Black Hair.... DeBraiding and All That Jazz

Some people say that I have been assimilated into white culture because of the many ethnic things that I do not do. My speech is more proper than most black twenty-somethings, and I listen to country music [Yes I do thank you! Tim McGraw is the man!]. I do not dispute these facts, but I must say that I do not intentionally try to avoid black heritage, as much as I shy from ghettoisms that seem to infultrate our society, and carry myself in such a way that the stereotypes seem out of place for me.

Why I felt that the previous paragraph was a necessary preface to this post, I am not sure. However, I must say, that no matter how assimilated one seems to think I have become to White America, there are still somethings that I cannot avoid [not like I try to avoid sed others].

I still have BLACK HAIR.

A little history lesson, everyone in my family line for at least the past two generations [inclusive of my grandparents and my parents] have been black; when I say family line I am referring to the direct reproduction efforts that led to my own creation [aunts, uncles, and cousins not included]. Well, as I was saying as my two previous generations have been black and from the Texas and Northern Louisana areas I do not have that "good" more accuartely define soft with loose waves hair. My hair is coarse, and if I don't perm it, it gets nappy!

Growing up in a family of hairstylist, my hair always looked hmm decent, well if I'd sit down long enough to get it done. Even if I didn't get it done I'd still look hmm decent enough to walk out of my house and not get a "Ooh no she didn't." I was always under the impression that if people used the right products then their hair could have the mobility of mine and my sisters', and the luster, and the capibility of sleeping on it and just waking up in the morning and it being okay. Boy was I wrong.

My sister and I decided to take notice of Black hair today while we were chaperoning her 7th graders' field trip. And two little black girls started playing in each other's hair. First, it was evident that the little girl needed her ends clipped, and a deep conditioning. But beyond that the child's hair seemed unsalvageble. I remember when I was younger, and would play really hard my hair would shoot up all over my head but it would still not be as stiff and completely unmanagable as some of the other heads I have encountered.

We've finally realized that there are just some heads of hair, no matter what type of perm is used, will never have body, bounce, volume; it will always just look like someone drew cartoon character imobile hair onto that person's head... Oh but that's mean and I digress.

Anyway none of this has anything to do with the fact that I just spent the past few hours debraiding my sister's hair! I have hair fungus under my nails [as she has had them in probably a little longer than 9 weeks]. These are the trials of a black woman and hair. After sitting in a chair for hours to get the braids... the multiple hours of fungral braid removal hardly seem worth it. But then it is because for 6-8 weeks, we live knowing that when we wake up all we have to do is wake up!

I am just glad that I have finally developed a routine for my own hair. My hair tips, not like I'm a hair expert or anything because I'm not. I keep hair issues so very simple.

• I shampoo every three days..yes your first reaction is "You are not white; you can't shampoo your hair that often." Well I do. I have found that shampooing my hair so often softens my naps and I can go 2 months instead of 1 betwen perms.
• I get a perm every 2 months now instead of 4 weeks.
• I do NOT use gel, mouse, spritz, holding spray, or any other crusty bang product that makes your hair hard and dirty and stank.
• After shampooing I air dry in a ponytail. Man when I comb that ponytail out, it has more fluidness than water itself.
• As far as hair products... I ONLY use one specific brand's perm, shampoo, conditioner, normalizer, and oil moisturizer.... I used to be a Revlon girl, but after one try with this other REALLY good stuff I was changed for life!
• Get my ends clipped... okay that's an understatement. For the past year I have been saying that I was going to let my hair grow. But for some reason I have found myself addicted to the scissors. I don't know what it is. It is a sickness. Every 2 months when I get my hair permed, and flat ironed, and see that my hair has reached the middle of my shoulder blades, I play in the mirror for about 30 mins, and then the inevitable. "Cut it off please, to right below my ears."
• As pretty and as coveted and mi-long hair is, I'm a chick of convience. When it's past my neck, it won't all fit in my pink silk scarf without me rolling, folding or clipping it up. If I fold it then it has that crease that I would have to flat iron out every morning. No thank you! Just wack it off please.

That's enough. I really just wanted to give you all something to read, as I had not blogged in a while. I am not sure how coherent all of that was, but hey(!) it's a post ain't it!