once I got the conditioner soaked in, my hair began to curl up, and I did a super quick detangle before retwisting. And that's it! Super happy I am. :) I'm so lazy when it comes to hair it's not even funny at all. But this right here...this is hair paradise y'all. 

Aziza

One Pot Chicken and Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Fall seems to have arrived promptly here in Cleveland, except the leaves haven't caught up with the program, just the cool drop in temperature. I now want to make soups and hearty big potted dishes. I have completely switched over to wanting to prepare meals using the one pot technique.

Getting a whole bunch of ingredients, throwing them into a pot or casserole dish and letting them cook and morph into a delicious meal on its own. I have so much to do, and I plan on taking my to do lists up a notch in the upcoming weeks.

Therefore, having a way to cut down on time while still creating something delicious is a major win. I saw a post on a loaded potato casserole and decided that I should get this going and try it out for myself with a few alterations.

Ingredients

 4 Chicken Breasts, diced 

6 Medium Potatoes, diced

6 Slices of Bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

5 Green Onions Sliced 

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Salt/Pepper/Basic Seasonings

2 Tablespoons Butter

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly grease 9"x13" in. casserole dish
3. Season diced chicken in your preferred manner (I freehandedly use some Lawry's seasoning salt and paprika)
4. Spread half of the potatoes on casserole dish, then evenly spread all of the chicken over potatoes.
5. Sprinkle half of the bacon crumbles over the chicken followed by 3/4 cups of shredded cheese and half of the green onions. 
6. Add the remaining potatoes, then the rest of the bacon, and another 3/4 cups of shredded cheese. 
7. Sprinkle on the remaining green onions followed by a light seasoning of salt and pepper. 
8. Pour the cup of heavy cream over the entire mixture. 
9. Slice up butter over the top of dish.
10. Cover with foil and bake for one hour.
11. Uncover for the final 30 minutes, in the last five minutes, sprinkle top with 1/2 cup of cheese. 

So I completely forgot that I was out of aluminum foil after I got home and started cooking. So it was time to improvise! I found a glass top to one of my pots and put it over the center of the dish. It served its purpose. There's always another way to do something.  

Before serving, I cut up some more green onions and added it on top for freshness and appeal. This is definitely a "meat and potatoes" type of meal, therefore it was imperative I paired it with something light and crisp. I'm thinking of saving this casserole as an "I'm sorry" meal for Byron when I feel bad for doing something stupid. It is definitely a satisfying dish and extremely delicious.

I guarantee this dish as a winner every single time. How can bacon and potatoes go wrong? The chicken was such a great addition. I wouldn't have it any other way. It lasted us about 4 and a half servings (Two separate nights of dinner for the both of us, and seconds for Byron on the first night.) If you make this, you will be happy.

Bon Appetit

Z

DIY Art Business Cards: For When There's No Time For Vista Print

I always want to be prepared when I meet someone in case it's someone who may play a serious role in my future art and business dealings. Since I am currently in between official business card designs, I decided to go to Micheal's and test out making a few of my own. Now I do have two parts of my brand, the art side and the business side. Although they come together as one, certain contacts may require a more professional card, where as others may require a more creative touch. 

I worked on these with haste, as I had many items on that day's to do list that needed to get done. As a result, I did not use a ruler or straight edge to make sure my handwriting was level. This batch was a test to see how well the process would work and what I need to do better or differently next time. I did intend on using these cards, but I also knew that I would refine the process afterwards. I made each one completely different, but still using the same overall themes and materials. It was a very fun time, and from now on, each business card intended for art industry networking will be handmade. 

Like I said before, I went to Micheal's and picked up all of these materials except the pens. I spent a total of about $15. I got the watercolors on clearance for a dollar because the package was missing a color. I got the alphabet stamps and rolls of tape on clearance as well. Micheal's has such a wonderful collection of craft paper to choose from. I needed card stock this time around so I searched specifically for any designs that fit my scheme. I needed the thicker card stock to have more of that business card feel. It worked out perfectly.

When it comes to crafting and DIY, I am never going without stamps ever again. They are just amazing. It would have been awesome if I could have ordered a stamp with whatever I needed it to say already customized and ready to go. Instead I improvised and found this alphabet stamp collection. I would like to get any logos or names made into a full stamp sometime into the future. I would stamp my forehead and go to the grocery store like everything was normal. See how many people just blatantly stare, and how many would force themselves to pretend like there wasn't a stamp on my forehead. Okay...so yea....

I'm watching Spiderman 2 right now and I just have to say that Jamie Fox's character is just so good. His whole situation is just so deep on so many levels. I had a field day with scientific and biblical theories based off of Electro's existence. Random. Sorry. 

Creating your own business cards is truly a great option if you are going to an event short notice, and you don't have time to fiddle around with Vista Print, or any other business card design and printing company. I actually tried to design some cards on Photoshop, and then have them printed at Kinko's. It was such an utter failure because the resolution was off and it printed so small and it was just horrible. Horrible I say!

I'm up at the counter paying for the failed attempts, and a new employee who was training with the guy ringing me out was just perched over the counter trying to peer at the business cards and read what they said. I'm already embarrassed down to the bone, and the most important thing you want to do in life right now is figure out what's going on over here with me. No no no! Go away! Stop looking at this pure failure. 

After that fiasco, I decided I would either do my own DIY cards, or get them professionally printed. If my printer wasn't mysteriously malfunctioning, I would experiment half printing and crafting, but until then, I will finish up using these materials, and enjoy this rewarding process. I don't even care if the recipient of my cards throws them away. I at least know that my card will stand out in their possession, and I will take pictures of each one so they live on forever collected in photographic form. 

ZeezerBee

Natural Hair Remedies: Molasses vs. Honey

DIY Banana Baby Food Deep Conditioner for Moisturized Natural Hair

Moisture is the greatest ally for any type of natural hair. When your hair is truly moisturized, you suffer less from breakage and frizz. I've come to realize that if you consistently repeat a potentially effective treatment (or any action), then you increase the magnitude of its potential results. I keep adding in potential because different things work for different people.  So on to the point...Bananas are consumed with amino acids, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, and E. All of these elements help to restore or strengthen chemical components found within the hair follicle. Oh the science of hair care!

Benefits

Strengthens hair follicles 

Minimizes breakage

Softens hair

Restores natural elasticity

Restores heat damaged hair

Reduces frizz

Soothes itchy scalp

Ingredients

2 packs of 2 count banana baby food containers (the "2nd foods" version)

3 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

• Mix all ingredients. 
• (Optional) Pour into applicator bottle of some sort. 
• Apply thoroughly to hair. Saturate as much as possible
• Apply plastic shower cap or two, throw a bonnet or scarf in the mix. Pop on a hat to top it off if you please. I have a lot of beanie type hats just because it's my style, but they also serve a very useful purpose for my hair. But mostly, this is all to create a nice heated environment so the hair follicles can open up and soak in all the nutrients. 
• Leave in for at least an hour. 
• Rinse out thoroughly.
• Saturate hair with a cleansing conditioner.
• Rinse out thoroughly in cooler water.
• Style as desired. I choose the LCO or LOC method of styling. Leave-in conditioner followed by either cream styler or oil. Which order I choose really depends on what products I have at them time. I either flat twist or create 8 braids. 

I must admit that the reason I switched over to the banana baby food as opposed to just using bananas is a result of a horribly tragic event involving the smashing of bananas, and the trauma that followed afterwards. I am planning on getting that together as a post later on this up coming week. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. 

But on a better note, this baby food, especially once a week, will do wonders. You can switch up the other ingredients to coconut oil or whatever else, but that banana baby food is the main star. I had softer, more moisturized hair with less frizz. I could say I used it for at least a month straight, once a week. It's also very affordable, I got mine from Walmart for a total of just around 3 dollars. Winning on all levels out here. 

Aziza