want dreads but not the commitment: thick, waist-length hair

My hair reaches to a little below my belt, is slightly layered, and very thick. I`ve always been fascinated with dreadlocks, yet don`t want the commitment of keeping them in for so long and then just chopping them all off (I am extremely proud of my hair). What I would like is some way to get the appearance of dreads, or a similar style, that I can just wash out after a day. As a side note, yes I do braid my hair, but I would rather do something that doesn`t take quite so much out of my hands (braiding for me takes about 3 hours and after I`m done I don`t feel like doing much else).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Braidalot has a good suggestion. If you want to get those over-night or non-permanent dreadlocks, set your hair on rollers (twisting the hair, then wrapping it on very small rods). It gives the look of being dreaded, but just lasts until the next shampoo. Redken`s WaterWax is a good product to use to keep your temporary dreads looking good. DO NOT use beeswax or you may have to have the dreads cut out. I have heard of heat working to remove the wax (with a clothes iron and wax paper) but cutting is the most common solution. A harsh solution for a "temporary" look. It sounds like you have terrific long hair and you are right be cautious about anything you do to it. The twisting roller method won`t harm your hair. Have fun!