Initial Shock and Self-Maintenance

Install
     During the final stages of my “migration” towards sisterlocks I did a ton of research, a “TON” I tell ya!   I clicked through (what seems like) every SL Fotki out there.   Still the frizz and the “scalpyness” was a bit much for me to take in.  

     After my install was complete I spent quite a few minutes in the mirror tweaking my ponytail, frizz and length issues, while mulling over solutions to thoughts like:  What will my “co-workers” think?  How will they react?      Am I going to have to explain this?    Man, I took of half-a-day to get this done?  I can’t go in looking like this …..and to think I spent $400+      OMG!  



Fly-aways!
I can't have this happening every time I take my cap off!



          Some of you might say, who cares what they think.   Well, perhaps now that these are not “ordinary co-workers”,  I’m Military and Uncle Sam (“Specifically AR 670-1”) not only tells us how long our nails can be, it also sets forth guidelines about how to wear our hair.   It uses terms like  “unkempt” which is highly subjective; also there’s this verbiage:  “Soldiers must take pride in their appearance at all times, in or out of uniform, on and off duty” which is also subjective.    Clearly I was walking the line with this decision especially with my Time-In-Service and Rank.  It was this point that gave me the resolve to “adjust” the path for My Loc journey, and I’m glad I did.  Thank God I had 32 hours before I have to go back to work!!!!!!   

       I did what I did, and I’m quite pleased with my decision.   My hair is naturally dryer, fine/thin and “wispy” to say the least.  Wigs/weaves, or other cover-ups were out of the question.   

Self-Maintaining

     I admit that since my class I’ve only been back for 1 or 2 retightenings.   DIY has taught me a lot of patience and at least 1 good trick to counter the scalpy look.  (I think the hair/scalp color contrast influence me more than just being able to see my scalp

     I to do my re-ti’s in (calculated) sections, this lessens the scalpy look of a fresh re-ti.  (about 3-4 rows in around the circumference, wait a week, then do the rest in sections, by the 4th/5th week you might want to repeat the process)



Touching up the back area.



    I’m very tender-headed so this next tip is not a problem for me:  Never re-ti too tight, and avoid tightening  the locs to the point that it’s “snug” to the head.  Leave room for “flexibility”, you’ll feel better and worry less.    Especially if you wear a lot of ponytails/buns like I have to.

  

 The last picture show my usual work pony, the bun was toooo tight for my tender head.    Though I've gotten comfortable wearing buns now.



Can’t We All Just Get Along?

The flyaways pre-extensions,
 OMG the controversy!

 (after all we've all walked away from the "relaxer")




What an honor, the Dr's is in!
She visited our training class

  

Bottom line up front:  I have been surprised to find that in the Black hair communities strongly biased attitudes are rampant (Natural, Loc’d, Relaxed, Mixed or whateva).  

A few weeks into my locking journey I sat in a room full of varied hairstyles (who were all there to learn become Certified SisterLock ™ trainees).  The list below includes several of the comment I received because “I” chose to alter my SLs by “adding” length to the shorter ones in my crown/bang area (and Yes, I did this myself before I knew this was taboo).

ü  “You can’t do that to SLs they aren’t SLs anymore”.

o     (My thoughts: Ummm, I paid $400+ for this “install” and I’ll damn well do with them what I please.  Besides if your loc’ snapped off you’d tried to “attach” it back…..)

ü  Just cut those “dead” ends off!!!!

o    (Coming from a someone with a lovely head full of someone else’s hair with an agreement nod, from a relaxed sistah)

ü  “Long-hair is a crutch”, “It’s just hair, it will grow back”

ü  “You can’t manage two hair textures”

ü  “Why would you flat-iron your “locs”?

ü  “Whyyyyy would you do that to your hair?”

ü  “How long are you going to keep that style?”

ü  “Loc’s are dirty"

o    (this from a SL’er referring to the usual types of Locs)

RANDOM COMMENTS FROM OTHER RANDOM FOLKS:

Ø  “Cultivated locs are not real locs, they are a fashion statement... My locs are “real” or …”Those are SLs? I have “real” locs”

Ø  “That’s why Madame CJ Walker invented the Straightening Comb”

o    (from “permies”) … ugh the irony!

Ø  Strange stares followed by…..“When are you going to comb you hair.”

o    Notice I did not put this down as a question, I know this was a statement about what I need to do with my hair, LOL.

Ø  “I can’t be looking crazy, that’s why I wear my…….. “

o    (from wig/weaver)…”

Ø  I have been totally amused when on more than one occasion I’ve seen a weave wearer sit amongst a group of non-black’s and diss another sister’s hair

o    ….Talking about “s-t-u-p-i-d”.   Child please! Acting like “you” have overcome…..

In closing, I'd just like to pray that we in the natural or (tightly coiled) community rid ourselves of the Negative Energy, Comments, Vocabulary, and Perceptions.    Heck if "We" don't then "They" never will. 
 

A few members of my training class.  We're now Certified SisteLock Trainee's! 
I'm om the end rocking a briad-out.  6weeks in to the Journey