Here's to you!

This blog entry is dedicated to the four beautiful women who have taught me so much about life, love, sex and the city.

Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, Samantha Jones, and of course, the expert herself, Carrie Bradshaw. Ladies, Here's to you!!!



Sure, they may just be TV show characters to some people, but for me and my friends, these women have been not only provided endless hours of laughter and tears, but they have been teachers in a sense.

The things that Carrie and her three best friends have taught me:

1. I have learned that it is never smart to move to Paris with one man when you are in love with another.

2. I have been exposed to the importance of Minolos.

3. Men who have two first names are HOT!!! Oh Smith Jared you are one sexy thing!!!

4. Mr. Right is out there... you just have to look for him... and look for him... and look for him... :)

5. Tuchus Lingus need not be reciprocated... haha

6. What ever the city, New York or San Francisco, home is home.

7. Two closets are better than one.

8. When in doubt, drink a Cosmo.

9. Most men will, inevitably, let you down.

10. And.. your best friends will, inevitably be there to pick you up.

And the list goes on... Maybe I am giving these characters too much credit... but I have become the strong, smart, outgoing, woman that I am with the help of these women...
So I must give credit where credit is due!! Lovely ladies of Sex and the City... Here's to you!!!!

Thankful for these lazy days.

So this is the 2nd of what will be a Blogging tradition for the Brunette. I like to take a few minuets to think about what I am thankful for.

1. Lazy days (No work, no school)
2. The sunshine!
3. Whitney Beatty
4. COOKIES!
5. Four Loko (always a great time)
6. Stern Grove
7. Sandalwood Incense
8. Cups of Tea
9. Sex and the City
10. Tortillas (College student's lifesaver! Low cost and fills you up)

So there it is.. the little things I am feeling thankful for...

<3
The Brunette

TrueBlood

So I have this new obsession.

Bill, Sookie, Jason, Tara, Sam, Eric... and all of the other crazy characters in True Blood. It is addicting, and thanks to OnDemand and hours of nothing to do on my days off this summer, I have been feeding my addiction.

And I never jumped on the Twilight train.

I am already almost done with the second season and every single episode has left me dying for more. I have laughed and I have cried, and I have completely fallen in love series.

Bill Compton, Vampire or not, is one sexy thing.

Anyways... I am obsessed.. Back to Bon Temp!!!

<3
The Brunette

The Musical Constant

I have taken for granted the musical influence that this man has had on my life... from the Slim Shady LP to his newest verses. Marshall Mathers, you have been my musical constant.


So I obviously have a huge respect for Eminem as a rapper. But this new track, (along with the beauty of all of his lyrics) has elevated him beyond a simple hip-hop artist. Eminem is a Poet. His music has always touched me. I have always felt a need to reach out to people like him, but I have learned that you cannot fix people... they have to do it for themselves.. and with Eminem.. I wanted to help him with his problems, but he was completely unattainable. And thank Gravity... I could have torn myself apart with all of his problems...

Anyways....

To my lyrical hero, Mr. Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers, Eminem... would a rose by any other name smell as sweet???

No... but it still sounds like music to my ears... thank you for writing what you feel even when it is terrifying. You never fail to blow my mind!!!

<3
The Brunette

Gratitude Lists

Something that I have always thought was an AMAZING idea was keeping gratitude lists. Just a little list for me to record the things I am thankful for everyday. I have been trying to keep up with it, but in the day to day, it is something that often gets lost. So this is the first official gratitude list being published by the Brunette.

I am going to try and do this at least once a week, so I can look back on the things that have made me happy.

So here goes...

I am thankful for...

1. My parents letting me have a car for the last month and a half. (Even if I no longer get to drive it)
2. The days of sunshine that we do get in this wonderful city.
3. What I think was a successful interview today with New York Collection.
4. John Mayer.
5. All my clean laundry.
6. Taylor Houston.
7. My warm bed, sooo cozy!!
8. Muni.
9. All my BRB Ladies
10. The cup of ice water I am about to drink.

And look how easy that was. I now know of 10 things that I am thankful for at this very moment. Feels good.

<3>

How I dress my Dreads

Since ancient times, women have obsessed over how to make their hair look beautiful, healthy and strong. The Ancient Egyptian women kept their hair long and natural, even when the hot desert sun was beating down on their scalps. The geisha women of Japan would wash their hair only once every two or three weeks. A slave to her beauty, a geisha woman would sleep on a wooden neck pedestal rather than a pillow, for fear that sleeping on a pillow ruin their intricate hair styles.

Even today, we are constantly blasted with images of Perfect Hair. But all the commercials and products are sending the wrong message to the young women of this world. When it comes to your dreads more is not necessarily good.

In the last few months, thanks to two of my favorite Blondies, (and you know who you are), and a bit of my own exploration, I have begun working on perfecting the beauty, health and strength of my brunette locks.

*The Secret*

The key to long, beautiful, healthy, strong hair is minimalism. In five simple steps...

Step One - Don't wash your hair everyday
When we wash our hair everyday, it drys our hair out. Dry hair is not shiny, and tends to break. Who wants that?

Step Two - When I do wash, don't wash I hair, I wash my scalp.
The thing with shampoo and conditioner is that one removes oils and the other moisturizes. Shampoo is good for your scalp, because it washes away the oil which weighs your hair down and makes it look flat. Your hair is what craves moisture. Keep the conditioner away from the roots of your hair, focusing on mainly the tips, and then split ends will be less common. Makes sense right? You can buy some dry shampoo for the days in between when your roots might get a little oily.

Step Three - Invest in Organic Product
Sure, Pantene Pro-V may make your hair shine like California sun, but that is because it contains wax and plastics. Who cares though if your hair looks good? Well, both plastic and wax contribute to breakage and split ends. So go to Trader Joes and buy one of their Organic shampoo/conditioner combos for $3.50 a bottle. More money to spend on shoes or shows or whatever your head of beautiful, healthy, strong, organic hair wants you to do!

Step Four - Stay Away From Heat and Styling Product
Put down the blow dryer! Unplug the curling iron! And don't even think about turning on that straightener! Honestly, letting your hair dry naturally will give it natural body, which is sexier than anything a blow dryer could give you! And styling product just makes your hair stiff, or oily, or sticky, etc. So unless I have a very specific style for a special occasion, I keep the hair electronics and products under the sink.

Step Five - Don't Brush your Hair
Unless you are working through real dreadlocks, keep the brush away from your beautiful tresses. Use your fingers to work through knots gently, but over brushing your hair with thin your hair out. Just don't do it. I don't think I have brushed through my hair with an actually brush in almost three weeks.


Obviously, I am not a hair stylist and I haven't been to beauty school, but I am just saying what has worked for me. My hair is looks so much healthier now that I don't blow dry it, or run the straightener through it daily.

Hope my hair quest can help someone on theirs!

<3
The Brunette

And it has only been two weeks...

Summer is in full swing. I have been loving every second of every day. Even if the weather wasn't nice, I was feeling great. I spent my first week of summer cruising around with some foxy friends and some BRBs. Then, Whitney, Kate and I packed up and drove 12 HOURS!!!!

We decided to go visit Kate's cousin Andy, who goes to Oregon State. And it took us 12 HOURS to get there. There is also an AGD house at OSU and so we got to hang out with some of the AlphaGams from Corvaliss. This tiny little college town was sooo funny. Adorable, and a complete shit show at the same time. Gotta love college town. It's party all the time. Did I mention it took us 12 HOURS to get there? Anyways I had the an amazing time in Oregon. Everything is sooo green and beautiful. WE spent a day in Portland and that is a fun city.

We left Oregon at 9:15am on Monday morning, and sure enough we did not arrive home in SF until around 9:20pm. 12 HOURS!!!! But the 12 hours there and the 12 hours back was 24 hours of laughter, and divas, and Sexy John Mayer, and endless inside jokes, and stopping a 1,000 times to pee. And all of it was sooo much fun!!! They say half the trip is getting there, but in our case it was only a third of the trip. haha

Anyways the last week has been soo relaxing. I have been missing Taylor like crazy because she is in Turkey and she gets back in like 3 days and I can't wait to see her!!!
I will post again soon!!!