My new haircut was a total success! It was much more expensive than my normal haircuts, but it took significantly longer, and most importantly, my hair looks fabulous. I got nearly six inches chopped off, which always freaks people out quite a bit, but it looks absolutely amazing.
The lesson? Take the risk. It's not permanent. Yes, it cost about $30 more than my previous salon. But for a good quality cut, it's worth it.
I'm kind of bummed that I wasn't able to grow my hair out long enough to donate, but since my hair is so thick, the weight was just too much. It was starting to give me headaches, and I had probably another year of growing to do. Lesson learned.