Patience Daniel-son

It is crazy! I have been flirting with the idea of Sisterlocks for the past 2-3 years. Was never ready to commit; I always had an excuse why I wasn't ready to commit. But now that I have made the decision to get SLs, my patience is thin and I am so ready for them! The birth of this new lifestyle and new look is in 2 weeks. My Locktician was not available for a sooner appointment! :-( In fact, at this time in exactly 2 weeks, my hair will be filled with 400-600 infant locks that will mature into beautiful SLs that will give me freedom. They will flow freely, be styled, eventually colored, and rocked with such confidence and class. Man I Ican't wait! I feel like a kid again, waiting anxiously for Christmas. But in the meantime, I am rocking this Afro. And man it is killing me! I am trying not to modify my hair texture, so no pressing or heat. I have been easy on conditioner because my hair citified are smoothe enough. This situation is making my wait seem like forever! Ladies, if you are ready to get locked, and your mind is set, I recommend scheduling your installation appointment just a couple days after your consultation. Because, if not your patience will eat you up. :-)

I forgot...

So today, I was doing my normal Sisterlocks blog look up and ran across www.lovemylocks.blogspot.com.  I thoroughly enjoyed skimming through some of Ms. Maryee's blogs and pictures.  I was even MORE excited when I saw that her SLs were installed in 2003 by none other than Ms. Imani Nash-Bey!  She spoke highly of Ms. Imani and her professionalism during the installation of the locks. Now Ms. Maryee is a serious blogger and has done a great job of recording her journey with SLs. It was great to see the transitions and the changes that her hair has made.  Her blog gave me an even greater boost of confidence and level of comfort with the decision that I made to get locked, as well as it made feel good about my decision to go to Ms. Imani.

I was pleasantly surprised when my Mom (who stays pressed up, doesn't wear braids, and the closest look that she wears to natural hair is a "curly weave" in the summer) saw my tester locks and said that she liked them and that they will be cute!

I am so thankful for all of the support and encouragement that I am receiving (either directly or indirectly) as I am making this journey with my hair....

I am a little concerned about the hubbz tho.  He is being such a trooper and so supportive during this whole process.  He LOVES my hair straightened and with added length.  I know that when I get locked up, then I will have to style them (I can't wait to play with them once they mature) and keep them looking nice.  His feelings are just as important in this journey as mine are....  But deep down in my heart, I know he will be fine....

Well goodbye for now...  in 4 minutes, I will join the Sisterhood in 15 days...

AFrooooo

So I am wearing a twist out fro.  I had a little bit of fun with my hair today and I am continuing to get more and more comfortable with my afro.  But, it is just as much work as a straightened wrap.  I gotta twist the hair, then curl the ends, then let it sit, then pick the twists and make sure that the strands are doing what they are supposed to do.  (I am a little anal about my hair sometimes).  I am looking forward to my SLs... They are more of a "style" to me than the 'Fro.  Unless I pin my hair or put a headband or barrett/clip in my hair, I don't feel like my hair is combed.  And my hubbz don't make it better as he looks at me with a facial expression of "ooohhh-kay... but I love you (smile)".  I should have taken a picture of my hair today... Maybe tomorrow.  It will be interesting because I will be going back to work tomorrow (been on vacation) and it will be on my 2nd day on my new per diem job in the nursing home.  This means that I float around to sites that need me to provide therapy... (I am a Speech Language Pathologist - but pay no mind to my grammar on the blogs....  I am a product of text talk when I am not in my professional mode)  This also means that I don't truly have rapport with the patients or staff because I am always floating around....Well anyway, I find that the elderly patients have no trouble with speaking their mind (I usually work with children).  It will be interesting to hear what they have to say, if anything...  I will try to remember to take a picture tomorrow and add it to show my look.

My Hair Journey...

I haven't gotten my locks installed yet.  So, I have decided that I will upload a few pictures of my BEFORE I get locked...  You will see my journey...

Enjoy... (They are not in any specific order)

My 34th birthday 4/17/11

22 inch Virgin "INDIAN" hair.... Not MY hair :-) 

(Wonder how long it will take for my SL to grow this long...)

Sat at the hair shop for about 7 hours!  Between hair and stylist, spent about $450

Kinky Twist & my Avatar eye shadow

I did this myself, so I only had to but the hair.. But it took me FOREVER :-) 

My hair is pressed.. No extensions

Sat at hair shop about 3-4 hours... Roots sweated in about 2 days... So I began to flat iron to "touch-up" until I decided to go back into the weave, the next week... I know I did some damage, but it wasn't too bad.

My Afro... I am learning to be comfortable with my kinky hair.

Crazy how I thought my hair was SOO nappy when I was growing up and I NEEDED a perm! 

I have such beautifully kinky/coily hair... 

Since I don't know how to style my natural hair too much, then this is my go to style when it's not in a weave/ press/ or braids. I use conditioner and curly creme and sometimes I will do a twist out for this look.

There is my weave again... She was my friend!

But I chose this picture because I LOVE my Shirt!  I am beautiful... Flaws and all!  

Crazy how I have not had a relaxer in nearly 4 years and consider my hair to be in its natural state, but due to the many extensions that I have worn, I hardly know how to manage it.. Outside of my afro or twist out..

My final picture is my TESTER LOCKS!!! YAY!!

At first I was a little unnerved about how thin they were... But after speaking to some veterans (s/o to Tiff, Lakieta, & Alisia) and remembering WHY I have chosen this journey, I fell in love with them!!! 

I can't wait!! In a little over 2 weeks, my whole head will be complete!! 

Talk to you soon

Is this thing working??

I spent so much time updating pictures.  BUT it wont show up on my thread... :-(

Well I did it!!

After more research last night, and speaking to my good friend and cousins that were already rocking the beautiful sisterlocks, I did it!  I called Ms. Imani to schedule my installation date!  July 13th, in exactly 17 days, my Sisterlocks will be born!  I am sooo excited! I would be lying if I didn't state my nervousness about how my "baby locks" will look.... But when I think of the potential of my hair, and more importantly, the freedom that this new hairdo will give me, I am ecstatic.  It is funny that I am interested to see what my 3 year old, that loves to declare how beautiful I am when I come from the hair salon with my long weaves, will say when Mommy is locked.... And although I know my hubbz and sons are 100% supportive of my decision, I am slightly worried about what they will think.  But at the end of the day, I am sure that they will love them as long as I love them  I am glad to be able to teach my sons that beauty does not come in the form of European standards....  That we are very beautiful in our natural state.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not a straight-hair basher.  I believe that everyone should chose what is best for her.  But at the end of the day, I believe this is the best decision for me.  

I will get some pictures up soon!

Sisterlocks... The Decision

So, I have thought about how badly I want Sisterlocks.  The idea of its permanence does not scare me not one bit.  The idea that I will have a low maintenance hairdo that will give me the freedom to get ready for work in less time, not to mention swim and exercise without having to worry about my hair, plus give me the option to curl, crinkle, updo, twist, braid, etc. as I want makes me so excited!  The idea that MY hair can grow to 22 inches if I let it excites me!  The idea that I wont have to feel like a hostage to my hair also excites me.
I have read numerous blogs, and watched hours of you tube videos.  I have discussed this so much with my Mom, Sisters, Relatives, Friends, my Sons, and my Husband.  At this point, my hubby is tired of hearing about them and looking at pictures of them.  He has been very polite, but his patience is running thin. So I took the first step towards my locks....  I went to my initial consultation meeting.  HairStory Natural Hair Salon in Rancho Cucamonga was the place that I chose by word of mouth.  Imani was very informative and gave me a lot of information on Sisterlocks. She made feel very comfortable with my decistion and she placed some tester locks in.   So it comes out that my hair is a smoother texture and my tester locks are SUPER TINY.  And although she did a great job at explaining that my hair would get plump to the size of the part, I just can't imagine how my head would look with these tiny locks in my hair.  I know that many people say that "I am not my hair", but I am my hair!  My mood is often determined how my hair is.  If my hair is looking crazy, I am a little less outgoing.  But when my hair is looking good, than I am feeling good!!  So, at this point, I am thinking about how my hair is going to look!  I didn't schedule my installation today, because I need to feel 100% comfortable with my decision.
I spoke to my cousin and did a bit more research with the blogs and you tubes, which helped to ease my concerns a lot.  I decided to start this blog to help me with my journey, as well as help any other ladies that are thinking about wearing Sisterlocks.  I find that this journey is a movement into a sisterhood that would be supportive and helpful with the care and maintenance of locks.
So, I am back on.  After reading and discussing and thinking, I feel like IF the only thing stopping me is the fear of what my locks will look like in the first weeks after installation, than I should do it.  I cant crawl before I walk.  I must hit point A to get to point B, right?  There is no short cut in this journey.  Since I desire the end result, I must start at the beginning.  I have decided that I will be calling Imani to schedule my installation appointment.  I am very excited with my decision, and I can't wait.  

Sisterlocks??? Hmmmm....

I remember as a 13 year old girl, when I got my first relaxer...  I was soo proud at how straight my hair was!  I was a tender headed child, that hated to get my hair combed.  And although my mom would spend what seemed like an entire Saturday in the kitchen trying to press my hair, sitting under a fan, the heat would cause me to sweat in my head, which worked against all that was accomplished.  I wore a relaxer for years...  it was my friend between the cornrows, the individuals, and the weaves.  But there was one problem... my hair would only grow so long.    I was finally talked out of a relaxer by my hairstylist.  She told me that my natural hair texture was beautiful, and she could press it well... and it would leave my hair much healthier.  So after 17 years of getting a relaxer, I decided not to get another touch up. I did not to the big chop, but slowly the perm was cut out.  During that time, I wore presses, weaves, and kinky twist extensions.  Although I had "natural hair" I did not know how to manage it, it was always altered somehow by the style that I rocked at the time.  But underneath it all, I noticed that it was at its healthiest!!  Around 2008, I begin to spark interest in Sisterlocks.  I have 2 relatives and a really good friend with them and found them beautiful.  But as beautiful as they were, I didn't feel like they were for me.  I was in love with my weaves, that would hang up to 22 inches, and I loved my straight hair.  But as time passed, I began to grow increasingly annoyed with the fact that my pressed hair required daily touch ups to maintain the look (which was brutal to my hair), and the weaves were cute until they started growing out.  I really started to play with the idea of ME wearing Sisterlocks....  "By the time I am 40, I will have them" is what I said...  Around 2010, I began to grow much more comfortable with my natural hair.  Although I still wore the pressed hair and weaves, I was okay with having "poofy edges" that did not lay down perfectly straight.  I would rock twist-outs or afros with my hair.  And my interest in Sisterlocks continued to grow, praise God for the blogs and you-tubers out there.  Those ladies gave me so much information and helped me to move toward my comfort level with Sisterlocks.  So in 2011, I decided, by the end of the year, I would be locked.  I have 2 relatives with traditional locks, and 2 relatives with Sisterlocks.  Although my family members, and others, are beautiful with traditional locks, I love the look and versatility of Sisterlocks... I have decided that I really want them....  But there is one problem that stands in the way....  The initial stage of Sisterlocks are very different looking to me; they are not nearly as beautiful as how they look once they mature.  I have this conversation with everyone that is close to me that will listen....  The question that comes up is How Bad Do You Want Them?  So I keep asking myself the same question....  What is it that I want....  Are Sisterlocks really for me?