YAY you got the package in record time!  And I was all worried it wouldn't get there before the end of the year.  Haha!  There is actually one more thing in the package - it's kind of small, and I think was in a white tissue paper.

I'm glad to hear your Preecciiooousss fits you perfect.  Tee hee!

Cynde

Thanks, juri! 

Khrome, I re-checked the tissue found the Amish pins, if they were what you meant! Thank you so much- they're just the right size for pinning up braids and those annoying small sections of hair that my buns produce nowadays.

Then to the news. It seems that my luck has at least temporarily reversed completely (or then I'm receiving some major compensation for last weeks' troubles). In any case, I started today and new month doing some internet shopping. A new month and new hairtoy budget led me very quickly to Longlocks boutique again, and now I'm happy owner of two pairs of hairsticks that I've drooled for days (Gilded Denim and Pink Plumeria MajeStix). As Tenderheaded ships nowadays to Finland  , I also went ahead and ordered two microfiber towels and some hand dyed silk ribbon from there. Their shipping costs are high...but I've drooled for Aquis towels for Ages.

After shopping, I washed my hair (Honey Beer & Egg poo + Cucumber lime yoghurt soap). Yesterday was my washing day, but hair was behaving so nicely and I was busy bouncing around of happiness so I forgot to wash it. No harm done there, though. When it had dried and I had made another successful bun with Butterfly Meadow stix, I headed to have lunch with my mother and did some shopping. The storm had gone and the weather had cooled again and white postcard scenery was back. A great weather to be out.
Among other places, I visited Helsinki's biggest bookstore. I went to philosophy section...and couldn't believe my eyes. My book was there! It was published back in Spring, but I haven't been in that bookstore's philosophy department since spring. It felt incredibly super hyper cool to see the book I had been editing and writing there. Ok, enough of that- if my ego swells just a little more, my head might explode and make a huge mess. 
     Anyways, I came back home, and it didn't take long until doorbell rang. The mail lady was there (second day in row when she has had to ring the doorbell), holding a huge bubble wrap envelope. My TLC pads had arrived!
 
About TLC pads: They seem very well made, and are so cute. They are thicker than my Always Ultras, but feel much softer and more pleasant to touch. Their structure is quite interesting -inside is removable and the inside is lined with nylon. As far as I can tell, it seems very practical.  And did I mention that they look SO cute ? I had ordered all my pads in Pastel, and LJ had chosen very pretty fabrics that should calm even the worst I hate the universe- moods I sometimes have at certain days of the month. For once, I'm waiting the end of next week with some interest.  8)

I remembered that it's first day of the month and time for my monthly measurement. I got 65 cm/ 25.5 in. It looks like quite a growth, but I suspect that part of it is due to measuring problems last month. We'll see what the tape shows after the trim, though.

Finally, the traditional monthly update

Washing:SBV with Chagrin Valley's shampoo bars + soaps, XZ deep conditioner. Snowy's Deep Moisture Treatments enhanced with jojoba oil and Winter Hair Food.
   
Oiling: jojoba oil, Chagrin Valley's Three Butter Lotion.      
   
Styling: Rose water for misting and aloe vera gel.   
   
Combing: Celluloid comb for wet combing, otherwise Body Shop's wooden comb. De Renauding horn comb has arrived and has been very nice so far.
   
Styles: Cinnabuns, French Twists with Ficcare, "Down with little twists" style and French braid for sleeping. Braided styles like Dutch braids are coming back. First successful attempts with Figure 8 bun. Reverse log twist with Ficcare is also very pretty and promising.
    
Toys: Longlocks Hairsticks- especially SpiralStix and FuturiStix have been wonderful. Blondiesturn forks, Ficcares (amazing Autumn color clips), velvet ribbons and little jaw clips for down with twists style.

Hair trimmed!

Just like in June, there was very little hair on the floor. Yet, measuring tape claimed that my hair is just 60 cm long now. I don't know if that's correct however, I'll measure tomorrow when my hair is hopefully a bit less wavy. It could be right though- my ends are SO much nicer now. Not super thick, but not whispy either. MUCH better. T is a great trimmer- very gentle and accurate.
     As my hair is already very near the longest it has ever been, I guess I can settle for gaining length slower and maintaining the nice ends a bit better. So, whether I really lost 5 cm/2 in length or not, I'm quite happy with the result. I really hope that my new trimming strategy will allow me to keep these nice blunt ends better.

Today was also washing day. I've continued to feel a bit ill, and took just a quick shower and quick SBV with Lavender Spice.

Otherwise, there isn't much to report. I wandered to Dreamweaver braiding page and remembered that I haven't worn any cool braided updos for a while. Maybe I should...

Waiting: Aquis microfiber towels and silk ribbons from Tenderheaded and Longlocks sticks & jewelry roll. Both have been shipped and I can only hope that they'll make it here before Christmas.

Thanks, G_L. I'm already planning taking over the world  . We really seem to go parallel...that is funny.   I just hope that I can reach the length you're already at.  With my scissor happiness, that's going to take some time...

Moonchild, maybe you could start your braiding exercises from twin French braids. They don't require much hair, and the result should be very pretty. With a little longer hair, you'll be able to do French braid. French braids require less hair than Dutch ones, and layers are reasonably easy hide into them.
    I haven't yet had my digicam repaired  - once I do, I'll post a ton of pictures: Mamacat sticks, Fall color Ficcare etc. etc.

I met my doctor's thesis mentor today. We discussed on the things I shoud write in (as near as possible) future:
   -An international scientific article based on my Master's thesis  . Because I can. Shouldn't take too much time as the thinking work has already been done.
   - My Doctor's Thesis (diposition and research plan first), basically a new theory in enviromental ethics.
   - A treatise/scientific article on anger, specifically how to hate virtuously. Just because the topic interests me.
    -A thousand or so grant applications so I can buy food and hairsticks during all this work. 
I'm still not any wiser about certain practical aspects of beginning postgraduate studies. But, hopefully everything becomes clearer soon.

Today I've been wearing my hair in a braided bun secured with Amish pins. It has stayed really well, and I think it looks much better than the pitiful versions I tried a couple of weeks ago when I still had thin ends (and longer hair...). It's been snowing quite heavily, but braided bun looks good with center part and with help of my dear winter outer bonnet, my style has stayed neat through the day.

   Still not regretting loss of length. I may reach my initial goal slower, but I'm not really in a hurry. Even this length allows me to play with so many styles and toys, and I also feel that I have now gained a little extra time to figure out how to deal with my hair once I reach the awkward stage around 63-64 cm's again. I absolutely love how my whole hair - strangely enough not just the ends - looks so much thicker now that I have blunt and neat hemline. ^^ And, my hair is still 7 cm longer than when I first measured it here. I really think that chop was the right thing to do.

Mamacat hairsticks are so pretty, and they are simply perfect for this time of the year. The weather around here is quite hostile for delicate hairsticks. But Mamacats don't mind harsh weather at all. My favorite pair at the moment are the Chestnuts, they match with my haircolor very nicely.

Yesterday was Finland's Independence Day. Traditionally, it is a fairly quiet, dignified day- quite the opposite to its US counterpart. I and T stayed home, prepared a 3-course Finnish meal, warmed the sauna and had a cozy home evening. I washed my hair with Lavender Spice and deep conditioned it with XZ deep conditioner- was too lazy to do anything more complicated.

I also did some hair spotting. They show President's independence day reception festivities on TV, and that's always a good chance to see interesting hairstyles as it's the number 1 formal event in the country. To my pleasure, there are always quite a few ladies with long hair (some relatively young people like athletes, singers and citizen activists below the "chopping age" always get invited). I saw a pretty braided updo, and one lady with gorgeous hip-length hair wore her hair in a half up with a beautiful sparkly barrette, but in general the old truth that Finnish hairdressers are way less creative than Finnish evening gown designers was apparent. Especially the lack of hairtoys caught my eye. I spotted a pretty French twist comb as well as some bun ornaments and floating jewels, but I'm not really exaggerating when I tell that my everyday updos have more interesting hair jewelry.  This is a land of hairstylists, not a land of hairtoy makers.

This morning my Tenderheaded.com order arrived. I think they shipped in record time- just 6 days, counting the weekend and yesterday being a free day. Microfiber towels look interesting. As I washed my hair yesterday, I'll have time to wash them before I try them on Friday.
   I also received two hand dyed silk ribbons: Mango Sorbet and Summer Sky. They're lovely, and I braided my hair with Mango Sorbet right away. All in all, I'm very happy with Tenderheaded right now.

Finally a quiet day to spend cooking and cleaning and doing other housework that needs to be done.

Today is first day that I classify as moderately cold. I was a bit to discover that the bonnet still keeps me warm, even though it was a bit windy. It really didn't feel that warm before, so this is a nice surprise.

I've also been playing with my new hairtoys. It seems that after the cut, my hair doesn't look quite right down any longer- the missing length isn't much, but apparently it's needed badly. But, knowing now what lies ahead, I'm enjoying cinnabuns with hairsticks (Gilded Denim right now) and French twists and plan to do so until awkward stage is here again.

Hair is nice today, and has great shine. It doesn't seem to be bothered about winter dryness- pampering seems to work. I should wash it today, but I'm trying to stretch until tomorrow night and weekly sauna (second time this week though).

I've been reading about BPAL, and am really tempted to order a load of imps in January. I'm going to force myself to wait at least until that though- I've just barely managed to overcome my perfume addiction, and my bathroom shelves still have WAY too many old perfume bottles. When some of them are gone though...