a few questions

These are just some random hair questions that've entered my mind over the past week:

1. I've been seriously contemplating trimming my own hair from now on... what's a good (but not too expensive) pair of scissors and where can I buy them?

2. It's a pretty well-known fact that most hair grows faster in the spring and summer.  What, though, based on fact or your personal experience, is the average monthly growth for this time of year?

3. I know hot water (and other heat products) can damage hair.  But at about what temperature is water considered 'hot' enough to cause damage?

4. I've noticed that almost every woman I know uses blowdryers, irons, color, bleach, and tons of other crap products in their hair... and yet it's soft, shiny, and continues to grow long.  This makes me so mad!  Do you guys know people like this?

Anyway, I hope y'all can answer some of my questions.  I'm trying to put together a little "hair handbook" for myself and I'd appreciate some input from you guys!

1.  What Anais said!

2.  I never noticed mine growing more in the warm months, but that would be nice!   Mine seems to stick to a 1/2 inch a month no-matter-what philosophy.

3.  What Anais said!

4.  They probably do use lots of cones, and just because it looks shiny and good doesn't mean it is.  Mine looked shiny and good when I had it bleached white, but I had to trim off all my new growth to keep it that way and it felt like straw.  Hair always seems to look better than it feels.  You know well all the imperfections of your own because you see it really close to your face, but it's pretty likely others don't see it as nearly as bad as you do, the same way theirs looks good to you.