Powders:

1. The powders can be mixed with water to form a paste and applied to the scalp.  It is recommended to pre shampoo with some oil in your hair before these treatments, to maintain the softness of the hair after the powder is rinsed from the hair.

2. The powders can also be added to existing conditioners and shampoos.

3. Another way the powders can be used is as a tea rinse treatment.  See "Ayurveda Videos" page for instructional video.

Oils: The oils are good for conditioning hair and using in a pre shampoo treatment.  Some powders are so concentrated that they can possibly strip extra oil from the scalp, especially those of us with curly hair that has trouble distributing natural scalp oils throughout the hair.  The oils are also good for sealing in moisture that has been put into curly hair, but can be a little too heavy for straighter hair.   Coconut oil is a good all-purpose oil not only for hair, but for skin, too.

Shampoo bars: Once again, you should pre shampoo your hair and scalp before using shampoo bars, as they are very concentrated.  The best way to use a shampoo bar is to make sure hair is thoroughly wet, lather the bar between your hands, and then apply lather to scalp.  Please do not try to rub the soap bar on your hair as it may cause the hair to break.  Remember, the shampoo bars are highly concentrated.  Shampoo bars generally do not lather alot, so if you would have to get used to trusting that your hair is getting clean without alot of bubbling.  Use a moisturizing conditioner afterwards.

If you've ever driven or better yet walked in downtown on 5th and main, chances are you understand the feeling of "blessed" to experience this piece of art seen above that my friend Megan Geckler has done. She'll be unveiling a new window installation tonight with a cocktail reception from 6 - 9 pm at LATHER - 17 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91103. You can also get a 15% discount if you buy something tonight - LATHER has natural and plant-derived skin products that Megan says is really nice. Here's what she has to say about the new piece:

"It is an adhesive vinyl window installation that will be visible from both the street and inside the store, creating 2 wholly different pieces from the inside and outside. Colorful and bright, the design spans the entire length of the storefront windows. While the material is translucent and reminiscent of stained glass, it has been digitally-cut into gentle curving strands that overlap each other, creating new colors, the strands seeming natural and organic."

I found Best Grooming Tools, and looked at their selection of shaving brushes, most made of genuine badger hair. I decided that I did not want to be responsible for the demise of any badgers, so I ordered the synthetic brush. "Looks and feels like badger," they said, so I gave it a try. I love it!

I also ordered Col. Conk's Glycerine Lime Mug Soap.  Lathering up with a real brush and shave soap makes the whole shaving experience a delight. The lime-scented soap lathers well, and provides a smooth shave that beats the canned stuff by a long shot.

So, the tally is:

• Shaving brush: $29.95
• Col. Conk's Lime Shave Soap: $3.50

I read that one bar of the shave soap can last a year, so I'm sure I'll save enough in one year not buying canned shave cream to pay for both the brush and soap. Plus, I like not having to throw away an aerosol can, which can't be good for the environment.  But, read the directions for how to "lather up" at Classic Shaving. I goofed around with a less than satisfactory technique until I finally read their helpful hints. Now I actually look forward to "getting all lathered up" each morning!  This simple approach to shaving also saves money and reduces plastic and metal waste going to the landfill. A win-win for me and Mother Earth! Stay simple.

Some of the Merry Melodiesin there are interesting, too. There is at least one that isn't shown these days due to being considered to have racist stereotypes (Fresh Hare). It also lets you see how some of the characters have evolved over the years.

Archive.org also has a live music section. Lots and lots of live mp3s of musicians. Most you won't have heard of. There are a few, though, that you may have heard of, like the Grateful Dead, the Spin Doctors, and, of course, Jefferson Starship.

Which leads to a confession: I love quite a lot of music from the 60's and 70's, especially Jefferson Airplane (which was, naturally, their previous incarnation). I may not do drugs myself, but the shear creativity and chaos of the music done there has always attracted me. So I thought I'd pass out a bit of their music here today:

White Rabbit

If you've heard one song by Jefferson Airplane, it's probably this one. Heavily Drug influenced, and inspired by Lewis Carroll, it's a natural favorite of mine. This is straight from Woodstock. And I'm really not sure what Grace Slick was doing to her hair back then...

Lather

This was on the album "Crown of Creation", which is a great album in itself. I suspect that it's phrases like "Sargent Dow Jones, 27 years old, commanding his very own tank", that draw me in here. Not to mention Grace Slick's voice. Give me a lady with an incredible voice like hers, and I'm likely to listen regardless of what she's singing.

Volunteers

And here we are with a classic protest song. Peace, love, and protesting the war, and how the man is bringing you down. And here we are now; same shit, different decade. Sorry, politics always depresses me. Wish people reacted like this these days, though.

Of course, there were songs I would have liked to add that just simply aren't on Youtube. "Eat Starch Mom!", for example. Classic lyrics on that song:

"When was the last time a television set--gave you shit about who you met last night?"

"You say nothing's right but natural things-- you fool. Poison oak is a natural plant; why don't you put some in your food."

"Preservatives might just be preserving you, I think that's something you missed!"

Classic Grace Slick right there. Ah well, perhaps another time...

La Bandera del Orgullo Bisexual está formada por tres franjas horizontales, la superior es ancha y rosa, la inferior es ancha y azul, y la intermedia estrecha y violeta. Frecuentemente se incluye una flor estilizada de 'trillium' en medio de la bandera. Representa a ambos mundos, guei y buga (heterosexual), así como su intersección (que produce el violeta).

La Bandera del Orgullo Leather representa a quienes adoptan un estilo de vida marcado por la ropa de cuero negro, mezclilla, látex, uniformes y otros fetiches. Es frecuente en estos estilos de vida alternar algunas prácticas de sadomasoquismo y sumisión-dominación. En 1989 se exhibió por primera vez esta bandera, con su característico corazón rojo en la esquina izquierda superior.

Las banderas de los 'osos' representan a quienes gustan de relacionarse con hombres grandes, gordos y muchas veces peludos, que responden al cariñoso nombre de osos. La bandera de los osos metafóricamente representa a todas las nacionalidades al mostrar en sus franjas horizontales todos los posibles colores de osos que es posible encontrar, con una huella de oso en la esquina superior izquierda.

Part I- Thanksgiving clean-up

Setting- A Hot Sudsy Sink

The water’s greasy.  Don’t you think? 

What a silly thing to say.  But she is nervous.   It vibrates her core.  If she wasn’t dunked in water, she knows she would be hot to the touch. 

            Come closer while we have the chance.

He is not. Nervous that is. She slides into him.  The water is scalding.  Is it her?  Suds lather luxuriously.  Lather luxuriously, she likes that.  The warm soapy water pushes her further into him. She clicks her curves against his smooth inner walls.  He is cool despite the ever rising temperature of the water submersing them.    

             I’ve missed  you.

            You look lovely.

Hardly, there are bits of peel still clinging to her handle.  Her cheap rubber handle, so utilitarian.  So unlike him.  Porcelain fruit-embossed skin that shines, begging to be stroked, polished, displayed.  There is a tiny chunk of potato caught in her lattice.  She can smell it and hopes she is scrubbed better this time.  Prays he doesn’t notice.  But now is not the time for these thoughts.  They only have the briefest moments.  Rubber hands grab and probe; work steadily on Daisy Casserole. But that will only bide so much time.

He is bound to Serving Plate. A matched set, he has no choice in the matter.  That is what he tells her at least.  Who is she to argue? Nothing but a drawer dweller, she waits to catch a glimpse of him in the hutch. Before she is shut back into darkness with Serving Fork forever getting himself caught up in her, a little too conveniently she thinks.

The hands come separating them.  Not now, it’s too soon!

I won’t leave you.

Darling it’s time.

She fights and gets caught in his delicate opening she somehow found so easy to slip into.  A subtle Clink. The faintest CRACK.  Her heart rips open at the sound.  The chip is barely perceptible, but to her it is disaster.  She proves nothing but a destroyer yet again. He will hate her now. Their time is over.  What will she have to look forward to, but for these festive days that allow them the briefest stolen moments?

I’m so sorry.

His graceful neck arches up towards her before he disappears beneath the foam.

            You always hurt the one you love.  

A joke to take with her into the darkness.   

Stay tuned....

 http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/media/JeffersonAirplaneTakeMeToACircusTentJefersonAircast39KLATHERTUESDAY.mp3

Jefferson Starship 

2/28/95 The Bayou

Washington, D.C. 

Lather  

Welcome to Tuesday morning: 

How are you feeling? Would you like to know a secret?  Cool, if you board the plane here: Sgt. Dow Jones is ready and so is the band.  Enjoy!   

I look forward to hearing you later on.   

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE- JEFFERSON STARSHIP- Great Society    Please remember at any moment on an Aircast it can be a rare memory from the Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, KBC, Wooden Ships, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner to name several.  Maybe another picture previously unseen from the Rock Tent Vault sees daylight from Herb Greene or Don Aters.   

Have a fantastic Tuesday,

craig