Had to share this

October rudeness

It’s that time of year again. It’s October; and I have to put up with every lame joke about my hair from every lame drunk or dumb-ass in creation.

Comments are usually something like, “Where did you buy that hat/wig?” One day I passed a woman who asked me if I was wearing a mop on my head.

Yesterday I was going to an art and poetry event with a friend. I was telling her about the stupid comments I endure, especially in October. She chuckled but I don’t think she really believed that people actually said those things.

On the way to the event she stopped to pick up another of her friends; someone I had never met. When the friend got in the car we greeted each other. Then she said, “I see you are all ready for Halloween.”

Our mutual friend informed her that this was my real hair. The friend said a few other stupid things that aren’t worth repeating.

Once the event was over and my friend and I were again alone in the car I turned to her and simply said, “I told you.” She had to admit that she would never have expected her otherwise intelligent and well mannered friend would be that stupid.

But as I said, I get this ignorance all the time.

I was telling another friend that although I usually laugh it off, I sometimes get annoyed at people. Her advice was to just cut it off. That, she said, would solve the problem. That’s as dumb as the goons who make the comments or ask the questions. Is everyone insane?

New Hats and Auto Timers

I just got back from my favorite place in the world, New Mexico.

Although I was going there for a convention my main mission was to purchase a new hat. I have always looked best in cowboy hats and got spoiled when I bought a nice one at an auction many years ago. It was custom made for me and even had my name in it in gold letters.

I had it for a few years until it mysteriously disappeared. I bought inexpensive substitutes and got compliments on them, but I needed to get myself another really nice hat.


I have come to realize that the only place I am going to get hats, clothes and accessories that suit me is in New Mexico. So when this convention came along I couldn’t pass it up.

Someone asked me to take a group picture and asked me if my camera had a timer. I had thought about finding out how to use the timer on my camera but it was always on the back burner. So after confessing that I did not know how to use the feature I made it a mission to learn how.

Once I found out how to use the timer I spent a Saturday after I got home running back and forth across my studio taking pictures of myself and my new hats and my ever growing locks.

It’s a learning process. The resulting photos were off center, too close, too far away, or out of focus. My head was cut off at times, as was half of my body. I had to play with the flash feature too.

Out of an afternoon of picture taking the picture you see is one of the very few survivors. Once I master the art of taking my own picture I promise I will show more pics of me, my hair and my new hats.

Celebrate Raw Hair

Here is something for all of you who love your natural hair. I call it my Raw Hair series.

As an artist, naturally I needed some artsy way to express my views on the topic of natural vs. permed hair.

I have been thinking of doing a series like this for a while. I played around with different styles and mediums to see what would look best. I realized that I had to stop thinking about it and just make some pieces. After I create them and post them I think of new ways to get my message across. So look for different messages or the same message presented in different ways.

I made them so they can be put on note cards and worn as T shirts.

So far there are just a few on my site, www.ArtWanted.com/zebracorn
As I make more I will let you know.

Thoughts on Dead Dreads

This is my hair, as you can see. As you can also see, it is not attached to my head any more. It is the proverbial bag of hair that some people are accused of being as dumb as.

Perhaps I have stressed over too many woes. I do have a tendency lately, to sweat the small stuff. Perhaps I have not taken care of it properly. Perhaps it is the normal order of things: to lose a few dreads once in a while.

Whatever the reason, here they lay, waiting for my loctition to re-attach them.

I have often wondered what the conversation would be like if I sent some of my hair into a forensics lab to have it evaluated. What if I was at a crime and left some of my hair. Would they be able to determine my sex, age and race? Would they take one look and say, “Elementary, my dear Watson,” or would they be left scratching their heads? If I sent in an entire dread it would probably be a sure giveaway. But if I sent just a few unlocked hairs…. What if I sent in a permed hair, or if I dyed it and then sent it in. What then? Would they ever guess it was a dyed permed hair from an albino Black female?

These are the serious world matters I contemplate. I’m not going to lose any hair over it.

longer and longer

I knew this day would come: the day when I would complain about my locks getting into my food or being too hot on my neck or pulling when I sat back against a chair. I knew the day would come when I would sigh about how heavy it gets when I wash it or how long it takes to dry. I knew I would complain about having to pull it out of my collar when I put on a shirt, and constantly move it out of the way as it continues to get longer and heavier.

I knew I would roll my eyes at people wanting to take a picture or touching it or asking me if it is real and a million other questions.

I knew these days would come. And I made this choice anyway. Because I am loving every minute of it.

Keep your feet out of my hair

Truthfully, I thought only us napptural blonds fell victim to the hair touchers. And I thought only White folks had the nerve to reach out and put their fingers in our hair.

I was wrong. We are ALL victims of this.

Yesterday I found a blog called The Angry Black Woman. She has a store with T shirts that say, "Don't Touch My Hair". Now, I have heard this before but this brought it home one more time for me.

Not only do I get really stupid comments and questions about my hair and my person, the dummies feel they have the right to touch me. I tell them quickly and not so politely that they may draw back a nub. I don't actually say that, I may step back and say, "Excuse you".

Some people will ask. Then I am torn between my need to educate and my need to remain unmolested. If they look clean and I kind of like them I may give permission, but not often.

I am thinking that the longer it gets the more the temptation. I am almost paranoid when I am on the bus. But that will not make me cut it. I plan to grow it to my lower back if it has a will to do so.

So potential molesters beware. Keep your fingers, paws, mitts, feet out of my hair. Thanking you in advance.

Good busibness practices

I got the hair decorations I ordered the other day. I can finally stop tying my hair back with shoestrings. They look very nice on my hair. I like them.

At the risk of reprisal though, I need say something about customer service and marketing.

If you have a business don’t just think that if you put out a good product that the world will beat a path to your door. You MUST put out a good product AND practice good customer service.

After waiting three weeks for my items I emailed the company to check the status of my order. The email bounced back. When I tried to call the company a voice told me the phone was out of service. This put me in a panic. The money had been taken out of my account and I had nothing to show for it. I had waited three weeks and the site promised I would have my product within two weeks.

I called my bank and was in the process of canceling the order and getting a refund when someone gave me another number to call. I called, and called again and finally got through. I left a message and have yet to receive a courtesy call back.

When I finally got the package it looked as though my merchandise had been hastily shoved into an envelope and sent to me.

IMHO phone numbers and emails should always be kept current. It is easy to change a page on a site or do a redirect. It is not too expensive to buy those little white boxes with the cotton inside so that your product looks its best when it arrives. No one is saying you have to buy velvet covered boxes with engraved lettering, but it seems that the people who get the most business pay close attention to detail. Please send your customers a confirmation, a Thank You or something that tells them you acknowledge them and appreciate them. All I got in the envelope was an ad telling me to buy something else. I didn't get any sort of email.

These tiny things make a big difference in the way your customer feels about your company and your product. They are more likely to buy from you again and to tell their friends.

Proper sleepwear

A lot of people are led to think that once you get locked hair you don’t have to take care of it any more. People on TV and in the movies never wear any sleepwear on their heads. But they also “sleep” in full make up. That should tell you something.

Once I realized that not wearing any head gear at night dried out my hair, and damaged it I started looking around for ways to protect it. Don’t even bother going to your local everything store. Once your dreads or locks begin to grow and get fuller and thicker those plastic caps you used to buy will not fit any more.

I found it tedious and frustrating looking for products in my area suited to me. So I went online. Here is what I’ve found.

http://www.dreadsock.com/ There is a video on the site showing you how to put this on. It is a little tricky at first. I had to get used to my long thick locks. They don’t behave like the stringy perm I used to have.

The sometimes called lock sock (or loc soc) can now be found at several online places. I bought two socks and a shower cap from here: http://www.sistasplace.com/lbsoc.htm These are slipped over your head and tied. I don’t know the “proper” way to put these on, but I must pull them all the way down over my head, then pull them back up and tie them. It works for me.

Both of these products are made of soft breathable comfortable fabrics. Since I bought these products a couple of years ago I have seen more variety in color and style from these and other stores. I am loving this.

Resurrect that lost lock

For those of you who have been locked for a while you have probably lost a few locks. This happens because as the hair grows, moves and dies it tends to bunch up and become thicker in some places on the lock and thinner in others. Overall your hair will have an even appearance on your head but when you examine each lock close up you will notice this variation. As the lock thins down to a few strands they become unable to hold the lock and will break off.


I mourned my first lost lock. I kept it for a while, wondering what to do with it. Finally I tossed it. The next time I visited my consultant I told her about the loss. She told me not to throw them away; to keep them and bring them to her. She was able to weave the lock back in, onto another lock. I swear, these people are magic.

Know this: The hair at the end of your lock is no longer alive. It has broken off and died but because it has locked into the live hair it is being held into place. This is true of all locked hair.

So the next time or the first time you lose a lock, don’t have a funeral for it the way I did. Take it to your consultant and have it resurrected.

hair decorations part 1

A few days ago I got a set of ornaments for my hair.

I learned a couple of lessons: If your hair is blond, don’t buy gold or brown ornaments. Of course, some may argue with that but for me it’s not a good idea: obviously because the colors get lost in my hair.

Now gold jewelry looks good on my skin, as does silver: but it must be bold. I simply don’t look good with tiny delicate jewelry. The same goes for my hair. So I learned a double lesson.

Many years ago I was on a handmade necklace kick so I bought hundreds of beads. I made a few necklaces but after a while I found I preferred to string beads on journals, cards and tree and wall ornaments. I also find that some of them are too large and heavy to hang in my hair.

I bought the hair ornaments anyway because I wanted to show some love to another crafts person and I also wanted to know how other people would fashion pieces that could be applied into hair. These particular pieces are made with a wire that flexes so you can twist it into the lock

About two years ago I bought a decoration that consisted of feathers and a leather wolf emblem. (I have adopted the wolf as my spirit guide animal) This is very light and large enough to be seen. I also bought a little while back, a woven ornament that can be easily seen in my hair. These are the kinds of things I like. Both ornaments have ties instead of wire.

I am looking for more pieces that either tie or have a tiny clip. I don’t know if such clips exist. I hope someone invents one.

I also have a few cuffs that slip onto the dread. I love these. The trouble is, though, I would not put them on and take them off too often. I am afraid of doing damage to the locks. I am not comfortable with washing my hair when it is full of decorations so I have decided to put them on for certain occasions.

I will have to see what twisting and untwisting the wire decorations will do to the jewelry. I think it might be fun to tie them together. That gives me a bolder look.

As I write this I am waiting for some pony tail ties to arrive. Once they come I can say good-by to using shoestrings to tie my hair back.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

I have to brag a little on my consultant. I actually like the title "locktition" but that’s not what natural hair dressers call themselves.

It’s like this. There were a lot of legal battles a few years back and The Man tried to shut Sisterlocks, braiders and all natural hair professionals down. They didn’t win. As a result, one of the ways to get around the legal system is to call themselves consultants. That’s all fine and good, but I use the word loctitian because I can’t get in trouble for doing so.

Anyway, my loctitian has invented a cute little sponge roller that is now being sold on TV. It’s called the Lock Loop. I think it’s ingenious although I don’t use them. I like my hair to hang straight down my back. Sometimes I tie it back to keep it out of my face and my food.

If and when I decide to curl my hair I will use nothing other than these. I remember when I used to spend agonizing nights and embarrassing days in rollers. I have always hated rollers of any kind. I never learned to put the rollers in straight. No matter how I tried, the rollers wound up looking like drunken solders on my head. These little spongy things should end that for me. As far as I can see, they don’t have to be lined up straight.

A couple of years ago she put on a fashion show and to publicize her new invention she put them around on people’s chairs and a few of the tables. I still have the few I picked up. As an artist I could probably use them in an art project. Don’t tell her I said that.

My Hair Journey

It must have started before I even realized what was happening. I began to grow tired of what was being done to my hair. I won't go into details now but I will say that at the age of 49 it was time for a change.

I decided not to let anyone put acid in my hair ever again. I went around with an afro for many months, then I bought braids that didn't match my natural hair color.

After lots of research I decided on Sisterlocks. It took two women 15 hours to get it all done. I went through what I called my Buckwheat days:

Looking at my pictures you must notice that I am a natural blond.

This has turned a few heads. It always has but now with my locks I wonder if their heads aren't going to swivel right off their necks.

I get odd questions: "is that a wig or a mop on your head?" "Why are you wearing that funny hat, are you going to a costume party?"

I also get lots of compliments. The hardest thing is keeping people's fingers out of my hair. But I'm sure you do too.