new thread
Hey, all. I know I may seem like a hypocrit after telling everyone for years to keep it growin' and flowin', but I got a haircut a week ago last Monday.
Part of it was financial. I have had financial difficulties and desperately needed a job. Although, if I would have had time, I would have waited to find a longhair-friendly employer. Unfortunately, my creditors will not wait.
To be honest, I had been thinking about getting it cut for several months. I had been getting tired of cleaning all of those loose, stray, long hairs. Plus, long hair is a killer in Texas in the summer.
I did not get it buzz-cut, but it now only touches the top of my shirt collar and goes half-way over the ears. (I refuse to wear side-walls). I may just let it grow out again.
On the bright side, I think I got a job doing income tax returns for lower-income people through VITA. It doesn't pay great, but it beats flipping burgers (no offense, if you do).
I will always be a longhair in heart. Keep it growin' and flowin'. I'll pop in ocassionally.
Terry
aka Texas Long Hair
Here's the back.
You warned us Terry!
Under the circumstances I understand completely. You're still cool in my book. I hope you keep posting anyway.
Good luck,
Paul
I'm too damned cool in my book, Paul. There's a draft up here. Keep fighting those school Nazis. Hope both you and you son can keep it growin' and flowin.
Terry
No worries,Terry,it's actually pretty hard to maintain long hair on adult hood in some countries,mostly because of companies discriminating against long hairs,and I understand this completely.Good luck on your new job and keep us updated if possible!Take care =)
Thanks, Rafael. Good luck on your journey. I know how hard it can be. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
FWIW, you don't look bad with short hair. I'm pretty sure it slipped off the front page; but I said earlier I thought the recession might do this to some of us.
Thanks for the compliment, Steve. At least you give me one more thing to blame Shrub Bush for. lol
Terry
Anything for food on the table and the economy continues to lower just like ears. No light so far at the end of the tunnel.
Here in Brazil it is much worse,trust me XD.We can't even make it far with longhair on teenage hood,as we have to enlist for the army,and if we get away with it,we still have to escape the college prank veterans do on college freshmen(which includes shaving our heads),which is nearly a massacre.Not to mention adulthood,in which longhairs have nearly 0 percent of chance of getting a job,as almost all industries require their employees to wear their hair short as a matter of policy or plain intolerance.
I feel for you, Rafael. Maybe after the service, you can find a longhair job. Keep it growin' and flowin', if you can.
Terry
Hopefully,yea XD.Thanks for the kind words,Terry,and good luck on your new career!
Thanks, Justin. I've been trying to break the eating habit for 53 years, with no luck. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
TLH
Hey Terry, too bad you had to cut that great hair of yours but I completely understand the reasoning. Hope that new job works out well for you and everything else. Stick with the board every now and then.
Take care,
Max
Thanks, Max. Hope you don't pull me off Myspace, just because I no longer qualify as a longhair. You keep it growin' and flowin'. I'll be lurking and checking in ocassionally.
Terry
Hey Terry, of course I won't pull you off myspace...friends are friends...longhaired or not. Keep me posted on stuff.
Cheers,
Max
One does have to eat as a matter of survival. Who knows maybe you'll return to us some day. I wish you luck
Take care
Kevin
Thanks, Kevin. I'll probably keep lurking. Keep it growin' and flowin', my friend.
Terry
Hi Terry,
Well I do feel bad that you had to throw in the towel on longhair as I'm sure there is a profession that could care less about you having it long.Hopefully this job was worth it or maybe you just had enough of the hair.Anyway I do wish you the best and hope you are very successful.Cheers
Mark
Thanks, Mark. I wish I was an IT guru like some of you guys, but my brain isn't what it used to be. I'll pop in once in a while. Meanwhile, keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
Hey Terry,
It is too bad you had to cut the hair but maybe you can start growing it again after you are hired. Getting a job isn't easy now so that is certainly a priority. Plus by the time when it starts getting longer again you will have had a break from long hair and maybe you will enjoy it more again.
Fear not and don't disappear, you can join the regrowers club like I did :)
Take care of yourself Terry I hope you get that job!
Thanks, Chris. Knowing how special you are, I really apppreciate the comments. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
P.S. I would love visit D.C., again--maybe in a year or so. See you then.
Terry
Sorry to see it gone brother, I can relate to the financial situation , hope the hair reaper doesnt come callin to me since im in the a similar sitiuation
Always wondered how ya lived in Texas and grew em out?
Good luck and take care
Steve
Thanks, Steve. My step-father was one of those who insisted on side-walls on men. In 1997, I became disabled and had the freedom to grow it out. Long hair became a part of my status symbol--one who helped homeless and persons with mental illnesses.
I've just always lived in Texas. Right now, I'm a personal care provider for a long-time disabled friend and cannot leave him. He is on parole and cannot leave the state. I may consider the D.C. area in the future or even the Northwest.
Good luck on your situation. Hope you can keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
Well you have to do what's important to survive. Maybe once you get back on your feet you'll be begin your journey anew. Good luck with your new job.
Bruce
Thanks, Bruce. Keep that hair growin' and flowin'.
Terry
Hi Terry,
I am genuinely sorry to hear that you were forced to cut, but relieved that you were able to find a job in this draedful economy. I wish you the best of success in finding a job in a more "longhair friendly" environment.
Also, I hope you do stop on by to say hi to us once in a while, and you will always be welcome!
Take care,
David
Thanks, David. Remember, I will always be a longhair at heart. I fear we are going to have to suffer from Shrub Bush's legacy for a long,long time. Keep it growin' and flowin'. Will post from time to time. Maybe you'll be watching a new long hair journey.
Terry
Hi Terry, I sensed this was coming from your previous posts. You must do whatever you feel right. Do stop by and say hi when you can.
Best wishes for the future career.
Cheers Dave
Ah, Dave, my friend. It has been a long time coming. I'm hoping this will be the last haircut in years, but who knows? Thanks for your friendship and your great posts. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
Hi Terry. I actually took it for granted that you were permanently going to have your hair long. And looking at the picture, it looked like you cut everything off. Nevertheless, I had enough of men cutting their hairs for jobs just to look good (I understand safety, but just to look nice, no). My desire for long hair helps me clean out and pull out those loose hair. But at least you have a good starting job. I am not interested in flipping burgers either (I am going for a technical job). Hopefully, you will grow out your hair again, this time for good.
To me, when something is a killer, it is excellent.
Matthew aka Regardless
Hey, Matthew. If there is one thing I know, it is never to say never. I had not cut my hair since 1997. I really love having long hair, despite the critisim, discrimination, etc. However, part of the fun of being a longhair is growing it out. Perhaps this is what I am after, since I long ago reached terminal length. One thing I know, getting a job to keep from becoming homeless became a priority. I've been homeless before, and I hate the thought of losing all personal possessions. Even as we speak, my car may be repossessed tomorrow.
One of my greatest joys, besides growing out my own hair, has been to watch others grow their's out. Hence, my motto: keep it growin' and flowin'.
I hope my haircut will not affect our friendship. I really enjoy your letters. Most of all, I like to see that hair grow longer and longer.
Best of luck, my friend. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
He didnt cut his hair to "look good" for some random employer, he said he had financial problems and he cant afford to be picky when the economy is STILL declining. If I had a family and I was unemployed, I would do anything to work to support my family, including cutting my hair.
So dont make him look like hes some hypocritical asshole, because hes not.
As someone who is also on the Autism Spectrum, I can understand his response as someone with Autism. Autistic people have a tendency to be blunt and honest, often to a fault. Eventually, many learn the social rules and opt to bite their tongue instead of voicing something innapropriate. Matthew came on a bit strong, and Terry's response reflects that he felt the harshness. Matthew feels very strongly about the issue, but you are correct. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to survive. I'm just piping in, as I don't want Matthew to read your post and become unduly upset, as people on the Spectrum are also often sensitive to criticism. You could have just as easily made your point without the inflammatory subject line.
Anyways, I do hope Terry and Matthew can still remain on friendly terms, more importantly that Matthew can understand that Terry hasn't thrown in the towel on this issue. Yes, Terry was struggling with loose hairs and Texas heat. But ultimately it wasn't to look good for a job, it was to simply get employed period. The bills have to be payed somehow. In a different set of circumstances, I don't think loose hairs and Texas weather would have been enough to submit to the scissors. I think this is what Terry was trying to convey, but Matthew unintentionally overlooked that point. I hope he will read and perhaps rethink his response. He needs to understand that his words were perhaps a bit hurtful.
I didn't really know much about Autism or the Autistic Spectrum. I know that Matthew is a very intelligent person autism or not, so I took his response as a bit immature [while stooping down to a level of immaturity myself.] My family has been hit hard by the recession so thats another reason why I got defensive.
Coincidentally, in psychology today we learned about aspergers syndrome which is a form of autism but much less severe.
Asperger's is what I have. If you scroll down the board a bit, where Matthew asked about membersip in any intelligent societies, you'll note that Absalom and Oren mentioned being on the Autism Spectrum, and we have a few members who have Aspergers on the board. A lot of male Auties are longhairs. I post on a board for Auties, and a good number of men have long hair. So it does not surprise me that we have quite a few here on MLHH.
Sorry the recession is hitting you so hard.
Sorry that this rotten economy led you to have to sacrifice your hair so you could afford more basic things, like a roof over your head and food. But I REALLY, REALLY gotta thank you for NOT getting one of those ugly buzzcuts (Sorry, but I really hate them). Hopefully you can grow it back in the future. I have a feeling there is going to be more of this happening. Kinda sucks for you guys that discrimination still exists.
Thanks, Carol. I've never had a buzz-cut and have no desire to get one. The last "real" haircut before this one in 1997 came close. Thanks for being part of mlhh and part of my life. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
Terry
Terry,
Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. You kept more hair than some others have ever known (at least since babyhood), and hair reaching the collar is more than many can say they have ever experienced. I hope you get the job, and I wish you luck in growing your hair again.
Tracy
Terry,
Sorry to see that financial pressures have forced your hand.
Best of luck with the job search. Hopefully you'll get re-established quickly and start regrowing that nice curly mane.
Eventually, it's all good in the long run!
- Oren