new thread
Hahaha!
OK, I'll admit it: yes, in order for it to reach my knees I brushed it forward, did a quick reverse-direction braid, then tilted my head down until the ends of my hair finally rested across my knee... But that's not really considered "cheating", is it? I mean, this is an honest photo (with no trick photography or photoshopping) of my actual real hair touching my own flesh-and-blood knee; so can't I call this "knee-length?" (LOL)
This month, in a few days from now, I celebrate my 14th year of uninterrupted hair growth (other than occasionally trimming the split ends off). My last short haircut was my infamous impulsive Y2K haircut, which devastated me once i realized what I had done; but taught me a lot of valuable lessons in life. That happened on the first day of summer, June of 2000. And now here I am 14 years later, with my terminal length a few inches below my belt... Uh, I-I-I mean, below my "knees!"
- Ken in San Francisco
Hi Ken,
Hehe. You had me going there! No, of course that's not cheating:) I am so happy that you have kept your hair growing so long after the bad chop! Hope fully you can eek out some more length in the future! Please be well my friend!
Ted
I'm so glad to hear that you don't think of my interpretation of "knee-length" as cheating, as that means you also might be interested in purchasing that big bridge of mine that I have for sale (the local San Francisco one commonly called, "The Golden Gate" - LOL)!!
All kidding aside, thank you so much for your kind comments -- and you never know about eeking out a little bit more length in the future, as I'm still hoping to achieve genuine knee-length someday...
Onward & Downward! (or at least the illusion of continuing "downward" - LOL}
- Ken
Watch out, Ted! The photo is of Ken trying to sell Mark and me that bridge just last year!
Bill
Oh no Bill! I am keeping my distance! Next thing you know he'll be trying to sell me some oceanfront property in Arizona!
This is a great picture of you all!
Ted
Hi Ken,
It is always good to get any kind of an update from you, and cheers to you for always having such fun ones as well. Having fun always makes the journey so much more worthwhile.
I am actually in the USA right now, and will be seeing NYC for the first time in my life on Friday.
Take care, and keep having fun!
David
Hi David,
Wow, what a surprise to read you are going to be nearby me again!I remember vividly our first official meetup many years ago up in northern New Jersey.Not knowing what you have planned, or who you might be traveling with,if you are up for a meetup let me know.I trust your going to be in Manhattan which is an easy commute for me.Anyway safe travels and enjoy your stay in NY.Cheers.
Mârk
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your well wishes! Actually, Tammy and I have remained good friends, so I will be seeing her again for the first time in well over 4 years. I have never seen NYC, and Tammy hasn't been there in many years, so we thought it would be fun to take a bus tour of NYC. The bus will be picking us up early Friday, and we will arrive at the big city later that day, and will tour until Sunday.
Since the trip is organized by the bus tour company, it may be a bit tricky to arrange any sort of a meet up at this time, but hopefully, we can arrange for a get together at some future time.
Thanks again, Mark!
David
Hi David,
No worries as I wasn't sure what your circumstances were for this trip so I fully understand.The bus trip should be fun for you two so enjoy the sights as I know you will be amazed at the size of NYC.Being your first time ever there it might even seem overwhelming.lol.Lucky you as the weather is supposed to cool down by the weekend as it just started heating up here this week.Are you taking the open air bus tour? I see a lot of those there and they look like fun:)Enjoy my friend.Cheers
Mârk
Thank you so much, David, I always enjoy hearing from you!!
NYC is such an interesting city, there's no other quite like it (at least as compared to other big cities that I've ever lived in or visited) -- I lived there from Oct. of 1884 - Sept. of '87, during a portion of my years of marriage to my ex-wife, Laurie. Two weeks ago some friends of mine that I hadn't seen since I moved away from NY, a couple named Cathi & Tom (who now live in Ohio), came out to visit their daughter (who is now married with a child of her own, living with her hubby in SF) -- and this daughter was born 2 months after I moved away from NYC; so I hadn't even met her until just 2 weeks ago (and she's now 26!!!)!!!! Weird, huh?
Anyway, I have some fond memories of NYC; but also some painful, tough times that made me happy to leave there. It's all relative, isn't it? NYC is definitely one of the great cities of the world, a very exciting high-paced place to be, with its own unique "flavor" -- I hope you have a wonderful, very happy experience visiting there!!
Thanks again for your nice reply, David!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
You are most certainly welcome, and thank you for your sharing your story with me.
I know that seeing NYC will be a huge eye opener for me. It will be via guided bus tour, so I may not see as much as I would like, but it will be quite the experience anyway. I have always lived in a small city, and Halifax is just so different from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.
Thanks, Ken!
David
Hi Ken,
I have to say it sounds like you jumped through hoops,figuratively of course,to get that coveted "knee length hair" ;)Hey, a longhair has do what needs to be done to continue that journey and it sounds to me you've found that path! I have to admit it makes sense that this solution came from you as your the creative one here my friend.LOL.Can't wait for the ankle length update so stay tuned everyone :)Cheers
Mârk
Hey Mark,
You are absolutely correct: I DID "jump through hoops" in oder to get that "knee-length" picture! {Including had to jump practically upside-down in order to make that photo look believable - LOL)
Also, on another topic...
I think I owe you an apology, as I remember saying that I would probably call you last Sat.; but ended up not being able to do so (I worked a 12-hour day, basically a "double" cooking shift -- but at least I got to write down 4 hours overtime for it!).
Hopefully SOON we will have another good opportunity to yak on the phone again!
In any case: thank you, as always, for your kind and supportive comments and fun reply -- it always makes me smile whenever I hear from you (especially every time I see your avatar pic)!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Hi Ken,
Don't worry about the call back as I know you've been doing extra hours at work so I can fully understand.When things quiet down for you it would be great to chat on the phone.Maybe even I'll call you on your off days from work since that might be better.Thank you so much for you kind words to me:) Anyway have a great week and lets try and fit in a chat my friend.Cheers
Mârk
Hahaha :D
You're a funny one, Ken buddy! Totally legit knee-length hair here, no doubt! There is picture proof! ;)
Love the fact that you had the iron-determination to keep it long for 14 years, and hope to some day be as good a longhair example as you are today to others :)
I still want to see the hair in it's full glory, please! You have pretty much my favorite haircolor and texture, and I would love to see more pictures of that mane!
Thanks, Raul! As per your request, here's a recent shot of what my hair looks like from behind, thanks to Bill & Larry for taking this pic (I think it was Oct. or Nov., but maybe it was Dec. of 2013 -- we get confused here in San Francisco, since flowers bloom year-round here - LOL)....
One of the signs of having reached terminal length is that even though I haven't cut my hair any or trimmed off even as much as an inch for over 3 years now, my hair length hasn't moved in any "downward" direction at all recently -- it's remained only a couple of inches past my belt-line for the past 3 or more years now. I would like to experience true knee-length; but the combination of my genetics, plus my age, make it highly unlikely that my hair will get any longer than this.
(But hey, considering the fact that I'm an old geezer, plus I have a lot of friends around my age that are completely bald, I'm grateful I can grow this much hair!)
- Ken
I'll try to get some more recent pics of my hair taken soon, even if they have to be "selfies" (LOL); but my hair hasn't changed much in several years. If you click on my avatar pic in the upper left hand corner, you can see a lot of hair pics that Bill took of me, back in 2004 (when we were working on my silly website). My hair is of course longer than that now; but actually, not by any significant amount -- in '04 it had not yet reached my belt (as it does currently), yet it was at least mid-back by then.
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Thank you, I will check all the pictures you mentioned when I get home from work! :)
Thanks so much for posting the pictures, I managed to miss them during my hiatus from the boards!
Damn, that mane is truly ispiring and looks truly majestic there, blowing in the wind!
I do wonder, though, do you dye your hair, or have you managed to keep all this wonderful color at your ripe age, grandpa? ;)
Seriously, that is one inspiring set of locks, and I, for one, and feeling THAT MUCH MORE energized and excited for things to come with my own hair journey, after watching these!
You are blessed with amazing hair genes, and we are blessed to have you here, Ken! Thank you!
LOL, nope, I've never colored my hair (other than my beard hair for awhile). I've seen & heard women's complaints many times over the years, after they've chemically altered their hair; so never been even "tempted" to change anything about my own -- other than wanting to grow it looooooonger!
You'll see in my newest thread, above ("My secret to staying Forever Blonde") the one and only thing I do to create the ILLUSION of having little or no white hairs growing out of my head...
But, shhhh, don't tell anyone else! (LOL)
Hey, Ken, to get more length below the belt, you can always pull up your pants!
Bill
Now that's what I call a novel idea -- why hadn't I thought of that before? Too busy tilting my head back to only think of that method of "stretching the truth", I guess! (But it's not like I wear my pants down around my ankles, as some young kids do these days - LOL)
Haha...great "update," my friend! You are a veritable institution within this community. Thanks for sharing your humor, your story, and your inspiration :)
--Val
Thanks, Val, I much appreciate your kind comments and the reply!
Onward & Downward! (or in my case, since I haven't experienced any more "downward" in over 3 years now, I'll just say, "Onward & Onward!")
- K
Since Raul brought up the subject of liking my hair color, but he doesn't realize that the truth of the matter is that I'm actually much grayer -- oops! I-I-I mean, more "SILVER" (so please don't tell him - LOL) -- I thought I'd use this selfie avatar pic as a good example of how old geezers like me can keep themselves looking forever blonde (withOUT having to resort to chemically coloring one's mane)...
Here are my carefully guarded "secrets":
1) NEVER take photos of yourself around high noon, as that's the worst time of the day to bring out "the truth" of how many grey hairs are growing out of your head!
2) Very late afternoon and/or early morning lighting are best -- they bring out the "blonde" in you (even if you aren't blonde at all - LOL)!
3) The closer you are to sunrise or sunset, the more likely you might be to even look like a red-head!
4) Run & hide, feign illness or even death, do ANYthing you can to avoid it when someone wants to take your pic on a cloudy or foggy day.... that will spell DISASTER to your dreams of eternal blondeness, once you are forced at gunpoint to have to look at that photo of yourself.
This is my favorite selfie pic that I took about a year and a half ago, which is why I chose it for my avatar pic.... I was at the beach, the sun was shining very brightly in the late afternoon winter sky, and so I felt very "blonde" that day -- ahhh, the miracle of understanding good photography!
- Ken
You're lucky. I used to have chestnut brown hair with a hint of ginger. Now it's all grey and white and no light conditions will hide that. So this "old geezer" makes the most of it and uses light conditions to show it as white as possible!
Like you, I love the sea and would never dream of colouring my hair with those dreadful chemicals that ruin my wife's hair. Even she is thinking of just letting it go natural grey.
Anthony
My blog
Thanks for the nice reply, Anthony!
Yes, I have seen the same thing happen to many women (and even some men). I'd say that other than Henna (which I understand to be all natural), coloring one's hair is a guaranteed recipe to ruining one's hair texture.
The top of my head and also in front is where the majority of my whitest hairs are growing out of my head. In back, especially way down near the nape of the neck, is where I still have the most natural blonde hairs, even a few slightly reddish-brown ones.
I have no interest in changing a thing about it, it just "is what it is" -- and Mother Nature is going to have her way with me anyway; so I might as well relax and just enjoy the ride!
Why, you sneaky, creative old geezer! :D
Nah, just kidding bud, you've gotta' use whatever you can to make yourself look your best, and if one lives in the Bay area, of course the sun will almost always be your ally! ;)
Am I doing it right here? Hehe
Used to date a hairdresser, and she would routinely mess around with my hair. This is the most "natural" looking blonde highlighting I ever got, and sported it for a whole half year before going back to a completely raven-dark mohawk!
Dating a hairdresser sounds a bit dangerous; but on the other hand, I can see how she probably had a lot of fun messing around with your hair!
You are one lucky dude, Raul, it looks like you have excellent hair genes -- including, to my eyes, your natural dark hair color (or should I spell it the British way, "colour" - LOL) looks far more dashing to me than the blonde.
Thanks again for your reply!!
Yeah, she was a crazy/wild one, glad I am together with a lovely, beautiful and kind girl now that supports me on whatever I want to do with my hair :)
And I agree, often the natural color is the best one, though when my silver starts really taking over, we will see how long I last before I start dying it ;)
Thanks again for the pics bud! Keep on enjoying the SF sun! =)
Well, soon, just as everyone else in the Northern Hemisphere on the planet starts really enjoying sunny summer weather, those of us that live in this city start experiencing our famous fog -- and I do mean: bone-chilling, heavy, thick fog that blows by your face like split pea soup and/or blocks out the sun for days and weeks at a time.
That famous quote by author Mark Twain has more truth than humor to it: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!"
Seriously, summer is our worst season here, because the cold ocean current coming down from Alaska clashes with the hot interior valleys of California, creating the need for us to have to wear jackets and sweaters during July & August. Us "locals" can spot a summer tourist right away: they're the ones shivering and huddled together in Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts while waiting for a cable car, while we walk by all comfy in our winter jackets!
But the sun will be back in Sept. / Oct., so I'll take some selfies then! (LOL)
that's fantastic, 14 years is quite a long time to be at it :)
I must say however that my hair does seem to grow much faster as after less than 1 year of growing out my hair mine has reached my knee too! :D I hope to reach my feet by tomorrow!
Am I doing it right?
HAHAHAHA :D
Damnit, Sticks, stole my idea!
Totally knee-length, buddy!
LOL, yes, that is totally AMAZING -- and I'd say that if you brush your hair, then properly water & fertilize it tonight (including eating all your vegetables), by tomorrow morning you should be able to reach your feet... WOW, I can't wait to try this recipe out myself, I've been hoping to achieve ankle-length hair for years now, and to think that I'll be able to tickle my toes tomorrow, that will be so fantastic!!!! (LOL)
Thanks so much for the fun reply, Stickeelion, you definitely made my day!
- Ken
My hair tickles my toes every day that I walk around my house barefoot!
Bill
LOL, yes, true; but your cruel cruel vacuum cleaners sucks those hairs up and eats them, never to be seen again... So, sorry; shed hairs don't count! (LOL)
YES! that was a great come back! Good laugh!
Great shot!
Bill
Cleaver and cute. If only it were that easy.
Yes, AMEN, brother, "if only"...
Great update. Feels so good to laugh!!!
You know, I'm doing the same as you....my hair is definitely not as long...but I try to bend my back backward as much as possible in an effort to reach waist length....but I'm not there yet!!!!
A.D.
LOL, I think all of us have done that -- I certainly have! Those of us that really really want to have long hair baaadly, especially during the early part of the growing stages, try our best to get faster hair growth... Hey, just because it never works, doesn't mean we can't try, right? (LOL)
Nice!
Not that there would be anything wrong with a "I photoshopped my hair to my goal length"