D-Day

Two years ago, after school got out on the last day of school of my first year of teaching, I went and cut off my hair.  My nearly elbow length, curly (permed) hair turned into the super short hair I'd been coveting since 6th grade.  Now, the last day of school of my 3rd year of teaching is approaching, and it's time for drastic hair action once again.  One month, only 31 days until D-Day.  Not the original D-Day of course, that's technically 34 days away (June 6th).  My D-Day is Dreadlocking Day.  The day I get dreads.  The day I've been talking about, researching, waiting for, and obsessing about for months now.  I've talked about it (well, babbled actually.  Saturday a friend of mine actually fell asleep on my couch while I gabbered on about it), dreamed about it, and blogged about it (three times, actually, for two years.  One, Two, Three).

My plan/hope is to get dreads the evening of the last day of school, June 3rd.  I've been telling myself I needed to tone down the obsession until my dreads were closer to reality--say, a month or so.  Now that they are only a month away, I'm going to be unleashing it with full fury.  I'm probably going to make the already annoying me look like a reasonable person.  I ordered my dread kit on Saturday.  I did spend $100, but getting dreads in a salon would cost at least four times that much, and the kit comes with enough supplies to help me finish and maintain my dreads for the next six months or so.  (Dreads actually take three months to get mature, and about a year to really fully be finished).  It should arrive this week or next so that I can begin to paw through it eagerly once a day until June 3rd.  It's also time to begin to reread and review all the dreading tips, instructions, and videos I've already seen twice.  It's time to begin mentally and physically prepping for my yet "unborn" dreadlocks.  Is all of that really necessary?  Probably not, but it gives me something to do while waiting impatiently for D-Day to come.  It's time to actually begin over preparing and planning for my Dread Party.

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The Dread Party is the recommended method getting dreads.  Basically, you invite lots of friends over, provide instructions, all the supplies, plentiful food and entertainment (movies, etc., dreading can get boring), and get them to help you lock up your hair.  Since dreading your hair can take hours, the more hands you have to help, the faster it goes.  Luckily my hair is fairly short, so it shouldn't take more than several hours. (I've heard horror stories of 20 hours, but those from people who did by themselves, alone, and had very long hair.)  With my very short hair, and a few friends, it shouldn't take more than four or so hours.  Possibly less.  Which brings me to the matter at hand, I need some friends to help.  Anyone, male or female, bond or free.  I'll happily provide pizza, soda, movies, and long-lasting gratitude to anyone who wants to come and help.  The more people we have, the faster it will go, and the more fun it will be.  Heck, if you want to show up that day just to hang out, eat food, take pictures, and heckle, you'd still be welcome to come.  You do not need any prior experience with making dreadlocks.  I don't have any, and no one there will have any either, I'm pretty sure.  If my dreads look fantastic, you'll get the credit, if they look awful, I'll blame the fact that getting dreads was risky business in the first place.  Besides, I can use all the moral support I can get.

If you're interested, or if you know anyone who might be interested, let me know sometime this month.  Comment here, text  me, facebook me, email me, call  me, send a carrier pigeon.  This is one hair adventure I can't do alone.

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