Neoma's locks

[Neoma]

I haven't had a two-post day in a while.

I am happy with my hair today for the first time in a while. (For how I cleansed it today, please read the previous post.) I combed a few drops of Moonchaser's SS Oil through the length and smoothed the residue lightly over the canopy. I read something yesterday that I had forgotten (or never known?!) that really seemed to help make my crown look a little less severe and "scalped."

A site on updos suggested that, when making a basic bun, one should start with a "loose ponytail." Well, I have been making my ponytail very tight, thank you very much. Today, I tried making it loose and, guess what? It made a big difference. It gave my updo a softer look. Also, somewhere along the line I had gotten into the habit of coiling my bun as I twisted it. This site said that one should twist the ponytail all the way to the end before coiling. Voila! Again, it made a big difference.

Me so happy.

I secured my soft, lovely, perfectly coiled cinnabun with a blue hairstick from Ozark Twist. It's one of my favorites -- it has an opalescent look. It appears to be glowing from within.

I'm extremely tired.

I'm going to watch the Kentucky Derby and maybe rent a movie. Later tonight, I'm going to watch Criminal Minds and Law and Order SVU. Both reruns, but they're new to me. I'll probably do some knitting, too. I'm working on a baby blanket for one of the consultants at my job. It's a beautiful pattern -- a garter w/YO and a border, that I'm making in a varigated pastel yarn.

[Neoma]

I learned a really quick and easy hairstyle from a recent thread. I wish I remembered who to attribute it to, but I don't. When I come across her name, I'll give her full credit. This is a goody...

Gather your hair in a ponytail as if you're going to make a regular bun. Divide it into two pieces and cross one piece over the other loosely. Keep doing this until you reach the end, then secure with a hair-safe elastic. Wrap your hair around the base of the two-strand braid as if you were making a cinnabun, then tuck the end under. Secure with the hairtoy(s) of your choice.

I practiced this hairstyle several times yesterday. Today, I combed a few drops of Moonchaser's SS Oil through my length and smoothed the excess over the crown to control whispies. The updo is super fast and easy to do and very secure. It looks like a complicated braided bun and is very elegant.

to the person who posted this hairstyle originally. It's my new "every day" favorite.

[Neoma]

The Graydog hairstick that I was bidding on (ebony and moonstone) went to $139. I was outbid. I'm out of the running. I don't want it that badly.

Perhaps I'll ask Ron Q. to make an ebony hairstick or hairpin for me.

I have been going through hell with the migraines. My dear friend Zule will be glad to hear that my insurance company approved the override to 36 Imitrex a month. They're making it as difficult as possible for everyone involved. I have to call my doctor's office every month and they have to call the insurance company. The previous override was good for a year.

My pain management doctor told me to quit physical therapy for my torn rotator cuff. It is exacerbating the FM, which, in turn, is triggering the migraines. He prescribed a round of oral steroids to break the migraine cycle. I am so grateful. I've taken steroids before, and they have worked quite well. I just want the pain to stop.

I'm also grateful that it's Friday!

I rented seasons 1 and 2 of Dinosaurs from the library. Does anyone remember that animated series? I loved it. I had a crush on the teenage son, Robby, which was kind of creepy, since he was 1. ) animated, 2.) a dinosaur. Maybe the order of creepiness is wrong. How does one prioritize such things?

I also rented two or three horror movies. I plan on doing lots of knitting this weekend. Stitch and watch movies. Laugh and tremble!

I had a fabulous hair day today. I shampooed twice with the C.O.P.A. soap sample (I started a thread on this yesterday). Then I conditioned with NG Rainwater Rosemary Conditioner mixed with a splash of WV/EO. I rinsed well.

I don't know why my hair wasn't too slippery to manage, but it wasn't. It was "just right." I made a big (for me), fat bun, used a dab of gel to slick down a couple of errant strands, and secured it with a silver Mei Fa. It still looks perfect 11 hours later.

[Neoma]

I shampooed twice with the C.O.P.A. sample and followed with a WV/EO rinse, which I did not rinse out.

Some of the folks who follow more natural haircare routines use a few drops of oil instead of conditioner. My hair loves oil, so I thought I'd try it today. I applied three or four drops of coconut oil my palms and rubbed them together. Then I applied the oil to the length of my hair and lightly glazed the surface of my crown with the residue. My horn comb glided though my hair as if I had used conditioner, and is very, very soft. Unfortunately, it also looks as if I never washed it. It's not a bad look, since I bunned my hair. It was kind of like bunning DD1 hair. I'm sure that my hair is quite happy. The only problem would be if I had to take my hair down in public for some reason.

I may do this from time to time, but I suspect that it is more suitable for folks with very thick, abundant hair.

I went to my OA home group. We read the Promises from the Big Book. It was a good meeting.

I went to the book store and bought the popular biography on Einstein for DH's birthday. I went wandered through two street fairs and didn't buy anything. I bought myself lunch at a Japanese restaurant. I bought a big bottle of Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap. (Yum! My favorite summertime soap!) Then I walked home. It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood -- warm, sunny, blue skies... All is right with the world.

After I finish my computer stuff, I'm going to knit and watch videos.

[Neoma]

Last night, I combed some coconut oil through my length so I could try a new updo.

This morning, I CWWV'ed: Suave Vanilla Floral Conditioner, Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap (2x), WV/EO rinse, which I did not rinse out. Surprisingly the Dr. Bronner's left my hair extremely soft. The crown was nice and fluffy, but the length was a little lank, which is OK, since I put it up.

I tried to do my newest hair trick, which is the "easy stick bun," but my hair was too clean. So I made a cinnabun, secured it with a silver Mei Fa and went out into the world.

I'm going to oil the length later and practice the easy stick bun. It's a great "do," and it really is easy. I just need to oil my hair before I do it.

I went to my AA home group. We read "Working with Others" from the Big Book. it was a great meeting.

I ran some errands: went to the drugstore to buy necessities and to the health food store to buy healthy food. I had Japanese food for lunch: yum!

I walked home. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I bought a gauzy black cotton Indian skirt with big butterflies on it from a street vendor for $10.00. I plan on wearing it with bike shorts under it on the weekends this summer.

Speaking of butterflies, I've decided that I want to get a small butterfly tattoo on my left forearm when I reach my goal weight. I've lost 50 pounds, and I'm only 15 pounds away. I've wanted a tattoo for years. As cliche as a butterfly tattoo may sound, nothing else would illustrate the metamorphasis that I have gone through as well. DH hates tattoos, but, hey, it's my body. And this has been my long, hard-won recovery. I have earned it.

I want to get it done at the same tattoo parlor where I've been getting my piercings. I've looked at some of their artist's work online, and I think I've got it narrowed down to two artists, but I'm still open.

I'm going to pay some bills, wash a few clothes and do my nails. Then I'm going to watch videos and knit. I love this baby blanket pattern that I'm working on. It's a garter with yarn over and a border. It's extremely easy, but looks difficult and is extremely lacy and beautiful.

I hope that all of my LHC friends are having a wonderful day. And I just had to use this new cheerleader icon. How cute is this?

[Neoma]

I had a copious amount of oil in my hair from yesterday's styling -- Moonchaser's SS Oil and coconut. This morning, I felt compelled to clarify.

I applied a generous amount of Suave Vanilla Floral Conditioner mixed with a little baking soda to my dry hair. Then I added enough water to make it foam. I shampooed twice with a Peppermint Tea Tree PLH shampoo bar and followed with a WV/EO rinse, which I left in.

My hair is insanely soft, shiny and managable. Truly, there was nothing that I would change about it today. (OK, more hair at the crown and about two additional feet of length... ) I have used the BS and conditioner trick after a heavy oiling before. So the only difference was the shampoo bar. I used to love this particular shampoo bar, but haven't used it in a very long time. Tomorrow, I'm going to try it without the other tricks.

I put my hair in a cinnabun, which I secured with my faux ivory hairpin from Ron Q.

The is the second time in a week when one or more of the Indian consultants asked me what special things I'm using to grow my hair. I think this is hysterical on a number of fronts. First and foremost, consider the source. (One of these women used had classic length hair that's about twenty times thicker than mine can ever hope to be until a few months ago.) Second, I had my hair up. This means that they were judging how much my hair had grown by the size of my bun. (Last time, my hair was in a half-up, so that makes more sense.) This calls for another cheerleader! Love the cheerleader! Anyway, I told them that my favorite thing was coconut oil. I also told them that I did a wide variety of things to my hair. They didn't ask for more details, and I didn't volunteer.

I ordered two hairpins from a new (to me) eBay vendor today, 60th Street Productions. I ordered a gabon ebony and a bocote. He had them listed in 5" and 5 1/2", but he told me that he'd make them in 4" for me. Yep! I'm cheerleader crazy today. I've gotten a couple of emails from him already, and he has been extremely nice. I swear, most of the hairtoy and soap makers that I've dealt with have been fabulously nice people.

[Neoma]

I did not oil my hair last night.

This morning, I shampooed twice with my Peppermint Tea Tree Oil PLH shampoo bar. I followed with a WV/EO rinse.

My hair was extremely soft again today. So, this particular shampoo bar really seems to be the ticket. I'm going to use it for a few more days and see if continues to perform as well.

[Neoma]

I was migraine-free yesterday, and I was incredibly grateful when I went to bed last night. This morning, I woke up at 12:30 with a baby migraine. I don't know what I was thinking, but I didn't take any medication, I just rubbed some Tiger Balm on my head and went back to sleep. When I woke up again at 5:00, I had the worst migraine that I've had in a while. I popped an Imitrex, drank half a Coke and went back to bed. At 8:00, I woke up again, and my migraine was muted, but nowhere near gone. Since I felt compelled to go to work, I took another Imitrex and a cocktail of other meds and washed them down with the Coke.

I was wiped out all day. Then, around 3:00, I got hit by "tummy trouble." I don't know if it was the fish that I had for lunch or if I have a bug. What I do know is that I am incredibly grateful to be home and that it's Friday.

I rented three movies from the library.

This morning, I shampooed with a PLH Peppermint Teatree Oil shampoo bar. I followed with a WV/EO rinse mixed with some molasses. I let this sit in my hair while I completed my showerly duties, then rinsed well. The result? Super silky, soft, insanely shiny hair.

Of course, my head hurt so bad when I left the apartment that I was afraid to bun it. I made an English braid. It looked fabulous for a few hours, then it started to look really unkempt. Ordinarily, I would have rebraided at least once, but I really didn't have the energy today. My messy braid was a reflection of how bad I was feeling.

I did not get my soaps and shampoo bar sample from althaea, yet. I was hoping that it would arrive today. Oh, well... I love the idea of her shampoo bars, because she offers them in a wide variety of food fragrances. But I must say that my PLH shampoo bar is performing so well that it would take a lot to tempt me away permanently.

I have several partial bars of PLH left. I know that I used to love the Aloe Fresh (yummy fragrance!). I prefer dealing with Ida of CV over the people at PLH (who have never responded to any of my emails), but, hey, if the products are better for my hair, then I'm going to go with PLH in the long run.

I am so out of it and exhausted.

[Neoma]

I woke up with another migraine in the wee hours of the morning. I popped an Imitrex and went back to sleep. Mercifully, it was gone when I woke up again.

I am highly dissatisfied with my current migraine prevention program. Clearly, it isn't working. I don't like being on all these meds if they're not doing any good. They only thing that does me any good is Imitrex, and it is not a preventative. I'm ready to throw in the towel with my current doctor, though I know that finding someone who is so willing to fight my insurance company to obtain large quantities of Imitrex is hard to come by. Not to mention, this guy is really nice and very willing to consider alternative methods. So, when I go to see him next month, I think I'm going to talk to him about trying something other than mega doses of preventative meds, like herbs or massage or something.

All I know is that I can't keep going on like this. It's not good for my body, mind or spirit.

I am exhausted and weepy. I while watching the news last night. I cried while while speaking at my OA meeting this morning.

I walked home in the chilly drizzle. I'm going to take a warm shower in a little while, then watch videos and knit. It's a dreary day, and I really need to rest.

I shampooed with my PLH Peppermint Tea Tree shampoo bar again this morning. I followed with a WV/EO rinse, which I did not rinse out. I combed a few drops of Moonchaser's SS Oil through my length when it was dry in order to control ends from sticking out of my bun, and I smoothed a drop over my crown. I secured my bun with my Hazelnut Dymondwood hairstick from Ozark Twist. It looks really good.

I am really crazy about this shampoo bar. I foresee more PLH bars in my not-so-distant future.

[Neoma]

Warning -- Pity Party Ahead -- Read at Your Own Risk

I woke up with yet another migraine in the wee hours of the morning. I got up at 5:00, took the appropriate meds and went back to bed for a few hours. It's after 4:00 in the afternoon now, and the migraine still isn't entirely gone.

I am worn out from fighting these things. Drained and depressed. No wonder I'm so bloody weepy all the time. I think that I am a pretty up-beat person most of the time, but the migraines have won. I call, "Uncle."

I just did some reading, and learned that chronic, daily migraine is now called "transformed headache." One of the articles, from the Mayo Clinic, said that overuse of pain meds was not the culprit. The other articles stated that overuse of pain meds could be an underlying cause. I really resent this latter stance. My daily migraines are not rebound headaches. On the rare occasion when I don't have pain, I don't take pain meds. When I do, I take them. This attitude reflects the medical establishment's inability to cope with chronic pain. They don't know how to deal with my pain, thus, they tell me it's "all in my head," or that I'm responsible for it. Well, I say, "Bull s&*t."

I went to my AA meeting this morning and took myself to my favorite Japanese restaurant for lunch. I spent a small fortune getting a manicure, pedicure with 10-minute foot massage and a 10-minute back massage. I thought that, surely, one of those things would give me some relief.

I was wrong.

I walked home. On the way, I stopped and bought a pair of really cute flip-flops with black leather uppers and lots of padding (even a little arch!). One of the salesmen looked at my newly manicured feet and blurted out, "You have baby feet!" They are very small in proportion to the rest of me. I thought that was funny, and it made me feel good for a few minutes.

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Finally, it was warm.

I am going to call and see if I can get an appointment with my pain management doctor during Memorial Day week, while I am on vacation. I don't think I can wait until mid-June. DH is extremely worried about me, and he has grown accustomed to my headaches. He knows that the frequency and magnitude is something new.

Even my hair didn't look too happy today. Then again, I didn't spend too much time on it, so I can't blame it.

I may take a nap in a little while. I have a movie, "Must Like Dogs," that I can watch if I get the energy.

I have no idea how I'm going to face the work week.

[Neoma]

Sorry, duplicate post...

[Neoma]

I woke up with another migraine this morning. It was so bad that it dictated which shampoo bar I used -- I was afraid to use a certain one because I thought that the fragrance would make my migraine worse.

This is the second day in a row that I've taken a hot bath with Epson Salts. I probably haven't taken a bath in 20 years; I'm a shower person. But someone here at LHC recommended ES baths for FM relief, and someone at work suggested them for migraine relief, and I'll try anything at this point.

My cell phone is on its last leg. The battery won't hold a charge and, since the phone is two years old, it's cheaper to buy a new phone than a new battery. So I ordered a new cell this morning. It's a red flip-phone, and it's very cute. They're Fed-Ex'ing it to me, so I'll have it tomorrow. It's the same manufacturer as my current phone, so they said that I should be able to swap out the SIM card or transfer my phone numbers in some similar way. I hope so. I hate setting up a new phone; it's so damn tedious. Not to mention, I always lose numbers.

I hope that I get my hairforks from 60th Street Productions tomorrow, too.

[Neoma]

I am having a most excellent hair day.

I shampooed twice with a Peppermint Tea Tree PLH shampoo bar. I followed with a WV/EO rinse, which I rinsed out. I did shed more than usual, which is a bit distressing.

My bun is positively fat! It isn't quite a cinnabun, and I'm not sure that I could replicate it. I twisted my hair all the way to the end and formed my bun as soon as the tail began to coil. I usually twist a turn and form the cinnabun as I go.

I secured it with my new boycote hairfork from 60th Street Productions, which is incredibly comfy and secure.

An acquaintance opened a store in my neighborhood several months ago. I went in for the first time today. I enjoyed visiting with her. I bought a fabulous ring by this artist: http://www.daibanstudio.com/jewelry/. Mine only has one flower. The stem is beaten silver and the flower itself is almost matte gold. The center of the flower is filled with what appear to be seed pearls, but are actually teeny tiny silver balls. It is absolutely stunning and I just had to have it.

I lead my OA meeting this morning. I took myself to lunch (Mexican -- yum!), walked home. I have had a lovely day so far, yet I have a migraine now. I'm going to have to take a hot shower in a minute. I hope that helps. I already took an Imitrex. I'm so sick of these bleeping migraines.

My nephew and our friend's son, who is like another nephew to us, are coming for dinner. My nephew will be staying for a couple of days. Tomorrow, we're probably going to go hiking.