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Hello everyone! Hellow MLHH community!
It's been a while...
A long while!
For those who remember me, I was a frequent contributor to this community from 2003-2008. I was also a moderator and even bought one of the first MLHH shirts.
I was so devoted to this group of people.
Then, in January of 2008 I went off to Canada to pursue my dream of becoming a Professional Wrestler.
I spent 3 months in Calgary Alberta Canada, after that I went to New York for a month and cut my hair. What happened?
Let's begin with my HAIR!
From the age of 16 in 2000(especially being a massive METALhead, which I still am today!) I wanted to have long hair badly. After a few attempts that didn't go to plan, I started growing it out.
I reached just above mid-back length, when after intense pressure from my mom (the most wonderful mother ever, but also a scissor happy hairdresser!) I cut my hair in September 2003, after 29months.
Then in February 2004, just b4 my 20th b'day, I decided to get back in the hair game and continue what I had started.
A few trims aside, it was not until April 2008 that I cut my hair off... 50 months!
And I had reached mid-back length when dry, to my waist (my goal) when pulled and wet.
(Don't worry I'll post pictures later! :)
So why the cut? The first time was basically forced, but the 2nd was my choice....for the most part.
You see in Pro Wrestling there is a time honoured tradition of the guys playing pranks ('ribs') on each other.
One particular prank came at the end of the training but went way too far.
Basically, in the middle of the night, 3 former student of my Pro Wrestling coach and the three fellow students I was living with in Calgary decided to play a 'rib' on me.
They came into my room and tried to duct tape me. Straight away I knew it was a joke (and not a home invasion!) because one of them was wearing a clown mask (and they knew I was afraid of clowns) but still...I DON'T LET NO ONE TIE ME UP. So i fought back with a vengeance, and they didn't expect that. It took 3 guys about 5min to get me to stop struggling, but I only stopped fighting because they put the tape all around my ahir and I knew what that meant....
I had a shower and yup...my hair was stuck to the tape! I used a whole bottle of conditioner and spent like 20minutes in there, but to no avail. I eventually had to rip my hair out :(
Afterwards you couldn't see that I'd lost a lot of hair, but I could see it and furthermore, I could feel it.
I also felt like I'd had my power taken away and had been tied up because my hair forced me to be (but don't worry, once i was tied up, that was the end of the rib).
So with that said, for the first time in over 7 years I found myself wanting to have short hair. I spent a month thinking about it, but after the first week I knew I was going to do it.
Eventually in April 2008, I went to 'Bumble & Bumble' in Manhattan and got it all cut off.
To be honest I actually enjoyed the experience, because even though the rib had set things in motion, my decision to cut this time was mine in the end.
Since then, I have come back to Sydney, graduated from University, worked as a Personal Trainer in a gym and am now running my own outdoors Personal Training business (GetaGripPersonalTraining.com.au).
Also, I/Dean Devastation have/has no plans to continue with Pro Wrestling, aside from watching it.
I still love Metal and plan to grow my hair again in the future, even though i probably shouldnt as short hair is identified with my profession and I need to build up my client base.
Finally, let me say that I AM SORRY.
Sorry for not coming back on here sooner and telling you all what was happening with me. At first there was the Wrestling camp excitement and limited Internet, then came the rib and my intention to cut my hair, by then 4 months had gone by and I felt badly about cutting my hair without saying anything here first.
But I had (hopefully 'have') friends here and I should have let y'all know that I hadnt dropped off the face of the earth.
A few people have found me on Facebook though which is nice, still...I'm sorry guys.
But I'm alive and well and even if I don't post on here as much as I used to, I hope you'll all welcome me back.
Best,
Dean
Hey Dean,glad to hear from you after all this time!I certainly do remember you as I joined up here in the summer of 2005 and have been active since.The last I recall,before your departure here, was that you were going to Calgary to do the wrestling.So this for me is the first comprehensive update I've read about you.I'm sorry to hear about you giving up your longhair but I can understand the reason after that prank.That duct tape would never let go of your hair unless you tried a solvent which I'm sure would have done worse damage.Now that you are done with wrestling and are in your own business I would think that would be the golden opportunity to regrow your hair.I don't think clients would be turned off by it especially keeping it neat.You could even just do the shoulder length thing and be a longhair.Anyway who am I to tell you what to do.LOL.I'm glad you came back to tell you story and hope you do post occasionally my friend.I wish you the very best:)Cheers
Mark
I'm cringing about the duct tape thing still.
Glad to see a veteran return to the boards though! I'm pretty new myself but absolutely loving the fact that every person I've met here is a gentleman, Honestly thought every forum on the internet was plagued with rude and opinionated people until I came here.
I'm cringing too!
Seriously, it was a pretty bad experience but I'm glad that I was able to únburden'myself a bit here (especially as everyone here cringes at the thought of duct tape in their hair, and so could understand the horror I felt at that moment!).
Anyway I inflicted a couple of bloody noses in my struggle, so there's always that :)
Well, you sound like a great guy and thanks for taking the time to say hello to this old longhair fossil (I'm 26 next week!).
And you're completely right John, this board is filed with the best people around, ánd in my limited experience (as there are a multitude of different forums on the internet) I too haven't come across a forum of the same calibre of people/gentlemen. In that regard this place really is unique :)
Hey Mark, really great to hear from you as well and see your well-remembered face.
By the way, your hair is still kick-ass man!
Thanks for understanding my reasoning on the haircut and THANK YOU! Thank you for reassuring the lingering doubt in my mind that I should have done something else after the conditioning to get rid of the tape.
According to you, there was nothing else i could have done other than rip it off, so that is a weight off my longhair conscience.
As for your longhair suggestions. I've gone through a stage in the last 6 months where I really went for broke and did the whole head shave deal (even had a free shave at the "World's Greatest Shave"!!!! Something I thought would *never* happen).
There's no denying it...it does suit my Profession.
That said, I've decided (as of that head shave in early March) to grow my hair out for 6 months, keeping it neat all the while and see what that looks like then in terms of Professionalism.
Still you're right, no one (excpet lack of clients lol) can tell me how long my hair should be!
Will stay in touch and thanks for writing bud :)
Hi Dean,
Good to hear back from you and thanks for the update and sounds like you've certainly had some times. It's always nice to hear from previous posters to the communuity and what you are up to now. I'm sure everyone here would understand you decision here and you have to do what is best for you at the moment.
Keep in touch mate and don't be a stranger.
Take care,
Cheers,
John.
Hey John B.
Thanks for your understanding and message.
Had some pretty trying times indeed...
Anyway...
How are you by the way?
And hows the metal scene photography going?
I've seen Opeth and AC/DC recently so I cant complain too much; I just want to see Iced Earth badly though....
Oh well, great to hear from u though mate :)
Hi Dean,
Thank you for stopping on by to update us on things, and I am sorry to hear that you have gone through some difficult times lately. I hope you plan to stop on by the hyperboard more often, and as the others have said, please don't be a stranger!
Take care,
David
How are you my northerner friend??
Great to hear from you and yes, I will try not to be such a stranger in the future. At the very least I won't let over 2 years go by before posting again!
My pleasure on the update, just wish i'd done it sooner though. Oh well.
You take care too eh.
Dean
Welcome back and thanks for the update, we wondered at times what became of you.
Kevin
Hey Kevin, thanks for welcoming me back.
A question though: when you say that u all wondered about me, was that in your minds or were there posts on the hyperboard about it?
(If there were posts I'd feel especially bad about my long absence dóh)
Chit chat in the back room among those of us who remember you. Can't remember any what ever happened to.......posts. Don't feel bad we all move on and some come back it's life.
I came around shortly after you moved on so to you I'm a new face, and here I am behind the steering wheel of this thing.
But I'm a very good driver.......
Kevin
...not as sure if you're so good a 'rememberer' :)
Why? Well because I totally remember you kevin!
You're not a "new face" to me at all!
That said, it's good to see your face again and thanks for responding.
End 'Backseat driver rant' lol
Hey Dean,
So wonderful to hear from you again!!!! (And yes, I also saw your kind reply to my update pics - THX!!)
WOW, what an ordeal to have to go through with being all tied up w/ duct tape... I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to take that prank as graciously as you did; but hey, it sounds like it's a "tradition" that comes w/ the territory of their training program.
By the way, it was fun hearing about you going to Bumble & Bumble's salon in NYC, because when I lived in NY (from fall of '84 - summer of '87), that's the place I used to go to, back in my shorter hair days (LOL).... In fact, even more weird is that my stylist that I settled with was an Aussie, to boot! Don't have a clue if he would still be there or not; but he was very very good -- although I'm MUCH happier w/ my hair being long now (LOL).
In any case, it is just WONDERFUL to hear from you again!! (And as John B said, "don't be a stranger!")
- Ken
...as in, your last update post wa sthe one that brought me back from the Hyperboard dead!
Anyway, great to hear from you Ken.
You were one of the ppl I felt most badly about losing touch with, but I figured that your general craziness, awesome long hair, gardening work and superb dance skills would help you to overcome it :)
And yes (WOW) it was an ordeal with that duct tape but i put up a pretty damn good fight, again, only stopping when my hair got involved.
That said, as soon as you were untied if it had happened to you, that's when you would probably have been less gracious than myself lol
And what a really small world it is re: Bumble & Bumble! Seriously!
I could have had my pick of hundreds of salons, but I chose that one. The aussie guy just makes it that much wierder, still, what a coincidence hey?!
Wonderful to hear from you too Sir, be in touch more regulary than every 2 and a bit years from now on i promise :-D
For many years Deanof316 was a landmark contributor as well as total inspiration for all of us here at the MLHH. Indeed, he was well liked and appreciated by us all. As a moderator he was tops, and because of his efforts (as well as others) helped ever so much in making this whole board tick so well.
Great hearing from you Dean and thank you for stopping by. Your will always be remembered for the person that you are. There simply could be no finer example of a wonderful human being.
Take care-
Justin~
...Justin is one of the nicest, kindest and best people one can come across in life; on the Internet, or otherwise.
In fact, Justin, you're probably the one I felt worst about, in terms of falling out of contact.
I'm so sorry man.
Anyway, how are you? How's your son?
And how's your hair (still as awesome as always?)?
Thanks for your kind words about me, they are much appreciated Justin.
And your comments about me as a person? Nuff'said (and ditto).
Take care too my friend.
Dean