Hennaed...

Hi, its me again, finally.

I hennaed my hair back in month 14, and again in month 17. It is only temporary, and I can alter how strong I would like the color to be, depending on the length of time I leave it on.

This is not for the faint of heart, because henna really does take a long time. The upside is, it combats dandruff, and makes your hair softer in the long run.

Step 1- mix your henna in a bowl (glass) with enough lemon juice to make a mayonnaise-like paste. 100g works well for my length, but the more generous, the better (I could stand to use 200g). Strain the paste through hosiery to get out the lumps. I used knee-his. Cover the henna paste with plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight (at least 8 hrs).

Step 2- with clean hair (DAMP or dry), and with gloved hands (henna stains skin too), work section by section through your hair, applying the paste, from root to tip. Oh yeah, wear clothing you don't mind getting stained, and use a dark towel for your shoulders. Make sure when you apply the paste, you squeeze it through the locks (if you have them). Make sure you use it all.

Step 3- once you're finished coating your hair, wrap your head with plastic wrap, and cover with a towel. If you don't have a dryer to sit under (for an hr or so), dampen said towel with very hot water, and cover your head. Now you sit for at least 4 (yep!) hours. The hairdryer will not subtract time off of this 4 hours; it is only to help the henna penetrate the hair shaft.


Step 4- Wait some more.

Step 5- rinse hair.
Yes, it's green. Don't worry, its the color of the paste, still in my hair after the light rinse.


Step 6- Shampoo hair. Make sure to be thorough, and squeeze the water and/or shampoo through the locks.


The lighter your hair when you start, the brighter the color will be. I used a box dye to lighten up a little first, but nothing aggressive. The henna will darken/brighten over the next couple of days.

New Discoveries

It's been a while; school has taken a chunk out of my butt, and I don't wanna write much after my assignments. Above is a video of my hair after being set on perm rods. I didn't use any setting lotion, which might be something I may need to do in the future (I always say that, right?). It is month 13, almost month 14 really, and things (although shrunken) are getting better by the day.

Here is a picture from my driver's license in May (got a reissue, needed a new pic).
I had just shampooed my hair, and it was still damp. Notice the hang-time.

Here is my new driver's license (I finally changed states).
I hope the shrinkage stops eventually.

Anyway, yesterday was a good day. I switched over my dl to my current state, and registered to vote! Yay!

I get lots of compliments on my hair now. Before, no one ever really said anything. I would get occasional stares though. Hard for me to decipher whether it was my hair, or a booger that they were looking at, lol. One day three people stopped me on the street. One was in a car and she pulled over and asked me who did it, where was she, etc. It was crazy that day. Another guy was standing next to me as we were about to cross the street and he was muttering something at me. I didn't know whether to ignore, or ask him to repeat himself. I chose the latter. He said, "Your hair is gorgeous." Happy, happy, joy, joy! Others just ask me who did it....things like that. The weirdest thing though, is that most of them know I have Sisterlocks. I pulled up in the drive-thru at a fast food place and the chick at the window screamed, "Sisterlocks!" Wow. Yesterday an older white guy told me I was beautiful. Another guy said, "Your hair is so pretty, and it really fits your face." I don't know what to do with all of these compliments. I guess I really am fly...

I want color soooo bad. Haven't bought the henna yet.

29 and 731/365ths*

Have you done the math? Today is the day of my birth! If you've done the math, you know my age. I won't dwell.

What have I learned?

1. A man will be with you if that's what he really wants. As long as you're willing, of course.

2. Being kind to others benefits my happiness.

3. Racism really exists in my hometown.

4. Procrastination sucks eggs....and me, DRY. I would have spent too much time rearranging my schedule to accommodate what I should've already done.

5. True friends can be apart for months, and pick up where they left off as if nothing happened.

6. I am getting older, and I MUST work out to keep from gaining weight. I won't stay the same size without working at it anymore.

7. I am a little high maintenance. So what is that, medium maintenance?

8. My birthday is a personal holiday. After last year, I was starting not to think so.

9. I really do like to work.

10. I have to be patient to receive what is in store for me :) but I still need to work for it. Chance favors the prepared mind...

*Accounts for a leap year

My First locversary!

Yesterday, August 17, marked my locversary.

There are a few marked differences from last year to now. Here are the things I've learned.

1. My locks thickened
2. While the majority of my locks' ends haven't sealed, they are locked. They ain't comin down.
3. I realized I have several different textures on my head.
4. Braiding and banding helped (slippage).
5. I noticed that the front probably will never look like the rest of my head. The ends are all curly q's.
6. I will probably combine some locks. I'm thinking in the middle of my head. I've decided that I like the front, and the future combined locks will be left as two headed dragons for fullness, so the micros will not have been in vain.
7. Shrinkage is a mutha! Still waiting on that length!
8. I guess I can't avoid ponytails, I thought I had, but alas, no. It keeps me from styling, b/c it's always soooo much quicker and easier. A low pony poof can always be dressed up. Until it gets longer, which thanks to shrinkage, hasn't happened.
9. Locks are easier to manage on a daily basis and also when shampooing.

and finally....

10. I love my Sisterlocks and I think this was an excellent decision.

Been feeling blah these days

Here are pictures of month 10. Boredom prompted me to color a few locs in the back.



Here are pictures of month 11. No, I didn't cut any, I just set them the way Audrey suggested with a pencil.



I have had the desire to dye my hair. I get bored quite easily, and although things are changing with my hair, I need to spice it up. I may try henna since it seems to be the least harmful.

A Little Too Much Fun....

A few friends and I went out a week ago to semi-chaperone a teenage date, and upon returning to my car, we came upon this man (only he was slumped forward on the bench behind him). By the time we were pulling out of the garage (also behind him), which took about 1.5 minutes, my friend noticed him do a slo-mo' roll/collapse onto the pavement.

Now the way he is currently curled up like he is at home on his Tempur-Pedic with his raggedy booty pillow (like my sister's ex husband had), and his Teddy, makes one think that A- he landed that way, and 2- he was somewhat conscious to the outside world. Neither are correct. He tossed on the concrete into that bedtime pose after 911 was called. Unresponsive, and let's face it, very incapacitated was he, and we felt too guilty to leave him there. But obviously not guilty enough to NOT take a picture. We also noticed the shiny iPod, that, If we were different kinda people, we would have jacked him for....rotfl!!!


So, we came up with a few one-liners that kept us hysterical until we made it to our respective homes....

1. First name Ralph, Middle name Earl...

2. Me and the Sandman are like THIS, son!

3. We save lives, Sir, pay it forward...

4. Friends don't let friends sleep on the concrete

and finally,

5. Watch out, that sucker's gonna blow!

Yay team!

Un Mal au Cou...a Pain In the Neck

I feel soooo accomplished. I took the retightening course in Baltimore on Saturday. It was taught by Dana Hagan of Alexandria, VA.
We talked, practiced, and learned the technique....(the Sisterlocks secret!!!), and signed forms that stated we weren't consultants (lol). I got the hook and the clip tool, and some product, which was a huge question for me when I was signing up for the class. $250 is a lot of money and I wanted to know what I was getting.

Aside from getting irritated by a know-it-all chic taking a refresher, I had a pretty good time. I think by the time I left, I had retightened 10 locs using both tools. 720+ to go!

I had a three day weekend to finish as much as possible. I finished the front.


As you can see, the front is sized much smaller than the ones in the back.

I am really appreciating my consultant right now...and I'm actually surprised I got so much done. Most of that 700? Up there, in the front. Happy? Most def. I gotta gain speed though. I used both tools, joined a couple (but fixed them), and got a knot in one (minor issue). Not bad for a rookie, hunh? What's left?
D'oh!

On another note, I was out with some male friends about a week ago. It has been raining quite sporadically around these parts, and torrential storming when the rain falls. We were in the mall, and were about to go to dinner, when we realized that it had started pouring. They were hesitant, but after my taunting about how brown suga melts, they decided to "man up" and make a run for it. Right before we busted out of the door, one said," That's what I'm talking about, you're the only sista I know that isn't crying about the rain and her hair!!" So you know that stroked my ego right? To top it off, I asked the other one (another day) if he was happy with the decision I made to get Sisterlocks (he doesn't know what they're called, he was very hesitant when I told him about them initially, and really is a perm kinda guy), and he told me he liked it, its versatile, its quick and it fits me. Wow. That's a lot coming from him.

He recently saw the hook tool and my progress, and said,"Man, that little thing did all that?"

I know man, I know.