UK Trip Updates

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Thanks for your prayers!

Wen

My hair is pretty long now... over 20 inches. In regards to my hair, I get compliments on a fairly regular basis because it's long, straight and usually shiny. I'm also constantly asked what kind of products I use in my hair and how I care for it. Here is what I've been doing for at least 15 years:

Products: Head and Shoulders shampoo (for normal hair), whatever conditioner that can be purchased with a coupon from Costco. (No mousse, no hairspray, no gel, no leave-in conditioner.)

Process: Shampoo only the scalp area. Rinse thoroughly. Use about two pumps of conditioner only on the bottom half of my hair. Leave conditioner on while I soap up. Rinse off conditioner while rinsing off soap. Squeeze out as much water from my hair as possible with my hands. Pin up or tie up hair when toweling off. Do not towel dry. Wrap hair in a towel or turban. Leave hair in turban for at least 15 minutes. If in a rush, blow dry hair. If not, air dry.

Special Notes: I usually only wash my hair once every two days. I also get my hair trimmed at least every 3 months.

15+ years is a long time. But that's basically what I've been doing with my hair for years. I used to have light brown highlights but I eventually stopped because it was (1) too expensive and too time-consuming to keep maintaining, and (2) Locks of Love does not accept bleached hair.

In the last few months, I kept seeing infomercials for Wen by Chaz Dean. It's a hair cleansing product to be used in lieu of shampooing and conditioning. It's called a "hair cleansing conditioner." The infomercial features Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie) as the host, and other celebrities like Jane Seymour, Jennie Garth and Ming-Na Wen. The first few times I watched the infomercial, it seemed like a scam... washing your hair without shampoo?!?!?!? It just didn't seem right.

But then, I remembered how I always thought it was necessary to use a foaming face wash until my facialist told me to use Cetaphil, a totally non-foaming skin cleanser. My face is much clearer now—only getting the occasional acne.

So, after reading many online reviews, I decided to give Wen a try (the fig one). I even sent a bottle to Carolyn. Anyway, I've used it twice now. I'm happy to report that I actually like it a lot. Even after the first time, my hair seemed softer and easier to manage.

However, the whole washing business takes a lot longer now—thus making my shower a whole lot longer. The product needs to be massaged in for several minutes, then allowed to settle for another few minutes before rinsing. It also takes a lot of the product each time. With my hair as long as it is, I use about 40 pumps each time. And the stuff is not cheap.

Anyway, I usually don't endorse products (especially in writing), but I gotta say that I actually like Wen. I will keep using it until my current supply runs out.

Has anyone else heard of or tried Wen? I'm just curious what others think.

Whew! That was a lot just on hair. Sorry for boring the guys. =)

My Third Home

My first home is Los Angeles. Since August 2007, Vancouver has become my second home. And with flying between the two cities, the airports are now my third home.

Once again, I find myself sitting in the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Even the customs agent I had today remembered that I was from LA before I handed him my passport and customs form! He told me that he will soon remember my name! (For those of you who don't know... when flying from Canada to the States, U.S. customs is in the Canadian airport before even boarding the plane.)

Today, I have extra time in my third home. I was going to take the bus to the airport, which would have taken over an hour, but my landlord insisted on driving me. Therefore, it only took 20 minutes to get to the airport. Furthermore, I just checked my flight status and it seems that my flight is delayed by 34 minutes.

That gives me extra time to sit in the Alaska Airlines Boardroom before I have to get to the departure gate.

Someone told me recently that she has such a busy life that traveling by plane is the only time she gets to slow down (sitting in an airport waiting for a flight and sitting in a plane). I'm beginning to feel that way about my life too.

How ironic! Traveling is the one thing that can slow down life. Anyone else find this odd?

By the way, YVR is the only airport I know of that is advertisement-free. I love it. It's so beautiful... especially the aboriginal displays that you walk past when you first arrive at the airport before going through Canadian customs.