Category Archives: Lifestyle

What Foundation Fits You?

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Are you tired of fighting with so many foundation brands? With so many options it may be hard picking the perfect one. Should you buy oil-free, full-coverage, or sheer? I am here to help you find out what is best for you.

First, the best foundation should disappear into the skin. If this is the only thing you take from reading this, remember that the best foundation disappears into the skin. It keeps the lines, wrinkles and pores from showing, but also covers the redness on the face.  

Before buying you might want to try one out. You cannot judge the bottle by the color. I would recommend going somewhere like Ulta, Dillard’s, or Sephora. Although you may not buy from these stores, they are able to apply it for you and give you an idea about the brand. Do not buy the foundation and get home to find it is the wrong shade. When you find the right brand that you enjoy using, you may can find it cheaper at your local Walmart, drugstore, or even online.

When you go to these places to find the best foundation that disappears into the skin, arrive with a clean face. Do not show up with a full face of makeup on. This may affect the way colors show up to the skin. The best parts to test foundations are the jawline or cheek. After application, check the colors under natural light or the lighted mirror in the store. Keep in mind that your shade varies from seasons such as winter and summer.

Picking the right formula for the skin may be tricky, but here is a tip. Many women’s skin changes with the weather. Winter season, your skin may tend to be dry, while in the summer it may be oily. If your skin is dry, look for hydrating or rich moisture on the bottle. If your skin tends to be oily, look for oil-control and oil-free bottle. If you’re in between, mineral foundation may be the best way for you. It works well on mostly any type of skin and sensitive skin.  

Lighter coverage is better in the summer and creamier, heavy cover for the winter. Many foundations will read on the bottle about the types. Also, you always want the best foundation that should disappear into the skin.  

Start Wrong? Finish Strong!

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Back to school I go…

Most older people think of going back to school and immediately say, “nope, not me…it’s too late!” However, the key to finishing anything is to simply start. Now, degrees aren’t for everyone but if they are…if it’s what you want, then why not go get it? Now, I’m not oblivious to life and the various ways one can be challenged but “Failure will never overtake you if your determination to succeed is strong enough” (Og Mandino).

Many people look at going back to school as failing before even starting. However, failure and failed attempts are two different things. If you don’t succeed at something the first time, keep trying until you get the desired outcome or something better. For example, I’m 24 and going to get my bachelor’s degree. Many people say, “oh, you’re still young, that’s not too bad.” However, most of my high school classmates have completed either their bachelor’s or have landed their career job! My current classmates are between 19-21 and when they find out I’m 24, I always get an odd look or “oh, my sibling is the same age and s/he is working with such and such company!

Despite the minor embarrassment or the occasional panic attacks when I realize how close I am to 25, I appreciate the detour I took to get here. I didn’t go right off to college like my high school peers but in the short time since I graduated in 2013, I’ve traveled to amazing places like the top of a mountain in Colorado, received great internship opportunities, and met amazing people from known celebrities to cooperate business professionals!

Final words: Trust the detour, its part of the process! If you are 24 like me or 45 like others and you want to go back to school…do it! If you started wrong? You can STILL FINISH STRONG!

Simply Start.

Daily Kinky Hair Routines

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Natural hair takes time and effort to grow and keep healthy, especially if you don’t have a routine of how you take care of your hair. Everyone’s routine is different, some people wash their hair every day, every week, and some wait even longer. There are naturally oily scalps and there is a naturally dry scalp. And knowing how your hair reacts to different products is especially important.

If you’re like me, for example, I have very thick, kinky hair, and my scalp is always dry. In turn, I part my hair to make sure every inch on my hair has been taken care of when moisturizing and oiling my scalp daily, otherwise I will have dandruff everywhere. My mother has thin, wavy hair and scalp keeps oil longer compared to mine. She can wash her hair every day, and her daily hair routine doesn’t take so long.

Products

Finding natural hair products are becoming easier because more people are coming out with products, the only barrier I face is the cost. I find some products on the expensive side but work so well with my hair. If I feel like the product is worth it then I continue with it, if not my main goal I find a good oil, tea tree, coconut, and almond are a few I use. For other oil, choices click here.

Options

After the day of getting my big chop, I was a new person. I had to form myself a routine to keep up my new hairstyle.

I tried washing every day, moisturize, but eventually, my scalp said no. I used Cantu for a year or so and then my hair became immune to the whole product line. Eventually, I found a product good to hold my hair, and I flat twisted it on Sundays and I kept it all week for the next week to wear a fro. When my hair was long enough, I started wearing box braids. Oiled my scalp and may be used mouse or oil sheen every now and then. This was my routine: braids for about three months let my hair breath for a week or two and get braids again. Living in Texas, the heat is unbearable so during the summer I would wear my natural out all three months but would get my braids as soon as school started back. Not too much maintenance and my hair grew so fast. Until it didn’t grow anymore. Now I am on another journey to grow it longer.

Not everyone can wear box braids, but there are other options.

Find your routine, whether it is washing every day or every two weeks. Stick to one product or multiple products. Or use protective styles every now and then.

Before Buying Your First Guitar

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Finding the right guitar can be a fun and exciting experience. However, there is so much to consider before you purchase your first guitar. Whether you want an electric guitar or an acoustic, it is important to know what sound you want to achieve. Acoustic guitars are soft and mellow in sound. It is the type of guitar you play around a camp fire, for example. Electric guitars are raw and more vibrant in sound. If you want to shred some riffs and rock, an electric is the guitar for you.

In addition to knowing what sound you want to achieve, you will have to consider purchasing oil for the neck of the guitar, picks, extra strings, pedals, and amps, all the things you will need for guitar maintenance to make your guitar last longer. These vary depending on the type of guitar that you purchase, but know that you will be spending quite a bit when you get started.

Something to consider is the cost of the guitar and additional gear that you will need for maintenance. The typical guitar costs as low as $300 and as high as $3000. Something to remember here is the quality of the guitar. You will typically see quality reflected in the price of the guitar. The best thing to do is shop around because you might find a great guitar in a pawn shop or you can find a reasonably priced guitar at a local music store. Definitely don’t be afraid to check out the higher-end guitar sellers, such as Fender and Gibson because they might be able to give you a better idea of what you are looking for. A cool place to check out, especially if you are ever in Chicago, Chicago Music Exchange. They have a great selection of guitars to choose from, in addition to other musical instruments.

If you want an electric guitar, keep in mind that you will be spending more on additional items for your guitar. Electric guitars rely on amps to amplify their sound. You can also change the sounds of your electric by hooking up pedals to your amp, such as the wah-wah pedal or an overdrive pedal. That being said, the acoustic is a great first guitar because it tends to be a little less costly than an electric, nor does it require as many accessories.

Something to also consider in the process of purchasing your guitar is the playability of the guitar. Definitely go for a thin-necked guitar with good flexible strings so that you will have a more comfortable time playing. Go and play around with the different guitars in person to find what feels right to you. Something to consider as well regarding playability is whether you are left-handed or right-handed, but no worries! They make guitars for both lefties and righties.

After you purchase your first guitar, whether acoustic or electric, remember that practice makes perfect. You might not sound like Van Halen or Slash from Guns N Roses right away, but with time you can achieve that level of play. Ultimately, guitar is one of the coolest instruments to learn to play, and is one of the most popular instruments on the market today.

MeOmyO! Ville Platte Platters

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A new family owned restaurant has opened in Texarkana, Texas. If you are down for some good Cajun food, this is the happening place for you. MeOmyO’s is now open on State Line Avenue for you to come check out!

Trevor Aslin and his brothers have been in East Texas for quite some time, but were raised in Ville Platte, Louisiana. This interested him in to opening a restaurant to show off his works of art in certain dishes that are dear to him and his family. “Having the whole variety of Cajun food in one place is difficult, so we just like to keep it Ville Platte style,” Aslin said. He went on to explain his step mom Cyn who was also Cajun, showed them to use the ‘trinity’ which (is a combination of onion, bell pepper and celery.

I’ve known this family my whole life and can tell you the flavor and richness in their food makes it Cajun. Many people think of the spiciness, but if it doesn’t have the flavor of the ‘trinity’ it is not as flavorful. Cyn will be visiting often to cook for the restaurant and also share new recipes with her boys. MeOmyO’s is named after an alligator that lives on their bayou property, and the logo has a secret joke, if a customer looks long enough.

Many great things are coming to the menu of this restaurant as they build from the baby steps of this new business. “We will be expanding our hours and adding menu items as time goes on, but we want to make sure we are ready for each step,” Aslin said.  As of February 12th, they posted on their MeOmyO’s Facebook page they are open till 9pm. So, if you haven’t already, try out some crawfish etouffee, Cajun shrimp ravioli, or a Po Boy sandwich. It is located on 2122 N. State Line Ave.

Marshall Health Nuts

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Healthy restaurants are hard to come by in Marshall, Texas. Just recently a new restaurant opened up called the Health Nut, bringing new varieties of healthy foods that most places in Marshall cannot offer. Health Nut offers foods such as vegan wraps, sandwiches, and tasty smoothies. For snacks, they offer acai bowls and fruit. While this place is quite small, it has a lot to offer the small town of Marshall.

During the grand opening, I was able to talk to the owner, Jane Hollifield. Mrs. Hollifield said her idea behind Health Nut was more of a lifestyle she and her husband developed years ago. It was not money motivated, she simply just wanted to share her healthy lifestyle with others.

Hollifield did not think it would have as large an impact on her community as it did. When asked how she and her husband managed to open up such a trendy restaurant Hollifield said it took them at least three years of consistently saving money and only buying things that they absolutely needed. On Health Nut’s first day open they sold out of everything in just four hours. In the first week open, business did now slow down, but became even busier.

Many patrons interviewed said they really enjoy their food and were glad that something so good came to such a small town. Some even said that Health Nut makes them want to change their lifestyle into a healthy one. Others said they were so motivated that when they got home they threw away all of the fatty foods out of their pantry. This new restaurant is already having a big impact on the small city of Marshall.

New Light on Leukemia

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There have been cases of cancer throughout recent years, many incurable. One of these diseases is leukemia, a dreaded cancer of which there was no hope for a cure. Many elderly people died from this cancer which deeply saddened their loved ones. However, recent research suggests that eventually scientists could develop a cure for leukemia before it undergoes a more aggressive form.Image result for leukemia microorganims

Leukemia is a disorder in which the blood cells and bone marrow accumulate at unstable levels through the lymphatic system. Sometimes a person’s diagnosis for leukemia may not be accurate. No matter the case, it cannot be cured even if a patient goes through chemotherapy. The therapy does work for some patients, but it only regulates symptoms for others.

Yet on January 29, 2019, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Drug Discovery program discovered a brand-new type of therapy that may treat leukemia. In tests, the protein MLL-1 binds with another called WDR5 causing leukemia. Researchers now plan to disrupt this process so that stopping the cancer is a possibility. This development soon led the Celgene Corporation to make a large investment to ensure further research and innovations for preclinical trials. Since then, there have been many collaborations to make this cure a reality.

For information on leukemia symptoms-click here

And for more information on leukemia cure development here

TAMUT’s Annual Mud Volleyball Tournament

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Campus Rec hosts a variety of intramural sports a year; dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, basketball, and more. While the diverse selection of sports keeps students engaged year-round there is one event that only occurs once a school year: mud volleyball. At the beginning of May, right before finals hit students, Campus Rec hosts two loss elimination mud volleyball tournaments with female, male, and coed leagues. Everyone is fighting for the championship– a championship t-shirt to be specific.

Intramural referees smile during the gloomy first match

At 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 4th, you could find two women’s volleyball teams, three intramural refs, and a cooler of water and snacks camped out behind the Judy Kelly Morgan Soccer field. All year an old tattered volleyball net held up by cemented tires waits for The Pit to be cleaned out and watered. The weekend before a handful of Campus Rec employees spent their Saturday ridding The Pit of rocks, garden snakes, and tall weeds before allowing a hose to fill the trench with muddy water.

From 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. teams were splashing around in The Pit battling for a t-shirt. The day began gloomy with dark clouds and a constant mist, but the women’s bracket played on. By noon the men’s bracket had warmer weather as students began to gather around to watch the tournament and cheer on friends. By the time coed play began everyone was taking turns applying sunscreen and jumping into the cool brown water for relief from the sun. Referee Madison Walters commented, “I wish we could play mud volleyball more often, but it’s such a hassle to get The Pit ready…” She continued to reapply sunscreen regularly explaining that last year she got a sunburn at the tournament so bad it hurt to wear t-shirts for days.

The Pit was constantly filled with laughter as teams splashed about in front of a small audience of supportive friends. Three teams went home with a championship t-shirt, but everyone left with muddy feet. We’ll see you next spring, The Pit.

The Secrets Of Her … A Lazy Woman’s Skin

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It is 4 a.m. and the alarm that I set has ruined yet another night of good sleeping.

Being a full-time college student and full-time employee can be very hectic and stressful. Waking up every morning takes me an extra thirty minutes, long after my alarm goes ringing off. Every morning I lie awake for those thirty minutes contemplating if getting out of my bed is worth it or not. When I finally decide that it is, now I am thirty minutes behind on my schedule. I have to Comb my hair, brush teeth, iron clothes, make hot tea, grab my gallon of water and I’m running out the door to make it to work on time.

Who has time for make up when you’re in a race to beat time? For me, I’d rather go bare faced than to look like a clown in a rush. I’d love to be at the stage where I can be the type of woman to sit and sip a cup of herbs with her husband, while going through a 10-step facial routine before bed, but I’m not. After completing long hours of homework at the end of day, I am on to the shower and back to bed to get some rest before the next day! As an on the go college student, I’ve adapted to a 6-minute skin care routine every night before my shower. Although I am not going to share my 6-minute routine, I will give you four tips on how to develop clear soft skin and a popping glow.

Photo Courtesy of PointsKitchen.com

First and foremast, you want to make sure you are drinking a proper amount of water every day to keep your body and skin hydrated. Water is the most important element for your body and drinking it can provide many of benefits.

Photo Courtesy of Walmart.

Tip #2, Witch Hazel is your friend My favorite brand is made by Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner 16 and sold at Walmart. All you have to do is just pour little Hazel on a dry towel and massage it into your face. You should see the dirt being removed from your face and feel your pores opening. It is such a tingly refreshing feeling.

 

Photo Courtesy of Walmart.

Tip #3, Cocoa butter is amazing. My favorite brand of Cocoa butter is by Palmer’s of course. A 350 ml bottle from Walmart can take you a long way. I used to work the job of a day care teacher and my babies would always ask me if I had brought them marshmallows. Sadly, I lied and told them yes, but they could only find them if we could go a whole day without anyone in the class having to flip to a red card as a discipline consequence.Needless to say, they never received the chance to eat marshmallows with Ms. P!

Photo Courtesy of Dollar General

Last but not the least, have you heard of Vitamin E oil? The dollar general sells the body Vitamin E oil at a low price of $2. Vitamin E has proven to make the skin healthier and provide a nice glow. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that prevents formation of free radicals that damage our skin cells. Its antioxidant properties neutralize the oxidant effect that damages collagen and makes the skin dry and forms wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and discoloration. Vitamin E also contains anti-inflammatory properties and can protect and repair the skin from cellular damage.

Ladies take care of your skin and your skin will repay you with a healthy glow. It is important when being a lady on the go that you don’t look like you’ve been on the go. Who needs make up when your skin is popping?

Yoga in TXK

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Yoga is a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation. It is a system of breathing techniques, physical postures, and often practiced independently to promote physical and emotional well-being. Yoga is a great exercise that helps you relieve stress, burns fat, allows you to gain flexibility and mobility, detoxify the body, aids in organ function, improves your posture, helps with concentration and build your confidence. Citizens across the ArkLaTex practice exercise with yoga every day. 

Image Courtesy of Texarkana Yoga

Texarkana, Texas offers the citizens TXK Yoga. Texarkana Yoga is located off I-30 on Mall Drive. The studio is a clean, modern and simply decorated to create a welcoming, peaceful and focused practiced.

Texarkana Yoga has ten instructors each offering a diverse teaching style and are very passionate about their yoga craft. TXK Yoga instructors have each been trained under a 200-HR Yoga Alliance teacher trainer program. Current yoga instructors list as: Brittany Carder, Venus Lillis, Leslie Looney, Denise Means, Lauren Correll, Sandra Mullins, Lynnell Westerman, and Jim Booker.

Image Courtesy of Texarkana Yoga

The owner Jen Dickerson has spent half of her life in yoga and has over 23 years of experience. Jen mostly teaches the power yoga sessions heavily influenced Bryan Kest’s teachings and inspirations. Jen said “Her mission in life is to bring yoga to everyone who has a pulse. No mater your background, shape, size or physical condition, there is a form of yoga for everyone”.

Classes are offered every week on time schedule from Sunday- Saturday and often taught by different instructors on different days, along with fun and creative yoga workshops during the holidays, wellness, and nutrition classes. The different yoga classes to be offered is Sunrise yoga (Hot), Hot yoga, Cool yoga, Warm yoga, and Mornings for men.

Texarkana Yoga offers a special membership option for students at the rate of $55 a month with unlimited sessions or $10 drop in per session. For more information on TXK Yoga log on to https://www.texarkanayoga.com/ , visit 2011 Mall Drive #5 Texarkana, Texas 75503 or call 903-293-1626.

Download the Texarkana Yoga app today via Android or IOS to sign up for classes.