…and to that, I’m sure you’re saying, “hurry up and make it worth my while…”

My sole reason for this blog entry is to do just that (hopefully)!

WHO AM I?

My name is August and I’m a 50-year old chick with gray hair and some things to say. I was born and raised in Washington, DC (S.E., baby) and now live in Maryland with my two sons, husband, dog, aunt… a partridge and a pear tree. I won’t give you the full autobiographic rundown (you can check out the About Me page for a little more detail), so instead thought I’d share some “fun facts” to give more of a feel for who I am.

So let’s get to it!

Random Stuff:
Birthday: July 20
Sign: Cancer
Fashion Staples: Blue jeans and hoop earrings
Favorite Movies: Claudine (absolute fave of all time) and Purple Rain
Favorite Singers: Gladys Knight (refer back to Claudine… that soundtrack is one of the best EVER) and Eric Benet
Favorite Group: Hmmm… I’ll say Earth Wind and Fire
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Time of Year: Anytime it’s above 70 degrees (which, here in Maryland, could be any of the four seasons)

If you haven’t guessed, this is my very first post of my very first blog! I’ve been planning it in my head for years, but didn’t get around to actually taking the leap until now. See, I suffer from analysis paralysis a lot of times… that’s one huge thing I’m working on improving. I find that I always want to prepare MORE. Get more info. Do more research. Make it just a little bit better. Even as I type this using the blog post outline that I put together, my wheels are turning and thinking whether I should add or change something. But I won’t for the sake of posting this once and for all.

I feel like I’m at a crossroads. I love life in general, and feel like I’m just now getting to a point where I know and accept August—even with the mistakes, the obstacles, the extra pounds, this gray hair (which we’ll talk about at length), and any other manner of “you know you’re getting older when…” fodder. I’m good with all of it, but now it’s about what comes next. That ongoing search for more and getting to that “best life” level.

On to the good part… what can you expect to see here?

Well, I named this blog “Brown Girl Gone Gray” because, obviously, I’m a brown girl who has gone gray (hair-wise, not mood). That’s the simple explanation. The deeper meaning lies with the big picture of what that meant for me. Letting my hair do its thing and learning to accept it has been a pivotal point in my growth and maturing over these last few years. It was A BIG DEAL and totally scary! The thought of owning my age, being mistaken for someone older, and just acknowledging the fact that I’m not too old to be getting those AARP mailings. I took polls among friends like, “sooooo… what if I stopped coloring my hair? what do you think about women with gray hair?” I even had a backup hair plan just in case this gray thing didn’t work out (again, thinking too damn much). I know that some folks may think “it’s JUST hair…” but, for me, it symbolized much more than that.

…and THAT is why I am blogging—to talk about that paradigm with you good folks. Of course I’ll be sharing stories about my gray hair (the decision to stop coloring, maintenance of it, funnies, etc.). I also want to compare notes and experiences, share some laughs, and even toss in some useful information here and there. Consider this a sanctuary for those of us aged 35 and up. Younger folks are absolutely welcomed to learn our “grown folks” secrets, so don’t let that deter you from your stay if you haven’t quite gotten there just yet.

It’s all about growing, learning, and loving even when it’s not so easy. Maturing and getting older has its own set of challenges, highs, and lows. I find that social media and blogs tend to cater to the “young folks” so I really wanted to be a voice for those of us who aren’t exactly “spring chickens” anymore. That’s not to say I’m ready to be put out to pasture. FAR FROM THAT. But let’s be real. I’m not the same as when I was 25, which is a mixed bag of emotions ranging from “thank God!” to “Aw hell.”

I hope this can be a place where we have conversations and be comfortable enough to tell it like it is and have fun with it. They say that 40 is the new 30. Maybe SOME days it is, but some days it ain’t. Let’s talk about it.

I hope that you will feel free to engage, comment, email me if you want to reach out more personally. This is my blog, but I hope it can become OUR shared space where it’s cool to let our hair down and connect on some real-life grown folks -ish.

I appreciate everybody that has shared a little time with me. I hope it makes you want to come back for more.