Hair, hair, everywhere

I have waist length black hair. Typical young, Asian, female hair, really. Previously rebonded to tame its unruly tendency to poof up (think mild Afro) at the first sign of moisture. My previous visits to Australia were during the drier third quarter of the year, which had the effect of calming my crowning glory down, to a more acceptably neat state.

Thus my decision to forgo my annual four-hours-in-the-salon-with-stinky-chemicals-and-nasty-people-tugging-my-roots-out-with-flat-irons experience. In Malaysia, this rite of passage costs about MYR300 or so depending on hair length. In Australia... I shudder to think of the cost.

My first summer experience here has shown how the humidity can rival Malaysia. My hair is a mess - the lower half was chemically forced into straightness and is starting to develop split ends; the top half is in its naturally poofy state, with a slight wave beginning to show.

More than once, I succeeded in scaring myself in the mirror with the lights off.

I am extremely tempted to slice it all off in exchange for a low-maintenance bob. Another contributing factor would be the fact that I "shed like a dog", in the words of PD (who is selling us my first car!). X and I live in a nice clean house, with nice clean cream coloured carpet. The upkeep of this situation however, is becoming increasingly tiresome thanks to my continuous moulting. X, my dear, patient, kind man has not forced a hairnet upon me yet, but often follows me about with a vacuum. Occasionally, he gets nervous breakdowns when there are impending guests.

To chop or to not? Short hair does tend to make me look a lot younger than I really am (I am still frequently asked for proof of age). This would be disadvantageous in a work environment. My hair was my shield when I was an insecure adolescent and still is, on the odd Fat/ Ugly/ Bad Face Day. Sentimental value is harboured in dead proteins.

It'll depend on how the summer progresses along, I suppose.