I have a hair problem. See, things just got outta a hand. I got out of the military where I HAD to keep my hair a certain length and so I decided, just because I could, to let it grow a little. But like I said, things got out of hand. Once it started growing, I got kinda busy with other stuff and then it kept growing, and grew some more and then, well, it was officially “long.” I was now a long haired guy.

I mean for me it’s nothing new. I did this long hair thing from about….1989 to…1990 during my involvement in the metal scene. In those days I hung out, I went to shows, and like every other metal head I was constantly trying to get a band started. So the long hair thing, for a young guy was perfectly normal-in fact, me being BLACK in the metal scene was more of an oddity. I also had long hair in the 70’s, and of course in that situation I was right on the money. But in those days we called them afros. And today most of the time that’s actually how I wear my hair today .

Which brings us back to the topic at hand; HOW am I going to cope with this long hair. Obviously just cutting it off would end the whole issue, but I don’t FEEL like cuttin’ it off, I’m just trying to decide how to handle it. I mean back in 1991 when I did cut it off I felt pretty great actually. I was on my way to Japan to study Ninjutsu and pretty scared and excited. I was going to learn this obscure secretive martial art in a foreign country. I had just finished my first year of Japanese language classed at Columbia University, so I figured I’d be able to communicate on some level, but I WAS moving there not visiting. I had enough clothes to last me a year, but all the stuff to just live like radios, books, computer (and in 1991 my primitive laptop was considered state of the art!). But I knew the Japanese people could be weird about non-conformist, and I knew I was gonna need a job, so I cut my hair.

Now if you’ve looked at my “About Me” page then you’ve seen the afro I’m wearing today. And if you noticed the first picture in this piece, then you’ve seen the sort of wavy unbraided clumps I pull into a giant pony tail today. But IN MOST CASES Black people, particularly guys, who grow long hair tend to dread up. That’s pretty much the only thing you can do with long hair. I mean if you want to read all about dreadlocks on the net there are many places. And in book form there is the Dreads book . All these images are from that book .

So these days I’m kinda involved with a woman, and SHE has dreadlocks, and I think she wants ME to have dreadlocks, but I’ve told her that’s a real lifestyle choice. I mean it’s a one way ticket in terms of hair, and I like to have options. Not just with hair, but with everything I do. I mean maybe that says something about me-can’t make a commitment…At any rate I enjoy being able to wear a wacky afro some days or a totally combined out arrogant guy pony tails on another. But I think the hair has something to do with my mortality.

On the one hand; this long, dark, thick hair says YOUTH. I mean there’s no gray or bald spots-I AM feeling a touch of thinning in one spot, but you’ve really got to get your hands in there to notice. So this is a Sampson type issue. My vitality through my hair. And also I sort of feel like this is the LAST chance I’ll have to grow this kind of hair-there’s no way possible where I’ll have this kind of freedom. Oddly enough I DO have a plan for my old age and my hair. I’ve got this idea of becoming a Sadhu (spiritual seeking ascetic in India, not really big on clothes, living on the streets or a cave). But that’s WAY in the future after I’ve become rich, a total bastard, repented and turned over a new leaf. Yeah, that’s right I’ve got a plan to BECOME a bastard and then repent and go seeking wisdom in a cave.

So for now the hair just…IS. But no way it’ll make it another 12 months!

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