ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would first like to thank those 3 salons in San Fran that quoted me $85+ for a wash/cut/style back in 1998. After paying $25, there was NO WAY I was going to pay $85 for the same thing. Just what I needed to cut it all off.

I would like to thank my DH for letting me know what I was still cute with or w/out hair, so cutting it off wouldn't be a big deal.

I would like to thank my first barber for taking his time and really making sure to give me a proper cut when I went for a SL perm to a scalp cut in 1 seating.

I would like to thank my DH once again for uprooting us from our normalcy and moving us to Japan. Because of this move, I was FORCED to not only grow my hair out (wore a scalp cut of over 7yrs, and knew NOTHING about my natural hair), but find ways in which to properly care of mine and my girls hair.

I would like to thank blackhairmedia.com, b/c this was my first introduction into the black hair care world. There I learned about prepoo, cowashing, baggying, henna, wash n go, twist, shea butter, castor oil, coconut oil, fotki, longhaircareforum, etc.

I would like to thank fotki, b/c it allowed me to be diligent in posting pics of my hair in order to see process/setbacks.

I would like to thank longhaircareforum.com b/c through that site, CurlyNikki introduced herself to me and introduced me to the hair blogging world.

And lastly, I would like to thank CurlyNikki for seeing something in me that I didn't know I had, and as a result making me more confident/comfortable w/ my own big fluffy hair

**approaches the podium**

**grabs mic** aight...i'd like to thank my girl koily k for convincing me to drop that zero n get wit a hero **chewing gum**and uh...my girl chevy for directing me to this cn site even though she has a perm and needs an extra PUSH into this secret society....eeerr uh...oh yea my girls all around the world who show me much love... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] u know who u be boo!! yall keep me informed to the fullest and i stay takin notes from yall.

DMV STAND UP BABY!! WE HERE BABY-WE DID IT**holding up award**
**LL Cool J kiss wit the peace sign...and lickin lips**

NubieNatty wrote:**approaches the podium**

**grabs mic** aight...i'd like to thank my girl koily k for convincing me to drop that zero n get wit a hero **chewing gum**and uh...my girl chevy for directing me to this cn site even though she has a perm and needs an extra PUSH into this secret society....eeerr uh...oh yea my girls all around the world who show me much love... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] u know who u be boo!! yall keep me informed to the fullest and i stay takin notes from yall.

DMV STAND UP BABY!! WE HERE BABY-WE DID IT**holding up award**
**LL Cool J kiss wit the peace sign...and lickin lips**

My Mom, - she BC'd in the EIGHTIES!!!

I would like to thank my hair itself for my going natural. My hair had been thinned around the edges for many years due to overprocessing. Also, I kept having hair loss in the top of my head. It would grow to a certain length and then start thinning again. When I last saw my hairdresser in 12/09, I asked her if there was anything that I could do to stop this, like staying away from heat, rolling my hair, etc. She said that there was nothing she thought I could do to help it and that she thought my hair was doing fine. She said that my hair was just thin in that area. So I want to thank my hairdresser. This started my thinking about going natural. I started researching on the internet and found You Tube and the natural hair forums. I got inspired to transition and eventually cut off those relaxed ends. So, I want to thank the internet, Youtube, and all those natural hair forums, especially the Curly Nikki family. I also want to thank my being retired. If I was still working, I don't know if I would have had the courage to BC so early. I would like to thank my husband and my daughter for being so accepting of my decision to go natural. Last but not least, I would like to thank God for making me the way that I am, hair included. God does not make mistakes. He made my hair to be just like it is in its natural state. To God be the glory!

Lets see...now that we going into all of the internet ladies...it might be long.

I would first like to thank my girl, Kiana, who tried to get me to move toward the light probably SIX years ago. I was still in the dark, remembering my big, poofy and tangled hair as a child. My cousins would joke that it took both of them to dry my hair cause they would get tired. After all of that talking girl, I asked myself "what is wrong with MY hair?? Everyone else wears their own hair on a daily basis." So after saying this out loud and doing some research, I found the Miss Jessies site (boy, just think that was really where I got my start, lol).

Researching Miss Jessies led me to NC.com, a forum where I could discuss problems I was having with my hair and commisserate with people. So, I need to thank all the ladies in the transitioning and 4a/4b threads for the help.

Saving the best for last...Being on NC.com led me to CN.com and that's where I have flourished! I checked Curlynikki everyday for several months to see her posts and then I came into the forums (Sweet Jesus!). The forums here are like the HG. So much information to give and styling options out of this world. So thank you CurlyNikki, Mahagony Curls, Ooop2, TerraD, and all of the lovely ladies that helped me along the way.

Of course a special and most endearing acknowledgement goes to...Intelligent Beauty! Her BNB thread taught me so much! And it definitely helped that we were in our journey around the same time. After looking at all of her inspirational quotes and pics, I just knew that I could BC! Even her podcasts were very informative and I just want to say thank you sista, naturalista, etc., etc. You just don't know how much that meant and means to me. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Okay, okay (music starts playing in the background), I'm getting off..thank you and goodnight!

NubieNatty wrote:**approaches the podium**

**grabs mic** aight...i'd like to thank my girl koily k for convincing me to drop that zero n get wit a hero **chewing gum**and uh...my girl chevy for directing me to this cn site even though she has a perm and needs an extra PUSH into this secret society....eeerr uh...oh yea my girls all around the world who show me much love... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] u know who u be boo!! yall keep me informed to the fullest and i stay takin notes from yall.

DMV STAND UP BABY!! WE HERE BABY-WE DID IT**holding up award**
**LL Cool J kiss wit the peace sign...and lickin lips**

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'd like to thank old age! Turning 40 this past November was fabulous, what I worried about in my 20s and 30s were behind me. There is plenty of truth to the old adage, "with age comes wisdom."

At the beginning of this year, I was sitting in my bed and wandering what am I going to do with the second half of my life? I turned and looked in the mirror and said I'm going to start with the outside. The first thing I focused on was my hair. I knew that I didn't want to start going to the salon again nor did I want locs, but I didn't have a clue as to what I could do with my hair. All of sudden I'm on my laptop and somewhere the words natural hair appeared (can we say divine intervention!) which I immediately googled. I FB'd one of my sorors who was natural for some advice and she told me about a natural hair care site. So, I went back to Google and came upon CurlyNikki and haven't looked back.

I would also like to thank my barber who has been extremely supportive in my hair care transformations. He and I joke that I haven't seen a man this consistently my entire life (up until 1/1/10, I've seen him every two weeks for at least 7 years). LOL

Most importantly, I would like to thank all of the wonderful ladies here on CurlyNikki. I love reading your stories/updates, questions and answers. Please give yourself a hug for a job well-done. Each of you has truly been an inspiration and I look forward to many more days, months and years in OUR natural hair journey.

THANK YOU!

I must say thanks to Japan for pushing me to embrace my natural hair in all its God given glory. i came over to Japan in 2006. I relaxed my hair all by myself for almost two years and it thrived but the process of relaxing it was just too much of a bother. In April 2008 I cut out the braids I had in for 2 months. Everyone around me was shocked but repeatedly said how cute it was. Wearing my hair natural has opened the eyes of the Japanese people I interact with everyday here in the countryside. They are always wowed by even the tinniest change in hairstyle. They are my biggest supporters and this seems to be a great way for me to represent blacks everywhere by showing my natural hair, something most people here have never seen before because the black superstars they idolize don't show their natural texture.

So Japan pushed me into it but I am happy because I am now empowered and loving my natural hair. Yes big up to curlynikki and all the other natural hair sites I troll. I love Tia's blog too. 'My Best Hair' indeed.

Intelligentbeauty wrote:

NubieNatty wrote:**approaches the podium**

**grabs mic** aight...i'd like to thank my girl koily k for convincing me to drop that zero n get wit a hero **chewing gum**and uh...my girl chevy for directing me to this cn site even though she has a perm and needs an extra PUSH into this secret society....eeerr uh...oh yea my girls all around the world who show me much love... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] u know who u be boo!! yall keep me informed to the fullest and i stay takin notes from yall.

DMV STAND UP BABY!! WE HERE BABY-WE DID IT**holding up award**
**LL Cool J kiss wit the peace sign...and lickin lips**

sweetdrk1 wrote:

Intelligentbeauty wrote:

NubieNatty wrote:**approaches the podium**

**grabs mic** aight...i'd like to thank my girl koily k for convincing me to drop that zero n get wit a hero **chewing gum**and uh...my girl chevy for directing me to this cn site even though she has a perm and needs an extra PUSH into this secret society....eeerr uh...oh yea my girls all around the world who show me much love... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] u know who u be boo!! yall keep me informed to the fullest and i stay takin notes from yall.

DMV STAND UP BABY!! WE HERE BABY-WE DID IT**holding up award**
**LL Cool J kiss wit the peace sign...and lickin lips**

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hmmm where to begin? First to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for bringing me through my illness that caused my hair to start falling out in the first place. I was intrigued with what I saw when it started to grow back.

My hubby for encouraging me to cut it off, and assuring me it would grow back.

For my daughter, who is the reason I decided not to relax again once I cut it off.

To my sister Carmell who has been natural for years and told me about curlynikki and told me what to buy for mine and my daughters hair. Also, to her and the hundreds of people that told me over the years "you dont need a relaxer". OK - you were right.

Curlynikki for the only blog I regularly check in to and have been guided by since my transition and bc (and for teaching me all those terms after I had already done them LOL).

To the ladies on Butter and Bars - you all are a blessed bunch - and I think you know it. You all are very different, have very different styles but I learn something from you everytime I log on. It is a blessing to me to have someplace where I can ask a question and get an answer and then some. I don't want to point anyone out in particular cause they are too many of you and I don't want to forget anyone.

But I do want to send shout outs to Nikki from Beads, braids and beyond for helping me so much with my daughters hair, Mahogany curls for all the videos that I felt I could use (my daughter loves watching them with me and tells me if I do it right when I try it out at home) and Lovennappiness, the first youtuber that I watched faithfully and inspired me to REALLY work with what I had.

I just thank the Lord he gave me a husband I could trust in his opinion, and the courage to just chop it off. Oh - to my former hair dresser Melissa, who I haven't seen since she BCd me. Her life took her in a new direction a few months after and she closed her shop closest to me (she had 2 - another sign I had done the right thing). She never questioned my desire to cut it off and even though she doesn't do my hair anymore we still keep up by phone. She worked with my hair and scalp through my illness. My plan is to drop by and see her on the first anniversary of my BC in June and show her how far I have come and my new package!

I want to thank the Lord 1- For giving me such a wonderful, encouraging, supportive hubby 2- For leading me to these sites (I actually have NO idea how I stumbled upon cn.com) and for convicting me everytime I got frustrated and wanted to get braids or a sew in weave because I was so disheartened when a style didnt work for me.....

But the many young girls at my church tell me how much I've inspired them to go natural and even my little girls who always praise every "do"..... Love Em All!!!

I'd like to thank my good friend Stacey. He was the ONLY one out of mother, sisters, daughter, and friends who said, "I think you'll look good with your natural hair." Everyone else had something negative to say.

I have to acknowledge Au Naturale's blog. With seven months of "new growth" (didn't know about transitioning), I didn't know what to do with my hair, and determined not relax it again, I got online, did a search "natural hair care"...au naturale, naturally, came up. It was the first I found in my natural hair care journey that had information for me. It introduced me to a whole world of curls, kinks and coils that I never knew existed! And from there, I found CurlyNikki. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

BUMP

Aww this is such a wonderful thread! I am new to this site but feel as though I eat sleep and breathe curly nikki.com.. I promise it's even in my dreams.. lol.. The highlight of my day..

There is so much inspiration within just one site. Most importantly I would like to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ. Without him nothing in my life would be possible. I set out at the beginning of this year to change the way that I view myself and to take a journey to get to know HIM better and to learn who I truly am in him. There is so much that I have learned on my journey so far.

One thing that is so important when learning to love who you are today and not the you that you want to be but it starts now no matter what size you are or whether you have a baa or a twa who you are inside is what counts first and foremost. Someone once told me that the aroma of your heart often reflects in your attitude..

So here's a huge thanks to all the beautiful chicas on this site. You guys are truly beautiful inside and out. It's a blessing to be able to connect with each and every one of you daily [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Ooh I want to add some people.

I thank my stylist Angela Fox of A Fox International. She always has her hair up in a ponytail or style that i didnt know she was natural until I brought it up to her about transistioning me. She taught me hoe to rock a style even if I didn't like it. After 21 years of service I trust her completely with my hair.

I thank my cousin Paula from Jamaica who decided to share her natural knowledge and kept her daughters natural.

I thank my cousin Donna that had the courage to cut her hair even though she didnt know what to do with it. She told me "After I cut it, I would just sit and look at myself. I could see me!!"

I thank my pastor Johnny Kidd that taught all the youth that we are Fearfully and Wonderfully mad my an awesome and muighty God!!

I thank Galen who said "It doesn't matter how you wear your hair. I would still want you if you were bald."

I would like to thank one of my curlfriends at church for posting a FB status saying, "I am going back to my nappy roots." When I first read it, I was like, "You gotta have your mind right for that." But for the next couple of months, it stayed on my mind.

Then I would like to thank my BFF (she's been natural 2yrs). Back in April of '09, I went to visit her and when I saw her hair, I knew in that moment, I was going to stop relaxing my hair.

I would like to thank all of the ladies that went natural before their was information at your fingertips (internet). Thank you for going before me and figuring everything out so I could have info at my fingertips.

Thank you to all the ladies that the time to make YouTube videos. It's one thing to read how to do a style but to see helps out soooooo much. A special shout out to CurlyChronicles, the first person I ever subscribed to. I've watched all of your videos, even the ones on your Afarm channel. Love me some Autumn!!

I want to thank Dee over at that other forum because that's where I started my research.

I want to thank KCurly for starting her blog. She saved me from cutting about 2 inches of my hair off.

Thank you Nikki for starting your blog back in Oct '08. I bet you had no idea a little over a year later things would be this great!! Also thank you for starting a laid back, carefree, drama free, forum.

Thank you to all the beautiful ladies that make up this forum, especially the regulars. Shout to my curlsisterfriends over in the BnB section!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

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