After a lot of research, I decided to apply a new hot hair treatment called The Brazilian Keratin treatment. Some refer to it as the Brazilian Blowout. I ordered the kit on ebay and completed the 2 day process. Yes, I did say 2 DAY!!! I fully chronicled the process in a very raw and real way on facebook with the dreaded “before” pics (they were pretty damn hysterical, including one of my niece Cara laughing
at my short, kinky afro in one of the pics) to the jaw dropping “after” shots. I went from a super kinky, very tightly coiled (as in could not get the comb thru it) afro to shoulder length, shiny, swingy gorgeous hair with the process. The results look just like results from a relaxer without subjecting my hair to harsh chemicals. For those that have asked me, since I did the process 4 weeks ago, I have shampooed my hair times and the results are still the same. I go from kinky afro to swingy, straight hair after an hour with the flat iron. It is truly miraculous each time!!! Another amazing result, my hair has grown 3/4 of an inch in a month after this treatment. I washed it and flat ironed it this morning and it is touching my shoulders. It was definitely not doing that a month ago as I lost a ton of hair removing the weave. This is exciting news indeed!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT!! FYI…I made my Facebook folder that has tons of pics of the process visible only to me. I am no longer in the mood to have people see me with the natural state of my hair. There are videos on this blog though of my weave removal drama & my Dominican Hairstylist results.

What’s next with my hair??? Glad you asked. While I am pleased with the results of the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, wearing my own hair brings it’s own challenges. First, with my own hair, I have to think about it all the damn time. How will I style it, is it cute, how do I camoflage my wrecked hairline as I am working to grow it in?? etc… Also, I have decided to grow it out again to be well past my shoulders and down my back as it was last year and with my constant flat ironing and styling, I run the risk of it breaking off and not growing. I found that I was wearing my Lace Front wigs more frequently as it is a hell of a lot easier to throw on a wig vs. spending an hour doing my own hair and not being totally pleased with the results. I decided to go back to my long Indian Hair weave! This is for a couple of key reasons. First, when my hair is braided under my weave, it is left with nothing to do but grow, grow, grow! It is protected from the
elements and will grow like crazy which is what I want. Second, a weave is so damn easy to maintain. I simply wash it, let it air day and go. As an added and important benefit, I get my “glamour girl” look back that I love so damn much! Whoo Hoo!! Another benefit to having the weave back that only my Sista Girls will understand…I don’t need to figure out how the hell I’m going to keep my wig on and undetected if I am spending the night with my dude, LMAO!!! Ya’ll know what I’m talking about!!! Lawd, that is a lot of damn pressure!! You know how when you get home after having your wig on all day and all you want to do is snatch that sucka off and let your hair breathe. Imagine having to sleep in that sucka cause you can’t go “natural” in front of your man. This is one of the challenges of dating white dudes – they aren’t as informed about our hair traumas as the Brothas are!! LOL

Off to get my weave and pose for pics with my new stylist! Yay!!

For those of you that don’t know what the hell I am talking about, here are videos that explain what Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Lace Front wigs and Hair Weaves are.

BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT:

LACE FRONT WIGS:

HAIR WEAVES:

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I was on Oprah.com… today and I came across a segment she has called “Become the Person You Were Meant to Be” – Finding your purpose. Absolutely amazing! As part of it, there was a quiz called, “Who am I meant to be”. I took it and the results were ASTOUNDINGLY ACCURATE!!! So much so, I wanted to share the link with all of you and encourage you to take the quiz if you are not clear about what your purpose is. Every single word of my results describes me to tee! It’s as if someone that has known every thought and action I have taken in 41 years of life wrote a report about me!!!

Here are the links:

OPRAH: www.oprah.com…

SURVEY: www.oprah.com…

Here are my results:

YOU ARE STRIVING TO BE SPONTANEOUS
You are an adventurer: Action-oriented, curious, outgoing, and often technically gifted, you live for new experiences. You are drawn to risk-taking and aren’t afraid to fail. Generally restless, you tend to job-hop or choose a field that offers constant novelty. If you had to name your favorite place, it might be the center of attention—you’re a born entertainer, and can easily adapt to any audience. While you collect many acquaintances, you’re less likely to develop deep, committed relationships.

What to watch out for: When you can’t satisfy your thirst for variety and excitement, you may see yourself as trapped, which can lead to impulsive and self-destructive behavior—drinking, drugs, breaking off relationships, ditching financial responsibilities. Try to find value in some traditions; if you learn to appreciate repetitive experiences, you won’t always feel the urge to bust free. And when a new opportunity thrills you, keep in mind that just because it sounds exciting, that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

Looking ahead: Life will have meaning for you as long as you feel stimulated. That might mean chasing twisters, exploring the polar ice caps, getting a degree in dance therapy, or becoming an astronaut. It might also mean reading new books, attending workshops, or letting yourself get swept up in an intoxicating romance. As a risk-lover with a lot of energy, you’re a natural entrepreneur. You’ll be happiest if you change jobs every so often and travel extensively. Movement is what keeps you going.

YOUR SCORES
Many people have two or three strong striving styles, and they can all be important in leading you to the person you are meant to be. If you have a few “highest” scores, read each matching description, and see what rings most true.

Striving to help: 10
Striving to be recognized: 18
Striving to be creative: 14
Striving to be spontaneous: 18
Striving to be knowledgeable: 16
Striving to be secure: 12
Striving to be in control: 14

STRIVING TO HELP
You scored: 10
You are a nurturer: You are caring and supportive in your personal relationships as well as in your job. Unselfish and altruistic by nature, you often anticipate the needs of those around you before they are aware of them. If there is one thing that brings you satisfaction, it’s tending to others.

What to watch out for: When you’re doing things for people only to feel valued, you can become resentful. And if you sense that your help is not appreciated, you may end up playing the martyr. So before giving your time to everyone else, make sure to take care of yourself (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). And practice waiting until someone asks for help: While you may be able to perceive what a person needs, that doesn’t mean she wants you to attend to it.

Looking ahead: It’s important for you to be genuinely of service in acknowledged ways. Whether you foster a child, care for an elderly aunt, rescue animals, or support a rock star’s career as her personal assistant, look for opportunities where you can help other people or bigger causes. Volunteer work has your name written on it, as do many careers: nursing, teaching, customer service, healing, social work. Don’t feel pressured to run the company or lead the project; you may be even more effective as someone’s right hand. And you’ll likely find working with other people more meaningful than flying solo.

STRIVING TO BE RECOGNIZED
You scored: 18
You are an achiever: Ambitious, competitive, and hardworking: That’s you. With a clear image of who you are, you work tirelessly to make sure your accomplishments are recognized. Your drive for success extends to your family, and you invest a lot of energy in helping them live up to your expectations. Thanks to your knack for diplomacy and abundant charisma, you often inspire others.

What to watch out for: You are prone to becoming a workaholic, slaving away toward success while neglecting your personal life. Because you’re driven to gain approval, you can find yourself performing for others like an actor; if you become overly concerned with your image, you end up feeling superficial. To keep your ambition under control, get involved in group activities that require cooperation. Also practice listening to those around you and think about sharing the spotlight from time to time.

Looking ahead: Any career that allows you to scale the ranks and gain recognition, status, even material rewards, lights you up. Actress, entrepreneur, salesperson, politician—you get the picture. And consider balancing your professional challenges with personal ones: Run a 10K, train for a triathlon, compete in a tennis tournament, bike from one end of your state to the other; or join a debate team, play in a poker circle, enter your purebred spaniel in a dog show. Whenever you can win at something, you’re happy.

STRIVING TO BE CREATIVE
You scored: 14
You are an artist: You came out of the womb with a paintbrush in your hand. Or maybe it was a flute or a castanet or a fountain pen to go with your poet’s imagination. The point is, you’re an original, and you know it. Even if you don’t have a singular gift, you’re drawn to the arts—anything creative, for that matter—and you have a unique way of looking at the world. Your need for depth and authenticity in relationships can lead to both great joy and profound sorrow, depending on whether others reciprocate. You don’t care so much about adapting to group or societal expectations; your independence and sharp intuition propel you on your own path.

What to watch out for: When fear of conformity overrides your creativity, you can assume the role of “outsider” or “orphan” and end up feeling alienated. You may even go so far as refusing to vote or pay taxes. This lone-wolf stance might be a defense against feeling vulnerable. Try to be aware that blaming others for your banishment, or pushing away those who want to get close, only makes things worse. Also, dramatizing your emotions can interfere with your creativity.

Looking ahead: As long as you genuinely express yourself, you feel like the person you were meant to be. How you do it is irrelevant. A chef or architect can be as much of an artist as a painter or sculptor. Many advertising and public relations executives are also highly imaginative. Beyond work, there are opportunities everywhere you look to coax out your inner artist: Design your own jewelry line, create an innovative blog, dream up a comic strip. Relationships are another avenue for self-expression.

STRIVING TO BE SPONTANEOUS
You scored: 18
You are an adventurer: Action-oriented, curious, outgoing, and often technically gifted, you live for new experiences. You are drawn to risk-taking and aren’t afraid to fail. Generally restless, you tend to job-hop or choose a field that offers constant novelty. If you had to name your favorite place, it might be the center of attention—you’re a born entertainer, and can easily adapt to any audience. While you collect many acquaintances, you’re less likely to develop deep, committed relationships.

What to watch out for: When you can’t satisfy your thirst for variety and excitement, you may see yourself as trapped, which can lead to impulsive and self-destructive behavior—drinking, drugs, breaking off relationships, ditching financial responsibilities. Try to find value in some traditions; if you learn to appreciate repetitive experiences, you won’t always feel the urge to bust free. And when a new opportunity thrills you, keep in mind that just because it sounds exciting, that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

Looking ahead: Life will have meaning for you as long as you feel stimulated. That might mean chasing twisters, exploring the polar ice caps, getting a degree in dance therapy, or becoming an astronaut. It might also mean reading new books, attending workshops, or letting yourself get swept up in an intoxicating romance. As a risk-lover with a lot of energy, you’re a natural entrepreneur. You’ll be happiest if you change jobs every so often and travel extensively. Movement is what keeps you going.

STRIVING TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE
You scored: 16
You are an intellectual: As a leader, you’re often ahead of your time. As an employee, you try to surpass the competence level of peers, even managers. Incisive and curious, you’re driven to deeply understand how things work. But that’s things, not people. Oh, your family and friends are important; it’s just that you don’t need to spend hours engaging with them. Social validation isn’t your goal—you’re secure enough in your cerebral pursuits.

What to watch out for: When you can’t find a way to be the expert, you may withdraw or simply withhold information, which can make you seem smug or arrogant. If you feel yourself retreating into your own world, seek a friend’s help to pull you back. Also balance your cerebral tendencies through physical activities like jogging, hiking, or dance.

Looking ahead: You discover who you are meant to be through accumulating insight and knowledge. So follow your curiosity. Are you drawn to learning Mandarin? Join-ing a philosophy society? Studying and practicing Buddhist meditation? Delving into the complexities of computer programming? Writing a historical book? Pursuits that place you near the leading edge of technology, science, psychology, academia, or business are good bets. But any situation that allows you to work independently with freedom to investigate and innovate will fuel your drive.

STRIVING TO BE SECURE
You scored: 12
You are a stabilizer: You are the rock in a storm, the one others lean on. Loyal and committed in your relationships, you maintain a support system of like-minded people whom you look out for. (So what if you do it behind the scenes and don’t get credit?) You’re careful with money, cherish the familiar, and defend the traditions you care about.

What to watch out for: Rapidly changing environments (like a shaky economy) are very hard for you. As a result of such instability, you can spiral into a state where everything seems catastrophic and you’re sure life will only get worse. You can also become overcontrolling, rejecting any suggestion that doesn’t conform to your idea of the way things should be. To avoid being too rigid, each month try changing one habit. Exper-iment with clothes, drive a different way to work, initiate conversations about subjects you wouldn’t normally discuss. And when the opportunity arises to do something new, avoid the impulse to immediately say no—this may be nerve-racking, but the more you practice, the less anxious you’ll feel.

Looking ahead: You find meaning in pursuing safety and certainty. Focusing on family can give you great satisfaction. Also consider planting a vegetable garden, hosting class reunions, volunteering as a lifeguard, teaching at your church or temple. In the work arena, look for positions where you’re responsible for others, and for making sure everyone is following the rules. You work well in any environment that is stable and consistent. Careers in government, finance, the military, law enforcement, and product manufacturing are strong options for you.

STRIVING TO BE IN CONTROL
You scored: 14
You are a leader: You approach everything as though you were born to be in charge. Confident, assertive, and decisive, you know what you want and you go after it. You also look out for family, friends, and community—you feel you know what’s best for them—and have no fear of confronting anyone who challenges your ideas. Taking the driver’s seat, you also generously donate time and energy to people and neighborhood projects.

What to watch out for: When you feel threatened, or others refuse to go along with your agenda, you can become confrontational and domineering, sometimes to the point of being dictatorial. Practice letting someone else take charge on occasion. Also try meditation; it can help you be-come more aware of your controlling impulses and ease the anxiety that may be provoking them.

Looking ahead: You discover your purpose when you take control of your environment. For you, finding a decision-making role is key. That could mean anything from producing a play to spearheading a global campaign for something you care about. In work, you’re suited for leadership positions in education, government, industry, finance, religious institutions, or politics. But you can find satisfaction anytime you’re given the autonomy to do things your own way.

YEP, THAT’S ME!!!

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How goes it? I guess I could “briefly” bring you up to speed. Since we last spoke which was June 23rd, I have been a very busy girl with TONS of changes I have been keeping secret until now.

Here is a list of the highlights:

In the past 6 weeks, I have in this order:

• hung out in Melbourne with 2 of the coolest people I have ever met: Todd James & his effing cool as shit wife Rikki-Jean James. Damn, they are awesome!!!
• discovered what TRUE LOVE looks like and feels like after being with them. Thanks guys!
• Spent 2 more days freezing my ass off and complaining & being depressed in Melbourne. Decided that I had to get the hell out of there.
• took a very long bus ride from Melbourne to Sydney
• had an amazing time at my dear friend Joseph’s birthday party in Sydney
• decided that my time in Australia needed to come to an end and I needed to visit my family in Kansas City
• spent the most gloriously amazing last day in Sydney walking all over my favorite city and taking my last set of photos. You can view the pics on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com…
• Flown back to Los Angeles on Virgin
• spent one day in Los Angeles at Kraftland before embarking on a 10 day, 3,800 mile RV trip with friends
• learned to drive a huge RV – totally rocked it out
• spent an amazing night in my favorite luxury suite in Vegas – The Pallazo tower at The Venecian.
• Thanked God & RK for getting me back to my life of luxury!!
• Saw the Beatles inspired show ‘Love’ at The Mirage
• got to know 2 old/new friends, Rob & Crystal Minkoff really well. They rock!!
• Got to know Nicky’s totally awesome girlfriend, Rachel! Young love rocks!
• toured the Liberace museum!!!
• hiked in the Grand Canyon in 100 degree heat
• drove thru Roswell New Mexico and did not see any aliens
• received the best massage of my entire life in Santa Fe New Mexico
• made a crazy escape from what seemed like The Bates Motel in Carlsbad NM
• had a ball eating at awesome roadside diners that Crystal picked out all over NM & TX
• ate more tex-mex than anyone should be allowed by law
• hiked several miles under the earth at Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
• spent a hot ass 2 days in my favorite city Austin Texas. Ate tons of bbq & got to connect with my dear friend Teri
• spent 2 hot ass days in a mega-luxurious resort in San Antonio eating room services for 2 days while Richard & the young-uns enjoyed the heat
• lost my drivers license
• made some major life decisions as to what I want to do next- sort of, LOL
• set off thousands of dollars of fireworks on the fourth of july in a roadside parking lot somewhere between El Paso & Phoenix
• spent one day in LA at Kraftland and then limoed down to Orange County to spend 2 days with my sister friend Barbi.
• Was happy as fuck to discover that I still fit in the size 31 True Religion jeans I lost 55lbs to fit into last year!! I’m a lil bit thicker, but I still look GOOD!!!
• Picked up my Gucci Luggage and a small portion of my Gucci purses that I stored at Babi’s
• Got on a plane and flew to my hometown Kansas City.
• Got to ride in my Mommy’s new red convertible corvette
• spent a week living with my best friend Christa and my niece Cara & hubby Clark & Gracie
• had a flirtation with their neighbor – didn’t go anywhere with it though.
• Left Kansas City in my big ass Cadillac Escalade and drove to Dallas
• spent 3 days in Dallas with my family
• left Dallas and drove to my new home….

Wondering where I ended up? It’s been a secret for the 3 weeks I have been here. I’ll fill you guys in later on where I have decided to set up my new life. It’s definitely not Beverly Hills!!

Make sure you check out the photos of this chapter of my travel adventures on Facebook: www.facebook.com…

Ta Ta for now!! Love Ya!

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Long time, no talk to.  I have been in Sydney exactly 2 months to the day. I cannot believe that it has been 2 months so quickly.  Where in the world has the time gone & how have I spent my time?  Well, I have actually been really chill in Sydney.  I spent a ton of time walking all over the city, exploring every neighborhood in the CBD (Central Business District).  I found that I truly love Surrey Hills, Potts Point, Darlinghurst, The Northern Suburbs, Elizabeth Bay, The Rocks, Kings Cross & Paddington.  All of these areas tend to be upscale, gentrified, full of coffee shops, great restaurants & great shopping.  I’ve been to the Opera House tons of times – saw one concert there, saw De La Soul in concert at The Metro, went to some very cool festivals, drunk tons of Australian wine,  ate too many damn hot chips (french fries) & pizza – yes, I have gained weight . I’ve visited all the major beaches here, gone to some really awesome bars, had great dinners with great company, walked into a vampire coven of thousands of bats,  learned the train system & saw all the major blockbuster movies that have come out in the past 2 months.   I’ve met countless new friends from all over the world – England, Chile, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, USA, Germany, Holland, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, Scotland, Canada, France & Australia.  I’ve attended 2 great internet marketing conferences and made tons of contacts & achieved clarity in my IM business.  I’ve met lots of guys – only kissed one or two, hehehehe.  My heart is only with one though…hmmmmmmm…wonder who?? I’ve spent longer than I should have living in the suburbs  – man that was rough (though I am grateful!). I’ve loved living in a city that has so much energy, diversity and love for me as a Black Woman. I’ve loved hostel living – in the big, nice Wake-Up Hostel for several weeks and in the small, messy, yet fun Asylum Hostel in the Cross.  Man, who knew that me, “Ms. 5 star Diva/Queen of Gucci” would totally take to living a backpacker lifestyle!  Crazy!  I’ve also enjoyed playing the “guess Sheila’s age” game and completely freaking everyone out as 99% of the people guess that I am 23-28 and I then tell them that I am 41.  Hilarious!!! I literally could be the mother of over 3/4 of the girls I have met. Thank GOD that BLACK DON’T CRACK Baby!!

After all that fun, the Universe is doing it’s thing again and has presented yet another opportunity for me to say, “YES” & completely walk out on Faith.  I’ve unexpectedly moved on from Sydney & hopped on a plane to do more traveling in Australia and spend time with new people. One of those new people has become a very integral part of my life, both personally and professionally. I’ve suddenly found myself on an extremely unexpected journey that has been amazing thus far. Not gonna talk anymore about it as I want to keep this very special  & important part of my life private.  I’ll get back into “spill the beans on my life” mode when I get to Melbourne in a couple of weeks. I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride thus far.  It means more to me than I can say to know that you all are out there, enjoying this journey with me.

Stay Blessed Everyone & Ciao for Now!!!

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I trust everyone enjoyed the weekend and Mother’s Day.  I am of course, a world away from my Mommy and I was missing her terribly.  I am an only child and we are very close.  We have been since day one. In fact, my Mother & I have never had an argument nor have we ever said a cross word to each other.  I am truly blessed to have her as a Mommy.

So, what’s new in my world?  Not much actually.  Still waaaaaaaaaay out in the western suburbs. It’s funny, whenever I am in the city and someone asks where I am staying and I tell them, the reaction is always the same. “Where is THAT?”. When I narrow down the location for them, they always say, “Man, you are way out there.”.  Yeah, thanks, I know. This whole town shuts down at 7:00pm.  There is a grocery, liquor store, butcher, fruit/veggie market, sundry, restaurant, drug store and beauty shop all one block away and each business closes down at 7pm sharp.  You are completely s.o.l. if you want some damn chips or something at 8:30. I really miss living in the city, but due to the fact that I have to really watch my money, I am appreciating my friend Sue allowing me to stay at her home for free. My plan is that when I get back from New Zealand in mid June to get an apartment in the city. I miss my morning walks exploring Sydney and my coffee shop chill time.

Speaking of walks, I am majorly focused on losing these 18lbs I have gained since Feb. 1st. I went jeans shopping last Saturday and I am up a size!!  Not a good look. I now get up every morning and walk/run for 4-5 miles everyday.  I have also stopped eating hot chips (french fries). None for the past 9 days!!  I can already see the difference. My stomach is flat again and my thighs are getting tighter.  I of course gained the weight in my thighs, hips (I got hot-chips hips, LOL) and tummy as I always do. Why can’t I gain some weight in my ass so it won’t continue to be flat as a damn pancake??? Oh well, guess I have to do squats like my girl Roz always says to me.  Her ass is re-damn-diculous because she is the queen of squats.  She looks amazing!!

What’s new on the man front??  Not a damn thing, that’s what!  For one thing, I am stuck out in the boonies and I never leave the house so that is not helping my social life at all.  Also, I am so COMPLETELY over meeting guys here it is ridiculous.  I will be try and be positive and simply say that thus far, Aussie guys have just not been my cup of tea…I actually think this a Sydney problem (or it could be a Me problem-who knows-wouldn’t be the first time), because I have met some Aussie guys since I have been here that live in Melbourne & I have mates on the Gold Coast and they are cool as hell!!   Shout out to PH, DZ, TJ & DC. The only boys I like being around are my American & non Aussie-mates I have met here. How funny is that?? I have to come all the way across the damn world to find an appreciation for American men.  Too funny.

I did have an amazing experience last week.  I MET BLACK PEOPLE FROM AMERICA right here in Sydney!!  I declare, I truly thought that I was the only Black American in this entire country!  Not that it was a big deal because as I have mentioned before, I experience no racism here and I am very cool on that front.  It is just that when you go for long periods of time and you don’t see any damn body that even remotelIy looks like you or knows your experiences, then it get a bit isolating.  So, how did this glorious event in my life happen?  It started back in late March when I decided to couchsurf for the first time. I ended up surfing at my friend Justin’s place – remember the apartment I had for two weeks with the water view – check my facebook for pics.  Anyway, Justin told me he had a friend named Amani that I should meet. He is a Brotha from America that is working here in Sydney as an Investment Banker. Justin gave me his number to ring him, but when I called him, he could not talk because he was busy at work.  He called me back 2 days later and left me a vm. I ended up erasing the number by accident and we didnot connect.  Fast forward to last Sunday – I was in the city for the weekend and Amani calls me. Turns out, I was having dinner with 2 new friends I met earlier in the day at a restaurant that was a few blocks from his house. He was headed out and I told him to stop by.  He shows up about 20 minutes later and ya’ll let me tell you…Amani is FINE AS HELL!!! He is a dark chocolate, bald headed, well dressed, pretty white teeth havin, funny as hell, nice bootie havin Brotha!!  Good Lawd!!!! Dayum!!!!!! I about lost my religion!!

I was cool of course when he came to our table and chatted for a bit.  We made plans to get together later in the week. When he left the table, I literally could not stop cheezin!  I had the biggest damn kool-aid smile on my face for hours. My new friends were cracking up. It’s now Tuesday and I am still in the city as I had a networking event to go to. I knew I would not want to be there long so I sent Amani a text to see if he was free. He said he was at a dinner but we could meet up later. Cool. We made plans to meet at Hugo’s at 10:00pm. Now ya’ll know my old ass is usually in bed by 10, but hell, he could have said 1am and I would have been there. I get to the club and he is in the downstairs part with friends. He comes out and gets me and when I get inside, I could not believe my eyes.  I thought what I was seeing was a mirage but it was for real.  There were about 15-20 BLACK PEOPLE!!!!!  My jaw hit the floor! Seriously. Amani was at the club with friends that were celebrating the fact that one of their beautiful Sista-Friends had just graduated from film school. Amani introduced me to everyone and I literally almost started crying – first because I forgot my damn camera and second because I was in such shock. Everyone was from 25-35, professional, creative, fashionable, intelligent, down, cool, open and fun as hell. I met people from North Carolina, Los Angeles, New York, etc… I was in Heaven! We partied and talked for the next 2 hours until the club closed and then went out front and talked some more.  One of the girls that is a Beyonce look-a-like invited me to a party she was having this past Friday.  I ended up not being able to go for personal reasons, but I know I will see everyone again.  It feels so amazing to have a new network here that I can actually relate to.

Okay, I meant to write a short blub, but as usual, with my detail giving azz, I have written a novel. Oh well…until next time. Caio My Friends!!!!  Love Ya!

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My life has been pretty quiet this week. I had a bit of a wild, busy 4 days last weekend – details I will be keeping to myself – so I have been super boring and quit this week. What I did want to write about is yet another reason why I love living in Australia.  As some of you may know, exactly 14 months ago, I was MUCH MUCH larger than I am now. Almost 50 pounds (23 kilos) more than I do today.  Living in America gives you a totally fucked up vision of what is considered attractive if you are a woman.  If you are not a size 0 or now 00, then you are considered to be fat.  It’s sick.  One of the first things I noticed when I got to Australia is that women here are of all sizes and no one cares.  When you see ads or women on tv, they are on average, size 8. When I first saw ads, the first thing I thought to myself was, “Damn, that chick is fat!”.  How crazy is that?!?  I had been brainwashed by the American media to expect to see anorexic women as a beauty idea. Sick!

Another obversation I noticed about women here is that there a ton of WHOOTIE’S here.  What’s a whootie you ask?  A whootie is a white girl with a bootie!  Not just any bootie, but a sista-girl bootie.  It is the strangest thing.  These girls are packin’ out here.  There are skinny whooties, medium sized wooties, asian whooties, white whooties.  It’s incredible.  Women here are curvy and sexy and no one cares if they are a size 2 or a 22.  Needless to say, I am  very happy to be here since even though I have lost a ton of weight, I am still very curvy and I LOVE IT!!  I feel & am sexier now than I ever have in my entire life.  I am completely unburdened with having to get on scales, watch what I eat or any of that crap. It feels wonderful.  For all of my friends that may be wondering if I have kept my weight off, then answer is yes.  I did gain about about 12lbs before I left the states because I was thoroughly enjoyed my American cheeseburgers and pizza.  Once I got to OZ, I gained about 5 lbs for a total of 17lbs total.  In the past 2 months, I have dropped about 11 lbs – I’m guessing since I don’t get on scales – but my small clothes I brought over here are still loose. Now if I can only change my flat ass into a whootie bootie, I will be set!!  LOL

Anyway, gotta get back to work.  I’ve got content to create and sites to get up.

Ciao for Now.

Me 14 months ago at 210lbs

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The Sydney Airport: they have one of the worst airports I have been to.  The signage is poor & there is no one to help you if you need directions or have questions. The airport customer service staff is all volunteer so if there are no volunteers that day, then there is no one to help you. The signs directing you to where to catch shuttles, taxis, etc…are basically nonexistent, so here I am with my huge, heavy ass bag (which I had to pay $75 extra to check since it was over the weight limit), I’m tired as hell since I didn’t sleep the night before & I’m hungry as hell as it is now Noon and I cannot figure out where to catch my damn shuttle. After wandering around and asking 6 people – getting 6 different answers, I make it to an area that I think is right. I have 10 different Asian shuttle drivers approach me trying to hustle me to take me into the city (fortunately I had read about their tactics in my guide book) and I’m about to cuss all of them out because I knew they were not my specific shuttle. After what seemed like hours, my dude did show – in an unmarked bus by the way. I’m now off to my hostel, The Wakeup.  Update: there was a biker (bikie out here) gang war at the airport a week after I arrived and one biker dude was killed.  They were fighting right in the terminal and one dude was killed.  Imagine how pissed I would have been walking into that mess!!

Hostel Life: As you all may or may not know, this trip for me is supposed to be “backpacker style” – one bag (a super huge and heavy one) with my necessities, staying in hostels at times, couchsurfing (I’ll explain what that is in later posts) and relying on the kindness of friend referrals to allow me to stay for free at their homes.  Basically, I have to spend as little money as possible on the necessities of life.  Those of you that know me know that this is COMPLETELY the opposite of how I usually travel and I’m sure you think I have gone off the deep end.  I was formerly, notice I said formerly, a 4-5 star type of traveler. I call it “Grown Girl Travel”. I usually stay at really nice luxury hotels (especially when my “sponsers” were paying, hehehehe), when I go for extended trips, as I did for the summer of 06 to Europe for 90 days. I rent super nice luxury apartments in upscale apartments so that I can “live like a local”. Not a poor local, a wealthy one, lol.  Thankfully, that is who I formerly was.  In the process of coming here, I was instructed by The Universe to sell all of my things.  The process of purging & seeing my beautiful possessions go made me realize that they are just “things” that used to define me but no longer.  I could now care less about shopping, luxury this and that and all the false trappings of “success”.  It’s all an illusion and bullshit for me personally & I am grateful to be released from the shackles of being defined by outward perceptions.  Anyway, as I was saying, I have to SERIOUSLY economize now so I decided to stay in a hostel.  This was not my first hostel experience. I stayed in one in July 06 while at the Montreaux Jazz fest in Switzerland. It was tight – right on Lake Geneva, super clean and beautiful – definitely not the dirty hostel, backpacker horror experience you read about.  I had done a ton of research to find just the right hostel and I did.  I chose The Wake-up hostel  www.thewakeup.com .  It was voted the “Best Large Hostel in the World” by several groups that rate such things.  It is known for its cleanliness, party atmosphere, design and overall great time. I was just happy that it was $27.00/nt US. I booked a week there as I didn’t know if I would like it. As I mentioned earlier, I was not doing really well emotionally at this point (I had actually gotten a bit depressed by this time) so I was not my usually uber-happy, mega spiritual kum-by-ya self when I arrived. I was fine but not “truly Sheila”. I had booked a female share 4 which meant that there would be 4 girls in the room.  I got checked in okay, headed to the 6th floor and got to room 608 (which would become my home for 2.5 weeks). I was incredibly underwhelmed when I opened the door. It was brightly painted and clean, but there were 2 bunkbeds and it was sparce. Definitely NOT the Four Seasons . My immediate thought was “Oh Lord, I don’t think I can do this,”. I decided to make the best of it- as if I had a choice – get unpacked and go explore in the city.  One of the awesome things about The Wakeup is that it is uber central to EVERYTHING!! It’s right across from the train station, near all the cool neighborhoods and a short distance from the Opera House. To make a long story short, I ended up LOVING the Wakeup. I became friends with all the staff, I truly enjoyed meeting the parade of backpacker girls from all over the world that would come and go – it was not the norm for someone to stay as long as I did. Everyday I was meeting someone from England, Switzerland, Italy, Chile, Holland, Ireland, Canada, the USA, Germany, etc… All from 18 – 45.  It was 2 1/2 weeks of dorm-like living just like in college.  Thankfully I look like I am in my 20′s (Black Don’t Crack Baby!) so I was able to fit right in. When I did eventually leave, I missed it and actually went back 2 weekends ago to stay because I missed the energy of The Wakeup. My #1 goal in staying at a hostel was to meet tons of people and make new friends – albeit transient ones while I was in Sydney.  I accomplished this and more and I highly recommend hostel living at least once in your life.

Sydney the City: I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, I LOVE SYDNEY, oh and did I mention, I LOVE SYDNEY!!!!!!!!!!  I do not know how I’m going to convey to ya’ll how/why I love this city so much. Is it possible to have a love affair with a city and feel emotionally connected to it? Not sure, but that is what I am experiencing. I guess the best way to describe how I’m feeling is to simply say that “I’m Home!!”. After many,many, many years of traveling, searching for an elusive “something” and not really realizing that I was searching and not knowing what I was searching for, always being restless, living with the constant feeling of having a hole in my soul that I could not fill, yearning for peace but always being in a state of unrest, feeling lost, feeling like I never belonged where I was, constantly changing with the wind because I could never be settled and all the while driving my friends and family crazy – I am truly grateful to say those experiences for me have ended.  Within a week of being here I knew that I was Home. This is where I am supposed to be. For the first time in my life, my Soul is peaceful and rested, my Spirit is on High, my mind is at ease, I don’t yearn for that elusive “something” and I am settled.  Words cannot describe finally living life while being truly “at peace”. It’s incredible!!  I still don’t know why God wanted me to be here or what he wants me to do, but I am able to be patient, build my life here and be ready. It’s so awesome!!

So, what is so great about Sydney: I can only answer that from my perspective, but I will start with the energy here. For me, it’s a creative, loving, positive, forward thinking, fully charged city.  It’s very clean and open and well planned out.  It is a city that actually has a center and the city fans out from it’s center.  This is really important because a city that has a true center has a cohesiveness to it that draws & holds people together.  It’s very unlike LA or NY where there is no center whatsoever. LA is simply a series of seperate mini-cities that are all stuck together with no continuity or connectedness.  That is why it is so easy to feel lost in a city like LA because there is no sense of community throughout the city due to the fact that there is not a central focal point for people to be drawn to or reference.  This won’t make sense until you go to a city that has a true center -Paris is good example of this.  The grid of the city has a true center and the arrondisments (neighborhoods) fan out from it.  While the neighborhoods are all
different, there is still a sense of a unified, connected Paris. I need to be in cities that have a center.

I have spent many of my weeks here exploring different neighborhoods. Sydney is definitely a walking & public transportation town. I usually wake up around 7am, put on my workout gear and hit the streets.  I’ll pick an area on the map and walk to it. I walk the streets exploring early in the morning while the shops are closed so that I can map out where I want to visit when I return. I’ll find a cafe to have my cappuccino & breakfast (breakie here) and talk to local people. I’ve discovered the Circular Quay (pronounced “key”)- where the Opera House is, The Rocks – next to the circular Quay-this is where the convicts settled, Chinatown, the CBD (central business disctict), Surrey Hills (my favorite area – full of cafes, bars, restaurants, gays), Darlinghurst (next to Surrey Hills – also cool), Kings Cross (the red light/entertainment district), Elizabeth Bay (waterfront quiet enclave next to Kings Cross), Potts Point (next to Elizabeth Bay – older upscale – where I want to live), Paddington (near Surrey Hills – gentrified area – now very upscale and cosmopolitan. Tons of Australian designers have shops here), Woolomoloo (waterfront area – Russel Crowe has a home here), Darling Harbor (waterfront touristy area), Manley beach – cool beach community, Bondi Beach (well known beach community _ I don’t like the energy there), Parramatta (the western suburbs – they call it Sydney’s 2nd business district – very suburban – way the hell away from the city -it’s where I’m staying now) and finally The Northern Suburbs (all waterfront, north of the city, very upscale and family oriented, uber wealthy in most parts – it’s where I would settle if I didn’t want to live in the city). In all the areas I have explored and now know so well, I have only encountered the nicest, most genuine people. People smile here, their energy is positive, they help you if you have questions or look lost, they are open, they are accepting and just overall cool.  As a Black Woman traveling here, this is the first place I have ever been to in my entire life where I’m not defined first by my color. I’ve always hated it when people say, “I don’t see color,”. I’ve always thought that was TOTAL BULLSHIT, but I have to say that while being here, I have experienced that as being true time and time again. Obviously they see that I am Black as I couldn’t hide this chocolateness if I wanted to. The difference is IT DOESN’T MATTER that I am brown.  In the USA and almost everywhere else I have been to, the process is: 1. see a brown/black person 2. make a judgement – usually a negative one 3. interact with the brown/black person based on those judgements/filters.  Here, step 2. is removed (in my experience and in many other brown/black people I have talked to).  Sydney is as close to being a colorblind city (as it pertains to black people) as I could ever wish for.  You all have to visit!!  It is amazing here!!

I’m going to end this post and start with new ones now as I am experiencing life now.  I’ll write about meeting people and dating here in sydney, making money, travel, trying not to be homeless, what my next steps are, etc… in future posts. I’ll now work to do 1-2 posts a week.  Stay tuned…

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