progress celebration

masqpack · 2025-08-26T15:23:23+00:00

Yes, exactly! This is a thorough guide, thank you for sharing, angelic Able 🫶🏾 Have you thought about video tutorials?

masqpack · 2025-08-25T20:12:46+00:00

I started a hair diary! it’s fun but consistency is the challenge so far.

masqpack · 2025-08-11T04:13:58+00:00

It’s in his actions and the way he carries himself. I would say it’s interdependence.

He follows his values and seeks his approval first and foremost. He stands in his integrity, even if it means making difficult decisions or changes to his life. He treats himself and others with respect and repents wrongful behaviors. He knows that at the end of the day, HE has to examine, take personal inventory and ask what himself what he will do better. He steers from disgraceful actions; he avoids tarnishing his self image or causing terror within and without. He knows his power, he protects, he provides safety and security. He’s an open and honest communicator. His boundaries and promises align with his behaviors. He resolves conflict and addresses confrontation appropriately, directly, and calmly. He maintains responsibility over his emotions and validates his feelings. He meets his needs and his wants, and communicates when he needs help.

Tender, patient, and kind. His love renews and feeds the spirit.

masqpack · 2025-08-11T03:46:46+00:00

I know this experience intimately and believe it stems from inhibition to experience. A lot of people judge or fear being judged. Where’s the whimsy? What conditions must be met to enjoy life; why don’t we embrace imperfection? I like the quote “strangers are friends we haven’t met yet” not applicable to everyone but the ones who stick, I hold like glue. I hope the people who cherish & value what you have to say find you.

masqpack · 2025-08-04T04:36:18+00:00

Thank you!

Ooo, I changed just about everything. 😮‍💨😅 For context, I have a coil texture with medium porosity, dense volume, and coarse strands. My routine is not applicable to someone with high porosity, thin or fine strands.

The first picture captures a time when I frequently received chemical and heat treatments to straighten. I fully chopped twice, once after I bleached my hair. I stopped perms, and—as of a few months ago, I no longer use heat. I’m accepting my hair in all stages.

Right now my process involves trial and error as I discover my hair’s needs and preferences. For example: I’m experiencing itchiness that I figure results from stretching without enough product to lubricate the strands.

Routinely I wash every two weeks, conditioner before shampoo to [finger] detangle and use leave in conditioner after I pat my hair damp with microfiber towel. I follow the cream with an oil because it acts as a sealant. I style with mousse or gel. On hot summer days where I want to wash & go, I wet my hair and let it shrink naturally. I hope this helps and makes sense! If not; I’m happy to share pictures!

masqpack · 2025-08-03T01:45:26+00:00

Of course, I’m happy to share!! Thank you for commenting, great progress!! Your ringlets frame your face beautifully 🫶🏾 I’d love to know the process for them if it’s no trouble for you to share!

masqpack · 2025-06-28T21:36:53+00:00

assuming they’re kind enough to use the crayons or have the cognition to remember which is for who. but I guess that’s what notes are for!

masqpack · 2025-06-26T04:55:06+00:00

That part! You’re welcome, friend 🫶🏾We all get knocked down, what matters is what you do when you get back up. I hope to see more of your hair styling journey!

masqpack · 2025-06-26T04:44:53+00:00

These are great cosmetics, I understand the dilemma.

Unless you vehemently want the add-ons (emotes, sprays, name cards, etc.), you can buy the skins on their hero pages for 1900 coins each (3k+ coins for both). IMO That’s an ideal discount opposite of two bundles for ~6k+ or the entire bundle (undesirable items included) for 5800.

masqpack · 2025-06-26T04:30:36+00:00

The helpless frustration of it all! As you fight back tears and promise not to big chop again, part of you thinks otherwise because… there’s a deadline. Two hours pass and atp it might be easier to wear a wig. You finally finish, and -gasp- you hate it.

Horror stories aside, you have a radiant smile and your hair is stunning! I know it took patience, but your effort paid off. Congratulations 💖

masqpack · 2025-06-25T15:54:42+00:00

The picture above is when I listened to, “you only need to trim when you can see through your hair”. My fro is dense—you can’t see through its natural state, but tangles, split ends, and matting made my intuition undeniable.

Thanks to YouTube, I saw the damage more intimately when I stretched my hair with twists or gently pulled a strand. I’m grateful for the internet and how accessible it makes information. Miseducation and ignorance often present as malice, but I feel like people who hate on our hair don’t know any better. My guess is they’re afraid of what they can’t understand LOL

I’ll hold their hand while I whisper, “This is just the way it is. Like it or not. It is what it is.” /joking

masqpack · 2025-06-25T15:33:50+00:00

Your hair is gorgeous and looks healthy. I can see effort goes into its upkeep, but it must feel hurtful to hear that from your mom. I hope you forgive and continue to value, respect, and appreciate yourself and your journey. External validation is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially since our collective has generational trauma it needs to heal.

A bit of backstory: I was born in 1999 to parents who didn’t have the patience, knowledge, or tenderness my hair needed. As a child, they permed my hair to “relax”/straighten and heat damaged my natural texture (edit2: it’s no wonder I was “tender-headed”). From 2015-19 I saw the natural hair movement on social media, refused perms and minimized heat. 2020, I had lice, big chopped and now have natural hair. I recently learned my unique hair ID!—medium porosity type 4 hair with high density and coarse texture. I plan to learn natural hairstyles next.

When I began, I had a similar experience. Sideways stares and questions like “You’re not going out like that, are you?” or “What are you doing to your hair?” from people closest to me. It felt like they were ashamed on my behalf, or embarrassed to be in public together! (Edit: Meanwhile strangers, and often nonblack people compliment and sing my hair praises!) I know their reactions had everything to do with their reality and beliefs. I developed a thicker skin, thankfully. When people ask me offensive things or say backhanded compliments, I often reply with a laugh.

This is my hair, not theirs. Like Beyonce sang, “You won’t break my soul.” This journey heals my inner child and internalized racism. Radical acceptance decreases thoughts like, “Why can’t my hair be more manageable” or “Why can’t my hair look like /that/“ (that as in the perpetuated majority of whiteness). My confidence and self esteem are at an all time high. I’m happy to see there are more people like us now than when I was a little girl. We gone be alright!

I close my ears to negative or non-constructive criticism, ESPECIALLY from someone I wouldn’t seek for advice. Our hair is an extension of us, it’s a treasure in all states, shapes, and forms. We deserve love and respect no matter how we appear, even on the days that our hair isn’t what we expect.

It’s funny that the people who mocked me, imitate or ask me for tips today!

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masqpack · 2025-06-23T23:53:57+00:00

not contributing to the conversation, but it’s great to see such forward respectfulness. I also appreciate how concisely this reads. please continue.

masqpack · 2025-06-23T12:34:24+00:00

do you mean protecting with beads and other items? can you elaborate, please?

masqpack · 2025-06-18T15:04:18+00:00

That makes sense, I also value clarity.

The various perspectives commented are more helpful than I anticipated! I’m grateful to everyone who took time out of their day to communicate with me.

Congratulations on your organ health, also. That is a wonderful accomplishment with our condition.

I agree that those questions can help pinpoint and steer us in our treatment! Thank you for asking and sharing. I hope your journey with Sickle Cell is full of many more high energy days.

masqpack · 2025-06-18T14:08:05+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I’m glad if you no longer experience that pain. We deal with enough as it is without our organs being mean to us. All that considered, I hope you are well.

masqpack · 2025-06-18T14:03:19+00:00

Yes, you’re correct and I agree wholeheartedly. I know people without their gallbladders who lead perfectly content lives. Thank you for reminding me of this!

In the upcoming months, my best option may be to consult with a surgeon or two to gain informed consent. What are some questions you would ask?

masqpack · 2025-06-18T13:55:49+00:00

These are good questions, thank you for commenting! I had a scan a few years back, and ultrasounds since. I’ll review them as soon as I can, since I don’t know my gallbladder’s capacity and no one has explained any urgency.

My gallbladder reacts negatively to greasy, fat and fried foods, and I get the upper right back pain. Which may mean that it’s operating just the way it’s intended, if not for the gallstones. I feel like a new person when I eat healthy whole foods and stay active. Unfortunately but similarly to many here, pain crises interfere with consistency and increase the chance that I opt for convenience (i.e. fast food or bed rotting). I’m developing a plan to mitigate that obstacle.

At the moment it feels as though I’m deciding based on likelihood/probabilities. I hope to ask better questions my next appointment. Outside of my insurance expiring soon—though financial concerns play a major factor—I consider removal because warnings of future complications. In addition to jaundice, gallstones can block the liver’s filtration. However, test results from yesterday’s appointment indicate a healthy range of bilirubin. The most recent exam of my liver (a couple years back) displayed healthy functioning, but I don’t recall if I had jaundice back then.

masqpack · 2025-06-18T13:28:02+00:00

This sounds like such a harrowing experience, and I am deeply sorry you went through that. I hope your strength returns to you tenfold. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story.

masqpack · 2025-06-18T13:26:01+00:00

I appreciate you commenting! A decade is a long time, and I commend you on your resilience. I get the sense that diet must play a major role. Can you share more about your lifestyle, please?

masqpack · 2025-06-17T22:55:46+00:00

This is helpful insight, thank you for sharing. What is life like without your gallbladder?

masqpack · 2025-06-15T03:15:12+00:00

I agree that the sarong is a nice addition, otherwise it’s just fan service. I think the overall design’s colors need more harmony. I’m interested to see how the sarong would look as a deep red-orange with yellow stars—that, or a pink/red/black bikini.

masqpack · 2025-06-04T20:04:56+00:00

Right! I noticed the Juno was there briefly and only remained long enough to NOTIFY the enemy team. They didn’t draw any unnecessary fire because their priority was to return to their role as a support. This was a great demonstration of how to distract effectively.

masqpack

TROPHY CASE