Hippie Hair

So this may come as a surprise to some, but minus the free-love, I'm kind of a hippie.  My fiancee` says that according to the internet, we're what you'd call "granola crunchers".  We've got a strong love of nature, try to buy all organic, gmo-free, fair trade products, and enjoy having our home decked out with plants galore!  When the sun is out, I open the blinds and just sit and enjoy its rays.  Glare on the TV?  Shut it off!  TV is for late nights when you're tired, but don't feel like sleeping.  Sunny days are for yard work, reading, and long walks with the dog.

That being said, my wedding is in May.  JUST AROUND THE CORNER!  And Samm and I wanted to have an outdoor wedding, but didn't want the risk of rain so we decided on an indoor/outdoor venue at Metro Park.  We've had a little bit of slack about this, nothing bad and nothing really worth getting too deep into, but slack nonetheless.  Those that know me know I'm a strong Christian.  So why wouldn't we get married in a church?  Churches are God's houses, so it's said.  Well, the way I look at it, God made the world, right?  All life comes from Him.  Churches are beautiful works of art, but they're man made.  But being out amongst the trees, flowers, grass, and all the bugs and birds....that to me is where you truly connect to God.  Seeing His handy work gives me more appreciation and more of a sense of spirituality than any man made cathedral ever could.

Dread Locks.

Random?  Seemingly so, but just keep reading.

I've been thinking about dread locks for a while now, but had always heard that they're dirty, smelly, and that if you don't like having them after a while, you have to cut them off.  One day, I jokingly mentioned that I should get them and she told me that I really should.  I would look "totally hot" in dread locks.  So I started looking into it.  What would it really be like to have them?  What is maintenance like?
http://www.dreadheadhq.com/
This website had all the answers I was looking for.  I watched some videos, read some articles and blogs, and came to my own conclusions.  The preconceived notion that dreads are dirty and stink can be both true and false.  As with any hair, it can be maintained and look and smell good, OR it can be left to rot on your head and stink up the joint.  Dreads can and should be washed as often or as little as you like.  Now there are other methods rather than washing for those who choose not to do it.  I've heard a lemon juice rinse does the trick just as well, but I think I'd miss washing my hair.
Sounds great, but I don't want to risk having to lose all my hair JUST to see if I'd like having dreads.  What's that?  You don't have to cut them out???  I'm listening....
It's true, the quickest way to de-dread your head is with a big ole pair of garden shears.  However, they're absolutely able to be combed out!  Even after years of being locked up tight, with some water, conditioner, a dental hook, and a strong comb, you'll be able to get your old hair back!  It'll take a while since the longer you've had dreads, the tighter they become and the thicker they get, but if that means not losing a whole head of hair, so be it.

Now, I definitely want dreads, but I've never been a fan of the thick ones that could brain an elephant (thank you iCarly).  I think thinner is way cooler and way more my style.  But another appealing part of having dreads is the so called "spiritual journey" involved with it.  No, it's not some sort of cult.  Basically, with most hairstyles, we have a decent sense of instant gratification.  We go to get our hair done and whether it takes 15 minutes or 15 hours, when it's done, that's it.  When you walk away from your stylist (or the mirror), your hair is finished and lookin' good.  But that's the best it's going to look until it gets styled again.  With dreads, you get them put in and they look pretty good.  Then you have to deal with a couple months of real maintenance.  Loose hairs, frizz, reshaping, it all takes time.  Then, once you hit about the 3rd or 4th month, they start locking and looking better and better.  The maintenance lessens and they start coming into their own.  At the one year point, they're fully matured and require little fixing or messing at all.  Simply tie in the new growth and that's that.

The spiritual part is really just an inner peace thing.  It's kind of nice to be different and to express it in your own way.  For me, it's just nice to do something so natural.  Dreadlocks date back millennia and are a very natural hairstyle.  Now, obviously them forming naturally and freely is one thing, but I also want to fit into the modern world somewhat.  So free form ain't my thang.
The journey part is that it takes such a long time to develop them and it requires such a vast amount of patience.

Yeah, I know this makes me sound like a total weirdo, but I'm fine with that.

Alright, that's my two cent rant and now I'm off to bake some bread!