Day 16

BOUT TIME!!!!! I am off work for 3 weeks. I am so happy. That was a grueling 9 weeks. I had 3 new preps and it was killing me. I am going to be more prepared for the next quarter. I will try and get at least 5 weeks worth of lessons done before we start back up, however, that will begin next week. Right now, I am basking in the fact that I've got nothing to do and all day to get it done and that is the way that I like it.

That jet lag was a killer. I am still trying to get adjusted which is why I have not posted. So, let's see...uhm, my hair held up nicely until Saturday. I went to the football game and it was a rainy mess out there. I mean it's all good right cause it's just hair. I came home and used a wide tooth comb and gently combed the curls out. I put a headband on and that was the end of that. Today I oiled my hair with shea butter and parted it into two sections (in the back - no part in the front) made two braids and kinda did a bantu knot situation with them. I added a headband and that was that for today. I have no intentions of doing anything to my hair until Monday night or even Tuesday. I am doing really great. I haven't used heat on my hair since I started this process and I really have no intentions of doing so.

This is what I was looking like....and no I did not give a flip.

I am really enjoying getting to know my hair. I truly feel like this is a different kind of spiritual journey. I am learning things about myself and my surroundings. Such as I am a patient person (when it is required), I am becoming more observant of people and things around me and I am paying more attention to the types of products that I use. Funny thing is my husband and I are very heath conscience people and we are food label stalkers but never once had I considered reading the labels of the prodcuts that I use on my skin and hair. Have you ever really read that list? I mean I would never eat something that has an ingredients list that is a mile long so why in the hell am I putting something on my skin or hair that has a list that long? What goes on your skin and scalp eventually get inside of you just like food. Just something to think about.

Peace, Love & Bantu Knots
~GNH~

Day 12

My hair is still holding up. It is super hot here and I was sweating pretty bad so I am going to conditioner wash tonight and do another rod set. My hair is still really soft. However, I do have a good amount of new growth already which is pretty surprising. I feel like it literally happened overnight. Well, as soon as I get home I will post pictures of what it looks like now and once I put all of the rollers in.

Before - It was an itchy mess. This was in the hotel room.

And this is after I did a conditioner wash and rolled.

Peace, Love & Rod Sets

~GNH~

Day 11

Who knew that taking care of your hair while on vacation could be so easy. I mean it has been just fluff and go. I AM LOVIN' THIS!!!

Day 10

Sorry I am just getting around to posting. I decided to go on a business trip with my husband. I must have been high or half drunk. It is the week of trackout and there is no way I could be any busier. Between trying to get report cards done and dealing with two team teachers (and I use the term team loosely) who are world class idiots, I am swamped. However, this is the first time that he has asked me to go on a business trip with him so I figured why not. Not only that but he would go with me if I asked no matter how busy he was plus it is a free trip to Vegas and only an idiot would say no.So anyhow, my hair is doing well and I am liking the less is more approach. Let's see, on Sunday night I thought that the curls around the front could use a little pick me up so I did a reset of that area. First I moisturized the new growth all over my head with shea better. Then I mixed water, conditioner and coconut oil (the real stuff) in a spray bottle. I used the spray bottle to moisten the areas I wanted to redo. I used the purple rods and rolled the front and sides of my head. Now, I did not sit under the dryer this time. I was experimenting and wanted to see how it would turn out. I threw on the sleep cap (good lookin' out Deidre) and went to bed.Well Monday morning when I took the rods out my curls were excellent. I fluffed my curls and headed to work. When I got to work it was compliment city. I was glad because my biggest worry and I know it sounds bad was that I was gonna have to "explain" myself at work. All my students wanted to do was talk about my hair all class. One little boy was like "Mrs. Schnars, you look prettier with curly hair. It is like you were born to have curly hair. Keep it like that. Flat and straight hair is boring." Out of the mouths of babes.

Well, everyone loved my hair but most of all I love it now too.

Day 9

Damn, I have got all kinds of crazy amounts of stuff to do today.  I need to clean my crib, do laundry, lesson plans and report cards, pack.....when does it end!!!So far I have been to the gym, cleaned the family room, done lesson plans and started laundry.  I need either a maid or a personal assistant.I must say, since I have been using natural products on my hair and skin this week I have noticed a dramatic difference.  I can't really explain it but my skin feels different and I feel different.  I have not had any breakouts on my face for the past week and my eczema has not flared up.  When I get outbreaks it is around my eyes and in my head and sometimes on the back of my neck.  Below is a picture of my hair as of this morning.  I have not fluffed it at all.  I woke up, went to the gym and then came in the house and took this picture so that you could see what it looks like after I slept on it and sweat on it.  I know I look scary but remember, I had just finished working out and lifting weights.  I do have a headband on.  Also, there is no make-up no nothing.....

DI

Day 8

So I totally flubbed and didn't make an entry yesterday. Between having a 9am training, football, report cards, napping and Cirque a sista was busy. Anyway, I did finish my hair on Friday along with the book. I took the rods out of my hair on Friday but I did not separate the curls until Saturday. I like it. I learned that it is going to take me a minute to perfect my rolling technique. I forgot to use end papers so it was a little frizzy but to me it made it look more realistic. My hubbie thought I looked SMOKIN' HOT!!! So comment that made me laugh and feel better.


The book was amazing. I enjoyed the little history lesson. It covered everything that social studies and the movie ROOTS left out. Plus there was a lot of just common sense stuff I guess I just never thought about. Good stuff. I recommend that everyone read the book even if you have absolutely no desire to go natural. My husband even picked it up and started reading it.

So for right now with my hair like this I have just been using shea butter and tea tree oil. I use the tea tree oil for my eczema.  I look and smell great :-)

This is what my hair looked like last night once we go back from Cirque.  I had slept on it Friday night and napped on it Saturday afternoon.   All I did was oil with shea butter and fluff with my hands/fingers.

Day 7

Whew!!! That was a doosie!

I am glad that this week is over. Let's see...oh, last night after I posted the entry, my husband and I were on our way to our dance class when I noticed that we were going to be about 30 minutes early. So I said to him, hey, let’s stop at the beauty supply place. I went in and I was looking around for a leave in conditioner, shea butter and some tea tree oil. My husband is so supportive. He was in there trying to hunt down products with me. It was really cute. He was looking at rollers, rods and all the rest. Well, when we were about done this woman comes in with her husband (he was white too) and she had a head full of natural hair (beautiful) and I looked at her and thought to myself - yep, I can do this.

Well, today, I only had to work until noon. After work I went to the gym and got my sweat on. Then I went back to the beauty supply (I am not addicted I just wasn't sure last night which rollers I wanted so I needed to do more research) and got the rods and the flex rods. When I got home the book I mentioned "The Truth About Black Hair" was waiting for me. I was super excited. I was like that is going to make for excellent reading while under the dryer. So I rushed inside showered, washed and deep conditioned my hair and proceeded to roll it up. Let me just say this was a TIME CONSUMING PROCESS! I guess I am just out of practice because I use to do this every week back in da day. My arms were on FIRE! It took me like 45 minutes and I don't have a lot of hair. I guess after a few weeks it will take less time.

So here I am under the dryer. I read the introduction to the book (again) and the first chapter. Now I am processing all of that information and decided to take a minute and do my entry for today. Let me just say that there are two things from the little that I have read that is poignant to me. The first is "People say that we should love ourselves and be proud of ourselves? Do they mean that we should love all of ourselves except our hair? Is hair somehow separate from the self that God gave us and not deserving of love?" Process that! I know I still am. The second one is a quote from Bob Marley "You running and you running and you running away...You running and you running and you running away...But you can't run away from yourself." Yeah, chew on dat!

Well, I am gonna get back to my book. I still have like 40 more minutes to sit under the dryer. I will let you know how my hair comes out and how I feel about the whole book.