Welcome back!  Perhaps a rededication ceremony would help focus on your goals.  Visualize yourself with long hair, imagine what it will feel like against your skin, make a list of hairdos you like and vow to try them one by one as your length allows.

There will be stages of growing hair out that are yucky.  Accept this and you'll get through it just fine.  You can do it!!  We didn't all join this site 'cause our hair was already long...

Sakina and Angel Spun, thanks for the encouragement!

Hey everyone, I may not post every day or week, but will be checking in with the boards and definitely posting on days when my hair patience is wavering. Today I'm doing good though, not thinking about it too much, and getting other work done.

I'm back to the twice a week wash, although my hair is still short enough that I get bad bed head in the morning. So I usually have to put some water in it to smooth it down, even on non-wash days. Hopefully this is still ok for it, since I'm not shampooing nearly as much as  I used too  and I let it air dry from this. I'm going to start doing some deep conditioning too, to keep it nice as it grows out.

I saw someone with really beautiful hair yesterday, it was dark and very wavy, elbow length. So pretty! Pretty soon I'll be getting to the bobby pin stage of growing out, where there are different lengths on the sides and back just from the nature of my previous short cut. ACK! But, I know I can do this, especially since I didn't make it before-now I must grow it out. I really need to see what long hair would be like, and show myself that I can overcome a silly habit of cutting. I think my hubby is also curious about what I'd look like with long hair, although he has been very sweet about my hair being short.

Hey all,
I wanted to do my monthly "check-in", and I do feel a great ramble coming on. 
I'm still plugging along on growing out from pixie cut, but I've had to nip a few bad hair habits in the bud as I go along. For one, I have a habit of cutting my hair. Big problem, as I've shared in my earlier journal threads....so I'm past that now since last fall when I first joined LL, but still having trouble being patient. I also have different lengths on the side and back, and have been using lots of bobby pins to sort of make an up-do, but I'm wondering if I need to give my hair a break from pinning it up. I don't know if this causes breakage. I'm not to the hair sticks length and probably won't be able to use those until 2008. As many of you also know, I had some color growing out, so that may have slowed my hair down a bit.

The good news is, I'm totally dedicated to this, and aside from my online community here at Longlocks, I'M NOT TELLING MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS LONG HAIR ATTEMPT! I found in the past, when I tried to grow it out and then cut it after shoulder length, that when I told my friends they actually discouraged me from growing it out. Mind you, I don't have any friends nearby with lovely long hair. My sister has it, but she isn't near me, and I had a good friend at the video store, but she's moved away as well. Also, I've been told I look "cute" with short hair. Now I know what you folks with the glossy long hair may be thinking, "Why does she care what anyone thinks, if she wants long hair?" Exactly! Although, it's taken me quite a long time to realize this about myself, and to throw off other's expectations. I know I can now move past their comments and my own hang-ups about growing it out, but they probably wouldn't believe I could grow it out until I actually do. It also should be noted, in fairness to my friends, that they probably would like me to have long hair, as I wish, but since they don't think I have the resolve not to cut it, they may be sparing my feelings.  So, I am growing it out, but not talking about my hair goals with friends in person, just on this site. If they notice it's getting longer, great!

Btw, I noticed a lady in church the other day with hip length wavy hair-deep chocolate brown. I stared at the back of her head during the sermon and, I confess, thought of conditioner and hair sticks more than the message. Hmm. I better grow mine out so I don't have to stare at other peoples and make them feel weird.

Also, beyond the pure insanity of my obsession with long hair now, I have another thing going for me in this long hair quest. ... I'm a vegetarian who gets plenty of protein, I do yoga, and I love drawing. Since I have no pictures of myself as an adult with long hair, I drew a self portrait (using a mirror), and then I sketched in long hair with a charcoal stick. It looks great! I'm going to look great with long hair! Now I just have to get there. Until then, I can keep drawing on the hair...hee, hee.

Check the URL below - I really loved the photo controls !  

Under Color first went for Blonde then the fifth panel down - Ultra Light Golden. Finally chose Everyday, Straight and Long which is the largest pic on the left. Very pretty !

Now if they only had really long hair on offer......  

Have fun ! 

http://hairstyles.virtual-hairstyles.com/virtual_hairstyles.asp

thanks, ladies! i love the input and will try that site too!

Job hunting...oh what fun  .  I hope you can find a permenant job soon.  I am off work right now (sick leave for the past 6 long months) and my husband has just gone away for two months for work.  During the day I keep my self bust cleaning house, decorating and caring for my animals.  I live in the middle of nowhere so I spend all my time alone right now.  It is about this time of day (just around dinner) that it hits me.  That is one reason I get on here so much. 

I don't know what the demand is like for teachers, but surely you will find something soon.  Meantime, enjoy the summer!!!  Keep busy and don't think you need a job to keep you from getting lazy.  Woman can always find work around the house, the garden etc...  We are good at it!!!  By the way, what grade do you teach?

I hear you about the fluffy hair too.  I have noticed that the past couple of days.  Perhaps someone will drop into your thread a drop a hint or two to us both!!!

Keep us up to date about the job search!!

Quote:


So, Joeydog 1992, how do you decorate your animals??  (Sorry, couldn't help myself!!)

Regarding poofy hair...try a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.  When the hair lacks internal weight (from moisture) it poofs, frizzes and flies about.  Ouidad.com has a gel called Climate Control that I've used in Indonesia and Singapore last summer and it worked wonders, I'm a curly girl so naturally prone to poof and frizz.  My hair looked so good!!!

Sakina wrote on May 31^st, 2007 at 1:26am:

haha, joeydog. that was really funny. i bet your animals are relieved that they will not be decorated. (btw, since this is a saturday post to my journal, i'm not bothering with capital letters.)

sakina, thanks for the conditioner suggestion. (btw, sakina, did you know "sakina" means knife in arabic?) a lot of my trouble now comes from how short my hair still is, so it doesn't have the length to hold it down. yesterday i did try two tiny little pig tails in the back, which may work for a summer style when i'm camping next week. wow, i can't wait for my hair to get long enough to do more styles with. especially braids, i think they are soooo beautiful.

and for the record, as opinion-less as hubby claims to be about short or long hair on me ("You look great with any hair..."-ahh, so sweet),  i did notice him staring as much as i was at this woman in front of us at church last week who had waist length wavy hair. it was hanging over the back of the pew, and we were both just staring at it! it was gorgeous. i commented on it later, and he said casually, "long hair is really pretty sometimes". so he does have an opinion, and i will have long hair someday too! 

roomtogrow wrote on Jun 2^nd, 2007 at 1:13pm:


You're welcome!!  Let us know how it goes!!!!

When I was picking out my bellydance name (I was in a troupe at the time) one of my fellow dancers was helping me.  According to her, Sakina meant God inspired peace of mind.  Well...I do try to make all of my moves sharp...heehee.

Isn't it nice to have something to look forward to-it really is about the journey.  The thing you don't expect right now is that after you reach your first goal and enjoy doing your new do, you'll start looking to the next length like to be able to make a bun.  Such is the way of long hair.

I remember when my hair was as short as yours (not so long ago) and I had to wash it and blow dry it everyday or it looked terrible.  Bedhead had a whole different meaning.  And humidity...!!!

Hang in there, it will pass.  Growing out your hair is a tremendous test of patience...but pays off.

As for the name "Sakina", I googled it last night and it seemed to have a lot of really nice meanings...friendly, etc.  I guess it depends on the part of the world you are from but all the meanings are nice...hey, maybe I will google my name tonight.

Anyway Room to Grow, hang in there.  You will make it!!!

Well we got back from our camping trip yesterday afternoon. We were up  in Wisconsin. It was a great trip, just a weekend trip, but went with eleven of our friends. The weather was perfect, no rain, just sunshine. Great fun. We went lake swimming, played too much ultimate frisbee, hiked a bit, and also did our share of sitting around the campfire eating burgers (lentil burgers in my case.) It was great. Later in the summer, hubby and I are going to do more of a rougher camping trip-this one was a bit more of the froo-froo camping with showers and bathrooms not too far away. We'll hike in somewhere with just our packs. I can't wait for that.  Although, I'm proud to say, I only cleaned myself by swimming in the lake, no showers until  I got home yesterday. Then I babied my hair with deep conditioner, and a scalp massage. Over the weekend I just had it all tied up in a red bandanna.

I'm still job-searching, which is trying my patience. But, I have papered most of the state's public schools with my resume, and have called to follow up-so for now I just have to wait and assume something will come through. It always does. Plus, many principals are still finishing up this year's paper work and haven't even started really hiring for Aug.

I'm reading Robert Jordan's series "Eye of the World." I just started it last week. I love reading fantasy, in the styles of Tolkien, and so far Jordan is pretty interesting. If I continue to like the series, I should have plenty of reading material since all his books are about 800 pages long and there are going to be twelve in the series.
Lately, as an afternoon treat after a full morning of  somewhat- discouraging job searching, I take my book and the cats out on the balcony. Although we live in a bustling city, we have a quiet street, and a little maple tree that's leaves reach up to our second floor balcony. So it's peaceful out there in the afternoon.

Tonight I'm trying a new recipe from a vegetarian cookbook I picked up. Stuffed mushrooms, and blue-cheese pasta. Yum! Also, we have some strawberries for desert that a friend dropped off.

As for the hair, which is the main theme of this journal, it's slowly but steadily building back thickness and length. This is the most frustrating length, too long to be short and stylish, but too short to be long and lovely. I know it will keep growing as long as I don't get anxious and get it cut.

here us the thread for any recipes you will give me!!!

http://www.longlocks.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1179704995

Ok, I am sold, I will have to start reading the books.  I do LOVE a good story.  I think I had better start reading before I go back to work...otherwise I wont get any sleep if they are books you cannot put down.

I saw the recipe.  Thank you soooo much.  Maybe the thread will take off if I keep plugging it.  I really want lots of vegan recipes as I love meat, but it does not love me much.  Upsets my stomach.  Feel free to add away to it...even if it is not supper simple....I think you would like a couple of the recipes I put there...but you will have to make some adjustments for the soups if you are a true vegan. 

Oh, ya, and I will definately look into the books.

I am so glad that you found a job, and one that you should enjoy too.  That is excellent news.  I think you are quite right to go get your hair things as a reward.  It is a happy day.

thanks j-dog and Angel! Yeah!

I hope your training went really well today and that you feel you will enjoy this job. 

I am dying to see our hair.  Darn, I will try to remember to get someone to take a pic of mine this week so I can post that for the crowd.  Worry not, room, I too have short hair.  I think people are just interested in the journey and what length you start at does not matter.  Heck, even the rapunzels on this site had to have short hair at some point!!!

Roomtogrow,

I just know that you will find a full time job and I am soooo happy the training went well today.

My hair is only 21 inches...and I have to say...I envy you in a way.  I mean, you are starting from the beginning doing it right which will pay off well for you down the road.  As you might recall, I only started a month or so ago.  I wish I had known what to do from the beginning.  I bet you that in 2 years, your hair will be in better health than mine because you did it from the start.  I am sure that even the Rapunzels on this site will envy you starting right from the very beginning...but that is just my opinion.

I believe it was Lisabelle that told me how to post a pic and her instuctions were simple and easy to follow.  I will look to see if I can find you the pm she sent me, if not, I would recommend asking her.

Take care,

JD

ok, i put up an avatar with a hair pic. so now you can see how short it is that i'm working with. believe it or not, this is actually a few inches of growth from the little pixie cut i had a few months back. at least you can see my natural color and wave. after i get more length, i'll get these layers all one length, but want to wait until it's longer so i don't feel i'm regressing. 

thanks j-dog! you are so encouraging  so are you posting any pix soon?

Well, my part time job is going well. I'm finishing training this week and will be starting to really work next week. I'm also keeping my eyes open for the full-time gig, and in better spirits about this than I was a week ago.
I've been giving myself time to read everyday, as part of celebrating the warm weather, and I love it! Especially when I sit on the balcony and read. The weather has been sunny and warm, beautiful!

In the hair dept. I'm wearing it back on the sides with two bobby pins. This at least gives me a feeling of having different styles, even though it's still short. I tried to just wash ever three or four days, but it feels greasy-so I'm washing every two or three. I'm cone-free now, so hopefully that will help. I don't feel it has much build-up, but gets flat and a little too greasy by the third day. I wonder if this will decrease as it grows? 

Wow, this is a boring post so far. Maybe I should sign back on later when I'm more interesting. -rtg

thanks angel!

LOL, boring, I don't think it is boring.  I am interested in how your job goes.  Keep a talking girl!!!

I found I had to wash my hair less once it passed shoulder length...I dunno about others...you will have to wait and see what they say.  I think it depends on the hair and the amount of sebum you put out.

Take care,

JD

PS (I sent an email to work today and signed it JD, my work friends were wondering what I was thinking since my real initials are no where near JD!!!!  LOL)

awww shucks, k.  thanks for the color compliment. i'm so impressed by the length of your hair...it's very inspiring!

well i just wanted to report that i've had a very happy day! i spent the last four hours painting (acrylic on wood) which i love and now i'm going to clean up that mess, oil my short, but growing hair and read a book! delightful end to a day.

RMT,

It turns out my husband will not be here this weekend.  I will get a pic when I can so you can see my hair.  It is close to your color...I think the same but of course we see ourselves different from what we really are.

JD.

hmm, so how many of you use jason shampoo? i'm considering getting some, although it's a bit pricey. i have a nice little cheap bottle of 365 from whole foods (it's the store brand) and is mostly free of chemicals, but not totally. or, maybe i should just order one of those shampoo bars i've heard so much about. anyway, i'm not content with my shampoo-and since i want to wash less, i don't want it to feel flat or greasy the day after a wash. this may partly be because of the humidity here, and 90+ weather. i'm also hoping as i get more length, the oil can distibute better when i use the boar bristle brush. Question: who uses shampoo bars and if so, do you also use conditioner?

i took my kitty to get a "lion" trim since she was way too hot, and had a lot of tangles she wouldn't let us get at. now it's all short except her "mane" and puffy tail. very cute, but since we got back from the pet place yesterday, she's been really needy and laying on my lap constantly looking sad. usually she's more independent. i don't usually get my cats groomed, but wanted her to be more comfy for summer. hope she's not depressed from the haircut. maybe she's like us on the site, and wants it long   at least if she does, it will be grown back by winter-since her hair at longest it would grow was about three inches.

interesting, angel. so you don't like jason? i haven't tried it but thought it might be good b/c all natural. maybe i will try some shampoo bars.

Roomtogrow, I know what you mean about the kitty.  I have a Himalyan that I got when he was 5 days old (ears and eyes still closed) that a person wanted me to euthanize but I convinced them to sign him over to me.  Had to bottle feed him every 2 hours, 24/7 for 6 weeks.  I tried using a soft brush on him when he was just 7 days old (and every day after that) to teach him that brushing was cool.  Nope, he has literally caused my getting stitches because he hates being brushed so  much.  I do take trimmers to him when I have to...with one person holding his back legs, one holding his front legs and one holding his head....but try to avoid the Lion cut.   Most people forget that an animals fur also insulates them from the heat as well as the cold.  Try to get them to just cut the matts.

BTW, his name is Yoda because when he sucked on the little baby bottle his ears moved like the Star Wars character.  LOL.

I have never used the product you spoke of but I just recently started using the shampoo bars.  I LOVE them.  and yes, i do a light condition after...but only light...the bars make your hair feel like silk.  I was put onto this link

http://chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/shambar.htm#Shampoo%20Bar%20Selections

by Curly64.  They are great.  Check it out!!!

usually she's ok in the heat, but this summer we haven't used air much at all, since we are cutting costs in energy. but i think in the future i won't do as drastic as a cut on her, but just a trim for tangles as needed. i'm not complaining either about having a very friendly pet, i love petting her.
thanks for the input on shampoo bars, jdog. i may try them.

lol angel, no problem!
i don't know what i'll use for shampoo. maybe i'll finish this 365 bottle, and figure something else out after that. it's not terrible, but not great either. 

sakina-lol-your post cracked me up    i like how you were replying to a few journal entries. thanks for the brushing tip-i will try that and for the shampoo suggestions. and yes,  i am wavy-can't wait for more waves to come with the longer hair.
and you might be right about the water thing.
kitty is back to normal, just grooming twice as much with half the fur. i think she is trying to make it puffy like it was before. she seems happy again though and i got her a new yarn mouse.

jd, thanks i did just look at it. i may buy one-need to do more research. thanks though.

ok, i did my first acv rinse earlier today-did shampoo, acv rinse, and conditioner. it just finished air drying. so far my hair has more of its natural wave and body-so i think i did need a good clarifying rinse. it also feels a little dry at the bottom, so next time i'll leave conditioner on for longer. i liked it though and will keep up with it. so far i've incorporated two treatments from longlocks- evoo and acv. as i keep going with this all natural hair thing, i will try more.

thanks. what cut jdog? you aren't cutting are you? believe me, it takes forever to grow back from short choppy length 
but a little trim is different, and may be needed.  my hair is so hard to style in this growing out phase, i am looking forward to having more styles as it grows. i haven't been using product in it, except shampoo and conditioner, so it looks crazy all the time (fluffy on the sides, and little pieces poking out when i pull it up) . so i just need more length which will come in time.

hey jdog hope you are feeling less overwhelmed soon. ...oops, kitty is trying to help me type. ok much better-i will try a shampoo bar from the site that you recommended. i have tried the acv and evoo that i learned about on this site. i'm going to try some of the more interesting deep conditioners in the recipe book here soon. yes i can't wait for my hair to get past the "fluffy wing" phase of having wavy hair. and i'm growing out my bangs too...which should be long enough to pull back in about three months-yippee!

btw, nobody needs to feel bashful about having the days when you want to cut-because i am queen of that, and indeed my previous will power failings are why it is so short now.  but i know what i'm about now, so i can do it. all that to say, i totally understand what you mean jdog about other things in life getting complicated and then feeling like "my hair is a floppy mess, i should just cut it!" i felt this way last month but i didn't cut! yeah! 

i wasn't supposed to be on a wash day today-but since i was in a smokey area for most of last night- i washed quickly before work and just went with it wet. not ideal, but better than before. i'm still finding it's greasy by the third day-but i don't want to wash every two days. maybe i just need to try the shampoo bar and see if that helps. also if i acv more often, it may take care of the extra oil a bit. i know as it gets more length and maybe after summer (it's been hot here) it will ease up on on oil.

warning: hair complaining ahead 

i have a job interview coming up and not sure what to do with the hair. too short to look professional pinned up (which is how i've been wearing it most summer days) , because of little loose strands everywhere-but since i'm not using styling aids anymore (no hair spray, gel etc.) it might look kind of blah. maybe i should move up my 1/4-1/2 inch trim to this week instead of later in the summer-so the ends look nicer. as you can probably see from my avatar, i have a little bit of layering left from my shorter cut, but i will get this all one length soon. i've been wanting to wait until it's a bit longer so all one length won't look too short, but may do it soon so i don't have a false sense of how long it is getting when really it's just the lower layer  growing out like a mullet. i am anti-mullets, just so you know. oh wow, if i could go back in time and warn the younger rtg not to ever get short layers...boy would i!  come on time travel, where are you when i need you? heh, heh. ugg

since my first of many hair goals is shoulder length, all one length, i may need to get it all one length soon. then it won't be so painful to even it up later, when i feel that i've gained several inches but still don't have it one length. the back seems to grow out faster than the sides, so that's what i would have the 1/2 inch taken off of. does this happen to anyone else? it's very obvious with shorter hair as it grow out. the good news is, i'm taking care of it from this shorter length, and so far it's feeling pretty soft even though i've been off the cones for 6 months!  i have a little squirt bottle of olive oil in the shower now. i mix in a tiny bit with my conditioner to make a hair mask of sorts every week. seems to be working for now.

RTG, I have no suggestions for what to do about the hair...sorry.  I do want to wish you the best with the interview though...if it is a job you want.

Ok, I know there is talk of hair masks here...talk to me pls...what are they and how do they work?

JD

RTG, you must be thinking of someone else... I was going to second the "hair mask? what is this hair mask you speak of?"

RTG, please fill me in when you solve the mystery....Signed..Dying to know...or otherwise known as

JD

RTG, Good for you!!!!  Keep on growing and hanging in there.  You will make it.

I want to write a bit more...but a storm is just rolling in so I had better sign off until it passes.

JD

thanks for asking k. no word yet on that job interview, so i'm being patient in that regard too. ugg all this patience is exhausting 
anyway, so you know how i was all proud that i only wash my hair twice a week now and it's far less oily? hubby casually mentioned that he shampoes only once a week. he has thick wavy hair a little past his ears. hmm. maybe i can shampoo once a week, just think it would get greasy and flat.
also a question for those who oil...where do you buy jojoba oil and the other oils people use?

oops, kitty hit 'post' before I was done.  sorry.  I have fed him now so he is busy and wont do it again.  LOL, I will post a pic of him once I get back to work since my best one is on my work computer.

Tell Hubby you love him dearly and then shoot him.       Once a week...grrr.

I get my oils from my local health store.  I dunno if that helps.

JD

new product report: yeah!

so i spoiled myself at the health food store and spent about 40 minutes wandering the shampoo shelves. ended up buying JASON lavender strengthening shampoo and conditioner. used it this morning and love the smell. can't speak for the texture as  i'll need to see how my hair is in three days. also got some rosemary hair oil in a tiny expensive bottle. i put a little in last night just at the ends. that smells great too and isn't as heavy as the only other oil i've tried-olive oil.

now on to my favorite harping subject:
job search. today after getting home from my part time job, which btw is going great, i spend two hours calling schools in my area and looking for open positions. did some faxing, and will hopefully get an interview out of it.  sad news on the interview from last week-they hired someone else with many more years of teaching experience, which i can understand but of course still stinks. btw, angel, it wasn't because of my hair, because thanks to your suggestion-my interview hair was very cool.  so the search continues.
dear hubby pointed out that God wants me to have more patience with myself and with these kind of processes and i know he's right. ugg. patience. i'm trying to have it, but i've been looking for over four months!!!! eek.

anyway, on to a much happier subject. we bought a little bistro table for the balcony. perfect spot for me to drink my coffee each morning. the kitties come out with me and look at birds, while i start off my day slow. my plants are looking good and one tomato is almost ready to eat! yippee! so now the balcony, tiny though it is, is all festive with a red table and red tomatoes adorning it. since we are in the city, it's our version of a back yard so we fit a lot of living into that tiny space

also, found a very cool resale shop near my pt job. i know i've mentioned on here that i buy clothes second hand most the time, and i love finding cool bargains. i found a beautiful beaded necklace (looks handmade) today for two dollars. that was very exciting.

ok, off to change the laundry.

RTG, I was getting worried about you!!!

So sorry you did not get the job, but your hubby is right...be patient...because what is perfect for you will come. 

I hope you really like your new hair shampoo.  Let us know.

Oh your balcony sounds so nice.  I can see you out there with the kitties.   How nice.  And I hope you enjoy your tomato.  LOL, here I am with land and not one tomato plant...OK, next year...it is on the list.  I love tomato sandwiches and fried tomatoes and...well you get the point...funnily enough I do not lot spagetti and stuff...I think I prefer tomato raw or close too.

Hope you are good.

JD

I just love asparagus.  I cook it on the bbq.  I just spray a little olive oil on it and let it roast away.   Mmmm, that tomato sandwich description made my mouth water.  Ok, the fresh basil it going on the shopping list for tomorrow night.

yahoo, new pics!!!  Can't wait.

BTW, I did buy fresh basil and tomato and enjoyed it to no end. Funny how we forget the simple and wonderful recipes.  I was thinking I have not had a cucumber sandwich all summer!!  Yet I aways have fresh dill here!

JD

thanks angel, may need to pick up some cute head bands and give that a shot. good idea!
jdog, now you've got me thinking of cucumber sandwiches! yum! i love vegetables, although i love bread too...so i have to keep an eye on that latter obsession.
ok, can't chat long today. i worked this morning at my pt job and am covering a short evening shift too, so i'm heading back there soon for tonight.
i put jordan on hold to read the final book in the harry potter series. i've enjoyed some of the others, but am not gaga like some folks around here. it's a fast read, so i should be back to my other series by wed.

i've been very distracted from the job search and daily life lately b/c a family member of mine is chronically ill and may be passing away soon, so this week i'm taking off from work and driving  out to visit her. i know it will be hard to see her in such a weakened state, but i really do want to make one last visit so i'll be off the site for a few days after wed. it's going to be hard to see her like this, but still, i know she is leaving on the best of terms with her life, family and God.

thanks curlgirl

well as i mentioned before, i was out of town last week visiting my very ill relative. she died on sun. so i will be out of town again later this week for the funeral. while it was not unexpected, it is still very hard and hasn't entirely sunk in for me. i am very grateful though that i got to say goodbye to her, and know now that she is no longer in pain from the very aggressive cancer.

just wanted to check in at the boards and let my friends here know why i'm off line a lot and distracted. 

((((hugs))) I am very sorry to hear of your loss.

thanks all, i really do appreciate it.

well this morning, if i can get hubby to wake up and get moving  we are going to go down to a bike coop and see if i can find a good used bike to ride around the city. i will probably be working too far away to bike to that, but would like to get to ride around for my errands and for fun. still i don't want to spend much-which is why i'm looking at used bikes. also, i'm so short that i need the smallest women's bike frame they sell, without getting into the children's bikes. hee hee. wish me luck. shopping for a bike will be a nice change from all the stress of the past few weeks. then tonight we are having some friends over for hotdogs (veggie ones) and board games. yeah!

http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3293&variation=&aitem=4&mite...

Try this on your scalp.  I really like it.  Also, sometimes when my scalp itches it means that I need to use real shampoo (most of the time I use devacurl No Poo) and then it quits itching.

Good Luck!!!

so ladies, the school of my choice called me today and OFFERED ME A FULL TIME JOB!  i'll be teaching literature-which i love to do!
yeah!
so no more sending resumes for me this summer. all i have to do now is get ready for the school year in the next two weeks. yikes! but i'm so excited!

Congratulations on the new job!

lol! Don't forget to breathe,RTG!!!

you're welcome!

also need to measure up and post a new pic soon.

thanks jd! i'm so excited.

well, i went to the eye doc today and found out i'm getting a sensitivity to lenses! so i picked out some tortoise shell glasses today and will be a glasses girl now most the time, except lenses for special occasions. hopefully these will look cute on me. after trying on several frames they all started to look alike-especially since i was blindly trying to see them in the mirror since they don't have my prescription in them yet, so i just picked ones that were sort of cute.
hair-pinned up in a million little pieces-nice and soft from today vinegar rinse and then conditioner.

hee hee, you girls are so funny! lots of people have weird eye phobias. my hubby is also freaked out by me wearing contacts, and touching my eye ball on a daily basis. i don't have a phobia about that, but am not so sure about eye surgery. i think i'll stick with glasses and just wear contacts when i'm really dressing up.
as for the frames, they aren't ready yet, should be by tomorrow so hopefully friends and family will agree with my selection. if not, oh well, cause i'll be the one wearing them.
i have a good friend who needs glasses but she's too vain to wear them, which means she has to squint. i've tried that, taking them off in pictures, etc, but i HATE not being able to see details all around me. like individual blades of grass, and the colors in each person's eyes, and all the details of the world! so i'd rather be able to see than to be seen as fashionable i guess.

hair:
i'm really liking this jason shampoo and can finally see some growth after the summer! yeah! i need help from hubby to measure up, but will do it soon. i'm also using the vinegar rinse and olive oil deep condition weekly and they are both really making my hair soft and silky.
also i'm getting back my appreciation for my own hair color as it gets longer. i like my  deep brown color.
only trouble now is being patient for it to grow long enough for a few more styles. in the mean time, i'm getting proficient at different updos and using headbands and scarves.

I hate to say it, but that suspense? it just keeps getting better... or worse depending on which way you look at it ;P

the shirts sound pretty anyway, even if not "dazzling"... anyway, good luck on the school year. hug

thanks k for the hug! yes, i need to get back to book four. i love how exciting it is.

jd-i do get nervous on first days of school, etc, but then settle into the year after that. as for public speaking, sometimes it gets me anxious, but i'm used to talking with students.

Well yesterday I met up with an old friend. Last time I'd seen her she also had pixie length hair. Seems she's been doing some growing, as it's now well past her shoulders and looks great. She's going to keep growing it out, and I think it really suits her. I'm probably a few months behind her progress, as she started growing it out sooner than I did. So I think I may be at full shoulder length (meaning, not just the back layer, but the front layers as well) in about 6-8 months. That's when I think I'll go in and get it all cleaned up to be one length all around. I'd do it sooner, but then it would feel way too short for me to know I'm making any progress with growing. I think it's a mental block.
Does any one else get those?

thanks!!

guess what? i'm alive and still growing out my hair. i've been off the boards for a couple of weeks, due to being very busy at my new job. i love my new job, just am going to be in the "learning" curve of it for a while...so that keeps me busy!

since i got the hair trimmed all to one length it looks much better down than it did before. it feels a little shorter than it did, but that's only because the back layer is finally matched to the rest-which my longhair sources tell me-will be better as it continues to grow out.

i'm on the three day wash cycle, and letting it air  dry. however, as fall and winter move in, i'm going to need to wash it at night so it can dry overnight or something. what do you guys/ladies do to help it air dry in cold weather? i don't want to have to wake up too early to have it dry before going outside each morning.
how is everyone doing? your hair?

RTG,

I hope that being so busy is worth it.  In other words, I hope you like your job!!!  Tell us more!!

As for air drying...I wash my hair on Sunday afternoon and leave it to dry, Wednesday evening as soon as I get in...and leave it to dry...and depending on my weekend...I might wash it on Friday, again so I can leave it to dry.  Of course, as you may recall, I run M, W and F at work.  On those days I rinse my hair and condition it and leave it to dry in a pony tail during the afternoons.  I have a hair dryer in case I have meetings those afternoons which might be once or twice a year.  Of course you have to teach everyday so that would not work for you. That is all I can tell you.

Hope you are doing well,

JD