random stuff

Hey Friends :-)


I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday :)


I thought I would blog a few things on my mind. This is a random stream of thoughts. 




TELEVISION

 Reed Between the Lines: Have you checked it out? 


It is really cute and reminds me of the days when wholesome sitcoms were a norm and not a rare occurrence.  Check it out! Nowadays new sitcoms are a scripted version of the real housewives of Atlanta (i.e. Tyler Perry's new show) 

 And Traci Ellis Ross has amazing style! I love her style. The natural hair! The glam! The curves! She seems so comfy in her skin. 
Definitely a fly and fabulous chic I can admire. 


Oh! Jamal looks pretty good these days too. No more theo! no no no. Grown man swag.








Style: 


Found a few good sites to check out.
http://oliviaandjoy.com/ 
Very cute and trendy handbags. Check out this cute clutch and grey bag. 

I love this bag. Definitely may buy this soon. 

And who knew that Avon sold cute jewelry?? I didn't. 

I should really start wearing rings. 

I need to find that ring I lost at UNC homecoming :0

http://www.etsy.com/?ref=so_home   They have very pretty and unique things.

Etsy.com

READING

Do you need a little light reading? I am currently enjoying a good book that was recommended by my friend Shalonda. 

A Belle In Brooklyn. This is definitely for the ladies :0 

The author Demetria Lucus is actually a contributor in essence so I have been reading her work for a while and always enjoy her thoughts on the life of a single black female :)  Check out her blog and book. Great Holiday Read. If you're single.. grab it. Good laughs. Do not let the single holiday blues get you!! 

http://www.abelleinbrooklyn.com/

Well this concludes my thoughts for today. 

I have more interviews this week and will be traveling a lot this month. I will definitely keep everyone in the loop via my blog! 

AS ALWAYS  STAY FLY FREE AND FOREVER 25

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Unavoidable Damage and Length Retention

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Unavoidable Damage and Length Retention: More Hair, More Problems Nicole Hollis of Hair Liberty When you're enthusiastic about hair care and dedicated to a healthy hair journey...

Hey Friends!!

My hair is not in a good place. Unfortunately. I think this article is just what I needed to hear. I have been experiencing a lot of breakage and my hair actually feels shorter than it was a year ago. Are you natural and having trouble with your hair???

Feel free to vent in the comments!

I'm going to a professional Wednesday. Its time to start my natural hair journey over.

wine and baking

My new baking basics cookbook. Really explains the basics :)

As many of you all know... I am off from school until January 3rd! Yeahhhh boy!!!! :)  I haven't had a month off since the summer after 1st year. My life has been a full court press since the 2nd year of medical school started.  I'm excited to rest, explore a few programs and enjoy some free time.

WELL!!! What have I been up to in my free time?? I decided to hit the kitchen. Until yesterday I had NEVER baked anything alone from scratch. I usually stay out the kitchen. I hated the kitchen growing up... but slowly I have realized that baking can be relaxing, creative, a way of showing your love... and according to BFF Amanda.. helps us get ready for that future wifey status ;) 

Its amazing how life changes as you mature. Its all about being 25 and exploring new things :) 

It felt really good to bake. I had my music on. Sipped a little wine :)  I was also baking for others. I had two people in mind that have been kind to me and I wanted to let them know I appreciate their kindness. 

BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES :)

*google black bottom cupcakes and tons of recipes will come up!

My first cupcake from scratch :)

they look so pretty

swirling the creme cheese was my favorite part

This book was less then 10 dollars and really helped me out! 

How to Bake a Cake

How to Spread Icing 

I HOPE YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW SOON!!!   

And who knew my BFF Amanda was already a baking queen! Post of a recipe of hers coming soon! ;)

HAPPY SUNDAY!!

MORE PICS:

My first time using a hand mixer since maybe age 12...

My cream cheese blended with my new mixer skills ;)

My new stuff. I had to buy a bowl and hand mixer! 

Learned in my book the importance of accurate measuring of materials. I was focused. 

durham.. enjoy the journey

Hot Chocolate. I love fall :)

Hey Folks,

As you know.. I'm counting down to graduation. As the anticipation grows I am finding that my friends have completely written off the raleigh durham chapel hill area.

Maybe the hopeless romantic that I am.. and fairly optimistic... I LOVE THIS AREA. Although truth be told.. I do feel my time is drawing to an end here. I refuse to just write off these last months and not enjoy my time here.

There are so many great things to enjoy in chapel hill/durham. I am ALWAYS finding places that I have not explored. Unfortunately I think a lot of these feelings especially amongst twenty somethings has to do with dating. I would like to think that a special someone or more exciting friday night plans will not be the deal breaker for my memories of the chapel hill durham area. This area has been great to me. I've lived, loved, laughed, learned and grown into the fabulous woman that I am today.

SOO yes.. I take it a little personally when people just write off the triangle. It may not be nyc but there is character here and like anything in life... It is what you make it.

AND ladies... as much we hope to date and mix and mingle... Our happiness and joy should not be built solely on men. It should not be the solo factor to equaling happiness. Believe me.. finding love is very important to me. I hope to be wifed up to. But I REALLY believe in developing my inner self. Loving my life as God has given to me in this moment.

Remember this next time you start getting down on your surroundings and saying it would all be different if you had a significant other.   Boo or no boo. I love dirty durham as they call it.. chapel thrill and rough raleigh.   Enjoy the journey.. because there are single ladies in the big cities too. :-/ Real talk.


STAY FLY FREE AND FOREVER 25




Latest coffee shop I discovered in Durham:
Really nice place.. I am not sure why I have been here so long and never discovered SO many things.. Oh yeah..  I remember. Med school. Oh well. New day. :)

http://www.guglhupf.com/

HAPPY SUNDAY

Natural is Professional.

Hey Folks.


I just finished my first interview. I felt great about it. I felt confident about my efforts over the past 4 years and I also felt great about how I looked!


Unfortunately after a wonderful experience I was bombarded with my mother once again telling me my hair looks unprofessional.

6am interview day #1

I was told to straighten my hair.




This is VERY frustrating. I went natural to be my true self. To not conform. To free my spirit and take better care of my health and fitness. I really hate weaves.. that is not an option.. and i don't have money to waste.. i.e.. straighten it and then sweat it out in yoga. I'm choosing my health 1st. 


SOOO what is professional. And WHY is being natural not considered professional. I'm fed up with trying to make others happy. And I really don't care anymore.


MY HAIR IS ME. The programs that I apply to will take me or leave me. Love me or leave me.  The same goes for dating as well. Dudes.. go look for weavy wonder and bone straight somewhere else.. cause I am going to do whatever I want. And that probably means working out over hair salon Fridays..  




Feel free to leave comments. Yay or nay. Does my look say professional? 

Jetsetting! Its time to FINALLY get a job.

Here I go! Interviews start this week! 

I am super excited. I like to dress up in suits, look professional and have my doctor swag all the way turned up ;)


I will be blogging my adventures over the next few months. We shall see where I end up. 


This is the timeline:


Interviews Nov, Dec, Jan. 


Submit Match List Deadline Feb 22nd


March 12th: Email alerting you if you matched or not


March 16th: Match Day


May 12th Graduation On Deck!


May 17th My BDAY... The official end of the year of the 25

Looking to my future. Amanda's hair looks fly right?  

If you are curious..here is where I'm going up to this point!


here are a few cities on the itinerary


Chicago
Philadelphia
Nashville
Atlanta
Durham
Pittsburgh
Birmingham
Baltimore
Richmond


Hopefully a few more will be added :-) 












My life is a testimony... A testimony to my steps being ordered and doors being opened despite of myself. 


If he doesn't do anything else.. He has already done enough. 


Alright now about this work I need to do. SENIORITIS. aka 4th year swag/laziness






HOLLA!

Who is my neighbor?

Two themes on my spirit are purpose and helping others. What is my purpose? To whom much is given.. Much is required.  As I approach the end of one goal (med school) and approach a new place in life.... I am beginning to question, redevelop and re explore my purpose. I remember starting medical school and professing in every interview how much I want to help people. 4 years later.. What was my impact? Did I live these past years with purpose and lead with an innovative spirit. Will my day to day profession really be an act of kindness, compassion and empathy? Probably not. I have realized that medicine is unfortunately not the altruistic profession that I hoped it would be. 


I guess God is reminding me that I sincerely hope my purpose is to help others with my hands, efforts, spirit and love. 


Today I ask you.. Is loving thy neighbor apart of your true purpose? 


This brought me to read a sermon by Martin Luther King titled "On Being a Good Neighbor. " 


I always enjoy reading MLK. If you've never read a sermon by MLK. I encourage you to do so. In the year of the 25 as we strive to be great people.. we MUST learn from the great leaders and innovative people before us. 

On Being a Good Neighbor.

Habitat 4 Humanity. I love Durham. And I was  no joke with the power tools. 

My questions/thoughts after reading MLK...

Do you take interest in others?

Do you feel compassion for those in tricky life situations?

"Major failure in history has been limiting neighborly concern to tribe, race, class or nation. "

Do you have concern for what happens to people outside of your group?

"Philanthropy is great but do not overlook the economic injustice that makes philanthropy necessary."

The road to help your neighbor is actually dangerous at times?

"In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life."

"True sympathy is the personal concern that demands the giving of one's soul."

Photo Shoot Fresh: Homecoming Part 2

This story begins on a cool Carolina weekend.. with 3 main characters: 

Amanda "I invented swag" Stephens

Candice "you might just meet game" Miles

AND

Briana "Lets Get Faded" Buckner

Last weekend 3 best friends from college set out to have a good time. I'm not sure why some years we get more excited about hc then others.. But this year we were excited. PLUS.. its a yearlong graduation celebration! ;)


It started with resting up on friday... Cause clearly we are getting old and can't go two nights like we used too. We started with the football game and the Black Alumni Tailgate. BAR tailgate was cute. DJ could've been a little louder.. (fresh off Spelhouse "shrug").  


Football game.. We gave it our best effort. It was cold. We made it to half time though! I can barely follow football like I used too. Probably better to go with a dude. oh well. Girls.. we just people watch. 


Later.. Rested up again for #DHOE.. aka "Trying to get chose". Cause we like to partayy


Well apparently we were trying to get chose.. According to the latest hip hop slang. No other comments on that.


All I have to say is.. We were living life! 


I will say.. I think mission was accomplished. We broke some hearts.  Left em hurt.. ;)


I LOVED SEEING ALL MY OLD COLLEGE FRIENDS!! Shout out to Mhandy, Akeisha, Iris, Tavia, Cydney B! Just a few of the many folks I was VERY VERY HAPPY TO SEE. 


SHALONDA, RENAE. BIANCA. Ashley H. We missed you!

Methyl and Ethyl :-)

Too cute! where was i? 

Candice was too cool for this pic. Glad u could throw a hand in Candice. 

Classic Candice face. Someone was misbehaving. 

EMO! We spent half the party in the lobby. This is where breaking hearts started.. 

And i think we spent the other half of the party in the bathroom taking pics... 

I think I remember the wobble.. 

Thank God we made it Tavia! 

My number Danielle! 22. DST. love this pic. She fly!

** All photos courtesy of I invented swag and you might just meet game ;)
MOST of my pics are courtesy of them.. in almost every post. :)

Life Moments

NYC my 25th. Guilty. 

What do you spend most of your time doing?

Exercising. Reading. Volunteering. Spending time with friends.
or is it.. Facebook and Twitter??

I must admit sometimes I have a love hate relationship with social media. This is odd because I have a blog which is definitely the definition of Social Media.
I will argue that I hope we can stay connected without becoming disconnected.

Do you find yourself at dinner with your friends and check your twitter or facebook incessantly? Do you fill awkward moments of silence with a quick facebook check without drifting to a new topic of conversation?

I will say my favorite love language is quality time.. So I do believe in the power of time with others. Building memories, appreciating moments...

I say all of this to say.. Don't forget to actually live the moments. And not just tweet them.  I have no problem with twitter and facebook. I tweet with the best of them.. And OFTEN annoy myself with my own tweets. I do realize though that life is to be lived. I wonder how many books I could have finished with all the time I waste on my computer or would I be able to paint by now if I could go first to my painting book before immediately checking twitter.

I just thought I would pose a few questions today...??   Where do you spend your time? How do you develop your inner self?  I think the mid twenties is a special time.. We feel beautiful, focused, and youth is on our side. But when the beauty fades and the invincible feeling of the mid 20s pass us by.. Will we have developed our inner selves.. or tweeted ourselves into a passive existence.


AS ALWAYS. STAY FLY FREE AND FOREVER 25. 




*I still got love for social media though! lol.. I'm just sayin..