The Dash Between

So - I'm falling more and more in love with my color. I've more or less given up on giving it a name - it's just purty.

I'm kinda sad, hairwise - I'm still VERY disappointed in myself for picking out/at my hair enough to break it off so badly. It's definitely a learning experience, and it's also a quick confirmation that I shan't be doing any bigchops. I'm still discovering REALLY short pieces - I have a few areas where there is just a little 'puff' of hair about an inch long. *weeps* I can't BELIEVE I did that!
I BRIEFLY considered getting most of it cut off, and starting with virgin hair (despite DH's insistence that there was a clause in our vows stating that my hair would never be shorter than his unless it was cut by a medical professional *LOL*) but, um. No. I think that this is about the shortest my hair has ever been natural (it was a bit shorter in my first permcut) and it's - odd. To have gone so rapidly from below shoulder length (my original locs length) to shoulder length (after I hacked off about 4 inches from my locs to try to give them some body) to barely earlobe length (after I pulled my locs out) to above ear length (now!) in a matter of - 6 months, shall we say - is - weird. Ocassionally, I'll have a REALLY funny dream, and I'll dream that the progression in length will happen just as fast. HAHAHAH. *clears throat* Um, so, anyhow.

I've put together my henna schedule -

Henna #1: 7/28/2006
Henna #2 : 8/11/2006
Henna #3 : 8/25/2006
Henna #4 : 9/8/2006
Henna #5 : 9/22/2006
Henna #6 : 10/6/2006
Henna #7 : 10/27/2006 (Three week gap, rather than two, as the previous weekend would be our housewarming party!)
Henna #8 : 11/10/2006
Henna #9: 11/21/2006

So - that gets me right into December. Now, I already KNOW that my hair doesn't grow nearly as fast in the winter as it does in the summer. I really think that it's the exposure to sun on my head that stimulates my hair to grow - just like a plant. I'm considering getting braids put in (but I know how them Africans like to braid you so tight, you get an instant facelift! I'd have to vett them carefully to be sure I don't stress my hairline) and keeping them for *thinks* 10 weeks - which would get me through the worst of the winter - then maybe taking them out, leaving my hair loose for two weeks, henna'ing, then getting them put BACK in, and keeping them for another 10 weeks, and then taking them out in prep for the warm growing months. So - that schedule would look like this....

Braids #1: 11/22/2006-2/16/2007
Henna #10: 2/17/2007
Braids #2: 3/2/2007 - 4/27/2007

And while it is still cool in April, that IS about the time of the year (if I remember aright) where I would have to shift to a monthly loc tightening schedule, rather than a every other month/every 6 weeks schedule. So - I figure by then - assuming a 3/4 inch growth rate during the warmer months (now-Oct), and a 1/2 inch growth rate during the colder months (Nov-April) , I should rack up..... *quick post-it calculation* about 5 inches by March, which I suspect would leave me with about earlobe length hair. Hm. I can't complain about that - esp. since during 5 months of that time, it would be up in braids, anyhow.

I'm still mad at myself, though. But, I certianly do understand the exhortations to treat your hair like old lace - it's soo fragile.

I've decided to wait on the WO until after I finish the every other week henna'ing adventures - that might be asking too much of my hair. And if I get braids, I might start doing it - it'll be winter, my scalp produces less oil then anyhow, and I could just condition the ends of the braids to be sure that my hair stays nice and moisturized under there. Or, I might still wait, and just use up the PooBar.

Me no know. I'll see how I feel once I'm done with the henna cycle - and see how dark my hair is then! Heck - I might not even make it through all 8 henna's - if my hair starts turning black, it might not be worth it. *giggles* One funny thing about doing the henna this way - I doubt that many people will notice that I'm changing my hair color, because it will happen gradually. We shall see.