MichellR: I'm not afraid of roaches. They just gross me out, whether dead or living. The one under my desk is still there. If I stare at it long enough, I lose my appetite and almost forget how hungry I am. The custodians will probably take care of it.
    Spiders, on the other hand...don't even get me started.

Trisha: Agreed. I might give it a go sometime this week.

Hair: Another rather unconventional WTC. For years, I'd been curious about Pantene Expressions. My mother has colored hair, so she's used it for years and loves it, and I'd heard people from this site raving about it, so I decided to give it a try. I snuck into my parents' bathroom and took my mother's Red Expressions to borrow.
    What I like about the shampoo is that it sparkles. Pouring it into my hand, it looked rich and luxe, like glittery burgundy velvet. When I began working it between my hands, it then resembled blood, which was rather awesome. But sadly, that's where the thrills ended.
    What I didn't like was the fact that it lathers less than the other Pantene shampoos. There was also the very distinct smell of ammonia. So as I was rinsing the stuff out, I checked the ingredients. The first ones listed were water (duh), ammonium lauryl sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. Holy chemistry, Batman! Why not just use Windex? My hair felt understandably stripped once I'd finished rinsing. Needless to say, this was the last time I would use Pantene Expressions.

Anyway, the rest of the treatment went as usual...kind of. I used a combination of the Deep Fortifying Treatment and Strengthening Mask (because there wasn't much left of the former). Left it in for over an hour while scarfing instant mash and doing various complexion masques on my face and chest...I'm badly broken out at the moment.
    After all of that was done, I rinsed out the hair treatment and chased it with Red Expressions conditioner. Had to finish what I started, of course.
    Leave-in's were spray conditioner blend and EVOO...the latter of which made my hair greasy (as usual), so I had to braid it when it dried.

Etc.: Well, all of my things are packed and waiting in the car to be taken to Point Loma, which is where I'm going after I get out of here. Not before hitting the bank, though...it is payday. I'd be more enthused if it was enough to get me by...but it's not. I'm hoping that my relatives have left me a check at their house. Actually, I'm hoping for a lot of things. You'd think I would have learned by now.

Trisha: Thanks.

Hair: Clarified today, though the past few days haven't been kind to it. I can logically credit the moderate dryness at the ends to crappy showerheads that spray everywhere except where I need it. We all know the kind...with 90 settings and all of them suck. And the standard "shower" setting has a wide ring of water along the outside and nothing in between, so you literally have to run around in the shower to get wet. These things kill my hair, but my relatives seem to be quite fond of them. It makes me want to run out and get a separate showerhead solely for housesitting.

It may also be responsible for the über-greasy roots of late...although they could also have something to do with the fish oil that I've been taking.

Ahem. With that little rant aside, everything else is behaving normally. A spray conditioner leave-in and a single braid for today.

Etc.: On Saturday, my friend T drove down from LA to escape the nagging at home and rescue my poor, starving, hopeless keister from ruin. He bought me groceries and a few days worth of gas, and took me out to eat a few times in exchange for my melodramatic, ulcer-ridden company. By the way, ladies, he's quite single.

Today, the dead cockroach is still under my desk at work and my awesomely wonderful, spectacular win of a bank has frozen my accounts for no good reason.

Tra la la...

Hair: CWC. I actually forgot to bring a light conditioner back to the beach house, so I just borrowed my cousin's Paul Mitchell. She won't mind...she won't even know.
    Leave-in's were the spray conditioner blend and serum. A bit too much of the latter forced a contained hairstyle, and I didn't bring a hairtie to work. Thus..., pencil bun.

Etc.: After getting the dishes washed, the animals fed and myself ready, I ended up being almost 20 minutes late for work. On top of that, I forgot everything that I had intended to bring home from the beach house. Preparedness is a virtue. Oh well. I'll be stopping at home after work to check the mail and see if Target has any early Halloween merch out yet.

Tomorrow is my last day of housesitting, thank goodness! My sinuses can't take much more.

Hair: Clarified, not yet braided. Today's only leave-in was the spray conditioner blend. I seem to be losing quite a lot of hair lately...and it's not like I have much to begin with. Or perhaps it's the usual amount and I'm just noticing it more. If it insists on falling out at such a rate, I wish it would do so when I could conveniently harvest it all, instead of when I'm out and about.

Anyway, just a few more days before my Nature Fusion conditioner runs out, thank goodness. Then, I'll go back to Ice Shine.

Etc.: Michaels seems to be the only place in SoCal to catch the faintest glimpse of fall. Temps have been in the 100's, and every other store seems to be dragging its heels with fall merch. For the most part, they all seem to still be hung up on end-of-summer clearances and back-to-school merch (much of which are obnoxiously-colored, chintzy, plastic dorm items). Tomorrow is September, people. Get with the program and make with the pumpkins already.

Yesterday, I bought Lady Gaga's album, The Fame. It's mahvelous, hunnay.

And the dead cockroach has finally been removed from under my desk. Yay.

Sakina: Believe me, the fewer things in the bacterial abyss that is under my desk, the better. It's a cute idea though. And thanx for the compliment on my av. Your spelling was right on the money. The phrase refers to both of us, but more specifically me. Maleficent didn't have any known siblings.

Hair: CWC. Finally emptied my bottle of Suave Soothing Lavender Lilac light conditioner, and tomorrow I'll start on Tropical Coconut. Slowly but surely, the "ice water" themed products are working their way in as the rather lacklustre (luster?) attempt at darkly colored (coloured?) shower stuff runs out. Ah me, I never can decide if I want to take British or American spelling.

Anywho, today, of course, was measure day, so my hair has been down. I measured after work and came out at 27". Tied with Maggie's old record again, which isn't bad, but I'd love to pass it. My hair will stay down unless I go out someplace later, which doesn't seem likely. There probably won't be a band practice tonight, which is just as well since I'd rather sleep anyway. I've been up since 3 AM.

Etc.: In ulcer news, today marks 6 weeks aspirin-free. In 2 more weeks, I'll begin reintroducing normal foods in moderation, beginning with easier substances like peanut butter, chocolate and trace amounts of caffeine. I've also discovered that using my expired EVOO as an ulcer treatment is a great way to get rid of it faster. I loathe it in my hair, so why not?