Long hair lock envy really getting to me

I didn't realize how important it would be to me to have long hair. I see sisters with the beautifully long locks of all sizes and I just wish that could be me. I will be a year in December and my hair is growing, but the shrinkage means no length. So, I am growing out, not up. Really big out. I've lived more than 40 years longing for long hair...the kind that hangs down your back. I've had weaves and wigs, but it's different, I imagine, when it's your own hair. Well, not sure the point of this post. I guess I am hoping, like so many things, in a few years I'll look back and laugh at how silly I am being.

Retightening Session from Hell: Part 2

So, I squirmed through three more hours of torture this morning. But honestly, I see the difference. She does rock. I'll give her that. Even my husband noticed the difference. Less bushy hair. Tighter locks. More together look.

I'm really grappling now. I don't know if I can swing $45/hr. I mean, that's nuts. But on the other hand, she worked it. My hair really looks so much better...and I didn't think it looked bad before. Here are before and after photos. You be the judge:

BEFORE: JUNE 28

SIX WEEKS LATER: AUGUST 9 -- NOTICE THE WAY IT LAYS...NOT SO BUSHY

Retightening Session from Hell -- at 8 months

So, I'm in Chicago now. Found a consultant with "to die for" sisterlocks. I should have known it was going to be a long day when she saw me and laughed when I told her my retights never went longer than 4 hours. Generally, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. She said, "You've got a lot of hair..." So, I show up this morning at 8:30 a.m., my appointment time. She's only 15 minutes late, but things happen. Anyhow, as she dives into my hair, she tells me what horrible condition it's in. Now mind you, I've been going to my appointments methodically -- two weeks late at the most. She says my consultant used the wrong pattern and she'll need to do a lot of repair work. She says my hair has a three pattern and it should have had a four pattern. That's why I have so much slippage. That, and the fact that I don't wash it enough. I LOVED my consultant, so this is disturbing news. My birthday is on Saturday, but I had planned this to be a "just for me" day. I took the day off and had all sorts of plans for how to spend it. In fact, I thought I had almost lost my "personal" day when my husband got wind of what I was doing and asked if we could have lunch and spend the afternoon together instead. I love my hubby, but I really, REALLY wanted this "me" day.  I reluctantly agreed, thinking I might be able to slip out later. But as my new consultant got going, the chatter got worse and worse about the condition of my hair. "You've got so much slippage...You've got tons of lint... I don't think she did your entire head at one sitting...there's just no way...Look at these ends!" Hour after hour lapped by. Slowly my "just for me" day turned into a "just for my hair" day. I thought I'd be finished around noon...at 2:45 p.m. I broke down requesting a break. We had been going at it solid. I had starbursts and cheetos for lunch because I was afraid I wouldn't have enough cash to pay her if I ordered in. She's $45 an hour...so with each hour, I'm counting the cash I'm going to have to lay out. I left at 6:45 p.m. ... and she wasn't finished! She says I have three more hours to go. My hair looks jacked. My birthday is on Saturday. I'm feeling incredibly crabby. We decided to meet on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. so I'll look nice for my birthday, but I'm still crabby. I paid soooo much money. She's telling me my retights are going to fall in the 5-6 hour category. Geez! My hair may be jacked, but I still loved my old consultant better. I'm debating on whether I need to keep looking for a new consultant...one that isn't scared off by so much hair, is $10/hr cheaper, and can do me in under four hours. Chime in if you have any suggestions or thoughts. I agree that my hair seemed a bit out of sorts...she showed me the proof. I'm just not convinced I need to pay $45/hr to fix it.