Accountability

Today I hold myself accountable. 

I started a lifestyle change over a year ago. Went from 175 to 155 and still losing. 

My goal is to tone up more so than to lose weight. Looking in the mirror, I'm not upset with what I see but I know what I can do much better. 

In January 2013, my lifestyle change veered off course. My uncle was in the hospital, I was knocking on depressions door and the gym/ any thoughts of working out were completely off limits. 

I''m holding myself accountable now. 

I will lose this weight.

I will tone up. 

By August 2013, my body will be transformed.

You. Just. Watch. 

I'm a NATURAL!!

Welcome to the natural me! I did my big chop on November 17th 2011. Now, my big chop may not have actually been a BIG chop! Considering that I transitioned for a year and a half before cutting off my relaxed hair.

I'll post pictures of my relaxed hair before the BC and how I've been styling it afterwards.
I don't have pictures of my BC and here is why!! :

a. I woke up on the 17th, ready to get rid of my relaxed hair. That evening I had to catch a flight to KY to go home for Thanksgiving. YES I cut my hair AND had to hop on a plane later on....crazyyyy!!

b. So I got to cutting! I started with the back and honestly, the more I cut the more I felt like going! I just could not STOP!!!

c. I was throwing the cut hair into the trash and refused to look at it! All together my hair, relaxed and natural, was almost APL. And cutting it was the shortest it has ever been in my life!

d. After I finished I loved what I saw! I big gigantic AFRO!! I washed it, and I didn't have a deep condish or a leave in so I styled it in coils afterwards and when I got to KY I went shopping for hair products!

e. While there I experimented with different looks. I keep experimenting and everyday is a new learning adventure regarding my hair!

I'm a poet and yes I know it.

Sometimes
I can't help but think
That through all this

It leads to one thing
Beyond my immediate goals and dreams
My insides tearing apart at the seams

Consuming like a passionate fire

A wife and mother is my fondest desire

Each way I turn

They're all around me
Cooking for husbands

and pregnancy screams

Tiny eyes glimpsing up

As a brand new father

Makes the first cut

One day I know

Without a doubt

These desires will be sent out

The longing, no need to be more

Because my fondest dream

Will have found its way ashore.



.

Stranger things have NOT happened!

I've always been one to say 'Stranger things have happened.' Certain situations in my life, I've been able to sit back and say, ' I'm sure someone somewhere has been through more.' But what happens if I'm that someone, somewhere? What happens if I'm the person that the strangest things happen to? Nothing's impossible and by no means am I saying this is a bad thing. On the contrary, it can be a very positive thing. Especially seeing that I am a writer and what I write most of the time directly comes from my own life, let the strange, gotta take a double take, things happen! This being said, something very bizarre has happened to me recently, indirectly involving someone that I am related to but have no relationship with whatso ever. It's weird when certain people try to pry in your life because they don't have the balls, guts, motivation and brains to just simply flat out ask you first. The thing is, if this individual had been there from the get go, there would be no need to pry, try and steal your way into my life. Thank you very much. Britjanee has done quite well on her own raised by individuals who want nothing more than to see me succeed. If you, and I very well hope your reading this, had been there from the get go, you would see the daughter you left behind and have had a hand in raising her to be a gifted individual. God is so good in who he chooses to let in our lives and to keep out. Thank God I didn't have the misfortune of being raised by an asshole! You know who you are.

Never Give Up

I know what God wants me to do. I know the calling He has on my life and I am in constant pursuit of that call. I went to college in London and have recently found that God has a plan for my life that I never imagined a year ago. It's amazing how we try so hard to run away from something that God has said, 'You, my child CAN do this!' If He has put it on my heart to do it, I can pursue it and succeed! Lately, the Lord has been telling me to not worry, just hold on. There's so much I want to do and so much I want to see. I know that my life is not meant to be lived at home but to be lived in the world that He created for me to dwell in. In the process I am to spread His word. Bible college...thats my next goal before grad school and I will achieve it!! Through Christ NOTHING is impossible!!!!!!!! He's given all the tools already, there's no need to fear the unknown!!!!

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Barack Obama Chia Pet

...The title says it all.....

So I love entering contests and seeing if I can win anything..........................................anything.
Last year I won a trip to NYC..............................
this year I won.....................................
a Chia Pet. But not just any Chia pet.......................
a Barack Obama Chia Pet.............................
whooohooo...- do you sense my scarcasm?
I have nothing against Barack Obama but I do have much against the Chia pet.

What on earth?

A Call to Duty

- :}

Every felt as if GOD has called you to specifically do something with your life. It sometimes feels like it's hard to even start because the task seems so great. The thing about GOD is that no task is too large. If He's given it to you, you can complete it... period. That's how I've been feeling lately. I feel as if GOD has asked me to do something very specific with my life and my fleshly self seems a bit overwhelmed at the first thought. The thing is that I know GOD will give me the tools to do what He has asked of me. I just have to get going. The other day I was thinking... Christianity is a relationship, we all know that. We are in a relationship with Jesus Christ. With relationships, just like a marriage, when one person has something to offer, you have to live up to your part of the deal too. A marriage doesn't work with only one person, it works with two. In other words, GOD isn't going to let what He has called me to do to flourish if I don't pick up some of the slack....
Food for thought.

I'm starting to think I'm going insane.

If you are anything similar to myself, you've been to college and received your B.A. in whatever field. Now the venture begins. Applying for graduate school. Here's my issue. To even out my chances of getting in, I'm applying for more than one. By more than one I mean atleast 4 or 5. I am really focused on getting in. In particular to a very well known school in New York City. My goal is that this time next year, I will be there. Well here comes the other schools. I have to apply so that next year I won't be sitting at home like a bum. The issue I'm having is i HATE asking for letters of recommendation. I mean, maybe I didn't start off applying in the best way possible. Maybe I should have asked my recommenders to send 4 or 5 all at one time, but I didn't realize the touchness of getting into a graduate programd in the first place. Now I'm stuck here. Every school I look at that I want to apply to, I have to ask for another letter of rec. UGHHH! I' m just praying that one the other end, the recommender isn't screaming their lungs off. One the other side, why should I care. It's my future. If I want one, I better ask!

I Have to Attest

I have to attest to the naturalness
That beckons from within
Callin my name to…..
Let it out.
Let it flow.
Let what God gave me...
Grow.

These curly roots…
Or are they wavy straight?
I’ve never knownBecause of a black woman’s hate.
They’ve barely shown.

I have to attest to the naturalness
My God given hair
My kinky curly mane
The coarseness,
The nappyness
The curly that wants to be
Happiness.

Britjanee

Todays Entertainment...

I have to say it.

Perez Hilton cracks me up!!!!
I'm following him on twitter, not because I like him or am a fan but because i was just adding people to follow! Anyway, my main question is how can someone beat you up but your main concern is to twitter it???

That's messed up.
I dont neccessarily believe Will I Am actually hit the dude- dont really think the cares that much.

Guess well have to say what more is to be said!

I feel poetic,,,

So recently I have been feeling a little bit on the poetic side.. Don't really know why! I've been looking at song lyrics and all of a sudden the actual words are popping out at me! Some of them can be really meaningful and we just pass them on by... hmmm, like...k so I cant think of a good example.. but anyway! I used to write poetry in high school and kinda just quit...guess Ill start it back up again. People have been telling me how good I write and if that is my skill Im guessing I should use it to the fullest!

BLESSED IS MY NAME

Blessed is my Name

Regardless of the Pain

Despite..........Everything

I still manage to Sing

It doesnt matter about....

the Tumbles...the Falls

the monumental back Draws

Those horrible down pouring days

Where nothing was Sane

I still manage to Say

Bless is my Name

The tears that were Shed

Were not in Vain

The ache that was Felt

Did cause some Pain

But in spite of it all

There is this one thing

The continous fall of Blessings

Upon my Name.

By,

Britjanee.......07

The majority of my poetry consists of the pain and suffering that I feel my ancestors went through. I tend to write about African American issues a lot for some reason! My first major poem about this was written a couple of years ago in my uni dorms!!!!! I just got and the mood and couldnt quit writing! Here it is:

The Dream:

By Brittany Thurman

Day after day, moment after moment

I have come to realize, to recognize, to know

That I am that dream ,that epitome, that essence

Of what freedom was all about

200 years ago this wouldn't have been possible

200 years ago I would be shackled and chained,

Just so I wouldn't run away

Lying in filth next to my bed-stricken neighbour

Counting the moments until death knocked on my door

Just so I could taste a drop of freedom

All because of the colour of my skin

The deep brown that it is.

100 years ago, no one would have thought

That a black girl could or rather, would

Be highly educated, well spoken

Going to school, to know more, learn more

To be someone. They didn't think it was possible

But it is.

All because of the colour of my skin

The deep brown that it is.

60 years ago, who would have known?

That his dream would come true,

Harmony between me and you

Then…

Who would have thought?

I could use the same bathroom

Drink out of the same fountain

Sit where I wanted

On the bus, in the cafeteria

Not be beaten

All because of the colour of my skin

The deep brown that it is.

10 years ago, I never knew

The same girl who grew up

In the West End of Louisville

Would one day live in London

The same girl who only knew

Inner city life and…

The occasional country weekends

Would one day be on her own

In a different country, alone, but

Fulfilling the many dreams of countless

Inner city youth

Only God knew

That this brown skinned child

Would one day take The Dream

And stretch it out to its seams.

britjanee-07

**Britjanee**