The Bridge to Bliss

Day 9: Your feelings on ageism Ageism is one of those issues that, honestly, I need to do much better research on. I am mostly unsure as to where the dis balance is and where it rests. For example; in racism; people of color are marginalized. In sexism; women and femmes are marginalized. In classism; those in lower socioeconomic classes are marginalized. I don't know what the dichotomy is in ageism. Is it older or younger generations? I will say, however, that there is a lot of discriminatory language towards younger generations that I face. We don't have any respect. We don't have any will to get a job. We don't want to work for anything. All of this is said by the same generation that arguably ruined the American economy for us. Any, I will read up more on ageism, because I don't think I should have strong opinions on something I barely know anything about. XoXo -Si

Day 8: A book you love and one you didn't  A book that I love and will always recommend others to read is Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness." It's not a flowery fictional book, but it should honestly be a required reading in every university across the country. I read it my freshman year and I can say without a doubt that it still influences me in my studies, my work, and my goals for the future. Another book that I love (sorry this goes against the rules, oh well) is James Baldwin's " Giovanni's Room. " This is fiction and I read it this year for my Queer Literature class. It's a beautiful yet tragic love story that brought me to tears and laughter. This is another book that I highly recommend! --- A book that I didn't like was, unfortunately, Fran Ross' " Oreo ." I'm really sad, because the reviews of the book really raved about it and I really wanted to l

Day 7: What tattoos you have and if they have meaning Aw :( I don't have any tattoos. YET! I very much plan on "getting tatted" before I graduate from college (I should probably start saving up for that).  So instead of saying the meaning of tattoos I don't have, I talk/write about tattoos I plan to get and the reason I want them. Úbúntú Úbúntú, roughly, means "I am because we are." Basically, it says that my successes as an individual would not have been as significant without the support and help of my surrounding community. Because of what we are, I can. Basquiat crown Jean-Michel Basquiat was an awesome alternative artist who expressed cultural inequalities, social structures and contemporary issues through his art. This crown is one of his (or one of THE) most popular symbols to date. To honor my love of art, social change, and inner self-confidence, I'd like to get this. The Soul of Detroit The Soul of Detroit is a monument in

Apologies to everyone who has been checking the Bridge to Bliss for my blog posts of November's 30 Day Writing Challenge! My mom and sisters came to visit me on campus this weekend, so the past few days have been dedicated to entertaining them and showing them a great time. However, never fear!! I am back and going to put some real elbow great into finishing days 6-9 of the challenge!! --- And without further ado... Day 6: Someone who fascinates you and why   I am very much a people-watcher. I often enjoy sitting back and observing others' actions. One person in particular who fascinates me is President Obama. He is so far removed from "normal" life that I wonder how he (and his family) interact with each other and with the greater public at large. When I was going to homecoming/prom in high school, my father was unbelievably over-protective. How does a president speak to his daughter's date to the dance? When I started writing for MadameNoire.com, I

Day 5: A place you would live, but have never visited Ohhh boy do I have the answer to this! So, I'm going to break the rules a little bit and do a domestic place and an international place, because this is my blog and I can. Domestic Place: Atlanta, GA Ohhhhhh Atlanta. Hotlanta. Though I've never been to Atlanta, I've heard so many good things about the place. Culturally, Blackness thrives. Financially, it competes with NYC and Chicago. Artistically, it cannot be beat (the music scene, the visual art scene, all sooooo beautiful!) In addition to the fact that the weather there is beautifully warm (living in the midwest all of my life has been quite tiring), Atlanta has an abundance of Black people doing dope things. I could only hope to live there succesfully and fiercely, kind of like Mary Jane Paul. Right?  ATLANTA I'M COMING FOR YOU! International Place: Salvador da Bahia, Brazil Upon learning Portuguese, I would sooooo love to live in THIS SPECI

Day 4: Ten interesting facts about yourself It is prompts like these where I am forced to see the true power of words. Many times, it is easy to conflate interesting and good, but they are separate words and have separate meanings. I feel like a lot of people will respond to this prompt with facts that are all positively lit, instead of just interesting. Interesting (adjective): arousing curiosity or interest; holding or catching the attention. This girl right here is super interesting! So here we go! I am an extroverted-introvert. I love people, and I'm one of the most socially involved people I know. But I think that I have a meter inside of me, and when I've gotten to my pressure point of human-to-human interaction, I'm definitely apt to holing up in my room and not talking to anyone. Personally, being in spaces with others often shows me how much we as people perform for each other. Sometimes it's cool to be a part of this theatrical show, but every

Day 3: Your first love and first kiss; if separate, discuss both  My first love and first kiss are most definitely separate instances. I'll go in the order of which they happened. MY FIRST KISS... Happened in elementary school, I wish I were joking (I don't...YOLO). To a kid that I had a crush on. It was nap time, and obviously we weren't napping. All I really remember was making faces at each other and then my mind draws a blank until we reached and kissed each other, all the while still laying on our separate cots. Clearly I had the juice even way back then ;) MY FIRST LOVE... Oh boy, I definitely remember this one. Jeez, it's only day 3 and we're already into my love history? Anyway, my first love was my first (real) boyfriend ever. We met when I was a freshman in high school. He was a junior. We were in the same phys-ed class and after a few weeks of me not noticing him, one of my friends told me that he had a crush on me. At first, I was like "NO!

Day 2: Your earliest memory Hmmmm.......I'm not sure I remember. I sure don't remember sliding out of my momma, thank God. I think I'm going to go with when my mom finally came home with my little sister. I had just turned four in August, and it was October. My sister was born on the 13th, but sadly she had contracted pneumonia, so she had to stay in the hospital. I just remember having to take trips to the hospital to see my mom and being confused as to why she couldn't come home. I would be at home with my dad, sit in my room and play with my Barbie dolls, and wait. What else was a 4-year-old to do? I had no idea what pneumonia even was, and no one really took the time to explain it to me. Thinking back on it now, I really realize how worried my parents must have been. Grown men and women die every day of pneumonia, and Kaychel (my sister's name) was not even a week old. But fast forward to when they finally came home. My dad was so happy, I think he crie

Day 1: Five problems with social media This is a fun one. I, for one, love social media (it's because of social media that I found this challenge) but everything has its drawbacks. Here goes it! People acting like a completely different person Saying things on social media that you would never say in person used to be something that happened few and far between. Now? Having a conversation with someone on social media and then talking to them in person really shows how that phenomenon isn't rare anymore. The privilege of being behind a screen offers people the change to say terrible things (racist, sexist, generally horrid) and click "share," knowing darn well that they would never even think to say such a thing out loud.  Guys get lazy and think liking my picture is "hollering" at me Putting that heart-eye emoji has guys thinking that they've successfully communicated to me that they are feeling me. Boy, could they not be any more wrong. Like

This month (November for all of you who may live under a rock), I'll be participating in a writing challenge! Rebuilding my creative juices and aligning my creative chakras will not only help me express myself better, but it will also help my writing skills in general! See the rules for each day HERE ! I'm really excited, because the last time I did a writing challenge, it was Luvvie's #31writenow challenge and it was so good for me! See my blogs for that challenge HERE ! Since it's the 3rd of the month, I'm doing days 1-3 all on today! But after that, I'm making sure I do every day! If you want to join, post your link in the comments so we can be supporting each other through this time! Heeeerrrrrreeeeeee we go :) XoXo, Si

Good morning everyone!! I don't know if you all know, but I am a proud type 4 hair girl! What does that mean? Well, according to NaturallyCurly.com: Type 4 hair can range from fine and thin to wiry and coarse with lots and lots of strands densely packed together. Coily hair has fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type, which means that it has less protection from the damage inflicted by combing, brushing, curling, blow-drying and straightening. Simply put, it's the most dense and tightly coiled hair. It also doesn't get as much love and representation in larger media, but I have really grown to love my hair. Anywho, a big thing with any type of natural hair is shrinkage, when your hair in its curly/coily state is much shorter than it would be straightened. Due to summer humidity, I get craaaaazy shrinkage (75% shrinkage, to be exact). And I like BIG hair! So I'm always trying new techniques on stretching my mane.  Check out my latest try! Sh

In the words of rapper Rick Ross, "These [straight heat damaged pieces of hair] can't hold me back!" ...okay, so maybe he didn't say that verbatim, but I am! If you've been keeping up to date with my hair chronicles, you'd know that I recently got my hair straightened for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago to get a trim and do a length check. Good news: My hair has tremendously grown!  Bad news: I HAVE HEAT DAMAGE AHHHHHH NOOOO THE DEVIL!!!! Pro-tip: Don't go to a new stylist who has no experience with your hair for straightening. For real. Some of the straight pieces. What's crazy is that none of the damage is on my ends. All roots. Some more of the damage :( So yeah, I've started a new and improved hair regimen to bring my hair back to health (check out the first installation of said new hair regimen HERE .) --- After watching [too many] YouTube videos and reading [far too many] articles on caring for my hair, I

It's official: This Q-redew is a gift from God herself. Yesterday, I used it to refresh an old rod set/ twist out/braid out because I was too lazy to wash my hair. "I'll just wash it during the weekend," I thought. That was before I found out I have heat damage!!!!! Yes; alas after my most recent hair straightening endeavor (see pics here of when it was straight), I found straight pieces of hair today while messing around in my head. Needless to say, I was and am still devastated. I've been natural for 2.5 years and I've always tried to be safe and keep my hair healthy. So of course, my "I'll wash it later," thoughts flew out of my head with a swiftness and were replaced with "I NEED A PROTEIN TREATMENT ASAP," thoughts. And when I got home, that's what I did, using: Honey (for added moisture to the protein) 1 Egg (great protein source) 1 tablespoon of Mayo (great protein source) 1 tablespoon of yogurt (more protein b

Hello all!! So, for my birthday, I bought myself (yes, I buy myself gifts) a Q-Redew Handheld Hair steamer! Upon arriving back home from a business trip, I was SO excited to see the steamer waiting for me. For months, I've watched and read reviews that said the steamer boasts the following benefits for hair: Easy moisturizing  Easy detangling Softening of hair Opening of hair shaft Makes hair more manageable  Not too bad for some benefits, right? Anywho, I already knew that steam does wonders for hair and especially natural hair, but sitting under a hooded dryer for an hour is definitely for the birds. Cue Q-Redew. What can I say? I'm a believer!!! I used the steamer to refresh an ollllllllld rod set/twist out/braid out that I wasn't yet ready to wash (since it's mid-week and I don't have time for that). Instantly I noticed that the Q-Redew seemed to melt the tangles away, I was able to pull the prongs through my hair with little to

Meeting My Boyfriend's Family by sierra-lanae featuring a red skirt

Meeting My Boyfriend's Friends by sierra-lanae featuring strap sandals

View this collection on Polyvore Grown 'N Sexy by sierra-lanae on polyvore.com

Don't Talk to Me by sierra-lanae featuring a mini dress

Junior Year Stuntin' by sierra-lanae featuring a back to school outfit

One thing I love about Black History Month is the widespread celebration on the different nuances of our culture. The sciences, the liberal arts, all of it gets the recognition it deserves.  One of my favorite human's on this earth, Mara Brock Akil, the beautiful mind behind Girlfriends, The Game and my current favorite show BEING MARY JANE recently had an interview in which she said some powerful words regarding the diversity of the Black experience. Mary Jane is "beautifully flawed," as we all are. "Black women...we're trying to sort of correct this wrongness that has been done to us, so we want positive to combat all of these negative stereotypes. We're human beings we're going to make mistakes." I love this...all of this! Every time someone goes, "Characters like Mary Jane [and Olivia Pope and etc.] are damaging for the Black community," they ignore that the Black community, like any community, is multidimensional. It's beau