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$2 Sale at Goodwill Revived My Love for Jeans  My History with Jeans I’ve had a love/hate relationship with jeans over the years. It’s been quite difficult to find the right style and fit for me. Now, if I were shopping during the 80s, I’d probably find something just right. Now, jeans are cut to fit a variety of women’s sizes. Which is a great thing for the fashion choices for the everyday woman. But, I need my jeans to fit just right too! It had gotten so difficult to where I rotated three pairs of jeans for years. I even cut up old pairs I didn’t wear anymore into shorts and even tried to make my own version of ripped jeans…big FAIL. Growing tired of my denim search coming up empty-handed, I abandoned these garments. To my rescue, the rise of jeggings and stretch pants gave the right fit I wanted along with a variety of styles. Years passed, and I didn’t give those things a second glance.  Bargain Shopper I LOVE a good bargain. Wherever I shop, I’m filtering “Price Low to High” and clicking on Sale tabs. I also have an extension on my browser which helps me to find coupon codes and cashback savings. When I see an item for the original price, I will stalk it online until there’s a good sale. It’s like a sport for me. Continuing my love of bargaining, I frequent my local Goodwill store. There, I find all types of trinkets for the apartment and clothes to add to my closet. From vintage vinyl records to Fall coats. I will spend an entire day until I find what I need.  A Spark Reignited It wasn’t until I started thrifting at my local Goodwill store when I discovered a haven for jeans that were just for me. AND at a bargain. Browsing the isles one day, I decided to give the denim rack a chance. Priced at $9.99, I was confident I’d find something with the “Color of the Day” tag. (For those unfamiliar with shopping at Goodwill, you pick a clothing item that is tagged with the color of the day, automatic 40% off.) To my surprise, there were a great variety of jeans just my size, with the right fit. Now, what’s my “fit”? I’m a skin-tight jean wearer (yea, I’m sure that’s not in the fashion category). The lost love for jeans was hidden throughout those racks. Some with the 40% color tag. And these weren’t generic brands. The racks held jeans from great stores and brands such as Zara, Hollister, Bullhead Denim Co., and Top shop (just to name a few). Who would have thought that my denim fit treasure was within someone else’s “fashion trash”? Thank God they decided to give them away to provide me with a chance to wear jeans again.  An Even Better Surprise Taking a break from a laundry day, I decided to pop into Goodwill while my clothes were in the dryer. The first thing I looked for was the Color of the Day, but this time something different was posted. A $2 sign. Squinting my eyes to make sure I read it right, I imagined in my head what that could mean. It was too good to be true to think if whatever I find with the matching color tag would be $2 once I reach the register. The associate got on the loudspeaker and confirmed the “Too good to be true” luck that I stumbled upon. Rushing to the rack, the haven didn’t disappoint. Jeans, in my size, with the color of the day tag. Not one, not two, but three good pairs (which included a pair of ripped jeans…no more experiments). I also found a Ralph Lauren dress shirt for my nephew. A whopping total of $8 and some change, which would have cost eight to ten times more had I’d gone to the regular stores. It gets better. Thinking that it was a one-time deal for the holidays. I relished in my good finds and brushed it off as one fortunate shopping day. But on another random day, I walked in and found my $2 flyer friend posted on the wall. Since I had more time, I swept the racks for more jeans. Found another four pairs, and two stylish Fall jackets.
Many may find thrifting as getting “hand me downs” which can be a huge “no-no” for some. But thrifting is a relaxing activity that yields cost-effective results. (I live in NYC, even breathing is costly!) And if you’re as lucky as I am, you just might reignite a love of a garment that you swore off years ago. Me and jeans shall never part again.  The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey.
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A mini-session over the Hudson River  During the months of being quarantined, I was becoming unraveled and suffocated, just to stay healthy and safe. Although the city has begun slowly reopening; there isn’t much for me to do to rid myself of cabin fever. A fever that lasted throughout the Winter, Spring, and seeping into the Summer. Along with being antsy to get out, there were so many emotions traveling through me. Feeling stagnant in my career, overworked, under-served, but still wearing the guilt of “You can’t complain because at least you still have a job…”. I read a tweet that said, it’s okay to be grateful but not satisfied. It gave me a little relief in my mental confusion of what’s okay to feel. My home became my place of work. And who likes being at work 24/7? Not me. Having my laptop in the corner staring me down, reminding me of what to work on the next day clouded every other creative project I planned to work on. It also didn’t help that the creative outlets were shut down and forced to be online only. Though I made a way to be slightly productive, I didn’t feel as if those strides were getting me anywhere. Mornings turned into evenings while my mind became frustrated and completely exhausted.  The Resolution I tried hanging out on the weekends by taking early day walks. It worked, a little, then I got into the routine of overly spending at restaurants because I was so excited that I could at least have dinner and drinks (outside dining only). To me, I didn’t want to create a new habit (or dig up an old one) by trying to move away from being in this unsettled head space. Then, it hit me. Just go to the park, sit down, and BREATHE! I forgot about a habit I wrote about over a year ago, “Hudson Inspirations”, where I sat by the river watching boats. There are no thoughts of what do I need to do, how am I getting it done, or why am I doing this again? Just peace.
I headed over to Riverbank State Park and joined the many New Yorkers who too had the itch to get out (socially distancing of course), to begin a therapeutic process of cleansing my mind. There weren’t many boats on the water but the gorgeous view of New Jersey looking back at me and the river flowing did the trick. All of a sudden, I received a bonus. The sun was at its peak, the sky was clear and my eyes were captivated on its position. Throughout the afternoon/evening, a canvas opened up to the sunset and beautiful colors painted the sky.  I felt peace and a chance to just breathe. Yea, a few stressful tidbits snuck in, but they were pushed out by the warmth of the sun and continuous views of natural beauty. Inhaling and exhaling is more than keeping your body going, it’s for the mind as well. In any physical activity, we’re told to keep breathing. Why not apply that to the mind. That’s what I learned throughout my mini “Sky Therapy” session. I didn’t have to talk and spill my guts to a stranger, nor relive what bothered me in my head. The skies’ movement happening right before my eyes reminded me to keep breathing. (Of course, I did a little “People Watching” at the park as well. New York is FILLED with interesting characters!)  So, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, just look up and allow the sky to help in releasing the mind’s racing thoughts that may have crept in during Quarantine Season.  The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey.  Along with authoring, I’m a print model. I’ve had the opportunity to work with fashion, beauty, health, and business brands; in addition to gracing the pages of international magazines. With New York being on lock down, it’s hard to find work which gives time for endless possibilities to create on my own magic. Being a self-proclaimed professional iPhone photographer, I took the evening to bask in the sunlight. Taking advantage of a beautiful day in Harlem I created my own shoot. Simple, yet sensual…comfy and creative. Here’s my Photo session with just an iPhone, God’s blessing of sunlight, and my window!            The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey. Important details I didn’t think about until the night before I published my book  I always had my sight publishing books and showcasing my creative work to the world. However, at a younger age, I just knew a book deal was going to come my way. I know how to write so it’s easy right? WRONG? As I grew older, I realized the constant work, rejection, restrictions, and obstacles that come along with writing and publishing under a company. I then asked myself: Why do I have to wait on the chance to become a published author when the digital era has created a way for me to give myself that chance? Don’t get me wrong, if the opportunity presents itself GO FOR IT! However, I wanted the freedom to begin publishing my work on my terms. Also, show authenticity in displaying growth in my work, while my audience grows with me. In learning these lessons of being a self-published author, I thought I’d share the wealth. Some tips you may already know and others you probably wouldn’t think about until it’s time to click the button, PUBLISH. Ready? Here we go!  #1 Remember: You’re on Your Own The main reason it’s called being a “self-published” author is that you’re doing EVERYTHING by yourself. Of course, there are freelancers, companies, and professionals who can assist with editing, book cover artwork, promotions, etc. (Take advantage of their services when possible) But there is no publishing company guiding you along the way. That in itself is overwhelming. Just thinking of the laundry list of “Things to Do” to write and prepare your book for publishing can send anyone running for the hills. Don’t let that discourage you. There are blogs, articles, and indie author resources available that can aid in each step of the self-publishing journey. (This blog is one of them.) READ THEM, jot down notes and create an outline of what you need from start to finish. Learning things along the way is normal, however, being prepared will help you stay on task prevent you from having to push your release back another month.  #2 Book Logistics You’ve written your book, made the necessary changes from the editing process, now you’re ready to go. Nope, you’re not. Book logistics are what I like to call the information printed on what is called a copyright page. The copyright page is where your reader will find out who owns the written work. This information serves to protect you legally, format your book professionally, provide details of the unique identifiers of your book (i.e. ISBN), and provide the book’s credits and/or edition (if included in a series). It is also a best practice to provide a disclaimer: Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Whether you’re publishing non-fiction, fiction, or a memoir; the disclaimer sets the tone for the style of the book. It also protects you from any liability that may arise if you’re writing about people, events, and/or a specialty (even if you’re not a professional in that field). Disclaimer: The Book Designer outlined great disclaimer options to use as examples in their 2010 blog, "6 Copyright Page Disclaimers to Copy and Paste, and Giving Credit". Copyright Page Example: This is a work of fiction, although experiences are based on some true events of the author. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is coincidental. Cover Copyright © 2019 by E. Alexcina Brown Cover design by Fearless Vision Marketing DEVASTATION OR DESTINY??? the Heartbreak Diaries Book Series. July 4, 2019. ISBN: 978-1075304767. Copyright © 2019 The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown). Written by The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown). Published by The Blakk Dahlia 2019. #3 Pre-Order Deadlines Oh, how we love to procrastinate. As a self-published author, we enjoy the freedom of creating and adhering to our own deadlines. However, when submitting your book to sell online, PLEASE make sure your manuscript is ready to go when it’s time to upload. Retailers like Amazon, allow you to set up your book by creating the description, choosing categories, upload book cover and more without uploading the manuscript. That way you’re able to have your book page available for interested parties to pre-order.  Take heed to the date given to have your FINAL manuscript ready and available. This is important because those who have pre-ordered your book will automatically receive it on their kindle device on the release date. Whatever is uploaded will be sent to your customer. Make sure your best and final product is delivered to their device to enjoy! The great thing about this is that Amazon Kindle will send you reminder emails to give a heads up on the last date and time to upload. TIP: Research pre-order deadlines on your desired platform 2 to 3 months before the release date. This also helps in gaining momentum on your promotions and lock in early sales.  #4 Book Formatting Technically my first published work was an e-guide “7-Day Guide to Forget About Your Heartbreak”. This process was easy as it was created on one platform, Canva, downloaded via PDF and uploaded to each medium to distribute. However, formatting an ebook and a novel are two different things. What we tend to forget is that we have to manually format the documents in preparing the margins, gutter, bleed, paper size, etc. That isn’t automatically done because as we all know books can be published in various sizes. Luckily our friends at Amazon provide downloadable templates for various book sizes to cut/paste your manuscript OR just review the layout and input it within your document (my fav so that I don’t have to reformat the book text). In addition, other platforms (i.e. Draft2Digital) provides you with guidelines and tips on how to format your book so that your chapters are distinguished, for example.  Publishing my first book was definitely a learning process. Along with publishing my second and third books. In my case, the fourth time was the charm! Hopefully, these tidbits will help you create a process that will be smooth sailing in self-publishing your book(s). Self-published authors & aspiring authors share what you’ve learned or are currently learning in the comments below! The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey.  I used to look forward to long weekends as a time to book a vacation and hang out with friends on a beach. But now, as my 30s have set in, I’m finding myself truly enjoying the much earned holiday for what it is. Airports are hectic, the highways are jammed with traffic, and my bank account is like “Guess again! You know rent is due!” Gotta love “adulting” lol. To ease the what to do questions for this day, I’ve compiled a list of Netflix movies to watch while taking a break from labor! Also, this list is great for a Friday night at home. NYC nightlife can get a bit expensive and bar hopping can leave you with a sad face Saturday morning when reviewing your debit transactions. Sit back, enjoy your favorite meal (and drink) and just allow your $9.99 subscription to entertain you for the day.
 Paris is Burning (1991) Just a damn good film. With the rise of the hit series "Pose" New York ballroom culture is on the minds of many. This movie goes underground into the scene during the time period of the height of ballroom. This documentary focuses on drag queens living in New York City and their "house" culture, which provides a sense of community and support for the flamboyant and often socially shunned performers.  The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey. |
"I just like to write and create stuff. These are the diaries of how I'm living in NYC with sprinkles of life lessons I've learned along the way!"
- The Blakk Dahlia Latest book from the Heartbreak Diaries Book Series
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