Egad, Sasha...I hope you recover soon. Sounds like quite the nasty fall.  Lucky that you didn't chip any bones...your coat may well have saved you from it.

Thanks everyone.   I am feeling better, but sitting is still not so comfortable.  I am taking a big thick pillow to work with me tomorrow to sit on.    Even sleeping is a challenge since I can only really sleep on my back, or my right side for a little while due to injuring my back a couple times in the past.  And guess what? Right and back are where the bruise is!  Figures. 

Yesterday I continued the curly girl experiment.  Today my hair felt sort of limp.  It was very soft but felt a bit odd and I don't know quite how to describe it yet.  It might just be the start of too much build up from the conditioner.  I used conditioner only yesterday and today, just massaging my scalp under the water. I only put the conditioner on the length. 

It is pretty wavy, but not drastically moreso than  normal.  The difference I have noticed is that the waves go up higher on the crown of my head.  I think this is in part due to the microfiber towel though. I have been flipping my hair upside down and wrapping the towel around my head turban-style.  When I take it off, the roots are dry and have a lot of lift from being upside down and having no water to weigh them down. 

That's my best guess, anyway.  Still wondering:  To comb or not to comb, that is the question!  Hair looks kind of frizzy uncombed, but more waves soften a lot when I comb.  They mostly come back with spritzing but I keep trying to not comb and just finger-comb.  Then before I leave the house I break down and comb my hair.  Ah well, if I can get used to this washing routine maybe the combing question can be answered later.

hee hee - you've created a hair snob for a boyfriend! 

This marks Day 7 of the curly girl experiment.  Today I used the brown sugar scrub and just conditioned.  I pressed my hair in the microfiber towel and spritzed with aloe gel.  My 'gel' is actually a mixture of aloe gel and aloe juice to make a fine mist.  Then I scrunched my hair til I liked it and now it is finishing drying.

This morning I stopped at Wal-Mart and bought a very wide-toothed 'wet comb.'  I used it in the shower when I had the conditioner in my hair and it separated the waves nicely with no pulling.  My ends are making lovely long, loose spirals.  The two locks on either side of my face are also spiraling loosely. 

I went to Whole Foods for more Rosewater, and  picked up Lavendar water too.  I have a small bottle of Rosewater to keep in my bag now for while I am out or at work.  I love the scent and it's nice to just spritz it on my hair or face, very refreshing.

The arnica gel seems to be helping.  The first day I went back to work was agony after 5 minutes.  The second (first gel day) was somewhat better, but my whole thigh was aching.  Today it feels pretty good.  Although I must admit I can get more comfortable with pillows and such at home than I can at work.  My team was laughing with me at me carrying my pillow around everywhere.   

My girlfriend is teaching me to belly-dance, but we took a break for the holidays.  We are going to start back up in February.  But in the meantime, she has gotten 2 other friends involved.  One of them lives in a complex that has a gym which we can all use as long as we are with her.  AND there is a free yoga class we can all take as well!!  I am so excited about all this!  I have a hard time motivating myself to exercize alone so this is just perfect.   My Sundays are about to become quite busy! I actually have a yoga DVD but it really kicks my behind, I can only do a small fraction of what that lady manages.  It sure looks easy when she does it! 

And the best possible news is that I finally had my first review since graduation from the in-house training program.  I got 'Exceeds Expectations' on everything but the stuff you can only get 'Meets Expectations' on, like attendance.   It really made my day to know that I am doing well and they all really like me and my work!

Sending good vibes your way 

and I liked the story about your new "hair snob"

Yesterday my hair felt like it had conditioner built up on it for the first time since I began this experiment.  I am wondering though if it was just that I used too much aloe on my braid.  Hair still feels nice and soft.  Aloe gel makes the braid stay together better, it does not get so fuzzy over the course of the day. 

My coworker came over to my desk and told me she liked my hair braided like this.  Then proceeded to tell me how hers used to be waist length before she cut it short and how she dyed the silver but was thinking about whether she should stop or grow it out or what.  I have always thought her hair would be gorgeous if she would stop with the black dye.  Her roots come in this fabulous metallic-shining silvery white.  It is just the color I hope mine would turn someday! 

She was worried having white hair would make her look old!  I told her I thought only the Q-tip style would do that to someone.  All the long-haired ladies I have seen with silver hair look younger.  And she has a young face anyway, she does not look like her hair should be white.  But she said she has not cut it for a while, and it is back at her shoulders.   I really hope she lets it grow out silver!  She even asked if I thought she should have the color removed.  I told her not to damage her hair and that I thought it would look beautiful even if she just let it grow out like it is but to do what made her happy.  And I told her about the East Indian lady I saw when I was 5.

I can hardly wait to see her with long white hair!

Yesterday I forgot to take my pillow.  The bruise is fading but oh was I sorry!  My whole thigh aches if I have to sit in that hard chair.  NOT forgetting it today!!

I hope your hip gets better soon. 

I love silvery-white hair too!  I can only hope mine will get that way.  But judging from my aunts, I may have to settle for salt-n-pepper until at least 80..   

Cynde