Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Chris Rock has a new documentary out called Good Hair. This would be a terrific time to purchase What Happened to the Afro? at http://stores.lulu.com/kakonged. Enjoy!

Sit-Ups to the Rescue

A former student of mine at Seneca College is looking terrific. Her stomach has shrunk significantly after her dedication of doing 300 sit-ups a day. I found this knowledge inspiring.

I was speaking to a colleague of mine who was pointing out that most people who have been trained in voice breathe from the diaphragm. Due to this fact, it develops the stomach muscles and causes a bit of a paunch. Since like my colleague, I use my voice for a living, most likely I would not ever have a female version of a washboard stomach. I would always have a bit of a paunch. I do believe this. This is fine for me. Ultimately it is healthier and improves the voice to breathe from the diaphragm.

The Best of Donna Magazine Published

You can take Donna Magazine with you anywhere! While you are on the bus, in the doctor's office - anywhere. You can buy it now in hardcover, paperback or ebook format at: http://stores.lulu.com/kakonged.

The Issue of Weight

I recently was dating someone (very briefly) who told me that if I were to lose more weight he would find me more attractive. Well, some may think that at least he was being honest and I do appreciate his honesty. The thing is that telling someone that is also a form of control. It is far from acceptance and when you are with someone - you are with them. Outside of grievous errors to their personality that you as a partner can help them to learn and grow from - if you do not like your partner's size, colour, height - whatever those fickle external things may be - then leave. You can always find someone who will be more attractive to you, however would be different in many other ways.

Call it age or something, I'm not sure what it is - however, I do not find myself as obsessed about my image the same way I was when I was younger. As long as I shower, wash my hair on the days I have planned to do so, plus comb my hair and dress in something cheery that does not have holes or smell - really - I am happy after that. Is this a good way to attract a man? Well, time will tell on that front. As much as I know and understand beauty - it is not the only thing I am looking for in a partner. Even though I did my thesis on a topic that may seem quite vain to some (about hair), truly my point was to get to the root of the issue - what is inside the head more than what is on the outside. This society needs to stop being so image conscious and focused on first impressions. What ever happened to the art of communication in order to get to know someone, rather than the art of show and tell? There is a difference.

Some may say it is just a human thing. Even a thing for all creatures. We mate based on physical appearances. I really cannot say I have the answer to this one, if you have thoughts...please do chime in. If you would like to have more information about Natural Beauty, I have a book by that name that can be bought at: http://stores.lulu.com/kakonged.

The Glories of Castille Soap

Nothing else has helped to grow my hair as the combination between castile soap and olive oil.

I used to use this combination while in my mid-20s and (age too) helped to grow my hair into the middle of my back. I wish I had pictures, however you will have to take my word for it. Not only is castile soap ph-balanced, it also contains essential oils that are perfect for super curly hair. The olive oil also added oil to my hair too, however sometimes I would feel as though my head was baking during the summer time.

At Noah's Health Food store at Spadina and Bloor in Toronto, I bought my first bottle of Dr. Bonner's Castile soap in ages. It was wonderful that I actually remembered the shampoo that had been so good for me for so long. The only reason why I ever stopped using it was because when I moved to Montreal - I was not in tune with the health food store shopping thing and picked up Lush products (which were not bad) instead.

If you have super curly hair, you may find castile soap to be exactly what you need. I am still going through my bottle of the ph-balanced glycerine soap I bought before. By time the really cool, harsh and dry weather comes - which can play havoc on super curly hair - my castile soap will be there to protect me.

The Issue of Magazines

Magazines can be a wonderful thing. When I was younger, my sister and I created a magazine called Miss Sassy. My Dad was working for the Ministry of Natural Resources then and he would come home with these glossy pieces of paper that as a true environmentalist, he did not want to throw out. So, he gave them to us. We created issues of a magazine out of these pieces of paper. The magazine ran during the early 1980s.

It was fun doing that magazine. We would do the drawings of our dolls, some of them Barbies, and there was always a cover model. Since we both really enjoyed watching Little House on the Prairie, we would have the late Michael Landon do the interviews with the cover model for the inside spread of the magazine. Our knowledge of magazines came from all the pre-teen rags that were out there that we devoured.

All this to say that creating your own magazine can be a wonderful experience. I have my own now called Donna that you can look at here: http://kakonged.wordpress.com. So you see, my interest in these things run deep. I also remember how much reading and looking at magazines such as Glamour, Vogue and Elle affected how I felt about myself as a teen and how damaging some of those images were.

It is a great thing that I went to journalism school and did my graduate degree in media studies, plus continue to work in the field. This allows me to look critically at the images in the media, such as magazines, and not to be affected by them as much as I was as a teenager. I can now look at a beautiful woman in a magazine and not wish to be exactly like her. I can now look at expensive things in a magazine such as Vanity Fair and not pine wistfully for things I do not have such as a private jet. Who knows...they may come in time any way, however these are not things that I truly do not desire. With age and wisdom it is much easier to define yourself, yet still be creative if you chose to be.

PH Balanced Shampoos

I have always found PH-balanced shampoos to be the best. As my sister says, they restore the moisture that needs to be restored to your hair. I have started using this kind of shampoo and already I have received comments on how much stronger my hair looks.

When I was in my 20s and my hair grew into the middle of my back in a natural state, I was living on PH-balanced shampoo and olive oil. I do not plan to go back to the olive oil, however I am already extremely happy with the PH-balanced shampoo.

You can find PH-balanced shampoos at any health food store. Many of these shampoos also have multi-purposes so you can use them for your hands and body.