new thread
Thanks to Bill for taking this pic of me last week, you can now see more clearly what I'm talking about re. a very small amount of volume reaching below my belt, getting very thin & sparse as the longest hairs that come together into a narrow point in the "V"-shape at the bottom.
Over the past 3 years, the only trimming I've done is to use the "Search & Destroy" method of snipping off individual split ends whenever I see them.
- Ken
PS - For those who are interested in plants: the red flowering vine above my head is a Bougainvilla -- a tropical / subtropical plant that only grows where winters are frost-free (or nearly so), popular in places like the Mediterranean, coastal California, Hawaii, Florida & the Caribbean, etc. The red-flowering plant to my left at ground-level is commonly called geranium, but more accurately a Pelargonium.
Hi Ken,
As usual you manage to take the nicest hair pics in such beautiful settings.Certainly much more color than our foggy pics from Fort Point at the GG Bridge that one Monday back in late September.Your hair is very impressive with such density.Even if you feel you may be at terminal length you have nothing to be ashamed of there my friend:)Glad to hear you got together again with Bill and Larry as I've really been missing the west coast especially as the season is edging towards winter here on the east coast.Cheers
Mârk
Hey Mark,
That pic was taken in front of a house and yard that neither Bill, Larry, no myself knew the occupants inside -- it was on our walk back up the hill to B & L's house after we met for lunch on Castro St., Bill suggesting that yard because of the bright flowers that would be in the photo. So you can think of it as a "virtual floral bouquet" if you want, from us on the West Coast to you on the East! (Of course the "bouquet" in this case also includes some long hair tossed in - LOL)...
Thanks for the nice comments, and I'll continue on with my hair-farming pursuits out here in the West as you continue with your hair-farming project in the East, both of us hoping to continue to "eek" out a few more inches maybe, being as that's the mane goal of all of us hair-farm folks (LOL)!
Later, 'gator!
- Ken
WOWOWOW your hair is damn long ken. props on that. no but for real good stuff thats badass
Thank you so much, Preston, I totally love hearing that my hair looks "badass!"
Funny how from my perspective, my hair growth in recent years seems so painfully sllo-o-o-o-owww, because I'd still like to achieve more length (but believe I am at or very near terminal length, so unlikely to grow much more)... Guess it's just human nature, isn't it? We often don't appreciate what we have until another person says something complementary, making us realize things aren't as bad as we thought!
Thanks again for the nice comments, this old geezer really appreciated hearing it!
- Ken
Thank you for the botany lesson - beautiful red flowers...
And, thank you for sharing your hair with us... I like it, Ken in SF. I try not to think about the future of my hair - for example, how long it will get before I stop or how long it will take before it stops... These days, I am simply enjoying what I've got and appreciate what all you guys got that have been growing a lot longer than me...
11 months in Syracuse with Fitzgarce chilling... in more ways than one!
Thanks, Fitz -- and yes, the secret to growing one's hair out is indeed learning how to enjoy whatever we've got, first; because it certainly takes a hell of a lot of patience to "wait it out" as it ever-so-gradually grows longer and looooonger...
I think I'll include another pic that Bill took from that same day last week, just in case the hair is a bit clearer in that photo...
Thanks again, Fitz!
- Ken
Same day, same hair, same old geezer showing off his long hair (LOL)....
Back to the first original pic, here's what my hair looks like after cropping out more of the background, so you can see the hair itself more clearly and a bit more close-up...
- Ken
I just realized that the hair near the right shoulder that looks a little shorter is actually accidentally flipped underneath (I should have combed or brushed that mop before being photographed, sorry about that)...
Best to admit to being a lazy old longhair -- I actually don't like fussing around all that much!
Hi Ken,
I really like this pic! The different shades in your hair are so cool! Also, can see the beautiful flowers better! Thanks for posting!
Ted
Hi Ken,
Congrats on having such a truly outstanding mane, and this photo really shows it at its best, in such a beautiful setting. Ah, to be in sunny and flower filled California! Thank you for sharing,
Take care,
David
Thank you for the kind words, David! But just a small correction about California: it's not always sunny -- quite foggy here a lot, in fact (especially during the summer months, which probably sounds odd to hear...); but it is true that we have flowers of some kind or another year-round!
Anyway, thanks again for the nice reply, always a pleasure to hear from you!!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
It's definitely the longest I've ever seen it. It's interesting how the hair in the center has outpaced the sides by quite a bit. New length is so much harder as we get closer to terminal but your patience has been rewarded.
Congrats on the new length and keeping it so healthy as well. I've recently taken up the S & D routine as well.
Jason
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Jason! I probably should have combed or brushed my hair before such a photo; but hey, at least Bill is a good photographer (making up for me as a not-so-good model - LOL)!
Yes, the S&D approach really works well (as well as oiling as a preventative measure to lessen the amount of split ends)...
"Onward & Downward!" (or in my case, since I believe I'm pretty much at terminal length now, "Onward & Onward!")
- Ken
Hi Ken
That is simply the most magnificent long hair and I LOVE the V shape. Looks as if your hair right now is just almost to where my own was when at its longest. Much to be proud of with a mane like that! :-) Such beautiful flowers and plants. Lucky. Up here we will have to wait until next Spring.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful photo of the greatest inspiration.
Justin~
Thanks, Justin! Yes, I believe your hair was at this same approximate length also -- in fact, I think your hair is much thicker and has more volume than mine; so I'd bet that if you ever grew it back that long again, you could probably get more length than myself, if you ever wanted to grow it back out again...
OK, I'll only say this once, but I can't help it today: I miss seeing your long hair!!!
If it's relevant to the following discussion, as the photographer I'll mention that the lighting that day was "hazy sun". The photo was taken towards the northeast, with the sun low in the southwest in a mid-afternoon and early November sky.
It's interesting to look at the color variation in Ken's hair. Note that it is lighter in color at the top than at the ends down lower. This could be for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Ken uses a product that darkens the hair over time.
2. Ken's hair is graying at a rate that reveals the change. Graying occurs at the roots, and maybe he has numerous strands that started out a rich blond color and are now adding new growth at the roots that are gray.
3. What we call "sun bleaching" is occurring. This is where hair changes color depending on how much time it's been exposed to light. Men with dark hair can find their ends lighter than their roots because of this. Men with light hair can find those ends darker. Light tends not to make hair lighter in color, necessarily. It tends to shift the natural color towards blond. Men with white hair can have darker and more blond hair where it's further from the head. Most longhairs if they hold their ends up by their foreheads will see a color difference in the mirror. Try it! (This won't happen if you dye your hair, of course.)
If you click on Ken's avatar you will see pictures a few years old on his "Welcome Page", and there are more pictures from that time on his "Mane Page". You'll notice that Ken's hair is a bit shorter, but also, back then it also showed the wide variation in color that Ken's mane has today.
Do any of you have thoughts on what causes the variety of colors in Ken's mane? Do you have such variation yourself?
Bill
Hey, Bill - thanks for directing me to Ken's site - and your's, by the way... very cool pictures and great insight into the two of you - Ken, those are fun, great pictures... btw, I love to dance, too - but my wife doesn't like to - so, often, when we go out, I just dance by myself - I sure would enjoy taking a spin about the dance floor with you - now, guys - just think about this - how come the women always get to dance together but men are like - naw, you ain't gonna get me to dance with another dude... I say, come on - enjoy yourself - life's too short! Thanks for sharing this, Bill!
So many women I have known (yes, even gay men like me know LOTS of women, especially considering how many dance partners I've had over the years - LOL) have wished that their husbands or boyfriends would be willing to dance with them -- including my nearby sister-in-law wishes my brother would do so!
There's no greater joy in life than 2 people moving well together on a dance floor, the physical connection of whatever the partner dance happens to be, as long as the music is fun, the dancers know how to safely respond to the lead - follow rules, and the dance floor is a decent one (preferably wooden), etc.... I'm not too picky, am I? (No, just spoiled rotten - LOL!!)
- Ken
Just curious Ken. Do you happen to like watching the Dancing With The Stars show? I kind of like it since I never was a vey good dancer.
Ted
I do, and then again, I don't...
SOMETIMES i enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars; but in general, I'm not a big fan of the competition-styling in their Ballroom dancing -- I'm a much bigger fan of the old-fahioned Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers style, which to me looks more natural and less "affected"... Many times whenever I watch those competition dancers (like the teachers on that show), their movements are so over-the-top and show-off, that they are no longer dancing WITH the music.
Another way to put it:
Some of those dancers look so damn GAY that they look MORE GAY THAN I DO!!!!!!!
(And believe me, I've been dancing with the cowboys at my local C&W gay bar for almost 30 years; so I know what "gay" looks like - LOL!!)
... 'Nough said!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the informative reply! Now that you say that, I do have to agree that it is kind of "show off". And about the "gay" thing, I must agree! I have had gay friends you would never even think they were gay. I will definitely watch the show differently now! On another note, you would probably have a blast down here in Texas. We have many C&W clubs with much 2 steppin' goin' on. Mind you, I stay far away from those places! My wife is an excellent dancer, but I have 2 left feet!
Ted
Hey Bill,
Thanks again for taking those pics last week! I didn't have time before heading back to the East Bay for work to post them last week; but of course it worked out well to share them here at MLHH this week...
Yeah, those pics on my website were taken in February & March of 2004 -- almost 10 years ago, can you believe it?!! We had a hell of a lot of fun working on that project didn't we!
Weird how many different colors can happen in a single head of hair... In my case, the greying is happening more in front (in the bangs or "fringe", as they say in the UK and Australia); but not as much underneath and in back.
When I was young, my hair (what little amount my dad allowed on us kids - LOL) would bleach naturally by the end of the summer, because of being out in the sun so much. I still experienced this sort of thing, although to a lesser extent, because of having a lot of indoor jobs when I was in my 20's & early 30's; but any photos I have of myself as I go back in time, show a range of colors -- from lightest bleachy-blonde sections in summer to almost reddish brown underneath and in back (especially in winter)...
I've colored my beard at times; but never (yet, at least) have I put any chemicals (other than shampoos & conditioners) on my head hair... the only part of me that I can still claim to be a "virgin!" (LOL)
- Ken
Hi Ken,
And no stylist in the world can create the beautiful colors in your hair. I don't care who they are. Only the man upstairs can do that:) The beard is another story!
Ted
Yes! The youngest parts of my hair are (excepting the silvers) almost black, with just a tinge of reddish brown (in bright sunlight). My tips are darkish brown in artificial light, but in direct sun are reddish brown. The very oldest strand tips are as light as a light red/brown.
On my hair, the explanation is pretty easy and clear...the color is only in the surface of hair strands...and my 8 year old strands have simply had the colored surface worn off...a full length shed strand is visibly thinner at the tip than at the root!
WOW, I didn't know that would be so. I'm going to look at my shed hairs next time, and see if I can see the same phenomenon... I just never think to look at those, I simply toss them in the garbage (LOL); but now I'm curious to see whatever I can see!!
8 year old strands, hmmm... at the very max, my guess is mine are only 7, but probably more like only 5 or 6 years, which explains my shorter terminal length.
[sigh...] I'm such a die-hard hair pig (LOL)!!
- Ken
I didn't think it was actually possible to have the V-Shape at this length. Wouldn't it have turned into a U-Shape (I recall Justin talking about it once) at that point? My hair sure as phuck does have a U-Shape despite being significantly shorter than yours.
With that being said, your glorious mane looks maginificent and it's good to know that your hair hasn't reached terminal length yet, even if it might be very close to that.
As for the Search & Destroy method, I have to thank you for that, because you were the one who introduced me to it.
___________________________________________________________
Thanks so much for your reply, Michail, and so glad to hear that the Search & Destroy method of chasing after split ends is working for you!!
The last time I had my hair professionally trimmed was over 3 years ago; but I did request at the time that it be shaped into a "V" at the bottom. The length 3 years ago was definitely trimmed just above the belt-line; so it's interesting to see how very little growth has happened in those 3 years, the only truly long hairs that go 2 or 3 inches below belt-length being very few hairs, very sparse and thin-looking -- but hey, I'm happy with it, so I leave it alone!
Thanks again for your kind comments -- and I hope you keep that excellent mane of yours growing longer and looooooonger, too!!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
Thanks so much for this excellent update of your hair! I do love the color and natural V shape you have there! Very nice fairy tale ends going on! Some people like to blunt cut the ends to create a thicker hemline. Of course, you have to sacrifice length to do this. It all depends what you prefer. I kind of like that V though. Can't wait until I get to that length!
The flowers are looking lovely especially together with your wonderful hair! All around great pic and I thank you and Bill for getting it! I do miss living in Northern Cal that's for sure. I really loved getting that tasty bread from Paesano's bakery. Maybe one of these days... Please keep that mane growing and keep on dancin' my friend!
Ted
Thanks, Ted!
Interesting to hear that you have also lived in the Bay Area -- I moved away from it myself, back in '84 - '87, when I briefly lived in NYC.... It's a long story, so I won't bore you with those details today (LOL); but I will also admit to missing Northern CA in a horrible way during those 3 years that I lived back East, so have been happy to be back out West here ever since I moved back in Sept. of '87.
I will definitely keep my mane growin' & flowin' -- just wish I had more available free-time to do more dancing like I used to do!
Thanks again, Ted, for your nice reply!!
- Ken
Ken,
Thanks for sharing this gorgeous pic. Two things to envy here: 1) the length of your hair and 2) the sunny seemingly warm weather there in SF. It's 35 here right now!
Tony
Hi Tony,
Thanks so much for your kind reply!!
Our weather here in San Francisco, however, is rarely all that "warm" -- a lot of people don't realize how cold & foggy it can be here, ESPECIALLY during the summer months... a coat, sweater, or jacket are more necessary here in July & August than say, September or October, because we have a cold ocean current coming down from Alaska that clashes with the hot dry interior valleys. It's weird; but then again, SF is weird in a lot of ways (LOL)!
I think I took my jacket off for this pic when Bill suggested we stop in front of this colorful yard on our walk up the hill to his house; but other than that, our temps. can dip down almost as low as yours during the night, with daytime temps usually only in the 60s.
Thanks again for your reply!!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Actual recorded temperatures for our neighborhood (where Ken's photo was taken) are at the link:
Castro District Temperatures
Hi Bill,
Thanks for posting that! Way cool! I remember a few years back in the Summer I went to visit my Mom in Suisun City. It was very hot here, probably high 90s. The first night in Suisun City I left the window open. I had to get up in the middle of the night to close the damn window! I was freezing! My Mom just chuckled. I do miss living in Northern Cal though.
Ted
You never know...this picture? The temp was probably in the low 20s *F.
And I know the link image...the temps were well under freezing, because of the crunching through the surface ice in the brilliant sunlight.
http://www.trolleypup.info/lhc/120117-111637-TravertineHotSprings-LowerPools-NW-crop2-lg.jpg
Referring to the photo at the link on the message I'm replying to....
You're probably the only one on MLHH who can post stark naked photos that are G rated, because your hair is so long and thick that it hides all the naughty parts!
Bill
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Your hair is looking good, Ken. I see you are oiling your ends. I do this too, but don't use quite enough oil.
Scott
Thanks, Scott! The amount of oil varies for me, too -- sometimes I spill too much of it into my hand; but most of the time it will usually get absorbed into my hair, especially by the time it fully dries (I usually oil my hair when it's still damp after coming out of the shower, as it's easier for me to distribute it more evenly that way).
I never apply the oil into my scalp, because my scalp produces plenty enough of its own natural oils, especially after a brushing ritual (on days between shampoo days, when my hair is completely dry).
The nice thing about oiling the lower half of my mane is that it leaves my hair incredibly soft, more manageable, and of course helps reduce the amount of split ends (as a preventative measure. But the coolest result of doing the oiling is that it makes my hair feel... umm, not sure how to describe it... Almost like I've got MORE HAIR!!!!! And it makes the hair feel more "hair-like!" -- for lack of a better way to put it! (LOL)
- Ken
Hi Ken,
It's a wonderful photo, and your hair looks great. You have such positive energy, and I always appreciate a guy who doesn't take himself too seriously. Keeping upbeat has helped me deal with some of the mildly negative feedback (i.e. "relax! it's just hair").
Thanks,
Chris
You are 100% correct, "Relax! It's just hair!" -- I couldn't agree more! I have never understood what all the big fuss is over a man having long hair (other than it usually looks so damn awesome - LOL); but then again, my eyeballs must apparently see things differently from the eyeballs of a short-haired enthusiast.
Thanks so much for the nice comments, Chris, I greatly appreciate it!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Very inspiring Ken, I like the "superman"-esque pose too! Thanks for all your kind support and motiviation you've given to myself and many others as well.
-Tommy
Thanks for the kind words, Tommy! Interesting term, "superman-esque!" -- WOW, I need to work on a better physique in order to truthfully live up to that description (LOL)!
Thanks again,
Ken
it's a bird......it's a plane......it's super long haired man (Kal-El).
Born as Kal-El on the dying planet Krypton, his parents Jor-El and Lara sent him in a rocket to the planet Earth where he would be the last surviving member of his race. His rocket was discovered by the kindly Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised him as their son Clark Ken in the City of San Fransicsco where he lives today.
His greatest nemesis is the brilliant super-villain The Scissors. To preserve the memory of his home planet and provide him rest from his double-life and adventures, he maintains a Fortress of Solitude on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
This is what happens when you see too many Superman movies (and Smallville).
And then there are all the comics.
