So I've been a member here for about a month, and I figured that now was the time to create my own little hair journal. I've never done this before, so please bear with me.

Now, what to write...  ???

This morning, I woke up, did the dishes and 2 loads of laundry, and straightened up the bedroom all before settling down for a pre-shower scalp massage.

The evil roommate was still asleep in his chamber of filth, and I figured that he would stay that way for sometime yet, considering how late he was up last night. Just like every other night.
  His door was not completely closed, and I caught brief glimpses of him through the crack between it and the wall each time I passed by. Though he had moved almost every time, he was indeed still unconscious. The bum!

My stereo is on the wall that separates our rooms, so I turned on my music low so as not to wake him.

I usually play some type of classical music while I do scalp massages. Nocturnal piano, opera, aria...it just seems to work best for the purpose.

The 6th track (Pachelbel's "Canon in D") was not yet over by the time I'd finished. Then, it was off to the shower.

The roommate was still sound asleep.

Earlier this morning, I mixed up a vinegar rinse in one of the many empty water bottles laying around. Today, I decided, would be a clarifying day.

I used Pantene Purity shampoo for the first wash, following with the vinegar rinse (I use distilled white vinegar instead of ACV). After rinsing this out with cold water, I went onto the second wash with the usual Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal 2 in 1. Rinsed this out, applied the corresponding conditioner and covered my head with a shower cap while attending to my other "shower duties." Finish with a final cold rinse, and voilà. This is my usual clarifying routine.

I had about 15 minutes to dress before flying out the door to work. As I was lacing up my boots, guess who finally woke up (this was just after noon)? 
  "The dæmon rises," I muttered to myself.

He had seated himself at the computer as I rushed about the apartment gathering my things. As per usual, I left without a word to him. He and I almost never speak...and it's better that way.

The place was dark and empty when I came home. This was a source of both confusion and relief.

My boyfriend's truck was in one of the spaces in front of our complex, and yet no sign of him or his dæmon cousin. Perhaps they went somewhere together. Perhaps not. 'Tis no major concern of mine.

Fresh popcorn from my air popper was dinner. Tonight, I'll do an overnight treatment.

Congrats on starting your own journal! 

So today I used my boyfriend's Herbal Essences Fruit Fusions S&C. The hydrating formula. And ended up with a nasty chemical burn.  

I did a conditioning treatment in between. Pantene's Intensive Restoration Treatment, left in for an hour, then rinsed with cool water.

I found out that my eeevil ex (who happens to live, for whatever reason, with my immediate family-ugh!) will not be flying to Phoenix for Thanksgiving as planned. So he'll be spending the entire day with my family...instead of me.  
   I had made arrangements to go over to their place tonight to make pumpkin pies for tomorrow, and to have Thanksgiving dinner with them. These plans fell through, naturally, when I learned that he would be there. Yes, it's very messed up.

I also am rather not planning on spending Thanksgiving breakfast with my boyfriend at his father's place...even though said "place" is conveniently right next door. I'm not going because 1.) All of them smoke, as well as indulge in many other toxic behaviours  2.) The dæmon cousin/roommate will be there. He already makes daily life quite intolerable for me...why let him ruin my holidays too? And  3.) I would feel awkward, uncomfortable and just generally out of place as ever.

So I've agreed to spend it with the only other family that I have here in SoCal, which would be my aunt, my uncle (who is just recovering from a surgery this morn) and their 3 children.

My boyfriend is a sore subject these days. Not only is he rough and heavy-handed with my hair   but he's leaving tomorrow night to spend the next 4 days on a camping trip with his equally toxic guy friends.
   Of course, that leaves me alone for the next 4 days with guess who?

My father's words echo louder every day: "He doesn't have much regard for you."

On Friday, I plan on having dinner at a co-worker's house upon her invitation. She & I have bonded nicely at the office, so this is naturally the next step. So there is a silver lining...

As to my hair, I bought my own bottles of Herbal Essences (the original line) just to try and see what happens. I'll try not to judge until both bottles are empty.

This week's Santa Ana weather has not been kind to my hair or skin. Both are horridly dried out, so I'll need some rehabilitative work. Oh well.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  

I hope you get better soon! 

That's interesting about your water fluctuations.  Mine does the same thing - really big extremes so I'm freezing one second, and scalded next.  We have to make sure not to not turn the kitchen sink on when someone is in the shower.   

Cynde

Broke in my bottles of Herbal Essences today. They're both the chamomile/aloe vera/passion flower blend. No chemical burn this time! 

Last night after brushing out my hair, my boyfriend commented that my hair looked really healthy. 

I guess this Herbal Essences thing is a good omen. 

While he was in the shower last night, I asked if he wanted me to mix up a vinegar rinse for him. With a somewhat puzzled expression, he asked, "What's that?" So I explained the process, and he agreed to it. heh heh heh *evil grin*

In a 1 liter bottle, I mixed a little distilled white vinegar with cold tap water, then brought it in to him.
    "What do I do?" he asked
    "Just turn around," I smiled. When he turned his backside to me, I tilted his head back and proceeded to slowly pour out the bottle's contents over his freshly-shampoo-ed hair.
    With shrieks of, "It's cold!" and "It stinks!" and "You're pouring pickle juice in my hair!" he was sufficiently introduced to the clarifying vinegar rinse. 

After shampoo-ing once more and conditioning (he hadn't had a shower in 3 days - ew!), I took out my raspberry facial scrub and taught him how to exfoliate.
    He's unusually interested in my mineral peel-off masque and my deep conditioning treatments as well, so I may try those next. hehe Slowly but surely, I am luring him over to the dark side! Buahahahahahaaaa!

In other news, I'm still very sick. Herbal Essences and Doyle's Canon have provided welcome distractions. Any type of medicine seems to do little if anything, so I bide my time...

If my hands warm up, I may do a scalp massage tonight.

Hope you are feeling better soon.  Colds are such a bummer. 

Dec. 1: Did a clarifying wash with Pantene Purity shampoo & a vinegar rinse. Followed with the usual Daily Moisture Renewal routine. Didn't use any leave-ins because I was planning to do an overnight treatment. Alas, it was not to be.  So my hair just ended up feeling dry that day.

Had my hair up all day, so it was all kinked & curly & I couldn't measure.

Been feeling very alone & neglected. My boyfriend is never around. I was right when I said that being with him means being without him. 

Dec. 2: Woke up & brushed my hair. It had straightened overnight, so I proceeded to measure. 21 inches. What?! That's exactly the same as last month! Is that really right?
    Checked again. 21 inches. Perhaps a shower will help (or not).

Daily Moisture Renewal 2 in 1, followed with the conditioner. Leave-ins currently consist of TRESemmé Detangle leave-in spray & Pantene daily renewal treatment.
    When my hair finally dried, ugh! It was awful! It was greasy underneath the top layer...like I hadn't washed it at all. Or worse yet, like I'd washed it in pure baby oil! Not pretty.

Wore my hair down all day today just so I could take a measurement. Went shopping after work & bought my sister's Christmas present from Bath & Body Works. $80-some-odd later, I arrived home, changed & endeavoured once more to measure my hair.

21 inches. I give up.

On the bathroom mirror, the dæmon roommate wrote: UNCURTIOUS CURTIS. For some reason, I just wasn't feeling anal enough to cross out the UN and write DIS. Obviously these are very under-educated people I live with. 
    I say under-educated, not uneducated, because they both have trades that they are more or less devoted to. My boyfriend has been a plumber (and a darn good one!) for several years and the dæmon....well....he's recently thrown himself into massage therapy. 

Speaking of the "boyfriend" (I use quotes because he sure doesn't act like it!!), he isn't here yet again. He wasn't here when I got home, even though he stops working several hours before I do. Same thing happened yesterday. *sigh* Will it ever end?

Thank you for the encouragement, ChelseaB.

All of my fish died Saturday night.    Long story short, they were all poisoned when my catfish died in the holding tank while I was cleaning the main one. Upon discovering that the water in the holding tank was contaminated, I tried to save them...but they all died within minutes of each other. 2 of them were about 5 years old.
    I had a catfish, an algæ eater and 3 bala sharks. God rest their souls.

My boyfriend says that he will be "on call" at his new job. Meaning, of course, that we could be in the middle of....well, anything, really....and he might have to pick up and leave. I hate this! The very idea of it turns my stomach. I wanted to leave my former husband when his job tried to put him on an "on call" status, so now I feel like a hypocrite just giving this guy a chance. Then again, what choice do I have?

I've been really disgruntled about hair care lately. It just seems that my hair hates everything. Different products have different problems and it's all very overwhelming to think of it.
    I need to change my routine badly. I've been using all kinds of ingredients that aren't good for my hair (like ammonium laureth & lauryl sulfate...and products with oil in them).

I've been wondering how baby shampoo might work on long hair. It doesn't seem to contain the harsh ingredients of almost every other shampoo on the market, and it's oil-free, which is good for me.

I just don't know. I'm feeling really overwhelmed at the moment. My promotion seems like it isn't going to happen, things couldn't much worse on the homefront and I'm having serious "hair issues!"

Perhaps I should seek therapy. They should have hair counselors! 

Angel Spun I'm sorry to hear about your fish.  I use to keep a fish tank for years.  My hubby use to be a security guard (the armed type) and was on call at all hours of the night. It took some getting use to. The only thing I didn't like was tripping over his gun belt in the morning!  As for your hair, Bikerbraid said it all!

Sorry about your fish!!!!    Time will heal you.

I know i wish there was hair counslers! There are triochogists(ok i cant spell ppl). The Victoria Secrets model Giselle who was dating x boyfriend Leonardo Dicaprio, went to a trichologist and her hair is soooooooooooooo long and gorgeous now!!!

I'm sorry about your fish, Angel Spun. It's bad enough when one pet dies, but to have them all die in a few minutes of each other...boy.    (((hugs)))

Sorry about your boyfriend!

Can I ask you a question? Although it is absolutely none of my business, Why in the Heck does your EX live with YOUR parents??? ??? ??? That seems to make things wierd.  Sorry about that.

Oh my!   

I can't even put in words what I am thinking about your ex's setup with your parents.

Hugs for you and I hope things get straightened out soon!

Oh geez, that is a very awkward home situation.  I know your parents have good intentions, but they have to be aware when their generosity is being taken advantage of.  It sounds like he's had enough time to at least offer a portion of the rent in good faith.  Eating their food just takes the cake. 

Well, I hope it all works out.  It's a bummer to feel uncomfortable visiting your own home.

Cynde

Thanx, you guys. 

Update: I retired early one night after giving my boyfriend the letter that I had typed at work about a few of our main incongruencies. He read it in the living room while I tried to fall asleep in the bedroom. I dreaded his reaction.
  Had I done something like that with my former husband, he would have just read it like a laundry list of complaints & cast it aside.
  But my boyfriend entered the room, laid beside me on the bed, put his arms around me, kissed me and said 1.) that he loved me, 2.) that that letter was exactly what he had wanted and 3.) that he had never had feelings for anyone else since the night we met.
  Turns out that when he said that he had a "thing" for another girl, he was not yet awake and very incoherent. He has a tendency to say all kinds of off-the-wall things on the verge of consciousness, whether accurate or not.
  He promised that he had been completely true from day 1, and that I was out of my mind to ever doubt it. He also said that he would address everything in that letter. I will refrain from graphic detail. It's all very personal & would bore the crap out of y'all anyway. But that letter brought about a world of good. 

In hair news.....I've been using Herbal Essences for awhile now without any chemical burn whatsoever. 
  BUT... the formulas still don't agree with my fine hair, and it becomes hopelessly tangled. *sigh* I give up.

Tomorrow, I plan to do a clarifying wash and go back to my beloved Pantene. I surrender! 

Quote:


LOL!  I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that uses the dishwasher to wash things other than dishes!  I even put the kitchen sponge and dish cloth in the dishwasher!

Hey Angle Spun

It's the thought that counts with gifts like these isn't it?

I'm sorry about your roommate, that sounds horrible have you tried discussing it with him ??? maybe he can tone it down a bit...

And congratulations on both securing the bun (took me a week, except i practiced with chopsticks ) and the comment, they just make your day

Happy New Year!

I'm sorry to hear about all that, Angel Spun. Being sick and having to live with a daemon, ugh. I hope you feel better soon, though.

As for living arrangements, it sounds like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Even though your BF's cousin sucks rocks, going by what you wrote about your parents, you might be better off where you are now (if only a little). I don't blame you for wanting to leave. I know I'd feel the same way if I were in your situation.

Can't wait to hear about your hair revelation! (((hugs)))

I'm so sorry to hear about you being sick, and the situation you're in  


and hang in there.

Sweeeeeeeet revelatiooooooonnnn: About 4 days into the 10-Day Pantene miracle, my new, unused bottles of Herbal Essences began calling to me from the closet where I had stashed them.
  The thought of their alluring fragrance tempted me. I took them down, unscrewed the caps and smelled them. Lord, that scent!! I was hooked.

That night, I mixed up a vinegar rinse and placed it next to those coveted bottles in my shower basket to await the morn.
  Tuesday, I awoke feeling a little bit like a kid on Christmas morning, silly as it may sound. Just the thought of what lay ahead...    No one else was up, and with a sly smile, I took up my basket of goodies and made for the bathroom.

There, I surrendered to the power of herbal. heh I did a full-on Clarifying wash, complete with vinegar rinse. Cold water all the way. Followed with the Replenishing conditioner. I used the leave-in spray conditioner before detangling with my Rachael Stephens #45.
  My hair was still wet when I left for work, as usual, but it had a totally different aura. That gorgeous scent radiated from it...and it felt like a great weight had been lifted. The long days, weeks, years of suffocating under the cone and conditioner residue of Pantene had been washed away. And when my hair dried, it felt (and smelled) fabulous! I ran my purse brush through it at work and couldn't stop touching it afterwards! 

After work, I got a wild hair up my butt and drove far off into the mountains of East County. There, with strokes of divine inspiration, I wrote like crazy. Not just bits & pieces, but full poems!

A dear friend of mine speculates that the Herbal Essences has seeped through my scalp and is affecting my brain. I have a feeling he may be right, although not at all in a bad way!
  Since the switch, I have been feeling much more inspired, philosophical and intellectually keen.

So, I am now officially an Herbal Essences convert. Maggie, you know I hate to abandon my Pantene sistah...and you're welcome to scream profanities at your monitor and send me multiple death threats ('cause that would just be awesome!), but so it must be for me.

Thus begins a new chapter in my hair's life. More on the reason behind the revelation later.

Uh oh, it looks like someone's got the urge. The urge to Herbal!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

I hope you get better soon Angelspun!!! Also i enjoy reading your journal. You write well. I would like to hear some of your poems.

This is probably my most "famous" piece, written in 1996 (and yes, I "borrowed" the title from AC/DC):

Back In Black

Standing alone amongst the world
A quiet loneliness unfurled
What no one sees, no one knows
Silence like a cancer grows
Solitude is peace inside
Burning tears no longer cried
Standing alone I see the light
That fades within the dead of night

©All Rights Reserved

Thank you. Good luck indeed. 

Today I did the clarifying routine yet again. *sigh*
    I put the showerhead on its water saver setting and did the usual.

Pantene Purity shampoo, vinegar rinse, Purity shampoo again, Daily Moisture Renewal conditioner. Finished with a light conditioner (I'm still trying to use the last of it up). Cold water all the way.

In the end, my hair felt fabulous! I didn't use any leave-ins. Just let it air dry before detangling it with my Rachael Stephens #45. It all felt very natural, so I don't regret doing it.

I was going to try and measure my hair today, so I left it down all day, not wishing for an updo to curl it up. But wouldn't you know it...I sorta almost fell asleep in my boyfriend's arms. That kinked my hair up nicely. 
    Surrendering to the fact that I would just have to measure tomorrow, I put in the Overnight Repair Intensive Treatment. And here I sit hours later.

I suppose I'll have to go to bed sometime...

Happy birthday to me.

Today I once again woke up filled with anticipation for what my shower had in store. I was going to use Herbal Essences today, which is always a sensual joy to me.

Of course, I had to clean up the bathroom somewhat, as the dæmon roommate had recently taken a shower himself...and used MY Rainforest Flowers shampoo!  I don't know why that irks me, but it does. I mean, it does chemically burn my skin & I want to get rid of it ASAP...but it's just something about the idea of him using my stuff without permission. He does it all the freaking time. Bloody freeloader. 

Anywho, after returning the bathroom back to an almost acceptable state, I hopped into the shower & tried to make the most of it. You can bet I power-rinsed those red bottles with VERY hot water, too. I can't stand the idea of touching things after he's touched them. I know well enough where his hands have been. 

I washed twice with the red Rainforest Flowers Replenishing shampoo, and conditioned twice with the matching conditioner.
    What I love about Herbal Essences is that it really makes my hair feel clean after using it. Pantene is so loaded up with cones and conditioners that it leaves a very thick film behind, even after lots of rinsing.

About halfway through my shower, my boyfriend came barging into the bathroom and told me that I wasn't supposed to be up yet.  ??? He had been gone all morning...and had apparently brought back breakfast, which he had intended to serve to me in bed. Aww. And I had to to and toss a wrench into such sweet plans. 

He actually came in several more times, leading on and on about some secret plans and the difficulties he was having trying to make them work out, but not telling me much so as not to foil my surprise...basically just being vague enough to confuse the crap out of me.  ??? That boy's up to something.

So anyway, apparently, he had to go up to a friend's house to work out part of the details, and I could finally finish my shower without interruption. Oy.

So after all of this and some drying and dressing, I used Herbal Essences leave-in conditioner (yes, I realize the 2nd ingredient is a cone  ) and some other leave-in conditioner that I had lying around and am trying to use up. Carefully detangled with my Rachael Stephens #45, which I had washed last night along with all of my other combs & brushes, and went about the day.

I heated up & buttered the cranberry muffin that my beloved had brought back for me and started a load of laundry.

It's funny...for a long time, my birthdays would always end up being the worst days of my life. The sort of Murphy's Law days where everything that can possibly go wrong does, and then you're slammed with major unexpected catastrophes on top of that. But so far, that hasn't happened. *looks around, expecting a piano to fall through the ceiling...or my roommate to walk in* 

So far as plans tonight, I think my family is taking me to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. My boyfriend will be there...unless he gets a call.  MAN, would that ruin things. I can see it now. We've all just ordered when suddenly, his phone rings, he gets up and bails on my birthday dinner, I'm left feeling utterly abandoned and everyone else at the table suddenly has nothing good to say about him.  !! Egad.

But even if it does come to that, next weekend is for us. He's planned it out.
    I have no idea what's in store...but I know the depths of his singular creativity, so I'll just have to be ready for it, whatever it may be.

Happy Birthday, AngelSpun!  No matter what transpires, I hope you will find a way to enjoy your birthday!

Happy Bday AngelSpun!!!  Hope you had  a good one!

Happy Birthday!  I hope you had a wonderful day.

Happy belated Birthday!

Ooooh, if you need a swimsuit it sounds like a good suprise! 

Also, the Shirley Temple is my mother's favorite drink.  It's a sweet little drink, just like her!

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?

Quote:

Belive me, juri, I've wondered the same thing many a time... 

Thanx for the support you guys. Now for an update:

My boyfriend apologized last night for being such an immature boob (I made him!) and we patched things up to a level that I'm at least functional at. You best believe, though, that I'm not done.

I came to learn 2 things yesterday:
1.) That it wasn't my boyfriend who messed with the computer after all! I should have known it was that no-good scoundrel roommate of ours! Grrrrrrrrr 
    Thank goodness my boyfriend knew the password (the dæmon had told him). And like me, he doesn't know why his cousin decided to change the startup format in the first place, nor is he pleased by the fact.

2.) That my man is just as fond of that blasted new shower head as I am. I've cleaned the old one up and he'll be replacing it soon (thank the hair gods) but not soon enough. 

Hair news: Today I tried out my free samples of Pantene Restoratives Breakage Defense shampoo & conditioner. I washed twice, and left the conditioner in while I did all of the other stuff, then rinsed it out.
    The formula smells lovely...rather like green tea, but both the shampoo & conditioner are blue. They seemed to make my hair feel quite soft & light. Perhaps I'll post a full review later on when I have more time.
    I don't think I'll be switching permanently, though.

Anywho, the eeevil roommate will be gone by the 1st. This means that neither my boyfriend nor I will ever have to worry about him ruining our humble abode and disrupting our lives or our relationship.
    It also means that he & I will be solely responsible for rent from this point on. Thank goodness I put in overtime last week!

That's all for now. I have to work morning shift tomorrow and then off to job #2. heh Money, money, money! 

I'm glad everything has straightend out some..

The computer thing is very...i can't seem to find the right word , but i'm very happy for your sake that he is moving out

My lover has finally fixed the shower head! 

Today I was able to use my Intensive Restoration Treatment after washing (just once) with Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo.
    I left the treatment in for about 2 hours, then rinsed out. Then followed with Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal conditioner and a nice cold rinse.
    I used all of my lovely leave-in sprays today as well. Pantene's Light Spray Conditioner, Daily Moisture Treatment and TRESemmé Detangling Leave-In Conditioner (just on the crown, mainly, but I'm still trying to finish off the bottle).
    When I got to work, I oiled my hair in the restroom before claiming my seat at the front desk. *sigh* The old grind...

Today a frazzled co-worker came by to vent about inventory and being the middle-man, but in the process, he actually offered my some pretty helpful tips pertaining to my upcoming (hopefully!) promotion. I'm still crossing my fingers where that's concerned.
    But he brought up 2 interesting points that I hadn't really considered before: 1.) that practically the entire company knows I want this promotion, and it would disappoint a lot of people if I didn't get it....and 2.) it will likely happen in March, at the end of the fiscal year. Apparently that's when most promotions/transfers take place.

I have 9 hours logged at my 2nd job so far, which is good considering that I now have to live off of my secondary income. The primary is now entirely going into rent because we will now be paying for it without the dæmon's "help."
    It's depressing to think that all the efforts of my 1st job are being wasted on this dump. I can't wait to get out of here, and neither can my boyfriend. Not only is it ridiculously expensive and not worth the cost, but there are a lot of other factors surrounding it that we are eager to leave behind.

It's kinda funny to think of all of the things that I will be accomplishing this year. So many "big" things that I'm already aware will happen.
    I'll be transferring to a different department at work, probably getting benefits, making more money than I ever have in my life, moving, getting my ears pierced a 2nd time, getting my tattoo...who knows what else? Not to mention, I'll be going to Disneyland many times through it all. 

Tonight I got $80 for my old aquarium.  My boyfriend brought a co-worker over who was interested in buying it, and he did. So now I can finally do laundry...and put a little gas in my tank...and maybe have a little left over to aid with rent. Things are definitely looking up for me.

*sigh* I suppose I would be happier if I had more to show for it already. 

Not much to add tonight.

I've discovered that it's easier to take all 3 of my daily Biotin tablets at once, rather than 1 with every meal.

The Pantene website has now begun promoting the Restoratives lines. And wouldn't you know it...the model that they use for the Breakage Defense collection has straight, light brown hair just like me!!  It's literally exactly the same colour...with the subtle red hints & everything! Now this is what I like to see! We light brunettes need more recognition!    http://www.pantene.com/en_US/products/collection/restoratives/index.jsp

I forgot to mention that yesterday I clipped a pedometer to my waistband and left it on until last night, just to see how much walking I do in a typical day.
    It didn't really surprise me when I took it off that the final reading was just under 10 miles. *sigh*

On that note, I'm going to bed. Like all the ones before it, this has been one heck of a week! Now it's time to end all of that torture with a satin pillowcase and sweet Pantene dreams.

Goodnight, all.

Hi, Angel Spun.  For your cough, try taking a teaspoon of honey mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  I put the honey on a spoon (I eyeball it 'cause its such a pain to get honey out of a plastic measuring spoon) and sprinkle the cinnamon on top.  You can take it several times a day.

Sleeping propped up will also help w/the cough at night-the drainage doesn't have a chance to sit in the throat and irritate it.

Feel better soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Angelspun, i hope you get better. I understand how it feels to be sick.hopefully that cough will go away soon. you cant go wrong with honey and tea.

You make me laugh, angel spun, your hatred for your life-sucking, eeevil, misery-inducing roommate goes so deep that there's nothing left to do but laugh, honestly!  And pair that up with an enormous blonde, now that's just off the charts, we're talking sitcom material!

So those little buggers at Pantene just put a snowflake on the DMR bottle and called it new, huh?  How dare they do that to me, I almost fell for it...but I'll still probably buy it for the pretty snowflake 

As far as being a flip flopping, two timing shampoo user, I say embrace it, don't try to change it...you deserve shower choices just as much as the next gal, probably even more.  I always have (at least) two to choose from, I think it's good to change it up, then your hair won't get bored with the same ol'-same ol', right?  Right.  Good. 

Hang in there, Angel, don't rule out the promotion just quite yet.  It's not over 'til it's over, so keep positive.  And if not, a rock 'n roll receptionist sounds kinda cool, and if it's not, then you'll make it cool, that's all  !

...So, did you say ol' scratch there is trying to impregnate big blonde lady??  *shivers*

Congrats on having your place back to yourselves!  Changing the locks my give you even more "security" that he won't be back uninvited.   8) 

Enjoy! 

   CONGRATULATIONS!!!   

Maybe the the leftover evil vibes from the daemon spawn's left-behind items that are making you in a wierd mood.  You need to cleanse your place of him, you'll have to get some sage bundles and do you entire apartment!  I'm so happy for you!   Just remember that good things happen in three's...so I'm sure that your new job position will be part of that, I'm sending my good vibes clear across the states for you!!!

Thanx, you guys. 

OMG Maggie, those jumping firebals...LOL!!

Went to Disneyland last night. It sucked. 
    First of all, we left way too late in the evening, and ended up pulling off of the freeway a few times to look for a place to eat. We finally had dinner at a Del Taco down the street from the park...saved $$ that way.
    My boyfriend got lost trying to find the parking structure, which is some distance away from the park and you must take a tram to get there & back.
    By the time we reached the main gates, the park was only going to be open for about another hour....and the lines were still like 3 miles long!!!!    Had to wait forever.
    Even though my favourite ride (the Haunted Mansion, duh) was closed, I was still excited to think of all the Nightmare Before Christmas stuff I would get from the Bat En Rouge. But after rummaging around in my purse, I was horrified to learn that I had accidentally left (or dropped) my wallet in the car! 
    My boyfriend said that I probably still had my debit card in my purse, though. So I looked...and I did!! I was so happy that I threw my arms around him & kissed him.
And then I realized that my ID was still in my wallet! My boyfriend said that if we tried to go back for it, the park would be closed by the time we returned. So I bought nothing. 
    We went on 1 measely ride (Pirates Of The Carribean) and saw the last 30 seconds of Fantasmic, and then left the park to wander Downtown Disney. I was finally able to pull him into Illuminations (candle store).    I showed him my favourite restaurants in that area, then we walked into the area between the Disneyland Hotel buildings.
    I led him down into the area he loved so much last time where giant waterfalls surround you with beautiful coloured lights flashing up onto them. He complained that all of that rushing water made him have to *ahem* [use the facilities]. 
    Then we went up to the koi ponds nearby. I love koi fish! We were leaning over the railings to look at them, and I was going on & on about how cute they were, when from out of nowhere, my boyfriend said, "You know they'll eat your spit."
Taken aback, I said, "WHAT?!"
    And then, he hocked a loogie right into the koi pond!!!!!!!!  .......and they ate it!!!!!!!!!  I was horrified, and exclaimed "That is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!" (even though it probably wasn't)
    He just shrugged & said, "Told ya."

We left soon after that, and of course, I had to drive the 2 hours home.    My mind, body and nerves are hardwired against falling asleep at the wheel. It's impossible for me to do. But I had to fight off the urge all the same. It was about 12:30 am when we finally got to bed.

This morning, he broke my heart again.    Not only did he have to take off early to do a side job with his father, but he insulted me in a very personal manner, once again making me feel "not good enough." I laid in bed for at least an hour after he left, crying my eyes out and feeling heavy and miserable as heck. 

I'm still not over it, nor do I suppose I ever will be. But life goes on. For the moment, I'm doing a hair masque treatment which I will rinse out very soon. Then I'm heading out to my hometown in East County to shop. There are a lot of things that we/I need, and shopping is good therapy for a woman's ailing heart.
    I do all of my shopping in East County because the local stores are absolute ghetto crap. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to "get back to my roots," as they say. Remember who I am, where I came from & all that jazz.

Hair: I'm going to try and pick up some Pantene Restoratives products today, in addition to new treatments.
    Today, as I was applying my hair masque, some water got into the jar, so I tried shaking it out...and half of its contents fell out in the shower!      For like 10 seconds, I just stood there completely aghast before figuring that I would just replace it. 

So, great way to start the day (yes, I know that rhymed & is extremely cheesy...I am ashamed). But like I've always said, just because the day is ruined doesn't mean that the night has to be. 

Angle Spun...
Where on earth did you get your ears pierced?  Is there a chance you can get your money back?  My (unsolicited) advice is to take those out, let them heal and go to a place that ONLY does piercings.  Get them re-pierced the right way and tell them that you intend to add more ear piercings in the future so you'll get the placement you want!

Sorry to hear about your lousy unboyfriend.  Until you believe you deserve better, nothing will change.  It is good to dream, and dream big but if you accept scraps...scraps you will get.

Thats really funny about the camera.

Be the person you want to hang out with and "he" will appear, then re-read paragraph #2

Thank you kindly, Sakina and Maggie, for your advice and support. I am happy to report that things seem to be getting better...

Ears: Yes, they were done at the mall, and yes, they used a gun.    It was a spontaneous decision done totally on the fly, and I regret it.
   I have since removed the earrings (which in itself was extremely difficult), cleaned & dressed the new holes and am currently waiting for them to close up. There is no infection, and they will heal completely.
   There was no room to place another piercing between these and the 1st, nor behind them. After removing the earrings, my anger only grew, because I could see for the first time just how terribly misplaced they were. They even messed up on the left side!    From that point on, I swore off getting anymore piercings at the mall, given that this was only one of several botched attempts.
   Next time, I will go to a piercing specialist, like I had wanted to from the beginning.
   Sidenote: My very first set of holes was done at a local swap meet when I was 11 years old, using 2 guns at once, and I have never had any problems with them.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way to get my $$ back.  

Work: Today was probably the most hectic it's ever been in my 9 months of service. To intensify matters, both the Director and Manager of Human Resources came down from corporate headquarters to our location.  
   Being that these are the people who decide who gets hired, fired, promoted, etc., I had wanted to dress up & try to make an impression. And I did...just not the impression that I was trying to make!    I was running late, there was heavy traffic and they were all standing at the door waiting for me to open up the office when I finally arrived.    I ended up clocking in only 1 minute early...which isn't good. But I tried to assist them as best I could while holding down the rest of the fort at the same time.
   About an hour before I had to leave, my (hopeful) future boss walked in and said that he would like to interview me for the promotional position tomorrow!!!!!      As he walked away, my heart was pounding in my throat, and I almost felt nautious. The idea that this might actually happen thrills and scares me to death at the same time. *nervous gulp* We'll see...

Meanwhile: My boyfriend & I have patched things up...again. Turns out he didn't mean what he said to insult me so personally...and he knows full well that I'm faithful. He's not used to that.  
   Tonight I'm going out with the family for my sister's birthday dinner. Her birthday was actually yesterday, but she had to work most of the night.  
   I still haven't gotten her present yet, so I need to take off....

Hair: I'm not sure about Pantene Restoratives. The conditioner burns & seems to dry my neck out. Ugh. Will I ever find the right formulas? *sigh*

Anywho, I'll write more when I have more time. Maybe tomorrow...the big interview. Egad!  

Good Luck, Angel Spun!

Don't worry about yesterday.  Although it wasn't the best day to run late, it happens and people who get to "higher up" positions know this.  Just be yourself and you'll be fine!!

Didja gettit?  Didja gettit?  Didja gettit?  Didja gettit?  Didja gettit?

lol Maggie, you are so cute, I could just kiss you.   Er...on the cheek, of course!    hehe

Thank you guys sooo much for all of the support: you rock!!

This week has been completely insane. I've been constantly attacked from every angle imaginable (work, family, finances, relationship, etc.) and the overwhelming levels of stress from each are all taking a collective toll...which is why I haven't posted much lately. I am completely whooped at the moment.

There were huge adventures surrounding my sister's birthday, the visit from HR, the crazy workload at the office, my ever-changing financial demands & stablity (or lack thereof), my boyfriend's work schedule, and the biggest interview of my life to date. I won't go into detail on each...mostly because I'd be typing for a week, and partly because the majority of it is in the past now...thank God.

I will say that the interview went alright. It was neither good nor bad, but it was extremely thought-provoking. The manager who interviewed me said that he would be making a decision in a few weeks.
   What bothers me now is the fact that he's looking for someone to fill the position on a long-term basis.

If I accept the position, it means that I've signed onto it for a minimum of 5 years. Due to the mass amounts of knowledge and experience that the position requires, it would be pointless to do it for any less amount of time.
   So, needless to say, it requires that I stay where I am, should it go through. Which is why, I hate to say, I'm actually kind of hoping now that it doesn't.    Yes, I realize that it seems rather a waste to get so psyched up at first for a position that I now almost do not wish to have...but it would be an even bigger waste to go through such extensive training only to be in the position for a year.

The thing is, I'm not sure how long I'm actually going to stay in San Diego. From the time I was about 13, it's been my dream and lifelong ambition to move to WA state.
   My former husband eventually did not wish to move, so I sacrificed for him. I'm not sacrificing anymore, period. But now, I finally have someone who is willing to make the move north with me, and idealistically, we would like to do so within the next few years.
   When I was in high school, my plan was to finish 2 years of junior college and then transfer to a WA university by age 20. I am already 6 years late...

In any case, accepting this position (if I'm chosen for it), will mean that I will once again have to put my dreams on hold and focus on the smaller things here and now. I've been doing this far too long. For once, I'd like to do something to move myself in the right direction.

The manager said that it "looks good" for me, but added also that there are a lot of applicants, and many of them have much more experience in the field than I do.

So I am torn. One way guarantees immediate success and indefinite confinement. The other way allows for freedom, but makes no guarantees for success. I guess I'll just have to see what he decides. It sucks that the fate of my life hangs on someone else's decision.    But...c'est la vie.

I believe most of all in integrity. If someone else is more qualified for the position and knows that they will be sticking around for more than a year, then the offer should absolutely go to them. I want what's best for the manager, the department and the company, whom I have all come to love. If they decide on someone else, I will only be happy and grateful because they will succeed and I will still be able to pursue my dream.

So that's where it stands. I leave the rest up to God.

The eeevil dæmon roommate finally came to remove most of his leftover things from his old room. Though we still have some unfinished business with him.

In hair news......I finally bought a new jar of Pantene DMR Intensive Moisturizing Mask after accidentally dumping half the contents of the current jar out in the shower (oops).  

The chemical burn from Pantene Restoratives has become pretty severe, though I cannot figure out what's causing it. I have the very same reaction from Herbal Essences, but upon reading the ingredients for HE, Restoratives and DMR (which works for me), I can find no major differences between them. The base ingredients are similar and in the same order. I suppose it's just the amounts of each and how they all work together.  ???

Last night, I bought lots of DMR 2 in 1 and conditioner. I figure this is the formulation which has brought me the most success thus far. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I also learned that baby shampoo is extremely drying! I shall never use it again.

It's kind of metaphoric, in a way. I try veering off of the beaten path, experimenting with this and that, only to realize that I had it right to begin with. Like "The Wizard Of Oz": If you don't find it in your own backyard, then you never really lost it to begin with.
   An invaluable lesson, whether you do it with shampoo, religion, the "religion of hair," or something else.    The point is that you learn something in the end...even if it's something you already knew. Has a way of reaffirming your convictions & all that jazz.

Well now I'm rambling. I usually don't start waxing philosophical until the wee hours & I'm very tired. Well....I am very tired. But I'm shutting up now. Tomorrow will be a "hair day." Until then.....

peace out!

Thanx, bikerbraid. You're a doll! 

FINALLY!!! The weekend has arrived...and not a moment too soon!

So why on earth am I still up at 12:30 posting messages when I should be resting my weary nerves? That's a good question.  ???

Today was payday - woohoo! Finally, I get a little $$ to play with!    I seem to be comfortably coming to terms with either possible outcome of my promotion interview. If I get it, cool. If I don't, cool. Either way works for me.

Yesterday, a friend of mine from a different message board said that she would call me tonight...so I spent the entire day psyched.    We had never talked over the phone before.
    When "tonight" finally rolled around, the inevitable nervousness & anxiety took over...especially when she asked if I was ready. My phone rang...and the two of us spent the next 2 hours talking like old friends. It was great. To have so much in common with someone else as we have is an uncanny coincidence...and a divine blessing. I love you, Carrie! 

In hair news, I washed once with Pantene DMR 2 in 1 this morning, then followed with an hour-long Intensive Moisturizing Mask treatment.
    I've been trying to use colder water on my hair. That really seems to help with body, shine, texture, etc. The dead-cold winter air has made cold water rinsing almost unbearable, and I'll admit, there were some mornings that I just used lukewarm water instead.    Son of a gun, oh the humanity...
    But I'm coming around to cold water again. I suppose it's worth the temporary discomfort. I rather wish we had one temperature control knob in the shower instead of two, though. Would make things so much easier...

Anyway, after rinsing out the hair mask, I followed with Pantene DMR conditioner. Leave-in's were the usual Light Spray Conditioner and Daily Moisture Treatment. No oil today...or yesterday...or the day before that.    I'm not liking all of this laziness.

My hair felt great today, but smelled weird. Maybe it's the fact that I haven't clarified between all of this "product-hopping" that I've done lately. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow: mix up a vinegar rinse, drag my Pantene Purity shampoo out from under the sink & have at it.

My neck is still royally parched from the chemical burn. I think Maggie may be onto something about my having "sensitive skin," which is funny to me. Up until recently, my skin was very tough. I could wear old Christmas ornaments as earrings without any irritation whatsoever. 
    Now, my skin seems to have very particular "preferences." My ears have become quite intolerant of stainless/surgical steel over the years, so now I have to be careful about what sort of earrings I put in them & how long I wear them.
    I can no longer use Herbal Essences or the like. My skin is fine with the Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal line, however. It's all very strange. *shrug* Hormones, perhaps?

Anyway, my uber-goth blackberry-coloured lipgloss has bled & faded so drastically that I now resemble The Joker. So I'm off to wash my face & finally get to bed.
    My boyfriend has side work tomorrow, so I'll have the whole day to do whatever I wish... *grimmace & wicked laugh....fade to black*

Just like a ping-pong ball.    I'm back on Herbal Essences. Speaking of which, has anyone else ever smelled the inside of a ping-pong ball? 

Anywho, today I did a clarifying wash with Herbal Essences Clarifying (duh) shampoo and a vinegar rinse. Followed with Herbal Essences Moisturizing (yellow) conditioner and the Leave-In Conditioner. I sprayed the usual baby oil mixture onto the ends & combed through with my RS #32. So far, so good.

It's been cloudy and cold for the past 2 days now. I am loving it...even if it's just a tease. Right now it's doing the cloudy, sunny, cloudy, sunny thing. The chill in the air and the wind patterns are behaving as if a storm is close by or fast approaching. I'm keeping my fingers crossed just in case.
    It would be a grave understatement to say that I love the rain, for it is literally a part of my soul. I am as deeply connected to it as I am to the night and the ocean. Few things on earth please me as much as the rain, the darkness and the cold.
    Call me "weird" or "freak" if you feel you absolutely must, but know that it's nothing I haven't heard countless times before. 

In a few minutes, I must leave for work...and that in itself is a subject that I have found myself pouring over more and more often these days.
    Though transferring to the customer service department of the company would be a good career move from a financial standpoint, I doubt that it will happen. I have mentioned the other candidates who better qualify for the position, plus, I would get very little satisfaction out of it with the one monitary exception.
    While I like my current position and working environment and love the people whom I work with, it doesn't meet my needs. Should my "promotion" fall through, I doubt that I will remain with the company much longer. I'd do much better to find something that works in harmony with the lifestyle I desire...unconventional as that may be.

Anyway, the winds of change are beginning to blow...and change is exactly what I need right now.

Valentine's Day went surprisingly well. My boyfriend got me a card and a black and silver heart-shaped locket.    I have agreed to get pictures taken with him (though I loathe being in front of a camera) for the purpose.
    We went to Souplantation for dinner because we had coupons for it. Ugh! That may have been a mistake. The place was so crowded (which didn't surprise me - it was Valentine's Day & the place is pretty cheap) and my boyfriend mentioned that his dinner wasn't that great. I only had a salad & a piece of buttered bread before I was stuffed.    We were glad to get out of there.
    After that, we headed to Target to pick up a few things...I was able to score the Herbal Essences Replenishing S&C - yes!! And then we went home.
    Honestly, shopping with him and spending time with him at home were more romantic than going out to dinner with all of the wine, roses & chocolates clichés. My mother always said, "Romance is where you make it."
    All in all, a good night. This morning I have "The Air That I Breathe" by The Hollies stuck in my head. 

Anyway, I must be off now. Until next time.

lol @ ping-pong innards

These were co-workers, BB. I didn't choose them. 

I guess i can come out of my closet now

My bedroom (in one of the 7 houses we've lived in) had a balcony, and i would always sneak out when it's raining or snowing out, and everyone is asleep...just sit there and get wet. I always felt like it was my sacred time...

This will be my last post here for awhile. I will be taking a forced indefinite hiatus from the net, as tomorrow my computer must be dismantled and repaired. Thanx be to the meddling ex-roommate. 

Speak of the devil (literally), my boyfriend and I have finally begun purging our place of his evil presence. I spent the last 3 days thoroughly cleaning and sterilizing our kitchen, while my boyfriend has emptied out his cousin's old room and thrown all of his leftover belongings into a trash bag so he can give them back all at once. And God, the things we found in there...     
    My boyfriend hasn't been very happy with his cousin of late. Given the circumstances about which he left and that he messed up our computer. This morning I asked my beloved if he wanted me to kill his cousin...and he said yes (FINALLY!).    Not that I would soil my hands with the job. 

Last night I slept alone yet again. *sigh*
    My boyfriend had errands that apparently kept him out until past 11:30 pm. I called him then & he said he was just getting ready to head home. I told him I wouldn't be awake when he returned...and I wasn't.
    At 4:00 am I woke up and he still hadn't come home! Angered, I called his cell number again only to have it ring and ring before going to voicemail. Then it hit me. It was raining hard and he had been driving...he wouldn't have been able to see anything...and now he wasn't answering his phone!
    Consumed by panic, I called again and again, even leaving a voicemail once. No answer. With my heart in my throat, I rushed out onto the balcony and looked out into the rain, hoping to catch some semblance of him - anything! Nothing. Nearing tears, I folded my hands on the balcony's railing, bowed my head and pleaded for God to return my beloved safely to me.
    The biting cold drove me back into my apartment just then, so I sat on the edge of my bed and just...hoped, knowing that there was nothing else that I could do. My body was still thrashed and exhausted from 11 straight hours of cleaning, but I knew that I wasn't likely to be getting anymore sleep. I hadn't worried that much - so fanatically - about anyone since my former husband.
    About half an hour later, my phone rang...and my prayer was answered by his voice on the other end of the line. He explained that he had come home earlier only to find me asleep. He had drank coffee and was wired, so he had gone off to a friend's house to play poker. His phone was on vibrate so he couldn't hear it when I called. This is God's sense of humour. He gave my boyfriend back to me...same as he ever was.   
    Furious, I hung up on him. I did not answer when he tried calling back, but tried, despite my anger, to go back to sleep. I had just about succeeded when he walked through the door with all the quiet grace of a semi.   
    Taking me by surprise, he actually apologized and admitted that what he did was a bad idea. Apologizing AND admitting he was wrong?! Completely unheard of for a man! I was surprised, but still quite angry, and my response was brief. I finally fell back to sleep in our bed while he cleaned up in the living room before crashing on the couch. 

This morning, I explained to him how worried I had been and the circumstances which caused it. He understood.

So yeah.....hair.

I'm back on Pantene's Daily Moisture Renewal line with a vengeance. I'm washing with the 2 in 1. Yesterday I used the Intensive Moisturizing Mask and today I used the Intensive Restoration Treatment before conditioning again with the DMR conditioner.
    This morning, I realized how many unused Herbal Essences conditioner bottles I still have lying around, so I've decided, rather than letting them go to waste, that I'll use them for 2nd conditionings each day until they're gone.
    I've also been heavy-oiling nightly. In a week, I'll check the progress.

Anyway, this entry is long enough now, so I'm afraid I must bid all of you a fond adieu. I'm not sure when my next entry will be, but I know that getting away from the computer for awhile will be good for me somehow. Until then, hair friends....it's been fun.

Peace!

We'll be awaiting you return!