I finally went to bed at around 2:30 am. Boyfriend woke me up at 6:00 or so, and kept me up until about 7:30. Woke up again, still quite tired, at around 9:30.

It was too late to do a hair treatment by then, so I just pulled all of my new hair goods out of their bags and played with them for a few minutes before getting into the shower.

I bought a pack of velour scrunchies made by Goody. Most of them in colours that I would actually wear.

I also picked up 3 new Goody shower caps (the cheap-o ones). One in bright purple, the other 2 in the most godawful shades of Barbie and bubblegum pink. 

I also restocked my Pantene supply.
    Got the Daily Moisture Renewal Intensive Restoration Treatment, the Intensive Moisturizing Masque and a few of the overnight treatments all from Wal*Mart.
    While I was there, I noticed this lady with gorgeous hair!! It was wavy, down to her waist with fairytale shape at the ends, which were perfectly curled. I wondered for a minute if it was fake, but I can tell when people are sporting rugs. This was, of course, in the same shopping center as the Claim Jumper where I had my birthday dinner & saw all of those other long-haired lasses.  Rather makes me miss East County...

At Target, I picked up the Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo & conditioner...both of which had special sneak-preview sample bottles of the new Restoratives line, which has not yet hit shelves.

When I unwrapped them this morning, I discovered that the formulas are blue, they have a lovely green tea sort of fragrance, and milder ingredients. No ammonium laureth or lauryl anything. And very few cones!

Shampoo: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Fragrance, Cocamide MEA, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Menthylchloroisothiazolinone, Menthylisothiazolinone, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Blue 1, Red 33

Conditioner: Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Menthylchloroisothiazolinone, Menthylisothiazolinone, Blue 1, Red 33

I will definitely have to try these and post a product review!!  These could be just what I've been looking for.

My boyfriend told me that my entire family knows what my surprise is. He said that the instant I got up to use the restroom at Claim Jumper, my parents jumped on him and demanded to know where he was taking me. I guess my sister was there too, because he said that once he had told them where we were going, my sis said to him, "You know MY birthday is next month..."
    If it interests her, it must be good! 

Today, he called and said that he had something exciting to tell me about where we were going this weekend. I asked whether it would give away the surprise, and he said that it would. So...I actually told him not to tell me!
    It would be rather a waste for him to put so much effort into creating this big surprise only to give it away prematurely. I'd rather have it honestly.

Every day, I get more intrigued and excited about it. Friday is almost here, and we'll be leaving around 2:00 pm, I guess. This is a trip! heh For once, I am at the mercy of the singular creativity of his mind....and that's kind of a turn-on, actually! 

Anywho, I must tend to the heaping piles of laundry on my floor.

Day 8 of the Pantene 10-Day Challenge. Right in the midst of "shinier hair."
    I haven't gotten to really look at it lately. The past few days have been so busy. I don't know whether my hair is shiny or not...but it feels better.
    Day 10 falls on the 18th...same day as my trim. Hopefully I'll see some grand improvements by then.

Almost fell asleep at work today. Then I made a pot of coffee for a manager visiting from our Lakewood location...and got strung out on the combination of caffeine & sugar. I felt faint, my hands were shaking & everything. *sigh* I hate caffeine.

So.......The Big Surprise.

Friday evening, my boyfriend & I packed up my Mercedes and drove to a gas station. He filled up the tank while I went into the convenience store and bought 2 enormous bottles of Evian. They will be great for vinegar rinses when empty. 
    So then I came back to the car & wrapped a long, silk scarf about my head for a blindfold (my boyfriend insisted that I be blindfolded for the drive), and we were off.
    The drive took about 2 hours...I guess. A few times, I put my hand to the window and remarked how the air outside of it must be freezing cold. I could hear other cars whizzing by, and asked my boyfriend whether we were passing everyone or everyone was passing us.
    He said that everyone was passing us and driving like maniacs. I half-joked that we must be somewhere near L.A. because people tend to drive like that between there and San Diego. He said the same about Mexico.

So eventually, we slowed, went through a few lights, made a few turns, and then came to a stop. My boyfriend told me to wait in the car for a few minutes while he went to take care of something, but not to remove the blindfold. I did as he said.
    In the distance, I could hear what sounded like either the ocean, traffic, or both. I touched the cold glass of the window again and started asking questions aloud to my car: "Are we in Mexico, Cedric?" "Have we ever been here before?"
    Within minutes, my boyfriend had returned and opened up my door, telling me to step out, but still not remove the blindfold.
    As I clung to him, he led me through a hotel lobby, into an elevator, down a hallway (where I could hear Mexican voices) and into our hotel room. Once there, he removed my blindfold at last, led me to the window and asked if I knew where I was.

He told me to stay in the room while he went back down to the car to retrieve our bags. While he was gone, I looked around the room. All of the signs and products were in English, so I figured that we were either still in the states or in a very tourist-y area of Mexico.
    And then I spotted it. On the exit map on the back of the door. A heading which read: Portofino Inn, Anaheim, CA.
    Anaheim....we were going to Disneyland!!!!!!!!!

When my boyfriend returned, I pretended just for a little while longer not to know where I was. Finally he broke it down: "We're at Disneyland, sweetheart." And then he announced his plan to buy both of us annual passes!!

And so it was. Saturday morning, we each got our passes. Sunday morning, we spent 2 hours at a stupid timesharing seminar. We didn't buy anything, but walked out with the $100 Disney Dollars they had promised us...which we blew in about 2 seconds upon entering the park again. 
    Sunday evening, my parents showed up. We met up with them just before they had to leave...and the last thing my father said to my boyfriend was, "We're real proud of you." 

All in all, a very good weekend. My beloved is now an official Disneyland addict, and we already have plans to go back this Friday. And should he ever find his way to reading this.....thank you so much, my darling, for the best birthday present ever!! 

My hair feels bleagh today. I don't know whether I used too many leave-in sprays this morning or if it's just the buildup of cones and conditioners from the past 9 days, but something is definitely not right. My roots are feeling pretty greasy.

During my break at work, I tried out Pantene's Ultimate Finish Perfecting Crème....bad idea.
    Now my hair is all stuck together & very difficult to brush out.    I won't be using that stuff again!

*sigh* This is usually the point in my routine when Herbal Essences starts looking good again.

I dunno. Maybe all I need is a good clarifying wash and a vinegar rinse. Maybe I need to rethink my whole routine. Heck, maybe I need to rethink my whole life. 

Anywho, one of my boyfriend's buddies is here to work on the computer now, so I'm going to cut this short.

Bye for now.

Very sweet Boyfriend! Sounds like a keeper!

What a sweet, sweet surprise , though i don't think i would have been able to keep the blindfold on that long

When i did the pantene challenge last year, i got to day 4 or 5 and STOP didn't go on... terrible

Beesan: Yeah it is a bit of a challenge...but well worth it. I just couldn't foil the surprise. 

Panpeus: I agree, the Pantene fragrance isn't what it used to be. Actually, they've changed it many times over the years.
    I was in looooove with the old Pert Plus fragrance back when I was in high school. But they ruined it soon after I graduated. *sigh*

After 6 months of waiting, I finally got my trim done!  I do believe "scissor lady" took off way more than the inch I requested, however. I haven't had the chance to measure yet.

After weeks of starving, we finally went grocery shopping. We'll eat like kings...for a few days, at least.

I'm working in the morning tomorrow at my boyfriend's request. We're going to Disneyland again tomorrow, so he wants me to get out as soon as possible. Ohhhh this is gonna be fun!! 

I really kind of enjoy the benefits of being with a plumber. Not only is my beloved planning to build my castle from the ground up, but today he brought home a new $80 showerhead for us to try out. He says that there are plenty more where this one came from if it doesn't work out. The one he wants costs about $300! 

Speaking of showers, I used the red Rainforest Flowers formulas again this morning. *sigh* I'm so wishy-washy these days, I can't stand it. Pantene. Herbal Essences. Pantene. Herbal Essences. It's messing with my head, man!! To think that I would devote so much of my conscious thought to such trivial things kind of bothers me.
    Tomorrow I get to try out the new shower head though.

I should be in bed by now....but I'm trying to comfort a friend who's been feeling down lately.  Hang in there, Adam. God loves you, and so do I.

khrome: Just keep reading to see how "nice" he is!!

I am lonely and unhappy as crap today.  

My boyfriend hasn't spoken to me since Friday morning. I think I've seen him a total of 5 seconds in the past 3 days, and the past 3 nights I've spent alone.

We were planning to go to Disneyland on Friday afternoon. I had called my mother and arranged to work the morning shift that day (even though it meant going through commission payroll - ugh!) so I could be off by 12:30. But before I had even left for work, something happened. Truth is, I don't really even remember what. All I do remember is one of the last things he said before I had to leave: "Maybe you should just go to the park by yourself today. I'm gonna be busy."
   That is, he arranged to be busy. JERK.

He had brought home and installed a brand new $80 shower head that I guess he'd gotten from his work (he's a plumber). And this thing.........is bloody awful! It's about the worst shower head I've ever used in my entire life. SO not worth the $80 price tag!
   Although, I thought that the fact that he even has the kind of resources and skills to just bring something home and install it was kinda hot.  
   But still, this thing completely sucks. We have very different tastes in shower heads, apparently. And most everything else for that matter... *sigh*

I vaguely remember making some comment about being very different people on Friday morning. He tried to counter with the old "if we were the same, our relationship would be boring" cliché. But I countered that by expaining the difference between different and incompatible. Maybe that's what upset him. *shrug* Who knows. I swear, that guy acts more like a woman than I do.

But 3 days of the old "silent treatment" is more than just a little immature for a grown man, if you ask me. Between that, his complete absence and a few other little details, it's as if his every gesture says, "I don't care anymore."
   Whatever. If that's the game he wants to play, then so be it. If this is the way he acted in other relationships, then it's really no wonder that none of them worked out.   Honestly.

I need a roommate!!!!

Ahem. In other news........
   I saw "Tristan & Isolde" last night (ALONE!  ). *swoon!* It was good. Sad, but good. Definitely some longhair moments!

This morning, sick of my hair routine for the past few days, I did the clarifying routine with Pantene Purity shampoo and a vinegar rinse. Daily Moisture Renewal conditioner, as always. But no leave-ins today. I wanted to see & feel my hair in its purest form, to get an idea of the condition it's really in.

I've had to use that godawful shower head for the past 4 showers now, and it is NO FUN!!! I literally had to stand on a box the last time just to get close enough to it so the water would actually run through my hair.  
   It's the type where the water comes out in a circular shape with nothing in the middle. The kind that most cheap hotels and apartments use. Not good for short, skinny gals like myself. I literally have to run around in the shower to get wet.  
   And certainly not good for anyone who cherishes their hair!
   Note for future use: The type of shower head used has a strong impact on the condition of one's hair.

Anyway, I spent most of the day at work. In fact, that's where I am right now, seeing as I can no longer use the computer at home.

My boyfriend adjusted it so he is the only one who can. It's password protected. And though I tried countless times to guess it, I kept getting it wrong. And when I clicked on the password hint question icon, it said this: "Why don't you just go kill yourself?"
WTF, mate?!
   I don't know whether that's really his hint, or something he typed just for laughs or whether it's aimed directly at me. The latter part is what bothers me, obviously. Why on earth would he say something like that TO ME?!
   I thought about leaving a note on his desk that read: "Go kill myself? Who do you think I am....your cousin?!" A reference of course, to our lovely roommate's earlier unsuccessful suicide attempt. But I have no way of knowing whether that question was for me or not. *sigh*
 
Should I try to be the bigger person here and talk to him? It would feel weird. And if he doesn't care, why the @#&$% should I?

Hmm, there are ways of finding out that password, you know...

Ever head of a keylogger?