My Loc Journey (1/08 to 11/08)

Hello ladies and gents! Thought I would cross-post this video montage I made of my loc journey thus far. It's been a real trip and yes!! I'm still in love with it...be blessed!

I know, I know, I've been slackin' on the blog entries. So sue me--no, really, I've transtioned to a new store and life has been a little more hectic than usual. Things have finally quieted down for a few minutes, at least, so I thought I'd post this short video of my 10 month loc update. I can't believe that it's been ten months already--my hair is growing like weeds and I absolutely love it! Just thought I'd take this time because retail is going to be busy from here on through Christmas so I may not be making another entry again for a few weeks. Be blessed you all, hugs and peace! janel

The Great BUILD-UP Issue

Hello all you loc-lovers! I'm feelig a little better after having to wash my hair in freezing cold water the other day. Yeah, I survived, but I REALLY wasn't happy about it--I HATE WASHING IN COLD WATER! Anyway, (I hope) that the water heater for this building has either been repaired/replaced and now I'm going to rewash my hair using HOT water. I don't know about anyone else, but especially for my hair, it just doesn't feel like it's clean unless I've used warm/hot water. Maybe it's just me being crazy...(it's not like I haven't been crazy before! LOL)

All of this brings me to the dreaded issue of LOC BUILD-UP--why does this seem to be such a problem? It seems to me that if you are washing your head thoroughly and rinsing VERY thoroughly, you wouldn't have that much of a build-up problem. Now, I know that product choice has some bearing on the matter, but still... Very oily products would seem to be of some concern, but then again, if you use these types of product in your hair/locs, it would seem reasonable to me that you would wash your hair a little more often to make sure that the product doesn't become embedded in the loc and it would seem reasonable that you would really scrub the hair and scalp and then pay particular attention to rinsing out the product. Am I making this just a little too simplistic? All the stuff I read on the loc lists about using apple cider vinegar rinses (AVC) and baking soda rinses and such goings on...is this really necessary? I would think that we all would know by now how to wash our hair--if you're loc'd, you'll just have to take a little more time to work the shampoo into the scalp and through the locs, since the shampoo/water mix can't flow through as freely as it does when one is a loose nap. Then, after careful scrubbing, be sure to rinse very, very thoroughly with lots of running water to flush out all the debris. Repeat the process if you wish. Just that simple, in my opinion. This can even be accomplished with cold water, though of course this is not my preference! People, this is not rocket science, nor is it an exceedingly complicated task. To avoid most build-up issues, just wash and rinse your hair thoroughly as often as it needs it! Be blessed, hugs, and peace...janel

Loc Washing Madness!

Hey people! I'm taking a few minutes to post since I haven't done so in a while and since I'm sitting here boiling water to take a bath instead of taking a shower! That's right, the water heater for my apartment building is out and guess who woke up to no hot water?!? ARRRRGGHHH! I HATE COLD SHOWERS, epspecially when I have to wash my hair. I am too damn cold natured to appreciate pretty much cold anything--except for ice cream, of course! Even on the hottest day of the year I can't do a cold shower unless really forced at gunpoint, let alone wash my hair. But alas, I really must wash the dreads today before I go into work; I close the store tonight and will probably not have the energy to do it when I get home. I'm still trying to figure out how to do this, since I really like to rinse well with running water...I even had plans to do a full twist and clip thing and sit under the dryer for a while--guess that's out the window now. I'll be lucky to get to work on time at this rate! Why is it that a watched pot never boils? Just because you want it to!!! Don't know how "squeaky clean" the hair will be this time since I'll have to really grit my teeth and rinse under cold running water. Never mind that it's September here in the Ohio Valley and the high for today will be in the mid-90's; that water that SOME people call tepid is COLD!! Catch you all later, have to keep talking myself into this dreaded ritual...be blessed, hugs and peace. janel

Guess I Should Post A Couple Of Pics...

Hi people! In all the hullbalou of my mother's accident and subsequent race to catch up once I returned to work, I didn't even think about the fact that I didn't post any pics of my hair at it's six month mark. So, without further ado, I'll put up a few pics taken today (okay, so TECHNICALLY my six month shindig was July 4th, but hey, what's a few weeks past?!?):

Whatd'ya think of dem dreads? I am just so excited to see such progress in such a sort amount of time. Still love touching my hair and still haven't quite gotten over the texture but thank God I'm not twisting, tugging or pulling it! and can I say---WOW! THERE'S A LOT OF SILVER COMIN' IN at the front hairline! Just kinda all of a sudden-like...I've had several regular customers at the store tell me that they think it's DA BOMB!! LOL Guess it will have to be, since, I ain't gonna color it--imma just let it go...

In the last week or so, I have split several of my locs into smaller ones because the hair didn't seem to be meshing as well-I'm thinking that it was maybe due to the size. I've got a couple more that I may split--I'm going to watch them for another couple of weeks to see what they do. Also, wonder of wonders, I've been asked to consider modelling in a show being sponsored by a local hair salon. Of course they offer the usual chemical services: relaxers, color, texturizers as well as weaves, etc. But they also say that they have a specialist in natural hair care and can do dreads. HUMMMMMM...says I. They are offering a free service (in my case, a loc maintenance) to get you ready for the show. I'm kinda thinking that I would like to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the show; perhaps I could make a few contacts that would help me launch a freelance makeup gig (which is something that I've been thinking about for quite a while now as a way of earning some extra money). Think I'll check into this a little more...

Anyway, not much else to tell right now, except that my inventory will finally be over and in the books as of next Friday (YAYYY!!). I am so tired because I've been running so many hours trying to prepare for this, that y'all just wouldn't believe. I feel like I'm losing my mind at this point. Off to take a nap now, doctor's orders because I'm not getting enough sleep and because I may possibly have a thyroid problem, which would help to explain the excessive (to me) tiredness. I'm being tested the week after inventory is over, along with a bone density scan and the big "M" (mammogram). See y'all later, be blessed, hugs and peace! janel

Good Sunday Morning...

Hi everybodies! I should be getting ready for work right now, but I'm sitting here bloggin' and looking at my YouTube page, counting subscribers and such. A good friend of mine stopped over last night (I wasn't expecting her) and it was such a surprise to see her! I was just stunned--I haven't seen her or talked with her for at least a couple of months (our schedules just constantly clash). Anyway, she has locs (somewhere between 3-4 years, I think) and she was just astounded at the growth of mine in such a short time. She was one of the few sistas that supported me in my venture and was one of the first people to see my coils when they were first put in and miniscule and I was sporting the "tres scalpy" look! LOL I can remember her laughing at me just a little and saying that I would have a hard time locing because my hair is much softer than hers--she has a really coarse texture and mine is more wavy than a really tight kink. Much as I love her and much as she loves me, she honestly didn't think my hair would loc very quickly.

Well, she was very pleasantly surprised and pleased for me and she just couldn't get over how much progress I've made thus far on this journey. I really value her opinion. She has what she terms "ghetto, mammy-made locs"--locs that she started herself, no meticulous parts, no guidance really, she just one day decided to grab and start twisting. She had permed hair at the time and didn't cut the ends off, she just kept twisting and twisting and twisting until the ends stayed twisted and the new hair began to loc. Her hair looks fantabulous! And you know what? She also views the growth and transition of her loose hair into locs as a spiritual journey, just like me. As her locs grew strong and long, so did she and she grew in self acceptance by leaps and bounds. I personally have a hard time understanding how some can view this experience as just a fad or just for fashion and not also about growth on an emotional/spiritual level. I'm not hating on those that loc for these particular reasons, I'm just saying that I can't fathom this not having some type on impact on one's emotional/spiritual outlook. I say this for the simple reason that we, as women, do tend to get a little emotionally involved with our hair, especially if it ain't lookin' as fly as we would want it to! We obsess over it and have an almost compulsive need to keep it looking just so and when it doesn't cooperative, we get bent! Those of us on this loc journey are currently at or have been at the "fugly, ugly" stage at some point in this process--you can admit it. You know what I mean--the "baby" coils/braids/locs aren't doin' what we want them to do, they are fuzzy and standing all over the head, they aren't neat, etc. And we get emotional about it--what do we do to calm it down, cover it up, make it behave? And then one day it hits us--forget about it, let it do what it gonna do and it will one day transform into the proverbial swan. Don't obsess and don't hate; just accept and move on. The same for the spiritual transformation--having to care and maintain locs physically puts one in touch with oneself and, in my opinion, encourages some introspection, meditation and inner quietness that allows one the time to return to one's spiritual core and to cultivate strength there. This is/has been such a strongly emotional/spiritual experience for me that I just can't really put it all into words. I have gained such strength so far and I hope to continue to increase that strength. My girl friend remarked that I just seemed to be glowing with an inner peace and serenity and she has been privy to some of my most deeply held insecurities and fears--she's seen the worst parts of me, and she is totally blown away at my new-found spiritual "grounded-ness" and peace. God was/and still is working on me in a big way through this loc journey and I thank Him for that. Thanks be to God for allowing me to experience Him in such a way as this.

Just A Quickie Entry...

Hey everybody! This is gonna be a quickie entry since it's been a while for me. I am finally getting back to "normal" (whatever that is) from my mom's accident, work catchup for being off with her, etc. Now, of course, it's time for me to start prepping my store for inventory--whew! Does it EVER end?!? Anyway, I'm falling more and m ore in love with my hair on a daily--no make that hourly, basis! It seems to be growing really fast. My assistant manager (she's a person of the caucasian persuasion) says that everytime she sees me it seems like my hair has grown another two inches LOL! The process has yet to lose its fascination for me...

You know, late last week a young sister was in the store and I noticed that she had sisterlocks; she's shopped in the store before, but I hadn't seen her for about a month or so. I walked up to her and complimented her hair and asked her how long she'd been locked up. She replied "I've had them for a month." And then she said "...But mine are Sisterlocks" in a somewhat condescending voice, as if MY hair wasn't a viable option in locdom or something! WHY oh WHY do we insist on separating ourselves against ourselves? As if Sisterlocks are any better than any other type of loc? Now mind you, I had just washed and twisted mine the day before (my day off from work) so I knew they were clean and neat and smelled WONDERFUL (I just love the smell of jasmine, so I've been adding jasmine e/o to my daily dose of olive/jojoba oil) and as a bonus my head was under "fuzz control"--I don't normally mind the fuzz, the hair's gonna do what the hair's gonna do, so I guess it doesn't matter if I mind it or not! Anyway, such an elitist attitude just really irks me--haven't we learned yet that we should be supporting anything/everything good about each other instead of always trying to "one up"? It still amazes me that I've gotten more overt support in this endeavor from my white sistas than from my sista sistas, except for a few like my mom and my sister and a couple of friends that are also loc'd. Hell, even my "ex" husband has been more supportive than most of the black sistas that I know, and he's my ex. What's up with that?

These are some recent pics of me and my hair (all right, three out of four of these were taken to show some makeup looks, but I think they also show my hair off pretty well!) What do y'all think? Just a rhetorical question--I don't really care what y'all think (you know what I mean! no offence intended (smile)) I think my hair look GREAT at the six month mark! Guess I'd better go and finish getting ready for work. Have a wonderful day everyone and be blessed! Hugs and peace, janel