I AM DONE!!!!

woo hoo!!!! i am so happy its over. this morning i took the last comprehensive exam of my nursing program. yes i did! i am done!!!!

nov 22 i walk across the stage...and with honors at that!

what lies ahead of me hasn't quite sunk in, but what i've accomplished has opened a world of endless possibilities...i hope folks are ready ;o)

so proud! yet speechless

even though the polls were located in the lobby of my building, i was up early at 3am with the excitement of the upcoming election. unable to vote early because of my clinical internship, i've been looking forward to vote day for quite a while. i walked downstairs at about 5:40am; there were already 10 or so ppl in line. by 5:50am, the line reached down the hallway. by the time the i was called to the table to get my ballot, there was already 1-1.5 hr wait for those just joining the line! i finished voting by 6:20am (stacy didn't wake up with me, so he had to wait nearly 2 hrs to vote, lol!)

Barack H. Obama, the 44th President-Elect of the United States of America!

the night was simply amazing. never in my young life did i ever imagine that a black man would be elected president. in my children's lifetime, maybe. but, with all the injustice in the world today, not mine. not until now....

the crowd was electrifying. everyone was everyone's brother and sister, as the diversity of chicago flooded into downtown. chicago is known for its ethnic enclaves, but it didn't matter what side of the city or neighborhood you came from. we embraced each other like old friends. words cannot express the sensation of emotions that swept across me as i stood in unity with THOUSANDS of others in grant park. we hugged each other, laughed together, took pictures of one another. cheered and rejoiced together. the feeling of togetherness was...simply beautiful. and in chicago, nonetheless. a place where place pass each other on the street without eye contact, without speaking or acknowledging the presence of another. a place where senseless violence has claimed the lives of so many of our young people. a place where we came together PEACEFULLY to celebrate the election of our next black president. wow.

(yep, that's me with the sls and the blk power fist ;o) i just luv this pic!)

why do some people have 3, 4, and 5 sets of dreadlocks?

i'm really at a loss as to why some repeatedly start and stop and start locking their hair. the process of locking is to....involved (for lack of a better word) to continue to start the process over and over and over again. does this speak to one's commitment to the process? does this reflect on one's meaning/lifestyle behind being locked? are locks just another hairstyle? or is there *something* to be gained/learned/realized as we go through the process of locking 5, 10, or 20 years down the road?

i can understand if one tries to lock once, or even twice depending on the success of the first go-round, and then later decides it's not for him/her. and i can also understand if, after years of wearing locks, life takes you in a different direction and you decide that you need/want a fresh start....

...but my initial thoughts are more geared towards those who literally have had several sets of locks within a short amount of time (say, less than 3-4 years). i've entertained conversations with a few folks on this topic. some take the stance that ppl have the freedom to do whatever with their hair (the "do you" mentality); others feel that locking is simply becoming more of a fad or "just a hairstyle" as opposed to having any deeper significance or symbolism....i'm curious to know what you all think.....

for example....

i recently met a coworker who proudly cuts her locks every 1-2 years "just to change things up". she's on her 6th or 7th set of locks now. i asked her, why go thru the process if she knows she won't keep it up. she responded saying she likes locks, but "just gets tired of them" after a while. IMO thats way too much energy and confusion going into each set of locks....at the same time, i know her process is a direct reflection of who she is. i'm not saying that to be negative, but she's very much still trying to find herself. she changes with the wind, and so does her hair. just when she's getting settled with one thing, she flips the script and changes up her life, whether its her schooling/career/job area, residency, relationships, etc. her randomness is reflected in her hair (i havent shared this revelation with her, but this is the conclusion i came to after chit-chatting with her for a spell)

whether you rock your locks as a political statement or a hairstyle, one's locks reflect something about you...