In My Hair

Stuff Your Kindle, Fantasy Book Sale

2024-10-18T09:50:00.003-07:00

Visit amazon.com/author/moffat to get free short stories and huge discounts on fantasy books by Charles Moffat. Sale ends on October 20th.

Poetry Book: Reflections & Reveries

2024-03-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Do you enjoy poetry books by Canadians? If so do check out Gail M. Murray's book: Reflections & Reveries

She has a book launch coming up on April 14th 2024 at the Stone Cottage Pub in Scarborough, Ontario. See the book launch details below:

About the Author

Gail M. Murray B.A. B. ED. was an English teacher and teacher-librarian with a focus on drama and literature. Gail grew up on a small farm in Pickering surrounded by nature, walking in woods, fields and gardens like the Romantics. For several years, Gail performed with Scarborough Theatre Guild and Scarborough Music Theatre. After retiring Gail became a free-lance writer. Like Keats, she seeks to capture the essence of the moment. Gail’s writing is a response to her natural and emotional environment.

Her poems have been published in Written Tenfold, Blank Spaces, Wordscape, Arborealis, The Banister, CommuterLit.com and her collection Reflections and Reveries. Her creative non-fiction has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Trellis, Heartbeats, Renaissance, The Ontario Gardener, NOW Magazine, Blank Spaces, Just Words Volume 2, Stony Bridges, Ottawa Review of Books, Historical Novels Review, Our Canada, More of Our Canada, Devour and Our Canada, Our Country, Our Stories.

Call for Fantasy Submissions

2024-01-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

Peasant Magazine is seeking submissions for Issue #2. Specifically it is looking for fantasy, historical fantasy, historical fiction and magical realism stories that are between 1,000 and 8,000 words in length.

PM is a free nonprofit fantasy/historical fiction/magical realism literary magazine that focuses on stories set on earth prior to 1750 or set in a fantasy world.

Furthermore stories don't have to be 'first time publications'. They also accept reprints of previously published works.

Peasant Magazine is available in both 8x11 magazine format from Amazon, and as a free PDF for download.

Peasant Magazine Issue #1, 8x11

Peasant Magazine Issue #1, Free PDF

Fantasy Magazine releases its First Free Issue

2023-10-04T07:34:00.003-07:00

Download a copy of the free PDF version by visiting the Peasant Magazine website, or order the 8x11 magazine of Peasant Magazine via Amazon for $4.99 USD.

Edward de Gale: Unlocking the Melodic Potential in Toronto's Aspiring Pianists

2023-07-18T14:08:00.004-07:00

In the bustling city of Toronto, a haven for artistic expression, one piano instructor stands out among the rest. Edward de Gale, a masterful pianist and a dedicated teacher, has been transforming the lives of aspiring pianists through his exceptional talent and unwavering passion. In this blog post, we celebrate the remarkable journey and the invaluable contributions of Edward de Gale, a true gem in Toronto's vibrant musical landscape.

A Maestro's Dedication: Edward de Gale's commitment to the art of piano instruction is unparalleled. His genuine love for music and his unwavering dedication to his students shine through in every lesson. With patience and encouragement, de Gale nurtures the potential within each aspiring pianist, guiding them on a transformative journey that goes far beyond technical proficiency.

Unleashing Musical Potential: Through his insightful teaching methods, Edward de Gale empowers his students to unlock their musical potential. He understands that piano playing is not just about pressing the keys, but rather about creating a profound connection between the player and the instrument. De Gale guides his students in understanding the nuances of expression, dynamics, and interpretation, allowing them to breathe life into each piece they play.

Tailored Learning Experience: Recognizing that every student has unique aspirations and learning styles, Edward de Gale crafts a personalized approach for each individual. He takes the time to understand his students' goals, strengths, and challenges, tailoring his instruction to meet their specific needs. This customized approach ensures that every student receives the guidance and support required to flourish as a pianist.

Mentorship and Inspiration: Edward de Gale's impact extends far beyond technical instruction. He serves as a mentor and a source of inspiration for his students. By sharing his own musical journey and experiences, he instills a sense of determination, perseverance, and artistic integrity in those under his tutelage. De Gale's unwavering belief in his students' abilities fuels their confidence and encourages them to reach new heights.

Building a Community of Musical Excellence: Edward de Gale understands the importance of fostering a sense of community and collaboration among his students. He organizes recitals, workshops, and musical events that provide valuable performance opportunities and create a supportive network for aspiring pianists in Toronto. Through these gatherings, students have the chance to showcase their progress, gain confidence, and learn from one another.

Embracing Music's Emotional Language: One of the most captivating aspects of Edward de Gale's teaching is his emphasis on connecting with the emotional essence of music. He believes that music is a universal language capable of evoking profound emotions and telling powerful stories. De Gale encourages his students to delve into the depths of the compositions they play, enabling them to express their own unique interpretations and share their personal narratives through the keys of the piano.

In the bustling city of Toronto, Edward de Gale has established himself as an exceptional piano instructor, igniting the musical passions of aspiring pianists and guiding them toward artistic excellence. Through his unwavering dedication, personalized instruction, and ability to inspire, de Gale creates an environment where students can grow not only as pianists but also as individuals. His impact on the musical landscape of Toronto is immeasurable, and his legacy as a mentor and a maestro will continue to shape the lives of countless aspiring musicians for years to come.

Learn more about Edward de Gale:

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How much radiation do you want in your food?

2020-06-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Doug Ford.

The name brings fear to the minds of many people in Ontario.

Doug Ford is the Premier of Ontario, and he is a jerk. A real nasty jerk. He wants to dump nuclear waste in Bruce County, close to the town of Teeswater. The Teeswater River (and the underground aquifer beneath the region) supplies the drinking water to:

Tens of thousands of people.
Dairy cows.
Water for agricultural farming (corn, potatoes, soy beans and more).
Water for Aquafina bottled water.
Cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens. Bruce County is the Beef Capital of North America, but it also produces a lot of other meat products.

If you live Ontario you've eaten food many times from Bruce County. Guaranteed. You've drank the milk. You've eaten the cheese. You've eaten beef, pork, turkey and chicken. You've eaten the corn, the potatoes, the soy products. You've drank Aquafina water.

Even if you are a vegan and don't eat milk and dairy, you should still care where your soy products and other vegetables are grown and where your bottled water comes from.

And that is why you should care.

If you care about what you eat, then you should protect what you eat. Learn more at:

https://www.protectsouthbruce-nodgr.org/

If you care write to Doug Ford. Tweet him. Phone him and leave an angry voicemail.

Share this post. Copy/paste it to other websites. Share it on Facebook. Share it on Twitter. Share the memes below.

Show that you care about your food and where it comes from.

Protect your food and your health from Doug Ford.

Oscar Hair: Pixie Cut, Extensions or the More Natural Look

2016-02-17T14:04:00.001-08:00

The photos below are from a website talking about people getting ready for the 2016 Oscars. The hairstyles in the photos got me thinking.

On the left, a pixie cut. On the right, extensions.

Above, the more natural look. Not quite completely natural.

How Police treat Black People in the USA

2014-08-30T17:38:00.002-07:00

There are many videos showing how police treat black people in the USA. The video below is a great example of racism in the USA on part of the police force.

How to catch people who cheat on essays and exams

2014-06-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a teacher of educator chances are likely you have caught a student cheating on their exam or even handing in essays that they did not write - either by asking a sibling, parent or friend to write the essay for them, or by hiring an essay writing service in a big name city like Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Toronto or other city with lots of well-to-do students who can afford to pay hundreds of dollars for essays. These days such companies offer many services - including proofreading and editing and resume writing services - all with the goal of giving people an unfair advantage, both in school and in finding a job.

Cheating is becoming more and more ubiquitous in universities and colleges in cities like Toronto and New York. Students are becoming increasingly desensitized to what qualifies as cheating and what is acceptable behaviour for students under academic honesty. In this environment how can a teach attempt to keep cheating at bay? There are some sure fire technique that teachers can use to make sure that their students do not getting away with academic dishonesty.

Recent studies show that students consider alternative aids such as essay writing help, ghostwriting and cliff's notes are tools that students should be able to use as opposed to cheating aids like most universities and colleges see them. Many students cite lack of time or more pressing matters as reasons why they cannot finish their assignments through more traditional means so they seek alternative means to get the job done.

With this knowledge, most professor should be on the look out for cheating behaviour in their students. They must devise ways of finding cheaters in what could be a sea of over 300 students. Seems like a daunting task. So what exactly can professor do to catch the cheaters?

Conduct your class like it is a high stakes exam

If you have ever taken the LSAT or a competency exam you know what taking a high stakes exam is like. You are prohibited from any materials except for a writing utensil, an eraser, and some water. Things like scratch paper, electronic devices and digital watches are strictly not allowed. Why? Because these are all things that students can use to bring in information they can use on the test. Either written in small print or stored in a devices memory a student can easily call it up. Tell students to put away their papers and devices and you can eliminate the temptation to use them to get an upper hand.

Use technology to catch them at their own game

Plagiarism is a very pressing issue with today's students. Many students simply take essays from the internet or have another person write their essay for them. In the case of copying other people work, there are many different websites that will allow you to detect whether a document has been plagiarized by scanning them to see if they match something else online. There are some other websites that allow you to compare a students previous work to the work they handed in to see if they are similar.

Make your own materials to prevent them getting to them first

The last step is to ensure that you are not contributing to your students cheating. You are your best weapon against it after all. Make sure that your materials originate from you and that you keep them safe. If you are the generator of the materials and you keep them safe there really is no way that students can gain access to your materials.

Unfortunately, cheating is not going to go away. Students are always going to try to get the upper hand while doing the least amount of work. The best way to deal with it is to try to prevent it in the first place. Keep you materials close to you, use technology to help you get the advantage and keep the tools for cheating out of the students hands during test time. Following these rules can keep your class cheating free.

Ballerina Dancing

2014-02-22T16:03:00.001-08:00

I have no other reason to post this photo of a ballerina other than the fact I find it very beautiful to watch.

3 Months without Shampoo or Conditioner

2014-02-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I don't think I could go three months without using shampoo or conditioner. But this video has me very curious to try it. But I doubt I will. I would need to do more research first.

Relaxing in the Tub with my SmartPhone

2014-02-05T13:36:00.001-08:00

One of my favourite things to do to relax is to soak is a hot bath (sometimes with bubbles!) and read the news on my smartphone or tablet.

Or fool around on Facebook.

Or play a game on my phone.

Or sometimes, like right now, write a blog post from the bath tub.

Cause lets face it, the fact I have that option is just so amazingly awesome.
In the future it would be nice to lots more things - all from the cozy location of a hot bath. Or in a sauna. Or pool. Or jacuzzi.

Thanks to smartphones and tablets we have so much more options. We can do our online banking from the bathtub. Socialize with friends on Facebook. Post silly blog posts. Order a pizza online. Hire a maid off craigslist to clean my apartment. Call my landlord to complain about the hot water (So... Yeah... It is too hot. Could you make the water hot, but not too hot? Thanks!)

In fact I am struggling to think of things that cannot be done from my bathtub thanks to technology.

Eg. Pilot a space shuttle, but to be frank that is something most of us cannot do anyway because we are not astronauts. But I can fly a flight simulator on my phone and I have NOT crashed several times now.

You can probably think of other more silly things I cannot do from my bathtub (like go fishing and catch real fish) but I can probably order a fishing pole from Amazon, hire someone to fish for me, and have the fish delivered. So I refute your theory.

I do have to be careful about not dropping my phone or getting it wet. I am quite cautious about that aspect of my relaxing baths.

Another thing I love doing is turning the shower on - so I can have a bath and a shower at the same time. I find that very relaxing as the hot water massages my legs.

It is very much about ME TIME.

Hodo Ali, Hodo Musa and Cici Ali - Identical Fashion Models

2013-08-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Above is a photo of Somali born fashion model Hodo Ali.

Which is not to be confused with Hodo Musa, below.

Or Cici Ali, further below.

Which is funny because the three of them together look like sisters. They're all practically identical because they have the typical Somali facial proportions.

Apparently Somali fashion models are a bit of a hot commodity. Doubtless there are others out there, all with the same carbon copy facial looks.

For all we know they're even related to each other. Hodo Ali and Cici Ali at least share the same last name. But Hodo Musa just bizarrely has the same first name as Hodo Ali.

Put them in the same dresses, the same makeup, they would look like triplets.

On the Push Ups Kick

2013-08-02T09:03:00.002-07:00

I am on a push ups kick right now.

The beauty of push ups is the following...

They work your back muscles.

Your shoulders.

And the triceps in your arms.

They cost you nothing to do because they require no equipment.

You can do as many or as little as you want.

You can try different kinds of push ups (like finger tip push ups, or hand stand push ups against a wall, etc).

They are also good for the pecs and thus count as bust firming exercises which make your breasts more perky and younger looking. Bonus!

Unlike jogging or running you don't need a sports bra to do push ups. Or fancy shoes. Or a jogging outfit.

All you need is a clear space to exercise. You can do it barefoot or even naked in the privacy of your bedroom.

Push ups rock!

For more frugal exercises similar to push ups visit CardioTrek.ca. The site also has lots of advice about cardio exercises, healthy food, weightlifting, sports training and other topics for staying fit and eating healthy.

I find it strange that so many women (including black women) are adverse to exercising. What? You think you are going to look like a female bodybuilder just because you did a few push ups? Nonsense! Complete hokum!

I call it our feminist duty to stay fit so if the need ever arises we are in shape and able to meet the challenge.

Deaf and Black

2013-08-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Being deaf and of African descent can be very tricky - just on an identity level. Often people in such circumstances have always faced the identity issue of whether they are black first or deaf first - and which condition they find more troubling. Racism. Or the lack of understanding from hearing people.

The other issue is that not everyone who has hearing difficulties is actually deaf. Some may simply have trouble hearing and have been that way since birth - or perhaps they worked in a workplace that had inadequate ear protection.

Which means they could get a hearing aid - for which there are many fashionable hearing aids out there available now. All they need is a hearing test at their local hearing clinic, eg. The Omni Hearing Clinic in Vaughan, or your local hearing centre that sells hearing aids, has an audiologist and presumably does hearing tests. In which case such people who are partially deaf or even mostly deaf could have some semblance of a normal life.

But if a hearing aid won't help, and hearing loss is complete / catastrophic - or you were born deaf, then you really don't have much option but to start learning American Sign Language, hanging out with other people who are "signers", and living out your life as you see fit.

From my perspective, being black / of African descent is really just incidental. Being deaf or having hearing damage, that is a much bigger worry when it comes to living your life, finding work, dealing with discrimination, etc.

The beauty of it however is that there many things people with hearing damage / deafness can still do. You can see examples further below of famous black deaf people who were very successful in their chosen careers.

Below is a collection of resources that are available for deaf people of African descent.

Deaf African-American Organizations

The first and best resource is the organization National Black Deaf Advocates. The NBDA holds annual conferences and has chapters nationwide. Another organization, the National Alliance of Black Interpreters, is for African-American interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing people.

Books on Deaf African Americans

A few books have been written about being deaf and African American:

One book is Sounds Like Home, a book by a black deaf woman about growing up black and deaf in the South.
Together with Linwood Smith, Ernest Hairston wrote the book Black and Deaf in America (ISBN 0932666183).
Another book, which I have not read, is Deaf, Dumb and Black: An Account of the Life of a Family, by Mary Miller-Hall, published by Carlton Press Corp. in 1994.

There is also a poem, "Journey of a Black, Deaf Woman", by Deborah Broadus.

I said, "I'm Black and Beautiful."
"They" said, "You're Deaf!"

Thus effectively restricting me, isolating me
Outside their silent voiced boundaries.

I withdrew, camouflaged,
A self-designed mantle of invisibility.

Wounded, rejected, I in turn rejected; not to wither,
But to shelter and protect that which was fragile.

I fought my way though the silent pandemonium of "their" voices;
On a quiet quest;

To reunite my fragmented self, splintered by
Voiceless opinions spoken with harsh eyes.

My goal: a whole soul, indivisible.
Whole and strong, unwounded by "their" disdainful ignorance.

I grew without the irrigation/irritation of "their" loud, voiceless disapproval.
They beheld as I grew; face to the sun.

Battling constantly not to shatter and become this image "they" assigned to me.
That broken by misinterpretation and misunderstanding.

Lost in the lexis written on pages in books contained by binders,
I understood the unspoken, thus became that which I strove to attain.

I found myself within these expressions.
Words; visible, vain, terminology helped to heal the shattered image.

No longer invisible, I stand Black and Deaf;
And "they?" Now "they" say,

"You're Black and Beautiful!"

Notable Deaf African Americans

Deaf African-American Athletes Curtis Pride was a deaf African-American baseball player. Kenny Walker was a professional deaf football player.
Deaf African-American Entertainers
C.J. Jones is a deaf male African-American performer; Michelle Banks is a deaf female African-American performer.
Deaf African American Writers
Connie Briscoe, former managing editor of American Annals of the Deaf, writes novels. Lindsay Dunn is a deaf African-American speaker and writer.
Other Deaf African Americans
Claudia Gordon is an accomplished deaf African-American lawyer.

Historic Deaf African Americans

One well-known deaf African American in history is Andrew Foster.

Research On Deaf African Americans

Some articles and doctoral theses have been published about deaf African Americans.

The Gallaudet University library in Washington, DC has a thesis on file, "A resilience model for transition of African American deaf and hard of hearing students through four-year post-secondary programs," by Carolyn Estelle Williamson (2003). Another thesis also on file at Gallaudet University library is "Gender, racial, and deaf identity development and self-esteem in Black, deaf women" by Monica Annette Robb (2002).
The March 1998 (volume 143, issue no. 1) issue of American Annals of the Deaf had an article on black deaf teenagers, "The association between raceless and achievement among African American deaf students."
Cambridge Press published the book Cultural and Language Diversity and the Deaf Experience, which includes the article "In Search of Self: Experiences of a Post-Lingually Deaf African-American," by Dianne K. Brooks.
The National Multicultural Interpreter Project website has downloadable pdfs of a cultural knowledge and sensitivity curriculum, including reference information.

Teachers and Parents of Deaf African Americans

Teachers and parents of deaf African-American children may want to check out the archived Deaf and African American Children article on DeafEd.net. It discusses ethnicity, educational, communication, and cultural needs. There is also a book, Black Deaf Students: A Model for Educational Success, that is based on interviews with nine academically successful deaf African Americans.

Rare Deaf African American Materials

Gallaudet University library also has some rare deaf African American materials that can not be taken out of the library, such as the book The Mississippi School for Negro Deaf, 1950-1951. There are also clippings in the University Archives of articles about deaf African Americans.

Video Material on Deaf-African Americans

Gallaudet University library also has a video library, which contains the following sample video materials about deafness and African Americans:

Black ASL: The Socio-historical Foundations by Drs. Carolyn McCaskill and Ceil Lucas. This is a signed only video presentation from 2008 about a black dialect of American Sign Language, Black ASL.
Archived editions of Deaf Mosaic online at Gallaudet University also had segments on deaf African Americans. Research of the Deaf Mosaic video library turned up these segments on deaf African Americans:
- Deaf Mosaic #611 had a segment on "I Didn't Hear That Color," a play about deaf African-American culture.
- Deaf Mosaic #404 had a segment on Andrew Foster, who had recently died.
- Deaf Mosaic#112 had a segment on Earnest Hairston.
- Deaf Mosaic #202 had a segment on the late Linwood Smith, Jr.

Beautiful Curly Hair

2013-03-12T10:49:00.002-07:00

Nuru Massage in Toronto

2013-03-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Nuru Massage is a great way for you and your lover (whether they be husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/friends-with-benefits) to have a lot of fun in the bedroom.

Here is what you need to do!

#1. Go buy a bottle or jug of Nuru from one of Toronto's many sex toy shops.

#2. Buy plastic sheets for your bed. Or use an old sheet you can throw in the laundry afterwards.

#3. Turn up the HEAT a lot!

#4. Get wet and wild on your bed with your lover by smothering yourself with Nuru and having a really slippery good time.

I can't show you what that looks like on here, but I can point you to Naughty Nuru, an ebony escort agency in Toronto which specializes in Nuru. That will provide you with all the photos and videos you could want on the topic.

Nuru Massage is apparently becoming really popular in Toronto and across Canada, thanks largely to influence from Japan and Asian massage parlours here in Canada which have been offering the service for years now.

As such Nuru Massage is the latest sensation sweeping Canada - at least insofar as massage parlours go. It has reached the point where ebony and ivory massage parlours / escort agencies have followed suit. (It is important to note that escort agencies are not illegal in Canada... and the Canadian government even has licenses for "body rub" massages and similar things.)

Canada is normally not a trendsetting nation but it appears to be on the verge on a national phenomenon before the USA, Germany, Italy or Spain have caught on. Massage parlours are opening their doors for ravenous men eager for a nuru massage. (Although to be fair, when are men not eager to get wet and wild?)

A couple years ago, Canada had zero Nuru massage providors. Now there are over 20 places operating in the country just north of USA - and roughly half of them are non-Asian, showing that regardless of the source people love the stuff. Some providers offer 30 minute nuru massage sessions while others offer two hour nuru therapy treatments - it is apparently extremely lucrative, judging by the prices being charged by escort websites.

Some places are getting rave reviews for their wonderful studio atmosphere and energetic technique. But arguments persist about whether Nuru is best with 100% Japanese women... which is frankly racist nonsense.

There are variety of Toronto massage parlours that offer Nuru massage. Flirt Spa, Body Bliss, Crave Spa, etc. What is funny is that these parlours are often next to banks, health spas, pharmacies, and you've probably walked by them already without realizing what they were offering. There is also Steeles Royal Massage in Brampton.

Nuru massage is also offered by many independent escorts in their apartments or condos - running the business the same way a Dominatrix would. Some Nuru providers have small, crampt apartments while others have large spacious penthouses. So I am guessing the more expensive escorts have fancier condos.

However if you already have a lover, such topics are moot anyway. You can get freaky with your lover any time you want in the privacy of your bedroom.

And since you are having fun together, its less sexist than hiring an escort. Pleasuring each other should always be equal.

The Afro is beautiful link

2012-04-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome article:

The Afro is beautiful, contrary to what the Fashion industry says

Black Goths

2012-02-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you've ever looked at gothic people you may have noticed there is quite a few white people and Asians too... I've even met a few Arab goths.

But there is almost no black goths.

And I wonder why that is?

Is it partially because goth people want to stand out whereas most black people in North America just want to fit in and be accepted as equals?

Could it be because black people just don't identify with gothic music and/or the whole dark, moody existential culture that is obsessed with death, the occult and looking d*mn sexy?

Or maybe we just don't want to wear all that black clothing, especially when its hot outside.

I dunno. Probably a combination of factors.

Why is the Pope so evil?

2012-02-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

RELIGION - It doesn't take much to realize why the Pope is so evil. All you have to do is go down the Seven Deadly Sins and you will realize why.

#1. Lust - The Pope covered up the sexual abuse of deaf children in the USA. And frankly I don't like how he looks at little boys... I wouldn't leave my kids in his custody.

#2. Gluttony - He's not horribly fat, but he's not really thin either. Methinks he has been drinking too much sacramental wine.

#3. Greed - The Catholic Church is so wealthy it makes Microsoft look small. It owns stocks in a lot of the banks globally too. Nothing greedier than a banker.

#4a. Sloth - Have you ever seen Pope Benedict jog or exercise? Nope. Me neither.

#4b. Acedia (Neglect) - Millions are dying in Africa from HIV/AIDS and Pope Benedict refuses to change the Catholic Church's stance on condom use. He won't even discuss the topic.

#5. Wrath - Have you seen some of the hateful things Pope Benedict has said about Judaism and Islam? I know they're rival religions, but come'on, being a hater isn't going to earn you any friends.

#6. Envy - This one is harder to prove. He may be envious of the fact that Islam is a growing religion whereas Catholicism is actually shrinking. Hmmm...

#7. Pride and Vanity - Gold, silk and diamonds on his clothing? Those are not the trappings of a holy man. That is the garb of a man who thinks too much of himself.

Cultural Differences

2012-02-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

I just thought this was funny.

And this one is funny too, but for different reasons.

I'm not African-American

2012-02-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

Okay if you want to get politically correct... I am Afro-Canadian. But whatever.

What is interesting is that some people prefer to use the old word many have tried so hard to avoid: "black"

There is even a Facebook group that is growing in popularity called "I'm not African-American" which is promoting the idea that black is the best word too choose.

"I prefer to be called black," says Shawn Smith, an accountant from Houston who is a member of the group. "How I really feel is, I'm American."

"I don't like African-American. It denotes something else to me than who I am," says Smith, whose parents are from Mississippi and North Carolina. "I can't recall any of them telling me anything about Africa. They told me a whole lot about where they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby, N.C."

Gibré George, an entrepreneur from Miami, started a Facebook page called "Don't Call Me African-American" on a whim.

"We respect our African heritage, but that term is not really us," says George. "We're several generations down the line. If anyone were to ship us back to Africa, we'd be like fish out of water."

Obama: The Disappointment

2012-02-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

POLITICS - The Boondocks had it right when Obama was elected president in the USA. Nothing really changed except the puppet directing the show.

The quest for a hat to suit my hair

2012-02-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Finding a hat to fit a difficult head of hair can be tricky for anyone, not just people with Afros.

I think part of it (one third) isn't just the issue of finding a hat that fits nicely with your hair tucked in perfectly, its the issue of identity. If the hat isn't you then you just won't want to wear it.

Maybe it has lines on it the wrong way and you don't like how it looks in a mirror.

Maybe its just the wrong colour and nothing matches it.

Hat hunting (especially in the cold winter months) can be very tricky. You want something warm that will protect your hair from the elements, but won't scrunch up your hair and give you "hat head" when you take it off.

For many people with Afros the answer is a beret-style hat like the one below.

But what if you don't like berets? Maybe you want a cowboy hat or something different. Its all very tricky.

Which brings me to the other 3rd of this conundrum: FASHION.

Or what if you're a man and beret's just don't suit your masculine physique? (See Men's Hats.) Well then you're just kind of screwed, aren't you? You have to cut your hair to match the king of hat you want to wear.

Such is life.

Beautiful Hair / Afros

2011-07-19T05:59:00.000-07:00