Curlgirl, everybody needs some pampering once in a while, and why not while you sleep? 

Life: Absolutely miserable day at work today. I got dumped with a ton of work at around 3pm today, the kind that looks like it'd be a minor job, but then snow balls into a bigger and bigger nightmare. I got most of it done, so at least the people not in the US can limp along without me, but I'm still peeved that it happened and and didn't get finished. 

However, we went out for sushi after my lame evening, and the lady there, I think she's the manager of the restaurant, complimented me on my hair. Helped perk my spirits up! 

I'm about to start packing for my trip home. About to, eventually, maybe tomorrow morning! Procrastinate? Me? Never. 

I do want to take some hair goodies with me, but I'm scared that my hair sticks would be viewed as weapons at the airport security. Does anybody else travel with sticks regularly? I'm only taking wood ones in a toothbrush case. I'm going to put them in my laptop bag with the pens and pencils and pray that they get overlooked. 


Hair: Thought I would report how my first attempt at deep conditioning went. So, I picked up a small jar of Thriven to try out. Washed my hair Monday evening and combed through the conditioner while damp. It was actually less odious that I was expecting. Relatively little fragrance, and it went in easily. I then wrapped my head in a plastic wrap turban (which really amused hubby) and baked my head under a heating pad while we watched left over football. Rinsed it out in the morning and was... disappointed. Hair felt pretty well... weird. Like I'd spent the day at the beach, which I guess some people might view as a plus. It all sorted itself out, however, when I oiled it that night. I'll have to remember that this stuff needs oil to finish whatever it is it does. 

Off to pack. Tootles.

I don't know about international flights,but domestic flights here in the USA on JetBlue I can help you with.  Last February when I went to see my mother in S.C. I wore Ketylo sticks in my hair on the plane.  I wasn't stopped or questioned about the sticks,I was stopped and put through the security pat down because I was in a wheelchair and I think security wanted to show everyone that no one was excluded from the security system protocol,even the disabled.

Michelle, Curlgirl, thanks for your reponses and I'm glad to report that YES! My hairsticks flew from PA to TX and back with no problem whatsoever. Such a relief. I transported them in a toothbrush holder that was tucked into the same bag that held my BBB and combs. Will need to get more toothbrush holders! 

Curlgirl: Thanks for letting me know! I know I saw some other posts about the post limit, and I'm glad that it was reduced. 

Life: Whew, thank goodness Thanksgiving is over. DH and I flew to TX to visit my family, and after all of the fuss with traveling and visiting, I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation! Alas, there was no respite for me at home. I'm pretty much the black sheep of the family, and I am never perfect enough for them. At least the long hair took some of the focus away from my other more glaring faults. I have an easier time defending my decision to grow my hair long and to wear hair-protective styles than some of the other things my parents disapprove of.
The final icing of the adventure was how obviously allergic I am to everything in Austin. I ended up having nasal allergies most of the time I was there, so now I'm nursing the sinus infection that developed from all that congestion at home. Blech.

Ah well. And my parents wonder why I'm settling down here in PA, instead of moving back "home". 

Hair: I definitely had a harder time taking care of my hair these last few days. Remind me never to fly with a spray bottle again. It ended up exploding in my little ziplock bag. 

Did my hair in twin french braids for the flight to and from. I picked up a silky scarf to wrap my hair in. I found out on the first flight that my hair is too slippy to really do any interesting wraps (or maybe I was using the wrong kind of scarf), so on the return flight I just used it to protect my canopy, and drew the braids over my shoulders so they wouldn't rub between my back and the airplane seat.

Had some major build up from my last deep conditioning, so I ended up washing my hair two days in a row this vacation. The second time I scrubbed twice with clarifying shampoo before doing my usual C+S routine. I was really worried that my scalp would flare up from all the soap, but it seemed to be okay after my hair dried. At least it got all the grundgies off! 

Wash day is scheduled for later this week. I'll have to remember to take a measurement after that. Until then, I'll be trying to do a little extra babying of my hair to make up for how badly I treated it over Thanksgiving. 

KNS,thanks for saying that stuff about the exploding spray bottle!  I'm leaving tomorrow for a trip back down south with my mother and I'm wondering if my eyeglass cleaner will explode,too!   I also packed a little plastic bottle of jojoba oil,wonder if that'll be ok.  I'm thinking it will be since it's not a spray,but who knows!   Got things in ziplock bags so I should be fine.
Glad you're back and I'm sure that being back will be like a vacation from your vacation!

Life:
It's been super cold where I'm at, and it feels perpetually dark. I think I must be stressed about something, because my eye keeps twitching in the most unsettling manner. In the past, that'd only happen when I had project due soon in school. 
I've been asked to help out a fellow Martial Arts student with his yellow belt test on Saturday. I feel sorta obligated to help him out, but I'm soooo not looking forwards to doing that test again. 
On Sunday, DH and I will be looking at what I've dubbed "The Super Asian House". It's just a split level (one of the rare ones in the area), but I swear that every single Asian family I knew when growing up lived in EXACTLY the same kind of house. 
The holiday season is rapidly approaching, so to spruce up the house, I've restocked my fish tanks. I set up a nice little betta sorority, and a new male halfmoon got the empty 2.5 gallon tank. Both tanks got a complete make over with new gravel and a ton of aquatic plants. The new male is a black and yellow mustard gas that DH and I have decided to name Ben.  No names yet for the new girls.


Hair:
I did my first crown braid last night! It was really comfortable, too, so I'm going to have to give crown braids more attention from now on. It's also really good for layered hair, so I'm really excited about that.

I've been really disappointed with the amount of shedding I've been having lately. I think it's a combination double whammy of the season and because I've gotten off the pill. Anyway, I've decided to give Biotin a try. We'll see how it agrees with my hair. Rest of my regime is as per normal.

Out of curiosity, when doing a deep conditioning, what exactly should I expect out of it? Softer hair? More shine? Mostly, all I notice is some sort of build up on my hair. Maybe I'm not rinsing thoroughly enough. I dunno. I think I'm going to cut down on the deep conditioning to once a month instead of once every two weeks. That, or try something radically new, like cassia. 

Sakina: Nope, no silicone in the deep conditioner, I made double sure of that before purchasing it. It does have a saturated vegetable oil in it though, avocado I believe.

I put it on in the evening after I wash my hair, and then I pop on a plastic cap. I will use some heat with it for maybe about half an hour. Then I go to sleep and rinse it out in the morning. This last time I tried doubling the rinsing time, and it helped somewhat, but I still didn't feel as soft and shiny as I do after just a normal wash.

My hair doesn't get crunchy. I suppose it is sort of soft and pliable afterwards, but not slippery or shiny. It doesn't go back to feeling like hair until I've shampoo'd out the residue. Or is that the general intent with deep conditioning is that it does something intrinsic to the hair that should last past shampooing or clarifying?

Thanks for the responses guys! I guess I'll stop trying to overestimate the magickal properties of teh Deep Treatment!

Hair: Cranky as usual. It just doesn't seem to be growing. I really really hope this is just a resting phase, or something. I'm taking vitamins, and I've started hair supplements. I am literally 2 cm from tailbone, and it's driving me batty! Hair is such a tease. 

My amish hairpins finally arrived! I finally had to poke them with an email, but they've arrived, and I must say, I'm glad I got a pack of every size. The two shortest ones will be good for more intricate 'do's, but for buns, the second longest one is what I have to use. I also got myself some "Magic Invisible Hair Scroos". They are currently my favorite hair toy. They literally are Magical. Invisible. Hair. Scroos. 'nuff said.

Hair routine staying the same. I'm considering stopping using my BBB for oil distribution and focus on using it for between-wash cleanings. I think it's too adept at pulling out the hairs that are in the "resting" phase, and it's making me cranky. Coconut oil was put on this morning after the wash, we'll see how it looks tomorrow morning!

Life: is driving me bananas. Work, rather, is driving me bananas. They are giving me too much work for what I'm being paid. If I do not get a raise this year, well, things may become dire.

I had a ton of bloodwork done yesterday. It was extremely unpleasant, since I had been avoiding bloodwork for several other doctors and decided with the most recent one that I'd kill 3 birds with one stone and do 'em all at the same time! Note to self: kill 3 birds with one stone is bad analogy. Correct analogy is kill me with 3 blood-thirsty doctors! Either way, not doing that again any time soon.

Well, that's most of what there is to report. Now, I must go finish going berserk on the house. The parents are coming over for Christmas this year, and the house still looks like a disaster. Oh noes!

Have a happy holiday season, everybody!