The Dreaded Husband

We aren't exactly sure of the date he threw down the hair brush and said "Let's do this!", but I'm guessing he's on about say 6. Last night we separated all of his hair so as to not end up with clumpy chunks. So far, soooo gooood!!

Dreaded Journey--Day 85

My dreds are starting to chunk up nicely. There's a couple of fatties and a lot of thin little dreds. The back bears a couple of very interesting chunks of knots and curly q's.
The best part is all of the bonuses of dreds that I have begun to notice. I am compiling a list I shall soon share.

A few days ago my husband decided he is fed up with brushing out his long, fine hair, and decided to stop brushing. Tonight I am helping him to separate the locks that have already begun to chunk up his hair, and doing some TNR on the rest as I pull the chunks apart into smaller locks. I've had the pleasure of sharing my washing and separating techniques with him as well. I am excited that we are now cutting out 3/5 the amount of shampoo and conditioner used in our household, with two dread heads and one anti-chemical child. :0) Our drainpipes will thank us as well.

<3

My photo was taken on Day 82.
The second (blurry!) picture is the husband working on his hair tonight.

Dreaded journey day 80

A curly-q from the back of my head. My dreds are taking off quickly. I'm in love.

Dreaded Journey day 42

I just found this lovely bit of awesome in the back of my hair. ❤

Dreaded Journey day 41-freedom and love

In 41 days I've gone from being mostly self conscious about the state of my hair to not caring at all. Full as it is of twisties and curls, little knots and a couple of big knots, I am loving the way it lays around my head, separated locks weaving in and out of one another, beads poking through here and there. I can never get pictures that accurately reflect what I see in the mirror. Giving up on keeping a huge chunk separated for bangs has helped immensely in the "learning to just let my hair be free to do what it wants" process.

I spent the first 30 days or so covering my head when I went into public (I've toyed with the idea of covering for years anyways, as an observant orthodox Jewish wife would do, and I found that I truly love that covering, but don't necessarily find it pertinent to my journey.) this past week I've resorted to fluffing my roots and tossing my bangs to the opposite side when I feel a touch self-concious. I suspect this, too, shall pass.

The compliments from friends are awesome; the lack of "omg why would you do that to your hair" uplifting, and the acceptance of "I just felt ready to do this thing I've considered for years, I feel rather liberated from hair worry" as an answer to the "Why?" have all boosted my ego just enough to make me happy without conceit.

I've also backed off my obsession with painted toenails and eyeliner (the former due to this "liberated from beauty standards" feeling, the latter due more to a freakishly drawn out allergy-sinus-hayfever hell I've been living in for the past four months.) I will attribute it all in part to this new love for my hair, and thus for myself. Odd, sure, but whatever. I'm happy, I feel lighter, and I love my hair again. That's what I needed!!

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Dreaded Journey day 27 photos

Dreaded Journey day 21

I woke up today with these curly cues. :0) I'm very happy with the progression of my dreads thus far--so much in such a short amount of time, with very little help.

Dreaded Journey Day 19

Dreaded Journey Day 19

Dreaded Journey Day 19

Ponytail. It's so wavy.

Dreaded Journey Day 14 photo

Dreaded Journey day 11

After some TNR on the naturally separated sections, and some beading to help keep the dreads small.

Dreaded journey day 11

Not much to update. My hair is still splitting into sections. They're rather defined and very twisty, but I can't seem to get a good picture showing this. Anyways, here's one for today.

Dreaded Journey Day 7-8

Dreaded Journey May 8, 2012

     It’s 34 minutes into my eighth day dreading. My hair is sectioning off rather nicely, despite the frizzies sticking out everywhere and trying to knot in odd places. I’m pulling apart as needed, doing a little TNR here and there. I just can’t keep my hands out of it, though I am pretty good about limiting the amount of time I spend looking for knots touching it in general. I have found a few beads around the house that I’ve slid onto various sections for a few hours at a time. I have one big knot in the back that will eventually form a pretty big dread. I’m excited about this one.

Last week I though I would leave my bangs separated from the hair that is dreading. Yesterday I realized this is a futile battle, my hair is stronger than me, and it will win. I don’t think I really mind. I’ll still have enough loose strands to satisfy my desire for a facial frame, and I will try to keep some of them loose, so all should be fine.

     I am trying so hard to be patient. I know one week will not equate one month overnight, and I know that it won’t take as long as I fear. I need to find other things to focus my energies on, whilst still directing them back at my hair. I am officially finished with school for the semester, so now I can begin to conquer house and yard. My To-Do list grows every day. I just need more money so I can actually accomplish these projects!!

That is all. G’d nite and ♪ Shalom! ♫

I have not brushed my hair SEVEN DAYS. <3

Dreaded Journey day 6

I couldn't ask for my hair to separate more easily. Natural spirals are covering my head. I've continued to play with the first TNR I made, and I've helped some of the other natural separated pieces along with the same method. I'm so excited to watch the hair connect, and to see the frizz relax. Im in search of beads to help guide the individual dreads along. I have some cheap plastic beads that I can use for now, and the husband has some old gauges for his ears that I will use, but I also want pretty beads! Next week perhaps I will shop for some.

Dreaded Journey, day 4-5

No good pictures today, despite the boys best attempts. There are a few natural knots in my hair, as well s my TNR and a couple of loose, twisty strands the boy added, "to help them along."

Listening to an hour long tribute to the Beastie Boys' MCA this afternoon, I cranked the stereo and rolled down all of the windows, so my hair could blow in the breeze, helping the knots along. I found that, after the initial shock, one cannot remain sad while listening to the Beastie's.

Stand Against Hate

http://www.libsandcons.com/5/post/2012/05/send-your-letters-stand-against-hate.html

This morning I did my first TNR, to mark the beginning of this journey. I'm feeling obsessive about the process today; it's the excitement of finally doing this after so, so long of yo-yoing about it. I'll calm down in a day or so, as I work myself into a routine that involves countless hours of studying and writing and remember how to function without deadlines for a minute.

Relaxation for the win.

Dreaded Journey

May 1, 2012:
Bye-bye hairbrushes and combs.

The very beginning of the Dreaded Journey

April, 2011: I traded shampoo for baking soda, and conditioner mostly for lemon juice (a drop or three of Mane & Tail conditioner to heavily diluted lemon juice, applied from a squeeze bottle.)

Day I of my Dreaded Journey

From my profile over at dreadlockssite.com:

Hello! My name is Jen. I'm 37, a wife, mom of three, and full-time student (Holocaust/genocide, Peace Studies, Civil Rights, Human Rights,) sister, friend, daughter. . .

I have long toyed with the idea of dreads, always thinking I would eventually get around to doing it. In retrospect, like so many other things, I have not been ready--ready to ditch the hair care products, ready to ditch the combs and brushes, ready to take the time out for ME.

Last Spring I gave up shampoo almost completely--about once every third or fourth wash I add a dab of chemical free shampoo or baby shampoo to my baking soda mix. I wash my hair every 3-4 days, and use a lemon juice/conditioner mix (a few drops of conditioner with about 1/2 cup lemon juice, heavily diluted.) Yesterday was the last day I will mix conditioner with my LJ rinse!

About two months ago I was inspired to stop playing with my hair, or brushing my hair, frequently. I play with my hair often, especially sitting through classes, so this was challenging.

After much research and reading, I realize I am already well on my way to dreads. As I am being financially forced to take the summer off of school, I think no time is more perfect than now to begin this process, since I will not be so distracted and preoccupied with death and war. I already had plans to reconnect with my spiritual self over the summer; this creates an added bonus to the journey.

Today I packed up my hairbrushes and daily combs. Thursday/Friday I will ditch the conditioner.

I want to thank everyone here already. I seriously have spent the better part of my week thus far researching and reading, cross referencing advice between sites, and this is definitely the place I have felt the most comfortable with and trusting of. The atmosphere is friendly and inviting, and I feel I will be well supported on this new path in my life.

~Shalom!

Read more: My Page - dreadlocks forums http://www.dreadlockssite.com/profile/JenWarwick#ixzz1tfU8F4vX
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