I like my hair. I have not put any chemicals in my hair for about 17 years and counting. Way before all the blogs (unheard of in the 90's) and the web sites that help women transition and be their most glorious natural self.
My help was the first black hair care (dot) com before it disappeared and reappeared as something new. There was also naturally curly (dot) com which had a small section for us with tighter, coily and kinky hair. I muddled my way through and lived on those boards until figuring out how to do my hair.
Now I often forget about my hair. I am shocked at times when I get a compliment or a stranger asks me about products or techniques. I could care less about shrinkage or how long it looks on a particular day. I have been featured on hair sites and I enjoy reading about hairstyles but am usually the last to spend money on a new product.
After typing all of that maybe that is the reason I was majorly disappointed in a recent curl girl meetup with Mizani. I plan events, which makes it difficult sometimes to just relax and enjoy them but this one....my people, my people.
They asked that you RSVP and it made it mandatory that you add a friend to the list. I was fine with that because I was taking a dear friend and fellow dancer because she still has hair questions.
We arrived 10 minutes before the event began and stood in line, outside, in the freezing cold, wondering WHY the doors were not open when it started at 7? About 10 minutes after that we became really annoyed when they continued to take photos of the ladies in line, obviously freezing with feet hurting as they begin to rethink their wardrobe choices for the night.
We made a few friends while standing in line as we discussed being stuck in line and what products we use (strangely enough none of us used the products by the sponsor of the event) and laughed as the line finally begin to move. Sometimes you just gotta laugh because after they checked our ID we were just ushered into the relatively small space without anyone checking the mandatory RSVP list.
About 5 of the 8 or so booths were reserved for the "guest speaker" which left little to no seats for the crowd and we were wondering just how many people one person could bring with them to take up FIVE booths?!? Well, we went to check out the upstairs area and met a few more curlies who were talking about their disappointment of the venue. Apparently the place has great pizza, we had to take her word for it because there was no food being served. No appetizers and no menus to order your own... at a restaurant.
They did do a short intro of the who's who of people including the "guest speaker" who said three sentences and headed to the photo area by the door. We were instructed to pick up a goodie bag and "talk and meet your fellow curlies to talk about hair and products" during the event.
Maybe I expected too much. Maybe I expected an event to not hold people outside in the freezing cold. Maybe I expected for the "guest speaker" to be at the event when it starts and not arrive 45 into an event that only lasts for 2 hours. Maybe I expect hair demos to be demonstrated throughout an event that advertises hair demos. Maybe I expect to not see the people scrolling through songs on Pandora while they are showing a video on the projection screens.
Maybe I EXPECT too much but now I see why certain businesses are in the position they are in.
I do enjoy reading the blog of the "guest speaker" and have enjoyed it since it's inception but I think I will skip the next time she "shuts ish down" in my city.
We waded through the crowd waiting to take photos with her at the front door and left to go to a restaurant that was serving food...and had a beer!
Until Next Time,
Peace & Blessings...