Or should that read "My Manly Journal for Manly Men"; no, that's too long and can be too easily miscontrued. Skip it. The subject is what it is.

I suppose to start, I should acknowledge, in this public forum, that, yes, "I have become a hair addict. I have been growing my hair for 4 years; however, I notice that in the last weeks (since joining this board, actually), I have become a hair junkie." <<removes himself as gracefully as he can from the podium>>

I admit that I have tried many of the tips on this board. Everyone reading says, "So WHAT?!" I would agree; however, I feel the time of my wandering experimentation must come to an end and I need a more scientific approach (if you will) of my hair lengthening adventures.

Quite simply, I lose track of time of when I did whatever and how it turned out. When I first tried an ACV rinse, the result was horrible; the second time better. Why was that? I only know that I used less the second time around, but when did I do that first ACV? Mmmmm, getting old and the brain cells have gone to the great beyond. I've no clue. So I have decided to "fess up", say I'm a hair addict and journal my trials and tribulations when and if I see fit.

Why do it publicly? Why not just keep a Word journal all to myself, away from prying eyes? Well, two reasons actually. First, let's get the hard one out of the way, I find this forum to be a welcoming, caring environment. People here listens to what you have to say and never passes judgement. They offer good advice. They have probably gone through many of the hair-lengthening exploits I'm to encounter. Why not choose a public forum where people are supportive. Besides, and here's the more idsidious reason: I'm curious to see if anyone will bother to read it...or...comment!

S. Freud: Aha! So vee 'ave the true reason, do vee not?

Patient: Well, yes and no.

S. Freud: Vhat is dis, 'yes and no'? Dis ees either a yes or a no!

Patient: Umm, well, I admit it has a place, but it is not my entire reason.

S. Freud: AHA! I knew eet! Der ees more!

Patient: Only what I stated as my first reason.

S. Freud: Jou are a sick puppy. Time ees up. See you next week.

**Ahem, sorry for the short little diatribe. So, as SFreud has pointed out, the attention is welcome, too. And that is my second reason.

So what's up with this journal? Where to begin? Well, let's get the gory details out of the way first. (And it's July First, at least in this neck of the woods.)

My hair is, as of today, approximately 25" long. This measurement is taken from where the hairs begin at the top of my forehead, around my noggin, and down the back. I will not, refuse to, measure very often at all. Too, too depressing.
I have wavy/curly, fine hair.  Usually wear it in a single, 3-stranded braid. I'm so glad I learned to do that!
Normally, everyday, I unravel the braid and comb and BBB it. Then I re-braid.

For the past week, I've avoided BBBing my hair (just to see what I thought of the results); I think the jury might be in. I broke down and BBB'd it today. It felt so wonderful. I'm not sure if my hair appreciated as much as I did, but then whose in charge here? <G>

Tonight, as I have started this journalling journey, I am doing a coconut milk conditioning. This is an item I've read on another board. I know my hair loves coconut oil, so why not coconut milk.

I've taken a half of can of Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk and placed that in a bowl. Microwaved for a brief time to make the solids melt. Afterwards, I dipped my hair into the bowl to cover completely. My original intention was to just do my length; however, as I was dunking, I dunked too far. You might say, "I've dunked where no man has dunked before." Okay, maybe not. :)

Anywho...the idea then is to place your hair under a showercap or somesuch, then wrap in hot towels for 30 minutes to hour. As SFreud said, my time is up.

The theory, at least as reported by others, is that it conditions the hair extremely well, making it slip and slide. Well, with my waves & curls, that will make life much easier.

We'll let you know how it went in the next installment.

Ahhh, the trials & tribuations of wavy hair.  I recommend www.jessicurl.com , Jess herself is a curly girl and she makes her styling products w/o cones and as all-natural as possible.
I like the name of your journal.
I've had to stop BBB'ing 'cause I wind up with HUGE poof of hair that frankly I can't do a thing with!
Hope you've enjoyed my entry in your journal.  You don't perform (music, sing, dance) by any chance, do you?  A common trait of performers is to desire attention.  Or, perhaps you're a) an only child or b) the baby of the family.

Good luck w/your Manly Mane experiments.

Namaste.

You have a sense of humour  :D :D  ;) I think I will enjoy following your journal  ;D
Alas, I fear I am becoming a journal-reading-wh*re, reading other ppl's journals  ::) ::) Is it the keyhole thingy perhaps? hmmmm

Good luck on your journey  :D

Hellooooooo Manly Man  ;D

Yes!  Embrace your inner j(h)unkiness.

Do remember to keep us updated on your sessions with Dr. Freud (does everyone realize that Freude means happiness in German)

As to that erm, habit, I have found that of all my obsessions this is the most entertaining and least damaging - exception made for credit card stuff but hey, I'd have to buy clothes and stuff.

Welcome and enjoy...gabi

Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh! Much gnashing of teeth, feet stomping, and cursing that would make a sailor blush. Ahhh, third time is the charm...so they say. Who is *they* anyway? Most of the time those people are dead wrong. This is my third attempt, today, to make an entry in my journal. First, I was just about complete when I acquired the little-known affliction known as "Stupid Mouse Clicks Syndrome". The only known cases of this disease are found in the population that uses computers. Closely related to the "Fat Finger Syndrome", the afflicted individual clicks on the wrong button even after double-checking which is the correct button to click. In my case, I clicked "Reset" instead of "Preview"; I lost all the text I typed for the entry.

Needless to say, there was much wailing, hair pulling (figuratively, not actually), and cursing accompanying this incident. Okay, I am smarter than the average bear, I'll quote into my code editor, save and then paste into my journal entry. Oh I'm so very clever as I begin my second attempt to write into my journal. I am patting myself on the back and basking in my cleverness when.... <<triumphant music swells>> the power goes out. Arrgh again!

Okay, calm, "Om mani padme Om". Thus, we begin installment 2.75!


wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2005 at 1:31am:

Ahhh, the trials & tribuations of wavy hair.  I recommend www.jessicurl.com , Jess herself is a curly girl and she makes her styling products w/o cones and as all-natural as possible.

Hi Sakina. Thanks for the tip about JessiCurl. I believe I've visited her site and even bookmarked it to return again. I will have to give her products a try.


wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2005 at 1:31am:

You don't perform (music, sing, dance) by any chance, do you?  A common trait of performers is to desire attention.  Or, perhaps you're a) an only child or b) the baby of the family.

Bing-bing! You are correct! I am an only. Tell her what she's won, Bob. "Thanks, Rogue, it's a new.....HAIR TOY!!! ;D

Our next letter comes from Greek_Lady who siezes the day and also the night! Knew those years of Latin would come in handy someday. She writes:

wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2005 at 4:42am:

You have a sense of humour  :D :D  ;)

Thank-you! I like to think I do have a sense of humor; I figure everyone has one, some are just too small to ever see. :) Similar  to the Grinch's heart, two sizes too small.


wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2005 at 4:42am:

Alas, I fear I am becoming a journal-reading-wh*re, reading other ppl's journals  ::) ::) Is it the keyhole thingy perhaps? hmmmm

LOL! Perhaps it is! I'll ask SFreud next time we have a chat. ;)


wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2005 at 8:09pm:

Yes!  Embrace your inner j(h)unkiness. Do remember to keep us updated on your sessions with Dr. Freud (does everyone realize that Freude means happiness in German) As to that erm, habit, I have found that of all my obsessions this is the most entertaining and least damaging - exception made for credit card stuff but hey, I'd have to buy clothes and stuff.

Oh thanks, Gabi! You're supposed to be helping, not encouraging my habit! ;D You are most correct, that there are worse habits to have. If I feel the need to rationalize, I tell myself that I am stimulating the economy! Now, I can also add, "It's all gabi's fault." :) I don't think SFreud will appreciate the latter one. He's a bit stuck-up, and here you tell me he's really Dr. Happy?! :o

Let's close up the viewer mail, Paul. <<cue music>>

Welcome to the neighborhood, <<putting on lab-coat>> Two days ago, the evil scientist...ooops wrong episode. Two days ago, the mad hair scientist decided to try a coconut conditioning treatment. The initial results are in, but mixed. The great news is that after a rinse and CO wash, my hair was super-slick and soft. It was amazing, my fingers and horn comb glided through my hair with the greatest of ease. I couldn't keep my hands off my hair. It felt so incredibly soft, like the finest silk. There did not appear to be any residue just very clean, slippery, shiny hair. Wonderful! So after it dried somewhat, I braided it up for the evening. The braid ended up very loose, although very well behaved. I didn't have any of the little stranglers sticking out along the length, just up at the base.

So what are the mixed results? Well next morning... <<show scene of sun rising and rooster crowing>> my hair felt dry, the ends more than the top. As most mornings, after a few cups of java, I sit in the living room and begin the process of unbraiding my hair, combing it out and rebraiding it. I don't know what happens when I sleep, but several (ok, ok lots and lots) of hairs decide not lay nice and neat. It's almost as though there is a conspiracy in my sleep where my hair decides it shall not be bound. Perhaps there's a hair rebellion happening and I don't hear it. I can just imagine the wavy hairs trying to oust the straight hair. The longer hairs feel so superior to the shorter hairs and the shorter hairs are trying to leave. Oh stop, stop!!!

Anyway, I started to undo the braid and comb out my hair. I was full of fizzies and knots!! I get the hair combed one way, then move my head or grab some more hair to comb and the same spot that I combed before would now have tangles!! Oh it was frustrating, especially after the joy I had combing the night before. It was so bad, I threatened my hair with the scissors. It calmed down a bit after that, but whew! what a mess! At this point it occurred to me that I didn't oil my ends as I normally do after a wash. Perhaps this was the reason my hair was being such a <<explitive>>. Could be, so I oiled about an inch, inch and a half, of the ends and rebraided. After doing my chores, I decided to get some sun. I got my hair wet, put some conditioner in it and shea buttered the ends, then headed out for an hour or two.

Later, after showering and doing a light CO rinse, I let my hair dry enough to rebraid. I was going to the movies with Kat, and I knew my hair would finish drying one the drive over. I buttered the ends and lightly buttered the braid. While in the theater, I moved my braid and much to my surprise, my hair was truly soft again. So far this morning, it still feels very soft. I've done my normal routine and so, far so good.

I haven't a clue what happened yesterday morning, but my hair seems okay now. I have a half of a can of cocnut milk left and in the interests of hair science, I think I need to try the experiment again. This time, while my hair is still wet, I'll do my normal oiling of the ends. We'll have to see what happens.

Tune in next time, same hair channel...<<cue 60's Batman music>>

What a weird week it has been! While I enjoy short work weeks, I seem to be off a day until about Thursday when suddenly a leap ahead a day. :( On the plus side, my hair has behaved itself all week long by staying nice and soft. Since Tuesday, we’ve been cloudy and/or rainy, so not being out in the sunshine has contributed, I’m sure. Thursday (or was that Friday! :D) I had to put just a dab of shea butter on my braid ends; the hair was feeling thirsty.

Finally, yesterday, the sun came out in all its glory. Sometimes, I think I’m a plant or at least my body chemistry thinks it’s a plant. If I don’t see the sun for more than two days, I feel wilted and unloved. As soon as the sun comes out, I feel invigorated and happy.

Since we did have some sun, I decided to get some too, but first the preparation for the hair. Thus, begins the Shea Butter Adventure! Awhile back I bought some shea butter which I’ve been using on and off; this was delivered in a zip-loc type bag that I had cleverly placed into a re-sealable container. The intent was to eventually move the shea from the plastic bag to the container. Of course, shea is some pretty sticky stuff in solid form and I have been too lazy to attempt the move. Besides, I wanted a different container than the one I originally selected. As I was going to treat my hair to some shea, I says to myself, “Self! Now is a good time to move this to the selected container.” Little did I realize that I was a first level rogue tackling a shea monster with a challenge rating of 15! Och, I’m smarter than the average bear, Boo-Boo and the ranger won’t even know. Cleverly (note to self: whenever you begin a project thinking you are clever, you are looking at the scale of cleverness through rose-colored, dyslexic glasses!), I will heat the shea slightly in the micro-wave because it will be easier to get out of the bag AND the butter left on the sides of the bag will come away.

What a great plan, as laid by mice and men. Ok George we begin. First, I did not get the butter soft enough; second, I had not realized I now had two gaping holes in the bag! Within short order, I had shea butter all over my hands, all over the counter, parts of it in the designated target area (the container) and tons left in the plastic bag. Ya know, I think shea butter could be used patch dry-wall. That stuff sticks like crazy at the proper temperature. So, I’m struggling with getting it off my hands and into the container. I figure I’ll scrape like frosting, except when I try to place a dollop into the container, it doesn’t come off my hand and some from the container appears to leap out onto my hands!  AAaaaargggggh! After several minutes of wrestling with the she beastie, I manage to tame it somewhat, but I’m sure my hit-points dropped to near zero. It was a harrowing experience.

On the bright side, I did use the excess on my hands in my hair. Wasn’t that the original idea, silly wabbit? Okay, okay, so trix are for kids and all that. I did manage to get some sun yesterday. I also used up the remaining coconut milk from last week’s episode. As I was outside puttering anyway, I took the coconut milk out of the fridge, went outside, and dunked my braid into the can several times. As the milk was very viscous from being cold, it stayed on my hair without making a big mess. This worked out fairly well. I did a quick CO wash prior to operation coconut. Didn’t want to have to try to get both shea and coconut out of the hair together.

I have to say the “milk” treatment does wonderful things for my hair. After allowing my braid to soak for about 30 minutes while I cleaned up the patio and then rinsing thoroughly, my hair was really super-soft once again. I learned my lesson from last week and while my hair was still damp, I put a little bit (only a very little bit) of shea on the ends and re-braided. This morning, it’s still very, very soft and equally important, it’s not the Lock-Mess monster of last week.

;D - next time add saran wrap to the equation - I guarantee an extremely interesting experience.

Other than the MoisturizedMan - we will assume that you have discovered the joys of shea butter for eyebrow and mustache slicker ... carry on with pride ...g

wrote on Jul 9^th, 2005 at 9:01pm:

;D - next time add saran wrap to the equation - I guarantee an extremely interesting experience. Other than the MoisturizedMan - we will assume that you have discovered the joys of shea butter for eyebrow and mustache slicker ... carry on with pride ...g

LOL! Having fought the zip-loc, I cringe at the thought of playing with saran wrap too.  :o

I have thought of putting shea on my moustache and beard, but that puts the smell too close to my nose. I think that would be a little too intense. The eyebrow avenue is one I haven't thought about. If I had a Cro-Magnon eyebrow or even eyebrows that appeared like fuzzy caterpillars, I would be tempted. Thank goodness I don't have that problem. ;)

wrote on Jul 10^th, 2005 at 11:44am:

If I had a Cro-Magnon eyebrow or even eyebrows that appeared like fuzzy caterpillars, I would be tempted. Thank goodness I don't have that problem. ;)

LOL  ;D ;D ;D
Oh the image!


P.S. And I didn't even do Latin in school at all, ha!

Hi!  It looks like everyone else has jumped in to let you know you are not alone in you hair growing adventures.  Thriving on attention is a common trait amoungst long hairs - so you are not alone!  I've enjoyed reading your posts and look forward to many more.

Just out of curiousity....... you seem to have a lot of time to worship the sun, what kind of work (if any) do you do?  (insert green with envy smilie)

Keep up the experiments and reporting of your results!

wrote on Jul 10^th, 2005 at 2:08pm:

LOL  ;D ;D ;D Oh the image! P.S. And I didn't even do Latin in school at all, ha!

Greek_lady, if you’ve pictures, please do share! ;D Oh! And the Latin comment wasn’t directed at you, but your signature. I took 3 years of high school Latin and 2 semesters in university. ;) That’s why I was able to miserably translate.

07/11/05 at 08:06:40

wrote on Jul 11^th, 2005 at 11:06am:

Hi!  It looks like everyone else has jumped in to let you know you are not alone in you hair growing adventures.  Thriving on attention is a common trait amoungst long hairs - so you are not alone!  I've enjoyed reading your posts and look forward to many more. Just out of curiousity....... you seem to have a lot of time to worship the sun, what kind of work (if any) do you do?  (insert green with envy smilie) Keep up the experiments and reporting of your results!

Well, thanks, Biker Braid and might I extend a welcome back from your must deserved vacation. I’ll pass your comments onto SFreud; I love throwing him curve balls.

As for the sun worship question, well, I make time during our summers. Actually, I also get a ton of reading done as well. Alas, I do indeed work; haven’t made the first million or even close enough to plan on retirement and a life of leisure. I am the senior programmer (read only programmer) for a company that is actually located in a different state. I was fortunate enough to fall into this job where I am responsible for my own time, I love the work, and I have enlightened superiors that recognize results are far more important than clocking in and out. I am also blessed with some good inner discipline that I do not take advantage of the situation. As a result, I generally will take time out during the day to either run errands or lay out in the sun, but I still contribute all the due time to the job.

So, you see, no need to have a green envy smile because I have to work just like everyone else. :) I'm just lucky enough to pick my own hours.

I choose to entitle this particular entry, “Style Musings”. As I did Saturday, during the day, this morning, I simply undid my braid, combed out my hair, and did a pony-tail with multiple bands (hair safe, of course!  ::)) This evening as I contemplated re-combing and re-braiding my hair, I realized that it has been over a month since I wore a pony-tail. I also realized that my “tail” was tickling parts of my back that were unattainable 2 months ago. See, ever since my hair has been long enough, I’ve simply pony-tailed it. Then, at the end of May, beginning of June, I managed to braid my hair. Ahhhh, I still revel in the excitement of having a *real* braid. Since that time, I haven’t worn my hair any other way. There are two reasons for this: 1) I was so excited about being able to braid my own hair that I didn’t wish to risk forgetting how! 2) Getting the braid to look decent (no turning or twisting or stray bits) was paramount. This weekend, actually, I got lazy, just as I did this morning. Besides it felt really good to have my hair looser (is that a word?) than I was wearing it.

Why is any of this important? Well, I record the experience here so that I do not forget there are other ways to wear my hair than a braid or a pony tail. Sounds pretty basic and I’m sure most long hairs would say, “Duhhh?!?!”. This revelation, if I dare be as grandiose as that, was quite remarkable for me. Typically, at least as the last month and a half dictated, I’d braid my hair to go to bed. Tonight, I’m going to be daring…<<<ominous music>>> and leave my hair in it’s pony tail with multiple hair bands. I may even go for broke and run around the house with scissors! LOL! <<evil laughter — Buhhahahaha!>>

Note to self: it’s the simple things that make life a glorious experience.

Now, now, no running with scizzors!! :o  We don't want you to trip and hurt yourself or accidently shear some of that gorgeous hair!

A programmer!!  That explains a lot!  Oh how I wish I could pick my own hours!  Oh well, I guess I'll be happy with working with/for wonderful people who give me a lot of flexibility.  I'm sticking with my green with envy smilie, however. ;D 8)

wrote on Jul 11^th, 2005 at 11:22pm:

Oh! And the Latin comment wasn’t directed at you, but your signature. I took 3 years of high school Latin and 2 semesters in university. ;) That’s why I was able to miserably translate.

LOL
I realised that! I was just making fun of myself that I never formally did Latin  ;) ;) I think there's a couple of gals in here who know quite a bit of Latin, let them get wind of your knowledge and you might get to practice some!  ;D ;D
Aren't message boards such fun? You never know what you might come upon! Even CroMagnon males with caterpillar eyebrows!  ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ::) :P

wrote on Jul 12^th, 2005 at 12:30am:

Now, now, no running with scizzors!! :o  We don't want you to trip and hurt yourself or accidently shear some of that gorgeous hair!

Never fear….Underdog is here! Besides, I only threaten my hair with scizzors! Although keep it quiet, I don’t want them to know it’s only a threat!


wrote on Jul 12^th, 2005 at 12:30am:

A programmer!!  That explains a lot!  Oh how I wish I could pick my own hours!  Oh well, I guess I'll be happy with working with/for wonderful people who give me a lot of flexibility.  I'm sticking with my green with envy smilie, however. ;D 8)

Now, I am most curious as to why my chosen profession explains so much?! ;D And, yes, because of my good fortune you ARE entitled to a green envy smile. :)


wrote on Jul 12^th, 2005 at 12:57pm:

LOL I realised that! I was just making fun of myself that I never formally did Latin  ;) ;) I think there's a couple of gals in here who know quite a bit of Latin, let them get wind of your knowledge and you might get to practice some!  ;D ;D Aren't message boards such fun? You never know what you might come upon! Even CroMagnon males with caterpillar eyebrows!  ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ::) :P

Oh-oh! “Omni Gallia en tres partes…” to quote what I remember of Ceasar’s Gallic wars. And…I ain’t claimin’ the spellin’ is write! ;D

Now, now, greek_lady, I did say that I did not have a Cro-Magnon eyebrow. :)

Happy, happy, happy hair care. I confess to being mildly enthusiastic over my *new* hair routine I discovered over the Style Musings episode. **Flashback sequence** Whew! I’m back. I discovered that my hair likes a pony tail with multiple bands (is this a bubba tail?) to sleep. My hair is much more restive and relaxed in the morning. A great benefit is that my hair  more cooperative in the morning too. Perhaps it’s still asleep when I do my comb-out. Anyway, by sleeping with the pony tail, I can comb-out my hair and braid it for the day in about 15 minutes! Yeaahhhh, ***happy dance****

Previously, it would take me about 20 to 30 minutes to unbraid, comb, brush, possibly oil, and re-braid. Life is good.

Yesterday, some major thunderstorms moved through the area with a torrential down pour that lasted a good hour. We haven’t had any rain for about two weeks. I remembered reading somewhere that rain water was good for the hair, and so I let me inner child go out and play in the rain. Now, I know many are saying, “Ummm, we thought you already were your inner child!” To which I can only respond by saying, Guilty as charged. I may grow old, but I do not always have to be grown up.

The after effects of the rain water were truly fantastic. I came inside and started dinner; thinking that my hair would dry enough to comb after my prep-work was done and I was waiting for shell noodle water to boil. The time came and “Hokey Smokey, Bullwinkle!” The comb slipped right through my hair. Feeling daring, because there were no tangles, I used the fine tooth, horn comb being extremely careful to stop if I felt the slightest resistance. Amazing! Even the fine tooth comb glided through my hair. After my hair was fully dry, I added a bit of shea-monster to the ends. This morning my hair feels so clean and soft. Maybe we’ll get some more rain in the next couple of days.  ;D

Ya know, I started this hair journal with the best intentions. I wanted to provide 1) an outlet for my creative juices (oh my! That sounds disgusting!) and 2) to chronicle my hair exploits. I see that it has been 7 days since my last update. I feel low and overjoyed at the same time.

SFreud: Why do you feel low?
Patient:  Well, I wanted to have more to contribute to this endeavor than I have contributed in the last few days.
SFreud: But you did give an update 7 days ago?
Patient:  Well.. yes, but I didn’t really have anything to report. And part of the dilemma is that I still don’t. The current routine seems to work really well; thus I feel overjoyed. These hair goddesses know how to treat hair.
SFreud: So..Vhat is yer problem, little man? Eeef the tings ees wurkin’ fer ya, what ees your problem?
Patient: Well, um, I feel guilty for wasting web space with a journal that doesn’t say anything.
SFreud:  LIAR! Dees ees another eggsample of ye garnerin’ attention. Go! Leave! Vamoose!

Alas, I have not much to report. My hair has been behaving nicely. My morning routine since using the multi-banded pony-tail at night is simpler, and I can braid my hair in no time flat.

One noteworthy item, I went to get my car inspected today, it’s only 2 months overdue, and while waiting, I went to dollar store nearby. I managed to pick up some VO5 SKR conditioner. My local grocer does not carry it. So, I’ll be giving this a try. I have already found that this is more watery than the Suave I’ve been using.

I did put this on my hair this afternoon when I baked. The SKR takes much longer to rinse out than the Suave as well. As I’ve always been partial to raspberries, I do like the scent. I only worry that it might be too over-powering for me. We’ll have to see. I can say that as a leave-in during the sun worshipping sessions, it has left my hair feeling better.

I also think it’s time for an ACV rinse. For the last couple of days, I’ve noticed that my hair, when I comb, brush and “do” in the morning, has a certain odor. It’s not exactly unpleasant, just different. It smells the like wax or paraffin. Sort of like opening a box of crayons. This is bothersome, but I’m currently attributing it to using conditioner when I lay out as a protective layer for my hair. We’ll have to see if an ACV rinse takes care of the smell.  Also, it’s been 2 weeks since the last rinse, and it could be that my hair desires its normal PH.

Keep ya posted.

You are NOT wasting web space!  Your contributions are appreciated whenever you able to make them.  Other than Susan being a slave master for me - requiring me to work 28 hours a day, there are no minimum requirements for anyone else.

[I admit, however, I do look forward to more conversations with Dr Freud.]

:-[:-[ Thanks, biker_braid. Until I read your response, I didn’t realize how pathetic that sounded. My point was that I do enjoy this board; because of all the welcome advice, camaraderie, and well wishes, my hair is getting healthy and easier to manage.

<<bows deeply>>

Don't feel bad - I know you didn't REALLY mean it.  Just had to poke you a bit  ;) to get you out of your funk.

It can be so embarrassing to just say *GREAT!!!* - get over it and keep it up  ;D

And ummmm .... Dr. Happy "vamoose?????"  :D I love it!...g

edited trying to figure out how spell vamoose ::)

wrote on Jul 25^th, 2005 at 4:12pm:

Don't feel bad - I know you didn't REALLY mean it.  Just had to poke you a bit  ;) to get you out of your funk.

Thanks, BB, your poke did the trick. ;)


wrote on Jul 25^th, 2005 at 8:14pm:

It can be so embarrassing to just say *GREAT!!!* - get over it and keep it up  ;D And ummmm .... Dr. Happy "vamoose?????"  :D I love it!...g edited trying to figure out how spell vamoose ::)

LOL! Thanks, gabi. Your mentioning of spelling “vamoose” got me to thinking. I bet that slang actually is a corruption of vamos. I am uncertain if I’m spelling it correctly, but the Spanish for “go”. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of my Polish relatives corrupted the word. As I barely passed my freshman year of Spanish, I can’t be positive; however, the Latin derivation for the Spanish would be vadamus. I did a search and came up with this…

http://www.answers.com/topic/vamoose

va•moose (v&#259;-m&#363;s', v&#601;-)  
intr.v. Slang., -moosed, -moos•ing, -moos•es.
To leave hurriedly.
[From Spanish vamos, let's go, from Latin v&#257;d&#257;mus, first person pl. present subjunctive of v&#257;dere, to go.]

LOL - they forgot meece  ;D...g

wrote on Jul 26^th, 2005 at 6:08am:

LOL - they forgot meece  ;D...g

As in "vameeces ye leetle creeters!"  ;D

*tapping fingers on the desk*
well....?????

*cough cough* ditto ...g

ah-HEM. Having trouble signing in, eh Rogue? ;)

August 7, 2005
Well, the internet mode will not go on-line, so this long overdue entry will sit in my Word journal until I remember to upload it. The broadband company was having trouble for most of the day Friday, so this is probably some backlash from that. I’m sure, just like Friday, the internet will come back this afternoon.

I did an ACV rinse yesterday. This time I added some rosemary essential oil to mix in order to diffuse the smell of the vinegar. Last night was D&D and I wanted to insure that I did not smell like vinegar. The result was fantastic. The rosemary completely removed the vinegar smell, making the rinse so much more pleasant. Need to remember to get a pipette or an eye-dropper for next time. I tried to only put a drop or two in, but the oil and my hand had other ideas. Whew! Let me tell you, in a 3’x3’ shower, 2 drops vs. lots-o-drops makes a huge difference. At least it was better than the vinegar smell. The end result was that my hair obviously appreciated the ACV. It became so soft and manageable. I had no trouble popping in my braid.

When Kathi came over, she even commented how good my hair looked. As we were discussing her birthday plans for next week, I mentioned that I had a favor to ask. That I wanted to braid my hair and her take a snap or two. Lo’ and behold, she happened to have her camera with her. So we snapped a few pictures of my braid. After attempting to crop and correct the color on them, this morning, however, I’m not really pleased with them. Here’s one of the better ones. I need to find a place in the house with more light. Usually Kathi does a really good job with the camera, but all the snaps were kinda sideways.  >:(

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/NaturalRogue/Hair/Img_3257B.jpg

Could be that I’m just being picky this morning too.  :D

August 11, 2005
Darn *&%@# broadband connection. I’ve half a mind (ok, everyone knows that  ::) ) to go back to dial-up. Mr Modem, to borrow a name, continues to go “offline” whenever he feels like it and I wish to actually use the connection. Very frustrating; therefore, I shall make my journal entries and upload them when HE decides to do some work around here.  >:(

Up to this week, my hair was doing very well. Some of the reason, I believe, might be the result of my hair getting a light condition and rinse everyday. With this week being so grey and threatening rain, I haven’t gotten any sun. Boy, does my hair notice! Perhaps, I’ve some plant cells in my DNA because I miss the sun too.  :'( Today, while combing out my braid, I had quite a few tangles and the ends felt dry. Okay, part of that was not combing out my braid the day previous. I just felt like being lazy, yesterday, with respect to hair. **Note 2 Self:: comb-out your hair every day and night.** Mmmm, I wonder what SFreud would say about that?

SFreud: I vood say you are a cuckcoo, you silly person!
Patient: I thought that talking to one self is a healthy way of doing introspection.
SFreud: Ahhhh, so now you tink you ‘ave dee answers, smarty-pants? Intrrospexion is a quiet exercise, not a conversation wid yerself. I vant to see you on the couch, next Vendsday.

Ahem.. When I re-braided my hair this morning, I slicked up my hands with some conditioner that I watered down. After braiding the hair (all of them actually  ;D ), I, as normal, shea buttered the tail. I used a little more than normal for insurance.

August 16, 2005
Yeaahhhh, happy, happy dance.  :) :) :) I finally have a internet connection this morning. I finally called the cable company yesterday and they scheduled a technician to come out on Thursday. Apparently, after thinking long and hard about yesterday and last night, Mr. Modem was scared into cooperating. Now, I can visit Longlocks, again and finally update my journal.

Hair is doing fairly well. It got a good wash on Saturday. The ends still feel dry and a little scrunchy. I shea buttered the braid’s tail last night and this morning that feels better. Might be time for a deep conditioning treatment. Can’t this evening as I’ll be with Dad, but maybe tomorrow night. I’m undecided what ingredients to try; it’s a three-way tie between something completely new, a cocnut milk soak, or just a heavy oiling.  :-/ I’ll just decide tomorrow night.

Off to upload this while Mr. Modem wishes to be online. I’m sure his internal, infernal meter is running.

Addendum:

wrote on Aug 12^th, 2005 at 3:05pm:

*tapping fingers on the desk* well....?????

wrote on Aug 12^th, 2005 at 8:41pm:

*cough cough* ditto ...g

wrote on Aug 13^th, 2005 at 12:16am:

ah-HEM. Having trouble signing in, eh Rogue? ;)

Oh my!! Journal groupies!  :o Sorry and thank-you all. *sniff* Gives me a warm glow inside to have all this support. I’ll have a little grin all day thinking about it.  ;D

What nice, healthy hair!  I think I can see all the color ranges within the tail.  Very nice color!

Cynde

But isn't it nice to know you were missed NR?  Glad to see you've escaped from the exile those evil Internet Sprites placed you in!

wrote on Aug 16^th, 2005 at 4:30pm:

What nice, healthy hair!  I think I can see all the color ranges within the tail.  Very nice color! Cynde

Thanks!  :) Yes, my hair has acquired a variety of colors all on its own over the years. Not a complaint because I kinda like it.


wrote on Aug 16^th, 2005 at 5:47pm:

But isn't it nice to know you were missed NR?  Glad to see you've escaped from the exile those evil Internet Sprites placed you in!

Oh most definitely it was nice to discover that I was missed. As I said, it did give me a nice warm glow inside. Hopefully, the internet demons of the 9th level are vanquished for awhile. I was going through serious withdrawals because I couldn't get onto the board. :)

Of course you were missed!  

Your hair is very pretty, and the color is great.  I am very jealous of the pretty braid...mine is always cockeyed. :P

"journal groupies"  How cool!!  8)

"Thingyeyed" was not what I wrote, but it works. lol.

The board has a censor mode with a sense of humor.  ;D

Oy Maroula - I know I'm slow but it took me awhile to figure out what you'd ____eyed.

As to you Mr. NR - *Harrrrrumpf* ... ;Dg

ROTFLMHO @NR  ;D ;D ;D
Ooohhhh to be called a groupie at my ripe old age  ;) ;) ;D that's an accomplishment indeed! Now I can grow my hair in peace having achieved that as well  :P :P :P

Journal groupies, hair minions, internet sprites,....... what is this group turning into??  8)

You are quite fortunate, NR to have your own journal groupies - glad it made you feel wanted and missed.

Yezz, vee are yoor groopeez ;D Very nice looking braid!

Anais

:::Invoking the gods and goddesses of long hair through hair witchery:::
I love that title. Anais Satin mentioned it in a thread and I was quite taken by the idea. Hopefully, she won’t mind that I use it. In my latest installment, I mentioned that I was thinking of a deep conditioning treatment for tonight. I was torn between the already stated options: 1) something new, 2) coconut oiling, or 3) heavy oiling. Well the verdict is in and…the winner is…

1, 2, and 3! Yes, folks, it’s a three-way tie. The bookies are completely flabbergasted and there will be excitement in the big city tonight.

Uh-hem! I actually did a combination. Today, more specifically this afternoon, was the first time in a long, long while that the sun was out in its glory, so I took a couple of hours to soak it up. I’m positive that I’ve plant DNA. It felt sooooo good. I was very, very careful with my hair; however, because this morning, seeing it was going to be a glorious, sunny day, I oiled my hair really heavy. That’s option #3 for those who are keeping count. I figured, at that time, that’d be my deep conditioning treatment. While I didn’t get as much sun as I wished I could, due to roofers putting new shingles on a house across the alley, I did get some sun, so the oil baked into my hair really well.

Ahhh, but you say, “NR, you said you did all three options!” Well, to this I say, don’t sit so smug. ;D After much success working on a new project for work, I decided to do some “hair witchery” (which I think must always be in quotes and italicized, now). I blended together: ½ can of coconut milk, about 4 tablespoons of shea butter, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 egg. This is currently sitting in my hair, on my heard, in a shower cap. Again, for those keeping score, this counts as numbers 1 and 2. Remember, #1 was something new and #2 was coconut milk. Truly, “hair witchery”. I shall not bore the readers with details of the chanting to the ethereal Lords & Ladies of Hair.  ;D

I WILL however, once again, (is that redundant or an oxymoron?) invoke a curse on Mr. Modem. He went offline twice today and while I write this in my Word journal, he is still offline. I am getting mighty ticked off. Both episodes occurred while I was reading and responding to messages in Longlocks. Mmmm, I just had a thought….Perhaps I’ve harassed Biker Braid once too often over her fancy knitted socks!

Aha!!! Mr. Modem is online. I’m going to upload this before I lose the chance. It’s become a race between he and I!

Edited to correct a typo.

hmmmm....... I have visions of a pink flowered shower cap on your head with goo dripping from under it.

:::  flees away on my speedy bicycle! :::

August 17, 2005 Part DeuxThank-you all for the kind words.


wrote on Aug 17^th, 2005 at 2:35am:

"Thingyeyed" was not what I wrote, but it works. lol. The board has a censor mode with a sense of humor.  ;D

wrote on Aug 17^th, 2005 at 6:24am:

Oy Maroula - I know I'm slow but it took me awhile to figure out what you'd ____eyed. As to you Mr. NR - *Harrrrrumpf* ... ;Dg

Ohh!!!! Duh! Gabi, you’re not the only one it took a little while to figure out. Until, I read your post, I wasn’t clear as to Maroula meant.

Thanks, Maroula. You’re too kind, because if you look closely, there are plenty of stray hairs sticking out in that braid. However, for me, it’s a good one! ;D


wrote on Aug 17^th, 2005 at 3:35pm:

ROTFLMHO @NR  ;D ;D ;D Ooohhhh to be called a groupie at my ripe old age  ;) ;) ;D that's an accomplishment indeed! Now I can grow my hair in peace having achieved that as well  :P :P :P

Tsk, tsk, greek_lady, 18 isn’t very old at all. ;) Being around all these “young-uns” I often feel about 17!


wrote on Aug 17^th, 2005 at 3:56pm:

Journal groupies, hair minions, internet sprites,....... what is this group turning into??  8) You are quite fortunate, NR to have your own journal groupies - glad it made you feel wanted and missed.

Thanks, BB. I “know” I’m not the only one with “Journal Groupies”, but I do indeed feel very fortunate. As to what this group is becoming? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see! ;D


wrote on Aug 17^th, 2005 at 5:23pm:

Yezz, vee are yoor groopeez ;D Very nice looking braid! Anais

Thanks!! That means oodles coming from my hair goddess! Someday, in the too, too far distant future, I’ll have hair as good as yours. Now, if you start calling me “my precioussssss”, I’m gonna get freaked. :D


wrote on Aug 18^th, 2005 at 12:54am:

hmmmm....... I have visions of a pink flowered shower cap on your head with goo dripping from under it. :::  flees away on my speedy bicycle! :::

Hey! Hey! It’s not PINK, it’s blue checkered! ;D And, yes, there is goo dripping around my ears!!! And NO, there will be no pictures! ;D

Actually NaturalRogue, thingy is a good choice for the actual word that was censored out.  

What I meant is my braid is always crooked.     ;)

wrote on Aug 18^th, 2005 at 1:27am:

Actually NaturalRogue, thingy is a good choice for the actual word that was censored out.   What I meant is my braid is always crooked.     ;)

Like gabi, or I should because of gabi, I figured it out. Thanks Maroula! ;)

Just a quick update to my “hair witchery”, last night. I used a double application of SKR to rinse out the affectionately known goo. With the first rinse, I distributed the conditioner with my comb; I confess I also yanked once because of a particularly difficult tangle. But, but it was only ONCE! I then rinsed this out, but found I could still feel the shea butter in my hair. I then upped the temperature of the water and did a clear rinse; this removed all the “hair witchery”. I then generously applied the conditioner a second time with much more careful combing. Of course, at this point, I had no tangles anyway. I finally rinsed in ultra cold water. Combed wet then let air dry for an hour. I put it in a bubba tail for sleeping. Hair is still extremely soft, right down to the very tips, this morning.

Nothing to report on the “hair witchery” front. Did an ACV rinse Tuesday and added a proper amount of rosemary eo this time. Actually got the eye dropper out, instead of trying to pour from the bottle. I only used two drops, next time I’ll go for three because the ACV was still pretty potent. Also, it seemed to take longer to rinse it out of my hair. Could be that I did the ACV in the morning, instead of the usual evening type routine.

Something is happening to my hair this week; the ends are very dry and it seems no matter how much shea or oil I put on them, they simply suck it all up. Granted, I haven’t gone overboard with the butter or oil, but it’s very strange how dry they feel. At least they cannot be compared to straw, just drier than the rest of my hair. I’ve also noticed more tangles when I comb out my hair. I comb and get the hair tangle free, then move it slightly to find more tangles. Aaargh! Of course, one factor is that I have gone for several days without getting my hair wet at all; perhaps my hair had gotten used to being wetted down every day. Mmmm, something to try next week if the tangle monster continues.

On a bright note, I’ve written enough replies and such on the board that I’ve become a diamond. BikerBraid found a truly exquisite diamond to make the announcement. As as usual, everyone has gone out of their way to make it truly special. Can’t wait for the initiation rites to begin.  ;D LOL!

When are you going to try that honey thing or are you too busy putting your kilt on? ;D

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:dLM8dk-fSbYJ:www.lisarosscenter.org/Pages/Staff/first-place-blue-ribbon.gif

**laughs and runs away**

wrote on Aug 31^st, 2005 at 4:50am:

When are you going to try that honey thing or are you too busy putting your kilt on? ;D

Ahh ChiliPepper, I guess during the internet troubles, I failed to put that in the journal.

Actually, I have used 1 part honey to 3 parts conditioner when outside in the sun. Works wonders as the Texas heat and sun bake that "hair witchery" really well. One does have to really rinse well to get all the sugars from the honey out. I find that if I don't rinse well enough, the ends, when dried, get crinkly. I at least assume it's from the sugar in the honey because in these cases I simply soak the ends really well and the crinkliness then goes away.

The results, however, are really good. My hair becomes very, very soft, even down to the whispy ends.

On the hair front this week…

Now that the week and a half of fence construction is over, I was able to take much lunch breaks under the balmy Texas sun. My hair has popped back to where it was before my grumblings on the 27th. I am coming to believe that my hair might need water every day, in addition to daily shea butter. Must keep this in mind as the seasons change.

Of course, as is my wont, because I am never satisfied doing just ONE thing to my hair at a time, I started BBBrushing again. Not every day this week, but at least every other day. For a time, a while back, I was being extremely religious about it, counting strokes and what-not. This week, when I have done it (long compiles are great for that), I’ve just done a few strokes to separate strands and scratch my scalp. Besides, poor BBBrush seemed lonely sitting atop the hair accessory drawers.

Which reminds me, I need to take my Ric’s comb out and use it; I bet its feeling neglected. I must say I prefer the horn comb and my Rachel Stephens combs because they glide easier through the hair. The wooden comb is great because of its weight, but it just doesn’t have the same slip through the hair as the others. Anyway, we must rotate combs so that they do not rise up in rebellion! Vive la hair revolution! Perhaps I should remove the scissors from the comb drawer; I certainly do not need to supply the rebels with hair weapons.

I was also attacked by the poof monster this week, but it was not a horrible experience, it was kinda neat having tons-o-volume. I have worn my hair in a single braid, a bubba-tail, double-braids and just ‘cause I was feeling silly one day, triple braids. I sectioned my hair so that I’d have two braids on the side and then a single braid down the back. With my fine hair, they were really thin braids. I then gathered the braids together at the back and secured with a pony tail holder. It was goofy and different and more than a little fun. The next day unbraiding and combing out was quite the challenge. I apparently made the side braids tighter than I thought. A few snarls, several phone calls, plus working, it took me about an hour to unbraid and comb out my hair. The result was HUGE hair with tiny, tiny wavelets throughout. It looked kinda cool because my hair had some shape so I didn’t quite look like the wild man of Borneo.

Well, I didn’t wish to just put this in a pony tail because it would’ve been too huge, so I did a single braid, after putting a few drops of coconut oil on my hands. I knew I’d need some extra-slip to braid the hair. The result was really a very satisfying, straight (not *thingy*-eyed), fairly thick (for me!), braid. I should’ve attempted a picture, 'cause it was a real good one. That was yesterday, something tells me I shan’t be as fortunate today. Maybe I’ll attempt to cheat fate and simply wear it in a pony-tail. Bwuhahahaha!

Hiya N. Rouge - I've been having fun with braid wavies myself.  I go to bed with damp braids and WOW a really diferent look in the morning.

ps: my Ric comb is getting lonely too - I gotta wax it

The only time I can get a fat looking braid is when I did something to my hair that made it wavier.  

Next time take a picture so I can be really jealous that it was fat and not 'thingy' eyed. LOL

Thanks for posting the outcome of your honey experiments.  I've been thinking about working honey into my hair care schedual but I am a big chicken and like to know how things worked for other people ::)

By the way your shoulders were how I talked mermaid into joining the board.  We both love your avatar!!

wrote on Sep 4^th, 2005 at 6:00am:

Hiya N. Rouge - I've been having fun with braid wavies myself.  I go to bed with damp braids and WOW a really diferent look in the morning. ps: my Ric comb is getting lonely too - I gotta wax it

Oooh, waxing is a good way to keep the Ric’s comb happy. My friend Kathi was over on Saturday and somehow I got started talking on hair toys. I showed her my combs and explained the benefits of each one. She really liked the Ric’s comb. She is a very tactile person and after handling it for about ten minutes, finally put it down, laughing, and saying how wonderful the wood felt.


wrote on Sep 4^th, 2005 at 11:54am:

The only time I can get a fat looking braid is when I did something to my hair that made it wavier.   Next time take a picture so I can be really jealous that it was fat and not 'thingy' eyed. LOL

LOL! You know, Maroula, I actually said the same thing to myself that evening; it really was the best braid I’d ever done.


wrote on Sep 7^th, 2005 at 2:18am:

Thanks for posting the outcome of your honey experiments.  I've been thinking about working honey into my hair care schedual but I am a big chicken and like to know how things worked for other people ::) By the way your shoulders were how I talked mermaid into joining the board.  We both love your avatar!!

ChiliPepper, if you try the honey, I highly recommend a really good rinse-out. The nice thing about honey is that if you don’t get it all out, you’ll know, and it’s easy to correct. Also, honey is all natural, so what could possibly be the harm. Oh! Something else, just use the cheapest store brand honey you can find; you don’t need exotic herb, fruit, or flower honey.

Thanks for the compliment; however, “shoulders”? There seems to be a story hiding there…  ;D

Looking at the picture, I would have never thought that you have fine hair..... 8)

It is quite obvious from your picture that you have nice shoulders, perhaps it's just the over observant nurse coming out in me ::)

Sadly there is no interesting story attatched to it other than I said "There are guys that look like this on the board"  but I could make one up if you like ;D  Sadly she asked how to delete herself from the board tonight.  Technology is really not her thing and we don't live in the same city so I can't help her much.

Report, Red Alert! After 7 days, I must report on the latest hair adventures. I can’t exactly call it “hair witchery” because it was a test of a product I found in the store. I broke down one day and went into the hair care aisle. No, I didn’t need any new conditioners and I don’t use shampoos any more. I just needed to desperately buy something for my hair. I blame Longlocks as opposed to blaming my own weakness.  ;D My hair needed something new. Everything was going way too well with my hair overall, so it was a time for a change. Mmmm, this smacks of the thread where fiore_emily tells about her “My curly/straight experiment”.

SFreud: So tell me of dees experiment…
Patient: This lass has very curly hair and she spent at least an hour, perhaps more, in using an iron to straighten her locks.
SFreud: I see and vhat vas the outcome?
Patient: Well she reported that her female friends and/or acquaintances were extremely complimentary, while her male friends and/or acquaintances were cool to outright leery of her new “look”.
SFreud: I see and vhat do you conclude from dees experiment?
Patient: Well, my 2 cents was that the males probably felt like she was changing her hair for a particular reason. That is to say, more of a reason than simple change.
SFreud: Dumkophf! Joo just get threw saying you have performed an experiment because you vas bored with yer hair! And now joo condemn dees lass because she has done eggsactically the same?
Patient: No! No! No! I didn’t condemn her at all. I was only trying to explain why the guys behaved the way they did!
SFreud: Joo are soooo in need of my help. Can joo not see that sometimes the other gender does teengs wit their hair because dey are bored?
Patient: Well, now that you have me curled up in the fetal position… Yes, I can see that my last experiment might be similar.
SFreud: Do joo understand that sometimes change might be for the sake of change?
Patient: Well…, in my case it was.
SFreud: Aha, so vhy are you so different than this lass?
Patient: Well, for starters, I’m a man.
SFreud: And vhat does dat have to do with the price of tea in China?
Patient: Well, I mean, men operate very differently than women do.
SFreud: Ahh, and dat is your professional opinion is it? You have spent so many years studying the intricacies of men and women and their relationships that you can unequivocally draw blanket conclusions?
Patient: Well, um, err…
SFreud: Of course not! Joo are a simply a long-haired, puny man. Joo must recognize that joo are suddenly in a similar situation to your friend Fiore_Emily. Joo are changing for the sake of change, without any underlying purpose than something new. Vhen men and women strive for the same goals, their methods will be similar because of their humanity.
Patient: Well that’s something I never considered before.
SFreud: Of course not, Dumkopf! Dat ees vhy you talk to me! Silly person, vee are done.

Part I because the board's software doesn't like long entries.  ???  That will teach me to save up thoughts and observations!  :)

Part Deaux:

Well, it certainly is an interesting thought. Anyway, before we were so rudely interrupted. My latest experiment was with a rather expensive ($12.00 a bottle) conditioner. My thinking on this score was that for the past three months I’ve only used Suave Milk and Honey and VO5 Sun-Kissed Raspberry on my hair. I was looking for a really good conditioner. Well, OK, I wasn’t really looking for that, I was looking to spend money on my hair. My hair is at fault.  :D It needed a shopping fix.

Anyway, I purchased BioSilk Hydrating Conditioner. The ingredients are what really caught my eye as I saw nothing bad:

Rosewater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sage,, Comfrey, Rosemary, Thyme, Nettle, Peppermint, Chamomile, Algae, Mint, Lavender, Aloe Vera, Menthol, Honey, Sodium PCA, Lauryl Methyl Gluceth-10 Hydroxpropylidimonium Chloride, Mineral Oil, Trimethylsilylamodithicone, Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Silk Amino Acids, Acetamide MEA, Pathenol, Hydrlyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sorbitol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidnyl Urea, Methylchloriosotiazolinona, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum.

Whew! At least I saw nothing bad, until I typed this out. Now, I see there was a ‘cone’ in there. Sneaky bastard. I’d completely missed this in the store.  >:(  Doesn’t help that interspersed with all those ingredients, they had Spanish interpretations. Grrr.   >:( >:(

Anyway, I might as report the results: they were great! What I did was a simple conditioner was with Suave Milk and Honey; this was simply to wash my scalp and hair. Then, because I wanted a clean slate, so to speak, I did an ACV rinse. My intent was remove any product build-up I might have and give this BioSilk conditioner a fair chance on its own. After the ACV, I applied the Biosilk especially on the length of my hair. Some was on the top too, because I’m sloppy that way and it made it easier to comb out in the shower.

Initial results were extremely positive, and now, I understand why, the darn ‘cone’.  >:( This week I have yet to wash and for the most part, my hair feels and smells good. I’ve done braids on either side of my head, three days of a bubba-tail and three days of a single braid. I first noticed some drying of the ends today when combing out my hair. All in all, even with the dreaded ‘cone, I think I find this to be a possible quick solution to a long moisture treatment. Overall, my hair has looked fine, and if I had not wetted it one day, it might not look bad. Not that it looks bad, but pulled back it appears (even though it is not) greasy. However, even this appearance did not prevent me from going out in public. So while I may think my hair is not at it’s best, because of the water treatment, it looks fine to be out in public. I should add that I’m rather particular about how it looks when I go out, so rest assured, it doesn’t look dirty or greasy.  ;)

Just wanted to fill in on the latest hair adventures before I forget this stuff. Even though, I found the nasty ‘cone in the Biosilk, I’m sure to use it again. It did a remarkable job on my hair for the past week. I think I’m at a point that I’ll see how long I can go before washing again. I’ve no plans to out and about so even if I end up looking like a grease ball, Champagne is the only one to complain. As long as she gets fed, I’m pretty safe. This might well be a good test for this coming colder weather when I know I won’t be washing or wetting my hair as frequently.

wrote on Sep 16^th, 2005 at 10:33pm:

Part Deaux: I was looking to spend money on my hair. My hair is at fault.  :D It needed a shopping fix.

ROFLMAO!!!  It's nice to know men and women can find some common ground occassionally!

Funny  ;D  Now I know it's my hair's fault - not mine  ;D
when I need to spend all that money for conditioners, shampoos, some oils, brushes,..........
Thanks!  :)

wrote on Sep 16^th, 2005 at 10:33pm:

Well, OK, I wasn’t really looking for that, I was looking to spend money on my hair. My hair is at fault.  :D It needed a shopping fix.

Yeahhh! Lead on Macbeth!

Well, I feel so much better knowing that "my" hair isn't the only hair controlling a wallet!! LOL!  ;D ;D

Now if only I could maked those darn strands get a *real* job instead of just hanging around for hand-outs.  :D

;D but N_R, those strands are used to your hand-outs  ;D you RAISED them this way  ;D  ;D



*******************************************
BTW I hope you are safe in your part of Texas and you don't have to worry about "RITA"
*******************************************

Ditto what Moonchild said, hope you and yours are safely out of the path of the storm.

Let know how you're doing!!

Not to fear. I'm in Dallas, so we'll see some rain, but nothing like E Texas will get. I see Rita's track and altered a little more northerly since last night.

---<--@
glad you're ok NR

Actually, based on the current storm track, most of Texas will be OK. E Texas to Arkansas and Lousiania looks like they'll get really dumped upon. I really feel for those in LA; they were just starting to try and put their lives together again. :(

Trivia Tidbits: As I work for a company in the marine industry, most of us are sailors (no I do not include myself in this elite group of people; I've only sailed once), it's always the eastern side of a hurricane that is most damaging, that is, if counting the top of the eye as 12 o'clock and moving to 6 o'clock, this is where most of the devastation from wind and rain is most severe. The opposite side, 6 o'clock back to 12 gets some pretty heavy rain and potential for thunderstorms and moderate chance of tornados. Just a sailing tidbit.

And because the question might pop-up, I did sail a 70' sailboat from Virginia to Fort Lauderdale, in December. I was part of a three man crew and the most inexperienced. Half the trip was great fun, sunny skies, calm seas. The other half was something we all still laugh about, although it was a little scary even for our seasoned captain. We fought 12 to 18 foot seas for about 12 to 16 hours. We lost the main sail and had great difficulty finding our way out of the storm. To give a little perspective, this boat has a 90 foot mast, the main sail was ripped apart, not once, but twice. The second time was after my crew members had put what they call a reef <sp?> in it one time. The second reef occured around 1230 AM while I, in the pilot house,  watched our captain struggle on deck with 18 foot waves washing over our bow.

Would I do it again? Yep! Without a doubt. Did I get sea-sick, yep. About 30 minutes after we arrived in the slip in Fort Lauderdale, the captain asked if I'd do it again. At that time, I had to tell him, "I don't know. Ask me again in about 3 hours." This was about 0530AM. By 1000AM, my answer was yes, I'd do it again with the same kind of competent crew anytime. It is the most awesome and different experience anyone would ever have. On a clear night, with an almost full moon hanging overhead, nothing on the radar and you alone on watch, really puts your life in perspective.

Thanks for the info, NR - I'm sure lots of visitors will learn a bit from this.  Being a Navy brat, I listened to many stories from my dad about hurricanes, tropical storms, etc.  As a baby I know I "survived" a hurricane in a quanset (sp?) hut on base.  I think I'm glad I was too young to remember.  ;D  My father always loved to sail, yet I have only been on a sailboat once.  My "peaceful" experiences that might relate would be to be in the northern woods, miles and miles from any city, town or lights.  Sitting under the light of a full moon, maybe watching the northern lights and listening to the sounds of the woods - the frogs, loons, maybe even a wolf.  

Hope the rains are not too bad for you.

What a cool adventure!!

This sounds awesome, N_R  :)

Honestly I would be to scared for something like that. I love the outdoors and all.......it's just something about water and a little boat......

Amazing.

That's a great experience NR thanks for sharing!  I've always lived within sight an ocean-lined horizon, and wouldn't have it any other way.  I love the water!  It's in my blood and in my upbringing (my parents are from the Philippine Islands, and my dad joined the US Navy.)  Looking up at the moon and stars over the water is indeed an experience that makes people really think about their lives, It also reminds us that we are human, and not to get caught up in the man-made drama in the world.  

On a similar note, I was watching an interesting show on crab fishing on Discovery (or one of those learning channels.)  Very fascinating and hard work.  No wonder crabs are so expensive.  I have a bigger appreciation for sailors after that show!  Lessee, oh yeah it was called "Deadliest Catch" - definitely recommend seeing it.

Cynde

Current Hair Care:
Morning comb-out to get my hair to sit still and remove the sleeping, stray hair halo effect. Evening comb-out and put hair to bed in a bubba-tail. Using the bubba tail at night works really well to avoid tangling and knotting during sleep. Always shea butter the ends.

Washing:
CO wash at least once a week. ACV rinse around every two weeks.

Styles:
As for styles, during the day, a single braid most often, followed by a bubba tail. If I’m not going out in public, I like doing double braids. One day, I’ll get them even and smooth enough to wear out. KB showed me how to get a French braid started, so I’ll be starting to experiment with that too.

Equipment:
Heavenly Harvest horn comb for dry combing; Rachel Stevens #45 for wet and shower combing.
Shea butter for moisturizing the ends and smoothing braids.
Suave Milk and Honey conditioner for washing. Occasionally use SKR because I like the smell; however, it does seem to leave residue on the hair because by day two my hair seems to smell like crayons or paraffin.

All in all, this regime seems to be working fine. Periodically, I’ll do a deep conditioning with virgin coconut oil or coconut milk when I feel my hair needs it.

Hurricane Hair Care
Last week I was in Fort Lauderdale, presumably for FLIBS (Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show); however, Wilma had other plans. As a result, I went to FLL for the hurricane. The forecasts indicated Wilma might be category 1 or tropical storm strength by the time she hit the east coast. In typical weather forecasting tradition, this was waaaay wrong. She slammed into Florida as a cat 3, weakened to a cat 2 (almost cat 3) and pummeled Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.

I was staying with friends who live on their boat; about 4 am 10/24 we left the boat to go into our offices. Wilma hadn’t yet arrived, but was close. About two hours later, Wilma came roaring into FLL. I’ve seen pictures of the winds of a hurricane, but they do not do justice to actually being there. Wilma was a fast moving storm, so about 3 or 4 hours later we were awaiting the eye and the short lived ensuing calm. MB dared to venture out and check on the boat. By now power was completely out. As we waited for the eye and word from MB the wind direction changed 180 degrees still roaring! The boat was fine; however, MB was stuck in the car at the marina as the backside of Wilma moved over the area. We found out later that FLL never saw the eye; we were too far south.

Later that afternoon, as the skies cleared to a most brilliant blue, we like most folks went out to see what Wilma had done. Evergreen and deciduous trees were either defoliated or had so many broken branches, they looked dead. Typically, Florida is rather green this time of year; however, now the trees looked like winter up north. Palm trees were snapped in half by the force of the wind. Awnings, roofing, tree limbs, power lines, and signal lights were everywhere. One gas station in particular not only lost the overhang over the pumps, but pieces of the sheet metal were ripped away and wrapped around telephone poles and trees many blocks down the road. The carnage was incredible and very sad.

95% of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade were without power; FPL said this might last for 2 or 3 weeks. Almost all cities were placed under a boil water order. Every town was under a curfew. People that did not prepare properly had no ice, no water, and no fuel. We were fortunate; my friends had prepared well, and living on a boat meant we had plenty of water and power from the boat batteries.

When I left on 11/02, power was restored to many areas, debris was being steadily removed. The long gas lines of the prior 4 days were down to normal. Downtown FLL, which was the hardest hit, still had very spotty power and was still under a boil water order. It was quite the experience, and as I stated, we fared well.

NR, it's so good to see you again! I'm glad you came out of that okay.  :)

I'm sure Wilma was an experience you will never forget.  I'm glad you survived it.

I live in central florida and was here for last year's hurricane season.....very very scary.  Its good you and your friends came thru well.

Glad to see you back amongst us safe and sound NR!

Thank-you all. It’s good to be back home. It feels good to be able to logon to LL every day and see everyone and read how they are doing.

“Hair Witchery”
Last week, I felt like some experimentation and, given that I wanted to do a deep conditioning treatment I forge forward. Inspired by Anais’s whipped butter recipe, I thought I’d try my own variant, given I didn’t have all the ingredients mentioned. The results are really wonderful; now, if only I’d been more precise about measuring!

Whip together...
2 parts shea butter,
1 part virgin coconut oil,
1 teaspoon jojoba oil,
drops of favorite essential oil

Really whip this up and get the consistency of cake frosting or meringue. My coconut oil was stored in a cool place and therefore, was semi-solid. I used bitter orange EO for a bright smell. Similar to simple shea butter, the tiniest bit of this stuff goes a long, long way.

I did a quick, loose single braid and let the stuff go to work on my hair. Washing it out was very easy and then I did an ACV rinse because I knew I had some conditioner build up from my trip. The result was super soft hair. These last few days, I used this “hair witchery” on my ends instead of simple shea butter. WOW! My ends are baby soft just like after a wash. If these results continue, this will become my favorite was of moisturizing my hair. And the smell is great too! Next batch, I might substitute patchouli to try something different.

Its great to have you back and thanks for the receipe!  :D

Heehee, glad to read about your Shea Cream experience :)

Sounds yummy!  Actually, my favorite scented candle is orange AND patchouli.  You might want to give that combo a try.

Cynde

wrote on Nov 7^th, 2005 at 4:46pm:

Its great to have you back and thanks for the receipe!  :D

Thanks, Lisabelle!


wrote on Nov 7^th, 2005 at 5:15pm:

Heehee, glad to read about your Shea Cream experience :)

Ooooh! Anais, you just inspired me again! Thank-you. I shall call this "hair witchery" Shea la Crème!


wrote on Nov 7^th, 2005 at 10:32pm:

Sounds yummy!  Actually, my favorite scented candle is orange AND patchouli.  You might want to give that combo a try. Cynde

Yummy, that does sound good. One of my favorite candle scents is from a line of candles called Ergo; they are 100% vegetable soy wax. They burn incredibly clean; there is no smoke and the glass hold never gets that sooty film like paraffin. The scent I like best is Lavender Patchouli.

I’ll have to give your suggestion a try. With the ACV rinse I did, I added patchouli, which I can still smell in my hair and with using Shea la Crème on my ends, it is a great combination.

Just wanted to wish you and your family a


[glb]Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year[/glb]

Hope to "see" you soon  :)

I was wondering where you are NR? I hope everything is well with you

I've been wondering too. Hope you are well!

Anais