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Happy Thanksgiving!

Jen and I didn't travel anywhere this year. Dad came by for a spell and hung out. Mom had plans over a cousin's house. We just chilled. I'm sure Christmas will be different.
We will however be heading to Dallas for our nephew's playoff game at Texas Stadium on Saturday. He's a Senior leading running back at Arlington Bowie. He's always had football in his heart starting at a young age. Travis is strong and has a lot of tenacity! Go Volunteers! Well, I thought I'd share a Thanksgiving pic. Tomorrow's my 5 yr anniversary! Another big post awaits!!!! Blessings...

Once In A Lifetime - Go Vote Now!

Introducing Dalton Sherman-For All Educators

OK, I'm inspired beyond belief!! You will be, too!

Kalee's Married now!

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Mark Perkins!

Kalee's getting married!

Jen and I are heading to Houston/Galveston for my god daughter's wedding on Saturday.
The older picture was taken almost 8 years ago when I had my 1st and last two-strand twists. I was so nervous heading home to Houston from Sacramento when I got my hair done. Everyone was used to me having braids in my hair alll the time. Of course three years later I got me some Sisterlocks. More updates when we return. Wish us safe traveling grace, please.

Heading to CAMT in the morning! Plus Teaching Update

I'll be attending CAMT until Friday in Dallas and hope to bring back a lot of useful material to use with my students. I'll be rooming with some other teachers from another district at Hotel Lawrence but the meetings will be at the Sheraton, formally the Adam's Mark. I am thankful the school district's professional development department is helping me attend this much needed math conference. Thank you Dr. H. and WISD!

I realized I hadn't given an update on my students with their 7th Math TAKS test. We made our number, however our school is still rated unacceptable by TEA standards. We didn't meet the standard in another subject/grade level. Even though TEA closed down two of the four schools who were in the same situation as my school, the strides our students made across the board in all other subject areas didn't warrant closing our middle school. Whew! The kids worked really hard. I had only four students get commended, but many were eight or less questions from getting commended. The end of the year was easy breezy because the kids were feeling "so smart" because of their successes. We ended the year on a great note! I did have more than I wanted who failed, but most were to be expected from being a couple of grades below level, poor attendance, behavior, and a sour taste in their mouthes about Math I just couldn't sweeten them up on. I tried my best, and only anticipate more improvement from them next year and years to come.

One of the sweetest memories I'll have from my babies was having a few of them tell me constantly at the beginning of the year, and throughout the year for that matter, that they hated math and didn't understand why they had to do it. Some of those very same students not only passed their math TAKS test, but came to me before school ended and said, "Miss Evans, I used to didn't like math, but I kinda like it now. Thank you."

Well, to add more good news, a few who were over-aged went to accelerated summer school and will be skipped up to the 9th grade, their right grade in the fall. You don't want to know how many over-aged students I had. I think it's an epidemic. Nonetheless, you keep on striving, never giving up.

Not because I intended it or planned it, but by timing beyond my control, I was offered a transfer back to the school I subbed 8th Math/Algebra 1 long term back in the fall of '06. I will not be a grade level math teacher, but primarily focusing on TAKS Math & Reading. It will be a challenging assignment as I will have 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, for both Math and Reading. My biggest concern is that since this is only my 2nd year teaching, I'll be struggling to build up my supplies without having to constantly "borrow" other teachers' supplies.

With that being said, I am doing what I put off doing last year, which is having an "on-line" teacher shower. I'm asking for anyone who wants to "donate" to my supply fund, to do so by either my email address, mymk1070 @ yahoo.com paypal account, or by sending donations directly to the teacher supply places in town The Learning Center. I also find plenty of manipulatives and supplies at Mardel, Office Max and of course Walmart/Sam's. I lived in each of these stores, mostly dreaming of supplies I wished I could buy for my classroom and the kids. I know I gave probably a whole paycheck easily to them last year, cause it was just necessary. I know it will be the same because I'm not "taking" over another teacher's position, with their Math and Reading supplies on the shelf. That very thought scares me. My principal assures me that I can use anything in the "math closet", but for those of you who are teachers, you know that having your "own" TI graphing calculator is not the same as a teacher as "checking" one out. So for those who would like to share in my on-line "teacher shower, please do. I appreciate any help and thank you in advance. Blessings and good night!

My Sisterlocks Slide Show

Here's a slide show from the beginning. There's lots of pics, but they move pretty fast. You can choose to view with music or mute sound. Enjoy!

So much to do...so little time

I can get a project done. My problem is, I get bored easily and find myself looking into doing something else. I know I have TONS of stuff on my plate (cleaning my house would be #1), however I get easily distracted. For instance, I have soooo many videos from previous lock gatherings that I wanted to upload. See a year or so ago we had this big idea to put something together to send to Oprah, with hopes she'd invite Dr. Cornwell on the show to talk about natural hair, specifically Sisterlocks and the such. Well, those many videos are hidden on my external hard drive feeling much neglect. So as a forewarning, those of you ladies who volunteered to allow me to video you, just know that you will see some "way back" videos of your own hair, which will give testimony of how far you've come from. Sooo, please be patient with me. With that being said, I planned on doing a good ole' video of my 2, 3, and 4 yr mark and it never transpired. I did however find a sister who posted someone's 4 yr anniversary on her blog and it gave me inspiration to get something accomplished this summer while I have a little time off. So, here's the video. Enjoy! And look for something from me in the near or distant future. Peace...

I was getting a little nervous

Most bloggers, like myself, who like to have a big intro or pics/slideshows at the top of their blogs may now see future dating when they publish. I used it last weekend and thought it was pretty cool, to do a double post and spread it out over a span of time. Then I was wondering if it would impede my having a future post that would only be "scheduled" and not "planned" as a current post with a future date. I went to the Blogger Buzz and found the updated info on the new changes. Check it out here!

http://buzz.blogger.com/2008/05/blogger-now-schedules-future-dated.html

And by the way, it's 8:51AM and I'll be "future" posting this tonight!

Did Garrett Morgan ruin Black Women's Minds and Hair?

I've been meaning to do some google research on the damaging effects of chemical relaxers for the longest and found this website.
It discusses some little known history of chemical relaxers.
So a black inventor was the forerunner of an industry now dominated by non-blacks?

Like Arsenio Hall used to say, on his Nightly TV Show,

It's one of those things that make you go

" Hum-mmm " ..... !

Locked Wedding Styles & Engagement Photo shoots

Since Jen and I are trying to get our side gig of event photography going, I check in from time to time with Knight Photography, out of Atlanta. Knight is phenomenal and knows how to capture moments with beauty and simplicity. He is a professional wedding photographer, which Jen and I aren't aspiring to be. However, he shares not only tips and fantastic photos, but creative shots, especially the engagement shoots, which Jen and I have and will do.

So we came across a lady who had locks. They looked like Sisterlocks, but could have well been smaller Traditional locs. To my amazement, they were renewing their vows after 30 years! You can check out their pics HERE and see how the bride donned her crown for the special event. Here's an New York engagement session he took and the couple both had locks down their back! I'm really curious as to how both of them will be wearing their locks on the wedding day.

Here's a fotki album of a wedding couple who both are rocking naturals. Real Nice!!!

My god-daughter Kalee is getting married in August. I drove down to San Antonio on Spring Break to take engagement photos of her and her fiancé. I'll be sharing a few shots below for your viewing pleasure soon.

Retightening: From Spaghetti to Worms

Jen got a picture or two of my hair at almost 54 months (4 1/2 yrs) yesterday after we took Mom out to Cheddar's for Mother's Day dinner. Jen kept saying, "girl your hair is long!!!!" The second picture was really telling when compared to the back view of my hair on day one.

Now I'm half way finished retightening my hair and need to be finishing up the top right now, but I had to blog about one of my student's comments about my hair this morning. I'd spent dang near all day on Friday with this girl along with about 9 others at Six Flags, and I spend approximately 135 minutes a day with her (675 minutes a week with her as well) because she's in my advisory and double booked class. She's Hispanic and has been quite fascinated with my hair; she's touched it, played in it, read the SL Journals, and the whole nine yards.

Well this morning, she comes behind me during our transition period and starts touching my hair. I say nothing of it cause I don't trip. She then proceeds to say, "Miss E's hair looks like spaghetti." I kinda ignore her cause it wasn't necessary to correct her, IMO. A few kids make some nervous snickers, thinking the comment would make me mad. She comes from around me and sits right in front of me and then says, "Miss E's hair looks like worms." Now, not only does she have my attention, but the attention of the whole class. I just stop and look at her. The kids are cutting their eyes between me and the student wondering what I was gonna say. The stare lasted longer than she could manage and then she tucked her head and said, "I'm sorry Miss E."

With the exception of a few "mixed" kids and the Hispanic girls, my hair is probably the longest at my school. We have lots of braids, lace-fronts, weaves, "twig tails", extensions and the like, but my kids and most adults know my hair is real. The other kids looked a little offended cause what she said was uncalled for. I'm sure my hair has gotten called worse things behind closed doors.

But it does lend for some sort of truth. If your locks start to mature, they will begin to look tubular and round, like say spaghetti or indeed worms. So, I guess in the eyes and opinions of locked folks, I imagine you could say she gave me a compliment. Whatever the case, I guess I'm glad she had the comfortableness or blind ignorance to say it to my face. Had she said it elsewhere, she may not have been gently rebuked. Oh well. Here's how my hair was today. I've worn it like this many times before because it's easy to put up and hair is not in my face.