Hey Ladies,

I am a such a journalist because I always have a million questions about everything. I always want to know how something works or what something means especially if it is something that I use on a regular basis. So I wanted to share some info that I found with you lovely ladies.

So when I decided to go au naturel a few years ago I found that every time I would use a flat iron, my hair would frizz up within a few hours. Because I was working at a hair and beauty mag at the time companies would send us goodies. One day they sent Fusion Tools flat irons to the office. My life hasn’t been the same since LOL. This is the ONLY flat iron that I have found that keeps my hair straight until I wash it or until I dance like a wild child at a party lol.

From reading over all of the gazillion sites my understanding is that our hair has negative ions and positive ions (has a positive and negative charge) and when we brush our hair we remove some of the negative ones. In order to prevent frizz our hair needs both. So this ion technology emits the negative ones to neutralize and balance the hair again, which in turn makes it shiny and usually keeps it straight. When I started researching for this post I never thought that I would actually find out that having these ions come from our hair appliances could actually have health benefits too…who knew?

Info below is from the American Hair Straightener Association:
www.hairstraightenerus.org

Ion Technology

An ion is an atom or group of atoms, which have lost or gained one or more electrons. Positively charged ions are called cations, and negatively charged ions are called anions. Negative ions are used in ion therapy which utilizes a special electronic device that generates negatively charged particles. The purpose of this application is that there may be some health benefit to a negatively charged environment, opposed to one that is positively charged.

They also said that when an ion generator is installed in a hair appliance that…

“this Ion Generator can produce more than 1,000,000 ea/cm3 anions and proper amount of ozone that your hair needs. This helps remove odors, harmful chemicals etc., giving your hair a fresh new feeling.”

Health Benefits of Negative Ions

According to the studies of Dr. Krueger and others, the amount of anions existing in the fresh air has significant influence on one’s health and healing effect. When anions exist abundant in air, alpha wave activates in one’s brain to release anxiety and tension that are the main cause of asthma and migraine. It controls secretion of serotonin and free histamine to promote mental activity and release tension. An increase of anion in the air gives good effects for health. There are some characteristic effects of anion:

1. Healthy hair: Anion support to absorbing moisture into the hair and it make soft and shiny hair. Anion makes the scalp resilient and prevents the dandruff. Therefore eliminating static electricity and preventing hair loss. It keeps the healthy hair.

2. Air purification: Anion reacts with positive ions and makes a neutralization of air. Pollutions such as dust, smog, nitro oxide, carbon monoxide and other organic materials, helps produce positive ions in air.

3. Sterilization action: Anion neutralizes air through removing floating positive ions (or Cations) including fungi, dust, flower powder and polluted particles, which is causing the air to be dirty.

FUSION DETAILS…

• GemStone™ and Tourmaline plates in Nanocomplex™ formulation

• Nano coatings create ultra smooth plate surfaces, snag-free styling

• IONIC® Source generates hundreds of millions of negative ions to enhance shine and moisture retention

• Heats to 450º F, ready to use in seconds

• Cool tips for easy handling

• Flexible 9-ft. swiveling cord for durability and easy use

• Diamond Red™ finish with Diamond Silver accents

• 3-year warranty

www.fusiontoolspro.com

OMGGG!! The weather is just gorgeous today. It went from a snow storm to spring literally over night but I am not complaining LOL. I am so excited about todays interview. Alecia and I began corresponding via email in 2008 and it wasn’t until recently when she asked me to host her YBR networking event that we finally got a chance to meet. She’s a rockstar! Seriously! One of the reasons I fell in love with her is because we have similar missions. I think that my favorite part of this interview was when she said “When I became my biggest fan a lot of opportunities began to open up for me”…luvs it!

Alecia I wish you even more abundance…
xoxo
Ally

She-blogs: Who is Alecia D.?
Alecia: Alecia D is my alter ego. The name comes from a mixture of my middle name and first initial (Dorianne Alecia). You know how Beyonce named her on stage persona- Sasha Fierce? Well, Alecia D is a bit like that for me. That persona sums up all of my work for women’s empowerment and inspiration. Alecia D. is a lifestyle consultant, an author, a motivational speaker, and a mentor.

She-blogs: What was your inspiration for starting YBR Enterprise Inc. and how did you come up with the name?
Alecia: A few years ago I was working in Salt Lake City, Utah for my job. Since I had so much down time on my hands, I really got into meditation and reflection. One night when I was brainstorming ideas, I realized how important it was for young, black, women to have a space to come together to achieve their goals and strive for big dreams. I wasn’t sure what part I would play in the grand scheme of things, but all I kept saying to myself was- “I want all my sistas to be young, black, and rich!” Those words stuck with me as I continued to think of how I could make a difference until I came up with a plan for a blog and a social network. I turned my mantra into an acronym and YBR Enterprise Inc was born as a lifestyle network for women everywhere who also had aspirations of being young, black and rich!

She-blogs: How did you get started with Life Coaching?
Alecia: I’ve always been good at organizing the lives of those around me and helping others put together a plan of action in the midst of a difficult situation. I’m a person who loves giving advice and who takes great pride in being a part of the goal setting process. When I realized that there was a way to make a fulfilling career out of these skills, I was hooked!

She-blogs: Ok so we all know that life can be tough at times and getting or even staying motivated can be hard. What are five realistic self-motivation tips that someone can use to make steps towards living a happier life?

Alecia:

- Sincerely believe that your happiness is worth fighting for

- Surround yourself with people who are positive and who have your best interests at heart

- Respect yourself and others at ALL times

- Know that happiness is not an end result, but an ongoing process

- Write your goals down on paper, begin the necessary steps to complete them, and take pride in achieving them one by one

She-blogs: I know you published your first e-book “30 days to Success” a few years ago. Any more books coming and any advice for people that want to publish an e-book?
Alecia: I always have book ideas in the works, however, the project that I am most actively pursuing now is a documentary on black women in relationships. It will focus on the relationship histories and ideals of black women at different places along the “relationship spectrum”. I know that there are a lot of black women (and men) out there with misconceptions about the state of black love and I want to help open the dialogue on this topic in a positive way. If I were giving advice to someone wanting to publish their own e-book, I would say - Go for it! It is not as challenging as you think. If you have a great idea in your head and can clearly express it in words, get it down on paper. There are many outlets on the Internet that can walk you through the necessary steps of turning your work into an e-book and publishing it. In the book writing/publishing process, the most challenging aspect really is getting it down on paper.

She-blogs: What is your average day like?
Alecia: I usually wake up around 6:00 am and make the mad dash to get ready for work. I travel about an hour and a half from Brooklyn, NY to New Jersey where I work for a Fortune 500 company from 8:00 am to about 8:00 pm. I am also getting my Masters at New York University (in Executive Coaching), so I attend class two nights a week and if it’s a day that I have to coach a client for YBR, then I may fit a session in at some point during my day. I also take care of any freelance writing for other publications, my blog, and newsletter on the weekends. Any given day can be pretty hectic for me, but it all comes with the territory.

She-blogs: Tell me about one of the biggest career obstacles you have faced and how you worked through it?
Alecia: Being the youngest and one of the few black people at my job was initially an obstacle for me. There were many times that I felt that I had to overcompensate for what some may have viewed as shortcomings. It wasn’t until I realized that I had every right to be at my company as the next person that I was able to take my career to the next level. I made an internal decision to mark my territory and made no apologies for excelling. I realized that no one else would believe in me as much as I could believe in myself. When I became my biggest fan a lot of opportunities began to open up for me.

She-blogs: What advice would you give to a woman who is reaching for her dreams? Do you suggest internships or finding a mentor?
Alecia: I definitely suggest both! Internships can give you the hands on work experience you need in any given industry, while a mentor can teach you the underlying tips you won’t necessarily learn about directly. A good mentor can also introduce you to key players in your industry as well as help you build up a relevant network.

She-blogs: Why do you think it is important for women to stick together and genuinely help one another?
Alecia: I think a lot of times women are under the misconception that there aren’t enough opportunities and wealth to go around. This notion is extremely FALSE. As women, we have the opportunity to use our talents to uplift each other. Where I am lacking, you are strong. If we come together we would be an even stronger force to be reckoned with.

She-blogs: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Alecia: I see myself married with children and living somewhere in Long Island, NY- LOL. I also want to transition from coaching part-time to a more full-time role. I really see myself taking YBR to the next level and speaking to large groups on how to achieve their goals and reach for their dreams while publishing more books and documentaries.

She-blogs: Name one place that you have never been that you want to travel to and why?
Alecia: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii- I love to research exotic getaways and watch shows on the travel channel. I read about a resort in Hawaii that costs $15,000 a week that is supposed to be the epitome of luxury. I am a sincere believer in spoiling yourself and living like a Queen- if everything goes as planned, I will be vacationing there in 2012.

She-blogs: What is your mantra on life?
Alecia: If not me, then who?

She-blogs: When was the last time you laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe?
Alecia: This past weekend I went to Hunter Mountain in New York with my close friends for our annual ski trip. When we were getting ready to leave the mountain for the weekend we spontaneously broke out into an all out snow ball fight. Picture 10 guys and girls in their mid 20s ducking behind cars and bushes, rolling around in the snow, hurling snow balls across the mountain. Good times!

She-blogs: What do you do to stay balanced?
Alecia: I try to take 20 minutes a day to unwind. Maybe that means a cocktail (lol) or a moment of reflection, hitting the treadmill, or laughing with friends- whatever it is, I try to take the time to recharge my mental batteries and put things into perspective.

She-blogs: What do you like the most about the way you look?
Alecia: I love my eyes and my skin complexion. There was a time when I was growing up when I was not so proud of being a dark skinned girl, but I have completely changed my thoughts on beauty and skin color since then!!

She-blogs: What do you like to do for fun?
Alecia: Believe it or not I am addicted to music videos. I also have a lot of couple’s game nights at my place. I enjoy going out to eat, downloading free music, and deep conditioning my hair. LOL.

www.youngblackrich.net

She-blogs: What is your definition of style?

Eric: Style is one’s own individual uniqueness that shows through their personality and most importantly their fashion sense.

She-blogs: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a stylist and what do you feel inspired it?

Eric: My inspiration came from my fabulous mother who has great style. I first realized that I wanted to be a stylist at a very young age. Together, my mother and I would go shopping and she would allow me to chose my own clothing and put my ensembles together for school. It was at school that I received the most compliments and right there, I knew I must have been doing something right.

She-blogs: How did you first break into the industry and what tips do you have for aspiring entertainment stylists?

Eric: Breaking into any industry, one must start from the bottom and rise to the top. I started my career as an intern for a motion picture, which is really unusual in this industry. I had to learn very quickly because every project was very demanding.

My tips for a new stylist would be to stay true to themselves and always have a great attitude. You never know who’s watching.

She-blogs: You have worked with so many celebs…Can you name a few?

Eric: I’ve worked with so many phenomenal, talented people. From Carmen Electra, Joan Jett, Rocsi of the BET Network, Angela Simmons, Adrienne Bailon, ACDC, Chingy, Joe, Neyo and even reggae artist Burning Spears who won a Grammy for Reggae Album of the year and yes I just so happened to style the cover of that album in Jamaica. :) 

She-blogs: After a client tells you what they are looking for, what is your creative process to come up with a look?

Eric: I usually pull different styles and looks from magazines and the web and create a storyboard so that together with the client, we know exactly what the vision is. The storyboard allows me to visually create and pull pieces that can work for the project.

She-blogs: What are some spring 2010 must have styles and colors?

Eric: Some Spring 2010 must haves should include suspenseful jewels, bondage belts, and exotic bags. Tribal prints are in. Colors such as green, pink, orange, cream. You also can’t go wrong with Black and White.

She-blogs: What projects are you currently working on now?

Eric: Several photo editorials, videos and TV appearances.

She-blogs: Where can people see more of your work?

www.ericdsantiago.com

Some of His Work…

She-Blogs Photo Shoot

1. A Sneaker Shoe, Y-3

2. A Rough & Rugged Heel, Tory Burch

3. A Crazy Heel, Christian Siriano

4. A Red Shoe, Prabal Gurang

5. A Black Bootie, Vera Wang

6. A Funky Peeptoe, Roberto Cavalli

7. A Mustard Yellow Bootie, 3.1 Phillip Lim

8. A Glittery Ankle Boot Stilleto, Versace

ACADEMY OF ART SHOW
Fashion Week NYC 2010

I am glad that the one show that I attended was amazing. I wanted to include a few of my favorite looks and info on the hardworking designers…

Hyo Sun (Nicky) An, MFA Fashion Design

Korean-born Nicky set out to design a collection with fluid amorphous boundaries. She looked at non-orientable surfaces such as the Möbius strip (a ring with an indistinguishing interior and exterior) and the Klein bottle (mathematician Felix Klein’s vessel that cannot be filled) to create her wool, wool jersey, and rayon jersey collection.

Steven Oo, MFA Fashion and Knitwear Design

The lines of Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas influenced Steven’s merino wool knitwear collection. Steven translated curves into drapes and the buildings’ repetition into textures and cutout details. He combined several hand and hand-machine knitting techniques to create structure, weight, ribbing, and texture. Steven was born in Yangon, Myanmar.

Marina Solomatnikova, MFA Fashion Design

Russian-born Marina was the recipient of the Russian Silhouette Award in 2003 and Russia’s Couturier of the Year Award in 2004. She was inspired by Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings and interpreted the tough and fragile multi-layered landscapes by incorporating pleats and trapunto quilting in her silk and suede collection.

So today I wanted to talk about hair utensils. I did a post a while back where I included cleaning tips so today I also wanted to talk more about the benefits of each brush. Using the right brush is super important for the overall health and look of your hair. You want to use a brush that improves your hair and works with you versus something that pulls a lot of your hair out every time you use it. Remember that whether you are using a comb or a brush try to be as gentle as possible. If you are rough and reckless with your hair, you could get rough and reckless breakage. I own all of these utensils below. I think it is good to have a variety just in case you need it.

The Paddle brush

The great thing about the paddle brush is that the tips of the bristles are rounded to keep your hair and scalp healthy. This brush is good for combing out tangles or even when you have to get your hair up in a high ponytail or bun because it grabs a lot of hair because it’s wide.

Round Bristle Brush

This brush is great for when you are drying your hair with a blow dryer. However I suggest using a paddle brush to get most of your hair dry and then going back over it with this brush towards the end only because these bristle are a little harder on your tresses. This brush when used the right way can give your hair a salon finish because it helps you bump the ends under to give your hair a little curl and bounce.

Regular Bristle Brush

Ok although this brush isn’t the best for your hair, I still recommend having one for styles like ponytails, buns, or even just when you need to brush your edges a little before putting on a headband etc. This brush like the one above should be used as a finishing touch brush. For example if you are putting your hair in a low ponytail then I would use the paddle brush to gather the hair and then use this brush right before you put it in the pony.

Rat Tail Comb

This is another beauty drawer must have because these combs are great for making parts. Whether you are parting your hair at night to sleep, when you are blow drying it out, or just to wear it in a certain style, sometimes you just need great precision.

Wide Tooth Comb

So this is what I use when I am combing out “Araila”, my hairs alter ego…in its natural state LOL. Don’t ask about the name it just came to me right now So when I am combing out my natural tresses (Araila), I like to use this comb because the prongs are spread apart which is less damaging because it pulls out less hair.

Brush & Comb Cleaning 101

v Use the end of a rat-tail comb to lift and loosen hair out of the brush.

v Then soak the brushes and comb in warm water with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a little cleansing shampoo.

v After letting them soak for about 10 minutes, rinse in clean, clear water and remove any remaining hair.

v Then place the brush cushion-side down on a towel and allow to air-dry.

Hello Family,

So for those of you who are close to me you know that I don’t have a TV. Don’t judge me fam lol. Just because I really don’t have time to watch, however I have my two shows a week that I watch online. Anyways so my girl must know I don’t have a TV and she hit me up on BBM on Saturday and said “Yo do you know what’s going on in the world?” As soon as she said that before I knew anything I got this very sad feeling. I started surfing the web and started reading about Chile and suddenly had this intense sadness that I felt when I heard about Haiti. My heart and prayers sincerely go out to the family, friends, and souls that have moved on. I am not sure how many of you will be able to do this with your schedules and with work etc but I am going to be praying for Chile and Haiti in meditation tomorrow at 1:30pm. Wherever you are feel free to join in. Even if you are at work and close your eyes for a few minutes. There is power in numbers so for those of you who can, please join me at 1:30 pm tomorrow. Thanks in advance…

THE FACTS

Ø 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile Feb. 27 and occurred in an offshore zone

Ø It ruptured at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. The temblor was triggered when the “subducting” Nazca plate was thrust under the South American plate, uplifting a large patch of the seafloor and prompting tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific Ocean.

Ø So far 700 people are dead 

THE PAST

Ø In 1960 Chile had an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.5

Ø The quake was just a few hundred kilometers south of Saturday’s earthquake

Ø It was the largest instrumentally recorded earthquake in the world

Ø It killed 1,655 people in southern Chile and unleashed a tsunami that crossed the Pacific, killing 61 people in Hawaii and 185 in Japan.

CONTACTING YOUR LOVED ONES

Ø The U.S State Department has set up a number for Americans to call if they are looking for information about relatives and friends: 1-888-407-4747. This line will receive a high number of calls however so you may hear a recording.

Ø Google has set up a Person Finder for the people of Chile, where you can either input information of someone you are looking for, or information about yourself or someone you know you may be looking for you, family or friends.

Ø The Chilean Red Cross has a Twitter account you can follow, or try searching Twitter with the hashtag #Chile as many others are also searching for information.

Ø There is also a Chile Earthquake Facebook page for people to try and make contact.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

From Cnn.com

Texting donations for Chile:

In addition to your donation amount, standard text messaging fees may apply.

ADRA International: Text CHILE 10 to 27138 ($10 donation)

Convoy of Hope: Text 4CHILE to 50555 ($10 donation)

Habitat for Humanity: Text CHILE to 25383 ($10 donation)

OperationUSA: Text REBUILD to 50555 ($10 donation)

Salvation Army: Text CHILE” to 52000 ($10 donation)

World Vision: Text CHILE” to 20222 ($10 donation)

UNICEF: Text YOUTH to 20222 ($10 donation)

Happy Saturday Fam!

Sorry for not posting yesterday, I was KNOCKED OUT all day. I guess the lack of sleep caught up with me lol. I literally couldn’t get up.

Plus the short time period that I was up for I couldn’t think of what I wanted Fridays post to be about and I don’t want to ever force a post. I want it to come to me naturally because then I know it is the right thing for the right eyes to read etc

Anyways so I may have mentioned this before but it hit me again this morning that we are kind of like computers.

All computers have a hard drive, which is like the source or foundation of the whole thing. All computers have different systems that all work together to make it actually turn on and work properly. In addition to these systems and hard drive you can download more applications to your computer to expand the amount of things you can do with it.

Ok so where am I going with this? Well…

If you think about it we are like computers in a way. We have a source (hard drive), which I believe is God or Infinite Being…ALL and then we have these systems that work inside the body to maintain it and make sure it functions properly. Then we have applications we can add which is really information in my opinion. So for example when we are leaning a new skill like dancing or how to fix a faucet, we are downloading a new application to our hard drive.

Ok now back to computers. What happens if you download an application that has a virus? One of two things…either the whole system crashes because of it or you have to spend money to get it fixed and someone has to remove the virus.

Ok back to humans. So this could be kind of a cool way to view yourself at times. Why? Because it may help you see how much every single thing in your life is affecting your hard drive…source. If you feel your source or the foundation of you is sacred then it may make you think twice about your actions and the things and people that you download into your system. Plus it can help you avoid viruses like toxic people and toxic things.

The last thing I was thinking about was our emotions…those little suckers can get us all in trouble at times if we let them lol. I think that setting yourself free is not just about following your dreams but also about self-discovery. Think about it, most of us are really RULED by our emotions.

For example I know that we can “feel” and have emotions about things for a reason. But I don’t think the reason was for us to become the embodiment of these emotions and allow them to take over.

So the question that I asked myself is how? How do I detach from emotions or not let them take over my whole being when I get upset or when someone disappoints me etc?

The answer: Everything is absolute perfection. For example if your running late for work and hit your knee on the sink and then can’t find your keys and then get to work late only to have your boss call you in their office about your tardiness, you officially become stressed. So you aren’t having the best day. So what do you do? You decide that after work to alleviate some of this stress you are gonna go to Barnes and Noble after work to treat yourself to tea and to read your favorite glossy fashion mag. As you are sitting their someone sits next to you and somehow you guys start talking about random things. This person eventually becomes one of your life long best friends. So if you hadn’t hit your knee, lost your keys, and gotten scolded at work you would not have needed to go to Barnes and Noble to relax for a few after work and you would have never met your BFF.

So how do we detach from our emotions? I think that if we remember every single moment is perfection that could help. Obviously we are still going to have emotions but the key is to not let them take us over or posses us.

Think about it, being scared which leads to fear will take over your WHOLE existence if you let it. Then you are afraid in your romantic relationships, and afraid to leave the job you know you need to, or afraid to talk to a friend about an issue or afraid to network…you become the walking embodiment of FEAR.

So this detachment from emotions thing is something I have been working on for a while and to be honest it is getting better. I get mad less and less. I even got my car around 1am the other night for the first time while living in NY. I didn’t get mad at all…in fact I was eerily calm lol. I called 311, found out where my car was and hopped in a cab. The cab driver was like “Ohhh miss I am sorry for you…this is not a good day for you” I said “yes it is…its all good” and he just looked at me like I was crazy. But here is why I think I didn’t get upset and rarely do especially lately. It’s because once something is done like my car being towed because I was in the wrong there is NOTHING I can do about it. It is Done! Period. So why get mad? I was thankful I had the money to pay for everything and went home and got in the bed and that was it. In fact I didn’t tell my mom or really anyone because I noticed that sometimes other folks have a tendency to make a big deal out of things and because I was ok I didn’t want people to put thoughts in my head.

Anyways Family, Enjoy your weekend

I am snowed in…I am so over winter for real lol

Xoxo

Ally

Happy Wednesday!

Sooo I know I have said this a gazillion times but I am so not a makeup expert. I like pretty shadows and glosses but have no clue how to apply any of it lol…need to get a tutorial from someone soon.

So with that said I have a simple routine of black liner which I usually wear everyday and I like eye shadows that I can apply real fast just with my finger that will still look good.

I totally heart the Mac cheek and cheerful mineral blush. I of course have been using it as a shadow just cause I don’t wear blush. I like it because it looks natural but has a little bit of a sheen to it. Please excuse my hair in the pic below lol I just wanted to show you what it looked like on my skin. I also like the urban decay 24/7 glide one eye pencil in black because it goes on thick the first time I apply it. I don’t like using liner that I have to do five applications just for it to look like I have on liner…I am afraid I will poke out my eye with my non makeup applying self.  Because I am always on the go and my office is consists of my laptop and my over sized purse, simple and quick routines work the best for me.

I have also been keeping my wet n wild speed gloss in my bag lately because it gives me a red tint without me having to go through the drama of an actual red lipstick application.

Anywho Thanks for reading…I appreciate you!

Xoxo

Ally

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencils $17.00

Wet n wild Speed Gloss $3.99

I just woke up from falling asleep earlier by default like I usually do. I say all of that because I am now one with the fact that I definitely need an intern. So I am looking for one intern to help me out for a few hours a week (like two) this spring with my gazillion projects. If you know anyone nice, sane (lol), and hardworking please have them email me. Anywho so I have an amazing brilliant friend Chantal who helped me with my event this past summer. When she came to the event she brought her roommate Carolina. So for the past eight months or so Chantal would always tell me little great things here and there about her roomy. And of course like in most cases, it hit me recently that I should totally feature her and all of the fab things she is doing on she-blogs. Carolina is creative, superrrrr sweet and seems to have a really good heart.

Carolina, I wish you all the best!…Thanks again!
Ally

PS. I loved her answer about what she loves about the way she looks…

She-blogs: Who is Carolina Matias?
Carolina: It’s so hard to speak of myself in third person! I guess if I ask myself what I think my closest friends and family would say about me, I’d hope they would say I’m a loyal friend, and a caring person.

She-blogs: How did you land your position as an Account Director at BBDO New York?
Carolina: I was hired as a Supervisor two years ago, after being referred to the job by my wonderful recruiter Lori Bring, and recently got promoted to Director. Anyone trying to break into the advertising industry needs to find an advertising recruiter… their services are free, and they’re worth their weight in gold.

She-blogs: What does an average day in the life of a busy Ad executive entail?
Carolina: A lot of babysitting grown-ups ☺. But the fun part is when you are able to help your client make money by coming up with new and strategic ways to reach and talk to consumers.

She-blogs: Tell me about one of the biggest career obstacles you have faced and how you worked through it?
Carolina: I sadly have to say the biggest career obstacle I’ve faced was myself. I went through a rough time, during which I questioned whether or not this career was the right choice. I was working long hours and had a string of awful bosses and clients. But I stuck it out, eventually got a great boss and assignment, and today am all the better for having persevered through it. I took an invaluable lesson from the whole experience – there will always come a time where an aspect of your life isn’t going great, and you will want to jump ship, but you have to be able to ask yourself, “am I walking away out of fear or anger?” If the answer to either is yes, then you have to allow yourself time to think clearly. I think most people would never admit to feeling fear, but anger yes. And it may not make sense at the moment, but the truth is, fear disguises itself as anger often. I try not to make any big decisions when I’m feeling any extreme emotion – anger, sadness, fear.

She-blogs: A little birdie in jersey told me that you were taking classes to be a massage therapist and may want to open your own spa one day…Exciting! Details please?
Carolina: That little birdie has a big mouth and she’s lucky I love her. I am currently taking classes at the Academy of Massage Therapy, to become a certified massage therapist. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time; straight out of high school I wanted to do it, but you have to be 18 and I graduated high school at 16, so it got put on the back burner for 10 years.

The dream of owning a spa is really that right now… a dream. I’m happy where I am in my career, and have managed to renew my passion for advertising in the past year (we had a love/hate relationship for a while ). So for now, massage will be a hobby. But one day, maybe when I decide to start a family and can no longer work 60 hour weeks, I’ll venture off and open up my own little spa. If and when I do, you will hear from me!

She-blogs: I also heard you love salsa dancing. How long have you been dancing and why do you love it?
Carolina: I do love it. It’s how I release all my stress… I sweat it out. I had been dancing “street salsa” for years, but took up formal classes and joined the Sangre Nueva Dance Company about a year ago. Look out for our performance during the New Jersey Salsa Congress in April!

She-blogs: What advice would you give to a woman who is reaching for her dreams? Do you suggest internships or finding a mentor?
Carolina: #1: believe in yourself and your abilities. If you don’t, no one else will and no one will give you a chance. Next, determine the industry you want to work in, and start searching for ANY job in that industry. The most common things I hear from recent college grads are that they’re not going to take a job that pays less than “X”, or that they refuse to be someone’s assistant. That’s the wrong mentality to have. Trust me, I was there, I suffered through those thoughts. My first job in advertising was as a receptionist; I was getting paid less than what I was making at my college job. But taking that job was the best decision I’ve made in my career. I was receptionist for 3 weeks before someone in the office saw my potential and assigned me to an account. Sure, I was the Assistant on the account, but again I was only assistant for 4 months before I moved on to a role with more responsibilities. I was driven and passionate, worked harder than my title called for, and never got comfortable in any position.

So the best advice I can give, in a nutshell, is (1) believe in yourself, (2) think long-term, and (3) be passionate about what you do. Internships and mentors can definitely help, but neither will get you as far as these three things, in my humble opinion.

She-blogs: Why do you think it is important for women to stick together and genuinely help one another?
Carolina: All too often, we women do ourselves a great disservice. We often focus so much on standing out in a man’s world that we forget to help each other out once we reach the top. What you, Ally, do every day to help inspire women is truly touching to me. You should be very proud of yourself

She-blogs: Awww thanks hun! I am always glad to help people when I can. So where do you see yourself in five years?
Carolina: Tough question. These days I try not to focus too much on the future, but rather enjoy every day as it comes. Still, realistically speaking, if I allow myself to indulge in wishful thinking I’d love to be starting a family in 5 years ☺ . I’ve spent the last decade focusing on my education and career, I reckon it’s time to start thinking about other, more important things soon.

She-blogs: Name one place that you have never been that you want to travel to and why?
Carolina: South Africa, because I want look a lion straight in the eyes. God help me ☺

She-blogs: What is your mantra on life?
Carolina: “Every day above ground is a good one.”

She-blogs: When was the last time you laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe?
Carolina: This morning, talking to my boss. He’s one of the funniest people I know; I laugh really hard almost every day at work. I count him as one of my many blessings – he makes it easy to work so hard.

She-blogs: What do you do to stay balanced?
Carolina: Pray at night. It’s an amazing way to close out every day… to humble yourself and thank God for all your blessings. Despite all the stresses of the day, at the end of the day you’ll find you have a lot to be thankful for. It’s the easiest way for me to shrug off the little things, and start the next day on a happy note.

She-blogs: What do you like the most about the way you look?
Carolina: I was actually just talking to someone about this. Physically I’m very happy with my body, but more importantly, at 27 I can honestly say that I’ve never felt better about myself holistically than I do today – mind, body and soul. Growing up I was always so concerned with the future, I was too driven for my own good. But the past 2 years I’ve taken a step back and started appreciating the little things, and celebrating my accomplishments as they happen. I stopped focusing so much on succeeding, and as a result have become a lot happier. And I think it shows – or at least I notice it when I see the girl looking back at me in the mirror. So what I like the most about the way I look is that I look really happy.

She-blogs: What do you like to do for fun?
Carolina: I enjoy traveling. I try to go to a different country every year, and love getting to know the local culture while I’m there. I also love to eat different foods, which is probably part of the reason why I like to travel so much! For every day fun, I like working up a good sweat on the dance floor, shopping, and I’m the ultimate spa junkie. I get a massage on a weekly basis - it’s my guilty pleasure.

I am dedicating this post to Black History Month. I pondered for a few weeks trying to figure out how I wanted to do this post and it hit me the other day to discuss “living black history”. There are so many outstanding African Americans who have paved the way for us today with their brilliance, creative accomplishments, and inventions. In my opinion, it is up to us now to not only remember and cherish the contributions of our ancestors but to also remember that every move that we make today is creating our own history. Therefore I think it is also important to remember that the way we treat people, the amount of time we spend on our personal growth, and the way in which we make a difference in our communities right now will one day be “our” legacy and that we should aim at making ours a legacy our ancestors would be proud of.

So because this post is about “living” black history I wanted to pay homage to black inventors (blackinventions101.com) because without them black people and anyone else for that matter wouldn’t be able to “live” comfortably and do some of the every day things that we probably take for granted.

I also sent an email to some of my friends and asked them two questions…

1. What does Black history month mean to you?
2. What are some things that you feel people can do to cherish their history throughout the whole year?

And let me just say that when I read their responses I was blown AWAY. Each answer was so unique and so amazing!
Thanks again guys for contributing to my post…
xoxo
Ally

Name: Valeisha Butterfield
Age: As Young as I feel-and I feel good!
Location: DC/NYC/NC

Although black history should be celebrated each day, Black History Month is an opportunity for us to reconnect to our foundation as a people and educate young adults on the plight of our ancestors. With our feet planted firmly in the foundation and soil of who we are, the sky is the limit. My hope is that we will carry this celebratory spirit with us throughout the year through mentorship. Take time out each month to spend time with a young person so they too can understand our struggle and triumph as a people.

air conditioning unit Frederick M. Jones July 12, 1949

almanac Benjamin Banneker 1791

auto cut-off switch Granville T. Woods January 1, 1839

auto fishing devise G. Cook May 30, 1899

automatic gear shift Richard Spikes February 28, 1932

baby buggy W.H. Richardson June 18, 1899

bicycle frame L.R. Johnson October 10, 1899

biscuit cutter A.P. Ashbourne November 30, 1875

cellular phone Henry T. Sampson July 6, 1971

clothes dryer G. T. Sampson June 6, 1862

Name: Randi M Williams
Age:27
Location: Takoma Park MD

Black history month for me is not limited to February. I am constantly reminded of what my ancestors have done and what my peers are doing to make their mark. However, life gets busy and so this month allows me to be a bit more observant and reflective on the impact certain individuals have had on my life and the lives of many other African Americans. Living to see a Black President is one of those things that will have a huge, long-lasting impact on future minorities. I am living history right now as I witness President Obama doing what he is doing. He is our MLK Jr for our generation.

curtain rod S. R. Scratton November 30, 1889

curtain rod support William S. Grant August 4, 1896

door knob O. Dorsey December 10, 1878

door stop O. Dorsey December 10, 1878

dust pan Lawrence P. Ray August 3, 1897

egg beater Willie Johnson February 5, 1884

electric lampbulb Lewis Latimer March 21, 1882

elevator Alexander Miles October 11, 1867

fire escape ladder J. W. Winters May 7, 1878

fire extinguisher T. Marshall October 26, 1872

Name: Rondel Holder
Age: 25
Location: Brooklyn, NY

Black History month is the reverence of the strongest and most progressive people. It’s the homage we pay not just to Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr. and George Washington Carver, but also to the business executives, engineers, artists, social and political leaders who have broken barriers and redefined how we are perceived around the world. The fact is without black people’s inventions, labor and radical strides to freedom, the value and timeline of U.S. History would be completely different. We can cherish Black History throughout the year by doing and creating things that will be considered Black History for generations to come.

folding bed L. C. Bailey July 18, 1899

folding chair Brody & Surgwar June 11, 1889

fountain pen W. B. Purvis January 7, 1890

gas mask Garrett Morgan October 13, 1914

golf tee T. Grant December 12, 1899

guitar Robert F. Flemming, Jr. March 3, 1886

hair brush Lydia O. Newman November 15, 18–

hand stamp Walter B. Purvis February 27 1883

ice cream scooper A. L. Cralle February 2, 1897

improv. sugar making Norbet Rillieux December 10, 1846

Name: Eric Santiago
Age:26
Location:NYC

What it means to me is the power of our people being recognized for our accomplishments that we have sacrificed throughout all our years and to cherish this is remember to love anyone black white, blind, crippled or crazy…just love one another…we are all one.

ironing board Sarah Boone December 30, 1887

key chain F. J. Loudin January 9, 1894

lawn mower L. A. Burr May 19, 1889

lawn sprinkler J. W. Smith May 4, 1897

lemon squeezer J. Thomas White December 8, 1893

lock W. A. Martin July 23, 18–

mail box Paul L. Downing October 27, 1891

mop Thomas W. Stewart June 11, 1893

motor Frederick M. Jones June 27, 1939

peanut butter George Washington Carver 1896

Name: Breena Bradford
Age: 27
Location: NYC
Black History Month is a time to reflect on all the great and awesome contributions African Americans have made and continue to make to this world. It’s a time to reflect on how far we have come as a race. Instead of focusing so much on the day to day negative, however, harsh reality, we can shed more light on the good–the beautiful reality! What we can do to cherish our history throughout the year: Give back in our communities by volunteering with youth and/or the less fortunate, celebrate our culture by participating in uplifting African American activities and supporting African American businesses.

traffic light Garrett Morgan November 20, 1923

pencil sharpener J. L. Love November 23, 1897

phone transmitter Granville T. Woods December 2, 1884

record player arm Joseph Hunger Dickenson January 8, 1819

refrigerator J. Standard June 14, 1891

rolling pin John W. Reed 1864

shampoo headrest C. O. Bailiff October 11, 1898

stethoscope Imhotep Ancient Egypt

stove T. A. Carrington July 25, 1876

straightening comb Madam C. J. Walker Approx 1905

thermostat control Frederick M. Jones February 23, 1960

Name: Mycah Chevalier
Age: 35
Location: Bethesda, MD

Black History Month is meant to commemorate all those who gave their blood, sweat, tears…even lives to pave the way for us today…without them, there would be no equal rights, no beautiful Washington D.C., no open heart surgery…just to name a few. Each day, I try to make sure I am doing & being the best I can be, so that one day, I too can be an example of a positive African American and an inspiration for our future generations.

Name: Billy Pinkney, III
Age: 27
Location: Silver Spring, MD

Black History month means Pride, Black History month means Family, Black History month means Fellowship, and most of all, Black History month means Love. In an effort to cherish this month all year long, be kind to, and love your fellow brothers and sisters. Take the time to thank them for being in your life. And, offer help and guidance when needed. Those small steps will make for a great Black History for years to come!

Happy Wednesday ladies!

Ok so this post is emergency 911! Lol
So about 3 or 4 days ago I noticed that my hair was breaking off but not the usual breakage…WHOLE strands were coming out when I brushed it or even played with it a little while just sitting. So I didn’t think too much of it because it wasn’t a lot of hair at one time but what bothered me the most is that it was coming out from the root which has never happened to me before. So yesterday as I was standing in the lobby of my bank waiting for the snow to lighten up (which it never did) I met this makeup artist. She was so sweet and we were just chatting it up and she was saying how she loved that I wore my hair so free…aka big and poofy lol. Anyways so she went on to say that she had to cut her hair because it was breaking off and coming out from the roots and I said “Oh mine has been doing that too the last couple days” She asked me what product I was using and I said the only new thing I added to my routine recently was Miss Jessie’s and she said that it was Miss Jessie’s that had broken off her hair.

I said OMG! So it boggled my brain because over the past few years I have use Miss Jessie’s off and on and haven’t noticed this kind of breakage. However I washed it out last night with a clarifying shampoo and today it is not falling out at all. So it may have either been the Miss Jessie’s alone or maybe Miss Jessie’s just can’t be combined with coconut oil or maybe Miss Jessie’s changed their ingredients a little since the last time I used it…I have no clue. But whatever it is I needed for it to stop. lol

So last night my mother suggested that I do a deep conditioning treatment. After shampooing my hair three times using my clarifying shampoo, I used Avalon Organics lemon conditioner and combed it through and rinsed it out. I gently towel dried my hair and parted it down the middle and then in three sections on each side. I saturated and I mean really saturated each piece in olive oil and gently combed it through from root to end.

Then I took each section and pinned it up with bobby pins. I wrapped my head in saran wrap and sat under my hooded hair dryer with it on low heat for ten minutes.

I then shampooed my hair once to remove the olive oil and put more Avalon organic conditioner in it, combed that through with my head upside down and rinsed it out in the sink.

THE RESULT THE NEXT DAY

Once everything was rinsed out I took only a few drops of olive oil and then scrunched it on the ends of my hair. Then I started scrunching my hair to get the curls in order and sat under the hooded dryer again for 15 minutes to lock in the curl pattern. Then I put it in a really high ponytail to sleep. Although sleep is something I did not get a lot of last night lol. Anywho so today I took it out and my hair is so soft and fluffy…lol. It is never really fluffy meaning that it usually doesn’t have any movement when I wear it natural…it usually just sits in one place.

Ok enough of my beauty emergency rantings….let me know how your experience has been with Miss Jessie’s products or even using coconut oil…

Xoxo
Ally