Trish: A barber? What a novel idea! I may indeed have to try that, depending on cost. I'm a little apprehensive about just who would be working on my hair, but it might be worth a shot.

Haven't posted in a few days. Heck, I haven't even been here in a few days. For one reason or another, I just haven't felt up to it. Things haven't been going well in all different areas of life, and anxiety and depression have been finding their way in. I'm dealing, though. No choice.

So anyway, here it is. Last day of the month. Tomorrow is not only measure day, but also when I begin power walking again. How fun.
   This past weekend, I cheated a little bit and measured early. Curiosity got the better of me, and I figured that it's my hair and I have a right to know how long it is at any given time. So I measured. hehehe And it's right about at 24."    The first person to whom I relayed the good news was, of course, my far-away friend. I told him that I'd more or less decided to send him a lock of my hair once it reaches an official measurement of 2 feet. *He* then told me that he'd considered sending me some of his after getting it cut this weekend. Awww...  

What else? What else...? I've been using oil again. Just on the ends for during the day. And I seem to be getting the hang of heavy EVOO treatments at night. Apparently, you're supposed to sleep with your ears inside the sleep cap. Good to know.
   Yesterday was a clarifying day. I've decided to make Tuesdays my official clarifying days because that's the first day of the week that I have to myself. My father stays home on Mondays, so my showers must be as quick and simple as possible to avoid drama.

So, right, I'm supposed to reach 2 feet tomorrow. I wonder what the tickers look like when you reach the day of your event. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'm really hoping for a legitimate, official measurement of 24." No approximations. We shall see whether it falls right on the mark... tomorrow.

Bye for now.

Here's to things looking up--CHEERS!!!   

Yeesh, it's no wonder you have trouble sleeping at night what with these types of visitors!!  *cringe* 

On Monday, I completely forgot about power walking, and didn't. So I had to make up for it last night. And I'm walking tonight.

Today was an interesting hair day. I did a WCCC. The first 2 conditionings were with my Restoratives Time Renewal conditioner. The last was with the horse conditioner that I found yesterday. It seems to work alright. I don't mind using it if my family doesn't need it.

I detangled and oiled the ends as I normally do, but didn't get to braid my hair, as I didn't get a break at work. It's cool, though. I don't mind leaving my hair down once in awhile. That's why I'm growing it long.

Also, I did another overnight heavy EVOO treatment last night, wearing my satin sleep cap. I'm getting the hang of it, but I wish the elastic would loosen up faster. It's always pulling on the bottom of my ears or trying to slip off of my forehead. 

Looking forward to the end of the week. It can't get here soon enough!

hehehe La Diosa.  

*sigh* So...I did it. No turning back now.

Yesterday, I washed and detangled using my usual methods, but purposely neglected oiling the ends. This was the day, you see, that I'd decided to sever a lock of my spiderweb hair and get it ready to send out to my long-distance lover. I didn't want the ends to be greasy for this reason.
   After my morning shift was over, I hit Target on the way home to pick up some new hair stuff, as my Time Renewal S&C were finally almost gone. I ended up getting Pantene Restoratives Breakage Defense S&C, the Detangling Leave-In Crème and Strengthening Spray.
   I also went a little nuts and bought 2 CD's (Tool's 10,000 Days and the special edition of Michael Jackson's Off The Wall) and 3 DVD's (Peter Pan, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, all platinum editions).

Anyway, I got home, set my new stuff down and gathered a few mirrors, a comb, a brush and a sectioning clip and headed into the bathroom. I arranged the mirrors on one of the shelves on the wall so I would be able to see the back of my head in the bathroom mirror. Then I carefully gathered a top section of my hair and pinned it out of the way. Then, I gathered a small section of hair underneath the one I'd just pinned up. This one was right about in the middle of my head...and I took up a brand new pair of scissors...and cut the section free!
   I bound the severed ends with a rubber band and covered it with a black satin ribbon, which was wound around and hot glued in place. I then used the same ribbon to make a bow with long ends, and hot glued that on as well. Then, beneath the middle of the bow, I sewed on a pewter skull charm and then went to work trimming and "dusting" the lock for æsthetics.
   In the process, I realized a little something about the way hair grows. The scalp is constantly regenerating, shedding old hairs and growing new, so the notion of having all one-length hair is impossible. There are always going to be hairs of different lengths all over your head at any given time.
   I also realized that "dusting" my hair all over would be pretty pointless. It didn't fix all of the little ends sticking out everywhere on the severed lock...only made them shorter. So I'll leave the frizzy ends on the rest of my hair alone. Just let them grow out in peace.

As for the top section of my hair that was pinned up, I took it down after binding the lock. I combed and even brushed the rest of my hair out to smooth it and you can't tell at all that I'm missing a small section in the back. Mission accomplished.  

Anyway, I laid out the decorated lock on a towel in my room, along with the pressed black pansies that I would also send to my far-away friend the next day. I'd found the latter of which in the planters at one of the local malls at night and they looked so rich and velvety, I just had to take them home and press them for *him.* And *he* swears that he isn't sick of me sending him things yet. haha

Also, I forgot to add that I had terrible anxiety about cutting the lock. I literally felt ill and faint...and I shrieked like a little girl when I did it. There is most definitely an energy in your hair, and it's impossible for a person with long hair to cut it off at the scalp without some stir of emotion. It affects you not just emotionally, but physically, mentally and psychologically as well. All day long, I'd been dreading doing it. I had my doubts, second thoughts and all that good stuff.  
   But ultimately, I knew that I would still go through with it. I guess that despite all of my worry on the surface, there was a deeper part of me that knew and trusted that I was doing the right thing. And I followed it.

Today, I did a WWCC and detangled...and oiled the ends. And my hair was braided during my break as usual. Though I've not been able to resist occasionally touching the short pieces underneath where the lock was severed. The short section has been on my mind constantly ever since. I'll probably get used to it.

Once at work, I wrapped up the strand of my hair and the black pansies, placed them all in an envelope and sent them on their merry way. I hope and pray that they reach *his* hands in one piece. And I have to admit, it's a strange/cool feeling to know that he'll soon be holding the piece of my hair that's been with me for so long. I let it catch its last California breezes as I was shopping yesterday. And soon, it will be over 2,000 miles away, in the frigid air of Michigan. God speed.

Aww, thanx, Trish!    I really hope that *he* thinks it's cool, too.  
   The short pieces in the back of my scalp aren't on my mind as much anymore, and I'm pretty well recovered from the shock. My hair feels pretty natural in its entirety, and to look at it, you would never know that a strand was missing. Sometimes, I still run my fingers up to touch the short pieces, but otherwise, I barely pay them any mind. They'll grow out and catch up to the rest eventually. lol And I told my far-away friend that we're bound to each other at least until then.  

Speaking of the boy, I blew off walking last night to sit and talk with him. We still talk every day, but it's been tougher of late as I've been without a cell phone.    Of course, that problem will be solved in a few days. I've already ordered my own brand new RAZR phone, plan and accessories with freebies and rebates attached. And it will cost me less than half of what I was paying to stay on my father's plan. Ha! I'll have unlimited everything, so it will be much easier to stay in touch with my MI music man...every waking second. hehehe
   We're both still hoping that he'll be able to visit soon. The whole long-distance part is a terrible inconvenience a royal pain in the keister to put it mildly. But *he* says he's certain that it will work out.
   
Alright...HAIR. Over the weekend, my spiderweb strands endured some serious trauma. I was out of Time Renewal shampoo and didn't want to get into my Breakage Defense products yet, so I used my sister's Shine Seduction S&C from Victoria's Secret, which smell lovely, but are cone-free and dried my hair out considerably. And oh, the tangles after it dried...    Even though I'd used 2 detangling leave-ins and oiled the ends, my hair was still dry as a haystack. Ugh!

Wow...I just heard 3 Libras by A Perfect Circle on the radio. heh Man, does that take me back...

Right. Sunday, I didn't wash at all.    Just lots of rinsing, then ran the last of my sister's Pantene Smooth & Sleek conditioner through my hair...and finished with lots more rinsing. Cool water all the way. My skin didn't like it, but I couldn't clarify like I needed to since my parents were home and I didn't really even have time to wash.
   After my hair air dried (no detangling), I took my EVOO bottle and dry oiled the length rather heavily, by accident, but it didn't matter because I ended up weaving it all into a braid anyway. hehe With all of this oiling and not washing, I was beginning to feel like a true longhair. lol Or maybe just a dirty hippie.  

Anyway, today I had no choice but to use my Breakage Defense S&C. My father was home, so I couldn't clarify. Again.    Whatever. Good news is, we got a new showerhead for the bathroom that my sister and I (and homeless homeboy) share. I suppose it's an improvement over the old one, but it's not perfect. It has several different settings on it...so I suppose I'll have to get used to at least one of them.

At the moment, my hair is down and waiting to be braided, though my break isn't for another hour yet.

In other news, the carpets in my parents' house are being professionally cleaned today, the phone is ringing off the bloody hook at work and I'll be walking tonight and tomorrow night. Things will be easier in a few days. Ciao!

So...why don't you?!