Beginning

The beginning is always today - Mary Wollstonecraft

This is a bit long.

I always get excited when a new month begins, because its a chance for me to start something concrete until the last day of the month. And this time its no different. My goals for this month are easy: get my body into shape, get busy on my novel, work with my hair. Simple.

Not quite.......

My goal weight is 54 kgs, at the moment I weigh 67. So my plan of action is water, water, water, Pilates, Yoga, water, cut down on sweets, junk and big evening portions and more water. I have already quit smoking, my last cigarette was in March, my last drink was in June and the last time I hit a night club was last year, (Its been a dry season for me). Plus, I don't drink coffee, I no longer drink any fizzy, sugar laden drinks and my tea intake is quite minimal. I need to fit into a pair of size 38 jeans, only for the simple reason, that they are brand new and I am way tooooooo broke to go buy a new pair. They were bought for me last year, by my well meaning aunt. And I really really really want to wear skinny jeans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My hair, I love my hair, I really do. I shaved it 3 years ago ( my brother went to town on my head with his clippers), and I had the most amazing shower ever. It was so liberating not having to worry about what to do with my hair. Until, the first little hairs came out then I was lost. Really lost. More lost than lost. Weeks later, I was back to the relaxer. After that, I figured, if I am going to go natural, maybe I should do some research first and plan ahead. So I did. I read, read, read, Everything I could about natural hair, the styles and what products to use. Only two problems arose.

1. I was living in Austria, and there were no natural haired sisters around.

2. All the products in the shops were in German and not meant for natural hair.

So what I did, was shave off my head again and start over, only this time, once the hair grew, I would get my sister to braid it for me. (I was lucky enough, that my mom sent us tons of hair extensions, and even luckier that my hair had worked in a hair salon and could braid). I happily went along, alternating between braids and cornrows until I went back to Namibia last year in December, when I had my hair cut again. This time very short of the sides and longish on the top. After two weeks in Windhoek, I came to Abuja and let me tell you, the weather and water have been wonderful on my head.

So, for about 8 months now, my hair has been in cornrows every two weeks and it has grown. I cant tie it up yet, but its getting there. I don't do much with it, except, wash, air dry, oil, cornrow and leave for two weeks, then deep condition and repeat.

I did buy some products though, I couldn't get everything I wanted but, I am happy with what I have thus far. So will see, what will happen end of August. I am hoping that it will be long enough for me to at least tie it up in a ponytail and also if I can get some Henna, than I really want to try that.

My novel. I have been writing since I could remember. I started writing short stories and poetry as a youngin and was very Blessed to have some work published. So for the last few years, I decided that I wanted to get my story across. You know, that saying that everyone has a novel in them. Well, I kinda, like have, maybe - three or four. So for now, I am seriously starting on my first one.Again. (but that's a different story)

Thus far, I am very proud of myself. I have a theme, characters, location and name for my book. That's all. Nothing more and nothing left. The WHOLE, novel is in my head. But, I have taken action, For the next 30 days, I will write, just write and write. I will get that story out of my head and into my laptop format. I refuse for it to live in my head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even know why it likes being in my head so much, believe me, there is nothing in there, but facts on African Politics, Psychology, childcare, Criminal Minds and recipes........really nothing much goes on in my mind than that.

Anyhow, I think, I have wasted enough writing time. So its back to my novel and trying to get it out...............maybe I should tempt it, by pretending to write about an African leader, who is a criminal mastermind, who uses Psychology with children whilst cooking from a great recipe.............

Laters