Amina's Sisterlocks

It has been a while...

2010-06-06T20:12:00.004-04:00

Hey folks,

It has been awhile, but don't punish me, I'm here now, and hopefully I can keep this blogging thing up this time. I graduated from college, and started Graduate School, and yes, got married.

It is now month 34 and my hair has changed so much! The shrinking has stopped (yay!), and I still have little balls falling off from time to time. My former consultant (I have been a DIYer for over a year now) tried to convince me that grooming isn't necessary, but I'm not so sure these days. When I re-tighten my hair, I wrap the free hairs clockwise around each loc, and as soon as I shampoo the frizz comes back. I'm not looking for a solution at this time though. I can deal with it. My hair has grown, and I have about 2-3 inches of growth since last year. I'll scrounge up some pictures from last year to show length difference.

I might have mentioned before that I was preparing for Medical School, and I decided last year that marriage was due to happen and children would be out of the question if I went. I considered a lot of options, Law School, Master's in French, finally I found a program of acupuncture. Very interesting, very difficult. So here I am, getting a Master's of Acupuncture...trimester 2.

Hennaed...

2009-02-20T17:21:00.007-05:00

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

2008-09-27T17:58:00.008-04:00

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*

2008-08-23T21:38:00.007-04:00

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!

2008-08-18T10:35:00.010-04:00

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

2008-07-12T16:52:00.009-04:00

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....

2008-06-22T01:39:00.006-04:00

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

2008-06-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

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.

I'm baaaack!

2008-05-31T23:25:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well. So she decided to post.

Things have been so crazy lately, so please forgive me.

First and foremost, an acquaintance moved very recently and forwarded all of her clientele to me. Very good. Second, I completed the semester the middle of May. Very, very good. I had a very up and down past few months and it has all seemed to even out in the past week or so. Very, very, very.....well, you get the drift.

So here I am and I have lots to discuss. Mostly about my hair. It is currently month 9, and I am still disappointed with the shrinkage, and I'm guessing I won't get the length back until it grows some more. Why is it so significant? I have no idea. I can tell it's growing because the ones that started off really short around the edges have gotten a lot longer.

The first picture is of a new lock created at last retite, and the second pic is of the growth of some locks that started off about the length of the former. So I know its growing... but it still is the same length.

See?
So, my next concern is sleep/work/go out hairstyles. I have just a few boring standbys.

This is work/run errands hair. Sometimes I wear a headband with it.

This is work/sleep hair. Sometimes I use my locsoc to sleep in, it makes my hair lay down smoothly for the morning.

This last series is what I did in an hour for an USAF event with my friend that his date no- showed for...

Step 1: freestyle, misted with water,

Step 2: foam rods (spiral in front, the rest of my head I rolled just the bottom 1/3 of each section)

Final result: Curly tendrils in front, the back I decided to wear up using a hair stick (like chopstick). It lasted just for the evening, because it was still damp when I pulled the rollers out. I didn't have time to do my traditional dual hand hair dryer (one in each hand) blast for 15 minutes. My locks are small enough to dry very quickly, and maybe next time I'll have the courage to use some type of setting lotion. I'd need to buy some, because I gave all (okay, MOST) of my hairbasket contents away months ago.

I don't really freestyle, because my hair gets caught in my earrings everytime I wear it down....and because I think it looks too flat and stringy on some days.

So, now I've been having these dreams. I thought I got over them, but I have recently started dreaming about all of my locks coming down. I had previously told myself that if I had to do it over, I wouldn't do it the same way, I'd either cut my hair shorter, or get bigger lock sizing. But in my dreams I'm sooooo sad, and trying to wake myself from the dream because I know its not real. In this last one, I decided to put them all back in...myself. I'm confident, but not THAT confident. Talk about step-sisterlocks. In one dream some chick decided to put relaxer in my hair, ON TOP OF MY SISTERLOCKS!!! Crazy, right? She was like, "ooh, this is nappy..." Uh, yeah.....kinda the point lady. Since then, I have made the decision that if I had to do it over, I would do it the same way. Length, size, and all. I am really in love with my hair. Is that vain?

So now, I want you to fess up. Has anybody had these dreams?

BTW.....I'm taking the retite class in Baltimore this Saturday.

What happens during a massage session?

2008-03-31T11:19:00.000-04:00

My last blog made me realize that not everyone has experienced massage. Let me explain a massage session to you.

First of all, you can request a female Therapist if that makes you feel better. Some men and women prefer a female Therapist. Second, the Therapist will take you back to the room to get onto the table (if you're at a spa you will be invited to change into a robe beforehand, and if you're at a clinic or private practice like my office, you will be prompted to change in the room). The Therapist WILL STEP OUT OF THE ROOM.

When you get a massage, be mindful that most often your back is what hurts the most. So if you leave your bra on, it defeats the purpose. You will be under the covers, just like your bed at home.
I have had clients get on the table with t-shirts, jewelry, and even one lady with a wig on!!! I don't care what you look like, I have seen it all (bodytype wise), believe me. Underwear is optional. I tend to not work on places that the client has left clothing on (Socks, underwear, bras). I assume that you don't want it touched. That's just my thing though. Someone else will probably ask you to take your bra off. You should leave all of your jewelry at home; it gets in the way.

This is what I do when I get back in the room (previous to leaving the room I have discussed any particular issues the client may be having, pain with movement, joint conditions, etc.).

I turn down the lights, let the client know to stay in communication with me if he/she is uncomfortable, and then start work. I undrape the first part I want to work on (I start with the client face up for some massages, face down for others), so let's say the back. I undrape the back to the buttcrack (oh yes, I have seen hundreds of cracks), and begin work. I cover up the back when I'm finished, and move on to the leg, then cover that up...eventually you flip over, and lay on your back. I undrape arms and legs...that's pretty much it. If you're having digestion issues, your abdomen can be addressed through the sheet. Very uncommon request though. Head and neck massage is incorporated in there too...

I do want to say that I love the body. It is amazing, and if we pay attention to all of the signals it gives us...I really feel like one wouldn't need to pop pills. Let's get one thing straight. If I got in a car accident and was bleeding, I would want to be transported to the nearest emergency room, full of doctors and nurses and such. But I feel like PREVENTATIVE methods are our own responsibility. That is why I became a Massage Therapist.

Questions....

2008-03-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Hello all,

I have a few questions today..

1. Why will Black women spend hundreds of dollars on haircare, and still think healthcare (yes, massage is healthcare too) is a luxury?
I have seen hundreds of times where I have helped better people's physical therapy results, alleviate headaches, backaches, etc, and I don't even own Tylenol.. I drink water, practice yoga, and receive massage. When things are serious I only go to the doctor (things like strep throat, something I would need antibiotics for). My clients love me, but I find that my repeat clients are White. Don't tell me we can't traditionally afford it, with all of the fancy cars we like to drive....

2. Why do men conveniently forget all the times we sacrifice to make them happy, and only remember the times we tell them no?

Even the good guys have to be reminded that making dinner was an inconvenience to perform. You can't stop and get the can of corn that I need? Don't you need to eat too? You're the one that likes corn, I can do without it. But if I were to tell you I wasn't going to cook at all....

3. What would you do if all of your hair fell out?
I have a friend that had surgery and the anesthesia made her hair fall out. With all of the money I've put into this hair I have right now, I'd be quite annoyed. Thankful that I'm alive, because that was a minor side effect to what could have happened. But annoyed nonetheless.

60 Days is here!

2008-03-03T09:35:00.001-05:00

I mentioned previously that I was opening my own office for my private practice in 60 days.

ITS HERE! ITS HERE!

I knew it would be tedious and expensive, but it wasn't AS tedious or AS expensive as I thought. I'm still not done with some of the paperwork, but you gotta fake it 'till you make it! My office is painted, furnished (except the stuff still on the Fedex truck), and I'm ready.

My friend and I promptly started running around grabbing random strangers to ask their opinion. She is such a RIDE-OR-DIE chick! Long hours painting, arranging, etc, didn't make her blink twice...okay maybe twice.

1: room with a (fake) view. the windows cover cinderblock...lol.

2: WHY did she feel the need to take a "Statue of Liberty" pose? I told her she looks homeless.

3: Her signature "oops" pose.

Notice I am not in any of the pictures, because I was really enjoying her act a fool.

How's my hair? Paint free, fat and heavy (for all you they're so tiny folks)...I did realize that it was necessary to pull them into a bun, because the length (say WHAAAAAT?) gets caught on anything on my shoulders. Why have I not figured out this before? No idea.

6 months Loc-versary!!!

2008-02-17T21:14:00.000-05:00

I have reached 6 months since my journey began with my Sisterlocks. I just had a retightening on Friday, and got to meet my locktician's locktician (who has waistlength SL's) and some other clients (I never usually see anyone else there when I go). We had a blast giggling and discussing our experiences and dealings with our hair. What a forum!

The comment I hear most often about my hair is, "Those are so tiny!" Yes, I suppose they are. I don't really feel how tiny they are because these are the only SL's I've ever had. Don't have anything to compare it to except looking at other people's SL's. I never wanted any other size though. Maybe I'm being naive about it all, but it's like a child who grows up with a parent as a celebrity. They don't know the difference until they get out into the world and see what everyone else thinks is normal.

That being said, I guess I have some shrinkage going on, which could be a good thing. I guess it means things are locking up. I figured I wouldn't have a real growth distinction for a while but it seems like things are....SHORTER than when I started. I can say I have about 1/2 inch of growth per month, but WTH?

this was 2-14-08

This was somewhere around October '07.

So here are some of my ends... Some sealed some still curly.

And so I still have a love affair with my hair.

I've been tagged!

2008-02-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged, by Wendi and Amba.

So, here are the rules:
(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here goes:

1. Statues of human-like figures freak me out. Living in the DC Metro area is a tad bit difficult when I want to go to the National Mall. I have never been to the Lincoln Memorial nor do I want to go. Something about the realism of the statues, and my expectation of it to move, but then I think about it moving, and it scares the crap outta me.

2. I speak French. I have studied it for about 20 years, and it is currently my major, because I at one point, wanted to translate. I enjoy many languages now, even though my focus has shifted to getting into medical school.

3. I can pack anything. I learned it from my mother. When it comes to luggage, I can get anything in a suitcase, but looks are usually deceiving when it comes to picking it up and carrying it around. That's the downside.

4. I love to cook. The most ambitious, involved Martha Stewart-esque recipes are my favorites. I remember her making s'mores (pre-prison Martha) once and she made the graham crackers, AND the marshmallows. That's something I would do. Ridiculous right? It's all for the taste. Tastes more pure for some reason, but it might be all in my head.

5. I am a neat freak. Things get messy around here sometimes, but the OCD really shows when other people are over. Everything has a place, because I'll lose it otherwise. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

6. Amina is not my real name. I don't have a middle name and everyone else in my family does. So when I was a child, I made up Amina. It stuck, and Amina has become my official alias. My mother spells it Aminah.

I am now tagging:

Audrey's Pleasure
Renea
DST
Ayankha
JaStu
Rachel

My umi says....

2007-12-27T16:29:00.000-05:00

...shine a light on the world. Yesterday started Kwanzaa. I am Muslim and my family for as long as I can remember has celebrated Kwanzaa, I guess in an effort to make us (my sisters and me) feel more festive around these times. Kwanzaa is not a religious practice, it's just a holiday designed for African Americans to reconnect with a history we've lost. Normally you won't see me discuss my practices (especially religious) because what I believe and how I practice is NOT UP FOR DISCUSSION. I don't want two copper coins from anybody....that being said, since I moved away from my hometown, I haven't celebrated it (how sad would it be to light the candles and drink from the unity cup all by myself?). So, wrote a blog about it....like to hear it? Here it go:

Today is Kujichagulia = Self Determination. 2007 was meant for financial stability. Still working on it. For 2008 I plan on further developing my private practice (I am a Massage Therapist that does outcalls) and actually opening an office. That should be finished in the next 60 days. I don't like the outcalls thing (only by referral) because I'm tired of tripping over the small animals that follow me around while in someone's home, and let's face it folks, gas is not cheap.

I also want to be in a better position to help my mom financially. She's a retired nurse that didn't have much of a pension because my Dad didn't like for her to work...and then they divorced...nice right? So anyway, she goes without some of the more expensive wants that she has because I can't afford to buy them for her now. So I want to make more money to make Mommy happier, and give her some fluff. Life gets boring without hobbies right?

On to my hair....

During my last retightening session my consultant suggested that I take the full Sisterlocks course. I have, you see, never gone to the hairdresser. Even when my hair was relaxed many, many moons ago I did it. Cut it, colored it, relaxed it, BC'd it, braided it, 2 stranded it, and so on. I was a teenager the last time I went to the hairdresser... and promptly got food poisoning and sweated the hairstyle out. I have also braided many others' heads. Hair, yarn, natural, micros, you name it.

I think she suggested it because she saw that I was starting to dabble in my head. I had been having some "kitchen" issues. On the right side in the back, my "kitchen" refused to lock. Unravelled completely after about 2 shampoos EVERY time she fixed it. So I took matters into my own hands and combined the two little ones into a larger one. I used my fingers and then a modified paper clip. I knew what I needed to do. Just did it. It's still up. If it ever loosens, I just tighten it a little and Voila! Done. Do I want to learn the "Sisterlocks Secret"? Sure. Do I have 1300+ more dollars to spend on my head? Hell to the Naw.

I think I've gotten too big for my britches though. I just shampooed last night WITHOUT braiding and banding. Off with her head!! To be realistic though, I wanted to see what would happen with the front since it always seems to be straight. Since I pull it back most often when I'm at work (can't scratch the tickles from my hair on my face if my hands are covered in cream placed on somebody's backne) I think it just pulls the curl straight. No lock-ie for me! I also want to confess that I DID NOT shampoo vigorously. I might even do it again today because I didn't get the front that well. But I am happy to say that ALL of my ends curled up happily and that makes me think that I did the right thing. I think the banding of my ends kept them straight, since sometimes I would shampoo and go to sleep so that I could separate them all when dry. I think I got the courage to do this because now I "know" how to fix it if any of my lovelies were to perish from "death by drowning."

Okay, okay, maybe I do want some pennies.... so I'm asking all three of my readers....what do you think?

Yay me!

2007-12-14T15:14:00.000-05:00

School is done for the semester! Yay! I just took my last finals yesterday, and am free for an entire month! Except that I have to work... but guess what? I was speaking to a client (I am a Massage Therapist) of mine Wednesday, and she told me that she has a brand new 35mm camera and said she would give it to me so I wouldn't have to buy one for my photography class next semester. I declined because I don't accept gifts from my clients typically, but she suggested that we barter and I agreed! Great solution! I love bartering! I actually do the same with my loctician, so it completely lowers the price of retightening.

In my last post, I mentioned my 8 year old niece that inspired me to lock my hair. Here she is in all of her crowned glory with her little sister who is also locked. Her locks are about the diameter of my pinky finger to my index finger. Beautiful! The little one just started hers and I fully suspect they will thicken too. I love my girls!Not much else to say, since I want to continue to revel in the day's empty to-do list. Have a great weekend!

Hello New World!

2007-12-09T13:50:00.000-05:00

I want to start with my reason for wanting Sisterlocks. Almost my entire female family has or has had locks at some point in their life. I have two sisters, 3 nieces, and a mother that have all embraced natural hair. Before I decided to lock, I had been natural for 5 1/2 years with about 8-10 inches of virgin (with the exception of color) hair. It had gotten to the point where I was unable and unwilling to spend the time it took to wrangle my hair weekly. I would shampoo and condition, two strand twist, or blow dry and flat iron. Or else I just pulled it back and rocked an afro puff for the week. The longer my hair got, the longer it took to complete.

The person that actually made me "get off the pot", was my eight year old niece. Her hair is locked, and amazing looking. I saw her early this summer, and saw how beautiful her hair was and immediately called the Certified Sisterlocks Consultant from a card I had received maybe a month or two prior. I set up an initial consultation and two months later (I had to round up the money, don't get it twisted...) I STARTED getting my hair done.

This is the horrible part. I say horrible because I feel like it took FOREVER to finish. Don't get me wrong, I love my consultant, but neither of us realized exactly how long it would take, even though she's a very experienced consultant. I think altogether, it took 60 hrs +/- over the course of a month. During that time I really felt like I had made a mistake. My official locday is August 17. Ever since then I have loved every minute of it. I was very open and honest with my consultant, and each of us give each other title of "Warrior" during that time. I got tired of people asking me, is it done yet? Is it done? Ugggggh.

But anyway, I love my hair, and everyday I become less neurotic about my hair (I'm a control freak), and embrace all of the changes each of them go through. Below are pics of my hair before and after.