This past weekend, I started getting some things together for my trip. I laughed to myself when I started packing my hair accessories, recalling the last two times I flew somewhere.

One time, when going through security, the guy looking at the contents of my bag did a double-take. The last time, the operator stared for a while before he called another guy over, pointed at the x-ray and said something they both found humorous.

I wear my hair completely braided, though I have bangs. Thick and coarse, my hair behaves under very high heat.

I knew what they were thinking. I wanted to say, "Yes, it's a big-a** one, but dude, it's a curling iron!"