I MADE IT! My ONE YEAR LOCAVERSARY!

I thought I would never make it...
December 11th marked the completion of my SL installation...and my ONE year locaversary.

I must say, that I love my locks more than I did six months ago, and as I sit completing my re-ti, I am seeing for myself the changes that have occurred.

My hair is not completely locked. The back lower half is about 90% locked, the middle and top is no where close yet. Those locks in the back have sealed and have contracted...I think its quite funny because that was the section that was always getting wet in the shower. I was so paranoid about getting my hair wet and most times have no choice in that part of my hair...so I'm not sure if that section would have locked on its own at this rate, or if the consistent water contributed to it.

I have noticed crazy growth, but my hair grew like weeds when I had a relaxer as well, so I halfway expected it. My texture is so much more prettier now that I have SL. Its funny how the creamy crack addicted women in my circle and family say things like, "it looks so good on you, I could never do it..you had good hair before you went natural...you have that good grade of hair...". I want to scream to them that they have the same good hair, and that cuck a bug hair that they complain about is the exact texture of hair I sometimes wish I had because my hair would have been locked by now. LOL

I have, most recently, began to lightly oil my scalp with olive oil. Mostly because the winter has hit Chicago and the weather is cold and dry outside and warm and dry inside my apartment. I have noticed more of a bounce with the olive oil and less of a need to do a water spritz every day...maybe its because I oil it while its still damp right after a shampoo.

I am still using the Suave Clarifying shampoo that I had been using since I was about 3 months SL...its not broke, so why fix it? I really would like to try some new stuff, but I am so paranoid that I will mess my hair up, I'm just sticking to it.

I have found a new hairstyle! Since I am still braiding and banding, I figured I may as well take my time doing the braids and rock a braidout. I must admit, that its my favorite hair style right now. I put tiny braids all over my head, which not only makes the crinkles look better after my hair has dried but, I can reach more of my scalp while washing, AND I can rock the braids for a couple of days to ensure my hair has dried (and I don't look completely Ceily-like with neat braids in).

I can't wait to get a little length on me. I have grown tired of the perm rod set...I have sooo much hair I completed hated pull all those damn perm rods in my hair. I think I'll wear a braidout for a while until I can get some length on me to try the pipe cleaners curl set.

All in all, I love my hair. Often times I wonder why I hadn't went natural before hand. So many people say that "that (your SL's) are you" or "you became you when you went natural". I will agree and say that who I am now is a reflection of my hair...because at the time I got SL, I decided that me being me would be good enough for the world. My hair marks the journey of me loving me...no holds barred, no additives, and no explanations...

Here's to many more years....

New discoveries....

Hello, ALL

Sooo, I know the last time I was on here I was ranting and raving about not liking my SL and all of the issues, etc. Well, this post won't be like that, although I still am learning to like my SL more each day.

As a DIYer, I am loving the control I once again have over my hair. I notice the changes more and I am more aware of how to fix things. I've taken care of my hair for years before and I don't see how this experience would be any different.

I do loathe washing my hair....not because I don't like clean hair, but because I hate braiding and banding. I seriously don't think my hair gets "clean" but I did wash my hair without doing so and I got a little slippage going on...but it was well worth it.

So last night when I washed my hair, I braided and banded with little "balls". I know, I know, you're probably like, what is that? I attached a picture for all those that know the correct name of them LOL. This was soo much easier! No rubber bands to cut (I cut a lock off once trying to get a rubber band out) and no clips to come apart.

My wash time was reduced and I don't mind it that much anymore.

Next, task is to find a light moisturizer that also has a nice smell. I've been outside a lot this summer enjoying the weather and I do not like the way my hair smells. It's been 8 months and I haven't put anything in my hair except water....I think its time!

It's been a looonnng time...

I know, I know. It's been over three months since my last post. And honestly, I always want to sit down and gather my thoughts but there is always something else that I need to do. Life hasn't stopped getting busier, so this Sunday morning, when I would normally be at church (my Pastor is on vacation), before I sit down to write my three papers that are due before 9 am tomorrow, I decided to write on my blog.

My Sisterlocks(or whatever they are)....

So a lot and nothing has been happening with my hair. It is growing like crazy, I mean, I haven't measured or anything but I'm close to about 7 inches (or more) at the longest strand. I had a TWA when I started of about 2.5 inches, so it is growing. My hair had, however, grown at a stupid (LOL) rate when I had a relaxer, so I didn't expect anything less now that it is locking.

I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I do almost nothing with it. 90% of the time its just freestyle with a headband...I think that I have become addicted to headbands to deflect from the massive frizzies I sometimes have. Lately, I have been setting them on perm rods, but that is so time consuming, so that really only happens when I have spare time.

I love the fact that I don't worry about my hair when I wake up in the morning. Getting ready for work and most times getting only 3-4 hours of sleep a night, doesn't lend much time for me to be primping my hair. I love that I was able to go to a water park with my baby and enjoy and not worry about water splashing on my hair (I was able to focus all my attention on her hair). I love the "POTENTIAL" it has of looking good...

But I hate my hair sometimes. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if this was the right decision. And while I don't write on my blog, I read a lot of other ones and I almost NEVER see women who have "sisterlocks" contemplate their decision. The ones I do come across are those who have taken down their locks...but I feel like sometimes people are faking the funk. I dunno, maybe its me, but can you like something ALL the time?

People have told me that I look way different with locks than I did with relaxed hair. Most of my family tells me they miss my "beautiful" hair. And to be honest, I did have nice relaxed hair. It was thick and bouncy and almost void of a relaxer, seeing as though I got one every 8-9 weeks and it was a kiddie perm. I wanted my daughter, who has GORGEOUS natural hair to know that her hair is beautiful just the way it is, and the only way I wanted to be able to show her that is by example.

Which leads me to my issues....

Sisterlocks are not no-maintenance....and I have 550+ in my head. Economic circumstances arose and I couldn't afford the $75+ cost to retighten, nor could I afford the 8+ hours it took to get them done. I am a mother of a toddler with a full time job and a full time student in a fast track program, with my own business and most recently Chair of a national organization, I just didn't have the time (or the money). So I had to make the choice to retighten my own hair with (GASP) a nappylock tool.

OK, so a certified consultant that I chop it up with from time to time, tells me that if I maintain my own hair, without taking the class, I don't have sisterlocks. That really bothered me...not because I care whether or not people know I have SISTERLOCKS, cuz truth be told, not many people know what they are anyway...but because this "sister" felt the need to make me "separate" because I choose to maintain my own hair.

Maybe I'm slow, but to me, the whole premise behind being natural is loving who you are freely, not being bound to the relaxer, and being on the road to healthy hair. I have "maintained" my hair for years. I went to the salon every 8 weeks, and that was to Hair Cuttery to get my hair layered and cut (into whatever I was feeling like) by a (GASP again) white woman. I rarely applied heat to my head...I would wash, wrap, airdry (with a scarf), take my hair down the next day and go. So I never spent time in a beauty shop, nor did I wear weaves. So hearingg this statement made me go "Seriously, are you serious?"

Then I thought about the court case involving Sisterlocks and Nappylocks and I read more on it, and found myself agreeing with the courts and Nappylocks. I get the whole thing about Sisterlocks being a brand, etc...but if you really cared about wanting all "sisters" to enjoy this new "lifestyle" of freedom, wouldn't you make it affordable?

I'm getting my teaching certification and have a goal of chartering a school for African American kids that focus on reading excellence and interdisciplinary curriculums. I was fortunate to have a great education and I want ALL my babies (especially in urban) areas to have the same opportunities I did...now, saying that, what would I look like charging a crazy tuition to my school when that's my premise? Just doesn't add up right?

These are my opinions, so pple, please don't get all uptight, but some of these "sisterlocked" sisters are perpetuatingg the same attitude they try to claim Europeans placed on blacks...the "if you're not like me authentically, then you're steps below me". Really? so beacause I use a nappylock tool on my "sisterlocks", I don't have them? OK, I don't. I am who I am REGARDLESS of what is on the top of my head, I don't need a label to define who I am.

I'm a natural headed sista who decided to use a method that allowed for me to have small dreads.

Which leads me to this whole "parting" etc. So, since I have been a DIYer (for the past 2.5 retightenings, I've noticed some things...the front of my hair does not have straight lines. I don't have a center part, and about 80% of the parts in the front of my hair are on a slant. Now, I'm meticulous. I mean, the way I look at it, I paid money for an install and subsequent retightenings, I may as well keep up my investment. It literally, takes me about a week to do my hair. I take my time and I use a mirror for the front of my hair, so I'm sure about these crooked, slanted parts. Now, sure, I was pissed in the beginning, but then I'm like, well, if a "parting" grid and all that mess defined my hair, then I'm falling in the same trap as some of these other ladies. Sure, it may become an issue in the future when my hair matures and I may want to style it a certain way, but right now its not. It is noticeable when I want to go and flat twist the front of my hair and there are no parts that are straight back, but I did that once in 7 months, so...whatever.

That's why I love Nacole's youtube channel so much (nriccaboni). She is honest. She is funny and she's real.

This was an extra long post, maybe I should blog more often.

But in regards to my hair....Its coming along. the bottom two rows of my hair are sealed...that was interesting seeing as though those are the ones that get wet the most (almost every day in the shower). Going toward the back middle, I have a ton of slippage. It seems the texture there is a big more of a loose wave, and I'm wondering if its from the new sleep position I have now that the little one is back in bed with me (sleeping on my back). My sides and top middle are all coming along as well, most have buds and others have condensed and matted at the end but not formed that "cylinder". And the front is still in the pattern. Some of the extra tiny ones (that should be combined, since my parts are off anyway) always require repair after washing, but its cool.

I was frustrated last week and washed my hair without braiding and banding. I stopped using the SL shampoo a minute ago...I HATED the way it left my hair looking and feeling and the way my scalp was sooooo flaky. Since then, I've only used the Suave clarifying shampoo and nothing else...no EO or mixtures or any other moisturizers and honestly, I think its time...I've been reading that the SL moisture treatment is good, but others have recommended other things too.

All in all, I'm satisfied. I see the potential of my hair and I'm being patient. I told my aunt in early June, I'll give it one more year. So, June 2011 will determine how I feel and what I will do. I will have finished school and embarking into new chapters in my life that involve me reaching my goals. If I'm still feeling this way a year from now, I'll just cut them off and wear my TWA....

I'm BACK!

My consultant got on me about not posting on my blog. Reality is, I'm on blogspot a lot, just reading everyone else's blog and never sit down and write my own. I think i was reluctant to write because I felt like my hair wasn't doing anything. That, plus the family moved, I'm still working and going to school, and trying to establish new business ventures, the least of my worries was my hair. Therefore, SL couldn't have come at a better time! In the last four months, I have noticed some things: 1) I can get dressed much quicker now that I don't have to worry how my hair looks. 2) I am now in love with accessories. 3) My hair still grows at the crazy rapid rate it always has. 4) My locks are further along than I thought. 5) Natural hair has increased my self awareness....even when I had my afro, I loved the way I felt, free....different. 6) I love for him to grab my hair! (what are these weaved ladies thinking?) 7) I HATE the SL starter shampoo! I am sure that there are many more to this list, but I have a new love for my locks. I went thru a couple weeks where I was really regretting my decision, feeling like my hair looked like a mess of frizziness, but after I bit the bullet and curled my hair (I always thought it was too short to curl) I really like my SL now. I'm almost halfway to my mid year and I'm loving it. Now...time to get these permed ends cut. LOL

SPRINGY LOCKS??

I am not really sure what that means, but as I played with my hair (now I see why so many "white" girls twirled their hair), I noticed this springy action in my locks. And not just one, but like most of them have this going on.

I think that its a good sign. I have been noticing the changes in my hair lately, its getting more hard to the touch. I am just amazed at what happens when your hair is just left alone.

I don't have dandruff or itchiness anymore. I washed my hair at the two week mark (since my last re-tightening) and honestly, it really wasn't itchy or dirty, I just knew that with my schedule, I wouldn't have any other time to wash it. That braiding and banding (and clipping) business takes me like 2 hours!

Ever since I stopped diluting the shampoos, I feel like my hair is getting more clean and I see the obvious difference, I don't have flakes. I have noticed, ironically, that I have severe dryness the morning after the wash, but I know that that is a result of the starter shampoo. It really dries out my hair, so I just take a bit of ACV on a q-tip and place in that area, to at least get something on it. I have enough left for another shampoo, so I guess I'll have to buy some more (or just stick with my Suave Clarifying Shampoo!) I'll see what the wonderful KiKi says in a couple weeks.

I am loving my hair. Like seriously. I am loving the fact that I just get up and go and I am anxious for what the future holds. Time really does fly. You don't really notice how quick four weeks go buy until you look up and you have another re-tightening session. I'm thankful to God that He's chosen this path for me.

Till next time....

Marlena

It's been a while...

I have been so busy with home and school and work that I just haven't had time to sit and blog.

There really isn't much to discuss....my hair is just doing its thing I guess. Those edges just won't stay put at all, so I have some (like 3) that have unraveled, but that's cool.

In some ways I wish my hair was longer so that I can do more than just freestyle with it. But then again, over manipulation isn't good either so I think that's ok.

Gotta run now...the baby is whining....don't know why kids just won't go to sleep when they're sleepy LOL

BEFORE AND AFTER MY 1ST RE-TIGHT

School and work and home has been kicking my butt. Not to mention the cold I can't get rid of (and I know its cuz I need to rest)...which has left me too tired some days to blog. I have been wanting to provide updates for a while, but time just didn't allow me to, until now. The office is empty and quiet and I don't want to do any work right now. Its freaking cold outside (here in Chicago) and the snow is just taking over. I would have just stayed in bed, but...maybe I should have. So...I'm officially a month locked now! I got my re-tightening on the 2nd, a couple days shy of my official date of the 4th. I love not doing anything to my hair, no styling, curling, nothing. My hair is so short that freestyle looks good. I contemplated using some perm rods or curlers, but then it would look even shorter, and that's not cute. I am getting like the frizzy ends, so maybe I'll try something out when I wash next week. I am not experiencing any itchiness or anything...the last time I shampooed, which was right before my re tightening, I didn't dilute the shampoos that much...maybe not even 2 parts shampoo, 1 part water. I just put a little water in and shampooed. It truely made a difference, because now, seven days later, I still don't feel any itchiness. One thing I'm experiencing is flakes near my front hairline. I remember reading a blog in which a lady was experiencing the same thing and it was a result of the face lotion that she was using. Since reading that I make sure that the satin bonnet is still on my head when I put my face lotion on, so that it's nowhere near my hairline, but I seem to still be getting a lot of flakes in that area that are like intermingling with my locks. (dandruff being embedded in the lock). Don't know what else to do but spot clean with acv....I won't wash till another week from now, so we shall see how it goes. Other than my hair...I absolutely dislike my job. I am content in where God has me, yet I know that He has greater things to come. I have 11 months until my student teaching begins, so I'm just getting all my ducks in a row until then. We really want to move...we like where we live, but its so expensive. I really want a new car and we need to buy another car for the household. I know that once school is in order and my career changes, these types of decisions will be pretty easy, but now....(sigh). I would really like to just quit where I am and focus on my business, but I can't do that either working 9 to 6 and on saturdays. I just know that God is going to work it all out..... Till next time ppl!