Today is my dear friend Simon’s birthday. Simon is a lover of all 90′s music, none more than the 90′s one-hit-wonder. I still remember when “If You Love Me” by Brownstone came on when I was at a party of his, it was then that I knew we were friends for life. So I have decided to dress as our favourite member of Brownstone for his birthday – the one with the head scarf.

Photo credit: Holmes

White Men’s Business Shirt: Grandway

White Head Scarf: Material from Spotlight

Your hairstyle should not ruin your beauty sleep. Is it hard for you to keep your hair protected while you sleep? A silk scarf or pillow can prevent your hair from breakage,dryness & split ends as you sleep at night.

It will also help to keep your hair tangle free and easier to style when you wake up. Braiding your hair before bed is also an option. This restricts movement your hair at night, you minimize the amount of damage that could occur also. Sleeping in braids,pin curls or bantu knots are all great option for natural hair.

"No the hell I won't"

While we waited for 40 other people to mute their computers, Mr. J.Thomas walked into the screen.  He unbuttoned his suit, sat down, and addressed his employees.  When he finished wishing us a happy holidays and updating us on our fucked-up budget constraints, an executive manager named Shirley stood up and said, “Sir, we have a retirement gift for you”.  She reached under the table, brought out a large gift box and read a retirement card out loud, “We heard that you cut hair in your spare time, so we got you this box of barber’s essentials”.

Shirley, who’s white, stepped aside and let Lakeisha present the gifts.  Lakeisha opened the box and brought out a nice barber cape.  You know, those black shower curtains barbers throw over you that you can buy at your local urban beauty shop.

Right next to Family Dollar, VIM and Citi Trends

Mr. J.Thomas graciously accepted the gift and said, “I don’t know where you heard that I can cut hair, but I can’t”.  Lakeisha just ignored him and continued presenting barber-themed gifts to this guy.  She reached down into the box and pulled out a du rag.  I pulled my headphones off of my head and threw them at my screen.  Did the execs just give our vice president a du rag as a retirment gift?  Surely this must be a joke.  But to my dismay, Lakeisha began an attempt to legitimize the ridiculous gift.  She described the intricacies of the du rag and how its use often results in a follicular orientation that resembles waves.

"Word? You gonna tell them my secret"

I was astonished. I never thought I’d see some shit like that happen during a meeting.  I assumed that I was never going to see a du rag in the office ever. But Lakeisha wasn’t done.  This gift box had one more delightful treat in store.  As Lakeisha reached into the box, she began to introduce the next gift,

“Oftentimes in the barbershop, people talk, play music and sometimes they watch movies.  Well, a lot of times you can find this movie playing”

Then she brought out

A Tyler Perry film.  I almost blacked out from rage.  Not only do I hate Tyler Perry’s works and the way Derek Luke cries, but  this was also the most racist retirement gift package I had ever seen.  I looked back at my screen and watched Mr. J.Thomas staring at the conference table in his well-tailored suit, surround by white people he outranked, with a du rag and Madea Goes to Jail sitting in front of him.   He looked up at the webcam and said “Thank you” with an almost catatonic stare.  I think he might have been in shock.  I was at least.

"What just happened"

Somehow, with all of the accolades and all of the promotions, Mr. J.Thomas ended up with his arms full of nigga-shit at the last division-wide meeting of his career.  And that’s fucked up. These white people can’t be that oblivious.  I mean, you wouldn’t give Ms. Chang chopsticks for Christmas.

We have to look out for each other.  There were Black people present when the retirement gift decisions were being made.  Somebody should have said something, anything to stop this from occurring. White people are not going stop associating certain stereotypes with Black people, at least no time soon.  They’re going to do and say racist things, it’s a fact, it’s going to happen.  We have to do our part to nip that shit in the bud  before it gets out of control.  And we sure as hell don’t need to be reinforcing whatever narrow perceptions white people may have of us.  We don’t need to dissociate from elements of our culture but, I believe that exhibiting our diversity and range could help alleviate some of the ignorance and prejudice we encounter on the regular basis.  Which is hard to do with a du rag.

Stop the madness.

O.K.Kai

G UNIT DU RAG, Black

• Maximum sweat absorption and sun protection.
• Ties securely in back
• Flat-lock stitching produce smooth and comfortable fit
• Micro mesh top allows for heat to escape and keep you cool while working up a sweat.

TILBURG, 8|6|19 – Fred was born in Chicago. Almost one year ago, he moved to Tilburg. His father is Jamaican, his mother Dutch. He eats, not necessarily because of his background, one croquette roll every two days.

Everybody can play football. Even people with no talent whatsoever. That’s the sine qua non of football. If ball control wasn’t easy to obtain, the game would have been less popular and few people would be talking about it in television shows, cantinas and living rooms all over the globe.

The same goes for food, according to Fred, who studies International Economics & Finance in Tilburg. “It’s an easy, rewarding subject to talk about. Food improves your mood, as does talking about it. The croquette for example never tires me.”

Fred did not come to study in Tilburg because of Ad van Geloven Snacks, the croquette & spring roll factory in the Kraaivenstraat, but he might have immigrated earlier, had he known of its existence in Tilburg.

“In Chicago, where I was born, a croquette is considered a Dutch speciality,” he explains. “Croquettes are on the menu in expensive restaurants. They cost ten dollars a piece. In Holland you get them for one euro at Febo. Every two days I eat one croquette roll. At the Food Plaza I usually eat ‘de meesterkroket’.” Hence his nickname: Fred Kroket. To prove his nickname is Fred Kroket he asks a college friend about it. “Fredje Kroketje,” she answers straightaway.

“Apart from croquettes, asking about how people spent their weekends triggers long, entertaining stories,” Fred continues. “Just ask anyone: goed weekeinde gehad? Weekends, carnival, football, news, the future of mankind and, for some, annoyances are all great subjects of conversation.”

For Fred the benefits of studying in Holland are too. “Out here there’s no reason to stress about exams. If you fail a test, it’s never the end of the world. Just go to the resit a month later. In America you have to take the whole course again, a year later if you’re out of luck.”

Back to football: Fred used to play it in Jamaica, where his grandparents live. “My cousins and I played it all day long,” he says. “We never paused, except to eat, drink or sleep. And we were not the only ones. Nonetheless you rarely hear about Jamaican football stars. Maybe because there are only two million Jamaicans, and the population hardly increases. I don’t know.” Neither Fred knows what he will be doing after he graduates. “All I know is that I’ll be living a comfortable life. With a proper education, a Dutch and an American passport you can’t really go wrong as a bear.”

Interview and photo by Bart van Dijk.

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Black Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – White Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Blue Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

Bandanas are piece of cloth that are either cut to be a square or a triangle, then folded to wear on the body. They come in many colors, mainly one bright color like red, blue, green, yellow, black combined with white. The cloth is tied around the neck or head. Modern uses include more decorative purposes, while historical uses were actually more for protection than fashion. The word Bandana comes from a Hindi term, meaning to tie.

Bandanas were made the most famous by cowboys wearing them in old Western movies. However, they are commonly seen as being used by pirates, farmers, and railroad engineers as well. The main purpose was to use them to wipe sweat from the face area and keep dust out of the collars.

In modern times, bandanas are symbols of identity. One well known example is the bandana used by gangs. The Bloods wear red, while the Crips wear blue bandanas. The colors represent affiliation without requiring any personal interaction with members of either gang. However, just because someone might wear a bandana doesn’t mean that they are hoodlums or gang members. In fact, many people wear them, just because they are fun, and useful.

Individuals who wear lots of helmets find them as useful as well as the bandana acts as a barrier to protect the skin and hair. bandanas come in all sorts of styles and colors. There are some that have built in water bladders that can be pre-cooled in the refrigerator in order to ensure the wearer is kept cool on hot summer days. Pets, most often dogs, are frequently dressed in bandanas that match those worn by their owner, making it easy to tell which dog belongs to which owner at the dog park.

When it comes to costumes and uniforms, bandanas are one of the of the most common accessories. From western cowboys to hip hop stars, bandanas use crosses not only generations of time, but generations of people.

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has a huge selection of free party games, coloring pages, word find, word scramble, printable baby and bridal shower activities. Fun colorful red bandanas and in many other colors (yellow, blue, black, orange, green, and other pattern styles. Plus, costume masks, sunglasses, wigs and Hats.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Leino
http://EzineArticles.com/?Bandanas:-Trivia,-History,-and-Fashion&id=335695

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Tie Dye Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Harley Davidson Eagle Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Jolly Roger Pirate Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

The real question is when is he coming back on the scene? Where’s the real slim shady??

Black Nylon Doo Rag (Adjustable Size Scarf) $7.95 Now $1.99		White Nylon Doo Rag (Adjustable Size Scarf) $7.95 Now $1.99

As seen at the 99 Cent Only store. Is that Bel, Biv or Devoe?

Yea, it might seem a little young or a little lame to some to partake in the festivities, but it can be done right and can be tons of fun! Here are few things I’m thinking:

1. Green-themed St. Patrick’s Day house party: complete with Irish recipes, green and gold balloons, hats, beads, necklaces, etc.
2. St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl: Ladies, rock a green boa, green pumps & for the guys we have the sweatbands for you and if you’re smart you’ll don a “Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirt.

Send a comment and share how you party!

St. Patricks Day Shamrock Irish Sweatbands – 2 Piece Set
$8.95
Now $4.95

Green Head and Wrist Sport Sweat Bands (3 pc. Set)
$14.95
Now $2.45

Republic Of Ireland Flag 3′ x 5′ Irish (91.4 cm x 152.4 cm)
$24.99
Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Pink Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Green Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Black Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

If you can’t see the video, click HERE

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Red Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – White Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

12 Pack (1 dozen) – Blue Paisley Bandannas (bandanas) $33.00 Now $6.95

1. Sign up for special or “unadvertised” deals.

2. Avoid crowds by researching and shopping online.

3. Buy at the end of the season.

4. Stock up when prices are low.

5. Remember the “Rule of Three”: If an item has three different ways it can be used, you will not be wasting your money.

6. Shop for gifts year round.

7. Return purchases that do not meet your expectations.

If it sounds like most of these fit the 3rd Power Outlet model, you’re right! We strive to make you happy with your purchases and a smart, efficient shopper. The biggest take-away today should be to shop at the end of the season. We’re currently holding an end of winter clearance and winter items are marked WAY down. You can get beanies, ski hats, scarf sets, etc for rock bottom prices!

Brown Knit Beanie Winter Hat (One Size)
$14.99
Now $2.00

Yellow Gold Visor Knit Ski Hat
$14.99
Now $2.00

Cable Knit Matching Scarf & Hat Gift Set (Black)
$24.95
Now $3.00

A Du Rag in short is a form-fitting version of the bandana. The du rag fits very closely to the head and has a tie on the back for a nice tight fit. Du rags come in nylon, cloth, or stocking material and can be either solid or patterned. Both of these types of headwear are interchangeable. Most often bandanas are worn under helmets or other protective hats for comfort and protection. Bandanas are also used by bikers to wipe off the seats of the bike, with the dipstick when checking oil, clean the mirror, polish the chrome.. you get the point! Bandanas are extremely versatile.

Camo Green Biker Durag
Price: $2.99

12 Pack (1 dozen) – British Flag Bandannas (bandanas)
Price: $6.95

Would I pick one of the other?? Not really, in most cases, I’d keep a du rag on the head and a bandana in the pocket or around the neck for a fashion statement!

If you have thoughts or picks of you rocking a 3rd Power Bandana or Du Rag, send it in!