this post has nothing whatsoever to do with food

documentary movie night has been resurrected! (see: goal #25). all it took was a trip to the movies last night with dana and sarah to see "good hair," hands done (heads up?) one of the most brilliant documentaries i have ever seen, in no small part because it features a lot of chris rock.

the film explores the role of hair in the african-american community, and it is not an insignificant one. even after such an education, i do not feel particularly qualified to pontificate about it on the interweb, not being a part of that community myself, but sufficeth to say that i think it all comes down to the all-too-natural inclination to be a "same" instead of an "other," and in the black community especially, that desire seems to express itself more than anything in hair.

to quote: "if your hair is relaxed, white people are relaxed. if it's nappy, they're not happy."

never mind that sodium hydroxide, the chemical used in relaxer, can eat through an aluminum can in about four hours. and never mind that a weave can cost as much as half a year's rent. and never mind that only a miniscule percentage of black hair care products are manufactured or distributed by black-owned businesses. (turns out koreans have cornered the market.) as the usually ridiculous reverend al sharpton put it surprisingly eloquently, some african americans are wearing their economic exploitation right on top of their heads.

(to which a woman in the audience let out a big, "mmm-hmmm." you know the kind.)

i find it difficult to believe that i haven't yet convinced you to see this movie, but if that is the case, this should do the trick.



and, to top it off (that was a sort of funny, sort of pun, right?), today i came across this article about some in the african-american community being upset that angelina jolie is not taking proper care of her african daughter, zahara's hair.

maybe angelina should watch "good hair"?