Back To The Grind

Sometimes I feel like I totally go off course and that I’ve been off course for a long time.  Thank God I am writing these blogs because it just proves to me that my little detours have only been for short periods as opposed to lifetimes.  I have so many things that I want to accomplish that I am not finding the time for and also getting held up in road blocks.  A couple of days ago I talked about not being able to actually upload my video content and not really knowing how to insert video from other sites…videos that I really liked and would recommend seeing.  So I need to give myself a little pat on the back for actually getting that help that I needed to be able to move forward. 

I have got to admit that that road block also transferred to my exercise time and my practice.  Its been about a week and half since I have a really good workout, a really good singing practice, and a guitar practice.  I wonder if the crazy weather attributed to it.   I know that the traffic to the city has been wearing me out, so I have made  a point to try and take the train a couple of time per week.  It is so much better for me stress wise.  I am not freaking out in traffic for and hour and half to go a distance that would regularly take me 20 minutes if there was no traffic at all.  AAAArrrggg!  It is so frustrating.

For a moment, my mind veared away from my singing and thoughts of another passion of mine, helping and motivating other women to live their dreams too, creeped in and took over for while.  I am formulating my plans to share with other women business owners how to utitlize the internet to take their dream business to the next level, especially mom’s, who feel like there is not enough time in the day for themselves nor their dreams.  I am going to keep developing on that plan but stay the course as far as my plans for my music career.

Ooooops! I did it again.

Ok. Nichole Ayanna here.  I disappeared again for about a week again.  I feel like I am really back on track though.  I had a lot of things to think about over the past week that I think, really took up my creative space.

I finally got some more training on actually doing my website.  There was a little learning curve…a little hurdle that I had to get over.  I couldn’t figure out how in the world to get my videos loaded into the website.  I thought I knew how to do it, but I was sooooo wrong.  I also needed to figure out how to load my Amazon.com recommendations.  This way I can share with you my favorite books, music, and other great trinkets,like the Flip video camera.  I got mine from Amazon at a great price and I love, so why not pass that bit of information on to you.  I also couldn’t figure out why, when you clicked over into my CDbaby.com website, that it did not allow my visitors to buy and download each song from my the Nik-Tash’Ta CD individually.  Finally, after about a month after I sent a “help me” email to CDBaby.com they responded, and told me what was wrong.  I had included our publishing company as the publisher of one the songs that we did on the album that was a remake.  I had to upload the correct publisher for the downloads to work properly.

That was a lot, right?  There are so many things that go into operating this website.  You’ve gotta remember, we just launched ion July, so this is all fairly new to me.  But, stay with me as I grow it and it becomes more full of wondreful music and videos, and other things that I love.  Let me know what you would like to see more of on my website.  I know I need to get the videos up.  As you see, that’s what I’ve been working on… More music and more photos are coming too…anything else?

Nichole Ayanna, where are you?

I have no idea where all the time went.  I can’t believe it has almost been a whole week since I have blogged.  I am really falling off in that area in my 90 day Challenge.  Well, that just means I have to dust myself off and recommit.  I have been trying to decide if I want to take on another business venture, one that has a very intriguing business model and staying power, BUT I am wondering how would I fit it into all of the things that I already do in my life.  My dedication and passion has to be in the direction of my family and music.  But this other piece just fits into my life so easily…uuuugggghhh!  Indecision!  I’ll keep you posted.

Got Good Hair?

Good Hair Movie Official Trailer

I was cracking up when I watched the trailor for Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair” Movie.   Of course as a black woman I could totally relate.  I remember back in college I actually did an anthrolpology research paper on the relationship black women had with their hair and all the different types of styles the women I interviewed were able to wear their hair.  I took photos of women with short naturals, to twists, dreadlocks, relaxers, jhery curls, and back in the day, my signature look were long individual braids.

I have done so much with my hair and know that black women can do so much with our hair that all of hair is “good hair” no matter how nappy or straight.  I know that we often define ourselves from how we wear our hair…but be on the look out for a song I wrote…I’ll post the lyrics, about hair. What do I mean by defining ourselves?  Well, the longer, silky hair,relxed or weaved is for the board room, dreadlocks are for your artsy spoken word types, braids are your around the way girls…those sort of definitions based on hair.    

I am sort of a camelion, when it comes to my hair.  I like to dye it, fry it, weave it, curl it, twist it, braid it, wig it…I am always changing my hair having fun with new looks.  So, I really don’t like my hair to define me…’cause like many of you, I am just gettin’ on my “grown woman”, trying handle things, and be all that I am.  Whether my hair is straight, curly, natural, or braided, I am still just me…Nichole Ayanna, the multi-faceted woman, singer/songwriter, mommy, motivator, wife, lover, lawyer, and much much much more as so many women are…

So more power to all my “good hair” sistah friends (all of you have “good hair”…don’t get it twisted…or maybe get it twisted? LOL) working your magic daily, as the strong, beautiful goddesses of the earth.  Peace, Songs, and Blessing…Nichole Ayanna.

Was It In The Stars?

There were so many challenges thaI faced over the past couple of weeks, I thought that something strange had to have been in the stars…things have just been crazy.  BUT, now, things seem to be turning back into a positive light.